District staffer awarded
Sipping on ‘Lemonade’
Baseball seeks playoffs
LMC Instructional Assistant Eric Sanchez named Classified Employee of the Year. Story inside — page 3
Beyoncé released her second visual album April 23 to critical acclaim. Review inside — page 4
The April 23 win over Solano moves the Mustangs closer to clinching playoff berth — page 5
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F.Y.I. Important Dates April is National Water Safety Month April 29
Last day to drop with a W appearing on transcript
May 21 to 27 Final exams
Examining diversities
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Remediating success Paths to math altered
By SARAH GONZALES
sgonzales@lmcexperience.com
The Los Medanos College math department will be implementing changes in the math pathways program and math placement strategies for this upcoming fall 2016 semester. Incoming fall semester students who passed high school algebra with a C or better will now be able to bypass Accuplacer, the program used for class-level placement, and enroll straight into fast-track courses that will prepare them for transfer-level math. Fast-track courses include a
New courses designed for increased success Pathways introduced for quicker entry into college-level courses.
Math Stats for non-math/science-based majors
28
English
70
90
Fundamentals of English: Reading, writing and critical thinking
34
Math support for statistics
95
=
Integrated reading, writing and critical thinking
100
Accelerated reading, writing and critical thinking
Intro to statistics
Algebra for math and science-based majors
Prealgebra
Freshmen test placements
Following major-specific courses
29
12
College composition
Accelererated elementary, intermediate
LMC is retooling its English and math classes, aiming to increase placement in transfer-level courses and merging its remedial courses, where a majority of students test into.
ENGLISH PLACEMENT LEVELS
‘13-‘14
Transfer level
24%
18%
MATH PLACEMENT LEVELS
1 below transfer level
41%
46%
1 below transfer level
39%
31%
2 or more below transfer level
35%
36%
2 or more below transfer level
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‘13-‘14
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Experience Graphic • Lissette Urbina
Math 28 and 34 combination course for the statistics pathway for other programs and a Math 29 course for the algebra pathway for math- and science-based
programs — the former being a new addition to the math pathways. “Math 28 with Math 34 is a combination that allows students
interested in the social sciences or humanities to complete transfer math requirements in one semester,” said LMC math inSee MATH, page 6
English courses see shift By TYLER MORTIMORE
tmortimore@lmcexperience.com
Los Medanos College will be transitioning from its current remedial English offerings to a more modern, streamlined path that department faculty hope will improve student success. The two current five-unit remedial classes — English 70: Fundamentals of English: Reading Writing and Thinking and English 90: Integrated Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking — will be phased out over the 2016-17 acaSee PATH, page 6
Made possible by the LMC Innovations Grant, “An Evening of Cultural Experiences” is set to take place in the Library Community Room L-109 Thursday, May 5 at 6 p.m. Inspired by TED, the event will focus on on the theme of diversity and will feature five LMC students who will share their own cultural experiences. All are welcome to attend the event; seating is limited
Cuisine Club to dunk staffers
Personalizing for graduation
By JASON FIERROS Staff Writer
Los Medanos College is teaming up with Jostens to offer personalized graduation announcements for the May 27 event. For more information visit www.college. jostens.com.
ALLIES ends year with party The LMC ALLIES club will be having a Pre-Pride Party May 18 from 3 to 7 p.m. on the field in front of the Math Building. The event will also serve as an end of the semester celebration with a Holi throwing and a water balloon fight. Tickets are $4 or $6 for a ticket and a shirt. Contact Robert at robertgcampbell95@gmail.com for more information.
Apply now for aide position
Photos by Joseph Delano • Experience
Above, members of the Los Medanos College community evacuated Tuesday, April 26 after a fault in the alarm system indicated a problem in the College Complex. Below, Officer Michael Hotton, middle, Officer David Oleski, left, and Administrative Assistant Beth Robertson work to understand the alarm confusion.
Alarm causes evacuation
Fault in electrical system blamed By JOSEPH DELANO
jdelano@lmcexperience.com
The College Complex was evacuated shortly after noon Tuesday, April 25 after a fault in the alarm system caused it to activate, causing confusion and classroom delays throughout the area. Los Medanos College students, faculty and staff gathered in various evacuation zones around campus, including meeting area “F” in Parking Lot C. Many of the students speculated as to the cause of the alarms. Despite an odd smell around the
Drama Department, Kelly Murell and Anise Gonzalez both thought it was a drill. “Every time the fire alarm goes off, it’s always because someone burnt something in a microwave,” she said. “So that’s what I think happened.” Both students were in their directing class and in the middle of building a set for an upcoming production when the alarm sounded. Many students, like Murell and Gonzalez, recounted the strange smell while being escorted out to the safe zones. See ALARM, page 6
The Los Medanos College Cuisine Club will be holding a dunk tank fundraiser May 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This staff and faculty dunk tank event will help raise money for a food pantry and awareness on the school hunger as well as enhance student’s access to food. LMC will be looking to add on to the other dozen community colleges with food pantries in California. “Students cannot fully concentrate on their academic task if they are hungry or are wondering where and when their next meal will come from,” said LMC Student Life Coordinator Joel Nickleson-Shanks. According to a recent study by University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Sara Goldrick-Rab, Fifty-two percent of community college students lack food security. On top of that, 22 percent of students reported limiting or skipping meals because they couldn’t afford to eat, according to an article in The Atlantic. The Cuisine Clubs’ goal is to create and maintain a food pantry on campus for students who need help getting food. “By creating this access on campus, we hope to ease the minds of all of our students who are food insecure, especially those students that have children relying on them at home,” Nickelson-Shanks said. See DUNK, page 6
Team argues minimum wage
Police Services is searching for applicants as a police aide on campus. For more info on the requirements needed for the position and to download the application, visit 4cd. net/crpa/pd.
Public debate on hot topic issue attracts crowd By TYLER MORTIMORE
tmortimore@lmcexperience.com
Experience • Tyler Mortimore
Debater Collin Brown speaks during the April 27 debate at Pittsburg City Hall.
The decision to raise a minimum wage is always a contentious one, and it provided ample fodder for the Los Medanos College debate team as they took the stage Wednesday night at Pittsburg City Hall to argue over a $15 minimum wage. Professor Kasey Gardner welcomed the full house and explained the rules of the British Parliamentary style debate — four teams of two, two teams to a side,
Government is for the wage increase, Opposition against — and let the debate get underway. Prime Minister Kyle Marshall began the Government’s argument by invoking Dolly Parton’s blue collar anthem “9 to 5,” arguing that while folks are still barely gettin’ by, the new reality is an 8 to 5 workday, which opens the door to wearier workers who will in turn work less efficiently and more dangerously. “America is a strong house, and every strong house needs a stronger foundation,” Marshall argued over the noticeable hiccups of a young audience member. Opposition leader Collin Brown kept up the pop culture motif, arguing that — for minimum wage earn-
See TEAM, page 6
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“One thing the gay rights movement taught the world is the importance of being visible.”
