@tccthecollegian
HEB ISD collegiate academy coming to TCC
Partnership aims to provide high schoolers with more opportunities
LAUREN HARPER
multimedia editor lauren.harper@my.tccd.edu
The Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District announced its plans to join TCC for the 2025-2026 school year as the college’s 30th collegiate academy.
The academy, set to share the NE Campus with Birdville and Grapevine-Colleyville collegiate schools, would allow students to simultaneously graduate with a high school diploma and 60 college credit hours for select pathways.
“We want this school to be a place that students can go who really want to go to college, who maybe aren’t quite where they want
to be,” Stacy Force, HEB ISD’s coordinator of counseling and guidance said. “[We want] to give that individualized attention and support starting in the ninth grade to introduce the students to a college atmosphere.”
HEB ISD will supply books and staff while TCC will cover tuition costs. According to TCC’s director of educational partnerships Edward Hicks, this is indicative of the value the college places on this opportunity.
“We see these as a huge service for our community - to the student body and to the economy of Tarrant County,” he said. “These are now educated individuals who will be able to give back to the workforce as well as make a living
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
TCC Chancellor Elva LeBlanc’s contract was renewed for another three years.
FOUSIA ABDULLAHI
editor-in-chief
fousia.abdullahi@my.tccd.edu
The TCC board of trustees discussed and approved a threeyear extension of Chancellor Elva LeBlanc’s employment contract.
LeBlanc’s term has been extended to Dec 31, 2027, and her annual base salary also increased to $540,750, reflecting a 3% cost of living adjustment.
DISTRICT DISTRICT Board approves contract
LeBlanc has been in the position for two years. Prior to her role as Chancellor, she was the Vice Chancellor and Provost, NW president and a faculty member.
“We’ve been very pleased with Dr. LeBlanc’s performance, her leadership and her ability to work collaboratively with the team and with the board as well,” board president Teresa Ayala said.
To address the growing need for child care, TCC is introducing a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in early childhood education. At the Jan. 16 trustees work session, South Campus dean Shereah Taylor-Love said this degree will prioritize the needs of children and the early childhood professionals in Tarrant County.
“We anticipate in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex an increase by 2,204 positions, or 17% in the next four years,” Taylor-Love said.
The district is also entering into a memorandum of understanding with Grow North Texas to spearhead and support local agriculture training through fall 2026. Under this agreement, the cost to students will be $30 per workshop. Grow North Texas will sponsor four to 10 students, and TCC students will fill the remaining spots.
“This two-year collaboration See Board, Page 3
wage for themselves.”
While the program’s focus is obtaining an associate degree, HEB ISD Superintendent Joe Harrington said the district also understands the academy’s role in developing students for certifications and trades.
“To me, the most important thing is these kids are ready for whatever is next in their life,” he said. “Naturally, it’s going to elevate their maturity and help them be better prepared for college or better prepared to go into the workforce.”
Despite HEB ISD starting high school in the tenth grade, the academy will begin in the ninth grade. Force said they’re prepared to ease incoming freshman’s transition from junior high See HEB, Page 3
Rodeo is in TOWN
Faculty, students navigate AI’s role in academia
Learning how to navigate ethical integration while maintaining academic intergrity in class
want it used at all. Then there are those in the middle still trying to figure out its place in academia.”
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly prominent in education, prompting educators and students at TCC to navigate its benefits, challenges and impact on academic integrity and learning practices.
According to the TCC website, the college’s policy on AI and academic integrity leaves it up to faculty to determine which AI tools can be used in the classroom.
NE Campus English department chair Shewanda Riley said her department doesn’t have a set policy on AI, putting the decision in the educators’ hands.
“What we try to do is understand that everyone has a different perspective and our goal is to respect that,” Riley said. “Some educators want to experiment with AI and ChatGPT, while others don’t
Academic freedom protects educators’ and students’ rights to express and form opinions in academic settings. Riley said she uses this freedom to test AI’s potential in her classroom.
“In my own classes, I’ve allowed students to complete one or two assignments using AI, just to see how it works within the curriculum,” Riley said. “For example, I had students use AI to create a song for a literary character, but I’ve also had experiences where I could tell students used AI to write a paper, which is considered plagiarism.”
NW biology department chair Daiju Hoshino said he has a similar perspective on exploring AI in education.
“The usage of GenAI — generative AI — in my department is mostly welcomed as long as it aids students’ learning,” Hoshino said.
“I want students to care about the material. All instructors design assignments to help students understand the subject matter.”
While these department heads say they emphasize embracing the future and experimenting with AI, some TCC students say they have encountered more cautionary approaches.
