Clarion 5/23/23

Diversity disparity

Faculty racial demographic struggles to match student

BY ABIODUN COLLINS STAFF REPORTER ACOLLINS @ CCCLARION.COM

Two-thirds of Citrus College students are Hispanic, yet Hispanic faculty only make up one-third of faculty.

However, a survey conducted by Citrus found that students still consider the school to have an adequate amount of racial and ethnic diversity.

In the presentation of a race and ethnicity survey conducted by Citrus last spring, Tyesha Thomas, diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator, said students would like for faculty to look like them, specifically students of color.

“They want to see more of themselves in staff and in faculty,” Thomas said, “but if they cannot see themselves, then at the very least, they need faculty and staff who value their culture and value them right.”

In the survey, white students polled the highest of all groups at 43% who said they see instructors who look like them.

Asian and Black students polled the highest at 37% and 36% in answering the question of how important it is to have instructors who look like them.

Black and Asian students also scored the highest at 64% and 44%, respectively, regarding the importance of seeing staff who look like them.

Lan Hao, director of institutional research, planning and effectiveness, and Thomas, presented the result of the survey to students on May 17 in Room 159 of the CI Building.

As of fall 2022, Citrus College serves about 10,000 students, with an employee count of 799.

In a race and ethnicity survey conducted by Citrus in the spring of 2022, 66% of the college’s student population is Latino/ Hispanic, a stark difference from what it was 20 years ago, in which white students held the majority.

Starting in 2006, Citrus College has seen a steady decline in white student and African American student enrollment and an increase in Hispanic and Asian student enrollment.

In recent years, the call for representation has grown. Minorities are pushing for institutions to appoint people who look like them into visible spaces. A recent example is the appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States by President Joe Biden, fulfilling a promise to appoint the first black woman into that office.

Recently, the school hired a diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator, Thomas. A Pride Center was also newly opened to cater to sexual minorities.

Read Diversity, Page 2

Automotive program receives large donation

New car dealers association generously donates $10k to program in February for educational assistance

BY CLARION STAFF CONTACT @ CCCLARION.COM

The Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association donated $10,000 to the Citrus automotive technology program in February.

In a press release by Citrus College, GLANCDA is a group of factory-franchised dealers that provide educational assistance to communities through Los Angeles County.

It was established in 1907.

The donation was made possible through the efforts of Robb Hernandez, president of the Camino Real Chevrolet auto dealership in Monterey Park, and Bob Smith, executive director of GLANCDA.

The Citrus automotive program, in partnership with Toyota Technician Training and Education Network and GearWrench, will use the money

East

donated to buy hand tools and toolboxes for two Citrus College students who currently

work at GLANCDA-sanctioned dealerships in Los Angeles.

The Automotive Technology

Program has received multiple $10,000 donations from GLANCDA, which over the years have been used to purchase 15 laptops and other hardware items.

The donation has also been used to purchase software to assist Citrus College students in using cutting-edge applications present in many contemporary vehicles.

In the press release, automotive instructor Priscilla Englert said cars and trucks are becoming more sophisticated, and technicians need “more specialty tools” to get ahead in the game.

Englert said the support from industry partners such as GLANCDA, Toyota T-TEN and GearWrench helps the program achieve and sustain its mission to provide students with the most modern training and support, giving them a competitive advantage in their careers.

Superintendent/President Greg Schulz thanked the donors for their immense contribution to improving the educational experience of many automotive technology students at Citrus.

Wide turnout of voters show for ASCC election

The number of students who participated in the 2023-2024 election increased dramatically from last year

BY GWEN RYAN STAFF REPORTER GRYAN @ CCCLARION.COM

Citrus students casted 132 ballots in voting for positions of ASCC’s 2023-2024 president, vice president, student trustee and senators.

Brian Kwokon Tong was elected as ASCC president with 48 votes. Yuxiang (Charles) Zhu was

elected as ASCC vice president with 104 votes. Sabrina Soriano was elected as student trustee with 78 votes. The elected ASCC senators include Alay Escandon (40), Marco Luna (44), Guadalupe Guzman (53), Alex Liu (58), Laura Lopez (50), Lei (Jennifer) Huang (72) and Ren Fujimaru (48).

This year’s voter turnout increased dramatically compared

to the 52 voters in the 2022-2023 ASCC election.

The Associated Student of Citrus College Constitution, Article IV says, the elective positions of the Associated Student of Citrus College include president, vice president, student trustee, legislative liaison and seven senators.

However, last election rules had

to be changed to allow for these positions to be filled.

In the past, these positions required 50 votes to be elected. With this rule in the 2022-2023 elections, only one person made it into office.

If this rule had not been amended, four out of 10 members and positions would be unfilled.

HEILY GARCIA - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A construction worker remodels the ED Building on May 15. A building dedication ceremony has been set for Aug. 10, with the building officially reopening in fall. The construction on the building, which was funded by Measure G, is 98% complete.

