DVC Inquirer 5-14-15 Vol. II Issue 7

INQUIRER Summer 2015

Culture Club Students celebrate their African heritage

DON’T SCRATCH THE SURFACE.

BREAK THE GROUND.

STAFF Co-editors-in-chief Shane Louis Tyler Elmore News editor Taylor Pagan

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2015 STAY ON TRACK.

Features editor Daniel Maraccini

GRADUATE AND START YOUR CAREER ON TIME. • Small classes, personal attention

Senior staff member Ryan Chan

• $2,000 Diablo Valley College transfer award • $14,000 Honors at Entrance Scholarships RSVP for the May 27 transfer information session at smcadmit.com

Saint Mary’s College of California smcadmit@stmarys-ca.edu

(800) 800-4SMC

healthy

lifestyles

HELPING YOU thrive

Put Time on Your Side

By Andy Rodgers, MD

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e all have 24 hours in a day. Yet some of us feel like we have no time at all, while others manage to get their work done and have time to relax and enjoy life. The pressures of time can take its toll on your health creating tension and anxiety, loss of sleep, poor nutrition, and negative effects on your mood and self-esteem.

An organized, relaxed life would not only be more pleasurable, but it’s healthier, too. Stress-free living isn’t realistic for most of us, however there are things you can do to manage your time, deal with procrastination, and accomplish important priorities in a more relaxed, enjoyable way.

The key is to discover what’s really important to you and do those things well. Help stop your time struggles with these tips: • • • •

Recognize priorities: If our time is to have meaning, our personal vision must take priority. Every few months—or at least once a year—it is essential to step back and consider what is most important to you.

Set goals: Write down some short, medium and long-term goals. Setting goals will influence your daily decisions on how to invest your time and energy. Reassess and revise these goals periodically.

Live in the moment: Break the rushing habit and be present in the moment. Try driving 5-10 miles slower, try not wearing a watch, schedule some protected free time, or focus your full attention on the task at hand.

Take five: Take a time out for fun, relaxation, daydreaming, contemplation, family, friends, and hobbies. Many “busy” people find these moments refreshing and it enables them to be more productive.

For more health and wellness information, visit Kaiser Permanente’s Web site www.kp.org/diablo.

This article is proudly sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.

Staff members Austin Lemak Cooper Mead Dustin Pyne Fidel Ontiveros Jacob Judd Jesse Sutterley Kain Piyanuluk Marcel Scott Melanie Calimlim Sophia Johnson Sriram Ramakrishnan Illustrator Wesley Ihezue Adviser Mary Mazzocco Lab coordinator Julius Rea FRONT PAGE: PAU Alumni, Wande Samuel, dances in the fashion show on May 1. Photo by Shane Louis.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROFILES Ed Trujillo 5 Nick Vasallo 8 Marcia Goodman 10

TOP LISTS Hikes 15 Brewpubs 20 Bay Area Events 21 Podcasts 22

IT’S ART Marla and the Tea Sprites 11 -Build your own comic

Shadow of a Doubt 17

WHAT’S UP

Mental Health Club 7 Cover Story: PAU 9 Unions March for Justice 16 SF Film Fest 18 3

Letter from the editors Dear readers,

from you. This seems like a good time for self-promotion, so, join The Inquirer! You don’t even have to be a journalism major, half of our staff is made up of non-journalism majors. You can find the list of available classes on the back.

Also, make sure to check out our website, www. dvcinquirer.com, and our Facebook page for the most current updates.

Thank You: To the administration and all DVC departments and clubs that have had cool events for us to cover. Thanks to the IT Department for making our computers work. We especially want to give credit to our incredible staff of writers and photographers, our illustrator, Wes, Julius the lab coordinator and most of all, our amazing adviser, Mary Mazzocco, who has earned her tenure by surviving our over-excitement and tears throughout the semester and years past.

We have enjoyed our time on the Inquirer and hope that it's success continues in the coming years.

Thank you for picking up this issue! As the semester comes to an end, we wish you luck with finals and transfer. Although the format of this issue looks a bit different, we hope the content will still carry the same integrity, quality and consistency that The Inquirer has strived to achieve.

Over the past semester, we have tried our best to keep you both entertained and informed of the happenings here at Diablo Valley College through our print and online versions.

In this issue: You will find profiles of three professors, one retiring, one new and one who continues to teach through adversity of cancer.

In the very center, we have included the beautiful comic that won first place in the James O’Keefe comic contest. You can just pull out that center page, fold it appropriately and enjoy.

