WEDNESDAY l 3.27.19 OUR 69TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.
LEFT: Dr. Cheri Etheredge cares for a simulation mannequin in the Simulation Lab in the Applied Art Building. Etheredge has been teaching in Contra Costa College’s nursing department for 38 years. This semester she was awarded the district’s Teacher of the Year award.
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Leadership recognized Nursing department chairperson receives district’s Teacher of the Year award By Denis Perez creative director
dperez.theadvocate@gmail.com
Throughout her 38 years teaching in the nursing department at Contra Costa College, Dr. Cheri Etheredge’s iconic efforts have given the program strong leadership, a state-of-the-art Simulation Lab and, most recently, recognition as being the home to the Teacher of the Year. Hanging on the door of the nursing offices in the Applied Arts Building, a sign congratulates “Teacher of the Year” Etheredge, who serves as the nursing department’s chairperson, for her recognition by the Contra Costa Community College District. For Etheredge, the award affirms more about the program than it says about her. “This award is an honor for
n “This award is an honor
for me, but it has to do more with the department.” — Cheri Etheredge, nursing department chairperson
me, but it has to do more with the department,” she said. The nursing program bolsters a strong nurturing community that breeds knowledgeable students and provides excellent educators. “We try to model the characteristics we want our students to have. Within the faculty, we are collaborative and supportive of each other. In a hospital, that is how it will be,” Etheredge said. Academic Senate President Beth Goehring said the Teacher of the Year award is an annual honor that rotates between pro-
fessors at CCC and its sister colleges, Diablo Valley in Pleasant Hill and Los Medanos in Pittsburg. Nominations for the award come from faculty members and began in February. By March, a list of nominees is created and sent out to college faculty through email. Etheredge was elected by a faculty vote to be the representative for CCC in 2019. On April 16, and then in September, Etheredge will be honored at awards dinners in Concord, Goehring said. Her nomination at the District Office also qualifies her as a finalist in the Contra Costa County Office of Education Teacher of the Year award program as well, Goehring said. County recognition also grants Etheredge and all the Teacher of the SEE CHERI, PAGE 3
Honored for enhancing HATEFUL GRAFFITI campus community PROMPS
OUTRAGE
By Michael Santone editor-in-chief
msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com
SQUAD IMPROVES DESPITE BIG LOSSES PAGE 7
Horror redefined through self duality PAGE 8 FACEBOOK: /accentadvocate
At the 2019 California Community College Council for Staff and Professional Development Conference (4CSD) on March 7, Contra Costa College won the Innovative Activity Award of Excellence for its annual Teaching Cafe. The award recognizes and rewards a community college for a single, innovative staff development activity or event. “We just got the award a few days ago and I went to several of the classified staff who worked on it,” speech department Chairperson Sherry Diestler said. “It validates all the hard work that everyone who participated put in — that this is recognized as an important activity for professional development and everyone on campus.” The Teaching Cafe, which was created by Diestler with help from other members of the Professional Development Committee, began in spring 2015 as an outlet for faculty, staff, management and students to share their strengths through activities and workshops. However, surprisingly no Teaching Cafes have taken place, or are planned, for this college year. “I noticed a lot of our faculty, staff and managers are considered experts and present (workshops) at other schools. And we bring in experts from other colleges too, so I thought why don’t we honor our own campus expertise,” Diestler said. “Everyone — faculty, staff, INSTAGRAM: @cccadvocate
Students rally, walk out at DVC By Luis Lopez staff writer
llopez.theadvocate@gmail.com
student-led discussions on what best works for them in the classroom. After attending many previous conferences, CCC faculty, staff and management did not attend this year’s 4CSD conference, Diestler said. But a colleague from sister college Diablo Valley was there and picked up the award. “We had no idea that we had
Hateful and racist graffiti aimed at black students was discovered in the men’s rest room in the Engineering Technology Building at Diablo Valley College on March 6. The image drawn was of a stick figure being lynched accompanied by the words, “No ni**ers working in trades.” The hate crime outraged students culminating in a campuswide walk out rally one week later. DVC’s Pan Lamb African Union P r e s i d e n t Diablo D ’ j o i n a Valley Lockett helped College organize the president rally. “We wanted to show our outrage and let it be known that we will not stand for that kind of hate, and also show our outrage with the way the school handled these incidents in the past. We believed
SEE CAFE, PAGE 3
SEE DVC, PAGE 3
JANET LIRA/ THE ADVOCATE
managers and students were really enthused to present their ideas, because everyone on campus has great things to share. The Teaching Cafe was a forum for them to do that.” Over the years, members of each department showcased their expertise in topics like culinary arts with cooking demos, venting and managing stress, tutorials in online tutoring with the Library and Learning Resource Center and TWITTER: @accentadvocate
YOUTUBE: /accentadvocate
SNAPCHAT: @cccadv0cate
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Quotable “A well-written life is almost as rare as a wellspent one.”
HATE IS PRESENT
Michael Santone editor-in-chief
Xavier Johnson web editor Denis Perez creative director Cindy Pantoja opinion editor Jessica Suico Gabriel Quiroz news editors Jose Arebalo scene editor Efrain Valdez Joel Umanzor sports editors Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Issac Benavides Fatima Carrasco Luis Cortes Nijzel Dotson Kyle Grant Daniel Hernandez Janet Lira Gonzalez Luis Lopez De’Jon Sylvain Marshique West Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 Member
Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges How to reach us Phone: 510.215.3852 Fax: 510.235.NEWS Email: accent.advocate@ gmail.com Editorial policy Columns and editorial cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.
●
EDITORIAL
Thomas Carlyle British writer 1839
Robert Clinton associate editor
opinion
WEDNESDAY, MARCH. 27, 2019 VOL. 108, NO. 17
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM
Racist graffiti shocks Diablo Valley College campus
M
uch has been written about the increase in hate crimes over the past three years. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report they have increased 17 percent from 2016-17. California is not immune to such an unexpected hike in hate and despite the appearance of a liberal-leaning population, the state has seen its fair share of these egregious crimes. Surprisingly, Contra Costa County reported the same number of incidents that fit into the broad category of hate crimes, 21 in 2017 that were reported in the previous year. This bodes well for this area of the East Bay. However, when incidents do occur, their rarity may compromise official responses. Earlier this month, racist graffiti depicting a stick figure being lynched with the words “No ni**ers in trades” was discovered in a bathroom of the Engineering and Technology Building on sister school Diablo Valley College’s campus. The vandalism was discovered at approximately 3:30 p.m. on the afternoon of March 6 followed by an email condemning the act some six hours later, at 9:23 p.m., by DVC President Susan Lamb. Lamb’s initial email explicitly states, “Both rest rooms were closed and the messages were photographed and removed.” However, points of contention were uncovered in her statement when, two days later, DVC students who entered the rest room saw the offensive imagery had not been removed and had only been covered with an X. Images of the graffitti, and the X that attempted to cover it, were sent to the DVC Enquirer courtesy of student Panda De La Torre two days later on March 8. Nowhere in Lamb’s email did she directly address African-American students, the actual target of the offense. She instead opted to offer support for all students. To be clear, the message was not directed at all students. It was directed at black students. In response, DVC students organized a rally a week later to voice their concerns and proposals for change to DVC administrators. Students who attended the rally spoke of a culture of intolerance that undermines the otherwise quiet Pleasant Hill campus. Surprisingly, in data from the California Attorney General’s Office, only one hate crime was reported in the city in 2017. With roughly 5.5 percent of DVC’s student body identifying as African-American, accompanied by state data that shows hate crime reporting in the area surrounding the campus at near zero levels, college administrators’ laissez-faire approach to racial problems is predictable. It’s also irresponsible and speaks to the disconnect between the plight of AfricanAmerican students and administrators from different backgrounds who purportedly work to serve them. The Attorney General’s data also shows anti-African-American hate crimes disproportionately outnumber hate crimes committed against other races. With more than 50 percent of hate crimes being identified as racially motivated in California, African-Americans incur the brunt of these attacks and are over 27 percent of the reported victims. Will it take a physical attack for administrators to properly respond?
