El Vaquero: Sept. 27, 2017

EL VAQUERO G L E N D A L E C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017

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Volume 110 | Issue 2

Giving Back: Food For Thought College pantry seeks to help students in need

By Clint Black Entertainment Editor Glendale Community College’s very own Food for Thought Pantry is celebrating its first anniversary this month and wants students with limited resources to utilize the resources provided by the initiative, rather than attempt to learn on an empty stomach. This is in addition to extending the opportunity to peers and faculty to volunteer for the cause potentially affecting you.

It may come as a surprise that there are students on campus who are facing major food scarcity. That means that they are sitting in classes and are hungry. Hunger means diminished performance in academic and work circles. Indeed, some two-thirds of students suffer from food insecurity, according to a recent study commissioned by the Los Angeles Community College District’s board of trustees.

“If you do the research, we have about 20,000 students,” said Paul Mayer, the president and chairman of GCC’s pantry.

He explained that if one out of five students is going hungry, it means that the pantry is only hitting a small portion of those who actually need help.

With the help of donors in the community such as Kiwanis Club of Glendale, Grocery Outlet, and now a new partnership with Trader Joe’s, Mayer, with additional aid from the Pantry Task Force, has made it possible for impoverished and in-need students to receive sustenance to assist in an uninterrupted learning environment.

After a brief visit to either locations at the Verdugo or Garfield campus, and completion of a simple form, eligible students are placed on a point system which allows them access to the Food for Thought pantry, from which they receive necessary food or hygiene products.

A study conducted by Sara GoldrickRab, professor of education policy and sociology at the University of Wisconsin, suggested that “a growing number of lowincome undergraduates experience food

and housing insecurity, even when students work and receive financial aid.”

With malnourishment as an obvious roadblock when it comes to learning and educational needs, Mayer wondered why nothing had been done to alleviate this at GCC when other campuses were already implementing solutions.

It was the summer semester of 2016 when Mayer and the Pantry Task Force began the process of initiating the food pantry after the academic senate learned of the immense issue of hunger and homelessness among students around college campuses.

The initiative had a rocky start in alerting students of their presence, but has grown in the last year. It officially opened its doors on Sept. 26, 2016.

A study by Goldrick-Rab showed that 52 percent of students surveyed at 10 community colleges around the country say that they’d experienced at least one form of housing insecurity, in addition to 28 percent cutting the size of meals, or skipping them altogether, because there wasn’t enough money for food. Mayer isn’t satisfied with the number of students helped.

Faculty and staff have been called upon to help with small contributions, either with donating time or money from their paychecks. Many students on campus have helped with stocking the pantry through donations or their time.

Financial insecurity plagues a sizable portion of GCC students, who are often sacrificing a lot to get their degrees. Some have children, others help their parents, and many are on their own. Many forego working multiple hours in order to attend school. The trade-off may be a better job that usually only comes with a degree. Yet, for now, they’re struggling. The fact that there has been influx of students who depend on the pantry’s resources says a lot.

As a result, organizers of the initiative hope members of the community will lend their time.

“I’m hoping that […] we get more people on the task force,” said Kevin Mack, treasurer of the pantry. “If we could get

Photo by Elena Jacobson

SHORT BREAK: Volunteers Tatevik Shahinyan and Joe Pallon take a break in between helping distribute dry goods to hungry students at the campus food bank.

more volunteers, faculty and staff, that would be great.” As treasurer, Mack handles all of the incoming and outgoing finances, including all monetary donations, which are allocated specifically for food and pantry replenishments.

One of Mayer’s hopes for the future is to one day have students run the entire operation with help from campus organizations like the ASGCC. “I’d like for the students to make these decisions to help each other for themselves,” said Mayer. “We as faculty are here to empower the students to be stewards to the community and to each other.” Mayer also wants students to know that it isn’t their fault that they are dealing with these circumstances and their community is here to help. The hope is that the initiative can take away the stigma associated with financial insecurity, because, oftentimes, there isn’t much a person can do to fix the circumstances they are in short of studying to get a better job. And how can people study if their stomachs are rumbling?

For any information on how you can receive assistance or help fellow students

and peers, plus any additional information on what the pantry is doing, please visit The GCC Food for Thought Pantry page at bit.ly/GCCFoodPantry.

At the official page, you can make quick and easy donations, as well as access to several resources and beneficial information that the task force has provided to benefit you in various financial dilemmas.

Clint Black can be reached at Cblack214@student.glendale.edu.

IN THIS ISSUE News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Features .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Entertainment. . . . . . . . 12-13 Sports.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15

Mexico Rocked By Quake GCC community touched by disaster in nation’s capital

By Marian Sahakyan Features Editor

Photo by Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Creative Commons

SEARCH AND RESCUE: An Israeli search and rescue delegation left for Mexico in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake that hit the country. The delegation includes Home Front Command engineers to assess integrity of buildings who are working alongside Mexicans to remove rubble and debris and recover victims of the 8.0 magnitude quake.

Devastation and cries took over Mexico City and its surrounding regions as a deadly 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck it on Sept. 19.

It was exactly 32 years ago that day when another trembler of 8.0 magnitude shook the city. Just like that, the Sept. 19 date became doubly ominous and made its reappearance into international headlines.

Leaders worldwide have reached out to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, offering assistance, search-and-rescue teams and more. President Donald Trump was among those to do so. “God Bless the people of Mexico City,” Trump said in a

Tweet. “We are with you and will be there for you.”

Over 700 aid workers from several countries have touched down in Mexico to lend a helping hand in rescue efforts. “So many things came and so many people to help,” said Dafne Beltran, 23-year-old student of Iberoamericana University, Campus Santa Fe, in México City, who volunteered in giving aid by sending food and other supplies. “... there was a point that the school said that more people cannot enter to help.”

Rescuers have been tunneling and digging through rubble and debris, initially in hopes to find possible survivors and now to dig up the dead.

The death toll has increased to at least 333, as of Tuesday afternoon, of which nearly two dozen were school children.

[See Earthquake, page 2]

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Mexico’s Earthquake [From Quake, page 1]

EDITOR IN CHIEF Ken Allard EDITORS Marian Sahakyan Clint Black STAFF WRITERS Carolina Diaz Heidy Espinoza Catalina Juarez Vendela Lindblom Ricky Nuño Hayk Rostomyan Rachel Valasquez Ellis Valdescona CONTRIBUTORS Adriana Garcia Rudy Guijarro PHOTOGRAPHERS Ivan Carlos Carmen Fernandez Elena Jacobson Guadalupe Ruiz faculty adviser Rory Cohen rcohen@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000 ext. 5214 advertising Jeff Smith jsmith@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 5493

Letters to the Editor El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public.

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Photo by Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Creative Commons

Individuals on the ground describe the signs of the big shake being present all over the city.

There is broken glass everywhere, caution tape blocking doorways and alleys, and buildings which once stood tall with endless Mexican charm are now crumpled to the ground.

“I haven’t received any help from any types of organizations,” said Alejandra Infante, who is a resident of México State, but could be considered one of the lucky ones as she still has sporadic access to utilities. “I have water, gas and electricity,” said Infante, “but sometimes it leaves because they are fixing cables.”

Mexico’s president has announced a new national emergency. “Unfortunately, many people have lost their lives, including girls and boys in schools, buildings and houses. I want to express my condolences to those who lost a family member or a loved one.

México shares your grief,” Peña Nieto said.

To encourage high spirit and show the fighting nature of his people, the Mexican president continued.

“As Mexicans, we have experienced difficult times because of

earthquakes in the past, and we have learned to respond with dedication and a spirit of solidarity.”

As expected, government organizations and volunteers assist in Mexico on the ground, but those of us who are abroad, can’t help but wonder what efforts we can make to help.

According to UNICEF, the most important thing that can be donated during natural disasters is money. There are multiple organizations which have landed campaigns to aid the country in efforts to recovery, including: Global Giving Mexico Earthquake Relief Fund: goal is $2,500,000 for long and shortterm recovery efforts Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexican Red Cross): One can donate money or choose to purchase survival essentials from ‘Amazon Wish List’ to donate UNICEF Mexico: donate money through unicef.org Marian Sahakyan can be reached at manehsahakyan@gmail.com.

Reporter Carolina Diaz, who can be reached at itscarodiaz@gmail. com, and staff photographer Carmen Fernandez, who can be reached at carmen.frndez@gmail.com, also contributed to this story.

Vaqueros Give Blood to Save Lives GCC hosts two-day event on campus

By Marian Sahakyan Features Editor ‘ Did you know that one pint of blood can save about three lives?