“My teachers have been discouraging the use of AI since high school,” NE student Daniela Sanchez said. “I think AI should be used as a study resource or to perfect a paragraph you’re writing, but I’m against full-on copy-pasting or having it do your homework.”
NE student Cassandra Kerley said her instructors have also raised concerns about AI usage.
“AI is becoming so prevale warn against it,” Kerley said. “My biology teacher last semester actually collected everyone’s phones because students were using AI to scan problems during class. That’s
cheating, but I think using AI to paraphrase a textbook or make study flashcards is OK.”
TR student Annabelle Hull said that while her teachers are also against AI, she believes it depends on how it’s used.
“AI isn’t cheating as long as you’re not just copying and pasting,” Hull said. “It’s about leveraging it as a resource rather than a shortcut to avoid learning.”
With AI making its way into classrooms, some educators are teaching students to use AI as a tool to enhance learning instead of hindering it.
“I think AI challenges students to be more creative because they have to decide what to do with its results,” Riley said. “You tweak the prompt, narrow it down, analyze the output and synthesize new ideas. That’s all part of critical thinking. But if you just accept the first result, that’s not going to help you.” Hoshino said using
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
HEB ISD coordinator of counseling and guidance Stacy Force speaks with parents and students at Central Junior High School.
Kailey Raley/The Collegian
At PBR’s Last Cowboy Standing, Rogério Silva Venâncio gets bucked off bull “Walk Hard.” See Rodeo, Pages 4 and 5
Police seizure of photographs sparks concern
TCC art students, faculty worry about possible censorship of art
FRED NGUYEN campus editor
collegian.editor@tccd.edu
The recent removal of four photographs from the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth by police due to concerns of child pornography left some TCC art students and faculty troubled.
The photographs by Sally Mann were part of the Modern’s special exhibition, “Diaries from Home,” and featured images of her naked children.
A report was filed in December which launched an investigation into the matter by the Fort Worth Police Department. In early January the photographs were removed and are being held in a police property room. The investigation is on-going, and no charges have been filed, said Officer Daniel Segura.
TR art professor Angel Fernandez sends some of his students to the Modern every
semester for a project and was shocked that the works were removed. He said there needs to be a discussion of whether the actions violated the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech.
“I think it’s like a knee- jerk reaction that happened. It feels almost like a political statement,” he said.
Mann is a Virginia-born photographer known for her black-and-white images of the American South and her family. Her work has been showcased widely since her first exhibition in 1977 and can be found at museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The photographs removed from the Modern included one of her daughter standing on a table and a frontal shot of her son.
TR art professor Janae Corrado did not see the removed artworks in person but is familiar with Mann’s photographs of her
children. She said she disagreed with the accusation that Mann’s photographs were child pornography.
“Whether or not you like the art, it’s subjective,” she said. “But the intent of the images were not salacious. They were not sensual. The children were not performing acts of any kind that could be considered remotely sexual in any way.”
NE visual arts student Jasmine Reyes said nudity has been featured in art throughout history, but child nudity is a particularly sensitive subject. She said for her, it came down to if the children were purposely posed.
“I only really felt uncomfortable looking at the picture of the little boy, because it felt intentionally posed, whereas the little girl was just kind of — it looked like she was really being herself,” Reyes said.
Mann’s works involving her children were controversial when they were first
NORTHEAST
released in the ’90s. According to a New York Times Magazine article from 1992, her show at the Milwaukee Art Museum was investigated by the police a year earlier. Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare addressed the subject in a Jan. 8 post on X. He called the removed works “deeply disturbing.”
“Sexual exploitation of a minor, including under the guise of ‘art,’ should never be tolerated,” O’Hare said. “I will always be committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of society, our children.” Corrado said to remove the artworks because a few people were offended by the content is censorship and doesn’t take into consideration the artist’s intentions.
“This is no different than putting a fig leaf on the statue of David,” she said.
Speakers warn about increase in trafficking
CHEYENNE SHAWN campus editor cheyenne.shawn@tccd.edu
January is human trafficking awareness month. Human trafficking has become a growing concern in our world today. It can happen to anyone, even males at any time.
Between 2019 and 2022 there has been a 25% increase in the number of victims globally. Trafficking of boys has quintupled between the years 2004 and 2020. Adult male victims were 23% of 62% total for adults. Of child victims 16% of them were boys.
The Blue Campaign is national public awareness campaign with Department of Homeland Security, designed to educate the public, law enforcement and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and how to appropriately respond to possible cases.
Adjunct instructor of student success Adrain Mendez attended an event held on NE campus raising awareness on human trafficking. The event had a speaker who had some real-life experience on the topic. It highlighted the importance of paying attention to human trafficking because of how close it can be to you.