— Charles M. Blow
Taylor Stroud
Yetunde Ogunleye
REAL TALK
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
With all progress comes pushback
The fake depth of a generation
Our country has come a long way when it comes to LGBT rights – but with any major progress comes the dependable pushback. In particular, we are seeing a lot of resistance surrounding transgender rights in response to a number of anti-LGBT laws passed in recent months. Perhaps most famous is the North Carolina bill called HB2 that has banned transgender individuals from using any restroom other than one matching their biological sex. This law supersedes any local nondiscrimination laws protecting LGBT people. So if a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person is fired or denied employment for their identity — which is legal to do in 31 states — North Carolina law prohibits local protections for that person. Several states are in talks of passing similar “bathroom bills” – but people are not happy about it. The fact that major musicians like Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato and Bruce Springsteen have cancelled concerts in North Carolina in response to the discriminatory law should make enough of a splash to get lawmakers to change their minds on this issue. But in case it doesn’t, Target announced this week that its transgender staff and shoppers were free to use whichever restrooms or fitting rooms matched their gender identity. Naturally, this was met with instant backlash. Thousands have petitioned and sworn to boycott Target, claiming they feel unsafe and susceptible to sexual assault from men who might cross-dress and claim to be transgender in order to enter the restrooms. If that kind of assault were a common occurrence –- which it never has been –- it would occur regardless of any laws put in place. But defense of these discriminatory laws always seems to boil down to two things – protecting children and religious freedom. Of course, it is important to protect children from sexual predators. We should all be wary of any suspicious characters we come across in public places and take action to protect ourselves. The thing is, transgender people are not suspicious or cross-dressers – they are regular people with valid identities. A refusal to educate oneself on what it means to be transgender is not grounds for discrimination – and it should never make its way into statewide legislation. As for the second defense, religious freedom should also be protected, but legislation like HB2 infringes upon basic human rights in the name of religious freedom. In the United States, we need to have the right to practice our religions however and whenever we please. Unfortunately, that right has been used as a weapon disguised as a defense that has been applied so often that it now allows for legal discrimination if one’s religion condemns a certain identity. At this rate, it won’t be long until someone’s religion prohibits association with a certain race and we see a revival of the Jim Crow laws that at one time were firmly defended in the name of our forefathers. This country may have been founded on religion, but our society has evolved into something beautifully diverse that is in no way comparable to what it was at the beginning. For that reason alone, legislation should evolve along with our collective consciousness as more people feel comfortable expressing their true identities. If any people, especially LGBT, are brave enough to be themselves and face all those who don’t understand them, they should be encouraged and protected by law. These recent transphobic bathroom laws are surely unconstitutional and it’s only a matter of time before they’re repealed. In the meantime, we should be conscious of the effect this rhetoric has on LGBT people, but also confident tolerance and acceptance will win out in the end.
I hate to be one of those people that set themselves apart from the crowd with self-righteousness, but I struggle to relate with a lot of my generation’s ideals. In particular the epidemic of hipsters, the pseudo “female empowerment” trend, and the glorification of selfishness. Hipsters are annoying – I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way – but it’s gotten to the point that I break out in hives at the sight of a handlebar mustache paired with a flannel and expensive loafers. So I did some investigative journalism for reasons concerning my health. The hipster style is ridiculously expensive to upkeep. Much like bohemianism and hippies, the truth is you have to come from a place of privilege and a well off background to keep up the lifestyle where somehow “free love” pays the bills and puts food on the table. In the case of hipsters investing in fake vintage hair styles and clothing somehow makes that person magically capable of great depth, a good taste in music and enlightenment and it’s not just plain old materialism and trend following. Hipsters hide under a guise of frugality, crusades of justice, and higher consciousness with their undercut haircuts and ironic tee shirts. But the truth is being a vegan and hating corporate America is lost in translation when you spend a quarter of your income trying to look like you go against the grain. That’s just called privilege. There’s nothing affordable or relatable about spending your weekends at concerts and eating at Whole Foods every day – at least not where I’m from, where people actually struggle and develop a sense of depth from their interactions with cyclical poverty and truly being the outcast of a society. America’s obsession with individualism as a culture has turned my generation into selfish, materialistic addicts of instant gratification. Of course the Internet and the explosion of marketing and advertising firms contribute to this as well. But we pretend that individualism is the only thing that separates us from crazy communists. There’s truth in that to an extent, but collectivist cultures actually have a lot of benefits – you see this a lot with indigenous cultures in South America, Africa and Asia. You don’t have to give up life in the west and go joining monks in the Himalayas or an obscure isolated tribe in the Amazon to reap the benefits of relying on others for support. Many companies have adapted business structures that encourage group-centered success like the Bound Together bookstore in San Francisco on Haight Street and Free Mind Media information shop in Santa Rosa. Consider the fact that 93 percent of the world’s legislators were men in 1989 – men make up half of all juries but 90 percent of jury forepersons are males, and in conversation, men are more likely to interrupt, talk assertively, stare more, and smile less than women.There are some benefits to not being completely individualistic. But one thing that’s true regardless of culture is that it’s a man’s world. Which is why I believe in female empowerment, just not the way I see most young girls doing it today. I’m so sick of seeing girls post nearly naked picture of themselves with a caption stating that it’s female empowerment and self acceptance. No its not. It’s the same old sexual objectification that woman have been subjected to for decades, except now women are taught to seek validation from men and society by focusing on their sexuality only and then pretending that it’s a form of empowerment. Nothing has changed, and in fact sexual objectification has gotten worse for women, regardless of if people try to pretend it’s a part of the 3rd wave of feminism.
Experience • Joey Fajardo
Editorial
Mother’s Day is every day
W
ith Mother’s Day just around the corner, people are going out and spending loads of money to make sure their mother feels “appreciated” but is all of this really necessary? We’ve all done it; bought cards, clothes, perfumes, or taken our mom out to a movie and dinner. It is Mother’s Day, after all, so show her you love her by giving gifts and spending quality time together. There is nothing wrong with the notion. The problem with Mother’s Day is not the designation of a single day to celebrate our mothers, but the fact that more than often people do not show their mothers how much they value them on a regular basis. When in the last week or two has someone surprised their mom with a gift or a nice meal? It probably happened once, if at all, though many mothers have cooked meals for their families and given them a good amount her time and energy. Need advice? Go talk to your mom. Hungry? Mom probably made dinner, or at least bought groceries. But when a mother needs something, who does she go to? We should be more supportive and appreciative because before they were a wife or a mother they were people with needs, wants and interests. Our mothers were just like us. When women have children they do not need to surrender their identity, their lives just change, so be sure to recognize this. If your mother likes to watch a particular television show, ask her about it. Ask her about her day at work. Ask her who she is thinking about voting for or where she stands on political issues. Mothers, and all parents, are people too. They have more to offer than a list of chores and a curfew to enforce. So many young people are focused on growing up, leaving for college and being involved with their own social groups that they forget who has always been their for them; their mothers. As we grow older, so do our parents, and one day they won’t be around to help us. Next time your mother is around, give her a hug and kiss and let her know how much she means to you. Not just on Mother’s Day or her birthday, but any time she does something for you, let her know you appreciate her efforts. And, when the opportunity arises, do something for her too, no doubt she will be grateful.