Huntington Hospital staff was on campus Sept. 25 and 26 so that Vaqueros could make a difference in the lives of those in need.

On both days, from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., student and staff stopped by on their way to classes or offices in order to help. Organizers thanked donors with $5 cards to In-N-Out burger restaurants. The large breadth of time allowed for flexibility in various schedules.

The purpose of the blood drive is to collect blood for the patients at Huntington Hospital due to blood shortages. “Huntington Hospital is the only trauma center in San Gabriel Valley, so we do need a lot of blood,” Lindsey Bridges, a Huntington Hospital staff member said.

Students and staff signed up to donate and were later accompanied by walk-in volunteers.

“We have two buses and a box truck for larger donations, tomorrow we will be a Burbank High School. We go to schools in the area to collect as much blood as we can,” explained Bridges. The event would not have come together without the help and encouragement of Associated Students of Glendale Community College.

As mentioned in the school website and on posters all around campus, all donors received five dollar In-n-out gift cards and were entered in a drawing to win other prizes.

“It’s my first time donating on campus, usually I go to my church so I was excited to see the truck on campus,” explained Carina Perez, a sociology and administrative justice major at GCC. According to the American Red Cross, every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood, but what isn’t very known to the public is that the blood used in an emergency is already on the shelves before the

Photo by Ivan Carlos

HELPING OUT: Student Miles Malone gets his blood drawn on Sept. 26.

event occurs.

“Once potential donors read a questionnaire, they have to complete a written questionnaire, then they go into the truck and answer verbal questions from the nurse. It is a process,” explained Bridges.

According to the Huntington Hospital website, only three percent of the eligible donors in California actually give blood.

The low supply of blood unfortunately results in chronically low shortage, which affects the hospital’s Trauma Center and their ability to help those who need it.

Marian Sahakyan can be reached at manehsahakyan@gmail.com.

Reporter Rachel Valasquez, who can be reached at missrachel724@gmail.com, also contributed to this story.

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Career Fair At Garfield Campus Draws 600 In its first career fair, GCC’s sister campus presented hundreds with opportunities

By Heidy Espinoza Staff Writer Glendale Community College hosted a career fair Sept. 14 at the Garfield campus, where roughly 600 students and community members attended. It was the first time the career fair wasn’t held at GCC. “Most of our students have not yet had the opportunity to go to the Verdugo campus of GCC to take advantage of the great services we offer there, including the job fair,” explained the Administrative Dean of Garfield Campus, Alfred Ramirez.

Those Garfield students, therefore, have been at a disadvantage when it comes to attending a career fair. Ramirez said that the purpose of hosting the event at GCC’s sister campus was to target an audience of a higher and more mature age than the ones typically served at the main Glendale campus. “With the career fair at the Garfield campus, our students were exposed to a real job fair,” he said.

Over 25 potential employers participated at the event. There booths were varied and included: GCC career and technical programs, the United States Postal Service, Burbank Parks and Recreation, and the U.S. Army. The American Red Cross also had a booth, which appeared to be highly trafficked by attendees.

The diversity of vendors was a goal of the organizers. Ramirez noted the help of student services technician and business administration adjunct instructor Sharis Davoodi. “She made certain that the employers had many entrylevel jobs which are more appropriate for many of our students,” he said.

Davoodi helped coordinate the career fair held at Garfield and explained that the outcomes have

been positive, including allowing students to go through the interview process for potential careerenhancing jobs.

In a week, a survey of students will show how many of them who were interviewed ended up getting hired. The organizers also noted the help of GCC and Garfield faculty.

“A common remark I received was that the students were prepared to get interviewed on the spot,” said Davoodi. “They were dressed professionally with resumes in hand ready to submit.”

Two Glendale Board of Trustees members, Dr. Armine Hacopian, GCC’s board president, and Yvette Vartian-Davis, showed up.

In addition to showing their support, they met with employers and got to hear about students’ experiences.

There are many opportunities to visit job fairs throughout the year. Usually, the main career fair is held here on the main campus during the spring, but there is also a career fair before the holiday season that provides seasonal jobs for students.

This time around, the fair sought to reach out to members of Glendale’s community and the wider region.

Caroline, 18, a Garfield student, said that she thought the Career Fair was a great opportunity, not only for her, but for many other students, “I’ve been in the United States for one year,” said Caroline. “So I’m here to get my GED since I didn’t finish high school in Honduras.”

Caroline wanted to get more informed about the American Red Cross because her career plan is to go into nursing and eventually become a doctor.

The difference between the career fair at Garfield and the ones typically held on the main campus is the size and scale. GCC main

Photo by Ivan Carlos

ARMY RECRUITERS: From left to right: Sgt.Joshua Bowen, Sgt. Edmundo Bendana, and Sgt. Toswie Elliot.

The U.S. military was also on hand to talk about the benefits of recruitment and service in the U.S. Armed Forces.

campus career fairs hold up to 80 employers, which, in previous years, has meant the attendance of over 10,000 students, alumni, and community members.

This career fair was meant to target the southern Glendale community along with the local student base.

“I am thrilled to see our students getting job offers related to their majors that they have studied so hard for,” said Davoodi.

“This is their opportunity to get hands-on experience in the field of their study.”

There have been a total 17 annual career fairs on the GCC campus. The 18th at GCC will take place in the spring, but opening up fairs to Garfield can also help the college recruit more potential students at both college facilities who are looking to expand their skills.

“We surprisingly had a really good turnout and we were very happy about it,” said GCC student employment services technician Sang Nam. “Students were

happy that they got to get interviewed by employers. It was very successful.”

Further, the organizers sought to make sure that students and community members with limited English proficiency could communicate with potential vendors about jobs.

Andra Hoffman-Verstrate, the director of the career services, indicated that making it possible for job seekers without a native English proficiency to find opportunities was key. Ramirez echoed that point.

Elizabeth Mercado, a middleaged woman, said she was attending Garfield to complete her GED. Mercado dropped out of high school because she decided to run away from an abusive household. She enrolled at Garfield eight years ago but had to take a break from school because she needed to work. She didn’t want to give up, therefore she returned in April.

One of her instructors told her to attend the fair, since she knew

Mercado was unemployed.

Mercado said that the American Red Cross booth stood out to her because she wants to help out patients, especially those with cancer because she is a cancer survivor herself.

In 2015, Mercado was diagnosed with cancer and went through six chemotherapy treatments plus three radiation sessions in the following year. This year in June, she was notified by her doctor that she was in the clear and officially cancer free.

In light of her situation, she felt nothing was impossible, but she knew she would have to look for opportunities..

Students who need assistance with jobs or internships should contact the job placement center at (818) 240-1000 ext. 5194, visit the office in the San Rafael building, or check out the year-round online job board at collegecentral. com/Glendale.

Heidy Espinoza can be reached at heidyespinoza.15@gmail.com.

GCC Unveils New Mural EMBRACING HISTORY: Bracamonte’s mural touches on themes from the Armenian Genocide to Mayan gods and goddesses.

Photo by Guadalupe Ruiz

By Carolina Diaz Staff Writer Manuel Bracamonte, a Glendale Community College alumnus, is the artist behind the mural “Create, Awaken.” Bracamonte was born in El Salvador and immigrated to the United States with his parents. They made Los Angeles their home. He started his passion for art in the streets, but from there he attended Cal State Long Beach and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. His mural was unveiled Sept. 19, which was

also his birthday.

“My greatest memory that I had at GCC was my art classes and [of my] mentor,” said Bracamonte. Besides the fact that it was the opening showcase for his mural it was also his birthday.

Bracamonte’s main objective was to represent every culture without making the symbolism so obvious. He started to plan the mural around the spring of this year. By summer came the process of painting the mural. The painting emphasizes the diverse cultures that the college boasts. It

also emphasizes the artist’s roots.

GCC staff members, Hoover Zariani, the manager of Multicultural & Community Engagement Center, and Nane Kakosian, a student services tech with the Center, were the organizers for the event.

They explained that the both of them would regularly meet with Bracamonte for the planning of the mural.

“I’m a color person, so my favorite part of the murals is all the bright colors he used,” said Kakosian.

Not only is the mural full of

bright colors, but every detail holds a meaning behind it. From the different types of gods and goddesses, to the symbols represent Glendale, the art is meant to showcase what the college stands for and the different things and characters that make it so rich.

The orange groves represent Glendale in the early days and the purple flowers are a memorial for the Armenians killed in the genocide of 1915.

“I love it all, but my favorite part of the mural is the orange groves representing Glendale,”

said Zariani.