“If 10-15 people can walk away with something, we never know how that [awareness] can trickle down,” Mendez said.
Human trafficking victims can be any age, race, gender identity, sex, ethnicity, nationality, immigration status or socioeconomic class. It involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. The crime hinges on the exploitation of another person.
Recently in Midlothian, Texas, which is southeast of Dallas, in one of the local neighborhoods a human trafficking bust happened. It can happen closer than you think.
Tayren Mangolni-Thomas talked about how it happened in his neighborhood. He explained how he and his wife started noticing their ring camera going off in the middle of the night with what looked like a U-Haul. His neighbors also noticed the same thing. This prompted them to say something to the local police department.
“It just was upsetting knowing that
the individual who is so prominent in the community was using it as a cover for those type of activities,” Mangolni-Thomas said.
This can also happen on college campuses. Sometimes students who are seen as more vulnerable, including scholarship students with less money, can be targets.
“I was a little surprised at some of the scenarios they showed,” administrative assistant for supplemental instructions Maria Taylor said. “It [trafficking] can happen to anyone but on college campuses, it might be an individual manipulating people. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a group.”
It’s critical when reporting suspected human trafficking activity that you include as many details as possible.
How can you recognize that someone might be trafficked? A great first step is to learn indicators, these can be physical, behavioral or social.
Physical or behavioral indicators can include appearing to be deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care or other necessities. Suddenly having more expensive material possessions, tattoos or scars which could indicate branding by a trafficker or showing sudden, dramatic changes in behavior.
Social indicators can include having on campus housing but rarely staying in their dorm, having a romantic partner who is noticeably older, engaging in unhealthy coping behaviors and seeming restricted from contacting family, friends or a legal guardian.
If you see something don’t be afraid to say something.
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
Alex Hoben/The Collegian Resources such as this hotline were provided during the presentation.
Sign with Sally Mann’s piece “The New Mothers” in front of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth advertises the Diaries of Homes exhibit featuring multiple artists.
Board (continued from page 1)
will bring farm and garden skill workshops to our college teaching sustainable farming practices
To students and members of the community,” NW Campus President Zarina Blankenbaker said. “These workshops are designed to strengthen community for us, to provide practical skills and to promote access to nutritious, locally grown food.”
TCC and Texas Woman’s University have agreed to a dual admissions partnership
HEB
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to a college-level campus. “Our goal is to get them ready so they can fly from the nest and be successful and feel good about going into those classes,” she said. “Us training them how to speak to adults … what is a good way to approach people if you’re trying to find a study buddy out in your classes and you don’t have any HEB students in there?”
Along with meeting Texas Education Agency requirements, the academy’s future principal Toby Givens said the district’s goal was to ensure the student body mirrored HEB ISD’s demographics, including the 61% of those economically disadvantaged.
“[We want] to try to serve some of the traditionally underserved students that may not have thought about college and whose parents may not have talked to them about college and that expectation.” he said.
Hicks said, for many, the academy’s accessibility and cost-effectiveness could determine whether they continue on into higher education.
“These students are usually first-generation or low-income students,” he said. “Or students who may never have the opportunity to attend a post-secondary institution. Now, not only are they attending a post-secondary institution but they’re doing it in high school for free.”
Force asked current TCC students for compassion toward their high school classmates during their transition to college.
agreement. The agreement will provide early access to TWU advising and transfer guides between the schools, data-sharing for admissions and, once the agreement is finalized, a discount and locked-in tuition for a TCC-toTWU student.
“It allows them to stay on those crosswalks that we’ve developed specifically for TWU,” Pearson said. “In most cases, the tuition discount is locked in for our students at that university.”
“From the TCC student side, just be patient, be kind, and offer to help when they see what the student might be struggling with,” she said. “Realize for some of them, especially those juniors, that’s their first collegelevel class where they are out in the general population of TCC. Just help them feel like they belong, even though they are a high school student.”
However, Harrington said the collegiate students would be expected to meet TCC’s academic and behavioral standards and ensured the curriculum would remain at a college level of complexity and quality.
“They have requirements of a college student, so there’s going to be times that it is going to be a challenge,” he said. “[Teachers] have got to be ready to help and support, but the kids have to understand, ‘I’m taking on
this challenge.’”
Attendees of a public informational session expressed concern about the lack of available extracurriculars, including Duncan Dotson, a parent considering transferring their child, Elsa Dotson, from a Dallas middle school.
“With it being a smaller school, I’m concerned about it being resourced well,” he said. “The other thing I’m concerned about is sports and music. I know that’s something
Elsa] is passionate about so we’re trying to figure out what that trade-off is going to be.”
