Wednesday March 22, 2021
Vol. 62 Issue 3
Asian Hate Crime On The Rise John Rodriguez Photo Editor john.rodriguez5769@my.riohondo.edu
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he latest string of hate in America has been towards Anti Asians making this a crisis today. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been almost 4,000 crimes against Anti Asians. Violence with these racist attacks have spiked across the US. Compared to the previous year before the pandemic, Anti Asian hate crime has increased to nearly 150%. According to NYPD hate crimes, motivated Anti Asian sentiment jumped by 1,900 percent in New York City alone. This rise of violence in the US has increased a lot of fear within the Anti Asian community.
Coronavirus
The first case of Coronavi-
rus was discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Since then a major outbreak of cases increased all over the world. It has been slightly over a year since the state was ordered to be in lockdown due to the Coronavirus. As the virus was spreading across the globe in 2020, many have been urging people to not use terms as the “Wuhan virus” or “Chinese virus”. Using these terms feared a major backlash toward Asians. Former President Donald J. Trump didn’t care and tweeted on March 16, 2020 using the term “Chinese virus”. Since then, former President Trump has used the term in multiple interviews on live television. With that term being used by the former US president, researchers later found out that it would lead to a huge backlash as they predict-
ed. Many have used the term “Chinese virus” as a hashtag on social media. Using it as a hateful message towards Anti Asians, blaming them for the pandemic. This had led to the harmful violence targeting Anti Asians across the country.
Asian Attack in Atlanta
On March 16, 2021, a mass series of shootings had occurred in Atlanta. This wave of attack happened at 3 massage parlors, eight people were killed. Six of the victims were of Asian descent. The first shooting took place around 4:50pm at Young’s Asian Massage in Cherokee County. The victims were Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaoji Tan, and Daoyou Feng. One hour later since the first attack, the shooter’s next location would be at Gold Massage Spa. Only 30 miles from the first shooting
Photo Courtesy of Ralph Dumanil
Ralph Dumanil holding "STOP ASIAN HATE" sign to encourage people to stop the hate as he knows Asians are a target in the US. location, police later received reports of another shooting. The location of the last shooting was at Aromatherapy Spa, which was only across the street from the previous shooting. The victims between the two locations were Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, and Yong Ae Yue.
The Suspect
The suspect was later iden-
tified as Robert Aaron Long, a 21 year old from Woodstock, Georgia. A Gold Spa employee who had escaped during the shooting stated that Long said “I’m going to kill all Asians”. Around 8:30pm Long was spotted by police 3.5 hours after the shootings. 150 miles south of Atlanta, police stopped his vehicle and had taken Long into custody. Robert Long was headed toward Florida.
Protest held across the US against Anti Asian Hate
Many citizens gathered in protest against anti Asian hate in Atlanta, Georgia days after the shootings.
Immigration Bills 2021 Luke Perez Reporter
luke.perez2566@my.riohondo.edu
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arch 18, 2021, the House of Representatives passed two new immigration bills to help “Dreamers” and farmworkers get citizenship here in the U.S. Despite the good intentions of the bill, the Senate and the border crisis prove to be a problem. For the American Dream and Promise Act, 2.5 million “Dreamers” will qualify for the new pathway to citizenship. The pathway will include a conditional 10 year residency and will
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get rid of removal proceedings if a “Dreamer” is within the new requirements. The requirements are being in the U.S. on or before January 1, 2021, being 18 years old or younger when entering the country, and not being convicted of domestic violence, human trafficking, or sexual assault. “Dreamers” can also get lawful permanent status by getting a degree from a college or university, serving two years in the military, or being employed the last three years. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act will also provide a new pathway to citizenship @elpaisanonews
for farmers in the country illegally. This bill can help up to 2.4 million workers. Now, workers need to pay a fine and work another four to eight years in their field to get a green card. The amount of years to work varies for how long a worker has been in the country. The temporary worker visa program will also be updated with new wages and better working conditions. All that is left is the Senate’s decision. All Democrats and 10 Republicans need to vote yes in order for the bills to be passed to President Biden. What is playing a key factor in that decision is the current border crisis. The rise of unaccompanied youth crossing the U.S.-Mexico
El Paisano
Photo Courtesy of globalnews.ca
Days after the Atlantic shootings, protests were held across the US with thousands encouraging to stop Anti Asian hate. In a week where not only shootings have happened, but Asians being assaulted. A 83 year old Asian man who was assaulted has parts of his neck fractured. A 50 year old Asian nearly blinded in one eye after being beaten. A 76 year old Asian punched in the eye left bleeding. The protests were held on Saturday from Georgia to Pennsylvania to New York along with other numerous states. Bee Nguyen, a Georgia State Representative stated, “In the wake of a violent and brutal shooting, white America is still trying to deny all Humanity and existence.”
