Vet dinner upcoming
Jazz Band tunes up
Baseball loses in opener
Veterans Task Force and Veterans Club organize appreciation dinner. Preview inside — page 3
Band preps for the upcoming music season. Photo package inside — page 4
Mustangs fall 3-2 to Cabrillo College Seahawks in Jan. 27 season premiere. Story inside — page 5
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Obama talks free school By BRIANNA KLIPP
bklipp@lmcexperience.com
The month of January is a period of self-reflection and steadfast momentum for most people. Newyears resolutions have been made, but by mid January, the band-wagoners have already cheated their diets and are considering the long route to class as an alternative to their gym memberships, which once maintained whole-hearted dedication back in December. In the political world, leaders have brought resolutions to the surface as an effort to overcome foreign and domestic oppression during an uphill battle of a struggling economy.
In what many consider to be the biggest surprise thus far in 2015, President Barack Obama has announced a plan that will take Community College students for a tailspin. In a White House story, which leaked Jan. 16, President Obama announced that his proposed budget to Congress would include a plan that makes the first two years of community college a free commodity on a national level. “The White House budget proposal shows that the president wants to increase discretionary spending for the Department of Education by $1.3 billion to $68.6 billion. That’s in addition to $14.4 billion See OBAMA, page 6
“Mr. Obama’s proposal is quite bold and has the potential for providing opportunities to men and women who might not otherwise consider going to college.”
— Bob Kratochvil
Deadline to submit LMCAS Senator Application. Go to losmedanos. edu/Groups/lmcas/ apply.asp for more information
Blood drives upcoming Student Life, in conjunction with the Blood Centers of the Pacific, will be holding two blood drives in early February. The first drive will be at the Brentwood campus Feb. 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. aboard the blood drive bus. The second drive will be Feb. 12 in Room L-109 in the Library on the main campus from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. You can schedule an appointment by visiting the Blood Centers of the Pacific’s website at www.bloodheroes.com, clicking on “donate blood” and entering the sponsor code “losMC.” Students are encouraged to eat prior to donating. The Student Life office can be reached at 473-7554 for more information.
LMCAS holds open forums The Los Medanos College Associated Students hold weekly student government meetings from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Library, Room L-105. All are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Student Life at 473-7554.
Senator spots available The Associated Students of Los Medanos College (LMCAS) is currently accepting applications for senators or representatives this spring 2015. Those who are interested in student government and leadership are encouraged to apply. Requirements include maintaing a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. Applicants must submit the completed packet by Feb. 17. If you have any questions, email adviser Demetria Lawrence at dlawrence@losmedanos. edu.
Experience • Damian Lewin
More than 700 students of Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High School marched to and from the Maya Cinemas in Pittsburg. Along the way, they carried a banner depicting Martin Luther King Jr. and chanted together.
‘Selma’ inspires community Student Life hosts viewing of true story By KIMBERLY STELLY
kstelly@lmcexperience.com
Los Medanos College students and faculty gathered in the crowded lobby at Maya Cinemas last Friday, Jan. 23 to check-in for the special Spring Movie Matinee screening of “Selma” hosted by Student Life. Everyone was checked-in but had to wait for someone to show up with the actual tickets. While waiting, students talked with one another about what they thought the movie would entail. “We are happy with the turn
out,” said Student Life Coordinator Demetria Lawrence. Although the confirmation email sent out to the people who reserved seats online stated an 11:30 a.m. check-in time, most people showed up at 12 p.m. After ten minutes, free food and drink vouchers for the first 50 people who signed up online were given out. After everyone had been given their tickets, people began to fill the seats in the auditorium. Unlike the “Book
Jr. High marches to showing at theater By DAMIAN LEWIN
dlewin@lmcexperience.com
“Selma,” directed by Ava Duvernay, is nominated for Best Picture. See See SELMA, page 6 review on page 3.
“Freedom!” “To keep the dream on!” “We’re carrying on the legacy!” Shouts from students from Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High School rang through the streets of Pittsburg as they marched from Maya Cinemas back to their school Jan. 26. With a banner featuring the image of King held proudly by students, the group of over seven hundred students were taking part of a massive field
trip to see the film ‘Selma,’ which deals with King and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. “It’s a great tool for educating our young folk,” said Contra Costa County District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover, who gave praise to the Pittsburg School District, the junior high and all those involved with organizing the event, adding that a decision to take students to see a film such as ‘Selma,’ helps younger generations “visit what took place” and “view See MARCH, page 6
Interim CCC president selected Former DVC student takes the reigns at college By ALEX TAGLIAMONTE
atagliamonte@lmcexperience.com
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
Mojdeh Mehdizadeh, above, is the newly appointed Interim President of Contra Costa College.