Letter to the Editor
Why are prices for food so high? DEAR EDITOR: The issue I’m concerned with is the high pricing of the food in the Bookstore and the Cafeteria and the school materials needed to succeed in college. In my opinion the over pricing is insane. Having to spend a three-dollar minimum using a debit or credit card to even purchase anything in the bookstore is a little much. I believe I speak for most of the student body at Los Medanos College when I state that the prices are too high. Some students are currently living on a budget, including myself. Having to spend three dollars on unnecessary things just to be able to buy small water for eighty cent
is not okay to me. I would love to just come to school and be able to get my eighty-cent water without all the added charges. Another thing that I’ve noticed is in the Cafeteria you have to purchase something in order to use the plastic utensils. If you do not purchase something it cost ten cent to have access to the plastic forks and spoons. Paying ten cent to get utensils is not that bad but come on. We already have to spend a four-dollar minimum in the cafeteria to use our debit or credit cards. Also school is expensive already, so the extra charges on food and supplies are annoying. — Davion Allen
Reader Opinion Policy
The Experience welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns. All members of the Los Medanos College community — students, faculty and staff — are encouraged to write. If you are interested in expressing your opinions on campus, national or world issues, bring your submissions to room CC3-301 and put them in the Perspectives Editor’s mailbox or mail them to Experience c/o Los Medanos College, 2700 E Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565. You may also send them electronically through the Experience online newsite lmcexperience.com. Letters and columns must be typed, signed and include a phone number for verification. They may be edited for clarity, content taste and length at the editor’s discretion.
Voices
If you could switch bodies with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? Compiled
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Adria
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Sarah
Gonzales
LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE
Experience L M C e x p e r i e n c e . c o m
Member California Newspaper Publishers Association
“‘I’d want to be Tinkerbelle, Paris Hilton’s dog, because you know that dog’s living the life. It ain’t got to work or nothing. It’d be great.” — Alyssa Reyes
“Albert Einstein because of all of the contributions he made to physics.” — Ben Hunter
“I would switch with Michael Phelps so I could see what it feels like to be all physically in shape and stuff for a day.”
“Batman because he’s my favorite superhero.” — Demareia Sanders
“Oprah Winfrey because she’s at a good point in her life and she’s made such a big difference in the world for women.”
— Brenna Raya — Diane Tarin
“Michael Jackson because he seemed to have one of the most interesting lives in music.” — Tony Hendrix
“Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” — Thomas Jefferson
Editors-in-Chief................DAMIAN LEWIN and CASSIE DICKMAN Perspectives Editor......YETUNDE OGUNLEYE Campus Editors...........ALEXANDRA RIVA and TYLER MORTIMORE Features Editor............BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ Sports Editors.....................RENEE SMITH and GARRETT BELME Photo Editor.......................JAZMINE GORDON New Media/Marketing.............JAMARI SNIPES Web Editor..........................KIMBERLY STELLY The LMC Experience is published Fridays by students in the Journalism Program. The newspaper serves both as a laboratory for journalism classes and as a First Amendment forum for campus communication. Opinions expressed in the Experience are solely those of the students and do not represent the views of the college.
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“I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.”
— Donald Trump
Sanchez wins district award Staffers also recognized at ceremony By KIMBERLY STELLY
kstelly@lmcexperience.com
Several Los Medanos College faculty members were honored at Contra Costa Community College District’s Achievement of Tenure and Recognition of Classified Employee of the Year ceremony Wednesday, April 27. Honorees included Instructional Assistant Eric Sanchez, winner of the Employee of the Year award, and newly tenured English professor Morgan Lynn and Nursing professor Melvin Herman. Vicki Gordon kicked off the event explaining how “truly grateful” she is to have gotten to know so many dedicated employees. “Our greatest asset is our employees,” said Gordon. “We hope you’ve found your employment to be enjoyable, productive and worthwhile.” LMC President Bob Kratochvil introduced Sanchez, who was presented his award. Kratochvil read to the crowd a blurb written about Sanchez by those who nominated him including Photojournalism Instructor Curtis Corlew and Instructional Assistant Jamie Young. Sanchez’s colleagues said he did his job “smoothly and effectively, with grace” and that he is “an amazing asset from the perspective of both the faculty and the students.” Colleagues also wrote about just how much he means to the student body. They know him well and are comfortable to ask him for help. “Eric has become an indispensable member of the community,” read Kratochvil. “We are very glad he’s won this honor.” Those who have worked with both Lynn and Morgan also had something written up for the occasion, which Kratochvil also read. “Morgan is one of LMC’s most committed educators — she’s deeply committed to student success and equity,” said Kratochvil. “She does this in collaboration with her colleagues with good grace. She’s also really, really funny. She is very, very kind and she has great shoes.” “He is funny, compassionate and warm,” Kratochvil read of Herman, whose peers listed the many things he’s done for students and faculty, such as letting students borrow desk copies of textbooks when they can’t afford them and guiding them when preparing to transfer. “If you need 25 copies of the same handout, Mel will jog down two flights of stairs at 7:30 a.m.” Kratochvil paused.
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
Eric Sanchez holding his award at the district’s tenure and recognition ceremony Wednesday, April 27 in Martinez with art department colleagues Curtis Corlew, Lucy Snow and Ken Alexander.
Instructional assistant lends a hand to all By TAYLOR STROUD
tstroud@lmcexperience.com
If you think you haven’t come in contact with Eric Sanchez, chances are you actually have, seeing as he currently works as Instructional Assistant for the art, journalism and drama departments and has been teaching various art courses and workshops at LMC since 2011. He’s the bearded guy with glasses usually sporting a driver’s cap. And he’s winning a pretty big award. You’ve more than likely also seen his artwork all over campus. All of the remodeling See AWARD, page 6 currently taking place at LMC’s Little Theater
Newswatch Ceramics for sale
is of his design, as is the mural work on the outside of the building and any canvas posters on the inside. Sanchez recalls drama professor Nick Garcia, who along with other students helped with the installation of the artwork outside and inside the theater, telling Sanchez, “you’re the first one I’ve ever worked with where your design looked exactly like how you showed me.” Sanchez is humble, but confident enough to acknowledge the truth in that statement. He takes his art very seriously, because it has dominated almost every aspect of his life
since he moved to the Bay Area in his senior year of high school. Born in West Covina, Sanchez and his family bounced around SoCal until eventually migrating to New Mexico – a much different climate than the suburban one he was used to. “My dad had cattle, our nearest neighbors were a quarter mile away,” he recollects. When he was eight, his parents split up. He originally tagged along with his mother who returned to SoCal. But his father, a TV repairman, eventually moved to San Ramon in search of more work, and Sanchez opted
Cruising around
Los Medanos College will be having a ceramics sale fundraiser on May 3 and 4 in the Ceramics Studio, CC- 316.