Photo Courtesy of globalnews.ca
House Speaker of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi states that should immigrants should be allowed to stay.
border is alarming. There are currently 4,500 children in Customs and Border Protection. The passing of the bills from the House is good news for a bipartisan agreement on El Paisano Media Network
immigration, but the inherited problems at the border could change the Senate’s decision. Only time will tell what is addressed first: the border or the bills? El Paisano Media Network
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Major Garrett of CBS Host JACC State 2021 Lorenzo A rce News Editor
lorenzo.arce1393@my.riohondo.edu
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ajor Garrett, chief Washington correspondent for CBS News, was a Keynote speaker for this year’s JACC convention. Despite being held virtually, many junior college correspondents and advisors from across the country managed to attend Garret’s session to gain knowledge in the journalism industry. Garrett began by clarifying the title for his session “Journalism And Content Are Antonyms”. He explains, “Journalism is not content; never has been, never will be.”. While journalism has the ability to alter perspectives and persuade the masses in a historic manner, content is little more than entertainment and general knowledge mixed with opinion. In recent times, many seek social media and other platforms for news despite inaccuracies and bias most content has. Garrett stressed the importance of being factual in journalistic writing and reporting, a defining feature of
Screenshot by Lorenzo Arce for El Paisano Media
Major Garrett speaking during his keynote speech "Journalism And Content Are Antonyms". the trade. He explains being factual is what sets the best journalist apart from the rest. Garrett admits not everyone in his position is perfect when it comes to accuracy. He gave
Eight Murdered in Spa Across Atlanta Bryan Chavez Reporter
bryan.chavez5634@my.riohondo.edu
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n Tuesday Mar 17 at 5 pm shootings took place at massage parlors across Atlanta, Georgia. The shooter, who is now under police custody, is identified as Robert Aaron Long. Long attacked 2 massage parlors and 1 spa all in Cherokee County, killing eight people in total. He attacked Young Asian Massage at 5 pm, where he killed two people on the scene and three others who died from their injuries at a hospital.. He later moved to Gold’s Massage Spa in north-east Atlanta where he killed 2 more women. Long then went to Aroma Spa across the street and killed one more female. He was arrested about 150 miles away from the crime scene in Crisp County. In a new conference that was held on Wednesday, in-
At first it was thought that the attack was driven by hate towards Asian-Americans. With a rise of attacks on Asian-Americans it is not out of this world to think that hate towards Asian-Americans could be the reason behind the attack. With massage parlors sometimes having a connection with prostitution, Long attacked those massage parlors because of his sex addiction. It was later said that these locations that were attacked had no connection and are not under the police’s radar. People all over the US are mourning the victims with over 100 people showing their support in D.C. and Chinatown the night after the attack.
Jay, Long is being charged with 4 counts of murder and 1 count of aggravated assault.
Photo Courtesy of SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty images
Metropolitan police outside of a London subway after after an explosionn in 2017. The man suspected of killing Sarah Evarardid was a police officer in this unit. Reporter
viviana.reyes5718@my.riohondo.edu
T Courtesy of Creative Commons The shooter, Robert Aaron Long, claimed he attacked the massage parlors as a way of coping with his sex addiction. Many belive it was race related.
his mistake. Another speaking point Garrett touched upon is how the journalism industry has change since his first job in the 1980’s as a reporter in
Outrage Over Officer Involved in Murder of Sarah Everardid
Viviana Reyes
vestigators said "He ap-
parently has an issue, what he considers a sex addiction, and sees these locations as a temptation for him that he wanted to eliminate," said Captain
an example of himself when he recently aired an inaccurate statistic in his podcast “The Takeout”. When he realized his error it filled him with dread but he corrected it and learned for
Texas. When his career began, most people in the newsroom were white men but began to diversify by the early 2000’s. With more people of color and women in the industry, journalism has reached places where others were unwilling to report on before. Attendees asked many questions during the talk. One question Garrett answered was how best to combine social media content with journalism. He explained many who use social media for reporting prefer to post as an event occurs without having all the proper facts yet. Garrett admits he prefers to report on a story late but accurately then in the moment with only an idea of what events are occurring. Garrett was also asked what his best advise was to upand-coming correspondents. He answered it is essential to be able to write quickly but accurately to keep up with deadliness. He also emphasized the importance of asking difficult questions in order to get accurate information.
he story of Sarah Everardid, a woman killed by a London police officer, has sparked outrage throughout the United Kingdom. She was a 33 year old woman who had disappeared on March 3rd, 2021 in South London. The night she had gone missing, she had left her friend’s house at 9pm in the neighborhood of Claphamn to walk to her apartment in Brixton. This was a walk she had taken before. The walk should have been about 50 minutes. She knew to take well lit streets and had even spoken on the phone with her boyfriend,
making plans for the next day. Regardless of the safety measures she took, she never managed to get home safe. Her boyfriend had called the police when she never showed up to meet with him the day after. After a week of an intensive search party, they unfortunately found her remains inside of a builder’s bag in a wooded area in Ashford, Kent, about 50 miles from where she went missing. On March 9th, a day before they found her body, they arrested Metropolitan Policeman Wayne Couzens for suspicion of kidnapping Sarah. Two days after they found her body, he was charged for her kidnapping and murder. The plea hearing and provisional trial are set for July
9th and October 25th. Even after canceling her vigil, due to COVID restrictions, around 1000 people still showed up. There were also other smaller ones that happened all around the UK as well. The hashtags #ReclaimTheseStreets and #TextMeWhenYouGetHome have been trending across social media. Her death has sparked global outrage. Women across the world have been sharing their sexual assaults stories. They already have to deal with so many precautions for their own safety. A list of do’s and don'ts just to survive in a world of dangerous men, now police can’t even make them feel safe.
