C URRENT American River College Sacramento, Calif.
Wednesday 12.11.19
The
Refuge in gaming Student finds outlet after life-changing accident
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Photo by Jennah Booth | Editor-in-Chief
ARC’s Students of American River with Disabilities (SOARD) club surveyed the campus and reported on safety and accessibility concerns in February 2018. After a meeting with ARC president Thomas Greene, the administration began to address some of the concerns.
SOARD stands up for students with disabilities By Jennah Booth & Ariel Caspar jennahpage@gmail.com arielcaspar@gmail.com Over multiple semesters, American River College’s Students of American River with Disabilities (SOARD) club has advocated for students like themselves, who they say feel invisible on this campus and within society. “We as disabled people, we feel as if we’re shut out and as if they don’t care,” said Rudy Fox, who is a member of SOARD. In February 2018, SOARD club members surveyed the ARC campus for safety and accessibility issues from the perspective of the student population with disabilities.
According to SOARD’s mission statement, the club aims to “give students with disabilities a voice on campus” and assist them through their college experiences and help them develop leadership skills. According to club president Jason Lisic, many of SOARD’s club members noticed areas on campus that posed safety and accessibility risks to students with limited mobility. Under the advice of Disability Services and Programs for Students (DSPS) coordinator Nisha Beckhorn and previous SOARD advisor Raye Maero, SOARD members split up different sections of the campus and checked everything from doors, bathrooms and ramps to elevators and emergency call boxes. One of the most common issues
members found across campus was with accessibility to buildings and restrooms. SOARD reported that many of the doors were heavy and difficult to push open, especially for someone who is in a wheelchair or carrying an assistive cane, walking stick or walker. They also found that while there are many automatic doors across campus, the buttons to open them often don’t work. Members in SOARD also said that there are not enough automatic doors throughout campus. Lisic explained this is difficult for students with wheelchairs, since they have to change their route to find a door with an automatic button. Members additionally reported issues with the elevators in the ARC parking garage, specifically the buttons being broken, making
them unable to push to operate the elevator. Lisic said that when he attempted to report the issue via the intercom system provided in the elevators, he did not get a response after multiple attempts to contact someone. It wasn’t until he informed a maintenance worker from the P.E. Department that the issue was resolved. The club also found that many restrooms on campus, specifically in the Technical Education and Horticulture Department buildings are too small and difficult to get into and maneuver inside of and did not have automatic doors. Lisic said he was informed by Beckhorn that not all bathrooms are required to have automatic doors, and this is an issue for many students with physical disabilities. In addition to accessibility issues, SOARD also documented a
Vol. 71 Ed. 4
Indie Poet
Self-published writer explores how life is a beautiful delusion
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number of safety risks including areas that drain water onto the walkway outside of the library and large holes in walkways around campus where bollards have been removed and not replaced. They also found various places on campus that were lacking in enough ADA accessible desks and where printers where too high for people in wheelchairs to use. Following their report, SOARD invited ARC President Thomas Greene to speak at one of their meetings on safety and accessibility. According to Lisic, when Greene attended the meeting and heard SOARD’s complaints, he expressed strong interest in SOARD’s report and making changes on campus to improve on the issues presented. “They told us that they were going to see about making some changes; double check everything and they would try and fix all those issues,” Lisic said. “It’s been about a year since that meeting.” On Dec. 2, SOARD held its last meeting of the semester and the subject of the report was addressed again. Many members expressed frustration because since the meeting with Greene, they said they haven’t heard or seen any progress, and while the campus has been addressing some issues, members of SOARD believe they aren’t being addressed quickly enough. Laticia Landeros was one of the club members who was most expressive at the meeting. “I know it takes time, but there’s a hole out there that we can fall through, and there’s different ramps that we can’t get through doors,” Landeros said. In March, Parrish Geary, the dean of student services and ARC’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance officer, assessed SOARD’s report and organized the findings into easy fixes, and long-term projects.
SOARD Report | Page 2
Art student released from ICE detainment after four months
By Thomas Cathey
tcathey1196@gmail.com
Photo courtesy of Miguel Gonzalez-Miranda
Art student Miguel Gonzalez-Miranda, pictured here front right, was released from Yuba County Jail in October, after being detained by ICE.
On Oct. 22, American River College art student and musician Miguel Gozalez-Miranda was released from the Yuba County Jail after being detained by the US Immagration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) in early June. Although he did not know when exactly he would be released, Gonazalez-Miranda said during his detainment he remained hopeful that the situation would work itself out.
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“I always knew that it was going to be a process that would require at least three or four months,” Gonzalez-Miranda said. “I [went through] a process called postconviction relief, which changed the title of my previous conviction, the conviction that gave them [ICE] the right to pick me up.” Gonzalez-Miranda was arrested by ICE for failure to pay legal fees from a misdemeanor committed in his teenage years, according to an article by Sacramento News & Review in July. However, Gonzalez-Miranda said the post-conviction release
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process cleared his record and allowed him to be released from detainment. According to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s website, ilrc.org, “immigrants with criminal convictions are more vulnerable than any other group to being a target for deportation and make up the overwhelming majority of deportations that occur in any year.”
