Viewpoints Issue #12 April 30, 2015

viewpoints An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving as the voice of the students since 1922.

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VIEWPOINTSONLINE.ORG

VOL. XCIV, NO. 12

WHAT’S INSIDE

ySPORTS

RCC baseball makes playoffs

G

E

APRIL 30, 2015

Isaac named president

Interim president assumes permanent position after announcement

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' SCORE: 6-2

yA&E ALEXIS NAUCLER | VIEWPOINTS

SPEECH: Riverside City College’s 11th president, Wolde-Ab Isaac, addresses the audience at the President’s Reception on April 23.

CRYSTAL OLMEDO @Crystal_Olmedo

6

Chalk Walk draws attention at RCC 'PHOTOS: Gallery on viewpointsonline.org

yFEATURES

Wo l d e - A b I s a a c w a s appointed president of Riverside City College at the Board of Trustees meeting at Moreno Valley College on April 21.

The approval to name Isaac president passed on a 4-0 vote among the Board of Trustees.

He received praise from many present at the meeting including Chancellor Michael Burke and Dariush Haghighat, an RCC

@RCCviewpoints

Vigil held for violent crime victims

INDEX

NEWS SPORTS A&E VIEWS FEATURES

2 4 6 9 11

do all I can to better the college … and confirm the trust and faith that you have bestowed upon me.”

He also expressed a “deep gratitude” to his parents at the meeting. “ … though they have nearly nothing materially they gave me immeasurable love care and support which has sustained me,” Isaac said.

Isaac was running for the position of RCC president against Elmer A. Bugg, dean of instruction at Merritt College in Oakland.

A national search was conducted to fill the position.

Sylvia Thomas, interim vice chancellor of Diversity and Human Resources and Irv Hendricks, former interim chancellor of Riverside Community College District were among some of the members on the search committee.

Open forums were held for each candidate to introduce themselves and answer questions from audience members. The forums lacked a significant

See ISAAC on Page 3

ASRCC elections coming up May 12 ARIEL SCHILLER

11

political science professor.

Isaac expressed his gratitude after his appointment was announced.

“I would like to thank the supporters and friends of the institution, but especially Chancellor Burke and the Board of Trustees, and the faculty, staff, managers and students of Riverside City College. You have placed your confidence and trust in me to lead this nearly centuryold institution as it transitions to its next millennium of service,” Issac said. “I pledge that I will

The election trail is blazing at Riverside City College, with hopeful students completing election packets and writing their candidate statements in preparation for May elections.

Election packets for Associated Students of Riverside City College open positions were available to pick up April 21 and should have been submitted to the Student Activities Office by April 28.

Candidate statements will be available at all voting booths and will include their qualifications for office, club affiliations, past experience, why they want to be elected and why students should vote for them.

Candidates are running for positions including president, vice president and senator and each hold their own duties and

responsibilities.

Students must meet certain qualifications when running for a position in ASRCC; RCC must be their home college, they must have a 2.5 grade point average and they must be in compliance with all election procedures.

Students can vote online on Webadvisor, vote in person at the MLK building or on the Aguilar

patio.

RCC student Sarah Smith was not aware you could vote on Webadvisor.

“If someone would have told me that I probably would have,” Smith said. She added that she feels more inclined to vote because of how convenient it is.

Election booths will be open May 12 and 13 from 8 a.m. to 2

p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. The results of the election will be posted at each campus May 15.

If students want to know more about the candidates running they can attend the student elections forum hosted by the ASRCC Supreme Court. The event will be on April 30, and runs from noon to 1 p.m. on the stage in the Bradshaw building.

Position President

Duties and Responsibilities • Advising the student trustee • Holding veto power over legislation • Chairing events sponsored by student government

Vice president

• • •

Senator

• • •

Advising the president Keeping minutes and agendas of meetings and making them publicly available Assuming the president’s responsibilities and duties when office becomes vacant.

Deliberating and passing legislation Proposing amendments to existing legislation Reconsidering and approving vetoed legislation

2

April 30, 2015

News

Funding ‘big ideas’ in Riverside BROOKE CARY @CaryBrooke

Prizes amounting to $40,000 were awarded to winning entrepreneurs at TriTech’s Funding the Big Idea event at La Sierra University Zapara School of Business on April 21.

The event was hosted by the Riverside Community College District, U.S. Small Business Association, and California State University Fullerton, providing an opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas to angel investors, venture capitalists and private and public equity investors.

At the event, entrepreneurs participated in 20 minute “speed dating” rounds with Tech Coast Angel investors, the largest angel investment organization in the U.S. In the “speed dating” rounds, start-up entrepreneurs

sat down with Angel investors to gain expert advice for their own business ideas. Competing entrepreneurs and start-up CEOs also gave a 90 second Fast Pitch of their business plan, with a chance to present their companies if they advanced to the Finalist Piranha Pool competition.

One of the greatest benefits of the event, according to Patrick Edgett, is the focus and practice of expressing your business plan.

Edgett attended the event in 2014 as an entrepreneur and competitor in Funding the Big Idea, and his business plan won the Audience Pick award for his business pitch.

“It’s a really good platform from the pitching perspective,” Edgett said. “It helps in honing in your message and express that to people you haven’t necessarily come into contact with before.

For us, it was great practice in trying to tell our story … the lessons we learned in our 18 month run were invaluable.”

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Learning to give a good fast pitch could win an entrepreneur up to $2,500 in awards for their business. However, from the perspective of Ryan Stull, Funding the Big Idea is all about networking.

“The Fast Pitch and Piranha Pool, that’s all educational. But we connect them (entrepreneurs) with the right people, and that’s why a lot of these types of events are centered around networking,” Stull said.

Lori Torez, winner of the 2014 TriTech Piranha Pool competition, was able to network with angel investors.

Four months after the TriTech event, she received $940,000 in investments from Tech Coast Angels. “She met a couple of the investors from Tech Coast angels here ... she won the Piranha Pool competition, and four months later got $940,000 investment from Tech Coast angels,” Stull said.

There were 25-30 investors from TCA at the event and on the lookout for innovative entrepreneurs and distinguished business plans. David Friedman and Bill Waldo were among the TCA investors present at the event, and offered insight on what they qualities they seek in entrepreneur.

“What we look for in an entrepreneur is something that’s really innovative, something that’s truly different. Then we want to focus on the market size.

How big is the market they’re going after? Do they really have a product, I mean, really have a working prototype?” Angel Investor and Senior Analyst, Bill Waldo said. Waldo explained the next step as the “horse-andjockey” concept.

“You gotta really love the

IMAGE COURTESY OF JOSHUA SCHEIDE

INNOVATION AND BUSINESS: Tom Markel, CEO and founder

of Storz Brewing Company, speaks at “Funding the Big Idea” at La Sierra Unversity. horse, but you gotta be madly in love with the jockey,” Waldo said. “For us, if we like the model real well, and we’re at least considering an investment, we’re going to be focusing on the entrepreneurs. Because at the end of the day, if you like the model, it’s going to be their background, their skill sets, and their experience that you’re banking on ... if they have the background, the confidence … then you know they’ll take the company to the places they claim in the next five years.”