CINDY PANTOJA / THE ADVOCATE
■ REFLECTION
Young mindset spurs minimalistic outlook A
lmost everyone my age has access to media outlets at their fingertips. On our phones we can scroll through Instagram, see all the models and their chic outfits, open Spotify to listen to the newest tracks or check through Twitter to see what food is trending. As teenagers, our minds are still developing and we are susceptible to all kinds of influences, whether good or bad. Where everyone is trying to stay on top of what’s new and imitate what they see in the virtual world, it seems as if they are in a fight for dominance and respect to some degree, and some want it more than others. It’s easy to stick with the mainstream when we can’t stop to smell the roses. We seem to be blinded by some external force that makes us think we can get somewhere better if we move fast and blend in. But there’s a time in everyone’s life when they step back to evaluate themselves and find what’s more important to them, rather than what others feel. We start to better understand ourselves, become more aware and accepting of what has been given to us. And then we learn how to utilize those resources. After I was the only person out of my middle school circle of friends to be accepted to Middle College High School, I had my moment of self-evaluation during my freshman
rather living in the present and moving on. As I applied the concept of intentional living to my life, I started to notice and appreciate the details of the smaller things that bring everything together. During the past decade the hobby of collecting year. It was a tough time vinyl records has seen a for me because it was major revival worldwide. when I felt the loneliest. I Music has always been one went from every day being of my personal essentials, with my friends to being so I decided to jump on with them only a few times the bandwagon and began out of the month. listening to records. One One thing that instantly And then day during popped out to me as I got a break the hobby was the we learn between into music I was listening to. For years I’ve listened to how to classes, I was at the same music, but when the comI played the music off the utilize puter of vinyl I heard sounds I those an empty wasn’t expecting to hear. classroom I would listen closely resources. watching whenever I played a record YouTube — every note, every vocal when I and every instrument. stumbled upon a video on Listening to records minimalism. taught me patience and to The video talked about appreciate all the energy materialistic minimalism, that went into getting the but then delved deeper music. From the recordinto the concept of intening, to pressing the disc, tional living. It’s about get- buying the turntable and ting rid of all the unneces- finding the time to listen sary clutter in your life so to the music is a complex that there is room to focus process. on what matters most, and You can skip songs by grow from there. moving the needle, but This also applies emowhy not intentionally take tionally where it’s not the time to let the music good to stress over the play until the side ends? smaller things because it’s just a waste of energy that could be put elsewhere Daniel Hernandez is a that would be beneficial staff writer for The Advocate. Contact him at dhernandez. later. Like the concept of theadvocate@gmail.com. not dwelling on the past, or what could’ve been, but
danielhernandez
CAMPUS COMMENT
The ASU has more than $30,000 in Student Activity Fee money available. What would you like to see done with it?
“There should be more scholarship opportunities for students and a better tutoring program.” Lam Nguyen engineering
JESSICA SUICO / THE ADVOCATE
“There needs to be more tutors. Having tutors for every subject I feel is key.” Blanca Vizcarra nursing
“How about more resources for struggling students, like free food. Food on this campus is expensive.”
“More college tour opportunities for students to check out fouryear colleges.” Roxana Rosalas
Iknoor Bal business law
MCHS
“They should put it toward helping homeless students on campus and providing more free food options for students.”
“I would like to have more of a college feel, like having a cheer leading squad for the sports teams here.”
Quamisha Hardy
Keairah Woods
early childhood development
undecided
campusbeat
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 3.27.2019 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
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NEWSLINE ETHEREDGE | Award recipient elevates department EVENT
MUSIC AND FOOD HIGHLIGHT EVENING The Contra Costa College music and culinary departments are teaming up to create a memorable evening of music and food with “Hollywood Showstopper” on Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. in the Aqua Terra Grill. Songs from the big screen including James Bond films, “West Side Story” and “Les Miserables” will be performed by Jazzology and Jazzanova along with a three-course meal. Taking inspiration from the subject of each musical and movie, the culinary department will serve a dinner with each of the three courses representing American, European and Latin cuisine. The three-course meal will also include water or tea. A champagne reception will begin the evening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 if purchased by March 26 on Eventbrite.com/ HollywoodShowstoppers and $40 after. For more information contact the culinary art department by phone at 510-215-3877 or the music department by phone at 510-2154822.
PRESENTATION
CAMPUS ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYZED On behalf of the President’s Office, a presentation on the economic impact of Contra Costa College will be given by Sterling Smith of EMSI on Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Fireside Hall. The economic impact analysis will detail how CCC contributes to the local economy, including how students, taxpayers and society benefit from their investment in the college. For more information contact Brandy Howard by email at bhoward@contracosta.edu.
FORUM
RAPPER PENS BOOK, DETAILS STREET LIFE Bay Area rapper Mistah F.A.B. (Stanley Petey Cox) is coming to campus on Thursday to promote his book “Dope Era” at 4:30 p.m in the Fireside Hall. The event will be hosted by the Associated Student Union (ASU) and include an overview of the book presented by Cox, along with a discussion and question and answer session for attendees. For more information visit the Student Life Office in SA-109 or contact them by phone at 510-2154923
CRIMEWATCH Monday, March. 4 Graffiti was reported in Lot 10 near Mills Avenue at 4 p.m. A student’s tote bag was reported stolen from inside the women’s bathroom in the Library and Learning Resource Center at 3:30 p.m No further details were given. Wednesday, March. 6 A vending machine at the entrance of the Applied Arts Building was reported vandalized at 9 p.m. Thursday, March. 14 Vandalism to east side of wall in the General Education Building was reported at noon. Friday, March. 15 An unknown male suspect on a bike slapped the buttocks of a female student walking to class. The suspect then rode off. No further details were given. — The Contra Costa Community College District is committed to equal opportunity in educational programs, employment, and campus life. The District does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, parental status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status in any access to and treatment in College programs, activities, and application for employment.