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But Can You Hear Me Though?
Editorial Cartoon by Mimi Castellanos for El Paisano Media
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Theme Parks are Reopening!
Photo Courtesy of PIxabay
Florida's Walt Disney World parks reopened to visitors in July 2020 and Disney officials had been urging the state of California to ease reopening restrictions. M arissa Valenzuela A&E Editor
marissa.valenzuela0167@my.riohondo.edu
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he Covid-19 pandemic has shut down California’s theme parks for more than a year creating challenges for the operators of Disneyland, Six Flags, Universal Studios and other parks preparing to reopen under more relaxed safety protocols. They must prepare numerous attractions for daily use, rehire and train workers, and adapt to new protocols. Governor Gavin Newsom and California public health officials announced this month that with the rise of vaccines being given and the drop in COVID-19 cases, the state will allow theme parks to reopen earlier than anticipated. Theme parks in counties that have low enough coronavirus cases can open up as early as April 1. The handful of guidelines that were issued included: All park visitors must be California residents and wear masks, all workers must be tested weekly, and indoor dining is prohibited. For Los Angeles and Orange county, total park attendance is capped at 15% capacity, and parks individual indoor attractions will be capped at 15% with time restrictions. A coalition of theme parks had proposed more detailed guidelines before the state released their more relaxing phased reopening plans. The ideas included were to limit riders on attractions and limit the time park goers are crowded together in attractions. Most of the guidelines proposed were taken from theme parks that
have been open in Florida, Asia and Europe. Disney Chief Executive Bob Chapek announced that Disneyland Resort in Anaheim will reopen April 30. Whereas, Disney parks in Florida, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai are already open. Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia plans to open April 1 and 2 to members and passholders. Universal Studios Hollywood is expected to open in late April. Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park will be sometime in May. Disney and Universal Studios officials said single-day ticket prices are likely to be similar to last year’s prices. The biggest challenge for the theme parks will be rehiring thousands of workers and training them on new safety guidelines. Disneyland has begun to recall about 10,000 furloughed workers, and Universal Studios Hollywood is expected to rehire about 5,000 employees. Disney already recalled about 1,000 employees and Universal Studios Hollywood rehired several hundred workers to staff the food and shopping events they’re launching this month. A coalition of unions representing about 17,000 workers at Disneyland has been meeting with Disney for months to hash out COVID-19 safety protocols for employees, including regular testing, providing maximum indoor ventilation and protective equipment, said Austin Lynch, organizing director for Unite Here, Local 11, which represents hotel and restaurant workers at the resort. Theme park employees who work in restaurants are already eligible to receive a
coronavirus vaccine. The parks are encouraging employees to get vaccinated but are not requiring it. To comply with the California rule prohibiting parks from admitting visitors from outside the state, park operators say they can require all visitors to submit a California ZIP Code or other information when booking tickets online. To prevent visitors from crowding together, the parks are not yet relaunching parades and nighttime spectaculars such as the World of Color water and light show at Disney California Adventure Park. Once 2 million doses have been administered in these communities, the state will relax the threshold to enter the red tier, allowing counties to progress with a rate of up to 10 new cases per day per 100,000 people. To reduce the risk of virus spread, Universal Studios Hollywood is delaying the opening of Despicable Me: Minions May-
hem and the Simpsons Ride, motion-simulator rides that put parkgoers in side-by-side seats in a theater setting. Some Southern California theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood have a number of indoor attractions. Others like Six Flags Magic Mountain and SeaWorld San Diego feature mostly outdoor rides. Legoland California has offered to close the few indoor attractions at the Carlsbad park and only operate outdoor rides. Many parks plan to use virtual queue systems to minimize wait times in indoor areas of attractions. The queue for the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at Universal Studios Hollywood winds through the Hogwarts castle, where visitors can stop to look at moving images that tell part of the attraction’s story. To keep visitors from crowding together, Strobl said, the park will send
small groups of people into the ride’s queue every few minutes. The number of passengers per vehicle will be limited on some attractions, such as Jurassic World: The Ride, which was designed to fit rows of five riders shoulder to shoulder. In the Universal Studios backlot tour, plexiglass will be installed between the park goers and the drivers and ride narrators. At Disneyland, a limit on seating is more likely on an attraction such as Pirates of the Caribbean, where riders sit next to one another on long benches in the floating vehicle. Both Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood have started selling tickets for their own outdoor dining and shopping experiences on weekends. Disneyland’s "A Touch of Disney" will begin on March 18 and will run Thursdays through Mondays. Universal’s "Taste of Universal" will begin on March 12 and will run Fridays through Sundays.
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia.org
Knott’s suspended payments for 2020 season passes in April. Knott’s 2020 regular, gold and platinum season passes remain valid through the end of 2021.