COURTESY OF CITRUS COLLEGE

Los Angeles College instructor Adrian Banuelos, Camino Real Chevrolet President Robb Hernandez, Citrus College automotive technology instructor Priscilla Englert, GLANCDA Executive Director Bob Smith, Citrus College automotive technology instructors Dave Brown and Greg Lipp, ELAC instructor Edgar Soltero, and ELAC Vice President of Instruction Mercy Yanez pose during the donation ceremony.

The Citrus College Music Department explores selections from classical music’s finest, to pop and contemporary hits in this powerful evening of live music!

MAY 26 AT 7PM

Tickets: $20 • Senior/Student: $15 • 12 & Under: $13

In brief: Hester promotion

BY CLARION STAFF CONTACT @ CCCLARION.COM

After serving as interim for almost a year, Dana Hester has been appointed as the full-term vice president of academic affairs.

Hester began her interim role on Aug. 16, 2022, and was hired full-time at the Board of Trustees meeting on May 16.

Hester started at Citrus in 1998 as a biology professor and in 2013 became the dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences and online education.

“As a faculty member she facilitated student learning and success in the classroom and lab setting, and also provided campus wide leadership,” Superintendent/President Greg Schulz said in an email.

Hester also served as dean for other academic divisions at Citrus.

Before becoming the vice president of academic affairs, Hester served as the

Diversity from Page 1

However, regarding race and ethnicity, a gap still exists regarding the Citrus College faculty population and how it reflects on the student population.

Of the 799 employees at Citrus, including administrators, classified employees and faculty:

n 42% are white

n 32% are Hispanic

n 9% are Asian

n 3% are African American

Compare this to the student population, of which:

n 66% are Hispanic

n 15% are white

n 8% are Asian

n 3% are African American

The gap, however, becomes wider when only college faculty is considered:

n 28% Hispanic

n 48% white

n 14% Asian

n 5% African American

The percentage breakdown shows that white and Asian faculty are overrepresented, African American faculty is on par with its student population, while Hispanic faculty are underrepresented.

The survey found that 93% of students don’t consider the race and ethnicity of instructors when deciding which course section to take at Citrus College.

Hao and Thomas shared that the college’s area of growth involves “improving the diversification of faculty and staff and creating a sense of cultural belonging.“

academic senate president, Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment coordinator and oversaw different campus committees.

As the vice president of academic affairs, Hester will help manage class enrollment and help in deciding whether to schedule classes online or in person.

Hester will also oversee eight academic deans at Citrus College. Hester began her new role as the vice president of academic affairs on May 17.

“She continues to provide equity-minded, studentcentered leadership as she works with faculty, staff, and students throughout our campus community,” Schulz said.

n ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

SCHEDULED : Citrus College will host its 60th annual student achievement award ceremony to honor students in leadership, academics and athletics.

More than 100 students will be given recognition under four awards:

n Service leader of the year

n Key of knowledge

n Distinguished student

n Athlete of the year

The event will be at 6 p.m. May 25 at the Haugh Performing Arts Center.

n AAPI HERITAGE MONTH

EVENTS SET: Citrus College will host a movie screening, book giveaway and decorative folding fan painting to recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The movie “Documented” and book giveaway will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 23 at the east wing of the Campus Center.

Light refreshments will also be provided at the event.

The decorative folding fan painting activity will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 24 at the Campus Center Mall.

The events are held by the Student Life and Leadership Development and Dream Resource Center at Citrus College.

People who plan to attend are asked to RSVP for the event linked through a QR code.

Tickets: $15

To achieve this, the college is progressing in implementing the University of Southern California Racial Equity in Faculty Hiring Institute’s five-week program. This program includes a weekly threehour session focused on embedding racial equity in the faculty hiring process.

“I know we can’t expect something overnight because it takes time,” Thomas said, “ but it’s important for us to have that mindset. We need to know where we’re going.”

Hao said that years back, the college was not as diverse, so a

lagging effect is expected.

Thomas said the reason why faculty demographics haven’t changed the way student demographics have changed is because most faculty are in a tenure process.

This means that after being employed for at least four years, faculty members have their job for the rest of their lives.

“We have a lot of great people here, and it takes time for them to

retire out before you can even start to see your new pool and really have a better assessment,” Thomas said. “And so that’s why we’re doing the USC Hiring Institute.”

Thomas said the school has 30 employees from different groups on campus that form its hiring committee.

Thomas said the school is thinking of having a hiring committee that goes through diversity training every two years.

HESTER

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ABIODUN COLLINS, CLARION

All-time high for school book bans

Policy.”

“The purpose of the library collection policy is to guide and support library acquisitions that fulfill the academic and educational role of the library,” the policy states.

BY GWEN RYAN STAFF REPORTER GRYAN @ CCCLARION.COM

School book bans are at an alltime high. News of the Florida book bans have spread rapidly; however, book bans are a national issue.