It seems that what investors crave is a business model that is held together by an entrepreneur with passion for the idea and a

vision for the future.

“More than money, they need a plan and a vision,” said Jeffrey Swartz, CEO of Daly Swartz Public Relations and sponsor of TriTech.

According to Swartz, entrepreneurs are the “lifeblood of American business.”

But, TCA’s Bill Waldo says, the life of an entrepreneur requires more than a good business model.

“Everybody has a passion,” Waldo said. “The question is, are you interested enough to really take the gamble in it and become an entrepreneur? When you make that decision to become an entrepreneur, it’s a big decision, and only a few can do it.”

faculty at the Transfer Center can also helps students get in touch with the campuses of their choice.

The time frame to submit a TAG application is Sept. 1-30.

To begin in the fall 2016 term, students must submit a UC application between Nov. 1-30.

Students must also submit a Statement of Intent to Register by June 1 through the UC’s website.

Basic UC requirements to transfer as a Junior are a 2.8 grade point average and 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of transferable college credits, with seven courses being part of the UC Seven Course Pattern. There are also grade point average requirements for specific majors, such as engineering, biology, natural sciences, and business administration, ranging between a 3.0 and 3.2 grade point average.

It is also recommended that students complete their general education requirements, although this is not required to apply.

The typical transfer student

at UCR graduates within two to three years and is eligible for all of the same services as any other student. UCR sees a few hundred transfer students each year.

“Make sure you see yourself there,” says Jolene Sedita, UCR transfer representative. She recommends visiting the college that someone wishes to transfer to and envisions themselves attending that school.

For detailed transfer requirements to any California college, as well as exploring any majors that are offered there, visit Assist.org. Additional information for UCR specifically is available on UCR's website at UCR.edu.

Transfer guarantee gives students admission help JACOB FILEK

@RCCviewpoints

Transferring to a different college can be a stressful process for some students, but the Transfer Admission Guarantee can help alleviate some of that stress.

This program started in the early ‘80s and several colleges now offer it to all California Community College students who apply through their websites.

These colleges include California State University, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. Students may only use the Transfer Admission Guarantee for a single college.

A UC Riverside representative will be at the Transfer Center in the Admissions building at Riverside City College about once a week until the end of May to help students get started or answer any questions. Other

Visit Assist.org for detailed transfer requirements

Transfer Admission Guarantee applications accepted September 1-30

News

April 30, 2015

Riverside learns from ‘Lessons from Ferguson’ AJA SANDERS

@RCCviewpoints

“How many deaths are too many deaths? One? Ten?” Deborah Wong, professor at the University of California, Riverside asked this question several times during the opening remarks of the community forum, titled “Lessons from Ferguson.”

The event was hosted by Mt. Rubidoux Seventh-Day Adventist Church on April 9. The forum was held to discuss racial profiling, traffic stops and how to change community policing.

Sergio Diaz, Riverside chief of police and six other panelists gathered on the Thursday evening.

Each panelist was given seven minutes to give an introduction about their organization, their credentials and why they decided to participate in the forum.

Oliver Thompson, who is a professor of Administration of Justice at Riverside City College, was one of the panelists at the forum. Thompson was also chief of police in Inglewood, California during the Rodney King riots.

“The state of California spends more money on the

prisons and death row than they do on higher education … and guess who is imprisoned. Young men of color,” Thompson said.

The way Riverside changes community policing is by changing the attitudes of the citizens according to Thompson.

“There is a master servant relationship in America, it’s called the U.S. Constitution,” Thompson said before citing the Preamble.

“Now how do we go about changing what some officers are doing? Its by citizens taking over the role of Master of the Universe, and making government the servant that they should be and are under the Constitution,” he said.

The audience clapped in agreement.

“Officers do not think about, ‘how am I going to take a life,’ but when they go through a six-month police academy, they come out of it socialized with a ‘us versus them’ attitude. Who is ‘us’? The girls and boys in blue.

Who is ‘them’? The rest of you,” Thompson said.

“Now this should be, hopefully, just the beginning of forums toward how we go about (making a) change.”

The end of his speech was given a standing ovation.

One woman in the audience proclaimed, “That’s right!” as she returned to her seat.

Panelists, Waudier E. RuckerHughes, president of the Riverside branch of NAACP and Jennifer Vaughn-Blakely, chairwoman of The Group, an organization dedicated to advising the RPD, spoke about reducing racism and prejudices within the police department.

Diaz informed the audience on how the RPD is adding body cameras to the police force.

His presence at the forum seemed to comfort some and upset others.

A woman blurted out, “Sergio Diaz abuses his authority!”

During the question and answer segment of the forum, most of the questions from the audience were directed to him.

A man asked Diaz if the police department is making an effort to help the homeless and creating more programs for at-risk youth.

Another questioned about the body cameras in the RPD. The next community forum, Policing and Mental Health, will be on May 7 at California Baptist University from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Student involvement sought ISAAC from Page 1

forums lacked a significant student presence. Some students say this was due to a lack of advertising for the forums by means of fliers, email alerts or postings around campus to raise student awareness.

“I feel like more students would attend if there was more outreach. Obviously students do care … more than just the one or two (who were present at the forum) out of the thousands of students who go here,“ RCC student and Humanities,

Philosophy and Arts major Damian Giampietro said.

“I would have gone if I had known about it. I don’t really know what problems are going on or what needs to be solved, but I would want to know what is going on so that I can start establishing opinions on that and grow more awareness of what I need to be aware of.”

Isaac had served as the interim president since August 2013. In an interview with Viewpoints he gave some insight into the difference in the dynamic of serving as an interim versus

the permanent position of president.

“The difference between an interim and a permanent (president) is that now you can start initiating activities that have long-term effects because you know that you are going to be around to see them and to push (for them),” Isaac said. “Whereas the life of an interim is not very well defined.”

As he stressed in his candidate forum, Isaac says he looks forward to a collective decision process that includes all affiliated with RCC.

N ews B riefs Remember to use

#RCCnow

on Twitter and Facebook!

Saturday library hours added The Digital Library and Learning Resource Center is now open to students and faculty on Saturdays. The new operating hours began April 25.

The new Saturday hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will continue for the remainder of the spring semester. For more information, contact the librarian’s reference desk at 951 2228652.

New requirements for aid Additional requirements are being added in order to be eligible for the Board of Governors Fee Waiver at California Community Colleges according to a flyer put out by the CCC Chancellor’s Office.

Under the new requirements, students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 and complete at least 50 percent of their course work starting in Fall 2016. Students who drop below these requirements for two consecutive terms will lose BOG fee wavier eligibility.

Certain groups, including current and former foster youth are exempt from the new requirements.

Students with questions are encouraged to contact their school’s financial aid office or registrar.

Job fair coming to RCC Riverside City College will be hosting a Job and Career Fair on May 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. where students can meet with over forty employers directly.