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Monster in the Family A lyson Gonzalez Print Editor-in-Chief
alyson.gonzalez88@my.riohondo.edu
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ifetime has released another “Ripped From the Headlines'' film. The “Ripped From the Headlines'' films are projects based on actual events. The Lifetime film, Girl in the Basement, is about a young girl, looking forward to her 18th birthday, is imprisoned by her own father. It premiered on February 27 on Lifetime. The new movie is inspired by the Fritzl case. Josef Fritzl was born on April 9, 1935 in Amstetten, Austria. He married Rosemarie at the age of 21. Together, they had three sons and four daughters. Years later, he would lock up one of his daughters against her will. Fritzl’s daughter, Elisabeth, was born on April 6, 1966. At the age of 17, Elisabeth ran away from home and headed towards Vienna. Police found her weeks later and returned to her parents. She started and completed a course to become a waitress. Fritzl started abusing his daughter in 1977. She was 11 years old. When Elisabeth turned 18, Fritzl lured her into the basement of her home. He asked her for help in carrying a door. Little did she know that the door she was holding was the door that would keep her locked for years. Elisabeth helped Fritzl hold the door, while he installed it. Then, Fritzl soaked an ethersoaked towel on her daughter's face. She fell unconscious and was thrown into a cell. The cell was a hidden cellar. Fritzl turned it into a prison cell. In addition, he installed a toilet, bed, washer, and refrigerator. The cell had a 16 ft corridor and was 590 sq ft. There were eight doors used to lock the room. Two of the doors had an electronic locking device.
Photo Illustration by Alyson Gonzalez for El Paisano Media
Every family has secrets. Some people hide things for a long time, but the truth always comes out. A father imprisoned his own daughter for nearly 24 years. After, Elisabeth’s mother filed a missing persons report. Later, Fritzl gave police a letter from Elisabeth. The letter stated that she didn't want to live with her family and to not look for her. Elisabeth was forced to write the letter while being held captive. For 24 years, Fritzl visited his daughter down in the cell. He would go every morning, claiming he was drawing plans for machines. He visited her almost everyday bringing supplies such as food. He often raped her. As a result, Elisabeth had seven children by her father. One of her children died after birth. Although, three of
her children were sent to live with Fritzl and Rosemarie, posing as their foster parents. Social workers never suspected anything during visits. The other three were living with Elisabeth in the basement. The cellar where Elisabeth was kept used to be smaller, but Fritzl made Elisabeth and her children dig soil with their hands. Life went on down in the cellar for Elisabeth and her children. They had a television, radio, and a cassette player. They had food in the refrigerator and cooked on hot plates. It has become a normal lifestyle. Fritzl brought flowers for Elisabeth and books and toys
for the children. They called the cellar the “bunker.” Sometimes, Fritzl watched videos and ate dinner with his Elisabeth and children. Fritzl did have control over the electricity. He would turn off the power for days as punishment. None of the children nor Elisabeth tried to escape. Fritzl threatened them if they tried anything. He claimed that they would get an electric shock if they interfered with the door. Also, he told the children he would gas them, but there was no gas supply in the basement. During captivity, Fritzl claimed that he wasn’t raping his daughter and that it was consensual.
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He knew holding his daughter hostage was wrong, but it had become a normal thing for him. It made him feel like he was having a double life. Fritzl chose to incarcerate his daughter because she wanted to discipline her. As a teenager, Elisabeth didn’t follow the rules. Later reports revealed that wasn't the case. It wasn't about discipline, but rather about Fritzl’s enjoyment. On April 19, 2008, one of Elisabeth’s children fell unconscious and needed medical attention. Therefore, Fritzl and Elisabeth carried the child out of the cell. For the first time, Elisabeth saw the world again, but Fritzl forced her back inside the cell. Elisabeth’s child was taken to a hospital for kidney failure. Fritzl claimed to have found a note by the child’s mother. The doctors started to piece Fritzl’s story together and found it confusing. They alerted the police. The police announced on television that the missing mother had come forward. Then, Elisabeth’s missing person case was reopened. They questioned Fritzl and he claimed that his daughter was in a cult. Elisabeth pleaded with her father to be taken to the hospital. He allowed it and they went to go see Elisabeth's child. Following a tip-off from a doctor, police detained Elisabeth and Fritzl. She told police what happened during her 24 years in captivity. Then, police arrested Fritzl. The whole time, Elisabeth’s mother was unaware of what was happening beneath her home. Fritzl was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 15 years. The Lifetime film, Girl in the Basement depicts Elisabeth’s captivity. Although some aspects have been changed for dramatic purposes. The film starred Stephanie Scott (Ant Farm) and Judd Nelson (The Breakfast Club). Girl in the Basement is available to watch such as Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Lifetime.