Register to vote
Staff Writer
Tryouts for dance team
The Los Medanos College dance team will be holding tryouts on Wednesday May 4 from 6 to 8 pm in the LMC gym and Friday May 6 from 6 to 8 pm in the dance room, PED-1. For more information about tryouts, contact team captain Raquel Ellis at Ellisraquel@ymail.com or CoCaptain Naorie Harris at Naorietyrece@gmail.com
Gospel celebration
New English class
A new English course has been approved for Los Medanos College’s fall 2016 semester. English 124, Children’s Literature is open to all students but may be of special interest to English majors, parents and future early childhood, elementary and secondary level teachers. English 124 satisfies CSU-GE area C2. The class will be held on Thursdays from 4 to 7 pm and will be instructed by JoAnn Hobbs.
Become an ambassador
Los Medanos College’s office of student life is looking for students interested in developing the leadership skills by becoming a student ambassador. The application deadline is Friday, May 13. For more information about becoming a student ambassador and the application process contact, Student Life Coordinator, John Nguyen at knguyen@losmedanos.edu
Medical club seeks members
The American Medical Student Association Club is looking for members. The club meets every Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Science Building, Room SCI-229. All medical professions are welcome and there is no GPA requirement. Scholarships are available. — compiled from press releases and staff reports
Student lingo goes online By MICHAEL MARTINEZ
Club LEO and the Debate Society are hosting a voter registration drive Thursday, May 5. Free hot dogs and water will be available for registrants, as well as information about the election. For more information, contact LEO’s Colin Brown at cmckaybrown@yahoo.com
The 22 annual Gospel Celebration Concert will be held on Saturday, May 7 in the Los Medanos College Recital Hall starting at 7 pm. Tickets are $18 if purchased in advance and $20 at the door. For more information about the event, contact the LMC Music Department at (925)473-7805 or Silvester Henderson at (925)565-6107.
See ERIC, page 6
Experience • Alexandra Riva
Los Medanos College student Connor Green with his electric skateboard in the College Complex Thursday, April 21. A remote control he holds in his hand while riding can change the speed of the board. Green rides his electric skateboard to and from BART stations to get from his home to LMC.
Program aides foster youth By JAMARI SNIPES Staff Writer
Los Medanos College created a new program this semester to help students from foster care backgrounds be successful in college. As part of LMC’s long-term plan to minimize inequality on campus, it was decided that LMC needed to better support foster youth due to low graduation rates among these students. “Research shows that a large percentage of foster youth have difficulty staying in college or graduating. This program is to support foster youth students with staying in college and getting a degree,” DSPS Counselor Haydee Lindgren, a member of the Foster Youth Committee & Success Team, said. According to Woods, only about two to 11 percent of foster youth graduate from college nationwide. “We wanted to do things to increase the graduation and transfer rates of foster youth in our community,” Woods said. The program provides academic and personal counseling, financial aid assistance,
scholarship information, skill-building workshops and more. In order to join, students must be current or former foster youths, meet with the program’s counselor at least once per semester and be enrolled in six units. Twenty-five students in the program were awarded a scholarship called the John Burton Scholarship Book Fund, giving the students up to $350 per semester for textbooks. The program has several upcoming events such as a library workshop on April 22, an ice cream social on April 22 and a Foster Youth Education Summit on April 28 from 4 to 7 p.m. The Foster Youth Education Summit is open to foster youth between the ages of 16 to 19 and their caregivers. The registration deadline is April 22nd and space is limited. To RSVP, email DAdams@cccoe.k12.ca.us. It will be held in the LMC Recital Hall. For more information about the LMC Foster Youth program, visit their website at http:// www.losmedanos.edu/fosteryouth/ or contact Connie Woods at cwoods@losmedanos.edu.
A series of interactive web based workshops known as Student Lingo are now available to students. The goal of the workshops is to assist students in areas of learning and academic performance that will ultimately help them reach their personal and career goals. Workshops are available for a multitude of topics including personal management, reading and writing strategies as well as academic and career exploration. Each section is divided into a series of videos with its own comprehensive learning objectives. The fact that these workshops are accessible online makes it easier for the students who may not have the time to be able to attend workshops in person. “They’re very easy to access and there is a lot of information on there that can be helpful if you’re trying to improve your study habits and such,” said student Austen Clark. “There was some great advice on how to lower test anxiety too, it can definitely have an impact on your performance.” It’s not only students benefiting from the workshops, faculty and support staff as well as orientation directors can also directly use Student Lingo as a resource to improve the participation and experience of students. “This is the first year that we have been able to use StudentLingo. We have just begun getting the information out to students, faculty and staff,” said Carla Rosas, director of the Student Success & Support Program. “Now that this resource is in place we plan to evaluate how many students/ departments are accessing it.” To access the workshops, students only need their college ID. The Student lingo workshops can be found on the Los Medanos College website in the student services section.
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“If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow.”
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— Beyoncé Knowles
Marquee Movies just released
n “Mother’s Day” Rated R Genre: Ensemble, Romance, Comedy n “Keanu” Rated R Genre: Crime, Comedy n “Ratchet & Clank” Rated PG Genre: 3D, Sci-Fi, Animation
Theater events
The California Theatre is located in Pittsburg at 351 Railroad Ave. For ticket sales and additional information call 427-1611. n In memory of Prince, the Pittsburg Arts and Community Foundation will be putting on an event celebrating his life and music tonight, April 29 at 8 p.m. Audience members are encouraged to wear purple and sing along and dance. Proceeds from the show will support performing arts programs in Pittsburg. There is a suggested donation ranging from $3 to $10. n The United States Air Force Band of the Golden West presents The Commander’s Jazz Sextet. This group of trained musicians will be playing a show Saturday, April 30 at 7 p.m. Tickets to this event are free. Seats for the show will be released 15 minutes prior to the start of the performance. However, seating is not guaranteed.
El Campanil shows
The El Campanil Theatre is located at 602 W Second St. in Antioch. For ticket sales and additional information visit elcampaniltheatre.com or call 757-9500. n A Ray Charles tribute will be performed by a swinging sextet of Bay Area musicians Saturday, April 30 at 8 p.m. The band features 11-time Grammy Award winning artist Tony Lindsey, guitarist Chris Cain and vocalist Glenn Walters. Ticket prices are $27 for adults, $25 for senior and $15 for youth. n The Ballet company of East County will be putting on a performance of the classic tale, “Alice in Wonderland,” Sunday, May 1 at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $12 for the upstairs level and $15 for the ground level. — compiled from press releases and staff reports
Experience • Beatriz Hernandez
Priscila Rodriguez, Anise Gonzalez, Sergio Ramirez, Nicole Cabbiness and Jose Acosta-Campos rehearse for “Project Serenity” in the directing class Tuesday, April 26.