n “I am very fortunate to fol-
Continued from Page 1 years public appreciation when the Oakland A’s host the Boston Red Sox on May 7 at the Oakland Coliseum. Nursing major Megan Lacorte is in her fourth semester in the nursing program. She sees Etheredge as the perfect example of what a teacher should be like and well-deserving of the award. She said Etheredge has been instrumental to her progress at CCC. “She (Etheredge) is a big reason many of us are successful. She represents excellence,” Lacorte said. A class session in the simulation room is a place where mistakes are OK and non-judgmental teaching occurs, Lacorte said. “Cheri always made sure we weren’t scared of her title — it shows she is humble,” she said. With a calm tone, Lacorte said Etheredge always gave her nursing tips and taught her to look at the big picture, which made her think critically about things. “And not textbook stuff, but practical stuff, like dealing with family members and doctors,” she said. Lacorte, and thousands of students that Etheredge has influenced in her 38 years of teaching, will not be the only ones who benefit
low in her footsteps and hope to maintain Cheri’s (Etheredge) quality and attention to details.” — Mary Hernandez, assistant nursing professor
from her efforts. Etheredge single-handedly implemented the simulation program at CCC, nursing program Director Sandra Castillo said. “(Years ago) Cheri saw there was a shift to including simulation training among nursing students,” Castillo said. “She trained hard and made sure she could pass on every skill available to our students.” Assistant nursing professor Mary Hernandez said the simulation program at CCC is one of the greatest accomplishments for the program in recent years and its significance to the education of students is beyond measurement. She said through simulations, brand-new students adapt to the teaching and demonstrate skills quickly. Competitions among students were also thought up by Etheredge. Students spend a whole day conducting simulation exercises and being judged by facul-
ty and other peers, Hernandez said. Etheredge has laid a phenomenal foundation for students that will study here and professors in the future. “I am very fortunate to follow in her footsteps and hope to maintain Cheri’s (Etheredge) quality and attention to detail,” she said. In 2009, Etheredge started a three-month process to make sure the nursing program would offer real world training with simulation equipment including a state-of-the-art simulation room and a fully equipped, 10-bed Nursing Skills Lab. With the recent move of the nursing department to the Applied Arts Building, that lab exists in what was once the culinary arts dining room. She began with simulation doll training in Texas from the company that manufactures medical training products. Then, Etheredge was paid to take some time to “get up to speed” and read up on simulation techniques, she said. She later spent a weekend training at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland. Apart from training, Etheredge said she has spoken about simulation use and its connection to nursing education within CCC’s nursing program in conferences. “The simulation program has put Contra Costa College on the map,” Etheredge said.
CAFE | Directional changes hinder future events Continued from Page 1 won the award until she had brought it to us,” Diestler said. “We were shocked and thrilled.” In January, an email went out to community colleges who are members of the 4CSD notifying them that nominations were open in four different categories including Outstanding Program, Leadership and Outstanding President or Chancellor. Participants were invited to submit a nomination for themselves or a colleague. After putting together all the materials, including a vision and mission statement, event set up and program ideas, Diestler said she submitted everything for the Innovative Activity Award. “I don’t know what anyone else was doing, but I nominated us, because it (Teaching Cafe) was so well received.” At last spring’s Teaching Café, campus resource tables were added (Left to right) Lerecia Evans, Brenda Pless, Sherry Diestler, Janie Franklin and Sandra Everhart to the event. Diestler said she asked everyone played fundamental roles in establishing the award-winning Teaching Cafe on campus, beginning who directs a campus resource, in 2015. like EOPS, Puente, Per Ank and Safe Zone, to host a table with or ridged,” Everhart Teaching Cafe was an scheduled “I am very fortunate to structured their respective resources for faculsaid. “You have an environment event, set in stone on the academic ty, staff, management and students. follow in her footsteps and where people enjoy themselves calendar. “One of the responses from hope to maintain Cheri’s and have the opportunity to take Over the years professional previous Teaching Cafes was that away some tidbits that might development at CCC contributed faculty weren’t fully aware of where (Etheredge) quality and help them in whatever aspect of to the retirement party, holiday to send students for particular attention to details.” instruction they have.” parties and bringing the campus resources,” she said. “We, as facHowever, with the new community together, she said. — Mary Hernandez, assistant nurs- 16-week calendar and a ulty, generally don’t have a place Diestler said what the Teaching ing professor Professional or time to explore all the different Development Cafe did was expand to not only resources that we can help our stuCommittee focused more toward include students, but encompass dents access.” sional development coordinator the state sponsored Guided each department and the individRetired health education in 2015 and also led presenta- Pathways initiative, the possibility uals who make them up. department Chairperson Sandra tions in music therapy and creat- of presenting a Teaching Cafe this “I think right now, professionEverhart said although putting ing visual interest, said during the year looks grim. al development is geared more together the Teaching Cafes was professional development meetSenior Library Assistant toward Guided Pathways, and so a lot of work, it feels great to be ings members were always trying Brenda Pless, who also had a hand there’s a little more emphasis on recognized. to identify new and innovative in establishing the Teaching Cafe, being able to show that your pro“We got a lot of good feedback ways to share best practices and said because it takes a lot of dif- gram is in some way contributfrom the participants. And not strategies for delivering instruc- ferent moving parts it is hard on ing to student success and student only the presenters but the people tions with student achievement faculty, staff and managers. pathways. And that’s a good direcwho attended and students,” she in mind. “I don’t know whether it’s the tion as well,” Diestler said. “Every said. “It’s nice to know you can “Any time you have an oppor- compressed calendar or not, but person who heads up professional come together as a group collabo- tunity to interact with other fac- we just don’t have enough full- development has a different vision ratively, come up with a great idea ulty members, students and staff time faculty (available),” Pless said. and there isn’t anything wrong and see it through to fruition and it boosts morale because it gives “The ones we do have (available) with any of them. that people recognize that what you an opportunity to connect are burned out and stretched too “(Teaching Café) was good. you did was of value.” with one another and share ideas thin.” What they are doing now is differEverhart, who was the profes- in an environment that is not so Pless said it would help if the ent, but equally good.”
n
GRAFFITI | Anti-racist training for faculty demanded Continued from Page 1 er rally organizer, read off they watered down the severity of the graffiti when they told students about it. They did not mention the fact that it was a literal violent threat toward black students.” Hundreds of students from DVC, and a handful from Contra Costa College, attended the rally to voice their opinions and show their support for black students and students of color. The rally was an opportunity for students of color to address DVC President Susan Lamb and other faculty members. Lockett said, “There were teachers and a lot of students that walked out with us. It was way more than we expected and we used the rally as a platform to give out our list of demands to the president.” Vanessa Gallang, anoth-
a list of demands to Lamb. The demands included anti-racist training for faculty and staff, a notification system to better inform students of important incidents on campus and a mandatory meeting between the college president and students. Contra Costa Community College District Chancellor Fred Wood said he and the college presidents met to discuss the graffiti situation at DVC. He also said because of the speed in which information is spread across social media platforms, it seemed district administrators lacked concern. Lamb does not believe the incident is a reflection of DVC. “I believe every college in the past year has had at least one incident of rac-
n “I definitely think
the administration’s response was just damage control, because it’s not surprising this happened on this campus. That’s kind of the culture on campus.” — Terell Patillo, DVC
ist graffiti,” Lamb said. “At DVC this will not be tolerated and this is not what we stand for. In response to the list of demands, I made it clear that certain things on that list are things I have no direct control over. Antiracist training for example — I don’t have control over staff training.” Lamb did say the DVC college council is creating a task force to help with the
ongoing topic of race the task force is being formed to help advise and recommend steps to administration and staff when discussing racial issues. The graffiti contained a drawing of a lynching and hate toward black students in the trades and raised questions about the administration’s handling of hate crimes on campus. Terell Patillo, a DVC student who attended the rally, said, “I definitely think the administration’s response was just damage control, because it’s not surprising this happened on this campus. “That’s kind of the culture on campus,” he said. “I also think its suspicious that the administration only begins the discussion on race and racism after an incident like this.” Patillo said the handling of the hateful graffiti has
made students lose trust in administrators on a campus where, according to the district’s information system DataMart, roughly 6 percent of DVC’s students are black. Patillo said, “I don’t think they genuinely care to do anything about it.” CCC La Raza Vice President Ricardo Sanchez also attended the March 6 rally. “We were there to show support and let them know that CCC has their back,” he said. Sanchez was also skeptical about the district’s response to the incident. ”I find it suspicious how it’s not until an incident like this happens, that the administration suddenly wants to be transparent. It shouldn’t take something like this to begin communications between the president and students.”