Specifically, California and Citrus College both have their policies on book banning, but what exactly are they?

Is this written into the law?

Taking it into a standpoint from Florida, yes. According to the Florida Senate website, Florida House Bill 1467 outlines requirements for books in schools.

Books in schools must be free of pornography, not harmful to minors, age appropriate, directed toward students’ needs and must follow the state curriculum. Schools must regularly remove books based on these factors in this bill along with any outside objections.

However, many of these outlines are subjective to individuals’ beliefs, meaning that each school district has different definitions of what this bill really means. Therefore, each Florida school district has its own list of books that are banned, under review or approved.

Yet, while book bans are mostly talked about with Florida, book banning is a national issue.

What is book banning from a national standpoint?

Federally, no book bans exist, however that does not stop or slow book bans per school district across the country. From July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, PEN America found that 2,492 books were banned across the nation. The top three leading states consisted of Texas (801 bans), Florida (566 bans) and Pennsylvania (457 bans).

Is book banning legal?

Book bans from a federal and state standpoint are illegal and unconstitutional. These laws would prevent authors from publishing their books, therefore, limiting their freedom of speech. However, when school districts ban books, they are not preventing the books from being published, only being placed in schools among their districts. In the case of Florida, a specific book ban itself is not written into the law. As seen above, it only outlines the curriculum regarding books that public schools must follow, which is completely legal.

How does California compare?

Among the 2,492 books banned in the recent school year, California had zero. However, in 2020 Burbank Unified School District

challenged and successfully banned five books.

What does California’s governor think of this?

Florida Gov. Ronald DeSantis is immensely supportive of his state’s book bans. However, California Gov. Gavin Newsom does not have the same beliefs.

On March 30, 2022, Newsom took to Twitter, sharing a photo of himself reading “Beloved,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and two other books that cannot be seen. The caption said “Reading some banned books to figure out what these states are so afraid of.”

What does this mean for Citrus College?

Upon collecting information from PEN America, Citrus College had physical copies of each of the

11 most banned books of the 20212022 school year:

“Gender Queer” (41 bans), “All Boys aren’t Blue” (29 bans), “Out of Darkness” (24 bans), “The Bluest Eye” (24 bans), “The Hate you Give” (22 bans), “Lawn Boy” (17 bans), “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” (17 bans), “Me Earl and the Dying Girl” (14 bans), “Thirteen Reasons Why” (12 bans), “The Kite Runner” (12 bans) and “Crank” (12 bans).

Furthermore, out of the five banned books in Burbank County School District, “Roll of Thunder,” “Hear My Cry” and “Of Mice and Men” were all found in the Citrus College Hayden Memorial Library.

Regarding the laws of book banning, Citrus College also has its own “Collection Development

Citrus Mobile App no longer provides

Furthermore, Citrus supports the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights.

This bill outlines:

n Materials must be provided for interest

n Materials should not be excluded due to origin, background or other views,

n Libraries should challenge censorship,

n Libraries should provide all points of view,

n An individual’s right to using a library should not be denied due to origin, race, background or views

n Libraries should cooperate with everyone concerned with resisting abridgment of freedom of expression and speech.

Citrus College also openly opposes the banning of books. In 2022, they created a book banning display along with creating a banned book bracket online to see what banned book was the best.

Furthermore, Citrus College librarians also oppose these book bans and are concerned about the increasing efforts to challenge books.

“As a profession, librarians seek to provide access to information from a diversity of perspectives, connecting people to resources that meet their information needs, and we oppose efforts to restrict access,” Citrus librarian Darren Hall wrote in an email.

Why should people care?

According to PEN America, 41% of banned books involved LGBTQ+ themes and 40% of them had a first or secondary character of color. Furthermore, in Iowa if a librarian were to give one of these books to a minor, it would be an aggravated misdemeanor, according to a potential bill.

student feed

On April 14, an email announced the student feed option would be discontinued indefinitely

BY ABIO DUN COLLINS STAFF REPORTER ACOLLINS @ CCCLARION.COM

After consultations with faculty and student representatives, the student feed on the Citrus College mobile app has been turned off.

An email sent on April 14 to students by the College said the student feed, commonly known as the wall, would be discontinued immediately.

The student feed was launched in the early months of 2020, right before the pandemic.

The email said the feed allowed students “to post messages and communicate virtually with their Citrus College peers.”

“When the College rapidly shifted to online and remote learning due to COVID-19 in March 2020, the wall was a place where the Citrus College community could offer resources and support to each other during an uncertain time,” said Richard Rams, vice president of student services, in an email.

However, after classes returned to in-person, complaints about the app by students, staff and

faculty were brought to the attention of the administration.

Rams said the concerns raised about the feed were that it “had shifted away from serving as an information hub about college events, activities and student experience to a space that was filled with content and expressions that were not relevant to the Citrus College experience.”