In a 2010 El Vaquero article, Bracamonte, then a student, called Glendale College his “second home.” He has come a long way since, describing the color palettes used in his work and how there is a narrative to go along with it. “I feel we are the new generation of artists that will document truths and glories of our time,” he said of his art, which is deeply rooted in the history of his people.

Carolina Diaz can be reached at itscarodiaz@gmail.com.

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The Piano Barn: Play Me A Tune Peter Green, a GCC music professor, discusses the initiative that brought the instrument to campus

Photo by Carmen Fernandez

MUSIC TO OUR EARS: The GCC Piano Barn houses a piano on campus, the first of which was brought to the campus following a “Play Me I’m Yours”program from the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. It has since grown and GCC is now home to two outdoor pianos on campus. ASGCC recently granted the program with $3,000 to replace one of the outdoor pianos.

By Catalina Juarez Staff Writer By now, every student has walked past the piano on campus. It’s situated between the Administration Building and the Auditorium. It’s a prime real estate on campus, a high-traffic area that students congregate around as they wait for their classes or grab a coffee at the kiosk nearby.

“I enjoy having the piano outside. Usually, I play at 7 a.m. because these practice rooms don’t open until 8 a.m.,” said Fumiya Yamamoto, 22, a math major student here on campus.

“I like it because I can still play even if every practice room is unavailable.” Yamamoto is one of many students on campus who pass the time playing the piano on campus. Some, of course, play better than others.

Dr. Peter Green, a music professor, has been teaching at Glendale Community College since 1999. His passion and dedication for music as well as his students, is what made him

jump at the opportunity to bring a piano at GCC, he explained. The piano, moreover, has since started many traditions, from caroling on Christmas around campus to composing small recitals with students.

The GCC Piano Barn is one of 11 pianos around Los Angeles that were originally put out by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for people to play. The pianos, at the time, were spread out all over Los Angeles, from the University of California, Los Angeles to the University of Southern California.

The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra previously had a program called “Play Me I’m Yours.” It has since grown, but at GCC, the piano became a permanent fixture. It’s owed to Green, who, when asked if Glendale Community College would be interested in having a piano on campus, jumped at the chance.

“It was such a hit here I think, because every time I walked by, students would be sitting down and playing and that’s really cool,”

said Dr. Green. “So many people doors, which allows the piano to around the college emailed me and remain safe from being stolen or said ‘Peter that’s such a cool idea, damaged when the campus is not we’re so glad we’re doing it.’ So open. many students don’t have a piano.

However, the piano does This is the only time they’ll play require maintenance in order for it a piano and everyone needs that to keep working and maintenance musical outlet that the music even if you department “So many students can’t play.” takes care of don’t have a piano.

M a n y on their own.

This is the only time students enjoy It requires to they’ll play a piano and be tuned every playing the everyone needs that piano even if semester and musical outlet even if it isn’t their that usually you can’t play.” best played costs $150.

- Peter Green instrument.

Unfortunately, “ O t h e r b e c a u s e instruments the piano is that I am better at I find as a musical situated outdoors, it can only outlet, but piano is definitely just last a few years. Once the piano soothing for me to play,” said Jake dies, Dr. Green will concentrate Kalender, 19, A biology major on a replacement, but that can student here at GCC. only happen if there are piano The piano barn was designed donations. by one our facility members Dan Due to the outdoor ambience, Padilla. It is a home of sorts that it is very hard to put out a brand surrounds the piano itself. The new piano because it would not design was meant to protect the last as long, which is why Dr. piano from the weather such as rain Green ensures that the piano being or extreme heat. It also includes replaced is still in good condition

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and able to last for a moderate time.

“I usually don’t pay too much mind to people around me when I play outside. I used to play every other day, but then the piano seemed to either be off tune or certain notes weren’t working so I stopped playing out there,” said Kalender.

The Associated Students of Glendale Community College have approved a $3,000 grant for a brand new piano, so in the near future, students will benefit from a new piano.

“I think it brings students to music. They all sit down and play the piano, but it’s great because sometimes you see somebody playing and then other people walk up and they’ll start singing along,” Green said. “I think it brings people together. It’s a good way for people to meet on campus and at the same time a good way for students to grow an interest in music.”

Catalina Juarez can be reached at Cjuarez734@student.glendale.edu

for interesting story ideas. Do you know of anyone on campus with a compelling life story? Are you involved with an innovative campus program that the whole campus should know about? Do you have any ideas for improving the campus experience? Have you witnessed a possible news story that we may not know about? Let us know! Our reporters are on hand to talk with you.

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Choir Performs On The Big Stage Group sang at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017

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DACA Students Encouraged to Seek Assistance Available resources include scholarships, immigration advice from lawyers

By Ken Allard Editor-in-Chief

Photo by Mark Kaikian

Concert: Dr. Peter Green conducts the Glendale Community College Chior

By Marian Sahakyan Features Editor It’s not every day that a college choir sings on the big stage, but that’s exactly what happened when the Glendale Community College Campus Singers took the stage at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, Calif., on Sept. 14.

“When they [Kayamanan Ng Lahi] were coming up with their ideas for the Ford performance, they decided they would like to ask us to sing for their performance,” Peter Green, music professor and division chair of Visual and Performing arts, said, adding that “the choir had a great time.”

For the second time in a row, the Choir partnered with Kayamanan Ng Lahi, a Filipino Dance group in the Greater Los Angeles Area in efforts to keep alive the cultural dance forms of the Philippines.

Green’s team of singers sang three songs in Tagalog, one of which was from the movie “Hercules.”

They also sang backup for four songs for American Idol singer Anthony Fedorov. Deedee Magno Hall and Jennifer Paz from broadway also joined in on the performance fun.

“It was wonderful getting to know my culture’s different

influencers – since I am FilipinoAmerican,” said Cecile Sebastian, a music major and soprano in the Choir.

“I was able to learn a lot more about the Philippines, who I am and where my family and I come from.

As a group, we all loved the feeling of being backstage and getting more experience as performers.

It was fun to be a part of the production and to practice with other performers, not only singers, and see the way they rehearse and perform.”

Campus connections were also strengthened, as the GCC Filipino Club attended the event to further embrace their culture.

After a summer spent rehearsing and practicing songs in Tagalog, 25 GCC singers were ready for nothing but the spotlight. “The most rewarding part was getting to be a part of the Kayamanan Ng Lahi family, they are wonderful people and really welcomed us with all their hearts. We have become one big family,” said Sebastian.

Previously, Green who invited the Filipino Dance group to dance at the Concert Singers performance at GCC. Some time later, Green received an exciting invitation for further partnership between the two groups.

It wasn’t only a great opportunity for the GCC Choir to get to perform on such a big stage, but also a great learning experience for all.

“It was a lot of work and time for the choir and me, but it was definitely worth it,” Green mentioned. “It brought the group closer together. We had to learn to work in different situations than we usually do – we had to follow the different cues of the dancers when to come on stage and more.”

Despite the busy nature of its agenda, the GCC Choir continues to aim for the big stage and to perform at more events.

They are currently preparing for a concert at the end of the semester.

They will also be performing at the Glendale Forest Lawn on Dec. 11, as part of an annual service for those who passed away during the year. “Musicians have rare opportunities like this, opportunities for inclusion and immersion into a lush and gorgeous world, just through sound,” Hasanna Jackson, sacred music and choral conducting major vocalist at the GCC Concert singers said.

“We all come from somewhere, but music can always bring us home.”

Marian Sahakyan can be reached at Manehsahakyan@gmail.com.

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WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?

Glendale Community College’s DREAM Resource Center worked in collaboration with Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) to “set up a free clinic for immigration issues as well as DACA application assistance” on Sept. 23, said Hoover Zariani.

The event aimed at helping Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students took place at the Garfield Campus and was “free and open to the community.” In an emailed statement, Zariani explained that “many of our students are impacted by DACA and other immigration issues.” he added that the event offered “one-onone assistance from lawyers and legal staff at CARECEN.” Students have also been encouraged to apply to scholarship funds through Mission Asset Fund (MAF), which is seeking to help students who are in need to renewing their DACA status before the upcoming Oct. 5 deadline.

“The San Francisco-based nonprofit, which has a long history of supporting Dreamers, dedicated scholarship funds specifically to help California community college, California State University and University of California students pay for the $495 renewal fee,” a press release for the California Community Colleges “I Can Afford College” campaign read.

“DACA students interested in applying for the scholarship

opportunity should visit http:// lc4daca.org to learn more and complete the online application.

Scholarship applicants will need to complete a short questionnaire and will need to provide their documentation of DACA status with expiration date on or before March 5, 2018 to qualify for the financial aid.”