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campusbeat
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 3.27.2019 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
MISPLACED BOWL PROMPTS CAMPUS SEARCH By Daniel Hernandez staff writer
dhernandez.theadvocate@gmail.com
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Speech team member Xavier Johnson performs his dramatic interpretation piece “C’est La Vie” during Speech Night in Fireside Hall on Thursday.
Speech team prepares for national competition
Over 200 turn out for Speech Night By Cindy Pantoja
n “Tonight was great — just
the wide variety of speeches from different people and the different stories are fantastic.”
opinion editor
— Shreejl Luitel, speech major
cpantoja.theadvocate@gmail.com
Speech Night brought together a big crowd of eager students who gathered in Fireside Hall on Thursday to escape the banalities of life and engage in a discussion of serious issues. The participants had the opportunity to address the audience and share their thoughts with a speech of up to 20 minutes. Many members of the Contra Costa College speech team are preparing for their national tournament in Reno, Nevada April 8-14. Speech Night is an event for participants to practice their speeches in front of an audience before heading to a busy month of competitions. After a quick introduction from the speech team, given by computer science major Kelanu Ranganath, four members of the team performed in front of an audience of about 200 people. “Every time I see a new speech, I’m kind of blown away by all the new perspectives and ideas. Tonight, was no different,” Ranganath said. Middle College High School student
Aman Butt open the event with a persuasive speech about alkaline batteries and the problems surrounding their disposal. “I always wondered how we actually dealt with these batteries and when I started to do research, I realized they were not being disposed of properly. They are just waste on a junk pile,” Butt said. “This is really detrimental to our environment.” The next speech, presented by the team President Shreejl Luitel, dealt with the issue of human trafficking. “Tonight was great — just the wide variety of speeches from different people and all the different stories are fantastic,” he said. Sociology major Ariel Lo presented a persuasive speech as well and talked about prison abolition and how prisons are big money-earning entities for corporations. “Tonight was amazing,” Lo said. “It was really great that we got the opportunity to bring the speech team out to the forefront, to let everyone know we’re here
and this is what we do. Just to have the opportunity to share my speech in front of other students on campus was great.” The last speech of the night was a personification of a gay gentleman, Terrance Flynn, who met serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in a nightclub. “I haven’t competed this semester and it was nice to be able to speak in front of people before nationals,” journalism major Xavier Johnson said. “It was cool to talk about a true story. This time I looked for a fun piece — something everyone could enjoy.” Audience members who attended Speech Night were impacted by the preparation and public speaking ability of the team. “I thought it was really brave of everybody to go up to the stage and speak like that because I’m taking a speech class and I know that’s pretty hard to do without a lot of practice,” biology major Marissa Kitchen said. “I really liked the last speech. It pretty interesting.” Even though the event was a success, the big turnout surprised organizers. “It was incredible to see so many people come out tonight,” speech team coach Randy Carver said. “We expected (a group) half this size. I think the presenters did really well.” “The team gets about a week and a half to rest, then we are going to be back with nationals,” he said.
One thing that is essential when learning is having the ability to maintain focus. In class, where learning is a top priority, both students and professors have methods for remaining focused whether it is chewing on a piece of gum, turning off a cellphone or listening to music. Humanities professor David “Dajarah” Houston incorporates the use of his Tibetan meditation bowl to bring focus into his classroom. Unfortunately, around four weeks ago in GE-225, he lost his bowl right after his Philosophy 120 class ended on a Tuesday. Houston said, “Cleverly, after 35 years of using this thing — absent-minded professor just forgot Houston it until the next class.” He didn’t realize that after the Humanities class was dismissed he forgot to take professor the bowl back to his office. In the class of 22 students, the last person to use the bowl was chemistry major Alexis Ortiz. He gonged the bowl then placed it into the tote bag Houston usually brings it in. “The last thing I did with it is place it into the fabric bags the instructor brought,” Ortiz said. “I placed the bag on the table and asked him if he wanted me to bring it to him.” Ortiz offered to hand over the bag, but the professor said he would pick it up before he took off. The bag was left in the middle of the second row in the lecture hall for Houston to pick up. “I actually expected that it would be somewhere here because I don’t think of the campus as dangerous place,” Houston said. He was shocked to find out that his bowl wasn’t there when his class began on the Thursday after it disappeared. He hoped somebody would already have returned the bag with the bowl in it. The bowl had been in Houston’s possession for more than 35 years since buying it in a shop on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. The bowl itself is about 300 years old, made of brass and has a specialized mallet. Its sound lasts for 30 seconds to allow for those around it to concentrate on focusing. La Raza studies program coordinator Agustín Palacios holds his La Raza class in the General Education Building lecture hall after the philosophy class is dismissed. As he came in, Palacios noticed the bag, but was unaware of what was inside, so he left it alone and continued with his class. Houston waited a few days after searching the class before checking the lost and found at Police Services. After failing to find the bowl in the lost and found days after it went missing and a follow up visit to officers last week, there was still no sign of the artifact. Houston’s final attempt in locating his bowl was to send out an email to all the faculty at Contra Costa College asking for help. He wrote in the email, “It (the bowl) was in a library sack, is approximately 8-10 inches in diameter and has a brass complexion. I keep expecting it to magically come back to me, but it hasn’t yet. Do you have any idea of its whereabouts?” The only responses Houston received were wishes of good luck, but no information of where it may be. The meditation bowl is pricey but possesses plenty of sentimental value to the professor. It meant a lot to students in the class as well. “The bowl added a spiritual aspect of the class,” Ortiz said. “It brought together the attention of all the students and made it better for the class to participate as a whole.” Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the bowl should contact Houston at dhouston@ contracosta.edu or call him at 510-215-8352.
NONPROFIT TEACHES LOW INCOME STUDENTS CODING By Nijzel Dotson advocate staff
ndotson.theadvocate@gmail.com
Two Middle College High School students, Preston Akubuo-Onwuemeka and Shreejal Luitel, have started a nonprofit organization called richmondCodes with the intent of teaching students at low-income schools about computer coding. The two co-founders believe that technology is one of the best tools they could use to motivate young students with marginal opportunity and fewer resources. “We want to close the equity gap between the privileged and the underprivileged,” Akubuo-Onwuemeka said. Luitel said, “There aren’t many tech programs in the Richmond area compared to other places in the Bay Area and we wanted to change that.” The nonprofit provides one-day workshops where they teach students the basics of coding by using a tool called “Scratch Programming.” They also make it a point to try to “break stereotypes” and reinforce the idea that “anyone can code.” Aman Butt, a richmondCodes intern who helps create the curriculum they teach said, “Forty-eight percent of people in the STEM field are white men. Having this program gives us an opportunity to promote diversity and to give knowledge to underrepresented communities.” So far, richmondCodes has had work-
shops at Fairmont Elementary School, Washington Elementary School and Contra Costa College. In order to arrange the workshops at these schools, Luitel compiled a list of principals at their target schools and made use of Google application programming interfaces (APIs) as a way to swiftly reach out to them while also using coding techniques. For their “Hour of Code” event held this past December at Contra Costa College, the duo made sure to have guest speakers from notable tech companies such as Microsoft, Pandora and Auto Desk. There were more than 50 people in attendance. For their workshop at Washington Elementary School, the feature speaker was Abel Relagado, a representative of Hack the Hood. Hack the Hood is a non-profit group that introduces underprivileged youth to coding through tech boot camps. Andrew Minai, a self-employed software developer, spoke at Fairmont Elementary School. The program is mostly paid for out-ofpocket, but the Contra Costa College STEM department has funded some of their events. “It wouldn’t be right to charge those in low-income areas for our services,” AkubuoOnwuemeka said. The two co-founders have a group of nine interns that help them accomplish their goals.
SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE
Students take notes while listening to a presenter at one of the free coding events organized by richmondCodes.
They have meetings on Fridays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. where they discuss the curriculum they will teach, who they will reach out to and how to improve the program. Luitel says they make it a point of emphasis to have youth of color as interns because, when they visit schools, it gives the students the chance to see people that look like them showing an interest in technology. They also take into account a school’s
demographics and test scores when determining which schools to visit. Advertisement for richmondCodes is accomplished through their Instagram page @richmondCodes and their website richmondCodes.org where they chronicle their progress and provide information on what the organization has to offer. They have several workshops scheduled for March through May.
campus beat
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Career fair brings employers to campus By Jenna Husic advocate staff
jhusic.theadvocate@gmail.com
Students, faculty and community members converged on the Gymnasium for the annual Career Fair on March 20, hosted by Contra Costa College and community members from throughout the Bay Area. More than 50 employers and 20 resource tables were available, offering information, prizes and souvenirs to attendees. The annual event was originally planned to be held outdoors, however, concerns over predictions of rain led organizers to bring the event indoors. Career Services Coordinator Natasha DeAlmeida said, “The city of San Pablo is constantly seeking to promote and expand the professional world around us. Every year, the community and Contra Costa College hosts a career fair to help locals and students receive exposure to job openings and future careers.” The shift in venue provided attendees a clear path to navigate when searching for companies to approach. During previous career fairs held outside on campus, it was easy to miss tables and difficult to re-discover tables if a return visit was needed. “I’m glad it all worked out last minute and we were able to move it indoors,” DeAlmeida said. Along with other organizers, the career services coordinator has been helping facilitate the event for the
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
A student (left) talks to CalTrans representative, who refused to give her name, during the West Contra Costa County job fair on March 20 in the Gymnasium. More than 50 employers and 20 resource tables were available for students to explore.
past couple years. She said, “It is a great way to get people to visit our campus and promote our college and a way we can get people to enroll in the college as well as pursue careers.” The goal of the career fair is to help students join the local workforce and expose them to professions that are within their area of study with many students earning on-thespot interviews and job offers. Several non-profit and on-campus organizations attended the job fair. They were there to help support the college and also spread awareness about volunteer and internship opportunities. Engineering major Maria Borovoska has
been struggling to find a job in the Bay Area. She said, “It is difficult for women to find jobs in certain professions, especially engineering. We are always battling with the guys when it comes to the big jobs.” She came to the fair in hopes of finding possible internships to help her gain experience, so when she graduates from CCC, she can transfer to a four-year college with more background experience in her field. Public utilities and transportation services like BART and AC Transit were popular tables at the event and consistently fielded inquiries from attendees. The police and fire departments were in attendance as well at the job fair — specifi-
cally looking for female candidates. San Pablo Mayor Rich Kinney attended the fair to offer support to community members seeking jobs. He shared advice with people about looking for employment opportunities that spark passion. He said, “If you’re passionate about something, we are trying to help you push for that job or field in order to stay motivated in it and become successful.” Over the past year, San Pablo has seen a decrease in the rate of unemployment claims, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In January 17, the unemployment rate for San Pablo was 4.3 percent, however, the figure dropped to 3.8 percent last year.
$9 million at risk due to new funding formula
By Cindy Pantoja opinion editor
cpantoja.theadvocate@gmail.com
Due to recent changes in its funding formula, Contra Costa College’s tight budget is on the verge of unraveling and losing at least $9 million in 2022 if changes are not instituted. “The new budget formula is negatively affecting the district, however the state gives us three years called ‘held harmless,’ meaning they are going to fund us using the old formula for the next three years,” Director of Business Services Mariles Magalong said. “They are only giving us the three years grace period because we lose money based on the new formula.” Currently, the district awards CCC’s funding base on the number of Full Time Equivalent Students (FTES) registered in each semester. However, legislators created a new performance-based funding formula in an attempt to increase the number of degrees and certificates awarded by community colleges. Magalong said, “The current formula funds us by the number of full-time students (one student taking 15 units) that we generate. The new formula still funds us by how much FTES we generate, but also by how many new students we have and how many degrees and certificates we award. It’s not just FTES, but other factors as well.”
CCC is not the only school in the Contra Costa Community College District poised to take a pinch. It is estimated that Contra Costa College will lose about $9.5 million of its state funding, followed by Diablo Valley College with $7.7 million and Los Medanos College with $1.2 million. United Faculty Executive Director Jeffrey Michels said funds based on how many students succeed will only end up putting more resources into those students that are most likely to succeed. That diverts resources from students that seem less likely to succeed which ironically are the students who need the most help. “This is an extremely complicated formula that tries to reward colleges that have better outcomes,” Michels said. “They need to invest more money in colleges that are not doing as well and help them do better — not take money away from them to give the highest performing colleges. Michels “The way they decided which students have financial need is based on eligibility for Pell Grants and other financial aid and given in areas like ours in the Bay Area where housing is so expensive,” Michels said. “A lot of Students don’t qualify for some kinds of financial aid because they earn more money,
but after paying for housing and transportation, they are below the poverty line.” Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Equity Mayra Padilla said CCC’s enrollment has been decreasing over the past year. To remedy this, a stronger focus on outreach and enrollment management has been adopted. “Our school is smaller in terms of how many students we serve. We have a demographic that has stopped growing,” she said. “Our sister colleges have growth because they are in a part of the county that is still able to support additional people. Because our population is smaller, our budget is smaller.” In order to balance the budget, CCC has been focused on increasing enrollment and student retention. Recently, the creation of programs that serve minorities created a small increase in enrollment. “The Student Equity and Achievement Grant is about $526,000 roughly and that money goes to providing resources to support our Latino, Native American, AfricanAmerican, LGBTQ, homeless, veterans and foster youth students,” Dr. Padilla said. “We have to look to see how they’re performing in college and if they’re showing a disproportionate impact, then we can use some of that money to support them.” Padilla also said CCC is expected to create a new infrastructure for the Guided Pathways initiative.
GREEN AUTOMOTIVE DEPARTMENT LEADS INDUSTRY Cleaner, greener methods advance industrial careers By Daniel Hernandez advocate staff
dhernandez.theadvocate@gmail.com
Often, when people think of the automotive industry they think of all the carbon pollution produced by gasoline emissions, oil contamination and tire waste. However, in recent years, this hasn’t exactly been the case. With the rise of improved technology, the automotive industry has moved on to cleaner and greener methods for working with cars. The automotive department at Contra Costa College is one of the most ecologically friendly departments in all of the Bay Area. “The fundamentals class is where they (safety procedures) come in first. All of that has to be covered — the hazardous waste and how it’s handled,” automotive professor Mark Christensen said. The department is certified by The National Institute For Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) that gives recognition to educational departments and technicians who perform at industry level standards. Some ASE requirements for certification include supervision, finances and facilities.
ANDREW WEEDON / THE ADVOCATE
Automotive students Craig Yano (left) and Mariah Henry work together to take apart a V6 Toyota engine in the Automotive Technology Building on Thursday.