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2026 World Cup U.S.A, Canada & Mexico Fernando R amos Sports Editor
fernando.ramos9660@my.riohondo.edu
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he World Cup is undoubtedly the most anticipated and watched sporting event in the whole world. And for the first time since 1994 the World Cup will be played on U.S soil. The competition will also be hosted by Canada and Mexico which gives all three a ticket straight into the 2026 World Cup without having to play in the qualifying round. The competition will feature a few stadiums from Mexico, and Canada, however the majority of the stadiums that will be used for the World Cup will be played in the United States. In California, the two stadiums that will be used for the World Cup according to FIFA
Enrique Medina Broadcast Director
enrique.medina4922@my.riohondo.edu
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his week of Dodgers action gave us a lot of compelling stories and results, with only two weeks until Opening Day in Colorado. The first big takeaway from the week was the announcement by manager Dave Roberts. Roberts announced that Dodgers veteran starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw would be starting on Opening Day in Colorado. The Opening Day start on April 1 would be Kershaw’s ninth opening day start of his career. No other Dodgers pitcher has started more times on Opening Day. “He’s earned it. He’s the right guy for 2021. For every reason I think it just makes the most sense,” Roberts explained in an interview on Monday. “Very excited for April 1st, just hopefully it is not in a blizzard,” Kershaw said in an interview this week in regards to his opening day start. This week also saw the Dodgers make 28 cuts to the roster, officially cutting the Major League camp roster down to 45 with around two weeks to go. Among the roster cuts included top pitching prospect Josiah Gray and catching prospect Keibert Ruiz. 21 of the 28 were reassigned to minor league camp. On the diamond, we saw a lot of positives from Dodgers’ shortstop Corey Seager. Last season NLCS and World Series MVP has already hit six home runs in Spring Training. Two of those home runs came Monday the 15th against Colorado and
will be the Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The U.S Men's National Team is considered as one of the favorites for the 2026 World Cup due to the amazing pool of young talents that will be in their prime by the time the World Cup comes to the U.S, as well as the competition being played in home soil. Players such as Christian Pulisic, Giovani Reyna, Sergino Dest, and Weston McKinnie are some of the many players that are playing their football at a very high level while still being very young. All four players mentioned previously are all under 22 years old and playing for the biggest clubs in Europe. As well as having an enormous group of young players ready for the World Cup, there
Fernando Ramos For El Paisano Media
This will be the first time in history where three nations will all host the same World Cup. As well as it being the first time Canada hosts a World Cup are also many young talents that are switching allegiances to play for the U.S National Team. The latest example of this is Valencia winger, Yunus Musah. Musah had the option to play either for Ghana, England or the U.S National Team and ultimately he decided to play for the stars and stripes of the U.S Mexico and Canada also have a very good pool of young
talent ready for the World Cup. Players like Alphonso Davies, and Jonathan David for Canada, and players like Edson Alvarez, and Jose Juan Macias for Mexico. All three teams will have a huge advantage going into the 2026 World Cup, but above all that, it is a huge privilege to be able to host a World Cup. The U.S National Team will go in as favorites, however both
Mexico and Canada will be able to give the rest of the teams in the competition a run for their money. Although we had never thought a team from North America will be able to challenge the great national teams from Europe and South America, the 2026 World Cup will be the stage in which Nations from the Concacaf can change that.
Dodgers Week in Review
the most recent on Sunday versus the Giants. The 26-year-old looks to make a mark yet again this season in the Dodgers lineup, after homering 16 times last regular season and eight times during the postseason. On top of Seager’s recent show of power, the Dodgers finally saw the return of Cody Bellinger into the lineup. The outfielder and first baseman returned on Tuesday the 16th after missing the first weeks of Spring Training, recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. As some may recall, he injured his right shoulder after celebrating his go-ahead homerun on Game 7 of the NLCS against Atlanta.
Photo Courtesy of Ian D'Andrea on Flickr
Photo Caption: Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger revamped his stance this offseason, noting he had a lot of time to do so recovering from his offseason shoulder surgery. In his first Spring Training action, one thing that was noticeable from the get-go was that Bellinger had changed his batting stance. Typically standing tall and straight to home, it was noticeable that Bellinger opened his front foot more away from home plate. When asked about the change, Bellinger noted, “I feel confident with it. I feel really good with it.” Bellinger has changed his stance in the past, which helped during his 2019 NL MVP season.
The new stance already showed its effectiveness too as Bellinger homered on Thursday versus Arizona with the new look stance. One last takeaway from this week is the resurgence of relief pitcher Kenley Jansen. Jansen, an 11-year veteran, struggled at times during last season and during the playoffs. He did show flashes of consistency too during last season, but during this spring he has been dominant so far. Jansen has already struck out 10 batters in six appear-
ances and innings pitched, only allowing one run thus far. That run came in his most recent outing against the Texas Rangers. “I feel like the last few years my command wasn’t there so that’s my number one priority to work on this offseason,” Jansen said in an interview Wednesday. In the last year of his contract too, Kenley noted that he has been working harder than ever. Jansen noted that he won’t take anything for granted.