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump took significant criticism from activists, students, and faculty across the state and nation over a suggestion that he might end DACA. However, it has since appeared that a deal between Trump and Democrats was possibly on the horizon. In return for Trump supporting the DREAM Act, which effectively extends DACA protections, Democrats would spend some funding on border security, but not Trump’s wall between Mexico and the United States.

Democratic politicians Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader of the United States House of Representatives, and New York Sen. Chuck Schumer implied that a deal had been struck with Trump on DACA’s future, according to multiple reports from Sept. 13.

A day later, Schumer was involved in a hot mic moment stating that the president “likes me.”

That comment, unintended for public consumption, came just after Democrats met with Trump to reach an agreement.

Ken Allard can be reached at Kenallard4@gmail.com.

Photo by Ken Allard

ACTIVISM: People gather to show support for ‘Dreamers’ in Los Angeles.

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Seeking An Inclusive Hispanic Identity UCLA graduate student discusses identities in the Latinx community and what the future might entail for labels

By Carolina Diaz Staff Writer

Photo by Guadalupe Ruiz

DISCUSSING ‘LATINX’ COMMUNITIES: Kaelyn Rodriguez talks about growing up as a Latina who is also a black Chicana on Sept. 14.

Rodriguez is a UCLA graduate student and was a guest speaker at a GCC event entitled, “Exploring Labels of Self-Identity.”

September is officially Hispanic Heritage Month and Glendale Community College has sought to host a series of events to celebrate Latinx month.

The term Latinx seeks to be inclusive, taking into account various Latinos and Latinas.

It also acknowledges the LGBTQ community, where some people identify as a gender outside of biological parameters.

The opening event was hosted on Sept. 14 and entitled “Exploring Labels of SelfIdentity.”

It was organized by Dr. Ziza Delgado, professor of Ethnic Studies and History, and Krys Gonzalez, who is part of the Learning Center department.

The panel discussion was about the new terms and how people identify themselves within the Hispanic community.

Kaelyn Rodriguez, a UCLA graduate student, was one of the guest speakers.

El Vaquero reached out to Rodriguez to help emphasize the changes taking place in the Latino (or Latinx) community, and to understand how people identify through labels. She talked about her upbringing and how she fits into the narrative of Latinx.

Why did you choose to talk about Hispanics and the terms they use to identify themselves?

I was happy to join the conversation because I think that it is a long overdue topic and deserving of more exploration. A lot of us, myself included, reuse and therefore replicate terms and their power dynamics without really knowing what they mean, how they were formed, or how we feel about that term’s history.

In your opinion, why are having all these terms important?

I think the stakes are very high right now for the language we use and the discourse we create around Latinx identity and terms, especially as we struggle over immigration policies.

Why is it important to understand its history?

I think understanding the history of a term can be very powerful for claiming identity and for creating solidarity across difference. In this way, it is also important to remember the term illegal affects immigrants and others from many many backgrounds, not just Latinx [people].

Can you describe the term “illegal”?

In the U.S., the term illegal was applied to mixed-race persons, especially people of black and white heritage, before it was applied to undocumented immigrants. In the 1967 case Loving v. Virginia, the courts allowed for people of color to marry white people and have children. Before that point, white and non-white marriage was illegal and so were their mixed race children.

Do you think, in the future, there will be new terms that we use to describe ourselves?

I am sure that terms will continue to change over time. As we adapt to the changing world around us, as we reclaim our histories and develop our own cultural practices (inside and outside our family expectations), I absolutely expect that terms will change. Perhaps terms will be reclaimed and reframed. I don’t know exactly what that will be, but I am hoping that we never become idle, that we keep pushing for more language that helps us become more free.

Carolina Diaz can be reached at itscarodiaz@gmail.com.

Promoting the Polyglots Club seeks to advocate for foreign language speakers and find commonality

By Marian Sahakyan Features Editor There are two kinds of students. Those who only attend class and those who try to make the best of college by uniting diverse student body.

This is exactly what business major Sydney Magbanua did by coming up with a club concept to bring together students with various interests and backgrounds.

It wasn’t until she started taking Chinese courses that the 19-year-old decided to start a club which majorly focuses on learning and practicing foreign languages. “I fell in love with languages and started looking up what it is called to know different languages. People usually say it’s multilingual or bilingual, but research showed me that the term is actually ‘polyglot,’” Magbanua said. “I got really excited about it and got into the idea of starting a club.”

Through research, numerous emails, a few rejections, and, finally some time later, Magbanua is finally able to say that she put together a club which will allow students to form friendships beyond ethnic frontiers.

“I noticed that there are different clubs like French club, Filipino, Armenian and Spanish clubs, and it kind of struck me how weird it was that we’re all kind of separating ourselves from everyone rather than sticking together,” Magbanua added.

During their meetings, officers of the club thought of a project, which won’t only link students of different but common interests, but will also promote and fundraise for the Study Abroad program of Glendale Community College.

“Study abroad is something we are really passionate about and we believe it fosters exactly the type of open-mindedness that an individual needs in order to grow and be critical of the world around him or her,” Alina Zulfiqar, anthropology major and vice president of the club said. “A lot of students cannot afford this experience and we are dedicated to changing that.”

Though many ideas were brainstormed to raise funds during the campaign, the members of the club decided that they would start off by hosting international movie nights on campus and bringing in snacks from various corners of the world.

“Sounds like a worthwhile

idea,” Flavio Frontini, codirector of the Study Abroad Program in GCC and professor in charge of the Italian language program said. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase links between global learning and global communication.”

Aside from fundraising, the club officers came up with ideas to stay current with different cultures and languages around the world.

“We will take a globe, spin it around and stop it randomly and wherever our fingers land, that’s the place we will learn about,” Magbanua mentioned.

The Census Bureau estimates put foreign language proficiency in Glendale, Calif., at 69.7 percent for the last available 2013 numbers.

That means that people are often speaking a language other than English in their home, according to data from Census.

The club officers hope to expand people’s knowledge on different ethnicities, cultures and religions.

As Magbanua said, “as a polyglot, you’re not just learning different languages, but you also learn how people live.”

Marian Sahakyan can be reached at manehsahakyan@gmail.com.

Photo by Quinn Dombrowski / Creative Commons

A COSMOPOLITAN WELCOME: Multiple languages are depected in this sign, including, Thai, Arabic, Hebrew and more.

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Ballet Folklórico: Brings GCC a Splash of Color CSUN dancers bring Mexican culture to campus during Hispanic heritage month

By Carolina Diaz Staff Writer On Sept. 21, GCC’s Spanish department continued to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month by inviting Ballet Folklórico Aztlán de CSUN to perform in the campus auditorium.

Ballet Folklórico Aztlán de CSUN is a student dance organization whose focus is educating the community about the rich Mexican culture through colorful dances from different regions of México.

Funded by ASGCC’s Campus Project Support Grant, Ballet Folklórico Aztlán de CSUN performed in the auditorium.

At first the event was going to be at Plaza Vaquero, but because of weather issues – a heavy dose of morning showers – they moved the event to the auditorium.

BFA de CSUN performed multiple songs that were related to the three different regions they were presenting. The first region was Hidalgo, Mexico. With their vibrant color dresses the two female performers, Leslie Ignacio and Sandra Manzano, only performed one song for that region.

Second region was Sinaloa, Mexico. Diana Cabral, who was the adviser, and Carlos Parraguirre performed two dances. The audience was clapping and shouting, making the dancers feel all the energy they were emitting.

What seemed to be the most popular region was the last one, which was Jalisco, Mexico. Having four songs danced by the variety of the members the audience was enthusiastic. Some students were even dancing on their seats and expressed amazement at how the dresses swayed while dancing.

Once in awhile the dancers would have to take a break from dancing because they would lose their breath at how hard they performed.

Photo by Ivam Carlos COLORFUL FUN: Carlos Parraguirre and Diana Cabral from CSUN’s BFA preform a dance at Glendale Community College, in Glendale Calif., on September 21, 2017.

“I’m going to dance until my legs give up,” said Cabral, earning a laugh from the crowd.

Ballet Folklórico Aztlán de CSUN was founded in 1970 during the Chicana/Chicano movement. At that time the group was very strong, but then the Northridge earthquake happened which forced the movement to take a four-year hiatus.

Then, in 1997, the group began to perform again. This was also the first year that BFA de CSUN performed for GCC.

“We also hope to strengthen bonds between GCC and CSUN as we send many transfer students to CSUN,” said GCC Spanish professor Stacy Jazan, “and we hope to inform the students of the opportunity to be a part of this organization at CSUN.” BFA de CSUN will celebrate their 15th Annual dance concert in either May or June on the campus of CSUN. Carolina Diaz can be reached at itscarodiaz@gmail.com.