Through funding and sponsorship, the CCC automotive department is able to utilize specialized tools and processes that create a safer learning environment for students working in the shop. Christensen said, “We have to stay current in our field of training so we have to maintain ASE certification.” The process of certification is one of the crucial things the professors must pass in order to teach automotive courses. “When there are updated training courses available to us, we take
them,” he said. Students also update safety procedures to keep classroom practices on par with industry standards. Every two semesters students take a course, given by a second party, for updated training on shop safety. This is one way the automotive department continues to be conscious about the environment and the protection of its students. Automotive 101 is the course where students learn the basics of auto engineering and industry standard shop etiquette. One thing automotive professor
Bobby Sturgeon points out about that class is their spill kit. “Everything is recycled, even an oil spill. A common practice is to put some absorbent down and that does absorb the oil but then you have contaminated absorbent,” Sturgeon said. “So, we vacuum the spill and recycle the oil.” When contaminated fluid is collected, it is sorted out and placed into 55-gallon drums that are periodically collected by a hazardous waste service to be recycled. Automotive major Enrique Covarrubias said, “We’re aware of
our area and what we’re doing. We have our safety sheets too.” Cars that are found in the lot behind the Automotive Technology Building are broken down into different segments for demonstrative purposes in the shop. “There’s an air conditioning class where we spend time talking about how air conditioning (and heating) systems work,” Christensen said. That class focuses on the environmental effects of a faulty AC system because contaminated refrigerants that get released into the atmosphere are a hazard to the ozone layer. This also gives students a chance to use some of their equipment. “We actually have a special refrigerant recovery machine that is able to recover refrigerants that have been contaminated in a vehicle,” Sturgeon said. After the department is done with the cars and engines they use, they send them to facilities where they are crushed and recycled along with boxes and wires they toss out. Through a partnership with Toyota, the department receives new vehicles and equipment to work with. “We’re creating what’s called the T10 Program and it’s to (help) students and to give them jobs that are better than entry level. They’ll receive training, certified by Toyota, that will allow them to take jobs that are better paying and more complex,” Sturgeon said.
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spotlight
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Contra Costa College business major Noel Sigua shops online for clothes and later resells them online too. His dream is to have his own fashion line. He spends much of his time learning about fashion trends in hopes of accomplishing his goal.
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Fashion inspires career goals Childhood dreams of clothing, shoes mold collection By Fatima Carrasco staff writer
fcarrasco.theadvocate@gmail.com
Noel Lucas Sigua, a sophomore at Contra Costa College, is a Bay Area street wear fashion influencer and, like many college students, hopes to develop his passion for clothes into a labor of love. Unlike many people who discover their look through trial and error, Sigua developed his sense of fashion at an early age. Over time, he acquired what has now become his fashionable closet collection. “Since I was little, I had an interest in clothes,” Sigua said. “Even when I couldn’t afford them, I would make sure to keep up with the industry. Throughout the years, I’d get something I wanted on occasions like birthdays or Christmas.” He said his passion for fashion developed through his love for shoes. When Sigua was young, several of his uncles seemed to always have the trendiest shoes. Like them, he aspired one day to possess some of his own. “I always dreamed of having a
pair (of stylish shoes),” he said. “From time to time some of my uncles would give me a pair of their shoes.” As Sigua grew older, his fashion sense began to develop and he acquired his first job that allowed him to save enough money to buy the clothes he wanted. He said his purchasing pattern evolved into what would become his street wear style. During Sigua’s developmental years, rapper-turned-fashion-designer Kanye West began his own clothing line and became more of a fashion influencer — not only in the industry but to Sigua as well. As time passed Sigua said he developed his sense of fashion based on influencers like Jerry Lorenzo, the founder of the street wear label Fear of God, and Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of menswear for designer Louis Vuitton. Each of these designers had a working relationship with West, however each offered a unique twist in their perspective of what was trending. Little did Sigua know in the same way he looked up to all these fashion designers, one day he would also be looked up to. A longtime friend of Sigua, Andrew Salibay, said, “I would honestly say Noel (Sigua) is defi-
nitely a fashion icon. Through Noel, I’ve learned that fashion is another form of art. You get to express yourself creatively through fashion and you get to tell your own story through your own style. “He definitely captures that. With fashion, I’ve learned everything is intentional and you definitely have to pay attention to the small details, which he is really great at.” Sigua’s plans to earn a degree in business, which he believes will help the chances of reaching his dream. Sigua said, “I am a well-rounded person and I think that fashion leads to many industries. I don’t consider myself to just be a stylist or just a model. I consider myself an entrepreneur. Fashion has different business aspects in it and hopefully one day I can own my own line of clothing — maybe even my own store. “People follow trends,” he said. “Now that the world is more accepting of people who choose to identify as they want, people can wear what they want without having much criticism. Even if they are criticized, they don’t really care as much anymore because of what fashion influencers are doing.” Because of his maturity and open mindedness, many doors
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Noel Sigua’s room incorporates different shelving and racks to display his clothing collection.
have been opened for him offering him a possibility of succeeding in the fashion industry. Sigua’s cousin Vince Gania said, “He’s always been someone who wasn’t afraid to take risks because his confidence was already present. The creativity he exudes through his fashion is really representative to how far he’s grown personally as well. The sky’s the limit for Noel and the attitude and creative perspective he has will further his goals in the fashion industry.”
With Sigua’s embrace of gender fluidity in the fashion industry, Isabel Pel, a UC Davis student and friend of Sigua, said, “ He’s not afraid to venture out into new styles and always tries to do something different. He always looks well put together. His style shows he’s not afraid to go outside the box and wear whatever he wants to wear. “What makes him a good fashionista is that there’s never just a lazy day. Every day is an opportunity to try something new.”
Craftsmanship honed through imagination By Jessica Suico news editor
jscuico.theadvocate@gmail.com
Discovering talent and inspiration through art at a young age is the road art tutor Michael Chavez discovered when he was in fifth grade. He is able to show his creativity and passion through his artwork. Growing up and living in Richmond for the entirety of his life, Chavez said he uses art to strengthen his connection to the East Bay. For Chavez, making art has given him wings in life. The artist helps at local senior centers by putting on art classes and has showcased some of his work in Bay Area art galleries and shows. Art major Anoukhan Kittirath said, “I know he is getting into the tattoo scene. He is very precise in his work because his talent shines through his artwork.” As proof of his artistic progress, Chavez regularly sells some of his pieces. Fine and media arts department Chairperson Anthony Gordon said, “Michael is one of those rare students that has talent and knows it, but is still able to be coached. If I don’t see him in class, I know he is working twice as hard at home.” Kittirath said she has seen Chavez grow from a basic sculptor to an excellent sculptor. “He is one of the best in my class,” Kittirath said. Even with other obligations,
n “Michael is one of
Art student Michael Chavez takes inspiration from moments in his life and incorporates them into paintings and sketches. This semester he works as a ceramics tutor in the art department.