Towards the back, we give you the best hiking spots, best places to get a beer, best events for summer and best podcasts.

Join The Inquirer: We hope you have enjoyed hearing from us as much as we have enjoyed hearing

Enjoy the issue and have a great summer, Shane Louis & Tyler Elmore Co-editors-in-chief

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PLAY ON

Drama teacher leaves the stage STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHANE LOUIS @TROLLEDITOR

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nyone talented enough to find the Diablo Valley College green room hidden behind the Performing Arts Center will discover the sliding glass office door covered in posters and “Cha Cha, Who loves ya babe!” written in paint pen.

This is, and has been, the office of drama professor Ed Trujillo.

Trujillo has been teaching higher education for the last 32 years, half of his 64-year-old life. His past 25 years have been at DVC, and after the spring 2015 semester, Trujillo will retire.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in English literature from St. Mary’s College, Trujillo then went on to the University of Massachusetts in Amhurst to work on his masters degree before transferring to the University of Washington in Seattle. From there, he graduated with an emphasis in children’s theater, directing and multi-cultural theater.

Upon graduation, Trujillo worked a variety of jobs from DJing at a jazz radio station to art and music therapy, and even selling wine. His career in higher education began at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, where he managed the performing arts facilities and acted as adjunct faculty for seven years.

Trujillo later came to work at DVC after managing to secure the full-time position he had been searching for. Here he has taught all levels of acting, directing, multicultural perspectives, introduction to theater, theater literature, theater history, auditioning techniques and Shakespeare.

Although he is interested in other art forms like music and photography, Trujillo finds something special in theater. He explains how in high school he was not a theater geek, and how his love for theater didn’t really emerge until his junior year of college.

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“I went to England and I saw 26 plays in six weeks,” he says. “And that just kinda got the bug into me, and I thought, ‘wow, I really like this stuff. Theater is a great art medium that allows you to connect with people on a visceral level.

And that’s what turned me on: that you could change people.”

Growing up in Oakland, Trujillo says he was aware of civil rights issues and social conditions that effected his close friends and family.

He explains how social change is a very important part of his work. He says he likes doing plays that deal with major issues that affect us as humans.

“Whether it’s race or gender or class or those things, most of my plays have had something to do with those issues,” he says.

Trujillo has directed close to 30 shows at DVC. Among those, he has had some favorites: “’West Side Story’ was an amazing event because we had a full orchestra, we had an amazing choreographer and vocal coach and conductor,” he says. “It was a big cast, and it was a dynamic show.”

Because of the scale of many of the performances, Trujillo says a lot of teamwork goes into making the shows happen. The acting and tech

majors get a lot of hands-on experience.

“The shows I’ve really enjoyed doing is when the students contribute and the costume designers, the lighting and sound really contribute important elements to it.” he says.

“That’s when my work has been most exciting.”

DVC student Cesar Garcia played the leading role in Trujillo’s last play of the semester, “Oedipus El Rey,” and he aspires to have the same devotion to acting.

“The passion he has for this art is unbelievable,” Garcia says. “He made me challenge myself in ways I have never challenged myself before. He taught me how to keep pushing and to never give up and that anything is achievable if you put your mind to it.”

During his last semester at DVC, Trujillo didn’t teach any courses, he

just directed “Oedipus El Rey.” “I’ve had a taste of what it’s like to be retired,” Trujillo says. “And it’s really a challenge because I am a lazy person. I’m not when I’m at school, I mean, I work my ass off, I mean I really work my ass off.”

After retirement, Trujillo says he will work on his music and photography as well as do some traveling with his wife. He also plans on freelance directing and visiting DVC to continue to work with the Latino Student Alliance.

“Also, I have time to drink prodigious amounts of good scotch,” he says.

Though retiring, Trujillo says he will never stop teaching completely.

“I love the students,” he says.

“They come back and they share their lives with you, and their children, their marriages … Students talk from their heart here, and that’s really inspiring when you made some kind of impact on a student.”

Throughout the years, the students, as well as the encouragement he received from other departments and administration, has kept Trujillo’s passion going.

“There are just so many people I want to thank,” he says. “My success here has been because of collaboration. DVC has been supportive of the arts. I just wish them the best as they continue the drama legacy here.” n

HOW’S YOUR HEAD? New club helps student mental health STORY BY TYLER ELMORE @TYLER_INQUIRER ILLUSTRATION BY WESLESY IHEZUE @ART_KWARD

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his upcoming fall semester will be monumental for Diablo Valley College because they will finally have a mental health outlet on campus for students.