The fair will be located in the Quadrangle and all are welcome to attend.

Those who are attending should bring a resume, “dress for success” and be prepared to network.

Corrections and clarifications A photo caption in the April 9 issue on page 14, Viewpoints made an error in the title of profile subject Carlos Vazquez.

Vazquez is currently the assistant tennis coach. Nikki Bonzoumet is the women’s head tennis coach and the interim men’s head tennis coach while Jim Elton recovers from an injury.

In the April 9 issue under Corrections and Clarifications, the words mentioned and progressive were misspelled.

Crime Log Date

Crime

Time

Location

3

CRIME ALERT

Status

04/04/2015 04/06/2015

Vandalism

N/A

Sports Complex

I

04/05/2015

Theft of Vehicle Part

08:00 a.m. 11:15 a.m.

College PD (Riverside)

I

04/05/2015 04/10/2015

Petty Theft: Bldg/ Vehicle/Etc (less than $950)

4:30 p.m.

(04/05) - 8:30 p.m. (04/10)

Landis (Performing Arts) Center

04/09/2015 04/10/2015

Petty Theft: Bldg/ Vehicle/Etc (less than $950)

11:00 a.m.

(04/09) - 3:00 p.m. (04/10)

Math and Science building

04/10/2015

Stolen Vehicle

4:50 p.m. 10:30 p.m.

Lot N

CBO

04/19/2015

VC - Revoked/Suspended License

2:05 p.m.

2nd St/Hamner Ave, Norco

CAA

04/20/2015

Hit and Run Property Damage Only

7:50 a.m. 12:40 p.m.

Parking Structure

IO

04/23/2015

Nonstudent Refuse to Leave Campus

10:09 a.m. 11:58 a.m.

Huntley Gym

C

IO

I

Status Key: I - No ongoing investigation C - Cited and released CAA - Cleared by adult arrest IO - Information only P - Ongoing investigation CBO - Cleared by other means

y Two felony arrests were made by Riverside Community College District Police within a two week period in mid March for threatening gestures.

The first occurrence was on March 18 when an email from a 22 years old male, who claimed to be a former student, threatened physical harm and sexual violence to 55 years old female instructor.

The second occurrence was a week later on March 24 when a 30 years old male student at RCC repeatedly sent threatening letters and gifts and stalked a 36 years old female RCC student. A warrant for his arrest was issued and he was taken into custody.

Both perpetrators were apprehended, booked and are in custody.

Students are advised to report similar crimes and be aware that posts on social media including the words Riverside City College and the like, are monitored for keywords that are violent in nature or questionable, according to Jim Miyashiro, RCCD chief of police. RCCD police also investigate anonymous tips.

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SPORTS

April 30, 2015

Tigers slide into playoffs “Baseball is 90 percent mental and the other half is physical,”

- Yogi Berra

RCC baseball team advance to the playoffs after a regional single elimination play-in game

ALEXIS NUCLEAR | VIEWPOINTS

UNDERDOGS: The Riverside City College baseball team eagerly celebrates with congratulatory high fives after a 6-2 win over Cerritos College on April 28.

EDITH NORIEGA @noriega_edith

CERRITOS — Don’t put your mitts, cleats and bats away just yet there is still Riverside City College baseball to be played.

After back-to-back losses against Golden West College in the regular season the Tigers were sure to have been eliminated from postseason play, but sure enough RCC was able to squeeze in as the No. 18 seed.

The Tigers began the 2015 Southern California Regional single elimination play-in game

beating the No. 15 seed Cerritos College, 6-2.

This was the first meeting of the year between the Tigers and Falcons since 2001.

The Tigers got off to a quick 2-0 lead with home runs to left field by Brody Weiss in the first inning and Tommy Pincin in the second inning.

RCC then shocked us again with another offensive spark with Weiss single to left center to start the top of the third inning.

Israel Fuentes also singled to right center advancing Weiss to second base.

The Falcons then walked

David Schuknecht to load the bases.

With bases loaded on a full count Garrett Dean struck out swinging for the second out.

That wasn’t all for the Tigers with Pincin up to bat he RBI singled up the middle bringing in Weiss and Fuentes.

After a crucial pitching change for Cerritos, RCC’s Anthony Ayala kept the scoring alive with a single to left field bringing in Schuknecht and extending the Tigers lead to 4-0.

RCC starting pitcher Angel Delgado only allowed run came after walking the lead batter,

Mark Pena for the Falcons in the bottom of the third. Gary James singled up the middle while Pena scored.

“I forced contact to hitters and not give in,” Delgado said.

“I can improve on getting ahead on hitters and not waist any time, just go right after hitters.”

Delgado pitched 98 pitches 63 strikes in seven complete innings, allowed six hits and two walks shutting down the Falcons.

The Falcons last chance to shine ended in the eighth inning with a triple to right field by Gary James followed by a sac fly by Jesse Perdomo giving the final

6-2 score.

“It fells pretty good knocking out the second place team in (Cerritos) division,” Pincin said.

“We came off a bumpy season but we’re happy we got a second life and we are trying to make the most of it.”

The Tigers now advance to a best 2 out of 3 series against the No. 1 seed Palomar College on May 1 at 2 p.m. and May 2 at 11 p.m.

“We get to play the No. 1 seed. It is exciting and we can’t wait to do that,” Pincin explained.

“We are going to give them everything we got.”

Riverside City College baseball players named to All-Orange Empire Conference Team First Team Sophomore LHP Austin Sodders Freshman infielder Brody Weiss Sophomore outfielder Logan Griffin Sophomore designated hitter Garrett Dean Sophomore utility player David Schuknecht Second team ALEXIS NAUCLER | VIEWPOINTS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tigers starting pitcher Angel Delgado pitches against Cerritos College on

April 28. Delgado lead RCC to a victory, allowing one run and six hits in seven complete innings.

Freshman infielder Anthony Ayala Freshman first baseman Israel Fuentes

Sports

April 30, 2015

5

Tough mens tennis loss at Ojai VICTOR GALLEGOS ALEXIS NAUCLER @RCCviewpoints

Riverside City College’s men’s tennis coach Carlos Vazquez was awarded Orange Empire Conference coach of the year for the 2015 season.

Vazquez must be pleased with his team’s efforts this year, and the award is a reflection of the team’s hard work.

After stepping in for head coach Jim Elton this season due to injury, Vazquez inherited a team, which was returning only two of six starters from the previous year.

With no team continuity from the year before, as well as a mixture of incoming international players arriving for their first season with RCC, it was up to Carlos to mesh a feeling of comfort as well as instill a winning mentality.

Luckily, the Spanish born coach is no stranger to coaching kids.

He noted that he has been coaching since a young age beginning when he, as an aspiring ATP top player, would teach his younger peers the game.

“I learned from all the great coaches around me, and now I am able to give back,” Coach Vazquez said while conducting an

afternoon practice. “You have to understand it to teach it.”

Aside from coaching the RCC men’s team, Carlos also is used by the United States Professional Tennis Association to teach other instructors.