Drama tackles ‘Project’ By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ
bhernandez@lmcexperience.com
The Los Medanos College directing class is bringing the show “Project Serenity” to the Little Theater beginning Thursday, May 5 at 7 p.m. The story is set in a mental hospital that uses virtual reality technology on its patients to control them. “It is very indicative of a cyclical paradigm that we live in. We live in a system where everything is against you,” said Sergio Ramirez who plays the lead role of Al. In this world, Al comes together with the rest of the patients to help break them out of each of their made up worlds. “By being tested on from a virtual reality system they have to come together and work together to get everyone out of that system,”
Beyoncé takes struggle and makes ‘Lemonade’ By ADRIA WATSON
awatson@lmcexperience.com
Beyoncé released her sixth studio album “Lemonade” this past Saturday and did not disappoint. The album includes 12-tracks and an hour-long film — adding additional context to the songs — that debuted on HBO. As a longtime Beyoncé fan, I truthfully believe that this is her best album to date. Although fans had a glimpse of her mysterious personal life back when 2011 album “4” was released, “Lemonade” showcases a more fragile and vulnerable side to Queen Bey that most people may not be used to hearing from her. This album makes her seem more human and real. Up until now, everyone has put Beyoncé on this God-like pedestal, but it feels like this time around, she’s brought herself down to Earth a little. The album is honest and it seems as if what she went through has brought her closer to us mere
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Beyoncé’s latest album titled “Lemonade.” mortals. The album and its film take you through the story of a heartbroken woman — likely Beyoncé — who was betrayed by her cheating husband. As the story goes on, the film depicts the different stages of grief — intuition, denial, anger, apathy, emptiness, accountability, reformation, forgiveness, resurrection, hope and redemption — each flawlessly serving as transitions between songs, during which Beyoncé recites poetry from Kenyan poet Warsan Shire.
The opening song, “Pray You Catch Me,” is a speculation that one has about their significant other being unfaithful. The song begins with a hard beat that made me feel as if she might be starting off with an upbeat, R&B sound, but the overlay of her voice has an enchanting transition that then turns the song into a soft, sad ballad setting the lyrical tone for the rest of the album. “Lemonade” isn’t sonically cohesive — the songs have dif ferent sounds to them and are all over the place in terms of genre — and feature everything from Americana to calypso. But the accompanying film helps provide context and structure to the songs. The start of the album made me feel like I wanted to fight my imaginary cheating husband, but as it went on, I found myself discovering my worth, then realizing I deserve better, finally feeling like I needed to forgive everyone See BEY, page 6
‘Huntsman’ lacks direction
Unnecessary sequel continues mediocrity By YETUNDE OGUNLEYE
REVIEW
them all together,” said Anise Gonzalez, who plays the female lead Annie. Brehaut and Acosta-Campos both play characters from within the system that act as close relatives in order to keep patients stuck in the virtual reality system. The longer the patients stay in the system, the more trouble they have recognizing they are in a system. “No matter what you go through, whether it’s the hardest obstacle, you’re going to overcome it in the end,” said Acosta-Campos about the message of the show. “Anything can be beaten if you put your mind to it. “Project Serenity” opens on May 5 and runs through May 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14 and 16 at 7 p.m. with a matinee showing May 11 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be $7 for students or those with military ID, $10 for the general public and $5 with middle school or high school ID.
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“The Huntsman: Winter’s War,” prequel/ sequel to the groundbreakingly boring ‘reinvention’ of the Snow White fairytale, “Snow White and the Huntsman,” although stunning visually, still left me with the same question: Why was so much money thrown into a film that’s only watchable because of the hope of catching a glimpse of Charlize Theron as the evil queen? The movie starts off showing the origin story of Eric, the titular huntsman, an orphan-turnedchild soldier and ultimate warrior badass by the evil queen Ravenna’s good-at-first sister Freya (Emily Blunt). Freya turns out to be evil and hates love due to her baby being killed, which is when she discovers she has the power to shoot ice out of her hands. Freya hates Eric (Chris Hemsworth) and Sarah (Jessica Chastain) because they go against her orders and fall in love. Freya tears the couple apart with her magic and then the movie skips to
said Jazmin Brehaut. Ramirez describes the female lead character, Annie, as the key element of the story that brings all of the characters together. “Annie is the glue and the bridge to every single character,” said Ramirez. “It’s definitely very important to have a community of likeminded people and just galvanizing movements to change the world.” The show inspired by an activity done in the directing class where all the students had to bring one object from home. Out of all the objects, the one from which students were able to draw the most inspiration from was used to help create the story. In the end, Jose Acosta-Campos’s virtual reality goggles won out. “We had all of these pieces, but then we had to figure out how we were going to connect
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Charlize Theron and Emily Blunt in the film “Huntsman: Winter’s War.” seven years later, after Ravenna has been defeated and Snow White is the revered queen. Eric and Sarah then meet again and team up to keep the insidious mirror from the first movie out of the hands of Freya and thus beginning their journey for most of the movie. This movie is just plain cringe-worthy, confusing and hard to watch up until the last half hour or so when Theron finally graces us with her presence, and — while Hemsworth is a sight for sore eyes — the pointless brogue/ See HUNT, page 6
• $14,000 Honors at Entrance Scholarships RSVP for the May 26 transfer information session at smcadmit.com
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Who caught the most touchdowns in a single season? A: Randy Moss
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Final season games Softball faces two losses By GARRETT BELME
gbelme@lmcexperience.com
The Los Medanos softball team suited up for the last time of their 2016 season as they took on the number one ranked team in BVC, Solano College, in Tuesday’s double header. The Mustangs were sent off with two back-to-back losses. Game one for the mustangs star ted poor and only got worse. After the first three batters were retired, the defense proceeded to give up four runs during Solano’s first at bat. The Mustangs did show signs of life in the top of the Experience • Cathie Lawrence second inning when Jazmyne LMC’s Jonathan Allen being welcomed back by teammates Brandon Hutslar and Deon White after reaching home plate. Brown hit a double and eventually score making it a 4-1 game thanks to a Desiree Chavarria single and a Maria Reyes bunt. Solano’s four point first inning was a precursor to what they would do in the second as they began to pour it on with five more runners rounding home plate making the score 9-1. Solano would score five more runs and eventually put away the Mustangs 14-1. After the game softball head coach Tim Rognlien analyzed his team’s performance. “I By RENEE SMITH wasn’t real pleased with game rsmith@lmcexperience.com one against Solano because I The Los Medanos College thought we came out flat and baseball team squeaked by not ready to play… our defense with a 4-2 win over Solano was a little shabby. I thought College on April 23. With this we missed some opportunities win, the Stangs are one step to shut them down,” said Rogcloser to making their way to nlien. “In game one our bats a playoff berth. were silent and when we did Starting pitcher Mike Alhave opportunities to score exander went seven innings, we could not get a