Student Released | Page 3
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Dec. 11, 2019
ASB NOTEBOOK
NEWS
For weekly coverage of ARC student government, go to ARCurrent.com
ASB PRESENTS FINANCE REPORT AND PASSES CONFERENCE BILLS By Jack Harris jharrisarc@gmail.com The American River College Associated Student Body passed a number of bills funding conferences at the Dec. 6 Student Senate meeting. Director of Finance Sha Toyia Anderson presented the ASB Finance Report for the fall 2019 semester. Anderson’s report outlined spending goals and concerns for ASB. This semester, ASB has allocated $56,400 through various bills, and has actually only spent $25,656.69. Anderson explained that just because money is allocated does not mean it’s actually spent. ASB often allocates more money than needed in case of unforeseen expenses, she said. “We want to make sure we’re spending on what’s necessary,” An-
Photo by Jack Harris | Staff Writer
Director of Finance Sha Toyia Anderson (left) presented the Finance Report for the Associated Student Body’s fall 2019 semester to the rest of the ASB Student Senate on Dec. 6, 2019.
derson said. “[We] also [want] to spend money for the ARC students and the greater community.” ASB postponed to vote on Bill
F19-XX until their next meeting in January. The bill would allocate $3,000 to send the ARC Sociology Club to the 2020 Pacific Sociological
Association in Eugene, Oregon. The postponement came after the Senate cited concerns that a physical copy of the bill was not present and what the club learned at the meeting, would not necessarily help ARC. The Senate passed the Queer & Trans People of Color (QTPOC) Conference Bill F19-XX, which allocates $3,950 to send ARC students to the QTPOC Conference at University of California, Riverside. ASB also moved to pass the Lobby Day Bill F19-XX and the Spring SLADE Conference Bill F19-XX. These bills each allocate $1,000 for expenses, food, supplies and transportation relevant to each conference, respectively. There are no upcoming ASB meetings this semester, and next semester’s meeting schedule has not been finalized.
C
The
URRENT An American River College student-run publication. Editor-in-Chief Jennah Booth Managing Editor Ariel Caspar Photo Editor Emily Mello Opinion & Social Media Editor Alexis Warren Sports Editor Thomas Cathey Staff Colin Bar tley Marquala Brown Josh Ghiorso Jack Harris Bram Mar tinez Oden Taylor Brandon Zamora
Difficult doors SOARD reported multiple doors on campus that seemed too heavy or difficult to open.
Slips and trips SOARD found areas on campus that may pose safety risks for students.
They also found that some of the automatic doors didn’t always work.
Holes in walkways where bollards were removed and not replaced could cause someone to trip.
ADA requires all doors to be 5 pounds or less, except for fire exits which increase to 8 pounds.
Operations is designing caps to cover the holes while the bollard is removed.
Small stalls Some buildings on campus have small restrooms that are difficult to maneuver.
Faculty Adviser Rachel Leibrock Photo Advisers Josh Clemens Jill Wagner Student Worker Ashley Hayes-Stone
Campus redesign will tear down older buildings with outdated bathrooms. Students may have to wait years before building redesigns are completed.
SOARD reports on accessibility and safety concerns Cont. from page 1 “I oversee the campus compliance with 504 Federal Regulations and Board approved policy to ensure nondiscrimination on the basis of disability,” Geary wrote in an email interview with the Current. “I serve as the first level grievance/ complaint official when discrimination on the basis of disability is alleged. I will impartially investigate any complaint.” Geary submitted the report to Cheryl Sears, the college’s director of administrative services, who said the campus has since begun to address the issues despite not communicating to SOARD directly. Geary, who was scheduled to speak at the Dec. 2 SOARD meeting, but was unable to attend, said he was made aware of the clubs frustrations. “Going forward, I along with other administrators will work to engage more with the SOARD Club,” he wrote. “The members of SOARD can always engage with any Administrator or Faculty member to get assistance to their questions. We appreciate their input and voice.” According to Sears, it’s a con-
stant battle for operations to keep up the maintenance on campus, making the short-term fixes a still lengthy process. When it comes to automatic doors, Sears said that because of the building codes, the campus isn’t required to instal automatic doors at all. “There’s nothing in the code that stipulates we have to install any of those ADA buttons,” she said. “Nothing says that we even have to do that at all.” In order to be in compliance with ADA standards, the force needed to open campus doors must be 5 pounds or less, unless the door is a fire exit, in which case the weight increases to 8 pounds, according to Sears. Campus Operations checks the weight of every door on campus twice a year, according to Sears, but because of the amount of traffic on campus she says their calibration can easily change. Sears said that because many of the buildings on campus are so old, their building codes don’t meet modern ADA standards. “In 1967 [when it was built], Davies Hall was to code. Well that was a heck of a long time ago,” Sears said. “So we’re required to
maintain that code, and we do increments of improvements as we go to make it as accessible as possible, but there’s no requirements in the building code.” Sears said many complaints are regarding older buildings on campus, but students will have to wait for those buildings to be torn down and replaced before any improvements can be made. Sears also said that Operations keeps a running log of ADA complaints with projected completion dates. Sears explained that Operations evaluates any concerns that they are made aware of, but that some of SOARD’s suggested changes are regarding things that would be disruptive or impossible. Lisic said one of the struggles students in wheelchairs face is the bar that divides the double doors on campus. According to Sears, the doors could not be secured if the bar was removed and despite student’s continued struggles, the doors are up to ADA standards. “When these requests come in, we have to assess overall,” Sears said. “So what we try to do is collectively get as much information as we can, and do what’s best for the majority of the people.”