His coaching techniques focus on all aspects of the tennis game.

“Tennis is mental, physical and emotional,” Vazquez said.

I n d e e d , a n d Va z q u e z ’s practices leave players with a sense of purpose and direction.

It simply is not just practice for fun.

“I feel like I improved in some aspects of my game with Carlos,” said RCC tennis player Mathieu Willockx. “I know that I can improve more.”

It will also be a positive to have players with Willockx’s ambition for improvement returning for next season.

The coach of the year has some help.

In order to qualify for the Ojai Tournament players had to make it to the third round of the OEC Tournament.

Those who qualified for singles at Ojai include; sophomore Connor Stephenson, Willockx and freshman Antoine Voisin.

As for doubles, Stephenson is partnered up with fellow

sophomore Patrick Stetco, Willockx with freshman Edward Riman and Voisin with freshman Grady Harrell.

“The mentality changes right now, because you’re on your own,” Vazquez said.

“They have to realize that this is their time to shine individually.”

When compared to last year, RCC only had four players going to Ojai, David Stanko and Danny ALEXIS NAUCLER | VIEWPOINTS Garcia for singles; Stetco competed with STAYING FOCUSED: Sophomore Patrick Stetco gives it his all during his Stanko for doubles singles match against Fullerton in the Orange Empire Conference on April 9. and Stephenson with Garcia. and Stetco stopping short at the his previous matches which Having an increase of players second round after falling to caused him to not play so good who made it to Ojai, Vazquez Palomar 6-3, 6-1. in our doubles match.” feels the team has improved.

Harrell and Voisin also fell Stephenson lost to San Diego “Last year we had two players in the second round to Foothill Mesa 6-0, 6-0 in the second who were above everybody else...

6-3, 6-2. round. this year, it was the opposite, Willockx and Riman made it Voisin lost to Foothill 6-4, 6-3 everybody was the same,” to the third round before coming in the second as well.

Vazquez said. behind Foothill 3-6, 6-3, 10-2 in Willockx fell to La Pierce in “It brings you more stability what seemed to be a pretty close the third round, in a back-andto the team but it doesn’t give match. forth set that ended in 6-3, 6-7, you a guaranteed win when you “My doubles partner and I and 7-6. need it.” didn’t do as well as we wanted The Tigers finished their Doubles matches for the to,” Stetco said. season second place in conference Tigers resulted in Stephenson “(He) was really tired from with a record of 13-7.

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6

A&E

April 30, 2015

You cannot live your life to please others. The choice must be yours.-

White Queen,

from

Alice

in

Wonderland

‘Chalk Walk’ art brings awareness

JAMES H. WILLIAMS | VIEWPOINTS

GREEN GODDESS: Student Veronika Gorchkova holds up her second place certificate for her mother earth piece that was entered in the Chalk Walk event sponsored by ASRCC and the Art Club. The event was held at Riverside City College from April 21-23. The piece was awarded first place among the Viewpoints Editoral Staff in an unofficial voting process.

MARISSA BOSTICK @MariBMe

When many of us were children drawing on walls and sidewalks we didn’t care if the chalk was non-toxic, if our street doodles weren’t masterpieces though we thought they were.

Earth Week, April 16 - 22, is an event meant to remind people that the planet we live on needs to be cherished and protected for generations to come.

In honor of Earth Week, Riverside City College’s Art Club has put on its 25th annual Chalk Walk competition.

The event took place in front of the MLK steps and around the building.

Their goal of the three day event was to “commemorate earth day and promote art at the same time,” according to Ivy Lomax, Art Club’s vice president.

The 32 pieces were judged by the Art professors, their main criteria was that the works had to be original and follow the theme of Earth Week.

The artists were to create works with the thought of pollution, global warming and acid rain in mind, though they were not limited to them.

Each artist brought a new spin

on the theme of pollution and its effects.

Just like art itself, the competition was open to all skill levels and concepts.

Along with accepting donations for supplies, the art club was allowing patrons a chance to spin a prize wheel.

Among the prizes were buttons, sketchbooks and even a set of Prismacolor pencils.

The club was also accepting donations for face painting sessions.

Along with selling toxinfree pastel chalk for use during the event, the Art Club was also selling aprons and t-shirts with an

original design created by one of the members.

It’s astonishing to have seen what these young talented artists created, from a larger-than-life Albert Einstein to a monstrous looking rain cloud pouring down acid rain.

Many of the artists present for the event put time and careful planning into their chalk creations.

“I’ve been practicing for this (event) for a while now,” said Veronika Gorchkova, the second place winner of Chalk Walk. “It’s taken awhile to come up with a mother earth idea and stick to that.”

Gorchkova’s version of mother earth featured a porcelain skin green haired lady with the earth behind her reminiscent of a holy glow seen in Roman Catholic art. This mother earth seemed to have risen out a pool of toxic waste.

While the art will eventually fade away from existence, the message and theme of the event will still be there: Do your part to save and protect the planet for the future generations.

The winners of Chalk Walk were Aidan Schwartz, Veronika Gorchkova and Caroline Siordia in first, second and third respectively.

Day include Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots, The Doors and much more.

The event is a huge success for Mad Platter, located in University Village. The store has participated in RSD since it’s start in 2007.

“By the time I got here at seven (a.m.) the line was all the way down where Fatburger used to be, so it was pretty crowded,” store manager, Erin Durhim said.

Approximately quadruple the amount of usual customers came to the store for RSD. Mad Platter did not open until 9 a.m. an hour earlier than their usual 10 a.m.

After being open for only 30 minutes, most RSD titles were gone and a line wrapped around over half of the store as others still browsed through the extensive collection of records available.

“One kid stayed overnight,”

Durhim said. “He got here at 4:30 p.m. and stayed until 9 a.m. to get the ‘Brand New’ record.”

The store remained busy throughout the day as customers scavenged for music.

One customer was lucky enough to find a special Paul McCartney vinyl hidden in the store.

The record was hidden in a place where people had to really be looking for it in order to help contain the craziness of the day.

To help manage crowds Mad Platter only let in a handful of people at a time and most of the customers were very respectful.

Although the event draws in a huge crowd nothing too chaotic has happened.

Mad Platter’s sister store, Rhino Records, participated in RSD as well and had a live band called Dengue Fever play.

Durhim hopes to have a similar in-store event at Mad Platter for next year.

Radio station X103.9 FM also came to Mad Platter and set up a booth with free stickers, t-shirts and concert tickets.

As music enthusiasts alike carried stacks of vinyl they made sure to grab a free goodie bag filled with a yellow tote, 7” LP, cassette, CD, water bottle sleeve and magnet on their way out the door.

“I think Record Store Day is a cool day. It celebrates music, it celebrates records,” Durhim said.

RSD has had yet another successful year at independent stores as it continues to gain popularity among music fans of all ages.

It really is like Christmas with discounts, free gifts and energetic shoppers looking to buy their favorite artist’s album.