Photo by Carmen Fernandez MEXICAN SPIRIT: Dancers showcase their ethnic dresses during their performance.

LIFE: Lean IN for enterpreneurs GCC Club encourages future business owners, innovative thinking

By Rachel Valasquez Staff Writer An entrepreneurial club has emerged at GCC. Lean In For Entrepreneurs (LIFE) club is a series of eight workshops based around the book “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead,” by Sheryl Sandberg.

The club offers students advice on how to brand and market themselves while networking with different groups in cities around Glendale.

“We are all here to help

each other and help ourselves, it’s a jungle not a latter,” said Hope Rosemary, who is one of the facilitators of this club.

Hope quotes Sandberg who compares the world of career entrepreneurship as a jungle of which you embrace taking different jobs at different levels in the lifespan of your career; rather than thinking of your job history as a career latter, expecting each position you hold to be higher ranked than the previous. The purpose of this club is to help students,

faculty and the community to continue to network outside the community. The club offers internships, and business tools given to the entrepreneur to create a successful self funded business.

The first meeting presented guest speaker Samuel Osborne, a renowned motivational coach, to speak to the club about his book called, “Pack a Bigger Punch,” which tells, “7 steps to uncover your real message.”

Osborne, who offers a free online course which teaches

the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and motivational speaking, advised the club on tools for finding and delivering your message as a speaker or entrepreneur. He teaches the club the importance of revealing a message that hits your audience with skill and strength.

“Spend time by yourself, meditate and journal- really find your message. If you love an entrepreneurial idea, give it time,” advises Osborne.

In the past LIFE club

has hosted entrepreneurs such as the co-owner of Zankou Chicken, Vartkes M.Iskenderian. This semester LIFE club plans to collaborate with Innovate Pasadena to promote networking within the business realm.

LIFE club will meet every other Tuesday; the next meeting is on October 10, 2017 at 3pm at the Sandbox Lab in the San Rafael building.

Rachel Valasquez can be reached at missrachel724@gmail.com.

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Breaking Bread: How One Student Launched A Business GCC student goes after his dreams to start his own pizza service and give back to local community

Photo by Hayk Rostomyan

BACKYARD PIZZA: Nick Bardawil bakes pizza pies at his home in Glendale, Calif.

By Hayk Rostomyan Multimedia Editor I’ve known Nick Bardawil since 2009. He represents the modern college student who is going to school and working.

Though, he’s working for himself.

It’s early morning.

The pepperoni is sliced. The dough and sauce are being put into the freezer. Out back the wood is being chopped to be fuel for the oven. Nick Bardawil, a 25-yearold chemistry major, is ready to roll out and move his business forward. It’s a long time coming, as it hasn’t always been easy for him.

Bardawil was arrested for drug possession in Texas on Dec. 7. It was a road trip gone wrong, he said. When Bardawil returned home to Glendale, Calif., he realized that he had to correct the path he was on. With a little

help from his friend, Cale Hanks, Bardawil began to fix his mistakes and move toward a more positive future.

Bardawil and Hanks put their money together to open up a business. “Right away we knew [that] we wanted to run a food truck,” said Bardawil. “So me and my friend [Hanks] went over some ideas. Taco truck, Italian, Kebabs.

But then, one day, I brought up the idea of making pizza pies that were all organic. I had noticed that at every party or event I had been at, there was someone who always wanted pizza. My friend agreed. We started right away.”

Third Eye Pizza Pie Co. began serving orders January.

“It’s working with your best friend,” suggested Bardawil.

“We have a strong work ethic. If we have a job and the job is not done…then we are not done.”

The crew of Third Eye Pizza

Pie Co. is waiting in anticipation for the verdict on Bardawil’s court case. The future of the business could change depending on the ruling.

Before he became his own boss, Bardawil had gained experience working from restaurant to restaurant. He had operated in diners, pho restaurants, and vegan establishments. His duties have varied from busser to waiter, to manager, to sous chef, to head chef.

“I would work as many hours as I could to make as much money as I could,” explained Bardawil.

At one point, I was the only cook that they had employed. That made me work harder in order to keep someone else’s business open in order for me to still make an income. But because of those hours and experience, I was able to collect the capital for me to be able to start my business.”

Third Eye Pizza Pie Co. does have its limits, confessed Bardawil. Due to the number of ovens and the number of their workforce, the business cannot pump out pizzas at an industrial level. However they took this weakness and turned it into something profitable.

Realizing that they cannot meet the demand on a street corner, they knew that they would have to work private events. Third Eye Pizza has served clients from the Rose Bowl to EDM and Rave events.

Bardawil and his crew also care about their community.

After working a wedding, they had satisfied over 130 people with seven different varieties of organic pizza. However they still had a lot of ingredients left after the event, noted Bardawil. “This [wedding] was our fourth biggest event that we’ve worked so we

had packed a lot,” he said. “Just in case.”

On July 20, early in the morning, Bardawil prepared the outdoor oven to make pizza for the homeless. He had asked me to come and videotape the Third Eye method of pizza making. By the middle of the day, Bardawil and his friends had created over fourdozen organic pizza pies. The pies were loaded into their truck and given out to the homeless in Eagle Rock and Downtown Los Angeles.

“We are thinking about creating a dessert menu. Pies made with Nutella, berries and whipped cream,” Bardawil said excitedly.

Despite the limitations of the past, Bardawil is ready to expand his company.

Hayk Rostomyan can be reached at hayk.rostomyan@gmail.com.

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OPINION

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017

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The Anti-Social Network Race to the bottom of the brain stem

Photo by Dickson Phua

CELLPHONE TAKEOVER: With the huge increase in the popularity of smartphones these days, everyone on the street seems to be glued to their devices.

By Ken Allard Editor-in-chief What if I told you that you were in the midst of a great human experiment, where the goals of those running the experiment are well-defined, but the methods used and the potentially generation-defining consequences are unknown?

You likely wouldn’t believe it, but, in fact, you have already agreed to being a participant.

If you own a smartphone and use it to connect to the internet, you have effectively signed your name on the dotted line, voluntarily giving yourself up in exchange for being another data point in the experimenter’s worldwide trial.

You are the experiment, and you are the product. What these “researchers” – app designers, web developers, analytic services, broker companies and advertisers – are trying to learn more about is you. Your browsing habits on the internet, your social media use, the places you visit, who you talk to, and the products you search for, among other things, are all immensely valuable assets.

A study done by the Federal Trade Commission on nine prominent data brokers found that these companies earned roughly $426 million in revenue by selling customer data. This data is then used by advertisers to make personalized ads based on your browsing and buying tendencies, a highly-efficient means of getting products sold.

Have you ever wondered why social media platforms are so

highly-valued? Facebook is valued at roughly $190 billion, Instagram at $35 billion, and Snapchat $40 billion. It’s because social media platforms – with their vast user bases totaling nearly three billion people – extract immense amounts of data, which are then sold off to the highest bidder.

With this much money at stake, each player in this information game has a colossal incentive to keep your eyeballs on the screen. The longer you are on your device, the more data that is extracted.

Knowing that time-on-screen equals money in the bank, designers of smartphones, apps, and websites tailor their products to be as addictive as possible.

Social media “feeds” are made to be attractive on the eyes. Facebook and Instagram feeds are scrolling, which developers realize is the best way to keep you onscreen and searching through the application for something interesting. Notifications are designed and colored to be attention-grabbing. The red-colored icon informs you of someone validating your opinion through a ‘like’ or ‘favorite,’ what psychologists refer to as social proof.

The validation attained through social media notifications, or the joy you get from checking new emails, scrolling through your news feed, and surfing from hyperlink to hyperlink scanning for that new tidbit of information, floods the brain with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure

centers.

This is the same compound released during enjoyable activities like sex, eating your favorite food, gambling, and drug use – which is why all of these things have the potential to be so highly addictive.

If you have trouble with obsessive smartphone use, it’s because your body has become accustomed to this flood of dopamine.

In other words, you’re addicted.

Of course, an addiction only becomes an issue when the negative consequences nullify the positives. Americans are hopelessly addicted to caffeine, but the productivity boost received outweighs the restlessness, anxiety, and occasional heart palpitations.

The question now is: is our smartphone use – our addiction – having a noticeably negative effect on us?

Early results indicate that the answer is a resounding ‘yes.’

A 2016 National Institute on Drug Abuse study conducted on 8th-, 10th- and 12th-graders found that these age groups are going out with friends less often, going on fewer dates, having less sex, are more likely to experience periods of loneliness, and are less likely to get enough sleep than their predecessors. Additionally, since 2011, rates of teen depression and suicide have skyrocketed.