those rare students that has talent and knows it, but is still able to be coached.” — Anthony Gordon, fine and media arts department chairperson
including working multiple jobs, art major Chavez still manages to get his work done, Gordon said. Although he considers himself a professional now, Chavez fondly remembers the art that inspired him as a child. Chavez said, “Watching ‘The Simpsons’ in fifth grade intrigued me artistically because of all the bright colors and abstract things in the show. I started drawing the characters and found my niche with art and drawing.” The Richmond native said he likes painting more than drawing because it is more permanent. Chavez is currently enrolled in Art 240 (Intermediate Sculpture) and is a tutor for professor Lu Jiajun. As a tutor, Chavez has given advice to Kittirath on certain sculpture projects done in the class. Chavez said, “Professor JJ (Jiajun) and Anthony are the main reasons why I am back at Contra Costa College taking an art class and helping the department and students.” Gordon has known Chavez for about two years since he was a
JESSICA SUICO / THE ADVOCATE
student in Gordon’s Beginning and Intermediate Drawing classes. “If I could tell him three words they would be, ‘Don’t Burn Out.’ He definitely burns the candle from both ends,” Gordon said. Chavez likes to create art that is going to be visually satisfying. “I don’t like plain surfaces,” he said. “I like creating visually satisfying things for the eyes of others, as well as mine.” He describes making art as therapeutic visual creations. “Making art makes me feel relaxed and that is what I love about
it,” Chavez said. Gordon said he would like to see Chavez get more recognition for his art and, given his work ethic, that will likely happen. “It’s difficult not to like Mike (Chavez). Even when he’s under duress he manages to keep a positive outlook,” Gordon said. “Chavez’s positivity is contagious. He consistently raises the bar for himself and his classmates often follow in his footsteps.” Chavez got into art when he was young because of the support that came from his family once
they noticed his talent. This made Chavez push further with his art. “Art was like the only thing I was really good at, so why stop doing it,” Chavez said. He said he would like to make a living through art, but if he doesn’t, he will keep it as his hobby and not be derailed from his passion. Gordon said, “He is genuinely a good person and a great person to be around. Running into him on campus is like running into an old friend — we just pick up where we left off.”
sports
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■ OFF THE RECORD
“Just being able to get the ball across the plate makes me happy.” — Taylor Harris, Comet softball coach
joelumanzor
COMET RECORD DOES NOT REFLECT PERFORMANCE
T
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Comet pitcher Larissa Carvalho launches a pitch during the top of the fourth inning in Thursday’s 15-2 loss against Yuba College at the Softball Field.
Team progresses despite home loss Comets continue to improve, settle into new season By Luis Cortes staff writer
lcortes.theadvocate@gmail.com
Miscues and inexperience underscored the softball team’s second home performance as the team fell 15-2 and 13-4 in a doubleheader sweep to Yuba College (3-10 overall, 3-4 in the Bay Valley Conference) Thursday at the Softball Field. CCC (0-4 in the BVC) entered the game looking to put runs on the board for the first time in recent memory, after suffering 41-0 and 28-0 shutout losses against Mendocino College March 19 — the team’s first series in two years. In both games against the 49ers, CCC was forced to use a position player to pitch, as coach Taylor Harris has yet to decide who will be the permanent starter. “Our pitchers aren’t pitchers,” Harris said. But she said she is proud of the growth her pitchers have shown. “Just being able to get the ball
across the plate makes me happy,” Harris said. In the first of the two games, the 49ers struck gold and took a 7-0 lead after the first inning of play. As CCC settled in defensively, Yuba’s offense was held in check and the team scored just two runs over the next four innings. Things turned sour fast for Savana Spencer, who is regularly at third base but was selected to start the game. The outing would be Spencer’s first time pitching at the collegiate level. The first eight batters reached base safely with five batters reaching base via walks. Spencer finished her outing with three innings pitched and allowed 12 runs on 14 hits with five walks and one strikeout. It was also a tough inning for the CCC’s defense with routine pop-ups and ground balls consistently getting past Comet fielders. CCC responded with six hits and two runs in the bottom of the inning, led by infielder Jenna Husic. The shortstop collected three hits in the first game of the doubleheader. Center fielder Ali Cuellar scored the first run for CCC on
a fielder’s choice to first, however, the team missed a massive opportunity to score multiple runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Following two walks, a fielder’s choice and a hit by pitch, the bases were loaded for CCC. However, without a clutch hit, the team only ended up getting one run out of the situation. Harris was proud of her team’s continuing improvement and growth. Yuba batters COMETS had an executable game plan which consisted of taking pitches and working the 49ERS counts. When on base, the 49ers focused on timing the pitcher to steal bases and advancing on any bad pitch. That strategy worked, but it was also exposed as six players left the base early resulting in outs. 49ers coach Ashley Walden said she was happy with her team’s performance. “It’s been a rough start to the season, but the girls keep a good attitude,” Walden said after the first game of the doubleheader. Comet infielder Larissa
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Carvalho, who threw two innings in relief during the first game, started the second game of the doubleheader for the CCC. Carvalho retired the first two batters she faced. With two outs in the first inning, 49er first baseman Olivia Belser (.273 batting average) hit a double to extend the inning, followed by a walk by second baseman Hunter Yancey (.173 batting average). The 49ers had two on with two outs when left fielder Alisa Shaw (.200 average) hit a single to give Yuba a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Comets immediately responded with back-to-back hits by third baseman Spencer and shortstop Husic. The team added to its success with a fielder’s choice to second base by catcher Ariana Rhodes. Carvalho, who was hitting cleanup, helped herself out with a two-run RBI double — tying the score at 2-2. All looked great for CCC, but that only lasted half an inning. The 49ers responded with a fiverun second inning to retake the lead, eventually winning 13-4. The Comets won’t play another game until after spring break the week of April 8.
WALKER STEPS UP TO PLATE FOR YOUNG SOFTBALL TEAM
Comet first baseman Shelly Walker fouls a pitch back during the bottom of the 2nd inning of a 15-2 loss against Yuba College Thursday on the Softball Field.
By Luis Cortes staff writer
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
lcortes.theadvocate@gmail.com
Life can be hectic and unpredictable and sometimes people don’t end up doing the things they want to do because of fear or a lack of time. That was the case for Contra Costa College first baseman Shelly Walker, who looks to prove that age is just a number and leaving your comfort zone is the first step toward growing as a person. Walker describes herself as a non-traditional athlete because of her age and the unconventional path she took to the Comet softball team. The first baseman played softball as a kid and missed playing it, so she decided to give the sport a try one more time. Walker grew up approximately nine minutes away from campus in Tara Hills and graduated from Pinole Valley High School. She said she wanted to go to community college out of PVHS, but her high school counselor believed the teen was confused about what she wanted to do. So her counselor suggested she take a test and it came back with high scores in essential traits needed for military service. Her counselor’s advice was for her to speak to military a recruiter. Walker initially enlisted in the U.S. Army and served four years before deciding to spend her career in the military. Her service spanned 38 years and she was stationed in several countries including Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan and Romania among others.
n “It’s a great inspiration to have someone come back to participate.”
— John Wade , athletic director
After her Army service Walker enrolled in classes at CCC but didn’t want to completely leave the military, so she enlisted in the California National Guard, in which she currently serves. While at CCC, Walker said didn’t have time to play sports because she was busy with the National Guard. However, she felt a bit behind the learning curve because of her time spent in the service compared to the path of other students at the college. In the midst of CCC softball’s two years of disappointment, Walker overheard an instructor say that the team had to fold (in 2017 and 2018) because it didn’t have enough players. “She e-mailed me at the end of July,” softball coach Taylor Harris said about how she discovered Walker was interested in playing on the team. Harris said the email was a simple one. Walker wrote that she was interested in joining the team and asked if there was going to be one in the upcoming season. Harris said Walker is a lifelong athlete and said she signed up for softball classes to stay active. She said Walker is tough as a person and player because of her military background.