In terms of the safety concerns, Sears said they’re working closely with groundskeepers to make sure water doesn’t pool up anywhere on campus. They also designed caps to cover the holes in walkways where bollards have been removed. According to Sears, the best way for students to address their accessibility or safety concerns is by talking with a professor, Geary or contacting Operations. Landeros said that among the frustrations she faces on campus, her future is dependent on her education. “Even though we’re disabled, we want to be successful,” she said. “Even though I’m 58 years old, I still see a future for me. I still see that there’s something out there that I could work in — that I can do, that I can provide for myself, that I could provide for others. A lot of us feel that way, you know?” SOARD members all reiterated that they would continue to speak up for students with disabilities, despite their personal frustrations. “We’re not dead. We’re here,” Landeros said. “And if we have to continue to raise our voice, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
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POLICY The Current is produced by the students of College Media Production, J410-413. All opinions are signed and not necessarily endorsed by the Current staff. All letters and articles appearing in the Editorial, Opinion or Forum sections are not necessarily representative of the Current staff or American River College policy. All articles are the property of the Current. Letters must be typed and can be submitted by mail, e-mail or in person at the following addresses: The American River Current 4700 College Oak Drive Portable Village 613A Sacramento, CA 95841 Phone: 916-484-8304 Fax: 916-484-8668 E-mail: Current@arc.losrios.edu www.ARCurrent.com
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Dec. 11, 2019
FEATURE
Photo courtesy of Luis Gael Jimenez
American River College alumna Diane Bryant stands before the framework of the Diane Bryant STEM Innovation Center, to which she donated a half-million dollars, and which is named in her honor.
Tech mogul supports future STEM students By Jennah Booth jennahpage@gmail.com The last time Diane Bryant stepped foot on the American River College campus in 1983, she was a struggling engineering student. Last spring, over three decades since she graduated from ARC, Bryant stood on the campus once again. The framework of the campus’s new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) center, for which Bryant’s donation of a half-million dollars will help equip, tells an entirely different story of her life. The ARC alumna formerly served as Intel’s Chief Information Officer and the Chief Operations Officer of Google Cloud. Now, Bryant’s contributions to ARC’s STEM building, which will be named in her honor, will fund the technol-
ogy to support engineering students who may face similar adversities to the ones she did when entering the tech world. “I haven’t been on the American River Community College campus in over 30 years,” she said. “It is heartwarming and that’s so much of it is familiar, and then it’s exciting and that so much of it has changed.” Only a few hours before she was to speak as the keynote at the ARC 2019 graduation ceremony, Bryant stood before the skeleton of the STEM building and reflected on the journey that brought her back to this campus. After being kicked out of her home at 18, Bryant was homeless. She spent three years at ARC studying engineering and technology. During that time, she continued to struggle financially. “American River College holds a very important place in my heart.
It was really there during a very critical time in my own life,” Bryant said in an interview the morning before the graduation ceremony. “I was homeless, I had no money and American River College was free. So it was the perfect college for me.” Bryant said that it was a happy accident that she ended up in the tech industry. She was simply looking for a degree that would help her out of her financial situation. “I did not want to be financially dependent on anyone. So I picked engineering and it’s been an incredible career,” she said. “The world of STEM is very dynamic, high impact, high value, high reward.” Despite this, according to Bryant, the tech industry is highly underrepresented, not only for all women, but for men and women of color as well. This is why she says
that community college STEM initiatives, like the one at ARC, could make a difference in the industry. “It’s very important to promote STEM education inside the community college system,” she said. “You combine American River and it’s incredible effectiveness in attracting a lower income and minority population. You couple with an industry like STEM, which is incredibly underrepresented, and you get magic.” Kirsten DuBray, ARC’s director of donor relations, said Bryant’s donation will fund a portion of the school’s goal to raise $2 million for the STEM building. DuBray explained that the donations won’t necessarily fund the building of the center, but rather the modern tech, features and supplies that would aid in student success. “Often-times when donors give money, they think it’s brick and
mortar. It’s not, it’s what we like to call margin of excellence funding,” DuBray said. “So this is equipment, because you can imagine a building like that will be our most modern [and it] has got to have technology, we have to be able to sustain it.” Bryant says that ARC set her on track to transfer to University of California Davis and into her first job as a junior electrical engineer, working on the 46 microprocessor, for Intel in Folsom. From there, Bryant says she was transferred to Intel’s headquarters in Silicon Valley where she climbed from a junior engineer, to an engineering manager, to a general manager and then to Intel’s Chief Information Officer. Bryant also led Intel’s $19 billion data center business for cloud computing. The tech mogul then made the move to Google to take on growing their cloud business as chief operations officer (COO). Now, Bryant is searching for her next mountain to conquer. “I’m on two public boards as a director and I’ve invested in the board of a startup, an artificial intelligence healthcare company that I’m very excited about,” she said. DuBray says that while the program had garnered donations from multiple sources, Bryant’s story adds a deeper layer of significance. “It’s a really great story to have a successful alumni [who] stepped up and gave us such a significant gift,” DuBray said. “She really wants to encourage women and underrepresented students in stem.” It’s because of this significance that the Los Rios Community College Board of Trustees voted to name the building in her honor: the Diane Bryant STEM Innovation Center. On the evening of May 22, standing on the ARC graduation stage Bryant reflected on her time in college and advised the 2019 graduates on their future. “Each and every one of you here today is on a path to become the leaders of our future,” she said. “[W]e live in a complex world and as we begin our careers and pursue our dreams, we all could use help navigating that complexity.”