Some of these trends hold true for college students, too. College students are spending less time socializing and more time browsing the distorted world of social media. Many experts think that

prolonged use of social media has contributed to the increased levels of depression and anxiety among the 18- to 27-year-old demographic It’s not just our mental health at stake, either. The way our brain functions is under an extensive renovation process, as well.

The idea that our brains are locked-in and fully developed when we reach adulthood is antiquated, and a semi-new theory of “neuroplasticity” has taken over the modern pedagogy of neuroscience.

The brain is constantly adapting to the stimulus applied to it; nerve cells “delete” old connections and form new ones, effectively altering the way it functions.

We are always plugged-in, surrounding ourselves in a world of constant distractions, which is molding us into distracted thinkers.

Many of you readers likely failed to make it this far in the article without thinking about, or indeed checking, your smartphone.

Instead of us having a sustained, linear thought-process, built up through prolonged reading or silent contemplation, where we are able to think deeply and almost meditatively about a topic in a flowing stream of consciousness, we are becoming shallow thinkers due to our propensity to desire information in scattered bits and pieces.

What the internet is doing now – in all of its distracting and procrastination-enabling abilities

– is chipping away at the way we think. Just like a sculptor chiseling away at a piece of marble in hopes of creating a statue out of artistic impression, the bombardment of notifications in the information age is chiseling away at our linear thinking capabilities.

But unlike the sculptor, the smartphone-shaped chisel isn’t creating art, it’s destroying it.

Could we be getting ahead of ourselves by declaring the “end times” at the hands of the internetequipped-smartphone?

Surely.

Many in Academia sounded the same alarms when the printing press, radio and television were created. But, as we have seen, they brought about more good to society than they did bad.

We now live in an age where the ability to search and take-in new information is desired. Is this rewiring of our brains making us more adept for the society that we are trending towards? Is the increase in anxiety, depression, and suicide among our youth – which is correlated with extensive internet usage – just a statistical anomaly that will work itself out as we become accustomed to the changing times?

There’s not enough information to make a definitive claim.

What we do know at the moment, is that we are in the midst of a great human experiment.

Should we be welcoming of this new age? Maybe.

For now, it might be time to disconnect.

Ken Allard can be reached at kallard438@student.glendale.edu

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OPINION

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017

Swipe Left: Tackling Today’s Dating

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Shallow culture has led to instand gratification, but no substance in relationships

By Catalina Juarez Staff Writer Dating in today’s generation of young adults has to be one of the most negative attributes of this era.

It seems as if people will only date because they can either benefit from the other person or because they have their own selfish needs they want to fulfill.

What happened to dating because you genuinely wanted to get to know the other person? Or possibly grow old with them and start a family?

It seems, as of today, relationships are seen only as a keen way to not look lonely; to fit into a society norm where you look more put together if you have someone rather than be the awkward third wheel when you’re out with your friends.

The “hook-up” trend has become the new “relationship” status. We have hit this point in our generation where no one wants to be in a relationship because they want to be free, but still want to set boundaries with their partner. It’s a mindset of “I don’t want to be in a relationship because I am not ready to be in one, but God forbid you’re talking to anyone else.”

Relationships used to be this chapter in your life where you’re not only

growing up yourself, but you have someone else growing up with you as well. Now, it is the one thing that everyone seems to run away from. This generation has become so obsessed with the materialistic and physical aspect of relationships that they’ve forgotten what the true value of what they even represent.

Some people seem to only date and even marry just because of what the other person can provide for them; and that is the reassurance of having a stable future. But this is where the question lies. Why does your future need to depend on the person you decide to date? Why do you need someone else to provide something for you when you can get it yourself if you just work hard for it?

So many people tend to date just because they’re bored. They will agree to go out with another person for a free meal, a free trip to the movies or even just to brag about how “they have options” when in reality, it shouldn’t be that way. We’ve come to this point where someone might actually be interested in the other person and genuinely have the best intentions, but this hookup trend has everyone so confused that ultimately ends in one person playing games and the other person feeling like they’ve wasted their time before

realizing it’s time to end it. Then comes this whole sense where once the person realizes they’ve screwed up, they try and fix it only to realize that the other person is long moved on and now they’re left with some heartbreaking feeling. It’s all a cycle.

The way I see it is, people should not be dating unless they really feel like that is where they are in their lives and they genuinely want to date. Not because they’re bored, not because they’re tired of being lonely and not because they are the only ones in their group or friends that doesn’t have a significant other.

It’s sad to see that this era has confused sexual favors and love as the same thing because if we’re being blunt about this whole thing, that’s what it is.

It’s this confusion of lust and love. I get it, we’re all human, we all have our own needs and desires we want to be fulfilled but that does not mean we can use that as an excuse to play with someone else’s emotions. It’s as that cliché saying goes; “it’s all a game until someone gets hurt.”

Relationships shouldn’t be about what the other person can provide for you. It’s about what YOU can bring to the table. What do you have going on for yourself? Everyone should have something going on for themselves;

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goals they want to accomplish before settling down. This whole phase of “I’m only young once” and “I just want to lash out” is no longer an excuse to being an asshole and thinking you can get away with it. It’s actually quite simple; you’re either mature enough or ready to date or you’re not.

Best advice to give living in this generation is to simply focus on you first.

Focus on graduating, if you happen to still be in school. Focus on improving in your current job positions. Take care of your health and mental state of mind.

Get your bank account looking nice, because lets face it, relationships and breaking up may suck, but knowing that you actually have something going on for yourself and that you don’t need a significant other to obtain something or make a name for yourself is an even better feeling.

It’s also worth taking to heart that you should not break someone else’s just because you’re not sure yet of what you want. Don’t waste time and pretend you’re interested because someone was cruel to you.

If you know you’re not ready to take the next step with someone else, swipe left.

Catalina Juarez can be reached at cjuarez734@student.glendale.edu.

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Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

It’s a “mother!”

‘It’ Kills the Box Office

Much-anticipated film dominates

Darren Aronofsky’s film forces viewer out of comfort zone

By Clint Black Entertainment Editor No matter if you’re fond of or hate uncomfortable films, the latest punctuation and grammatically-compromising Darren Aronofsky film, “mother!,” will ensure that you will leave the theater discussing the events that ensued whether you step out in the middle of it or during the final credits.

The cryptic promotion and advertising for the film, which starred Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, left almost everything to the imagination in regards to any kind of plot to be expected. Heading into the theater, overpriced popcorn in hand, I watched patrons fill their seats with little information other than that Javier Bardem filled a supporting main character role along with Michelle Pfeiffer in a lesser role. Pfeiffer employed some of that sultry Selina Kyle alter ego in her role as a character you already know but have to see the movie to find out.

Viewers were left speculating what was happening throughout the duration of the two-hour feature. This is where the “love it or hate it” aspect rears its ugly head. With an allegorical plot that only becomes slightly obvious towards the latter end of the film, the viewer was invited to relate the cinematic moment to their

own interpretation. There are various angles from which the film can be decoded, depending on a viewer’s perspective.

Some took the more literal approach, watching the film as an expression of the strained relationship between a husband and wife, while others read it through the difficulty of the artistic process. That was demonstrated through Javier Bardem’s character seemingly incurable case of writer’s block until he gets a visit from what appear to be familiar guests. Whether or not these are the primary messages the viewer comprehends, they pale in comparison to the larger message that the director, Aronofsky, has elected to feature.

Read on if you don’t mind some spoilers. Though, in an effort to keep as many surprises intact as Aronofsky and Lawrence intended for the viewer, specifics will be spared.

You’re in store for something a little more eccentric than your typical “tripping in the woods” slasher film. In true Aronofsky tradition, “mother!” is far from the familiarly overdone killer clown movie.

The setting is a stunning, but recently fire-stricken, house belonging to Bardem, which is in the process of undergoing a complete interior renovation

by Lawrence. But with movies like “Requiem for a Dream” and

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“Black Swan” under the director’s belt, it is no surprise that the house is more than a mere setting.

The house, in its various states throughout the 120 minutes that we’re invited inside, represents something bigger than its physical brick-and-mortar form. It is, in its own rights, another character. If this is already too much mental capacity to siphon into a Friday night, then I wouldn’t suggest “mother!” because what takes place in this environment is even more outlandish than the countryside home itself.

Wooden floors that bleed into rugs, a staredown results in a stolen newborn, and a mysterious yellow elixir all make sporadic appearances. Each represent something specifically tied into the overall theme. Okay, I’ll admit I’m still unsure on the yellow potions importance, but if you find out, let me know.