With the help of Disabled Students Services (DSS), the Disability Support Club (DSC) will offer on-campus counseling for students suffering from mental illnesses including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and depression, among others.

DSC President Xihao Wang, 21, who also goes by Eric, said it was his own personal experiences that lead him to start the club.

“For a long time I felt that I had become a little weird,” he said. “I noticed when I would go out with my friends I had to check the lock several times. So I asked myself,

‘do I have mental issues?’ and I did a search online and I found that it seems to be OCD.” While the Counseling Center states on their website that there are opportunities available “to discuss with a counselor personal issues that are having an effect on your studies at DVC,” the current counselors mainly give academic guidance, rather than mental health aid.

The DSC will offer peer counseling which will allow students to talk to other students who are suffering from similar issues.

“I think the major difference between us and other clubs is that we are cooperating with a department within the school,” said DSC Vice President Tsz Yu, 19, who also go

by Stephen. “Other clubs are usually just one adviser.”

DSC has also partnered with the Contra Costa County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness to help train the peer counselors.

A majority of DSC club members are international students, and they

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want to help other international student who may feel too afraid to reach out for help. They want to provide a safe place for students to know there are others like them.

Shuai Shao, 17, who also goes

by Shelly, found it interesting that there is such a lack of places to go for mental health help.

She is confident the club will be great for the campus.

“I think it’s a chance to help people realize (the lack of support),” Shao said. “And try to help those people and give a chance to people who want to help.”

General meeting dates and other information will be released at the beginning of the fall semester.

More information regarding mental health and who you can contact over summer can be found on the National Alliance on Mental Illness website.

For immediate help, call the Contra Costa Crisis Center Hotline at 1-800-833-2900. n

STUDENT RETURNS TO DVC AS NEW TEACHER STORY BY DANIEL MARACCINI PHOTO COURTESY OF NICK VASALLO

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omposer, metal-head and former Diablo Valley College student: all of these titles describe new DVC Music Industries Studies Director, Nick Vasallo.

Born in Oakland and raised throughout the Bay Area, Vasallo, 35, has accomplished quite a bit since his Viking days.

Vasallo left DVC in 2003 and transferred to California State University East Bay, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition.

From there, he went straight to the University of California at Santa Cruz, where he earned both masters and doctorate degrees in 2009 and 2011, respectively. Vasallo then taught around the Bay Area at schools including Los Medanos College and Gavilan College.

His most recent teaching position was as an assistant professor at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona’s Music Industries program.

Now, he's back at DVC and is set to replace longtime faculty member Mark Steidel.

In addition to the director position, Vasallo will also be teaching songwriting and sound for picture classes.

“I am most excited to be back home and teaching at my alma mater,” Vasallo says. “There is a romantic quality about going back to where you came from. Like a circle completing itself.”

Another part of that circle has been Vasallo’s role in the Bay Area metal scene.

He was a founding member of Antagony, the group for which he played for during his entire 14-year college career (including his time at

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DVC). The group was something of a legendary player in the Bay Area underground scene and is often cited for its unique blend of grind and slow doom metal sounds.

Since 2008, he has been a member of the extreme metal group Oblivion, which, in addition to Vasallo and other Antagony players, features former members of other underground bands All Shall Perish and Hacksaw to the Throat.

“A lot of musicians ask me if they should study music. I usually answer with an analogy: If you want to be a chef wouldn't you want to learn more about the art of cooking?”

But of all his music experiences, Vasallo says teaching has been the most rewarding.

“Whether it be a beautifully recorded song, or a gorgeous chord progression--witnessing students exceed their own expectations while being creative is an amazing thing.” n

PAU explores cultural history STORY BY MELANIE CALIMLIM @_MELANAAYEE PHOTO BY SHANE LOUIS @TROLLEDITOR

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he Pan African Union is a place for the black community to learn more about their history, to expand their opportunities, and to support each other in order to accomplish their goals.

To help share their mission and objectives, the PAU members hosted their first major event, An Evening with PAU, in the Hospitality Services Food Court Building on May 1.

“I’m so excited, I’m so ready for it to be over because it’s been such a journey,” said the president of PAU, Emily Ajwang, 24.

She said the main goal of the event was to emphasize Pan-Africanism.

However, regardless of race, anyone committed to the mission of the PAU is welcomed.