Student released from ICE detainment
Cont. from page 1
In other words, an immigrant with a criminal record — regardless of the severity — is more likely to face possible deportation or detainment. The process of detainment was harrowing for Gonzalez-Miranda, as he said he struggled with many emotions during that time. “It was depressing and frustrating to be under those circumstances,” Gonzalez-Miranda said. “Especially when three individuals come in with guns in their hands and tell you ‘hey you’re being arrested for something that happened many years ago and you are under ICE custody.’ At that moment, my life stopped.” Despite the emotions, Gonzalez-Miranda said he tried his best to accept the situation for what it was and take it in stride. “Life on the inside really just depends on you and how you take it,”
he said. While at the Yuba County Jail, Gonzalez-Miranda said he met many interesting people. But he also realized that forming relationships with other detainees was difficult because of the rate at which they would move in and out of the jail. “Any space where you’re with people for a long period of time allows for bonding, it reminded me of elementary school,” Gozalez-Miranda said. “You can see people connecting in a profound way, and then the next day, they leave. And then everything resets like nothing happened.” PRIDE Program Specialist at ARC Alejandra Garcia has known Gonzalez-Miranda for a few years, and visited Gonzalez-Miranda while he was in detainment. Garcia said that the experience of visiting their friend at the Yuba County Jail was a shocking one. “You walk in and you see all the other families, families of color,
waiting to see their loved ones,” Garcia said. “When I went to see Miguel, he had to sit behind a window. I couldn’t even shake his hand or give him a hug.” Garcia said that they could feel dreadful energy by just walking in the detention center. “The energy that you could feel in that place, the pain, the sorrow, it was very strong,” Garcia said. “[These are people] who are doing a very human thing: migrating.” Garcia said they believe that the way immigrants are being treated today is a contradiction to what this country was built on. “When you think about the things that immigrants go through today, how people are rounded up and torn away from their families, it just seems to counter to the narrative that [the United States] is supposed to be a place made up of people who have migrated from all over the planet,” Garcia said. But while Garcia could see the
pain in their friend’s eyes when seeing him behind the glass and talking to him through the phone, Gonzalez-Miranda has managed to make the best of such a traumatic experience. He said he used his time at Yuba County Jail as inspiration for his future artwork.
“It was depressing and frustrating to be under those circumstances ... At that moment, my life stopped.” Miguel Gonzalez-Miranda Former ICE detainee
“Just being [at the detention center] allows for a little introspection, time to reflect on yourself, etc.,” Gonzalez-Miranda said. “It’s not something that I would have
liked to have been a part of, but in some ways it served a purpose and allowed a space for reflection and give me a chance to work on things that I wouldn’t have been able to do. That aspect created a lot of ideas.” Garcia and Gonzalez-Miranda have both been active with extracurricular activities on campus and have known each other for a few years. Garcia said the way Gonzalez-Miranda used his time at Yuba County to inspire his art and himself accurately represents the person that they have known for all those years. “When I went visited him and made eye contact with him for the first time, he smiled and waved,” Garcia said. “His energy was still the same Miguel that I’ve always known and I feel like that’s very much a testament to the resiliency and the power of his spirit.”
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Dec. 11, 2019
FEATURE
Photo by Jack Harris | Staff Writer
After a life-changing accident when he was 17, Nick Rouse found gaming as a way to connect with and encourage other disabled gamers. Now, Rouse’s YouTube channel, Quadnick, has over 11 thousand subscribers.
ARC student finds community in gaming By Jack Harris jharrisarc@gmail.com “Without video games I definitely would’ve been a lot worse off. It helped me live another life.” When Nick Rouse was 17 years old he fractured his C1 vertebrae, shattered his C5, and lost movement as well as most feeling from the chest down. Despite this life-changing event, Rouse has developed a successful gaming YouTube channel, and has found a community of gamers who have similar life experiences. Eleven years ago, Rouse and some of his friends had a rope swing on the bank of the American River. Rouse says he dove into the shallows and hit his head on the river bed. “That day, I released a little too late and it carried my momentum and so I went down instead of horizontal,” Rouse said. He surfaced face-down in the water, unable to move at all. According to Rouse, his friends didn’t do anything at first, thinking he was just messing around. “Enough time passed that I couldn’t hold my breath anymore, I had to inhale water and everything just went white,” Rouse said. “I felt like the best I’ve ever felt in my life, it was insanely peaceful.” Eventually, Rouse’s friends got him out of the water and called for an ambulance. “The EMTs came and were
checking me out, they were asking me to move my toes and if I could feel this and that, and I knew already what it was,” Rouse said. Over a decade later, Rouse looks back on that day. “I just yelled out ‘I’d rather die than be crippled,’ which is not the case anymore but at the time I meant it,” Rouse said. Today, Rouse has no movement from his chest down, and he says he only has about 20% feeling. The injury also limited some of his movement from the chest up, including some tricep movements and use of his hands. In the hospital, Rouse was taught how to make the same type of finger splints he wears today. The splints help him uses his index fingers. When he was able to return home from the hospital, Rouse says there was a lot to adjust to. His mom got him a laptop to give him something to do, and he came to realize that he was able to play video games despite his injury. Rouse has been an American River College student since 2012, and he had originally planned to be a game designer. In order to get a nicer laptop, Rouse says he told his mom he wanted to make his own video games, and that he needed a more powerful, gamingsuited computer to do it. After four years and a few laptops, Rouse says his mom finally
CAMPUS PU
LSE
“‘Gremlins’. I think it’s cool because it’s a mix of horror, comedy, family. You can’t really get away with that anymore.”