Step out of your comfort zone and go see the horror movie inspired by issues that we so often discuss. Decide whether you love it or hate it enough to make it to the credits—where hints at the theme are still executed, sprinkled throughout the text.

In the meantime, see if you can pick anything up from the first movie poster released early this summer.

By Rudy Guijarro Contributing Writer Warner Bros. have a hit on their hands with the film “It,” which proves that moviegoers of all ages still have a thirst for a jump scare monster flick. The horror film reached a $13 million Thursday opening record, according to Entertainment Weekly, and peaked at a $51 million for its weekend debut.

This demonic resurrection of Stephen King’s “It” is sure to satisfy your appetite for horror.

The film takes place in a quiet town named Derry, Maine, in 1989. Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher), a teenager from the small town, is on a quest to find his little brother, Georgie, who disappeared a year ago. Georgie was presumed dead after being lost in the sewers during a rainy day. Bill is convinced that his brother is alive and persuades his friends to help look for him.

While searching for Georgie, the misfit group of teenagers that go by the self-proclaimed name “The Losers Club” begin to be terrorized by a vulgar killer clown that identifies himself as “Pennywise the dancing clown” (played by Bill Skarsgård). The Losers Club consists of seven young outcast who have their own individual fears. They each have to conquer them in order

to defeat the entity that is “It.” The film has plenty of great jump scares, but one the most memorable that will keep you up at night is the scene with Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff). The boy can’t stop following the eyes of a creepy painting of a crude woman in his father’s office only to have it come to life and chase him out. Even the master of horror himself, Stephen King, was frightened by the scene. So was the movie crew. “‘I [expletive] love the woman in the painting, it scared the [expletive] out of me,” said Andy Muschietti, the director, in a Business Insider interview.

And if that doesn’t sound terrifying enough, Pennywise can alter his physical form to be anything children fear.

“It” surpassed “The Exorcist” (1979) for highest domestic North American R-rated scary film. With a number one streak for three weeks straight and whopping $400 million worldwide, “It” outperformed, especially considering its relatively modest budget of $30 million. Indeed, “It” is anything but scary for the box office.

To keep the blood flowing, Andy Muschietti and producing partner Barbra Muschietti are already talking about a sequel set to film soon with Skarsgård to remain Pennywise and extended original content to target audiences’ greatest nightmares.

Rudy Guijarro can be reached at rudyguijarro11@gmail.com.

Clint Black can be reached at Cblack214@student.glendale.edu.

“mother!” Offers Moviegoers Something Different Aronofsky’s new cryptic film isn’t for the fainthearted

By Adriana Garcia Contributing Writer

Photo by GabboT / Creative Commons

POSING FOR THE PRESS: Jennifer Lawrence, the lead actress in mother!,” attends the 2017 Toronto Film Festival.

Writing about director Darren Aronofsky’s latest film, “mother!,” is different than talking about it.

It’s hard, and forces one to organize thoughts in a rational and coherent manner – something the psychological thriller cannot be charged with.

But Aronofsky claims he planned it that way. “I kind of want people to not be too prepared,” said the writer and director in an interview for The Telegraph. “You think it’s one type of film and then suddenly it changes. You can never quite get a handle on it and it’s constantly surprising.”

That surprise comes not only from the film’s content, but from its lead actress as well.

Jennifer Lawrence’s reaction shots

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are often all the audience is presented with before the action unfolds on screen. Lawrence is the audience’s guide, as the film consists primarily of three tight shots – over her shoulder, on her face, and what she’s looking at.

The claustrophobic shots, dim lighting and lack of score complement the film’s content to perfect a disconcerting air. “I want [the audience] to know it’s going to be intense,” said Aronofsky, “and they should only come if they want to see, venture far enough to incorporate so much hidden meaning.

The initial stages are reminiscent of Roman Polanski’s “Rosemary’s Baby.” Javier Bardem plays the charming husband experiencing severe writer’s block, and Lawrence is the young, supportive wife.

Much like in Polanski’s film, the couple’s tranquil existence is interrupted by outsiders – in this case unexpected visitors (Michelle Pfeiffer

and Ed Harris) instead of neighbors.

The plotline explodes from then on.

Themes presented throughout “mother!” include the delicate balance of marital roles, the struggles of living life in the public sphere, differences in parenting, and even creationism.

The film’s ambitious span and unique presentation is impressive but might repel those with more conservative tastes.

“I’m scared of the CinemaScore,” admitted the director in a Los Angeles Times interview. The Brooklyn native’s work is polarizing. He’s known for films like “The Fountain” and “Black Swan.”

Like many of his past projects, Aronofsky’s new film requires divergent thinking and an understanding that discomfort while watching is inevitable.

Adriana Garcia can be reached at agarcia5422@student.glendale.edu.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Sept. 27, 2017

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Film Explores Race and Immigration Issues DREAM Resource Center seeks to help vulnerable students

By Ellis Valdescona Staff Writer On Sept. 21, Glendale Community College’s DREAM Resource Center hosted a screening of the a document-style film based on today’s political climate and immigration, through the use of actors to tell narratives.

The 2017 film, “America; I Too,” was directed by Anike Tourse, an award-winning filmmaker.

It is a tear-jerking, inspirational film about how people here in United States are immigrants from different countries like Mexico, South Korea, and Somalia.

“Eleven million undocumented people live, work, go to school, raise families and contributed to the United States,” according to CHIRLA.org.

Jessica Huerta, a community education coordinator who represents the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, talked about how Glendale Community College students discussed racial issues on campus and the diversity on campus, adding that it exemplifies “so many people in California.”

The film emphasized this point and showed fictional examples based on every day stories from immigrants about how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration

and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, has had issues with officers unfairly targeting and accusing immigrants of wrongful conduct. For instance, one point of the film shows how they accused a Hispanic young teenager, Manuel Sanchez, of vandalizing on the walls and marijuana possession. Sanchez was arrested and put in jail as a result of false accusations. Rather than engaging in vandalism, he was just writing his name on his artwork that he did for a Los Angeles art mural. Further, the film showed the he did not have possession of weed, contrary to what the officer had said.

Sanchez was also suspected of being in a gang because his name came up in a gang database.

Another individual with his name had legal issues in Harlington, Texas, in 2008. In 2008, Sanchez was just 9-years-old. Sanchez was threatened with deportation to Mexico by the office.

In yet another segment of the film, two Korean women, one of them named Jin-Kyong and another who remains unnamed, were caught by ICE enforcement.

The two women worked for a fabric company and were taken into custody along with multiple Hispanic employees, most of them women.

The officers separated the workers who were illegal and legal immigrants, utilizing their documentation papers as proof. The non-English speaking Korean woman had a hard a

she did not have legal status and could legally work.

In the film, she complains about the bracelet on her leg. “It is burning my skin, it is too hot!” she said.

Yet another one of the main characters, Ahmed, is a Somalian pizza delivery man who was arrested and would be deported back to his native country.

Ahmed does not know anyone in Somalia. He also shared that he grew up with an abusive father.

He described his childhood with vivid examples of the abuse he would endure, including being beaten by his father to a point where he would end up in the hospital. His journey to stay in America was a tough one and included being taken away from his mother.

Tourse is a Los Angeles-based writer, producer and director, who recently won an award for “America; I Too” at the Roxbury International Film Festival. In her film, she played the role of attorney Sarah Gacia. The attorney helped Sanchez get out of prison and has worked to help Ahmed. Tourse graduated from Bates College.

Courtesy The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) Tourse’s website notes that she “has written for daytime time communicating with ICE officers to let her go back to her serial One Life to Live, for the detectives.

Los Angeles home so she could sitcom series Girlfriends and is Jin-Kyong helped here, as take care of her granddaughter. the playwright of stage play “No she speaks English. The non- The ICE officer cared enough to Milk Today” which premiered at English speaking Korean woman help the non-English speaking the 2015 Fermentation Fest in explained, through Jin-Kyong, Korean, but the officer did not Reedsburg,Wisconsin.” that she has a grandchild who let her leave without putting an Ellis Valdescona can be reached at FVALhas autism. She begged the ankle bracelet on her because DES629@student.glendale.edu.

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Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017

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Lady Vaquero Volleyball Drops Doubleheader Coach Ybarra searches for answers as dreams for postseason begin to fade

By Ken Allard Editor-in-Chief Glendale Community College volleyball (2-7 record) had a rough outing in their home court doubleheader on Saturday, Sept. 23.

The Lady Vaqueros, who have had a busy week, started off the day with an 11 a.m. matchup against MiraCosta College, who came into the Glendale gymnasium on a sixgame winning streak and an impressive 13-6 record overall.