“It was a cultural event with the theme of black pride as the black community needs more opportunities to showcase their talents and cultures,” Ajwang said.

The planning of this event began

in December and it required collaboration and hard work on everyone’s part.

The PAU members pulled out all the stops, from the makeshift red carpet that welcomed everyone inside, to entertainment from a DJ, a fashion platform and exceptionally delicious home-cooked food.

The event started with the women’s fashion show. The women were graceful as they walked down the stairs and across the platform.

PAU member Anareth Luemba, 23, who was in the fashion show, hopes the club becomes better recognized.

“It would be nice if we integrate people because I feel like not a lot of people know about it,” she said. “The differences of the African Americans and Africans, blacks from all different parts: Going to our club, you’ll have different views about our race in general. You’ll learn a lot of different things.”

Former DVC student Samuel Ayoko, 21, supplied the men’s fashion.

He said the event was a chance to expose people to African American music, food and clothes.

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“Being in America, it’s a multicultural community,” he said. “So it’s a cool thing to be able to share that with other people and in a way where people can have fun no matter which culture you come from.”

Business major Tina Saadi, 19, said she loved the energy of the kickoff event.

“Everyone has been really warm and Africans in general have such a high spirit,” she said. “It’s been great to see them and all their friends coming together, expressing themselves, dancing.”

Economics major Elijah Pipersburg, 21, read a story to the audience, “What if There Were No Black People?” It told of the contributions African Americans gave to the world.

Pipersburg read, “I mean you heard I mentioned [invention of] ‘refrigerator,’ without it, you won’t be able to preserve your food. The first successful open heart surgery was performed [Daniel Hale Williams] and that was a breakthrough.”

Despite different backgrounds, everyone became more united as the night went on. n

Answering cancer

English professor talks about fighting to teach STORY BY DANIEL MARACCINI PHOTO BY SHANE LOUIS @TROLLEDITOR

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oments before being introduced as the 51st Diablo Valley College Faculty Lecturer, Dr. Marcia Goodman sat quietly at the end of the front row, her head down.

Most people would go unnoticed in such a situation, hidden amidst the bustle of a crowded event.

But for a few reasons, Goodman, 60, isn’t one of those people. For one, the hat gives her away. As any student or colleague could attest, she sports one every day and never seems to wear the same one twice.

She has been an English professor at DVC for the past two decades, guiding students through literature’s great authors and the often murky process of college-level writing. For nearly 17 of those years, Goodman has simultaneously been battling ovarian cancer.

“My observation of myself and others who are living with an advanced cancer is that we all do it differently,” she said. “We each do cancer as we do life. Bringing to it all the individual strengths, weaknesses, quirks and neuroses that we bring to everything else we do.”

Titled “The Strength of Fragility,” the lecture traces how Goodman herself has “done” ovarian cancer since her 1998 diagnoses.

She recounted her Brooklyn upbringing as the “good child,” and explained how having to cope with her brother’s early death made

her own diagnosis both easier and harder to bear.

Many of the lessons and questions that came through these stories were infused and explained by quotes from Goodman’s favorite literature like Emily Dickinson and Virginia Woolf ’s “Mrs. Dalloway.”

She quoted Dickinson’s poem “ ‘Hope’ is the Thing With Feathers,” then read one of her own poems that mirrored and responded to it.

Tyler Boman, 20, who was in Goodman’s Early British Literature class last fall, remembered when she told the class that she would continue to teach despite her cancer symptoms returning.

“I’d be worrying about her in a sense, but I knew that I got a little piece of her life that she had opened

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up and shared with us and I appreciated that honesty,” he said, ”I think it made the classroom much closer and I think it made it a more tight-knit community” After the lecture ended with a standing ovation that featured more than a few teary eyes, Goodman, again returned to the role of thoughtful English professor in the black hat.

When asked how the lecture affected the way she views her experiences, Goodman pondered for a moment.

“It helped me articulate to myself some of the ways it has really affected my teaching,” she answered.

“That, in and of itself, made me feel good — it felt like something good came of it.” n

About the Artist

ine Arts major Lizbeth Brown found her passion for drawing during preschool. Brown loved when her mother would show picture books and comics, and began drawing around age 4.

She's gotten inspiration from different types of illustration throughout the years.

F At 14, Brown took her first art class at DVC with Arthur Scott King and he has remained her mentor for 10 years. She has now drawn about a thousand pages worth of graphic novels.