-RYAN BUPP Natural Resources Major
compelled him to make good on his promise that he’d learn how to make games. “To be honest, I wasn’t all that certain that’s what I wanted to do, it’s just something I had to say so I could get a laptop,” Rouse said laughing.
more heavily to his YouTube channel, which was becoming a larger part of his life at this time. Rouse says that YouTube was initially just a means of video storage for videos he made with his friends.
By the Numbers: Quadnick
‘Are You Better Than a Quadriplegic?’ Over 1 million views on SunlessKhan’s channel
Rouse says that game design proved more difficult for him than he expected, because in the education process they expect you to learn all aspects, including animation and character design, which involves clay modeling. As a result of his injury, Rouse is not as dexterous as those aspects of game design demand. In the spring 2019 semester, Rouse changed his major to social sciences, and started committing
YouTube Subscribers: 11. 2 thousand
Rouse says he plays a lot of a game called Rocket League, which is a soccer video game where instead of human athletes there are cars. His YouTube channel changed when he rebranded as Quadnick and reached out to Rocket League YouTuber SunlessKhan, according to Rouse. Rouse had an idea for a video with SunlessKhan called “Are You Better Than a Quadriplegic?” The video, which has amassed over 1 million views, shows Sun-
lessKhan and Rouse to team up to play opponents of increasingly high rank in matches of Rocket League. Before that video, Quadnick had 100 subscribers. Now, he has over 11,000. Rouse is largely unable to move his fingers, so his playing style is dramatically different than most people. He can’t use a mouse, and can only press two keys at a time. As such, each game he plays he must heavily modify the control layouts. He also has 130 hotkey templates from games he’s played over the years. These templates modify the original controls of the game and make it so that he has to press less keys at any given time, while still playing the game effectively. To help viewers see what he’s doing, most of his videos have an overlay called NohBoard, which is a virtual keyboard that shows what keys are being pressed. The NohBoard overlay is paired with a camera pointing down on Rouse’s hands and physical keyboard. Rouse says this works almost as free advertising. “Other channels see my clips and ask for permission to use it on their own channel for their own montages,” Rouse explained. “If [other channel’s viewers] see my hands they’re like ‘what the f--k is that guy doing’ and then maybe look me up.” Rouse says that YouTube, paired with his disability, has presented him with cool opportunities. “I’ve met a lot of other disabled people and we’ve played together,” Rouse said. “I love finding out what happened to them and how they get over their disability and still be able to play.” Rouse says that his favorite part is that he has met around 10 other disabled gamers through his channel. They reach out to him and share their stories. “Without sounding too cocky or too full of myself, I kinda talk them into putting themselves out there a little more,” Rouse said. A number of the disabled gamers Rouse has met now have YouTube channels or are streaming. Carl Swasey, a fellow Rocket League YouTuber (SwasAye), says that Rouse also helped him get his start. “Nick is one of the most kindhearted, genuine people I’ve ever met in my entire life despite the things that have happened to him in his life,” Swasey said. “I’ve never met someone with a more positive attitude.” Michael Pitts, who has been friends with Rouse since childhood, says he admires Rouse’s attitude in the face of the hardship he has endured in his life. “His perseverance and attitude are unbelievable,” Pitts said. “He’s had a lot of hard things thrown at him his entire life, and I don’t think I have as positive of an attitude [as him].”
What is your favorite holiday movie? “Maybe ‘The Grinch.’ He doesn’t like Christmas. It’s funny.”
-FAVIO MENDOZA Design Technology Major
“‘Die Hard’ ... I mean the lines are great, the action’s great, it’s a solid movie. It’s classic.”
-LAUREN PARKINSON Philosophy Major
““Polar Express”. It’s just a really good movie and it kinda has the whole Christmas spirit to it.”