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NWSL Releases Schedule
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Mimi Castellanos Digital Editor In Chief
kelsiemimi.castellanos9937@my.riohondo.edu
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he National Women’s Soccer League finally announced the full schedule for their 2021 season. Presented by Secret Deodorant, the tournament includes 21 games starting April 9, 2021. While North Carolina Courage, Sky Blue FC and Orlando Pride prepare, there are many matches to look forward to. The first to play are the 2020 Challenge Cup Champs, Houston Dash versus Chicago Red Stars at the BBVA Stadium. Next, Kansas City will take on Portland Thorns FC for their first match
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joining the league. With the new year, new teams will be hopping along into the 2021 season. The Challenge Cup League season will have 10 teams divided by two divisions called the East and West. Approved by the NWSL Medical Task Force, each team will have four home matches. After their home games, the top team from each division will challenge each other in the final, May 8, 2021. While Kansas City makes their debut, Racing Louisville FC will also make their very first appearance on April 10, 2021. As Defending Challenge Cup Champs take on Kansas City, a rival match against Portland
Mimi Castellanos for El Paisano Media 29 year old Rachel Daly (L) and 26 year old Jane Campbell (R) both play for Houston Dash. While forward Daly is part of the England Women’s National Team, Campbell is one of the keepers for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Thorns FC and Reign FC in Portland, Oregon. With many games ahead in many locations, all matches will be streamed on multiple platforms. The first three games and final will air on CBS Sport Network. Along with CBS Sports, Paramount+ and Twitch will also be streaming games. NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird
expresses her excitement of having women’s soccer league gain televised recognition for another year. “I’m so excited to kick off a new year in style with the 2021 Challenge Cup presented by Secret Deodorant, and thrilled to once again partner with our friends at CBS Sports to bring the best women’s soccer league in the world
to our viewers''. Dan Weinberg of EVP Programming of CBS sports comments, “The 2021 Challenge Cup will showcase soccer’s top players, and we look forward to bringing fans the action across CBS, CBS Sports Network and Paramount+”. All games will also be available internationally on Twitch.
Mimi Castellanos for El Paisano Media
While the NWSL planned to have the Challenge Cup as a one-time tournament in 2020, it was a major success that it has returned sa a League Competition. Starting with 8 teams rostered, it had grown to 10 teams for the 2021 Challenge Cup
UCL Quarter Finals Preview Bryan Chavez Reporter
Bryan.Chavez5634@my.riohondo.edu
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s we move on from the excitement and surprises that the round of 16 brought us we head into the last 8 of the UCL, and these fixtures are looking like they will not disappoint. The fixture that is making the most noise is none other than last year's final, PSG vs Bayern Munich. PSG coming from beating FC Barcelona 5-2 on aggregate, to say this is the team that made it to the final last year will be giving them too much credit. From giving their fans a bunch of mixed performances to being second in their league the French giants are setting their target for European silverware. Unlike their opponents FC Bayern Munich are looking as strong as last season and with no sights of slowing down, the
Baverian team will be looking to retain the European crown. Another repeat of the 2018 Champions league final, Real Madrid which will face Liverpool in an exciting fixture that looks to be even on both paper and on the field. Real Madrid came from beating Atalanta comfortably and with their captain Sergio Ramos coming back from injury, they will aim to try and go as far as they can go, with an aging team that has shown that their experience can take them further than most would expect. The challengers Liverpool will head into the first leg of the competition seeking revenge from the 2018 final in Kiev. The mighty reds have been without many of their key players due to injury since the beginning of the season and as a result it has lowered their confidence on the pitch and has put them in danger of missing out on participating in next season UCL. Liverpool will
hope Salah and Mane will be motivated to save Liverpool’s season and take their team into the semi finals. Going into the blue part of Manchester, Man City will take on a young and exciting Dortmund team that eliminated last year's Europa League champions Sevilla in an exciting game that saw wonder-kid Erling Halland take the game into his own hands scoring 4 goals in two games. Manchester City which is first in their league and going into the next round with full force, with the addition of Ruben Dias and John Stones revitalizing his career, Man City has finally found a center back partnership that can play and defend the way Pep Guardiola loves. Last but not least we have Porto vs Chelsea, the underdogs Porto are advancing into the quarterfinals from beating Italian giants Juventus on away goals, the pourtuguese team
Photo Courtesy of flickr.com The UEFA Chapions League is considered by many as being the most prestegious club competition in the world as the top teams from the biggest leagues in Europe compete to become champions of Europe are looking to pull another big upset on Thomas Tuchel’s men with Chelsea being unbeaten under their new manager. The blue devils are looking to reach the semifinals and knock out the dark horse of the compe-
tition. The first leg will be on April 6 and the 7, then will play the second game just a week later.
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Activision Blizzard Esports Layoffs Justin Gomez Reporter
justin.gomez6391@my.riohondo.edu
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n March 16, 2021, Activision Blizzard Esports announced that they will be reconstructing how they run things which resulted in laying off about 50 employees. Tony Petitti is the Activision Blizzard President of Sports and Entertainment. In an interview he didn’t mention what position or who exactly they laid off. He also talked about how the layoffs are due to how the group had to re-invent due to the pandemic. Tony Petitti talked about the division which runs the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League wants to change things. As a matter of fact he mentioned a future that was less dependent on live events. Petitti made sure everyone knew that Activision Blizzard isn’t moving 100% away from live events. He is gonna be looking to get them back as soon as they possibly can. However, the OWL and CDL have changed the way they run the leagues switching to all online play. It is a possibility that online play can play a big part in the future of these two eSports. Petitti stated that there
were two reasons for the cut offs. First it was due to needing to reduce the costs in certain areas. Second was to put certain resources in other areas where the company is looking to pursue. He also stated that, “We learned a lot last year in terms of how the leagues can be structured for online play, and we’ll look to carry forward the best practices from that.” This comes from the success that the CDL saw after moving to online play and reaching more than 100,000 views on a match. Petitti mentioned CDL, which has already started its 2021 season, has seen improvement from last year. Therefore the company wants to spend money on areas that will get the eSport higher engagement, viewership, and returns. He believes that the CDL and OWL will see improvement in the 2021 seasons. Although the OWL is having a hard time gaining views in North America, the company is positive for the future. As a matter of fact they are creating an “East” circuit for the season with teams based in Asia. They believe that this will give the OWL the opportunity to grow as an eSport.