Harris said Walker is an important figure and integral part of the team — a real team player. “Everyone out there supports each other,” Harris said. Regarding possible California Community College Athletic Association age limit guidelines for players, CCC Athletic Director John Wade said, “There couldn’t be any as it’s against the rules to discriminate (against any student) because of age.” Wade said there are so many different types of students who play California community college sports — from mothers to people with full-time jobs to grandparents. “It’s a great inspiration to have someone come back to participate,” he said. Walker believes in staying active and believes playing a sport is better than going to the gym to work out. This week, the softball team played its first games of the season — actually its first games since the 2016 season. During the second game of a doubleheader against Yuba College, Walker expertly timed a pitch and stole second base standing up. “It was exciting — it was an adrenaline rush,” she said. Walker said people in a similar position shouldn’t hesitate if they have the chance to play and to take a risk. However, they should weigh out the demands in their lives first. Most importantly, she said she believes students should “get out of their comfort zones.”
he latest in a series of storms to hit the Bay Area has given the baseball team (3-18 overall and 3-5 in the Bay Valley Conference) a makeshift bye week to close out the month of March and a chance to reflect on the 2019 campaign so far. Observing this year’s Comets inside the vacuum of the BVC season is important because when all variables are taken into consideration, this team may be better than its record indicates. Since the start of conference play, the Comets have become a much more competitive team, but have still fallen short of reaching their full potential. Contra Costa College has been in almost every BVC game, however mental lapses by the pitching staff and on defense have kept the team from winning conference games on multiple occasions. Consider the game on March 14 when CCC gave up nine runs in the top of the ninth inning to Solano Community College. The team trailed by just one run before the late game meltdown. Coach Brian Guinn used the preseason to test the waters with his pitching staff. During the preseason, in which the Comets went 0-13, CCC faced top opponents from around Northern California in preparation for BVC play. Pitching, in baseball, can either mask defensive deficiencies or spotlight a lack of focus in critical moments resulting in errors that extend innings. The Comets have been affected by this in many instances through their season resulting in a team ERA of 12.43 in their 18 losses compared to the 3.10 ERA in their three victories. After an underwhelming preseason in which the team lost 13 straight games, CCC earned its first win of the season on a windy afternoon at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg. The Comets won by a 6-3 margin behind a strong effort from starting pitcher Conner Rudy (1-3, 8.93 ERA). Riding this wave of success, the Comets strung together back-to-back wins against LMC with a 6-5 home victory in extra innings (10). The starting pitching was strong during these games and remains the formula for the Comets to claw back into the win column. The Comets improved OBP from .268 in the month of February to .314 in March can be attributed to their increasing patience at the plate. In the extra inning win over LMC, the Comets fiverun, fifth inning rally began by drawing consecutive walks with two outs, which put pressure on the opposing pitcher. Similarly, the Comets have been victims of opposing teams’ two-out rallies, which remove the possibility of keeping the score close. CCC has all the tools to compete in the BVC, however, the team fails to execute at critical moments in a game. For this team, consistency will be key for finding success during the rest of this season. Joel Umanzor is sports editor of The Advocate. Contact him at jumanzor.theadvocate@ gmail.com.
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Duality exposes horror
spotlight
‘Us’ delivers thriller full of symbolism, dives into American class dualities By Xavier Johnson web editor
xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com
Social discourse inevitably inspires a discussion of class and poverty as the two issues most Americans agree are in a state of disrepair. These conversations often devolve into a “us versus them” dichotomy, making victims of poverty seem different or less worthy than those who are more fortunate. Under scrutiny, this mirage of care fades away as people write essays on how to fight poverty and then refuse to acknowledge the humanity of a homeless person with something as simple as eye contact. In “Us,” Jordan Peele offers a thought-provoking examination of class and America’s divisions, while still creating a gory and fun horror flick with an 80s flair. Similar to his Academy Awardwinning film “Get Out,” released in 2017, Peele’s sophomore directorial effort uses horror and suspense to make an emphatic social statement. In “Get Out”, he examines racism and its manifestation — even in liberal communities. In “Us” Peele shifts his focus to all Americans and their relationship, or lack thereof, with victims of poverty. The film begins with a short quote talking about the network of thousands of miles of tunnels that line America’s underbelly. A television begins playing an ad for “Hands Across America” — a benefit campaign in 1986 where people from all walks of life attempt to lock hands across the United States as a show of unity. As strangers interlocked hands, then President Ronald Reagan widens the disparity gap, primarily through his war on crime and drugs campaigns. Each image in the opening shots of “Us” is densely packed with hints setting up plot points alongside subtle nods to the 80s and other horror films. Like numerous moments in the film, Peele’s trademark attention to detail and method of rewarding hawk-eyed viewers is on display. Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong’o) and her family travel to their vacation home in Santa Cruz, California. The relatively well-off family has the luxury to be more concerned with its new boat having enough space for the family rather than putting food on the table. Even though the Wilson family is well-off, it’s interesting that Peele makes sure their white friends, Kitty (Elizabeth Moss) and Josh (Tim Heidecker) have more money. It’s an interesting commentary on black and white upper middle-class structure, a tertiary theme underlining the film. The Wilson family is the most grounded part of the production as they are an every day middle-class family. Gabe Wilson (Winston Duke) is the affable father who acts as consistent comedic relief. Their two children, Zora Wi l s on
(Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason Wilson (Evan Alex), are a likable duo representing a cellphone obsessed teenage sister and her quiet younger brother. However, unknown to the Wilson family, the tunnels referenced in the intro are inhabited by the Wilson’s murderous doppelgangers. As the story moves on, the film goes from a fun home invasion horror flick to raising the stakes to that of an extinction-level event — if only for the Wilsons. Adelaide’s doppelganger, Red (Lupita Nyong’o), is one of the supposed millions of “tethered” individuals who reside in these tunnels. They are copies, bound by a soul, to those above ground. However, they reside away from sight or knowledge. Nyong’o delivers an Oscarworthy performance as Adelaide/ Red. Her performance as Adelaide is filled with mysterious hints as her story unfolds while playing an empathetic mother figure who fights, tooth-and-nail, to protect her family. As Red, she is downright terrifying. Her voice sounds like a haunted house’s creaky door and her strained face and sudden, arachnid-like movements are hair-raising. The tethered surprisingly end up being sympathetic villains with clear motivations. They are victims of a system that America created and Red is a monster Adelaide created. The tethered are forced to mimic the actions of their soul-bonded counterparts above ground leading to trauma. For example, while Adelaide’s second baby necessitates delivery via C-section, Red is forced to deliver her baby without such luxuries. As the amalgamation of traumas mount, the tethered escape their underground existence, donning red coveralls and murdering their soul-bonded counterparts with golden scissors. “Us” isn’t grounded much in reality and Peele cashes in on the trust he earned with audiences through “Get Out” to ask for some leaps of faith when viewing. The premise with the tethered has holes in logic that reveal themselves later in the film. Peele seems to take a classic sci-fi approach to the film where broad concepts are more important than making sure every question seamlessly fits with a carefully constructed answer. Peele nails the broad concepts of class through the film’s exaggerated narrative and beats. “Us” also nails the subtler ideas well. The extraordinary concept illustrates the false dichotomy of us versus them. As Red rises above her social class, she is still clearly holding the marks of past trauma by her actions, erratic movements and tone of voice. While she is inhabiting the above-ground world, her mannerisms are still affected by an upbringing of trauma that mirrors the generational trauma felt by minorities in America.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DENIS PEREZ / THE