Elsa said despite the challenge of a new campus, she’s excited about the benefits of a smaller school.
“The period where I would be getting help in tutoring, I’m excited for that,” she said. “I feel like in other schools I haven’t had the opportunity to be catered to, but the idea of a college is a little intimidating.”
During the session, Force assured the school would prioritize creating a culture that supports student interests, including scheduling time in the school day for recreational activities.
“There will be, during the clubs and organization period, avenues for students to have an art club, maybe a drawing club or sculpting club,” she said. “There will be opportunities that are student-led if the student has a passion for something.”
With the last HEB ISD secondary school added over 30 years ago, Harrington said the district’s been planning this newest addition for years.
“TCC had some change in leadership and that set us back again and so everything came together to make sure that it was going to work out the way we had hoped it would work out,” he said. “This has been a tough time for a lot districts, but we’ve been working on this a long time.”
GISD Collegiate Academy Principal Lauren Jackson discouraged parents from dismissing the school because of its infancy.
“Don’t despise small beginnings,” she said. “If you’re looking for something innovative and different and an opportunity to stand out, an opportunity to get ahead, an early college high school is the way to go.”
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
Trustee vice President Kenneth Barr speaks during the January board meeting.
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
Duncan Dotson a Dallas parent is asking about extracurricual activties. After the presentation parents were able to ask questions and discuss concerns.
The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo has been a part of the culture since 1896, and people come from all around the country to participate in its agricultural events. The city’s annual event works to keep cowboy culture alive through entertainment geared for all ages. Carnival rides, mule shows, bull riding and petting zoos, the stock show hosts a wide variety of daily events.
Fun times, fast rides and fried food
ASH PETRIE feature editor ashleigh.petrie@my.tccd.edu
Rodeo attendees can kick up their boots for a short rest between stock show events by riding a Ferris wheel with a turkey leg in hand at the carnival.
Judge Childers, 7, forced his turkey leg toward his father Justin’s hands before sprinting past the gates of a monster truck rally ride. This is their fourth consecutive year attending.
“He really enjoys the rodeo,” Justin said as Judge ran around his feet munching on the turkey leg. “It’s what keeps us both coming back.”
Carnival rides that spin, whip and twirl are lit up all day at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. One can attempt a fun house maze or dare to enter the haunted house. Either way, a warm corn dog can be smelled nearby.
“We’re gonna go to the rodeo [later] and watch the bulls and cows,” Judge said.
Not all who see the lights of a slingshot ride may be attracted to the rodeo, but it opens the door for unlikely guests to experience their first Fort Worth cowboy event.
Dixie Briggs has been attending the stock show in Fort Worth since 2019 to show off her mule Sassafras. Briggs has been riding Sassafras for 10 years and appreciates the opportunity the stock show provides her and her family to exhibit their livestock, and the bonds built between the two.
“I think that there is a lot of passion, and it’s a lot of hard work,” Briggs said. “Fort Worth is where the cowboys are, and I’m really happy that Fort Worth is keeping the rodeo culture alive.”
Stock show attendees can kiss an alpaca, greet a cow, touch a silkie chicken and engage in a staring competition with a goat underneath one tent at the rodeo.
Westland Ranch Petting Zoo is showcasing its vast group of livestock at the stock show for the 20th year.
Kirby Swafford, manager of the petting zoo, has worked at the event since it started back in 2006.
“We can have upwards from 50 to 800 kids a day come through here,” Swafford said. “A lot of these city kids don’t get to experience the animals, and this is where they get to.”
Heaters located inside the tent help keep guests warm, but Swafford explained the animals are well acclimated to the cold temperature, and it doesn’t bother them.
Former TCC student Katie Pontiff has worked with Westland Ranch for almost 15 years and volunteers for them anytime a petting zoo event is hosted.
The only animals who sometimes freeze up are the fainting goats, but it has nothing to do with the cold.
“When we open up the trailer, it’s one of the most hilarious times, because we have to stand under it and catch them,” Pontiff said as she patted the head of a goat.
Westland Farm’s Petting Zoo will be set up every day until the end of the rodeo where all can visit, and the best part is it’s free.
Kailey Raley/The Collegian Emory Young crouches close to get a look at the baby goats in a crate in the Stock Show petting zoos. The animals are apart of Westland Ranch.
Alex Hoben/The Collegian Sierra Stratton, in her McKinney Hat Co. cowboy hat, bends down to brush a baby goat at the Westland Ranch’s Petting Zoo.
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo also features the Carnival Midway, where rides and games are available for Stock Show goers.
Poppy’s kiss, Silkies touch and a goats bump
Now Watch This Buck, Bull Riders compete
Adrenaline bucked violently while the crowd endured the sight of the bull rider’s eight-second ride, but when the buzzer blared signaling the rider had succeeded, a roar erupted from the crowd.