On March 28, before the discontinuation of the student feed, the student body government, in a meeting, discussed the concerns that students and faculty have brought up about the student feed and voted to recommend it to be dissolved.

“Our Associated Students of Citrus College leaders and the College’s executive leadership team believe there are more efficient and effective methods available for students to interact virtually, especially since the College has developed and strengthened virtual support services to assist students and provide resources,” Rams said.

Rams said alternatives to

the student feed include social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Discord and Twitter.

Citrus College has an active Discord server that engages students.

Before its discontinuation, the feed facilitated the selling and buying of used books at cheaper rates among students.

Now that the feed is gone, some students worry about ways to get used textbooks.

However, Rams said, “students often use a variety of sources, including online retailers, for their needs.”

“Online retailers may provide potentially safer and secure methods to assist students with the acquisition of used texts as well as tools to complete financial transactions,” Rams said. “They may have policies to help protect buyers with return and resale incentives.”

The college said it intends to share more information about recommended improvements in enhancing students’ and the campus community’s virtual experience.

GWEN RYAN - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The San Dimas Public Library’s teenage section on May 9.

All around the United States, schools have been enabling book bans

ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT DAVIS, CLARION

Old posts on the student feed are gone. Students are unable to make future posts.

Emergency gates under construction

Campus security gains ability to lock down campus when needed

BY ZACHARIAS QUINTANILLA STAFF REPORTER ZQUINTANILLA @ CCCLARION.COM

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an access project was determined to be essential for campus security. There was no reliable method for physically securing itself in case of an emergency.

The gates were given approval by the Board of Trustees on Dec. 13, 2022. The gates are built to close inand-out traffic. The gates will not be closed during breaks, nights, or weekends, or for regular vehicular traffic.

An architect created the project, which was contracted for, following the public contract codes, $447,500. The project is funded by a grant from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, said Melissa Utsuki, executive director of communications and external relations. The architect is Westberg White, and the builder is Horizons

College’s commitment to emergency preparedness...”

Melissa

Construction.

Through the Physical Resources Committee, a shared governance committee, college groups routinely analyze the project, Utsuki said.

“The project supports the College’s commitment to emergency preparedness and any reference to this campus security enhancement will be addressed in the applicable campus safety and campus access policies,” Utsuki said.

Trussed pipes make up the gates.

Fred Diamond, director of Facilities and Construction, said the project work began on Jan. 19, and is 15% finished. Utsuki said work will be finished in the summer.

Three free funding offers are going strong

Campus Center provides annual academic offers to students for

help

with balancing basic needs with life and academic goals

BY ZACHARIAS QUINTANILLA STAFF REPORTER ZQUINTANILLA @ CCCLARION.COM

Three programs on campus help student needs with supplies, grants and transportation, all in the same building.

The Food Pantry offers toiletries and food items in weekly visits in the amount of picking up to two selections per food item, and one toiletry item. Basic Needs Coordinator Alexis Silva said she notices pantry popularity among many students.

The program began in 2016 by Student Affairs. Campus locations have varied, but now the pantry is in the Campus Center.

The program is doing well, Silva said. She and the basic needs coordinators oversee everything.

Students can Instagram @ citrusstudentlife for pantry information.

Several grants are offered through QR code applications, each a few sentences, that can be found at Campus Center. Students may apply for grocery grants of $100, supply grants of $250 and Best Buy/Chromebook grants.

The grant money comes from basic needs funds, not financial aid. This is also a popular and well-established resource, said Silva.

Daily pre-screening dropped

Staff, students will no longer need to complete a daily wellness survey

BY CLARION STAFF CONTACT @ CCCLARION.COM

The daily pre-screening function on the Citrus mobile app is no longer required for students or employees.

The Citrus College Office of Human Resources sent an email to employees and students May 2 that said Citrus College is dropping

the requirement to complete a daily pre-screening. Citrus College made the decision in alignment with recommendations from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The email said that while the requirement to complete daily pre-screening is no longer in effect, people who have received a positive COVID-19 test should wait

at least five days before coming to campus.

The email also recommended that if someone received a positive COVID-19 test and had been on campus two days prior, they should notify Citrus College Nurse Shauna Bigby at wellness@citruscollege. edu.

Two grant options are discontinued at this time, the hot meal grant of $400 and a tech grant of $250. Silva is looking into both for reinstatement.

The GoPass allows for free public transport with a sticker adhered to a student ID. The GoPass is only valid through the end of each semester. The stickers are offered at the front desk of the Campus Center for renewals and new members. Students subscribe daily, kept track by Student Liffe Supervisor Rosario Garcia, but mostly at the beginning of the semester.

Students who have the GoPass can ride Foothill Transit and Silver Streak lines and Metro bus and rail, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, Long Beach Transit and other participating agencies. Maryann Tolano-Leveque, interim dean of Counseling Programs and Services, created the program around the Winter 2017 term. Garcia oversees this program. A student only needs to inquire from the Campus Center’s front desk for instructions for all programs. Or instructions can be found at EOP&S/CARE, Veterans Success Center, Hayden Memorial Library, Financial Aid and the Dream Resource Center.