-BRYANNA BUHL Studio Art Major
5
Dec. 11, 2019
ARTS & CULTURE
Lea Michele’s debut holiday album channels a NYC Christmas By Ariel Caspar
arielcaspar@gmail.com Lea Michele is best known for her role as Rachel Berry on the Emmy award winning hit musical comedy “Glee,” which debuted in 2009. The show placed a spotlight on Michele and launched her as an internationally known actress and singer. Fans would call her a powerhouse vocalist and accomplished Broadway performer. Now, she shows her talent in her first ever Christmas album “Christmas in the City,” released Oct. 25 through Sony Music Entertainment. It has been two-and-a-half years since her last release “Places,” and it was worth the wait. “Christmas in the City” is a wonderful, 11-track album with 10 holiday favorites and one unexpected original, co-written by Michele. Here, she is reunited with Alex and Andy Anders for this album, two producers who previously produced tracks for “Glee.” The album follows the traditional Christmas sound, with jazz in-
fluence and a full orchestra band for some of the songs. Some of the softer ballads contain choral elements that provide emotional depth to the album. Michele is more of a polished, technical singer and this is absolutely where she shines, fully displaying her Broadway chops. Going the more traditional route was a smart move for Michele’s specific style. At first listen, the album sounds unoriginal and over-done, but a closer ear reveals this album is entirely unique to Michele’s specific voice and fits her personality perfectly; poised, sophisticated and polished. The album opens with a bang, the first released single, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” is done in the style of the original Andy Williams version. Although the instrumentals are similar, Michele always adds her own personal vocal twist. The powerful opener lets listeners know what to expect. The next single “Christmas in New York,” is the only original song for the album and was co-written
by Michele and her team. Once again, the song carries the traditional, full orchestra sound, but with Michele’s voice, it’s magical. This song gives a nostalgic feeling even if you’ve never been to New York, with gold nugget references to a bustling New York during the holidays. Some of the quieter songs on the album are absolute gems and give listeners an unheard side of Michele’s voice. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is soft and effortless. “Silent Night” is almost angelic and choral background elements provide a haunting, yet uplifting picture of Christ’s birth. The album features three duets. Michele is joined by “Spring Awakenings” and “Glee” costar Jonathan Groff in “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” with a Hawaiian Christmas feel. Michele is joined by another past “Glee” costar and concert tour buddy Darren Criss on “White Christmas.” Lastly she is paired with another Broadway babe, Cynthia Erivo on “Angels We Have Heard on High.” Without a doubt, “O Holy Night,”
the closer, wraps up this album with a shiny, red Christmas bow. Michele said in a recent interview with Apple Music, the challenge for this specific song was making it bigger and better than the version she had done for “Glee” in previous years. Michele absolutely nails this number and could easily be compared to a young Celine Dion, delivering a powerful vocal and tak-
ing the song to another level and really making it her own. Although Michele has said in the past it’s been difficult to fully separate herself from “Glee” and prove herself a successful singer and performer, this album completely contradicts that. She is proving herself to be one of the greats, following in the footsteps of her number one idol, Barbara Streisand. Throughout this album, Michele has proven herself remarkable, free from the shadow of “Glee.”
Photo courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment
Lea Michele surpasses her role in “Glee” with her first holiday album, “Christmas in the City,” released on Oct. 25, 2019.
‘Kalopsia’ explores the quest into adulthood SELF-PUBLISHED POET EXPRESSES HOW LIFE IS A BEAUTIFUL DELUSION By Bram Martinez bramster1@gmail.com
Photo by Bram Martinez | Staff Writer
Writer Kanika Harris, pictured here at American River College on Nov. 13, 2019, with her new book of poetry. “Kalopsia,” explores the beauty and struggle of the transition into adulthood.
A few months ago, American River College gained a new published writer. Kanika Harris, psychology major, wrote, illustrated and self-published her book of poems titled “Kalopsia.” Harris defines Kalopsia as, “a condition, state or delusion in which things appear more beautiful than they really are, but it can also be defined as ‘beautiful sight’ or ‘with beautiful eyes,’” which has a Greek root in kallos meaning beauty, and opsis meaning sight, according to the site, yourdictionary.com “The theme is just 20-somethings, being in a place where you are an adult, and everything is out of control, but you have that dreamers mentality,” Harris said. The poems are for young adults trying to figure things out, who are just feeling lost in the world around them, according to Harris. Joslyn Gaines, an outreach specialist at ARC, encourages Harris’ writing talents. “She has a beautiful way of writing from the core of the soul that allows the reader a chance to feel her experiences on an emotional and personal level, as if we are privy to something deep,” Gaines said. Harris writes her poetry de-
pending on the phases of her life, as each one might hold something different. “I wrote because of the stage of life I was going through [when] I had a certain mentality,” Harris said. Because she’s an outreach specialist, Gaines was able to give her some advice during the event about changing mentalities while aging. “The first step is to believe in who you are, even though you might not know which way you’re heading, you will find your way, especially if you don’t compare yourself with others,” Gaines said. “Affirm daily that you have value and strength that you are meant to be here and that everything you need to exist in this life, is already inside of you.” Harris’ favorite poem reinstates the idea of finding oneself, especially after being lost, but how Gaines says, maybe the answer is inside. “My favorite poem [in my book] is ‘Mother Earth,’ [which] is about [experiencing] loss, feeling lost, and finding herself [the character in the poem] in nature,” Harris said. Harris said she plans to write another book full of poetry and short stories soon. “Kalopsia” is available for purchase at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
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Dec. 11, 2019
SPORTS
Photo by Emily Mello | Photo Editor
American River College volleyball teammates celebrate during the CCCAA Norcal Regional Championships on Nov. 30, 2019. ARC beat Folsom Lake College at home with a score of 3-1.