clutch hit.” allowing five hits and two runs Game two for LMC was Experience • Cathie Lawrence slightly more competitive. and throwing four strikeouts. Both the Mustangs and Fal- Outfielder Deon White dives into second base to place himself in scoring position against Solano College. After Solano took a 1-0 lead, cons went scoreless through the Mustangs put themselves three innings, as each team was defensively in the bottom of the eighth. Self would follow, into a position to tie or take sound, making little to no threat on the base path. grounding out to the pitcher scoring Ambuehl the lead. In the bottom of the third inning, outfield- and increasing the lead to 4-2. Renee Smith got on base er Jared Ambuehl was able to sacrifice to Pitcher Gabe Taylor came in to close the with a single, and then got in the pitcher, sending outfielder Deon White game in the ninth, allowing just one hit and scoring position after a Brittni home and outfielder Jonathan Allen to third. notching two strikeouts. Brown double. However, a Next, third baseman Tony Self would follow Vincent claimed his first victory against Jayla Allen ground out ended up with an RBI single to bring in Allen to end Solano and Taylor was given the save. both the inning and any LMC the inning 2-0. “It was one of only a few games this year that scoring threat. Both sides’ offenses would once again fall were close wins and I thought Mike [AlexanThe Mustangs did eventually silent as batters were stopped by a strong de- der] battled well against them,” said Ambuehl. get on the board but their offensive performance through the fifth inning. He noted that during the at-bat which he fense couldn’t generate enough However, the Falcons would answer back to would have his triple, head coach Anthony runs to pull out a victory as the two runs with two of their own in the top D’Albora gave a hit-and-run sign. they fell to Solano 6-4. of the sixth. The tied game would last another “I just tried my best to just go the other way Rognlien again broke down two heart-stopping innings. with the pitch and I put a good swing on it. his team’s play after the game. In top of the eighth inning, pitcher Spencer That’s when Gabe came in and shut the door,” “In game two we regrouped Vincent came in, allowing no hits and no runs. Ambuehl said. “He’s been pretty clutch for us and played Solano at he level I He was able to get a quick three outs to retire at times this year.” expected us to play. With a key the side and allow the Mustangs to take back The Stangs are just a few games away from hit here or there we could have the lead. the end of their 2016 season, and — as of April upset the number one team in Ambuehl launched a ball to the fence for 27 — the team is 23-11 in league, looking to Experience • Cathie Lawrence the BVC… Our 6-4 loss gave an RBI triple, scoring catcher Ethan Utler as clench a high seed seat in playoffs as regular Coach D’Albora greets Jared Ambuehl after his triple. them everything they could LMC was able to once again clench the lead season comes to a close. handle,” said Rognlien.
LMC hunts down Falcons Narrow win over Folsom
NBA crowns the coach of the year Steve Kerr has won NBA Coach of the Year, it was announced on Tuesday, April 26th. On the surface it makes sense, I mean, the Golden State Warriors did break the NBA record for most wins in a season with a mark of 73 wins and only 9 losses. It would be easy to say, “Yes, Stephen Curry did break his own three-point record by over 100 three-pointers.” He also hit over 400 threes in a season, a mark that will never be broken, as no one has ever been close to that mark, including great shooters like Ray Allen and Reggie Miller. It would also be easy to say that Curry is the unanimous MVP and ever since Steve Kerr has taken over Curry has definitely played looser and has been quick on the trigger to hoist threes from way downtown. The fact of the matter is, the Warriors are the best team ever. They have the best shooter ever in Steph Curry, complimented by one of the top ten best shooters (quietly) in Klay
Jared Ambuehl REAL TIME WITH JARED
Thompson, and they have one of the best defensive players ever in Draymond Green. You do not even have to mention the fact they have the deepest bench ever as center Festus Ezeli would start on half the teams in the NBA, as well as small forward Andre Iguodala and power forward Marreese Speights. But, if you are going to give the Coach of the Year award to a Warriors coach (which the association kind of had to do) then they should have made it a Co-Coach of the Year type of deal. Everyone just seemed to forget that Luke Walton coached the Dubs to a 39-4 start when Coach Kerr’s health was ailing. By the way, this record that Walton got the Warriors off to means he has won 91 percent See NBA, page 6
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structor Myra Snell. “This path includes many majors that do not require additional math courses — for example: English, journalism, music, or psychology.” Before, students were required to have a C or better in Algebra II to get into the classes needed for their major and avoid spending extra semesters taking remedial math classes such as Math 27 for the statistics pathway and Math 12 for the algebra pathway. This, however, has proven to be an issue. “Data has shown the our Math 27 class completely closed the math achievement gap and we are hopeful that our Math 28/34 will increase success rates of all students equally,” said Math Department Chair Tue Rust, “This done-in-one declaration will have a huge impact on longterm student success.” Students who were unable to meet the Algebra II C-or-better prerequisite had to take the math assessment placement. In 2014-2015, 69% of Graduates who took the assessment had placed in math courses that were two or more levels below than that of transfer-level requirement. Meaning the majority of those graduates may have had to prolong their schooling at LMC because they needed to work their way up to a transfer-level math class. According to LMC math instructor Mara Landers, with the new placement strategies and fast track options in place, LMC will be able to “ … offer students the opportunity to meet their requirements in fewer semesters.” Rust echoed Landers’ sentiments. “Studies have proven that math placement instruments like Accuplacer and long chains of math courses heavily impact long-term student success such as earning certificates, degrees and being able to transfer,” said Rust. “Our recent changes in placement and math pathways will greatly increase the number of students who complete transfer-level math. We believe this in turn will increase the numbers of students who earn certificates, degrees and transfers.”
of the games he has been the Head Coach for. Now, I am not naive, and I know Steve Kerr has created the staple for the Warriors offense and defense, and he probably still had a huge hand in all of those victories including the fantastic start where they won all those games to start the year. But, what makes my blood boil is that all of those wins are given to Steve Kerr, as if he was on the hard wood floor every night drawing up plays and grinding out game after game. Kerr is undoubtedly one of the tougher men that have ever been in the NBA, battling illness and keeping Michael Jordan in check in those days with the Bulls. Which by the way, if you were wondering, yes, Steve Kerr was on the 72 win Bulls and coached the 73 win Warriors. Coincidence, I think not. If there is one thing I know as an athlete and a journalist, it is that you want credit for the work that you have put in, and I do not think Luke Walton has gotten it. This might not bode well for the Warriors, as just this week it was announced that Byron Scott is in fact out as the Lakers Head Coach. If I am Luke Walton, and I want to make the next step in my coaching career, (which who knows he may be content as an assistant with this juggernaut of a Warriors team) I am waiting anxiously by the phone hoping Kupchak or Buss gives me the call for the interview. Walton is a former player for the Los Angeles Lakers, and why wouldn’t he want to be their head coach, even if the roster is absolutely depleted. It is great that Kerr won the Coach of the Year if you are a fan of the Warriors, but if you are a die-hard fan, aren’t you kind of shaking your head right now thinking Walton got jipped a little?