Professional Bull Riders, a group of more than 800 bull riders from around the world, stopped at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth on Jan. 21 for the first time to compete during the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
Steve Coburn has worked at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo since he was 11 years old and has never missed a year since.
“You get to talk to people from all over the world and you never know what you’re gonna see from day to day out here,” Coburn said. “It’s just a neat place to work.”
On the frosty 14-degree evening, the two-day event launched into full throttle with the opening event in which the 40 challengers of the evening were introduced to the crowd.
Every competition begins with 40 riders who must last eight seconds on their bull each round. If a rider isn’t successful, they will not advance to the next round. If one completes the eight seconds, judges will present the rider with a score based on their and the bull’s performance.
After five intense rounds, Daniel Keeping and Rogerio Venancio tied in Day One, moving them both closer to receiving the title of Last Cowboy Standing in the 2025 championship. However, on the second day, Leandro Zampollo moved to the top of the chart and won the title of Last Cowboy Standing.
While Dickies Arena was one of PBR’s first stops on its yearlong tour across the country, Fort Worth’s Stock Show and Rodeo continues until Feb. 9 with daily events and a ProRodeo every evening with horseback and bull riding.
Dave Jahn attended the mule show on Jan. 26 in support of his friend Smokey Briggs, his daughter Dixie Briggs and her mule Sassafras.
“There’s no better people than rodeo people,” Jahn said. “It’s just good, clean and wholesome family fun.”
Kailey Raley/The Collegian
Alex Hoben/The Collegian Rogério Silva Venâncio rides bull “Walk Hard.” Venâncio placed eighth overall and won $3000. For this ride he got 86.75 points.
To kick off the first night of the competition, 40 of the top bull riders walk out onto the Dickies Arena floor in a showering of fireworks.
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
Leandro Zampollo, after being thrown off bull “Lieutenant Dan”, is covered by one of the bull wranglers as the bull continues to buck. Zampollo went on to win first place in the Last Cowboy Standing with a point total of 133 points. He is now ranked No. 26 in the upcoming 2025 World Championship.
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
Felipe Furlan, member of the team Missouri Thunder, holds onto the bull “Throwing Hands” during the first night of Last Cowboy Standing.
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requires the skill and knowledge to process the outputs of AI.
“You still need a certain amount of knowledge stored in your brain to have a meaningful conversation with AI,” Hoshino said. “When the output comes, we need to understand, evaluate and analyze it to determine whether the information is reliable. Developing those skills takes training.”
Riley said she believes failing to teach students how to use AI effectively could hinder their future careers.
“For students entering the workforce, where they may be asked to use AI on the job, we need to train them on how to use it skillfully,” Riley said. “If we say no to AI entirely, they may lack the skills they need to succeed in their careers.”
As AI evolves, Riley said both students and instructors must prepare for the changes it will bring to education in the next five years.
“I think as AI becomes more precise, we’ll be challenged to update our curriculum and teaching methods,” Riley said. “It’s going to affect so many career fields. I’m not sure exactly what it will look like, and this is a cliché, but the sky’s the limit.”
Hoshino said research methods are already changing.
“These new models are outpacing Ph.D. students,” he said. “When I was a student, I spent five or six hours in the library collecting information. Now, AI can do that in minutes. But that doesn’t mean the information is reliable. You still need to verify it. Change is coming, and we need to adapt.”
CAMPUS VOICES
Q: “What event this year has stood out to you so far?”
Jayda Dickson NE Campus
“So much is going on (but) definitely the [LA] fires. Why would they (insurance companies) take fire insurance away? LA fires have happened before and they know that fires are bound to happen in that area, so why would they cancel it? Something is going on with that.”
“Whenever the semester ends up starting, a lot of student government organizations come together and do a lot of stuff to advertise their clubs. I think that’s pretty interesting. Just to get more students to get involved on campus.”
Naboth Agilegbe NW Campus
“The 2025 California wildfires stood out and how it just happened. There were a lot of fires and there was nobody to stop it. Houses were being burned down and people had to evacuate. It just popped up out of nowhere, and they say people were starting the fire.”
“I think any president being inaugurated is pretty important, even if you’re not a big fan of him. I’m not sure if he might be the best for our country. I don’t think it’s the best for me either, as well.”
Samuel Hernandez NW Campus
“I think the deportation they’re about to do. It affects our family cause my father is the breadwinner, we rely on him for our home and my mother relies on him. We have a pretty big family of six. We really need him now.”