ARC volleyball team crushes Folsom Lake College By Joshua Ghiorso Joshuaghiorso50@gmail.com
The American River College women’s volleyball team will travel to Chula Vista for the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) state championship after defeating Folsom Lake College to win the CCCAA Norcal Regional Championships on Nov. 30. It was an intense game as both teams were ranked almost even at the beginning of the tournament, with ARC at No. 4, and FLC at No. 5. The first set started off rough for ARC, with small mistakes like touching the net when blocking or miscommunication leading to spaces left open on the court for Folsom to score. These errors, while minor, caused enough damage for FLC to win the set 25-20. However the second set went better for ARC, though FLC led the match. ARC was able to catch up
Football
and take the lead and the win, 2519. The third set was the most contentious, as both ARC and FLC fought tooth and nail, with both teams diving to the floor for saves. However, ARC’s defense and forceful return of the ball broke through FLVs defense, with ARC being victorious 25-21. By the fourth set, ARC really pulled together and put on a strong offensive showing. With strong attacks from sophomore Andreia Keane, ARC took a commanding lead and soundly beat FLC 25-15, winning the game 3-1. Keane said she was happy with the win and was proud of the way her team played. “In the first set it was very uneasy and we were not connecting very well, just because it was frantic. It’s a big game and we were just getting the nerves out,” Keane said. “But I think in the second and third set, especially the fourth, we united and played as one, and we were playing for each other.”
Head coach Carson Lowden said that focusing on strong defense was the key to winning the game. “We focused on defense because they have a lot of good hitters, so we needed to have a strong game plan,” Lowden said. ARC eventually lost the quarter finals of the CCCAA State Championships to Irvine Valley College in Chula Vista on Dec. 7, with a score of 3-2.
Season Recap:
23-7 Regular season record
14-2
Conference record
15 11.61
The team’s largest win streak during the season
ARC averages 11.61 kills per set
Photo by Emily Mello | Photo Editor
American River College volleyball freshman Isabel Torrez reaches for the ball during the CCCAA Norcal Regional Championships on Nov. 30, 2019.
Season Recap: Fall 2019
Photo by Brandon Zamora | Staff Writer
American River College wide receiver, Eric Davis Jr., fights his way into the end zone on Nov. 2, 2019.
Women’s Soccer
Photo by Colin Bartley | Staff Writer
ARC sophomore Sevanna Lopez drives the ball downfield in a loss versus Fresno City College on Sept. 6, 2019.
Men’s Soccer
Photo by Emily Mello | Photo Editor
The ARC men’s soccer team huddles together during practice on Sept. 6, 2019.
• ARC football finished with 8-3 record • Compiled an 11-9-1 season record • Finished with an 11-9-3 season record • the team averaged 27.1 points per game • Averaged 2 goals per game • Scored 46 goals throughout season • made it to playoffs, but lost first round • Went 8-7-1 in conference play • Made it to Regional Playoffs
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Dec. 11, 2019
OPINION
CURRENT EDITORIAL
ARC’s lack of urgency fails critical group By Current Editorial Board current@arc.losrios.edu The American River College faculty and administration recently added to the college’s vision and mission statement a commitment to social justice and equity. This new commitment was approved by the Los Rios Board of Trustees in 2017. “American River College places students first in providing an academically rich, inclusive environment that inspires critical thinking, learning and achievement, and responsible participation in the community,” the statement informed in part. Now, ARC has a responsibility to live up to that statement, which applies to all ARC students, including those with disabilities that limit their movement. It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to go long distances across campus with a physical disability or limitation, especially when not every door, bathroom, elevator or pathway is easily accessible and safe to use. In late October, SOARD, a club on campus for students with disabilities, reached out to the Current to inform them that ARC may not be maintaining accessibility points on campus. This is an issue that should raise concern, but little has been done to correct the issues. In light of these concerns, in February 2018, SOARD organized teams of its members to check all safety and accessibility throughout ARC, namely automatic doors, walkways, restrooms and elevators in all departments on campus. To raise attention to their findings, they wrote an official report, which was acknowledged by ARC President Thomas Greene who had previously expressed interest in taking action. The report was
Photo illustration by Emily Mello | Photo Editor
Members of SOARD contacted American River College President Thomas Greene to inform him of the concerns with accessibility on campus for students with disabilities.
also acknowledged by Parrish Geary, the dean of student services and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance officer, who has been SOARD’s closest ally in taking serious action to resolve issues within reason. SOARD members discovered many areas on campus that disabled students should be able to access, but cannot because of doors that are too heavy, buttons that are absent, malfunctioning or not being maintained properly. Some of the biggest areas of conflict they came across were restroom inaccessibility and doorway width. Members of SOARD included in the Feb. 27, 2018 SOARD’s Safety & Accessibility report that the bathrooms in the
Technical Education and Horticulture Departments are difficult to enter or maneuver through with wheelchair or walker assistance and did not offer automatic door service to enter. SOARD club president Jason Lisic reported to the Current that two women from the Adaptive P.E. Department said their wheelchairs were too wide for the elevators and could not reach the buttons to operate the elevator. One of the women added the entrance was so narrow her chair has gotten stuck. While ARC administration has taken SOARD’s report seriously and had begun to address their complaints, they’re moving too slow. Large projects understandably take
Photo by Brandon Zamora | Staff Writer
The furry fandom is a diverse group of people who enjoy expressing themselves by identifying with their “fursona” or animal persona by either dressing up in their fursuits or attending furry social events.