Record Store Day puts new spin on sales TREVA FLORES @RCCviewpoints

Each year Record Store Day brings in a crowd as limited edition vinyls are put on sale for one day and one day only.

Although some titles may be left over, it’s best to arrive early and ensure the chance of snagging a one of a kind vinyl, cassette or CD. This year RSD occurred April 18 for the eighth year and counting. The event was founded by a group of independent record storeowners who wanted to promote local businesses, as well as, amp up their sales as the world of digital media began to take over.

“Independent record stores represent the heart, soul and foundation of the recorded music world,” Joe Nardone, Jr. the

owner of an independent record store Gallery of Sound said.

The event has grown every year since it’s conception and according to BuzzAngle Music, a service of Border City Media, sales from 2014-15 increased 3.3 percent.

All vinyl titles in independent stores went up 2,186 percent compared to the previous Saturday, April 11 and increased 45 percent from last year’s RSD sales.

BuzzAngle also conducted research on the top 100 best selling titles.

The top five titles were: The White Stripes’ “Get Behind Me Satan,” Metallica’s “No Life ‘Til Leather,” The Jewels’ “Bust No Moves,” David Bowie’s’ “Changes” and The Replacements’ “Alex Chilton.”

Other popular artists who released titles on Record Store

A&E

April 30, 2015

7

Music fans rejoice for weekend two of Coachella LESLIE ESPINOZA @RCCviewpoints

Wi t h o v e r 1 6 0 a r t i s t performances Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is one of the most sought after events.

The music genres you can find there are immensely diverse and can range anywhere from electronic dance music all the way to rap.

Tickets for this festival go up for sale almost a year in advanced and are usually sold out in minutes. If you happen to be able to get a ticket consider yourself extremely lucky.

Walking into the venue one is immediately greeted by the loud music coming from all directions.

The festival is held at the Empire Polo Club, which if you’ve never been to, it’s huge.

There are seven different stages where you can watch a different artist perform at all times.

Walking around the grounds you can’t help but notice all the different types of people that are there.

“There is so much diversity here,” festival attendee Yajaira Cuevas said. “It’s great that everyone can come together to celebrate music.”

As my first time attending this festival I was surprised not only by the wide age ranges there, but also by all the different types of people attending.

There was people from different countries that traveled near and far just to attend this festival.

Friday was awesome and it was full of people, but I was in for a surprise when Saturday and Sunday rolled around.

The venue was completely filled by people on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

There was hardly anywhere to sit and every stage was filled with people dancing to the beat of the music.

When night time rolled around on Saturday night Coachella’s main stage was filled with what seemed like every single person

ARIEL SCHILLER | VIEWPOINTS

TUNES: Members of the crowd watch on as Kaskade (left), Hozier (Upper Right) and Drake (Bottom Right) perform at Coachella during weekend two from April 17 - 19. at the festival.

R&B star The Weeknd was closing that night and he was not one to be missed. He opened his set with a live band singing “High For This,” immediately the crowd started clapping and swaying to the beat of the music.

Some artists are known to bring out surprise guests on stage, but no one was ready for this.

After one of his songs ended a snippet of “Heartless” by rapper Kanye West started playing and the crowd started to look at each other suspiciously.

Then out of nowhere, West jumps out onto the stage performing to his song “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” by then, the crowd is in hysteria.

“I have never ran so fast in my life,” Kanye west fan Mayra Cuevas said. “As soon as I heard him start to sing I sprinted to get closer to the stage so I can see him better.”

The Weeknd was the perfect

artist to close on Saturday. He left the crowd satisfied by his energetic performance and his surprise guest.

“It was honestly one of the best nights of my life and I cant wait until tomorrow,” Cuevas said after saturday night’s closing performance.

Finally Sunday, the last day of the Coachella festival. Just when I didn’t think there was room left in the venue for more people.

Somehow, Sunday was by far the biggest crowd there. It was the day that Drake was performing, which was easily the most hyped up performance of the weekend.

As night time crept up, it was time for Drake’s anticipated performance.

He opened up the show with “Legend” from his new album “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.”

He had the crowd jumping up and down while he sang hit

after hit.

Halfway through his set he started singing his verse to “Truffle Butter” a song he is featured on by female rapper Nicki Minaj, and unexpectedly, Nicki appeared. The crowd immediately went nuts.

However, Nicki didn’t sing or even talk for that matter. Drake just congratulated her and she walked off.

It was quite a let down, because people were expecting him to end the last day of Coachella with a bang and that was his only surprise. He closed his set with “Legend” as well after the song he thanked everyone and walked away.

People were expecting him to come out again and end it with another hit, but he didn’t. He left the crowd wanting more after his performance in a sense. “ I t h o u g h t D r a k e ’s performance was going to be more memorable,” fan Kristy

Aguirre said. “Don’t get me wrong he was great, but I just expected a little more.”

Some performers blew everyone’s expectations out of the water and some left the crowd wanting more.

No matter the situation, Coachella has a little bit of something for everyone. Whether you want to jump around and listen to Kaskade or just mellow out while listening to Hozier.

Everyone makes you feel welcomed there and they talk to you like if you are someone they have known for a long time. It’s a great place to not only enjoy great music, but make new friends, as well.

“Coachella was such a life changing experience and by far one of the best weekends of my life,” first time Coachella goer Martin Mora said. “It is something everyone should definitely experience at least once in their lifetime.”

Entertainment Calendar MAY 1

MAY 2

MAY 3

MAY 4

Show & Go Car Show Downtown Riverside 8 a.m.

Bubble Run Pomona Fairplex 9 a.m.

Marvel’s The Avengers La Sierra Library 2 p.m.

William Pope.L Musuem of Contemporary Art 11 a.m.

Mex Maslansky: Jouissance Honor Fraser Gallery 10 a.m.

The Sound of Music The Box Theatre 8 p.m.

Ultimate Brawl XV: Battle of Distinction Fox Performing Arts Center 7 p.m.

George Lopez The Orpheum Theatre 8 p.m.

50 for 50: Gifts on the Occasion LACMA 11 a.m.

Los Lobos The Regent Theater 7:30 p.m.

MAY 7

MAY 8

MAY 9

Milena Bonilla: Low-Intensity Operation The Mistake Room 11 a.m.

GSA/Art Club Benefit Concert RCC Cafeteria Patio 5 p.m.

Becoming Los Angeles Natural History Museum 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

LA on Tap The Farm at Fairplex 2 - 6 p.m.

Hafu:The Mixed-Race Experience in Japan The Center for Social Justice 1 p.m.

Clybourne Park Landis PAC 7 p.m.

Destination Style Spring Fashion Show Civic Plaza 6 p.m.

Seussical the Musical Ramona H. S. Theater 7 p.m.

Riverside County Philharmonic Fox Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m.

Family Movie: Mamma Mia! La Sierra Library 2 p.m.

MAY 6

MAY 5

MAY 10

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April 30, 2015

A&E

‘Orphan Black’ embraces sexuality DOMINIQUE REDFERN @RCCviewpoints

In sci-fi shows and movies are sometimes set in the future where sexuality and gender do not matter, but in the world of “Orphan Black” these issues are not necessarily issues.