"Marla and the Tea Sprites" is her latest work which took well over a year to finish. However, her efforts didn't go to waste as it received an award in the James O'Keefe comic contest. Although drawing is a lot of fun, having an idea and giving it life can be challenging.

"Comics take complete concentration so if I'm not feeling inspired at the time, going through the motions just to get it done can be lonely and tedious," she said.

When asked whether she plans to transfer anywhere after DVC, Brown mentioned a graphic novel grad program at California College of the Arts. But although she would love to, the time and money required for this program is a bit much.

"The fact that I've already got my comics out there, I'd rather keep going with what I'm doing. My plan is to simply take whatever classes here apply to my field and keep making comics."

Brown did not need to go too far to find inspiration and meet influential people. She keeps in touch with many talented peer artists that she's met in classes at DVC. "If you meet anyone in an art class who inspires, encourages you, or someone you just get along with, get their number. No one can relate to an artist the way other artists can and I feel it's an essential to have in any artist's life," she says.

Brown is currently working on a second volume of "Marla and the Tea Sprites" which she hopes to release in September.

To see more of her work, visit www.lazycatcomics.com.

Take a hike STORY AND PHOTO BY MARCEL SCOTT @MSCOTT644

1. Lafayette Reservoir

2. Briones Regional Park

Lafayette Reservoir back-country isn’t your mom’s hike. It’s five miles that feel more like 10, as the hills that encircle the reservoir become the trail that you follow.

The steep, nearly vertical terrian can be a sturggle, but the scenery reveals stunning views of the East Bay at each peak and the hike, for this reason, is worth the effort.

The trail can take three hours, so pack water and a snack and remember: if your feet don’t leave pave1 ment it’s not a hike.

Only five miles from Diablo Valley College, Briones is a 6,255 acre park with many different entrances, but The Reliez Valley road entrance is the best. Once parked, take any trail; they all converge to make one large trail. Shortly after this, it splits in three directions. Take the trail that goes off toward an ominous dark valley; it leads to a dried up river bed only accessible during late spring and summer months. Explore trails leading nowhere and have the time of your 4 life getting lost in sacred beauty.

3. Redwood Regional Park

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4. Castle Rock to Mt. Diablo

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This hike is on the longer side, and has about 4000 ft. of elevation gain, so set aside a good portion of your day. Unless you have a car waiting for you at the top of the mountain, expect to hike 15.4 miles round trip.

The hike may seem a bit arduous, but in terms of the terrain you’ll see and the nature you’ll witness, the hike is second to none in the East Bay. In spring, fields of California poppies riddle the rolling foothills.

Pack a picnic, water and sunscreen for the best experience.

Didn’t believe the East Bay had awesome Redwoods? Well guess again! Because Canyon is full of them. To get to Canyon, simply Google “Canyon California” and go there!

What’s nice about Canyon, opposed to the Muir Woods, is that Canyon has been relatively untouched and doesn’t see nearly as many tourists, but still has giant Redwoods; without all the added noise, and walk ways that has ruined the Muir Woods.

Take any trail, and let your imagination take over. Maybe you’ll see an Ewok or two.

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map information ©google 2015

May Day in the ‘Bay’

Protestors rally together for equal rights STORY AND PHOTO BY JESSE SUTTERLEY @MHP_FILMS

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very year, workers around the country gather in solidarity for equal pay and treatment on May 1.

In San Francisco, a crowd gathered at Civic Center Plaza to hear speeches from Union Representatives, teachers from San Francisco City College and citizens from In the bed of the smaller truck, two women stood behind a microphone and led the crowd in chants as the group worked its way down Mission Street.

Residents walked out of their homes and poured into the streets to witness the spectacle.

The march finally came to an end on 24th street and Mission and was greeted by a performance of traditional Native American dance and music.

In Oakland, Pacific Maritime Association workers walked out at 9

a.m., completely shutting down the Oakland Ports until 7 p.m. that evening. Protesters and dock workers marched from the ports to Frank H. Ogawa Plaza (Oscar Grant Plaza).

Carl Dix, a founding member of the Revolution Communist Party USA, spoke to a crowd of young students and organizers gathered in front of Oakland city hall.

"It is significant that this is happening today," Dix said. "The day when workers and oppressed peoples around the world dedicate themselves to end all exploitation and oppression."

Once the protest turned into a general assembly, speeches were given by former members of the Black Panther Party, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, local 10 union, students from the Berkeley Black Student Union and representatives of Mumia Abu Jamal.

"They are trying to demonize their communities (Baltimore), but anger is a rational response to murder,"

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said one of the organizers.