ZACHARIAS QUINTANILLA - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Access gates at Citrus entrance on Campus Drive, West at 15% completion.

“The project supports the

Utsuki executive director of communications

Community trumps adversity

Gender and sexuality club president recounts lesson about how to stay positive while wading through challenging waters

BY ABIODUN COLLINS STAFF REPORTER ACOLLINS @ CCCLARION.COM

In high school and at 16 years old, Jonathan Reyes was forced out of the closet by a water polo team member who got hold of his journal and posted its content on Instagram using an anonymous account.

As a shy child, Reyes was angry at this gesture.

“I was pretty mad about it,” he said, because “that was for me to do.”

However, Reyes is thankful because he probably would have never come out without it.

especially with his dad. He grew up with the expectation of “always being tough and to be a man.” He said he would always get yelled at for not doing things right, such as holding a flashlight correctly. Everything he did unsettled his dad in some ways because, in his dad’s eyes, he did it wrong.

This lack of acceptance led Reyes to make unwise decisions, such as picking fights at school and hanging out with people he describes as “ghetto.”

the people around him.

“I just don’t want to put me down,” he said.

As a club leader, Reyes believes in being on the same level as his members and not placing himself higher, which makes him approachable.

Reyes also selflessly puts his time and money into the club he is president of.

The Clarion is Going Digital

Reyes currently serves as the president of the Citrus College Gender and Sexuality Alliance club. Reyes said he decided to take the club up in his own shoes after the club became inactive due to COVID-19.

Reyes grew up in Glendora in a Hispanic household. But although born and raised in Glendora, he considers himself an Azusa kid because that is where he spends most of his time with friends.

“I would just do stuff that was not good,” he said. “I would get myself in trouble… get into places I shouldn’t be.”

Reyes said this bit him back because of the loss he gained from it rather than anything good.

“During our Halloween party, he put money into the decorations and brought some food,” said Richard Dominguez, a friend of Reyes and Inter-club council of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance club. “He even sets aside time if any of us need to talk to him about concerns we may have.”

Dominguez described Reyes as a “confident, motivated, and strong-willed man whom people should strive to be.”

The Clarion will end a 76-year run of printed newspapers at the end of this spring. The Clarion, though, isn't going anywhere. Stories, photos and videos will continue to be shared to ccclarion com By using the QR code at the right to sign up for our email newsletter, you'll keep up with all of the latest news from Citrus College and our surrounding communities.

Reyes attends classes at Citrus College and is an architecture major. He said one of his hobbies is drawing.

Reyes loves the water and was a competitive swimmer for Glendora High School. He works as a lifeguard at a water park, raging waters, and helps out with his high school swim team in the winter.

One of Reyes’ toughest times was having to be in the closet when he was younger and not being able to express himself truly.

“Keeping this mask of myself that I thought was me just to appease everyone else when it was just genuinely just hurting me,” he said.

Reyes has made peace with his dad not accepting him because he has a whole community that welcomes and cares about him.

Reyes said he strives to make everyone comfortable while not being political because “it can get messy sometimes.” However, he is excited about LGBT rights and wishes to participate in fundraising to help the LGBTQ community.

As the Clarion ventures into uncharted territory this spring, we want you to be the first to receive the Clarion's inaugural email newsletter. The weekly email will include stories from student journalists as well as news from around the area pertinent to Citrus College.

Reyes said his dad’s support will never happen, which hurts, but it is small compared to the love and community he has now. However, Reyes still loves his dad, and “that’s definitely something that is not going to go away.”

In the fall of 2022, Reyes said he, alongside the Gender and Sexuality Alliance club, supported LGBTQ students from Azusa Pacific University as they staged a walkout “because their staff was very oppressive against the community.”

Soon after Reyes was outed in high school, he came out to his parents. His mother and siblings were accepting of his sexuality, but his devout Catholic father dismissed him, telling him he would grow out of it.

Reyes had a rough childhood,

Reyes also suffered the loss of his partner in high school due to gun violence, but he still keeps a positive attitude and always tries to see the better side of things. He said he could go through the worst thing ever and still be positive about it, which puzzles

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At 20, Reyes has come a long way from the shy and nervous kid he used to be. Reyes now leads a formerly defunct GSA club at Citrus College, where he hopes to create a safe space where LGBTQ students can be themselves because “without community, there is not much hope, and it is pretty lonely.”

With Reyes’ desire to be an architect, he hopes to build houses as a shelter where

Be a part of the evolution of student media at Citrus College.

displaced LGBTQ people can find a home and community who love them no matter what.