The BBC America show ties in sexuality and gender without making it the main focus.

The show follows Sarah Manning (played by Tatiana Maslany) after she witnesses the suicide of another woman that looks identical to her named Beth Childs (also played

by Maslany).

After stealing Childs’s identity to get money, Manning discovers that she is part of an illegal cloning experiment.

Each clone in the experiment is followed by a monitor and is in imminent danger at all times.

Maslany’s level of talent is displayed in every episode, she plays multiple clones in an episode, and sometimes even in the same scenes.

Maslany plays an array of clones ranging from a suburban housewife to a trained assassin to a con woman.

Each clone has distinct

characteristics that Maslany executes perfectly whether it is Sarah’s British accent, Alison’s theatrics or Cosima’s smugness.

She even voiced a scorpion in the season three premiere.

Two of these clones, Cosima Niehaus and Tony Sawicki, as well as Sarah’s foster brother Felix have been well received by the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transsexual community since the debut of their characters in season one and two, respectively.

Cosima is a bisexual graduate student who ends up dating another woman that she met in one of her classes named Delphine (played by Evelyne Brochu) who also identifies as bisexual.

Felix (played by Jordan Garavis) is gay and has had relationships with men on the show.

Tony is a former criminal that is a transgender male.

Maslany did a lot of research before playing Tony to make sure she was able to portray him correctly.

Tony was shown on screen taking testosterone, a typical act for people that are transgender who choose to undergo hormone replacement therapy.

Felix was also shown correcting Tony’s pronouns after another character would say “she” instead of “he.”

Tony and Cosima are perfect examples of characters that are more than their sexualities and genders in comparison to other shows where characters in the LGBT community are usually confined to those parts of their lives.

The cast does an excellent job at portraying these characters in a way that seems organic to the viewers.

Their sexuality or gender is not their only defining characteristic; they have flaws and accomplishments outside of that.

“We sort of embrace the idea of every human having the potential to be anything, and I think that opens the door for all kinds of dialogue about sexuality and about gender,” Maslany told Entertainment Weekly.

“It’s exciting material that is not always on screen in a respectful way.” Maslany said.

“And I don’t mean respectful in the sense of martyrdom, I mean respectful in the sense of flawed, complex performance and characters.”

Take “American Horror Story” for example; in their second season, their protagonist was a gay woman who as an accomplished journalist named Lana Winters.

Other than mentions of Winters’ relationship with a woman, she was not portrayed in a negative or stereotypical way.

Lana Winters is still thought of as one of the best characters on the show as well as it being one of the best seasons.

There’s also the Netflix original series, “Orange is the New Black” that features characters that are bisexual, gay and transgender.

The use of multiple known sexualities never did not take away from the quality of the show nor did it use the characters as plot devices.

That show’s main character, Piper Chapman, is bisexual and is shown engaged to a man as well as having a previous relationship with a woman.

There have been countless times where shows and movies have had a female character say that they’ve dated a woman.

Most of those instances were “just a phase” used for shock value, sex appeal or

something to move the plot along.

Bisexual erasure is a common occurrence in the media as well as real life.

Many people do not believe that a man can be with a woman and still like men or that a woman can be with a man and still like women.

Although Cosima has not been shown on screen romantically with a male, Delphine has, it does not mean that she is strictly gay.

Sexuality and gender are a part of a spectrum that Orphan Black continues to explore.

Many critics have said that including characters like Tony and Cosima were a risk, however I think of it as a step in the right direction.

If more shows were to have characters from the LGBT community represented in a way that was not offensive or stereotypical then it gives the chance for LGBT youth to find someone to relate to.

It would allow for others to realize that LGBT people are indeed human too.

In the words of Cosima, her sexuality “isn’t the most interesting thing about (her).”

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April 30, 2015 Tell

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us what you think, in a letter to the editor, in an email, or use #RCCnow.

How do I change my relationship status again?

‘Found on South Street’: wins Founder’s Award for Innovation Wolde-Ab Isaac: elected president of Riverside City College.

Coachella: brings musical diversity.

JEIANNE BANIQUED @RCCviewpoints

It’s complicated. I believe t h at ’s a s t at e me nt a l mo s t everyone in a relationship or some form of it has made in their lifetime.

Why does this statement follow us as if it were our own shadow? Why is it always “it’s complicated” rather than the preferred “it’s simple”?

In an ideal world, we would be guaranteed love. There’d be someone out there for everyone and they would be the perfect match for each other.

But in reality, the dominating expression out there is that there’s plenty of fish in the sea, making the idea of finding “The One” and knowing that for certain, close to impossible.

It's no secret that marriage rates have been on the decline for decades. Census data cited in a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center show that the number of married households fell to 50.5 percent in 2012 from a high of about 72 percent in 1960.

With each new generation and all of its innovations in tow, more options manifest.

We’re living in a world of

social media, online dating we b s i t e s , a n d t h e s e x u a l r e vol u t io n e m b r a c i n g t h e liberation of women and not tabooing it.

I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. If everything stayed the same, we’d be in a constant state of limbo–never moving forward.

But with these innovations, consequences are in tow as well.

Wit h more opt ions, t he labels “single” and “taken” are now being joined by “We’re ju st t al k i ng,” “Oh, it’s a n open relationship,” “I’m not seeing anyone else, but we’re not exclusive,”and “We’re not putting a label on it.” Facebook even gives us the option of “It’s complicated” for our relationship status.

People who find themselves in a complicated relationship or those who obser ve these c o m ple x it ie s s t a r t t o a s k themselves where has simplicity gone.

No matter how many times

we ask why people indulge i n the tor ment of complex relationships, we tend to overlook that it’s not the relationship itself that’s complicated. It’s the individuals who contribute to the complication.

We go on wondering what we want in a relationship, or if we even want one.

We never know what we want.

We’re all complicated.

Are we or are we not human?

As we grow older and gain more experiences, simplicity takes a back seat and we suddenly see complexity at the wheel driving us–guiding us to expand our knowledge and change our wants. With that, we have a more complex understanding of the world.

Yes, the word complicated and the idea alone is repetitive, but it’s inevitable in ever y aspect of our lives, relationships especially.

Embrace the inevitable.

We have no control over the morals other people have and we can’t dictate how they should live their lives.

For instance, when one finds their self in a situation such as not being able to be with the person they want for whatever reason, they attempt to find some magical solution they think exists to simplify things.

They see potential and strive to make it capable. They hope that person who came into their life is here for a lifetime, and not just for a reason or a fleeting season. That is when they must step back and let life and time step in.

We have no control over these roller coasters we call relationships. However, we do have control over choosing which ones to deal with.

There are complications we choose to close the door on while we’re still in the eye of the storm, and there are ones we choose to stick with and fight for.

Cultivating a greener campus A look at Riverside City College’s impact on the environment on campus and off

KENNEDY BLEVINS @RCCviewpoints

R ive r side Cit y Col lege exemplifies a strong dedication to success and productivity.