Furry fandom is a hobby of happiness
by Brandon Zamora
b14Zamora@gmail.com Everyone has a hobby of some kind. Some people like to go fishing, maybe play or watch sports or even like to just read. Then, there are people who have the hobby of dressing up in a raccoon mascot outfit on Saturday nights, and go-
ing bowling with their friends who also dress up in animal costumes. Yes, I’m talking about furries. What’s a furry? Furries are people who have a strong interest in anthropomorphic animals, which are animals that have human characteristics. They walk, talk and do things a human being would do. An example would be the Dis-
ney film “Zootopia” where all the characters are anthropomorphic animals. Being a furry is a hobby that a lot of people, myself included, really enjoy. It’s because of this hobby I was able to meet such great people that I get to call my friends, and travel to places I’ve never thought of going to 10 years ago.
time to be approved and executed, but basic fixes still take weeks to be addressed. While ARC is legally up to ADA standards, and holds itself to standards beyond the baseline, maintenance and urgency seems to fall through the cracks. According to Cheryl Sears, director of administrative services, older buildings built before 1970 are only required to be up to code for the time it was built. Davies Hall was built in 1967 and, as such, is up to code for the requirements in place for 1967. Any other additions, such as automatic doors and elevators actually go beyond ADA regulations. In this case, going beyond is still not enough. Just because Davies Hall has extra modifications that exceed regulations from 1967, does not mean the building is entirely accessible for those with physical disabilities. ADA regulations should change according to the current year, and those modifications should be made and well-maintained. These fixes may be more long-term than expected, but they should not be ignored. It should not take year after year for these issues to gain recognition and become a priority. ARC has shown little urgency in finishing projects that had been started months ago. Disabled students should not have to wait for a building to be torn down and replaced before they can have access to it. It must not be easy as a student with a disability to circle around campus to get to an accessible restroom or to find a door that works or offers an automatic button. Students with disabilities are entitled to the same conveniences as nondisabled students on campus. Making these fixes would be a powerful affirmation of ARC’s values to uphold social justice and equity to all groups.
Being a furry brings happiness into my life that I never thought I’d ever experience. One of the biggest stereotypes people believe about furries is that they’re just interested in this hobby because of sex. It’s no secret that this fandom does have a sexual side to it and yes, some people are even into it for that reason, but we’re so diverse that you can’t say every furry is only into the fandom for sex. The age range in the furry community can vary anywhere from 10-years-old to someone in their 70s, therefore saying that someone is furry only for sexual reasons is ridiculous. The furry fandom started in the late 1980’s and is a hobby that people worldwide have in common; there is even a community of them here in Sacramento. The local furry group in Sacramento, whose members call themselves “SacFurs,” organize events and meetups for other furries in the area to spend time with each other and have fun. One of the biggest elements in this fandom are the animal costumes that some furries wear at events like conventions or local meetups. These costumes are called fursuits, which are costumes furries create and wear based off a character they may have created. People within the fandom call their individual characters their “fursona.” One misconception about furries, however, is that people think that every furry owns a fursuit. While there are a lot of people in this fandom who do own a fursuit, they can be very expensive. With the cost ranging anywhere from
$700, to over $3000 for one fursuit, almost all of them are custom made to fit the person who owns it. There are conventions all over the world dedicated for furies to socialize and meet more people within the fandom. One of the more well-known furry conventions, that’s also close to Sacramento, is “Further Confusion,” located in San Jose. This furry convention takes place every January, and in 2019 it had a total of 3,850 attendees, according to Further Confusion’s website. This hobby is definitely out of the norm and it’s arguably an expensive one as well. So why do people enjoy it so much, and what about this fandom attracts so many people? For some people, myself included, it brings happiness into their lives. Being apart of a community that’s friendly and supportive to anyone no matter their race, religion or sexual orientation. Being a furry may be strange to anyone who doesn’t know a lot about the fandom, and just because they have their negative stereotypes it doesn’t mean they apply to everyone. I’m a college student at American River College studying to become a journalist, and in my spare time I love to spend time with friends dressed up in my fursuit, playing the role of my fursona that I created, Kuma Raccoon. We all have our hobbies, and mine allows me to escape from reality for a short time, and express my creativity in my own way.
Dec. 11, 2019
BACKPAGE
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Zoe Zimmerman (No. 5), freshman outside hitter, blocks the ball during a home game against Folsom Lake College on Nov. 30, 2019. The game earned the team a spot in the California Community College Athletic Association’s 2019 Women’s Volleyball Championship at Southwestern College in San Diego.
Former State Champions Fall Short By Emily Mello & Jennah Booth emilycastellar97@gmail.com jennahpage@gmail.com
The American River College women’s volleyball team made it the California Community College Athletic Association’s 2019 Women’s Volleyball Championship at Southwestern College in San Diego, on Dec. 7. Unfortunately, the 2018 champions lost to Irvine Valley College, 3-2, during the quarterfinals. This season, the team ended up with a 22-7 record. Here are some photos from the team’s two previous games leading up to the quarterfinals which showcase the team’s dedication.
Andreia Keane, sophomore outside hitter, defends the ball during a game against Solano Community College on Nov. 26, 2019.
Allison Linder (No.7), sophomore outside hitter, celebrates with her teammates after scoring a point during a game against Solano Community College on Nov. 26, 2019.