Cephus Johnson, better known as Uncle Bobby to the community and the uncle of Oscar Grant, also gave a speech.

"Had it not been for all of you, had it not been for the ILWU coming out to support Oscar Grant, if it had not been for those young people on that train pulling out their cameras and video taping what happened to Oscar on that night," Johnson said to the crowd, "We know that with out a doubt if none of that had been done, we wouldn't have been able to in the first time in California state history to have an officer arrested, charged, convicted and sent to jail. With this support, we can assure this can happen again."

Oakland wrapped up the afternoon assembly at 2:30 p.m. and another group gathered that night for an additional demonstration.

However, the peaceful mood from earlier that day didn’t carry over to the evening. n

ABOVE: Illustration by Wesley Ihezue LEFT PAGE: A protestor at the May Day assembly.

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Director’s cut

Festival shows great films while showing off SF’s best venues the critically acclaimed "The Spectacular Now," and just like his previous film, it will keep you emotionally xploring different aspects of invested through its duration. the film industry is not always No film festival would be complete easy. Many people only have without indie movie veteran Jason a chance to see the mainstream Schwartzman. His comedy "7 films that come to their local Chinese Brothers" is about a theater, but in the Bay Area, we down-on-his-luck guy who are lucky. owns a cute dog that likes to The San Francisco Internasleep a lot. tional Film Festival gives people While this is definitely a chance to see some of the more a more light-hearted film, independant films. It showcases Schwartzman delivers dry, witforeign films, documentaries ty comedy with such ease that and films that may have more it's hard to believe almost the obscure topics. entire movie was scripted.“While there are many unLike, there is a heavily scripted Jesse Eisenberg plays opposite Jason Segel in director known and up-and-coming James Ponsoldt’s newest film “The End of the Tour.” scene where the veterinarian, artists at this festival, some would-be veterinarian, gets out recognizable faces often show up reporter and novelist David Lipsky of the car and they're talking," said with some of their best work.

(Jesse Eisenberg) for Rolling Stone director and screenwriter Bob ByFor instance, Jason Segel, probably Magazine. ington during a question and answer most known for his role as Marshall James Ponsoldt, the director of after the film.

Eriksen on "How I Met Your MothContinues on next page. u "The End of the Tour" also directed STORY BY TYLER ELMORE @TYLER_INQUIRER

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er," was one of the lead actors in this year’s centerpiece film, "The End of the Tour." In a moving performance, Segel plays one of his most serious roles to date: American novelist David Foster Wallace interviewed by

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"It has a flowing quality to it, but that’s all scripted, that’s word-forword scripted.”

Byington is a funny man: he was sarcastic in a non-derogatory, Seinfeld-esque way. Throughout the Q&A, he made jokes, sometimes even towards the audience.

At one point, an audience member asked what the title "7 Chinese Brothers" meant. Byington replied, “What do you think it means?” The girl, clearly mortified, stood there for close to three minutes saying things like “Um” and “I don’t know” until he asked the rest of the audience what they thought.

He eventually answered and said that it is mostly based on the R.E.M. song of the same name. “Now, (the song) still exists," Byington said. "But it’s, ya know, we’ve lost some R.E.M. fans in the last 15 years."

Schwartzman and Byington asked to extend the Q&A, and it ended up running almost 20 minutes late because the audience and both men were having so much fun.

On a more serious note, "Romeo is Bleeding" is a documentary about the youth in Richmond, California every Bay Area resident needs to see. It shows what life is really like in Richmond, not just the over-zealous TV news version. It shows how people in Richmond live and helps explain why there is so much violence.

Richmond’s newly named poet laureate Donté Clark, with the help of his students, remakes Shakespeare’s classic "Romeo and Juliet," set in modern day Richmond. It is an extremely moving and sad depiction of what living in an area with

such turmoil can do to young people.

With the help of his high school teacher Molly Rayon, Clark helps teach kids and teens how to express their feelings through poetry. This is one documentary that deserves to be screened everywhere. The perseverance these young people showed brought the audience to tears and drew a standing ovation.

Aside from the great films of SFIFF, viewers were also introduced to some of the Bay Area's great movie venues.

The Sundance Kabuki Theater in San Francisco is where the main events were held, and it is a stellar venue.Located in the heart of Japantown, this theater should be on everyone’s short list of places to see in the city. It has six theaters, all varying in size, along with a bar and restaurant at the balcony of the largest theater. The Kabuki plays both

mainstream films and festival flicks.