However, a quick look around the campus shows a less than exemplary dedication to the future of the planet.

Today’s world is facing a growing crisis centered on the sustainment of a healthy e nv i r on me nt . We ne e d t o alternatively produce, reduce, and educate if we want to save the planet we call home.

In the past five years, RCC has made several advancements to become more environmentally sound.

T he Mat h a nd Scie nc e Building is Leadership in Energy

& Environmental Design or LEED Certified; last year, four parking lots were replaced with LED lighting and the new Student Services Building will be LEED certified as well. LEED certifies buildings based on how green they are built.

Builders choose from the most suitable category for their building. Finished products can be ranked under: certified, silver, gold, or platinum.

W h ile RCC’s new a nd future buildings are certified, they have room to reach higher certification.

We could take steps to reduce the energy used to supply all of our buildings.

Acording to Steve Brooks, president of SafteyNet, many schools have implemented the use of solar panels for alternative energy.

“The amount of funding we would need for new solar is not there yet,” Scott Zwart, Director of Facilities said. “First I think we need to work toward reduction.”

A single advancement could lead to a radical improvement: recycle bins. A glance around campus proves we could be more dedicated to a green future.

Sure some students will take

KENNEDY BLEVINS | VIEWPOINTS

REDUCE, REUSE, RCC: The student garden next to the Math and Science building. This garden

is maintained by the Student Sustainability Committee. the initiative to recycle on their own, but if given the opportunity, more students would be forced to recycle by seeing the option in front of them.

“In a progressive environment you would find recycle bins next to every single trash can… You would find not only recycle bins but food waste bins as well; several different options that would provide some sorting by students and faculty,” Preston Galusky, who is a co-advisor for the Student Sustainability Committee said.

Zwart says plans to purchase recycling containers are in the works. The estimated time of arrival for this reduction opportunity is unknown.

Availability of recycling options is a step in the right direction for reduction our carbon footprint that we must demand.

Groups such as the Student Sustainability Committee give a voice to the environment on campus. The committee’s goal is to try to “reduce the ecological foot print of Riverside Cit y College by bringing awareness of sustainability issues,” according to Galusky.

The committee schedules movie nights throughout the semester and meetings every Thursday at 11:30 a.m. in Math & Science Room 306.

If students become aware we can begin to demand speed

for the progress the college is slowly making. Environmental challenges are worsening faster than we as a people are evolving to change our practices all over the globe.

We can make a difference at RCC by showing that we care about the environment, and demanding more steps be taken in a positive direction. Saving the planet starts here at home.

Student Sustainability Committee meeting times Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. Math and Science building 306 Movie nights held when announced

April 30, 2015

Editorial

10

Views

In case of emergency...

W h i l e police chief Jim Miyashiro has stated that there is a new mass alert system, we can only hope this switch will provide more notifications that are pushed in a timely matter. “ W e have a few different ways (of notifying the students),” Miyashiro PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | JAMES H. WILLIAMS stated. “One As students of Riverside City College, it is time is if we hear a rumor (of a school shooting threat) we evaluate our emergency alert situation. we would do a notification.”

Students use their phones often and common According to Miyashiro, the new system allows sense tells us that you would want to reach your the police to send out emails, text messages and audience where a majority of them are at, along with make public announcements around campus using other outlets following shortly after. the PA system. He also said system alerts are tied in Parents send their children to school assuming to the Marquee located in front of the Martin Luther they will be safe and students of all ages assume King Building. when they go to school, they will be safe.

According to a story written in the March 13, How would you feel as a parent or student 2014 issue of Viewpoints, the system was revamped knowing the place you go to daily does not have a and improved in Jan. 2014. way to communicate?

The article stated that a test reached roughly An example of this situation involved three 20,000 people with a 99.5 percent success according Rancho Cucamonga area high schools, in which to Sherry Stone, safety and emergency planning students from three different schools learned on April coordinator.

19, which was a Sunday, that their respective schools The RCCD website states that the system will be were being threatened with a possible shooting the tested four times a year, but according to members of following day when they returned from school. the Viewpoints staff, a test alert cannot be recalled Many students learned the news from social for this year. media or from a mass text, not a text alert, that was In the past, students were able to sign up for the being passed around from student to student. alert service, but with the new system in place, the One of the high schools sent a phone call that policy has changed. night for students, and a second left a tweet on twitter RCC students are automatically signed up and called in the morning. and have the option to waive the service through The first school that responded to the threat Webadvisor if they do not want mobile alerts. posted on Twitter, but that tweet still did not ease With a new system in place the only questions the students’ or parents’ worries. remaining are how often will the text alerts be sent Many thought more details were needed as they and how in-depth will the text alerts be. felt left in the dark for the second time following a Members of the Viewpoints staff slightly recall different incident in which someone walked onto the getting a text message during a rainstorm that caused campus and into a classroom in which he announced havoc throughout the campus Aug. 20. The flood cost he was going to take his own life, according to RCC thousands of dollars in damage. students at the school.

While students previously had the opportunity

to not opt into receiving alerts, the new alert system automatically signs everyone up for the alerts but gives the option to opt-out.

While we may be opted-in to the system automatically that does not mean that the entire RCC community is aware that the service is offered and whether it works. lt would not be wise to wait until an emergency situation to find out if the text notifications actually work. A test alert once a month would be the best way for more students to be aware of the system and to know that it will actually work in an emergency.

At other colleges such as Cerritos College, where one of our staff members attended prior to RCC, text notifications were sent when a variety of incidents happened that the campus should be fully aware of.

There have been a number of incidents on the RCC campus that students should have been made aware of with notifications. One recent incident in which notifications would have helped the student body was the reporting of a suspicious male in the women’s restroom.

We do understand that RCC does post information on the campus website and through email however, most students do not check their RCC email accounts daily or the campus website. This could leave them unaware of an emergency situations and may put them at risk on campus.

We can only hope that if a situation does arise for something as serious as a lockdown, or school shooting, the text notification is sent rather quickly to alert us.

It is understandable for schools to not want to put out any information until they have all the facts and believe it is safe to make it public, but the concerns of the students need to also be met so they can feel safe while they are at school or before they are expected to return to school.

As an editorial staff we believe the text alerts should include but not be limited to these categories.

• Earthquake • Terrorism • Fire • Bomb Threat/Explosion • Medical • Natural Disaster • Hazardous Material Accident • Violent/Criminal Behavior • Utility Failure (such as power outages)

Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints’ student editorial board.

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EDITOR Letters to the editor should be kept to 250 words or less. Deliver letters to the Viewpoints office in the room behind the Assessment Building. Viewpoints reserves the right to edit letters for space and to reject libelous or obscene letters. Letters to the editor and columns represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire Viewpoints staff, Viewpoints faculty advisers, student government, faculty, administration nor the Board of Trustees.

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Features

April 30, 2015

11

JOSIAH PATTERSON | VIEWPOINTS

NEVER FORGET: Friends and family members of violent crime victims stand in front of the memorial wall outside of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office in search of their loved ones’ names on Orange Street following the Annual Candlelight Vigil on April 23.

