thecollegian Issue 4 • Friday, Oct. 21, 2011 • deltacollegian.net
One free copy JH
INSIDE
VOICES CARRY: Protestors occupy the corner of El Dorado and Channel streets on Oct. 13, displaying signs to passing traffic.
The making of an orange massacre Page 4
PHOTO BY HEIDI HAACK
Occupy movement hits Stockton Clubs’ Night goes to Cancun Page 6
Pumpkins in space (in Lathrop really) Page 5
UPCOMING Puente Club’s Haunted House Oct. 25-26, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Cunningham Lounge Degree applications are due Nov. 14
FIND US
Crowd, including Delta students, gathers to protest corporate greed downtown
by heidi haack crazietrekkie@aol.com
A grassroots movement has sprung up across the United States as Americans - fed up with what they perceive as corporate greed and a sinking economy - are organizing to take back control. In September, the Occupy Wall Street movement, which aims to point out the difficulties of 99-percent of the wage earning population, began in New York City. Although the people on the actual Wall Street are already into a fifth week of protesting, smaller efforts in American cities have sprung up in support. Stockton is one of them. On Oct. 12-13, locals held a protest to show support for the movement at De Carli Square in downtown near the intersection of El Dorado and Channel
streets. The maximum amount of people attending at once was around 50, according to organizers. About 100 attended over the course of the two-day event. “We are standing in solidarity with the Wall Street movement to raise awareness for the issues in our government, as well as our own local issues,” said Motecuzoma Sanchez, one of the event’s coordinators. By 5 p.m. the first day, the crowd had thickened. Many people were in work clothes, while others had chairs and umbrellas, indicative of them being their since early that morning. All age groups and ethnicities were present, from young adults to seniors. There were reasons all across the board for being there: lost
MORE INFO • Search “Occupy Stockton” on Facebook for local group • occupytogether.org • occupywallst.org jobs, housing problems, disability, tough time finding a new job among the reasons. “This is raw democracy, people coming together to have their voice heard,” Sanchez said. Listening to the crowd, one could tell the people who showed up for the movement were passionate about it. Enthusiasm spread, especially when people in cars honked horns when driving by. Sayings such as “We are the 99 percent” and “We are the working class!” could be heard
throughout the day. Several Delta College students were present, including as Garrett Daniells. Daniells had been at the protest almost the entire second day. “This is basically the 99 percent of Americans controlling one percent of the money, who are pissed off at the one percent of Americans controlling 99 percent of the money,” Daniells said, “We’re just trying to spread awareness.” Also in attendance at the event was Delta College student Ryan Camero. Camero said that despite the fact that he is doing well financially, he felt the need to speak up and join the cause. “I feel strongly about this because I feel that our generation is so apathetic that they
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Dream Act to provide aid for undocumented students by jung min hong
jhong799@students.deltacollege.edu
Under AB 131, the Dream Act, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Oct. 8, undocumented immigrant students in California will be able to receive college financial aid. The law allows top students who are on the path to citizenship to apply for and receive state aid, the governor said.
“Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking. The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us,” said Brown in a press release on the bill. In July, Brown signed AB 130, the first half of the California Dream Act, making funding from private sources available to undocumented students.
By signing AB 131, the second half of the California Dream Act, on Oct. 8, the Dream Act was passed entirely. The law grants undocumented students access to public and private funding for college. About 2,500 students will be qualified for Cal Grants totaling $14.5 million, which averages out to $5,800 per student according to the California Department of Finance.
The Dream Act it will affect future students at San Joaquin Delta College too. “This [Dream Act] has very much to do with Delta students because a great number of undocumented students attend community colleges as a start to higher education,” said Ana Arriaga, a member of Delta College’s Punete Club. “This also means the number of students
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