Photo Courtesy of hopkinsmedicine.org Cancer treatments shots may soon be available to cancer patients to avoid the long journey of chemotherapy.
Photo Courtesy via Raimond Spekking Blizzard Entertainment has seen some success since going to online play but they believe they can see more success. This of course comes from the Overwatch League and the Call of Duty League.
Scientists Targeting a Shot for Cancer Gabi Ortiz
Lifestyles Editor
gabrielle.ortiz3320@my.riohondo.edu
I
mmunizations are meds that help the body battle sickness. They can prepare the invulnerable framework to discover and eliminate unsafe germs and cells. There are numerous immunizations that you get for the duration of your life to prevent catching regular sicknesses. The scientists behind the COVID-19 vaccine, are now working on a vaccine for cancer. The mRNA, the messenger RNA, within each strain and variation of these
vaccines will vary based on the diagnosis of each patient. However, the potential for the cancer shot could be life changing for millions. There are currently shots called treatment vaccines or therapeutic vaccines that doctors are now giving to their patients. They are used as a treatment known as immunotherapy. The shots boost the immune system of the patient to help fight off the disease, rather than treat it. Cancer treatment shots support the body's immunity to discover and get rid of antigens. Regularly, disease
cells have certain particles called cancer specific antigens on their surface that healthier cells don't have. At the point when an antibody gives these atoms to an individual, the particles go about as antigens. They advise the immune system to discover and cancer cells that have these atoms on their surface. The timeline for the shot is unknown. The prospective deadline could be completed within the next few years. With new technology developing within the health industry, the release date for the vaccine may be sooner than expected.
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L ifestyles
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The History Behind Women's History Month
Photo Courtesy of National Museum of American History
Over the month of March, we celebrate the success and struggles of women everywhere. Gabrielle Ortiz Lifestyle Editor gabrielle.ortiz3320@my.riohondo.edu
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eginning March 1st was the start of Women’s History Month. We reflect on the journey of our mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers and their fight for equality. The fight for women's rights and freedoms is an on-going issue that still continues today. Despite the improvements and new laws set into the legislature, we continue
to see problems from the past arise. The first wave of the Women’s Movement began with the campaign for women’s suffrage. The Civil War had slowed their efforts, but the work from World War 1 would pave the way to forge their argument. The 19th Amendment was passed in 1920, and in November of that year women all over the United States flocked to the voting polls to vote for the first time. Throughout the 1960’s, the Feminist movement broke down numerous barriers
that millions of women faced around the world. The women behind the movements and its success were ordinary, everyday individuals who wanted more than what they were given. Their aspirations exceeded the housewife lives they were expected to lead. Writer Betty Friedan had sparked the second wave of Feminism during the 60’s. Her book The Feminine Mystique, brought light to the unfulfillment women felt being at home. The constant routine and the inability to pursue a career was far too common, yet
taboo to talk about Once women were able to go to work, they were limited to certain positions such as teachers, secretaries, and nurses. The workplace became an escape from the house life, but still had the same restrictions. Women were met with ignorance and disdain, and were denied the opportunity to promote. In 1966 the National Organization for Women (NOW), was established by Betty Friedan. The gender discrimination laws set in years prior were not being carried out. The organization
enforced the laws and regulations to protect the rights of women in the workplace. In the late 70’s, various lawsuits were filed to set precedent for a legal change. The organization went on to lobby Congress to change and establish pro-equity laws protecting the rights of women in the workplace, at home, and as individuals. The National Organization for Women brought awareness and publicized the problems women faced on both a political and personal level. The success from their triumphs fueled the movement. Rape and abortions were another controversial issue that is still very relevant to today. Before Planned Parenthood or women health centers were built, illegal abortions were taking place. Women spoke out publicly and testified before the state legislatures to explain their reasons for the abortion. These public “speak-outs” emphasized and brought light to rape. Crisis centers for rape victims were set up by activists and the idea of women’s health was an emerging concept. The efforts behind the Women’s Movement are often overlooked and often taken for granted. The resources established are available to millions nationwide. March is the month to reflect and learn about the journey about the women in our lives had to endure to ensure the assurance of future generations.