Riverside remembers victims

Riverside County District Attorney’s office holds vigil for violent crime victims JOSIAH PATTERSON @RCCviewpoints

try to be a better husband. I try to be a better father, a better uncle, a better son because I know that my sister is looking down on me, and she’s looking at everything I do.”

In dealing with the loss of his sister, Rael finds comfort through faith.

“I don’t think that there’s anything you can do in particular to cope with the loss of a loved one other than to trust in God and give it to him,” Rael said.

After Rael spoke, the audience held their candles as volunteers read the names of deceased victims of violent crime, sometimes preceded by shaky, heart-broken utterances such as “my mother.”

One of the names was Lupe Delgadillo.

Delgadillo was 85 years old when he was brutally beaten and murdered by two teenagers in 2008.

D e l g a d i l l o ’s n i e c e Rebecca Evans remembers him as a funny, loving and joyful man.

“He was very healthy for his age,” Evans said.

“He was always smiling, always laughing. He was a very funny guy; he would even laugh at himself.”

It was Evans’ third time attending the vigil, and she continues to honor her uncle.

To conclude the vigil, m u s i c i a n Sam Marsey performed a cover of the song “When I Get Where I’m Going,” and Hestrin gave the concluding remarks.

“Every year we will be with you here to remember your loved ones and to remind you once again that you’re not alone, not forgotten, and you will survive,” Hestrin said.

After the vigil, attendees made their way to the Riverside County District Attorney’s O ff i c e w h e r e t h e Victims Memorial Wall is displayed outside.

Near the wall were three custommade quilts that honored victims.

There were 58 names added to the wall and 40 squares added to the quilts this year.

MIRIAM RUIZ | VIEWPOINTS

A package of tissues sat on each seat as an indication that tears would be inevitable for many.

Audience members, most of whom had lost a loved one to violent crime, removed the tissues in order to sit; however, they kept the tissues close by, mindful that they may need to use them within the hour.

They were gathered at the annual Victims’ Rights Candlelight Vigil to remember those who lost their lives to violent crime.

The vigil, organized by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, took place on April 23, in front of the Riverside County Historic Courthouse in Riverside on Main Street.

This year ’s theme was “engaging communities and empowering victims.”

The ceremony began with a word of prayer by Chaplain Dennis Johnson, which was

followed with the Presentation of Colors by Martin Luther King High School Navy Jr. ROTC and the national anthem.

Each year, 18.7 million Americans are directly affected by violent crime, Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin said.

“The truth of the matter is that violent crime tears a hole in our community that takes years to repair and mend, if ever,” he said.

Guest speaker and city of Corona police officer Rozzy Rael said that responding to domestic violence calls now has a different meaning for him since his sister Brandi Morales-Rael was murdered by her former boyfriend about four years ago.

“I have a completely different mindset now that my sister has been a victim,” Rael said. “I try to use my story to help others before it’s too late for them.”

He aspires to be the best person he can because he believes his sister is watching from heaven.

“Every day of my life I try to live for my sister,” Rael said. “I

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April 30, 2015

Features

Musician honors family, friends KATARINA AYOUB @RCCviewpoints

Every student has their story.

Who they are, their passions and their reasons for why they are here at Riverside City College.

For 21-year-old Josh Armstrong, RCC student, it is his desire to play on for his loved ones who cannot and continue to show others the way to what they love through music wherever this life takes him with the support of friends and family.

your music education degree?

JA: I’m honestly not sure. I’m interested in private lessons a lot, but ideally, (I would like to) be (a) high school music teacher.

VP: Any dream school?

Cal State Fullerton [is a school] everyone talks about as being a great music school. But I really want to travel out of state.

VP: Where do you want to go?

JA: No particular state right now, but maybe Oregon or New Mexico. I have family in New Mexico, so I think that would be pretty cool.

VP: How are you enjoying classical music?

JA: It’s very nice. It’s different from what I’m used to, but it’s really nice and I like it.

VP: What about jazz? How do you feel about jazz?

JA: It’s more difficult, but it’s very interesting I’m learning a lot from jazz.

VP: What is your favorite thing about jazz right now?

JA: It’s cool that I’m learning how to solo because I’ve never done that in my life. I’m learning that right now as well as chord melodies. It’s something I have been wanting to learn for a few years, but I’ve never really dedicated myself to it. It’s basically mixing lead notes or harmony or melody on top of the chord.

VP: Why did you decide six years ago that you wanted to learn the guitar?

JA: It was actually before that when I was young. We have family that live in Arizona.

It’s like how my family is here [with] one son and two sisters.

So I had one boy cousin and two girl cousins. The guy cousin

Q&

VP: What instrument do you play?

JA: I play mainly guitar and piano and I’m trying to learn drums, but that’s not going so well.

VP: How long have you been playing guitar?

JA: Six or seven years.

VP: What is your major at RCC? JA: Music major to be music education with performance on the side.

VP: Besides your music degree, are you minoring in anything?

JA: I’ll probably minor in performance.

VP: Your passion is teaching?

JA: Yes. VP: What teachers do you look up to?

JA: Peter Curtis is insanely good. There is also my private guitar tutor Jody Fisher, (a) famous jazz musician who plays all over the world.

VP: How much longer do you have at RCC? After spring semester, it’ll be one more year.

VP: Where do you want to take

A

KATARINA AYOUB | VIEWPOINTS

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Riverside City College student Josh Armstrong rehearses in his practice room April 26 for his guitar ensemble class. was the closest thing I had to an older brother. He taught me guitar once or twice when we would visit him. But then 10-11 years ago he had passed away, so I decided to take up guitar in his name. His name was AJ, or Adrian. It’s also what I want to name my first son.

VP: When did you decide to take music seriously?

JA: It’s always been something in the back of my mind in high school. I really enjoyed playing piano and guitar. I knew at least in my free time that was what I wanted to do. But it never hit me as something I wanted to do for my career until one of my best friends Zach (he’s a music

major at RCC as well) He got me into it and showed me some of the stuff that he was learning in music theory and it was so far ahead of what I was doing myself, so it intrigued me and I decided I really want to pursue this.

VP: When you told your parents music was what you wanted, what was their first reaction?

JA: They told me it was a hard field to get in to, but if that’s what I wanted to do then they would support me.

VP: So your parents were good enforcers on education?

JA: They were pretty much behind us no matter what we chose to do, even if it wasn’t go-

ing to school. They will always be behind me 100 percent.

VP: Why music?

JA: Music is something that is constantly fun and no matter how much you know, you can always learn more or do more.

It’s never-ending. Whereas (what) I did before, its finite.

Before this, I wanted to be an astronomy and physics major, but that was a ton of math, which I didn’t want to do. On top of that, you use the same ideas. I also studied to be an auto mechanic, but that was the same. Where once you have it down you have it down. It’s not really going to change that much.

College commute options MIRIAM RUIZ | VIEWPOINTS