Billy Jackson TR Campus
“The inauguration of President Trump, the conversations surrounding his in inauguration and his executive orders in which he has put out. So, he’s got a lot of people stirred up on both sides of it. It’s very loud.”
Elijah Alvarez TR Campus
“I
DISTRICT CRIME LOG
• SE: Unattended vehicle struck resulting in less than $200 in damage.
Org
• TR: Assault causing bodily injury
• TR: Theft of property < $100
• NW: Theft of property < $100
• SE: Theft of property valued over $100, less than $750
• NE: Assault against elderly or disabled individual
• TR: Theft of property valued over $100, less than $750
Jorge Cruz South Campus
Austin Marin South Campus
Graphic courtesy of AP
Second term makes America scared again
President Donald Trump’s inauguration delivered the shock and awe we have grown accustomed to during his election campaigns and last presidency.
The flashy decorations, cheering and sea of Trump memorabilia felt more like a concert or celebrity meetand-greet than a formal celebration of a nation’s leader.
Trump’s early executive orders echo the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, even though he had previously tried to distance himself from it.
After the inauguration, he signed multiple executive orders, including trying to eliminate birthright citizenship, leaving the World Health Organization, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, freezing federal government hiring and closing its DEI offices.
More orders are looming, but for now, Trump has done exactly what he said he would do, dismantle America’s normal governing systems.
One of the major concerns people have is how their individual rights will be impacted and whether the Supreme Court will uphold the Constitution, which has been in effect for 236 years.
Most people are sick of the constant bombardment of news online and on TV because of constant breaking news. Others want to stay informed but are overwhelmed and would rather check out if possible.
Undocumented immigrant and transgender communities are also feel-
ing the repercussions of the latest orders. Cities across the country already see the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers conducting raids, leaving many nervous about what the future holds for them and their families. Transgender military members wait on news about
A blazing inferno devoured every obstacle in its path throughout Palisades, but as the temperamental fires continue to burn, the rage from its heat has sparked discourse.
The critique of celebrity’s response, California’s FAIR Plan, insurance drops and the Los Angelos Fire Department spread across the country faster than the fire itself.
Whether it was a millionaire, middleclass or inherited home, the residents watched as their life’s precious belongings burned to ash as the country created memes of their suffering. This disaster ignited a few weeks after the UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson’s assassination. Debates about health insurance accessibility in the United States erupted hours after Thompson’s death.
Now, after the fires in California, homeowners’ insurance is under scrutiny.
High numbers of people were dropped by their insurance company last July due to the increased threat of climate hazards. Others chose to live without homeowners’ insurance because of their inability to afford its rising cost in the area.
During recovery the state’s vulnerable homeowners are facing the possibility of receiving little to no help from deceiving insurance companies.
There are many things to pay attention to as the United States doubles down on upholding right-wing values. One of those things is understanding exactly how the culture shift happened.
The kind of polarization we are witnessing right now doesn’t materialize out of thin air. It relies on a few things to thrive, starting with an overflow of information. In this country the control of this information is largely in the hands of a particular type of person: rich, white and male.
An example of the intentional polarization of U.S. citizens is how Meta CEO Mark Zuckerburg is currently handling the responsibility of owning one of the biggest information machines in the world as Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office.
Zuckerburg recently announced the removal of fact-checking on Facebook and the loosening of moderation policies when discussing sexuality or immigration. These policies came about after Trump was voted into office. An alarm bell should go off in the head of anyone reading those statements side by side. It’s worth digging into how they connect. There are a few things to consider.
First, it seems counter-productive to ban
he followed through.
Turning a blind eye may work for some. For others, these new executive orders are immediate life threats, such as the reversal of Biden’s order lowering prescription prices, something that will impact lower-income individuals who are already dealing with a high cost of living. The Trump administration also limited federal public health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s communication to the public.
After leaving the WHO, Americans are left in the dark when it comes to new and ongoing public health threats such as COVID-19 and the bird flu.
On social media, people are building community, mobilizing to protect their rights and creating healthy habits so they don’t get burned out by the administration’s constant news cycle.
TJ Favela/The Collegian
their jobs after Trump revoked former President Joe Biden’s policy of allowing transgender and LGBTQ+ people to join the military. The fear, anxiety and anger are palpable in many communities directly impacted by these decisions. On the other hand, Trump supporters are
Amy Bach, an executive director of United Policyholders who advocates for property insurance consumers in California, said this disaster hit at the worst time for insurance executives trying to renew their confidence in doing business in the state.
For an advocate of the people to detail the current issue by describing how it affects insurance executives’ confidence of receiving good business is repulsive.
Low-income workers living paycheck to paycheck and families whose equity was based solely on their home lost everything in those never-ending flames.