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Trading Cards In 2021 R aymond Luna Editor-In-Chief
raymond.luna5365@my.riohondo.edu
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020 has certainly been an interesting year hasn't it? The start of a new decade, the pandemic happening, Tiger King premiered on Netflix, Nintendo switches were sold out and Pokemon cards are at an all time high! Yup, Pokemon cards are back and it isn't slowing down anytime soon. Why the surge? And how did it make such a huge comeback in recent months? Before we dive into the card game, let's travel back in time to February 26, 1996 for some history on Pokemon. Pokemon originally started off as a handheld video game on the original Gameboy in Japan. With two versions getting released, Red and Green, players got to travel the world as a Pokemon trainer to capture and train their companion Pokemon to ultimately, “Become the very best, like no one ever was.” Shortly after the success of the video game in October of 1996 the Pokemon company
released the card game with the help of Media Factory, who printed and distributed the cards.The card and video game were a whopping success in Japan following up with the popular anime just a year later in 1997. It wasn't until 1998 where it was time for North America to get its turn to meet Ash and Pikachu. Pokemon was huge in the late 90s and early 00s so why the comeback? Well, you can thank Covid, celebrities, and plenty of adults who were kids in the 90s who now have money for that. The fact that the entire world had to quarantine and stay indoors left many with little to nothing to do. People were turning to Youtube and social media platforms to learn how to play and understand the card game. It wasn't until Logan Paul, an influencer on Youtube who has 2.7 million subscribers, opened a base set booster box worth $325,000. His live unboxing video caused newcomers to flood the market and ultimately drive up the cost of pokemon cards. It wasn't just Logan Paul that was mainstreaming Pokemon; Logic and Steve Aoki were amongst others who jumped in on the hype. Sadly, because the market is so saturated with new collectors and scalpers it is leaving stores such as Target and Walmart with empty
Raymond Luna for El Paisano Media
Battle Styles is the Pokemon company’s newest set that was released on March 19,2021 which changes the format of the current competitive trading card game format. Battle styles introduces Rapid Strike and Single Strike aiding trainers in building a deck around their playstyle. shelves. Trying to find cards in stock is like going on a wild goose chase, and purchasing from a third market can cost you twice as much for a new set
Brandon Ramirez for El Paisano Media
Brandon R amirez Opinion Editor
brandon.ramirez3017@my.riohondo.edu
I
’ve been on a bit of an Assassin’s Creed kick lately. I finally got around to watching the movie, and picked up Unity on sale. Unity has been on my list of “games I want” since its release and with a price of $5 I figured why not? Unity released back in 2014, around the time I was learning about the French Revolution in high school. I was really excited, even though I couldn’t afford a new system, I daydreamed about exploring Paris during the French Revolution. It was such a turbulent time, full of unrest, change, and death. It fit the bill for an Assassin’s Creed setting, there was even a famous assassin from the era in real life. Her name was Charlotte Corday, and she famously murdered Murat in his tub. But she wasn’t the main
character, the main character wasn’t even based on her. This probably doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, but it ignited a trend of Assassin’s Creed’s fanbase questioning the lack of female leads. Seven years after Unity’s release, we now know leaders at developer Ubisoft thought a woman couldn’t be lead. And we know a lot more about them now, too. Before every Assassin’s Creed game, a disclaimer explaining the diversity of the development staff appears during the opening roll. This was because, particularly early in the series, religion, sex and general philosophy was something explored and critiqued by the games. Now however, it seems ironic. Last year, the boys-club culture of Ubisoft came to the forefront of industry news. In an article by the Verge, it was revealed that 1 in 4 employees had experienced or seen workplace misconduct
that had just been released. So what's the best advice I can give to a new collector? Pre-order, pre-order, pre-order! Places like GameStop or Pokemoncen-
ter.com are the best places to secure a pre-order before the product officially launches and is the best chance of getting cards at retail price.
face of Ubisoft’s biggest project, AC Origins, and was interviewed by one of the biggest names in the community at the time, Loomer. I mention that because I’ve always been a, albeit undedicated, member of Loomer’s online community and when Ismali was fired for similar reasons it echoed among my friends. Many of us had already either outright boycotted Ubisoft if not spoke out against them, and this just further justified our positions.
Even still, Ubisoft continues a trend of resisting a fully female led game. And the situation with Ubisoft serves as a microcosm of much of the industry and how women and lgbtq+ are treated and seen. This isn’t exclusive to the games industry, but to me I feel like there’s something we can directly do. Video games are art, and everyone has a place in this art form, and it’s important to take a stand to make games more inclusive and keep them
Brandon Ramirez for El Paisano Media
The disclaimer played before Unity. These disclaimers used to seem almost neccessary for such an openly questioning series back in the late 00's. Now, however, the disclaimer's purpose seems dubious. (including sexual harassment, sexism, and racism). In the aftermath of the Me Too movement, Ubisoft was hit hard, this also hit one of the faces of the company. Ashraf Ismail was creative director for Assassin’s Creed. He was the
inclusive. More than that, it's important to remember that there are victims in these situations. I barely scratched the surface here, even with regards to just Ubisoft there was much more that went on. Stand by victims, and listen to voices that
would otherwise be silenced. It’s everyone’s responsibility to help prevent this toxic and dangerous culture to continue in the games industry and in society as a whole.
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All Roadrunners!
All Roadrunners! 12
Summer Classes Registeration is Now Open! Questions or Concerns? Don't Worry! Make an Appointment to See a Counselor!