The Clarion is Going Digital

The Clarion will end a 76-year run of printed newspapers at the end of this spring. The Clarion, though, isn't going anywhere. Stories, photos and videos will continue to be shared to ccclarion.com. By using the QR code at the right to sign up for our email newsletter, you'll keep up with all of the latest news from Citrus College and our surrounding communities

As the Clarion ventures into uncharted territory this spring, we want you to be the first to receive the Clarion's inaugural email newsletter. The weekly email will include stories from student journalists as well as news from around the area pertinent to Citrus College.

And don't worry about spam: The Clarion will NEVER share or sell your email address with anyone, and you will NOT receive any annoying marketing And you can always unsubscribe

Be a part of the evolution of student media at Citrus College.

ABIODUN COLLINS - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Jonathan Reyes, Gender and Sexuality Alliance club president, poses for a picture in room 305 of the LB Building on April 12.

Chicken nugget wars semifinals

Round 1

Round 2

Four nuggets remain, but there are only two spots in the finals. McDonald’s faces Popeyes and Chick-fil-A faces the Dino Nuggies for a chance to win it all.

Round 3 Nugget King

Popeyes vs. McDonald’s

BY ROBERT DAVIS STAFF REPORTER RDAVIS @ CCCLARION.COM

Four nuggets remain in the grand chicken nugget wars. But only two can advance into the nal battle for nugget superiority. Will the McDonald’s McNuggets advance into the nals? Or will Popeyes go back to back in the Chicken Nuggets Wars?

e most prominent strength of the Popeyes chicken is in its breading, and its nuggets are no di erent. e breading is thick but not too thick, it’s seasoned but not overpowering, it’s never soggy and always crispy. e Popeyes nuggets earn a 9 in crispiness.

Although the breading of the

McNuggets was not as thick, the nuggets were far from soggy and also earned a 9 in crispiness.

e juiciness category set Popeyes far ahead of McDonald’s as the contents of the McNuggets is ground up white meat whereas the Popeyes nuggets are intacct pieces of chicken cut into nugget form. is allows the Popeyes nuggets to be signi cantly juicier, earning a strong 9 to the McNugget’s weak 7.

e nature of the chicken again bene tted Popeyes in the tenderness category as the McNuggets were slightly more tough than the seemingly more fresh Popeyes nuggets. e McnNuggets earn an 8 and Popeyes earn a 9.

e avor category was neck-

and-neck as both nuggets presented their own unique taste. e McNuggets were better seasoned but the Popeyes nuggets allowed the chicken to shine. Both nuggets earn a 9.

e Popeyes Bayou Bu alo and Creamy Ranch was an immaculate complement to the Popeyes nuggets but was a pretty even match for the unique and powerful McDonald’s Sweet and Sour sauce. Both sauces worked best with their respective nuggets, and I deemed this category too close to call so both sauces earned a 9.

McDonald’s gets a price point for being the cheaper nugget and a customer service point for letting me go down the slide in the inrestaurant play-place. But those

points still won’t bring them to the nals as McDonalds scores 44 points and Popeyes scores a near perfect 45!

CLARION

Continue reading to the next battle to nd out who will face Popeyes in the nal round of the Chicken Nuggets war.

Chick-fil-A vs. Dino Nuggies

BY ROBERT DAVIS STAFF REPORTER RDAVIS @ CCCLARION.COM

Only one spot remains in the nal battle of the Chicken Nugget Wars. Who will face o in the nals against the reigning defending champion, Popeyes? Will it be the fan favorite Chick- l-A or the wildcard Dino Nuggets?

In the spiciness category, the Chick- l-A nuggets started o strong. e breading on the Chickl-A nuggets was spot on, earning a 9 o the bat.

e same cannot be said about the Dino Nuggets. Even though these nuggets were much crispier than you’d expect a microwaved nugget would be, they were still no match for Chick- l-A, earning a 7. e juiciness category was much closer. Although the Chick- l-A nuggets were exceptionally juicy in their rst battle, they did not deliver as strongly this time around. However, the nugget was by no means dry, earning an 8.

e Dino nuggets su ered from

a problem not seen before in this competition, which was a surplus of juice. Although the nuggets were exceptionally juicy, the juiciness seemed arti cial and made the breading signi cantly less crispy, earning a 7.

e tenderness category mirrored that of the previous battle between Popeyes and McDonald’s.

e ground up chicken in the Dino Nuggets hindered their tenderness as opposed to the fully intact chicken in the Chick- l-A nuggets. is brought the tenderness score to 9 for Chick- l-A and 8 for the Dino Nuggets.

Chick- l-A shined in the avor category as the Chick- l-A nuggets were crafted with just the right amount of seasoning and a healthy helping of chicken avor. ese nuggets tasted like a nugget should and were rewarded with a perfect 10.