It is on the corner of Post and Fillmore, and there are two parking garages within 2 minutes of the theater.

Another cool venue that this festival showcases is the Castro Theater.

It was built in 1922 and hosts a myriad of events including sing-alongs and special screenings of classic movies.

You may have missed the festival, but the opportunities are endless.

The San Francisco Film Society is always having events around the Bay Area that are often open to the public. You can check out the full list of events at the San Francisco Film Society website. n

ABOVE: Photo by Pat Mazzera, courtesy of the San Francisco Film Society. LEFT PAGE: Top photo by Pamela Gentile, courtesy of the San Francisco Film Society. Center, photo courtesy of the San Francisco Film Society.

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Beer is here STORY BY COOPER MEAD PHOTOS BY SHANE LOUIS @TROLLEDITOR

The Hop Grenade

2151 Salvio St, Concord Located just off the plaza in downtown Concord, The Hop Grenade is a relatively new establishment on the scene.

Not merely three or four, but 21 glorious taps. All which rotate on a keg-by-keg basis so that no two days have the same menu.

While I was there, I managed to sample a little of everything, starting off with a session IPA from Portland, moving on to a farmhouse ale from Sonoma County.

The menu is filled with a consistently diverse selection from across the coast and beyond, thanks to the owners’ positions as the founder and producers of “The Beer Network,” a craft brew talk radio show. Beyond its contents, even the presentation of the menu is rather impressive.

This feat is mirrored at tables with their tablet menus.

They have a decent bit of food available to have with your pint. The Bavarian pretzel is delicious, especially with the house beer mustard a la carte.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse

385 Sun Valley Mall, Concord In the beating heart of Pleasant Hill’s growing concrete jungle lies BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse. While it may seem like somewhat of a Frankenstein on paper, BJ’s manages to pull it all off to certain degree.

From stouts to seasonals, BJ’s has something for just about everyone.

This summer will be an excellent time to sample their seasonal witbier, the Nit Wit. For those looking for something with a bit better bitter bite, you can’t go wrong with the Hopstorm IPA.

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Massés Sports Bar & Grill

2721 N Main St., Walnut Creek Massés Sports Bar & Grill is an otherwise unpretentious tan block on Walnut Creek’s North Main street.

Though billed as a sports bar, the first step inside reveals a pool shark’s dream.

As for the important bits, Masses is no beverage slouch, serving both cocktails and beer they have a wellstocked cooler in the back room.

AFor those in a mellow mood, they have corona by the bucket, topped off with a shot glass of lime slices. If you are looking for a bit flavor to savor, you will find that the choices top out at Lagunitas, Fat Tire and Blue Moon.

The draft beers begin with your typical light American beers, on to the crafty end, with some of the larger microbrew lagers and IPAs.

The Bay heats up

Local events are starting to happen, just in time for summer STORY BY TAYLOR PAGAN @FLOURISHINLOVE PHOTO BY SOPHIA JOHNSON

Oakland First Fridays When: 5 to 9:30 p.m.The first Friday of every month, Where: Oakland, Telegraph Avenue, West Grand to 27th Street Cost: Free (donation optional) These monthly street festivals, located in the city's KONO district, feature local artists, vendors, musicians, dancers and other performers. The local bars and eateries are also open late so you can continue the party even after the official event ends.

Pleasant Hill Blues and Brews Festival When: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, July 17 and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 18 Where: Pleasant Hill Park Cost: $35-$55 Enjoy some beer, food and music in the comfort of your own hometown. 2015 bands and brewers have not yet been announced, so be sure to check for more information on their website as the dates approach.

Berkeley Kite Festival When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 25-Sunday, July 26 Where: Berkeley Marina, Cesar E. Chavez Park Cost: Free, Parking $15 Relive your childhood adventures by attending the uniquely colorful 30th annual Berkeley Kite Festival.

Event highlights include free kite making and flying lessons, arts and crafts booths, food available for purchase, live music performances and the world's largest octopus kite on display. Come to watch or, if you're up to the challenge, enter and participate in the West Coast Kite Championships.

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival When: 12 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7-Sunday, Aug. 9 Where: San Francisco, Golden Gate Park Cost: $135-$695 San Francisco’s Outside Lands is the Bay Area equivalent to SoCal’s Coachella, minus the stuck up LA crowd and high potential for heat stroke. This year’s lineup includes headliners St. Vincent, Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, Elton John, Wilco, Kendrick Lamar and Sam Smith.