demic year in favor of a single, five-unit English 95: Accelerated Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking class. meaning students who don’t score high enough on their assessment test to register for college composition course English 100 will no longer have to take up to two English courses before enrolling in the first transferrable English class. In the 2014-2015 academic year, only 18 percent of LMC’s 893 incoming freshmen tested into English 100. These changes — nearly four years in the making — are designed to improve academic outcomes, said one of the plan’s architects, LMC English professor Morgan Lynn. “There are two facets to it — one is increased success for all students, and the other is making sure other students succeed,” said Lynn, speaking of the college’s new student equity targets, which seek to eliminate deficits in student achievement among student demographics. “Right now we have gaps between student populations, and we’re looking to reduce those gaps. Datawise, this is supposed to help that.” These changes come at a time when many American community colleges are responding to new data that suggests the current modes of remediation aren’t working. A 2010 Columbia University study found only 37 percent of students who enroll in a remedial English class make it to a college-level class, and the attrition rate increases for each added class. According to Complete College America, colleges in Colorado, Indiana, Tennessee and West Virginia that implemented single-course remediation pathways saw student success rates double in English. How will LMC be cutting two or three semesters of English into a one-semester course? By trimming the fat, says Professor Scott Warfe. “We’re dropping anything that isn’t relevant to the student that comes into the classroom,” said Warfe, explaining that professors will now be taking a more handson approach, using essays instead of worksheets. “Every day, we’re going to focus on reading or writing an essay, and then we’re going to work with students one-on-one to work on their writing. We’re meeting students where they are.” War fe is no stranger to remedial classes: Besides teaching English 90 and 95 here at LMC, he also tested into his community college’s basic skills English class when he was a student. Warfe said the sheer number of units between him and a transferrable class was daunting, and he felt he would never graduate from college. “By getting more students into 100 — which is something we’re also working on — and
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Gaelic accent used by him and Chastain seems forced and takes away from his role. Speaking of forced — not even Chastain’s or Blunt’s acting chops can save me from my feelings of perpetual bewilderment after having seen this film. Even with the“Lord of the Rings” costume design, I still don’t buy Chastain as a kick ass heroine. Nor do I buy the chemistr y between her and Hemsworth, but I guess if you’re going to have a movie that needs a feisty lead actress with a Gaelic accent, she has to have red hair. As for Blunt’s role as the bitter ice queen, besides her wardrobe and hairstyles, I couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that she is somehow related to Elsa from Frozen because they’re nearly the same characters, minus the infanticide. This movie attempts to explore plots left open from the first movie, but unfortunately forgot not to be dull and unimaginative just like its predecessor. How can a fantasy fairytale epic casually roll past the existence of fairies and goblins and instead focus on the kind of offensive CGI dwarves (Nick Frost and Rob Brydon). The goblin fight scene was one of the only cool things about the movie, and you’re telling me that the casting director couldn’t find a little person with the comedic acting ability that Frost, Brydon and the two other female dwarves — who, according to the movie’s running joke, are supposed to be hideously ugly — have? The plot that should have been explored was the mirror’s origin and what it actually does. The movie isn’t all bad — it still has exquisite visuals and an Oscar-nominated costume director. There’s still Charlize Theron who does a fantastic portrayal of being evil. And my favorite par t of the movie was the complete non-existence of Kristen Stewart. There are some things I’m not sure are good or bad, like its hint at another sequel focusing on Ravenna’s character. There’s also the theme of the movie ‘love conquers all’, which I’m not sure is actually true.
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ers, at least — mo’ money means mo’ problems. Recognizing his audience, Brown focused his argument on the minimum wage’s effects on college campuses, citing cases at University of Oregon and Oregon State where student positions were cut and tuition was raised by 5 percent in response to a wage hike. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Stanfield took the lectern to highlight the historical rebuttals against labor laws and minimum wages. “If we don’t allow child labor, it’ll be a job killer,” he said, aping turn-of-the-century capitalists. Member of Government Taylor Gonzalez pointed out the societal benefit of increased wealth among the working class. “When people are paid more, they spend more,” said Gonzalez, advocating for trickle-up economics. The Opposition also featured arguments from Gennaro Mauricio, Christian Robinson and a closing argument from Amata Abatcha, while the Government closed with Israel Castro. Both teams provided compelling arguments, as a vote-byknock by the audience provided no clear winner. Professor Marie Arcidiacono opened the floor to the audience, who asked members of both sides questions ranging from debate tactics to the possible effects of the wage increase. The April 27 debate comes about three weeks after Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that would increase California’s minimum wage 50 cents a year for two years and then $1 a year until it reaches $15 in 2022. Its passage was praised by prominent figures on the left like Sen. Bernie Sanders — who hailed the “living wage” — and criticized by conservatives who claimed it would cause an increase in unemployment, though Gov. Brown ensured there would be an opt-out option if the economy began to stall. No Republican in the state house or senate supported the bill.
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“It says here, ‘Well maybe not jog,’” a comment which received laughs from the audience. “It is clear we are learning from the very best,” finished Kratochvil. DVC President Peter Garcia and new CCC President Mojdeh Mehdizadeh presented awards to newly tenured employees
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allowing all students into 95, that really eliminates some of that exhaustion,” said Warfe, referring to another change that would allow students who tested just under the cutoff for English 100 to take the class regardless, avoiding the potential pitfalls of remedial courses. California is implementing a new Common Assessment Tool, which allows colleges to use a wide range of measures to assess a student’s preparedness — from high school GPA to writing prompts and self-assessments. Though the prospect of a five-unit class may cause some students to feel lightheaded, professors are confident the model will be beneficial to both students and instructors. “The additional time in class lets students get homework done in class. We’re able to actually help in the moment — to troubleshoot and give them what they need — versus only meeting with them for a short amount of time and having them do all the work outside of class,” said Professor Jill Buettner-Ouellette. “When you’re supporting them in the moment, they’re much more likely to make progress and get things done.” This isn’t the first time LMC has reformed its remedial pathways. The college originally had two remedial composition classes and two optional remedial reading classes. “The problem is that students were not doing very well if they did not place into [college composition] from the start,” wrote Dean of Liberal Arts Nancy Ybarra in an email. In 1996, the Academic Senate formed a committee to reassess this system and created the English 70 and 90 courses, which remained the norm for some 15 years. “We discovered that although our course completion rates had improved, students who began in English 70 were highly unlikely to persist into English 100 and complete it,” wrote Ybarra, and so the process to find a more effective method began again and ended with the new 95 course. “The idea of remediation started with good intentions,” said L ynn. “It’s just that it wasn’t thinking of the students’ journey, and how we help them with their journey entirely, instead of how we help them with their tiny English problems.” L ynn added that though this change has been in the making for some years now, it isn’t final, and corrections and alterations will continue to be made to address problems as they arise. “I think a big part of 95 is addressing students as people instead of data. We may have done that individually, but now it’s a very explicit part of the pedagogy,” said Warfe. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt as personally invested in a course than I have in English 95.”