Chick- l-A again shined in the sauce category as although they did not give me all the success available as they previously had,

they did give me a BBQ, Ranch and hot sauce, which perfectly covered the three main areas needed in a variety of dipping sauces: sweet, spicy and ranch. Chick- l-A earned another 10.

e Dino Nuggets su ered greatly in the sauce category as the ketchup I paired with them was good but was simply no match for Chick- l-A. e Dino Nuggets earn a 7.

Chick- l-A earns a customer service point because of the countless “my pleasure”s I received and the Dino Nuggets earn 2 price points for being more than half the price of the Chick- l-A nuggets per nugget.

is battle was an absolute wipe out as the Dino Nuggets earned a 41 and Chick- l-A advances to the nals against Popeyes with a major 47 total avor points.

Make sure to catch the last edition of the Clarion to nd out who will win between Chick- l-A and Popeyes in the Chicken Nugget Wars.

ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT DAVIS, CLARION

ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT DAVIS,

Disasters show climate change inequality

Environmental actions of first-world countries impact developing countries

BY ABIODUN COLLINS STAFF REPORTER ACOLLINS @ CCCLARION.COM

America and other developed countries hold huge responsibilities to poor Asian, African and South American countries, where the impact of global warming is wreaking havoc.

America’s carbon emissions, past and present, has contributed immensely to the suffering of vulnerable nations.

For example, the Nile in subSaharan Africa is drying up, leading to food competition, forced migration and political uneasiness.

Pakistan, in the summer of 2022, was also devastated by a rain flood that killed about 1,500 people, with climate change playing a big role.

Global warming causes climate change.

The science behind global warming is that the Earth’s temperature increases due to trapped heat caused by human activities such as fossil burning and deforestation.

This then leads to melting glaciers, rising sea levels, drought, flood rains and other disasters.

Although one will reason that countries with the highest contribution to carbon emission will suffer more consequences, however, the reverse is the case.

Developing countries contribute a minimal amount of carbon emissions, yet they suffer the most consequence.

Opinion

Pakistan, for example, contributed 0.8% to global emissions yet saw one-third of its nation flooded in the summer of 2022, while countries like the United States, China, Russia, the U.K. and European Union countries with the most carbon emission experience relatively small consequences.

The Industrial Revolution in the 1870s was the catalyst for the increase in carbon emissions. Nations that have benefitted from industrialization at a cost to the environment, such as the United States, Britain and other developed countries, should take it upon themselves to contribute more to the alleviation of these effects.

The ease and comfort of driving in cars on the stress of Los Angeles should not come at the cost of displaced Pakistani citizens.

Economic and infrastructure development should not come at the cost of the environment.

The Paris Agreement established in 2010 seeks to alleviate the suffering of disaster-affected countries by encouraging developed nations to “take the lead in providing financial assistance to countries that are less endowed and more vulnerable.”

However, no enforcement exists in terms of how much these countries do.

“The funding is sometimes voluntary, so depending on what is going on politically in those nations, it may or may not be

funded,” said Elizabeth Ritacca, an environmental history professor at Citrus.

This proved to be true when former President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement on June 1, 2017, citing the unfair burden it places on American workers and taxpayers.

This move was ironic, given the fact that the United States, according to Our World in Data, “has emitted more CO2 than any other country to date: at around 400 billion (tons) since 1751, it is responsible for 25% of historical emissions.”

Thankfully, the U.S., under President Joe Biden, rejoined the Paris Agreement on Feb. 19, 2021.

Ritacca said wealthy nations should acknowledge their debt to the rest of the world and pitch in, but this seems bleak due to politics.

America, as a leading nation, needs to own up to its past environmental mistakes and make drastic changes, such as making huge shifts from coal-driven energy to solar-driven energy.

However, this will be challenging as it will take a lot of money, which means higher taxes for Americans. But paying higher taxes is small compared to an unlivable world.

America also needs to quit making the issue of climate change a partisan issue, which makes it harder to deal with.

“Whether we like it or not, the U.S. does have a leadership role in

Climate and corruption

Biden sells out the environment for money from fossil fuel industry

BY BLAKE HALL STAFF REPORTER BHALL @ CCCLARION.COM

The Willow Project is a 30-year-long oil drilling project that will lead to increasing global temperatures, causing global disasters to worsen and permanently altering human civilization. President Joe Biden approved of the Willow Project on March 13, despite his campaign’s promise in 2019 to protect the environment.

In June 2019, then-candidate Biden signed the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge.

The pledge Biden signed states, “I pledge not to take contributions over $200 from oil, gas, and coal industry executives, lobbyists, and PACs and instead prioritize the health of our families, climate, and democracy over fossil fuel industry profits.”

Resources provided to OpenSecrets.org show that Biden accepted $3,800 from Marna Whittington, foundation president of Whittington Seven Oaks Foundation and W&A Aviation Group, LLC. Whittington also serves on the board of directors of Phillips 66, a multinational energy company. This violates Biden’s campaign promises before even becoming president by accepting money from a corporate fossil fuel executive. His campaign received

$1,624,301,628 for the 2020 election. Sources state that 61% of the donations came from corporations and wealthy people and 38.4% came from donations under $200. While individual contributions and Political Action Campaigns have to report campaign contributions, super PACs don’t have to report their contributions.