Choose between attending day one, day two or day three. There is also a hill parallel to Judah St. where, if you find the right angle, you can see some of the concert for free.

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A Commuter’s dream A list of the best podcasts for those long drives STORY BY JACOB JUDD @NINJAMASTERJUDD

“The Nerdist”: You don’t have to be a nerd to love this show.

Hosted by Chris Hardwick (known for his gameshow @Midnight) “The Nerdist” boasts one of the most diverse guest lists this side of Larry King. the breezy, conversational interviews don’t have the promotional pressure of a talk show appearance, leading to more honest and unique dialogues.

“StarTalk Radio”: Superstar astrophysicist and walking internet meme Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts a show that brings together entertaining figures from popular culture to make science sexy and fun. Like no personality since Bill Nye the science guy (who appears as a guest on this very show) has, Tyson makes science cool in the 21st century.

“IGN Games”: Like “Grantland Sports,” this feed collects numerous video gaming podcasts to fit every taste. Whether you’re an Xbox guy, a League of Legends gal, or just enjoy a good Mario Party, IGN probably has a show for you. Special mention to the obscenely popular “Podcast Beyond!” and to the wonderful chemistry between the hosts of “Nintendo Voice Chat.”

“Grantland Sports”: Rather than a single podcast, “Grantland Sports” is a collection of shows following current events in the world of sports. Football, soccer, boxing and basketball all get dedicated shows under this feed. The “Grantland” writers are an entertaining bunch, and each show gets to give specific focus without having to divide it among multiple sports.

“FistShark Marketing”: Pushing the boundaries of poor taste, “FistShark” is nonetheless a hilarious exercise in absurd, improvised, radio theatre. The episodes take the form of weekly meetings discussing how to best represent the washed-up celebrities desperate and/or crazy enough to hire them. There’s nothing else quite like it on the Internet.

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REALIZE YOUR DREAM AT MILLS COLLEGE.

put the pieces together Sign up for JRNAL-130: Multimedia Reporting for experience in social media, video / audio storytelling and online journalism.

For fall, the course meets MW at 12:30 - 2:45 p.m.

CSU transferrable / counts towards A.A.

Mills offers talented women who want an exceptional and personal education the ability to: • Get the classes you need to graduate on time.

• Earn merit scholarships totaling up to $15,000.

• Transfer with no minimum number of credits.

• Transfer without completing your GE requirements.

There’s still time to apply for fall 2015!

Call or email today to meet with an admission counselor and tour the Mills campus. Learn about our generous financial aid opportunities and our admission process.

M A K I N G T H E WO R L D M O R E . . .

Oakland, CA www.mills.edu/transfer MEET WITH A COUNSELOR: 800.87.MILLS or ADMISSION@MILLS.EDU

Fall 2015 Journalism Courses JRNAL 110 - Mass Media of Communication 1019 - TTH - 11 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. - Dent 1419 - MW - 2 - 3:20 p.m. - Smith 8620 - M - 7 - 9:50 p.m. - Rochmis An introduction to major mass media and its impact on American life. (Journalism, Communications A.A.) C-ID JOUR 100, CSU, UC

JRNAL 130 - Multimedia Reporting 1933 - MW - 12:30 - 2:45 p.m. - Gallo This course is an introduction to multimedia storytelling tools for journalism. Students will explore techniques that use tools such as text, photographs, video or audio to tell news or feature stories on the Internet or through social media. C-ID JOUR 120, CSU

JRNAL 120 - Newswriting Techniques 1021 - MW - 11 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. - Mazzocco This course introduces students to journalism reporting and writing for print, online and the broadcast media. (Journalism, English A.A.) C-ID JOUR 110, CSU

The Inquirer: News Production classes JRNAL 124-1887, 124-1888 Fundamentals I JRNAL 126-1027 News Production I (For majors, JRNAL 120 required) JRNAL 128-1924, 128-1927 Journalism Portfolio

you can write about

SEX DRUGS INEQUALITY RELIGION MOVIES DEATH EDUCATION BEER PROTESTS ROCK ‘N ROLL POLITICS AND MORE SEX* *if it’s newsworthy...

The

INQUIRER S tudent V oi ce

of

D iablo Val ley C ollege

Exploring journalism? – Sign up for JRNAL 124, Fundamentals, or JRNAL 128, Portfolio Development Majoring in journalism? – Sign up for JRNAL 120, Newswriting Techniques, and JRNAL 126, News Production