Student Briana Solis said she smelled something burning, but did not know where the lingering smell was coming from. For most, the time taken to evacuate and re-enter the building was just time away from the work they had been doing. “I’m a bit peeved,” said Yazmyn Rahimi about the alarm because she was “in the middle of making a set.” Behind the scenes, however, things were not as calm as they may have seemed. There were rumors that the alarm was in response to a bomb threat, according to numerous faculty members, including Fire Technology professor Mike Grillo. That r umor was given credence as members of Police Ser vices, including
Officers Michael Hotton and David Oleski were scrambling around the campus, looking for the problem. When asked about what was causing the alarms, Hotton said there might have been a threat of some kind. “No threats came into the college in any way, shape or form,” said Lt. Ryan Huddleston when asked about the bomb threat rumors and about Hotton’s comment. He said that there was “nothing criminal” about the alarms and was under the impression that there was a problem with the electrical system. It was later determined that a fault in the alarm system caused a false positive, triggering the alarm system, this according to a source in the maintenance department. Adria Watson contributed to this report
at their campuses. Eight employees from DVC and two employees from CCC were given certificates. CCCCD Chancellor, Dr. Helen Benjamin then addressed all those who were honored. She acknowledged the importance of all the classified employees, saying “they are on the frontlines” when it comes to interacting with the student body. To Sanchez, she said he represents all classified
employees and thanked him for his hard work. She then turned her attention to the audience. “Thank you for your commitment to our students, we are very grateful for what you do,” she said, also thanking the friends and family of the honorees for all their support. Kratochvil had nothing but nice things to say about the honorees from LMC. “Morgan and Mel are wonderful
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Many of their clients are companies in search of art for marketing purposes — From page 3 including tech giant Google. come along. The two moved “We’re responsive and amto San Ramon, where Sanchez bitious. It kind of meets and graduated from Cal High. exceeds their expectations,” He’d lived four years with said Sanchez of their good his mom after the divorce, and reputation. “They like that he jumped at the opportunity we’re professional, they like to spend the next four years how we work.” with his dad. Sanchez is so committed “I chose to balance it be- to his work that he says he tween both of them.” “might get between 3 and 5 It seems balance is a key hours of sleep if I’m doing a component in Sanchez’s life. commission.” He admits there From that point on, whether it have been times in which he’d was in his educational, profes- work his day job, go to the site sional or creative endeavors, of his commission afterward he said he has “always had too and work that evening until as much” on his plate. late (or early) as 6 a.m., rest Sanchez studied just about for a bit and return to the site every medium of fine art you later that afternoon. could imagine, graduating “I guess I thrive in crisis,” from Cal State Hayward with a he says, admitting it’s both a Bachelor’s in Fine Art Studio. strength and weakness. He He got his first art job at the said he “gets stretched thin nonprofit Kala Art Institute in on occasion,” but he has to Berkeley. While Sanchez said either ask someone to relieve his passion for fine arts was some of his duties “or I’ll have so strong he never entertained to remind myself ‘Oh, this the idea of digital art, he found actually isn’t my job.’” himself giving it a shot at Kala. When it comes to his art, “I learned more there in Sanchez is self-aware in a way six months than in my entire that is not quite self-deprecatschooling,” says Sanchez. ing, but critical all the same. He was inspired enough to “Most people say, ‘Oh, that get his Master’s Degree in Fine looks great’ and I’m like ‘No, Art and Printmaking from San it can be better.’ Like, I need Francisco State. to figure out how to make it Sanchez went on to teach better that way I know where art classes at all three CCCCD the breaking point is.” colleges and College of San Sanchez is rarely fully satisMateo. fied with his work, a testament Around the same time, he to how far he will push himself and Matt Reynoso star ted in any of his endeavors — a doing commissioned work quality that has not gone ununder the name Indubitable noticed in his professional life. Design. In 2011, he came into a full“That which cannot be time classified staff position at questioned,” Sanchez defines LMC – a position for which he the root of the company’s title was awarded the district-wide with a laugh. He admits that the Classified Employee of the majority of design proposals Year. Sanchez received the he sends in to a client come district-level award at a reback with “little to no changes,” ception at the CCCC District which is reflective of Sanchez’s Of fice on April 27, and is innate skills in what he does. eligible for consideration for The Indubitable Design statewide Classified Employee team specializes in 2D and of the Year. 3D traditional and digital art “It is a big deal … out of all applications – specifically art the classified employees and installation, sculpture and proposals that went through, mural work – and are housed mine rose to the surface,” said at the Compound Gallery in Sanchez incredulously. Oakland. Sanchez puts time and enerFor Sanchez and Reynoso, gy into his work t. He admits teamwork is key. that his dream job would entail “I know software, and he “a position that has a large knows hardware, and we both impact.” He acknowledges the have overlap in both areas … impact he’s making today with together we’re like an unstop- his art and his work at LMC is pable force.” enough to fulfill that dream.
BEY From page 4
She samples Malcolm X’s speech “Who Taught You to Hate Yourself,” in which X says, “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman.” The film is about the strength and power of black women and she uses his words to highlight this. Beyoncé includes a cast made up of all black women, featuring famous faces like Serena Williams, Zendaya, Quvenzhané Wallis, and Amandla Stenberg. She also gives a nod to the Black Lives Matter movement and includes the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown and Eric Garner in the video for “Forward.” I feel like one of the things she wanted to say is that black women are not just the “strong black women” cliché that society paints of us. What makes us angry, happy, sad, powerful, compassionate and strong make us who we are and it’s OK to have those insecurities and moments of weakness. With “Lemonade,” Beyoncé gives us both her best and most personal album yet, and once again proves herself more than worthy of the throne.
who has ever done me wrong. As far as Beyoncé switching up her sound goes, “Daddy Lessons” experimented with folk and soul, successfully tying the genres together. Beyoncé gives fans a rock anthem with “Don’t Hur t Yourself,” featuring White Stripes front-man Jack White. The song fits into the film’s ‘anger’ segment and gives me Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know”-vibes. While there’s nothing about this album I don’t like, I wish it received more substantive feedback. I feel like the drama surrounding who “Becky with the good hair” is took away from the artistic impact of “Lemonade.” People stopped listening to the music for themselves, stopped watching the film and put what was important on the back burner to feed their need to know about celebrities’ lives who don’t pay their bills. “Lemonade” is not just Beyoncé’s story — it’s something many women have gone through, and it is important for people to realize that. I suggest watching the album’s accompanying film first so you can fully appreciate each song and each emotion they evoke, because it’s one big emotional rollercoaster. It will give you a better understanding of the story Beyoncé is telling. The impor tant thing to note about the film is the From page 1 message it’s sending — it’s The first food bank came relatable to all women, but from Michigan State Univerfor black women especially. sity, which opened in 1993 and has been getting 4,000 annual visits in recent years, Nate Smith-Tyge director of people,” he said. He also the MSU food bank said in an noted he was “very proud” of article by Alexei Koseff from Sanchez, as were the people the Sacramento Bee. “People view it as no differwho nominated him. “I feel so lucky to be Eric’s ent than going to the financial assistant,” said Young about aid office or going to see a counselor in the academic Sanchez. Benjamin then ended the advising center,” Smith-Tyge ceremony, encouraging ev- who is also the co-founder of eryone to mingle and enjoy The College and University the refreshments. Those who Food Bank Alliance said. For more information on the were awarded were gathered so that group pictures could Cuisine Club, call 473-7554 or visit the Student Life Office. be taken.
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