The first set showed promise for Glendale, but they would ultimately drop it at a count of 25-23. That was as close as the Lady Vaqs would get, as the scoring gap in the next two sets got progressively wider.

Set two ended at 25-18, while set three finished 25-17, all in favor of the Spartans. The final count for the match was 0-3.

Glendale had about two hours to regroup and recoup before their 3 p.m. match against East Los Angeles College (7-4 record), who was also shellacked at the hands of MiraCosta College in their matchup, 3-0.

Glendale held an early 13-9 lead over ELAC in set one before errors and miscommunication derailed their chances.

ELAC then went on a 16-3 run to take the first set 25-16.

The Lady Vaqs held stridefor-stride with East LA in set two initially, but the Huskies would pull away and end the

set 25-18.

Misserves and errors on the Set three was where Glenpart of ELAC would hand set dale stepped up. three to Glendale, 25-22.

The set started out with the Errors by the Lady Vaqs trading-off of kills by each team characterized set four. Glenand the Vaqs holding an 8-7 dale found themselves in an lead. A fourearly fourpoint run by point hole, “The Lady Vaqs held the Huskies 10-6, before stride-for-stride with coach Ybarra would force a timeout by East LA in set two ini- would call Vaquero head her first timecoach Yvette tiatlly, but the Huskies out of the set.

Ybarra. Her would pull away and Once again, players took the Vaqueros end the set 25-18.” her words to rallied, tying heart. the score at Led by 10-10. improved communication and Another wave of mental teamwork, the players rallied miscues gave the Huskies a 19around the strategic adjust15 lead, forcing another stratements to equalize the score at gic stoppage of time by Ybarra.

19-19.

Glendale would go toe-to-

toe with ELAC on kills before a litany of miscommunication errors would end their hopes.

Only two timeouts are allowed per set, otherwise it’s safe to assume that the in-game coaching prowess of Ybarra would have kept the score a bit closer. Set four ended 25-21, and the match 3-1, in favor of the Huskies.

Next up on the schedule is a home date with Ventura College at 6 p.m. on Tuesday Sept.

26, then a Friday night bout at Bakersfield College before heading off to the Mt. SAC Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Ken Allard can be reached at Kallard438@student.glendale.edu.

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PUT ME IN, COACH: Head coach Yvette Ybarra and players look on as the squad fights for points against ELAC.

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Vaqueros Shellacked

By Los Angeles Valley

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017

Lady Vaq Offense Stalls Against Oxnard

By Ken Allard Editor-in-Chief

Photo by Ken Allard

TOUGH LOVE: Defensive lineman Charles Suey gets coached up by head coach John Rome during a timeout in the second half of their game vs. Los Angeles Valley College on Sept. 23.

By Ricky Nuno Staff Writer Glendale Community College (0-4) took on division rival LA Valley College (3-0) at Sartoris Field on Saturday, Sept. 23, in what turned out to be a blowout loss.

LA Valley has been in complete control throughout their entire season, having not dropped a game yet, while the Vaqueros continue to struggle getting any offense going. GCC is still trying to figure things out after last year’s disappointing 3-7 record.

LA Valley came out of the gates hot, firing a 19-yard touchdown pass, making the game 7-0.

They would later score again in the first quarter with an uncontested touchdown run by LA Valley quarterback Kalawaia Judd, the score now 14-0.

GCC caught a break with a roughing the kicker penalty in the first quarter but they failed to score. The Vaqs struggled to get blocks and dropped a few passes contributing to their struggles on offense.

The Glendale defense would start the second quarter strong with an interception by Cameron Spencer at the LAVC 32-yard line.

Due to offensive woes, the Vaqs would make a quarterback change late in the second quarter; freshman Guy Gibbs in for Michael Bonds. The game would be relatively close up until the fourth quarter.

Penalties rattled Glendale throughout the game, slowing down their offensive attack. Just as the Vaqs looked to be coming back and putting together a good offensive drive, they threw an interception in the endzone with 3:50 to play in the third quarter.

GCC would later put together

a second promising drive, only to throw another interception with 1:02 in the third quarter. All the late turnovers and further penalties killed any momentum for Glendale.

LA Valley would put up more points with a 23-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter by quarterback Julious Sabasti. By then it seemed the crowd became a bit less patient with the team and began to lose them. The Glendale defense would continue to bring the pressure and stop LAVC on a couple of drives.

“I think our defense plays extremely well,” said Vaquero head coach John Rome. “They run to the ball well, they have great defensive schemes.”

The defense could only do so much, though, as LA Valley would score on a two-yard touchdown run making the game 270, but they would miss the PAT (point after touchdown).

At this point the game looked all but over, and it was apparent to the crowd as more LAVC fans were heard over the home fans.

Later in the fourth quarter LAVC couldn’t be stopped from running the ball, due to Glendale’s defense being exhausted from all the minutes spent on the field.

LA Valley would then recover a squib kick that bounced hard off an unsuspecting Vaq player.

After recovering the squib kick, LAVC would not let the foot off the gas as they tacked on another touchdown, making the score 33-0 after having the PAT blocked. The game ended 33-0.

Coach Rome for the Vaqs went on to say that many of Glendale’s struggles are because of the team’s youth. “We’re young, we have freshmen at most positions,” said Rome. “Freshmen quarterbacks, a freshman running back and freshmen receivers.”

The lack of depth at many positions – a critical aspect of a team’s success late in games – is another concern for Glendale.

“We don’t over-recruit, so sometimes we have a lack of depth at positions,” said Rome. “We only start with 75 players and so sometimes that has a way of creeping up on us and biting us in the rear end because you just don’t have the depth.”

College football teams are allowed to have a maximum of 85 players on their rosters.

GCC will go up against West Los Angeles College on Saturday, Sept. 30, as they try to obtain their first win of the season and climb up in the standings. The game against West LA College will have a 1:00 p.m. start time.

Ricardo Nuno can be reached at ricardonuno564@yahoo.com.

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Glendale Community College Lady Vaquero’s soccer team had a tough time against Oxnard on Friday, Sept. 22, losing 3-1.

The GCC offense was frustrated all evening by Oxnard defenders, who managed to stall all but one Vaquero drive deep into Oxnard territory.

Lady Vaqs started off on the right foot. Glendale’s Ana Hernandez – who typically finds herself in the goalie box as Glendale’s second-string goalie – drew first blood in the 27th minute, scoring off a free kick following an Oxnard foul.

The rest of the game would be plagued by offensive impotency and defensive blundering on the part of Glendale.

Oxnard hit the equalizer in the 33rd minute byway of midfielder Stephanie Rodriguez, whose shot squeaked through goalie Stephanie Portillo’s hands and into the left side of the net.

Portillo would make up for her mishap, though, making two athletic saves just before halftime to keep the score 1-1.

The second half was characterized by an offensive flurry from the Oxnard Condors.

In the 57th minute, Kirsten Bergseth found an opening and streaked through Glendale’s defense, catching goalie Portillo out of position and scoring a quick goal to make the score a count of 2-1.

In a seven-minute window following Bergseth’s goal, Oxnard would take an additional five shots on goal.

The first four would miss their mark until Bergseth nailed her second goal of the game, with an assist from

teammate Stephanie Salcido.

This brought the score to 3-1.

Glendale’s offense would continue to sputter for the remaining minutes. A stingy defense, led by midfielder Paloma Sandoval, thwarted all promising drives into Oxnard territory.

There were a handful of scoring opportunities for Glendale throughout the game, but the right flank of the field – which the Lady Vaqueros clearly favored for setting up their offense – was well-defended.

Sandoval made a number of critical stops, often times just right as the Vaqs reached shooting range, frustrating a Glendale offense that knew their potential scoring opportunities were becoming scarce.

Glendale would take one more shot before the clock melted down to zero.

Oxnard’s aggressive offense kept the ball away from Glendale.

Twenty-shots were had

by Oxnard in all, with 12 of those being shots on goal, compared to Glendale’s six shots, where only four of those threatened to puncture Oxnard’s last line of defense.

The Lady Vaqueros drop to 1-6 on the season, and their hopes of a Western State Conference South Division championship appear to be in the rearview mirror.

Oxnard improves to 4-4-1 (win-loss-tie).

Next up for Glendale is a road game on Tuesday, Sept.

26 against Antelope Valley, who is 5-2-1 on the season and averaging three goals per game.

The two teams last met on Friday, Sept. 1, which was a 5-0 blowout in favor of Antelope Valley.

Ken Allard can be reached at Kallard438@student.glendale.edu.

Photo by Ken Allard TOUGH DEFENSE: Glendale’s offense sputtered against Oxnard College during their Sept. 22 match-up.

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Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017

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