When questioned in October 2019 on why he violated his promise of not taking money from the fossil fuel industry by an activist in South Carolina, Biden told the activist, “Stop listening to Bernie Sanders man,” then had the activist removed by security.

The Willow Project is a massive oil drilling project that will be built in alpine Alaska. This project is intended to help make the U.S. more energy independent, but ultimately will simply keep the U.S. population dependent on oil by diverting resources from renewable energy.

The project will be overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.

Several plans are being discussed for the project, with the main differences being types of transportation used.

The construction for the project will include:

n 250 oil wells

n An artificial island to help with delivery of materials

n A gravel mine

n An airstrip and tower

n Several boat ramps in the nearby bay

n 575.4 miles of ice road

n 37 miles of gravel roads

n 315.9 miles of pipeline

n A 55-million gallon fresh water reservoir

During the project’s 30-year lifespan, it’s projected by the Bureau of Land Management to produce 160,000 barrels of oil daily, 586 million barrels over its lifetime. This will produce 287 million tons of carbon emissions and about 60 million tons in other greenhouse gasses. Annually it will produce as much pollution as half a million U.S. households.

Corruption in politics is nothing new, but when it threatens the world, it should be stopped. Accepting bribes from corporations and passing policies that make it easier for them to make money while the average person in the U.S. is finding it harder to survive is corruption, and it becomes more obvious when those subsidies are used for corporate stock buybacks that artificially increase stock value.

Before the Willow Project was approved, the global temperature was projected to increase 2 degrees celsius by 2050. Now that timeline has been accelerated. After 2C humanity will be drastically struggling to survive. These are the effects of the

the world,” Ritacca said, and other nations will follow suit.

Right now, it seems like the U.S. is falling behind, and countries like the Netherlands and some European countries are starting to get proactive by increasing the use of bikes to get around.

The evidence of climate change on the vulnerable is glaring, which proves that it is a social justice issue.

Because of global warming, Ethiopia is currently facing a drought that, in turn, is hurting farmers. Agriculture is not as productive, and livestock is decreasing.

A lot of internal and external migration by citizens from affected countries is also related to climate change.

For survival, residents of countries hit by disasters and drought will have no choice but to migrate because people will look for opportunities elsewhere.

“There is also going to be a lot of migration and people are going to have to get on board with that,” Ritacca said.

To make things equitable for vulnerable countries, citizens of

developed nations need to put pressure on their governments to take the issue of climate change seriously.

The news media in America, for example, need to tell more international stories that show the impact of climate change on developing countries.

American media needs to show they care about the world by aggressively looking for international stories to create awareness.

National news needs to move from being a 30-minute package filled with 15 minutes of commercials to actually devoting good chunks of time to climate news.

“News informs what voters care about and what voters care about is what politicians are going to focus on,” Ritacca said.

The U.N. also has to find a way to hold wealthy nations accountable to contribute to funds that help developing nations cope with the effects of global warming and to develop in a sustainable way.

“There really is no way forward unless you get buy-in from wealthier nations,” Ritacca said.

increasing temperatures:

n Between a 1.5C - 2C increase, the ocean will become to acidic and the planet will lose 99% of its coral reefs

n Between 2C - 4C the oceans will rise 1-2 meters

n This would put most low lying areas of the world underwater

n Areas like Florida and many small islands will go underwater without preventative measures

n The mix of freshwater and saltwater will cause shifts in global ocean currents

n This will cause animal migration patterns to change

n Ocean current shifts will change the path of tropical storms to affect new areas

n Natural disasters will get stronger, more frequent and will hit areas rarely affected before

n At 4C, there will be mass drought

n At 4C, global crop failure will begin and lead to mass starvation

n Plants will have to evolve and adapt to new harsher environments to survive

n Lack of edible plants and coral will mean less oxygen and filtration of carbon dioxide

All of this sounds dystopian. With 39% of the population feeling we’re “living in the end times” as researched by the Pew Research Center and the Global Doomsday clock being set to 90 seconds before midnight on Jan. 24 this year, it seems to be getting more dystopian every day.

Individual efforts to recycle won’t do enough to fix the issue. Major corporations could work toward solving the issue of pollution, instead they choose to focus on corrupting U.S. politics and generating short-term profits.

With a 37% approval rating, Biden’s re-election efforts may see improvement if he can realign himself with his campaign promises. Biden’s acceptance of fossil fuel bribes has led to him approving a project that will have disastrous effects on the environment. This is a small part of an overall problem that could lead to the deaths of millions. Public pressure and support from elected representatives can lead to a reversal of the policy and readjust the president’s focus toward protecting the environment.

ILLUSTRATION BY BLAKE HALL, CLARION