And as the minorities of Palisades felt the town’s painful heat increase, hot stars radiated energy through their cellphones. Celebrity check-ins were viewed by the public
happy with the changes they see while still waiting for the price of eggs to drop.
Throughout his campaign, Trump clearly stated that these orders and changes would be part of the plan if he was elected. Now that he has been, people shouldn’t be shocked that
as cheap attention grabbers and many responded with disapproval of the wealthy’s fortunate abilities.
Many took to social media to share their grief, sharing photos and videos as they fled their favorite town’s smoke-filled sky turning an orange hue. But what the rich and distressed posted online was used as gunfire for the public’s hot take on celebrity culture.
The weeping wealthy used to be greeted with compassion when disaster struck, but now people perceive their sorrow with shame.
No matter how much is donated to the community by celebrity funds, the unfortunate reality these people will face remains.
A year and a half after the fires in Hawaii, the biggest fundraiser for aid to Maui, Maui Strong, has faced backlash from Lahaina residents for not seeing the almost $200 million raised being used for their community.
The pattern of the lower class being pushed out of their homes after disaster is one commonly displayed. However, in these recent cases, American’s have acknowledged there is oligarchy in control and a backlash of the wealthy has ensued.
Even as Palisades embers cool, the media’s fire intensifies.
The Los Angeles Fire Department’s
cry of “free speech,” the people in charge of these platforms are actively making it easier to harm marginalized groups online, groups that are already being targeted by the GOP.
At the end of the day, we all have to live here. The fact people are using community building as a way to cope and contribute to the betterment of society should be applauded and broadcast more than the hateful and damaging rhetoric from politicians and oligarchs.
The goal of shock and awe is to paralyze you. People can’t keep the faith and stay hopeful if they are constantly in fight or flight. True community is based on protecting those in harm’s way and using your voice to push back.
whistle blowers detail how underfunded one of the richest cities in the world’s fire department is, and the corruption lying underneath political schemes.
Drill towers passing unqualified women for positions to meet a required female quota, city council members taking bribes from real estate agents in exchange for stalling homeless projects and the decrease of LA’s standard to one firefighter per 1,000 people.
The lies are no longer deceiving, and more American’s are beginning to distrust higher echelons of society.
However, as each passing disaster uncovers years of previous lies, it is important to remember instead of looking left or right, one should look up to ask why.
Fire department standards, aid spending and insurance company regulations are set by the individuals in power. If our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness is promised and protected by our government then how do countless lives suffer daily while following the American dream.
something meant to clarify the truth or curb hateful comments. Is there anything wrong with objectivity and equal rights? Well, if you are someone like Zuckerberg, then absolutely. It would hinder pushing a narrative or maintaining favor with powerful people.
Second, Zuckerburg recently poured $1 million into Trump’s inauguration fund who has threatened Zuckerburg with jail time in the past. When Trump was asked if Meta’s support could be due to his threats, he responded with a simple “Probably, yeah.”
However, it’s worth noting that Meta and other platforms like X have been inching to the right in the past few years. With the wolf
For example, Meta updated its hate speech policy to allow LGBTQ+ individuals to be referred to as “mentally ill.” And Elon Musk constantly engages with conspiracy theories and content that discriminates against immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups on his platform, portraying it as truth.
Their ability to do this with relative ease is largely due to declining media literacy rates which is the perfect recipe for pushing hateful rhetoric and propaganda. The passive consumption of content, which has become commonplace, makes it difficult for people to grasp the meaning or consequences of what they consume.
The importance of critically engaging with the media you consume is being lost to rapid-fire, short-form content with a desensitizing effect. People like Zuckerburg and Musk use this to their advantage by pushing whatever narrative will make them the most money, which currently happens to be values that align with the right.
Right now, our education system is crumbling. When educators push for learning curriculums designed to think critically or teach media literacy to parse through misinformation, they are met with pushback such as citing “child indoctrination.”
New Jersey is an example of this. Their attempt to implement a bill to increase literacy skills among K-12 students was met with public outrage from the right.
We as the people of this country must come together despite our differences and demand the unalienable rights promised before we too sit and watch as our life’s precious belongings are set aflame. HUDA
The refusal to create policies to curb propaganda and misinformation is due to how profitable it is to have the constant buzz of fresh controversy. It’s equal parts hatred and money. It’s concerning to see the declining empathy in people as we enter a new presidential era but it’s important to remember that there’s no time limit on prioritizing fairness and equality for those in your community and beyond.
Through the promotion of proper education and the fostering of an environment intertwined with empathy we can pull ourselves out of the misinformation mess we are in right now.
Victor Allen impacts lives inside, outside the classroom
Instructor given third presidential award for community service
ASH PETRIE feature editor ashleigh.petrie@my.tccd.edu
Victor Allen served his country in the Army. Now, he is serving his community, and it is getting recognition.
The NE adjunct instructor and retired Army sergeant major was presented his third Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from then-President Joe Biden in October.
Allen has been recognized for his willingness to serve and protect his fellow soldiers, but this award acknowledges his contributions to the community off the battlefield.
He formed a Military Community Relations Program that provided motivational speaking and mentoring for over 16,000 atrisk kids for eight years.
“I noticed that when I used to go to career days at different schools, the kids, they were always scared of the future,” Allen said. “So, I said I have to expand on this.”
After graduating with a master’s degree in social work from UTA, he applied to work as an adjunct for TCC’s mental health program in 2020. This was when Angela Shindoll, program manager for the department at the time, was introduced to Allen, whom she considers the most compassionate and caring person she’d ever worked with.
“He’s incredibly good at connecting with students,” Shindoll said. “His ability to express compassion when it’s needed is clear because I’ve seen him do it with students others found challenging to work with.”
Allen teaches ethics for NE’s mental health department, but he is also an instructor for the substance abuse counseling and social work program.
“He’s created that sense of spark with several of our students who needed someone, who had experienced similar challenges, to be an extra boost of confidence,” Shindoll said.
During his Army years, Allen learned how to be a military leader. After retiring, he learned his authoritative style wouldn’t reach others in the way he wanted to. So, he created
a new way to guide people through what he calls command presence.
“You have to take yourself down to meet people where they are ... to have sincere empathy because you never know the travels others have endured to get here,” Allen said.
He said his focus is to humanize academia by removing his authority from the classroom and teaching students at their level.
“I had a student say she never thought someone of my status would care about her,” he said. “I had to make her understand I could have it all here today and lose it all tomorrow. That stuff doesn’t matter.”
Former TCC student Bryan Popp views Allen as a mentor. Their relationship began when Popp returned to college after his battle with substance abuse and addiction. Because Popp came from a military background himself, the two quickly formed a close bond.
He described Allen’s teaching as similar
to military structure. There was always a goal for the end of each class, and Allen firmly guided students to complete it together.
The difference was the insight students gained after.
“Instead of just sitting in lectures, we were able to open up and learn different perspectives from different members of our groups through the various projects we had,” Popp said. “We’d be doing inner work and having self-reflection on a day-by-day basis.”
Some of the projects included role-playing exercises, reflective in-class discussions and team-collaboration exercises. These assignments could run until the end of class, but according to Popp, Allen would stay hours after to allow students to continue conversing without interruption.
“He didn’t have to do that, but he wanted to,” Popp said. “It’s that type of humility that attracted me to him.”
Allen’s approach to teaching is inspiring to his colleague Michelle Burris, an adviser for the Students in Recovery Club.
“The commitment to what he does, even as a part-time employee, he doesn’t let that part-time piece limit what he contributes,” Burris said. “That’s a remarkable attribute.”
As an adjunct, Allen teaches one to two classes a semester, but he dedicates time to ensuring his students are prepared for whatever may lie ahead.
“Our students are getting some of the best education from him, support from him and guidance in their future,” Shindoll said.
Allen focuses on alleviating students’ stress of the future. “Everything is a strategy in life,” Allen said. “I’ll try to give them all the academic toolboxes to take with them wherever they go.”
When Allen reflects on his life, he thinks about the Dr. Seuss book ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go.’ He uses themes from the book in his teachings to steer students away from focusing on their past.
“There were traumas, there were failures, there were mistakes, there were failed relationships I had which kept me lost in a perpetual state of fear,” Popp said. “It made it very difficult to live in the present moment.”
Allen said mistakes are an important aspect of life and he teaches this by being transparent within the classroom by sharing a few of his own failures with students.
“The mentorship that he’s given me, it’s helped me break out of that fear,” Popp said. “I can see that there’s a light the end of the tunnel.”
Throughout his time at TCC, Allen has accomplished many things, but what he’s learned from the students continues to push him to be better.
“They have taught me that all they need is someone to care for them,” Allen said. “Everyone has a strong inner willpower to get them to the places they will go.”
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army, and NE Campus adjunct instructor Victor Allen said he strives to provide every student with encouragement.
Photo courtesy of Victor Allen
Victor Allen, as part of his work with the Military Community Relations Program talks to school children about alleviating fears regarding their futures.
Photo courtesy of Victor Allen
Found in the DFW International Airport, a hand-crafted shadow box with crossed swords, made by Allen in 2012, hangs in Terminal D to honor combat soldiers.
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
In October, Allen was granted his third Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for Community Service from then President Joe Biden for his continued service.