Mojdeh Mehdizadeh, executive vice chancellor of education and technology for the Contra Costa Community College Distict, has been named interim president of Contra Costa College. The former Diablo Valley College student’s new position was made official at the Jan. 28 meeting of the district governing board. Mehdizadeh has served the dis-
trict for more than 25 years, holding a variety of positions throughout her tenure. Since 1998, Mehdizadeh has been serving in a district wide capacity, ensuring leadership and support of the colleges’ educational programs and student services. “We feel ver y lucky to have Mojdeh now and we think this is going to be a good transition for us,” said United Faculty Vice President Jeffrey Michels, who represents Contra Costa College and serves as the union’s Executive Director. After discussion at the board meeting about her appointment, Mehdizadeh rose to applause and moved from her chair at the staff table to her seat at the president’s
table. Mehdizadeh’s other accomplishments include serving as a member of the Advisory Committee on Education Services of the Community College League of California, the statewide Assessment Selection Steering Committee and the Student Success Scorecard Advisory Group. She is also the co-chair of the Contra Costa County Adult Education Consortium, which focuses on rebuilding and aligning educational programs between K-12 and adult education at Contra Costa, Diablo Valley and Los Medanos colleges. “She brings a comprehensive background of skills and experiSee CCC, page 6
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“We know the road to freedom has always been stalked by death.”
— Angela Davis
Isaiah Harper
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SIDELINE VIEW
SOCIALLY WELL
Police are way too aggressive
Ageism has a negative effect
Demonstrators all over the world are protesting against the issue of police aggression, which seems to be growing rapidly against the minority population. A number of minorities think that many police officers have too much power on their hands and tend to overreact to crime situations that could have been handled differently. For example, Michael Brown and Eric Garner’s deaths have triggered an outrage throughout the black community and added to the recent injustices against black people. Michael Brown was an 18-year-old African American male who was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson last August in Ferguson Missouri. Was this necessary? Brown was believed to be a suspect in a convenience store robbery of some cigarillos. It was reported by the police that the young man resisted reprimand from the police officer and attempted to get the officer’s gun – the event ended with Brown getting shot six times. Michael Brown lost his life allegedly over cigars. Were the police officers afraid or was it an issue of power? As the investigation continued it became unclear if this resistance was true and inconsistency started unfolding. The shooting sparked unrest among the people of Ferguson. This was partly due to the belief that Brown was surrendering. In the Eric Garner situation, Garner died in the Tompkinsville neighborhood of Staten Island New York after a police officer put him in a chokehold. The use of the chokehold is a violation so it is argued as being a headlock. Officer Justin Damico approached Garner on suspicion of selling “loosies” – single cigarettes from packs. Garner was put in a chokehold and held down by four officers. It was reported that Garner told them that he could not breathe but they continued to restrain him. After handcuffed Garner had passed out, the police did no CPR on him because they claimed that he was still breathing. The medical examiners concluded that Garner was killed by neck compression. It is misuse of power by the police forces. Some police officers seem to be concerned about their fellow officers over-reacting in violence toward black people. In an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, Chief of Police Chris Magnus demonstrated along with the other protestors in Richmond, California to protest against the Michael Brown and Eric Garner death. He held a sign that said “black lives matter”. Magnus stated that he wanted to show the department’s commitment to peaceful protest and that minority lives matter. His department for wearing his uniform during this protest criticized the officer. Police aggression is a misuse of power and unjust to the community. We need fair practice and better training of the police officers.
Society will have you believing our elders are feeble, cantankerous, occasionally racist people who have lost all ability to function correctly. On the other end, young folks are being painted as lazy, immature and impulsive. These toxic assumptions have leaked into numerous aspects of our daily lives affecting both workers on both ends of the age spectrum, promoting a continuing culture of ageism. The issue you’ll most likely hear regarding age discrimination is that older workers are often traded in for younger workers, particularly, industrial jobs. This has been a problem before because people who have been on a certain job longer might not have gotten used to new technological advances. However, this isn’t the case all the time. A 2012 study by the Guardian came to the conclusion that workers over 70 are seen in a more positive light than workers in their 20s unless that older person is a manager, supervisor or advisor. According to statistics compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of people 65 and older increased by 101 percent between 1977 and 2007. Since then, men over 65 went up 75 percent and the amount of women over 65 working has increased by almost twice as much. Ageism doesn’t just affect workplace interactions; it can affect people psychologically according to a study done by The American Psychological Association. Because these stereotypes are internalized at a young age due to the way media represents certain age groups, there is an emphasis on staying young, which would explain the sad, but nevertheless increasing rate of cosmetic surgeries. We have witnessed the transformation of numerous celebrities who have convinced themselves that getting plastic surgery will lengthen their careers. We have also seen this line of thinking backfire and we wouldn’t have such a problem if there weren’t such a huge focus on age. However, age discrimination isn’t just a problem for middle-aged people. This generation is often referred to as entitled, self-obsessed and lazy. If you are under the age of 18, your rights are less than that of someone who’s over 18 and you will not be taken seriously. Young people are often marginalized, especially when they are fighting for a cause. Conservative politicians will often play up stereotypes to invalidate the opinions of people 30 years old and younger. If you raise a good point, politically or otherwise, chances are you will be met with eye-rolling and condescending comments. We should be able to take into account one’s abilities based on performance rather than age. I don’t know where this whole “old people have wisdom” came from, but it isn’t true judging by the thoughts and ideals of all those sexist and racist stiffs in Congress. I don’t know where this idea that young folks are idiotic came from, but last time I checked, it was young people who were at the frontlines of the Ferguson protests. It’s strange that most of us want to move away from sexism and racism but not ageism. I suppose it’s something people don’t think about too often even though, most likely, we’ve all experienced it. Too many people become apathetic with the way things work, refusing to challenge the idea that you have to be a part of a certain age group to accomplish certain things. We need to get out of this mindset that certain behaviors, opinions and abilities are privy to a certain age group. Anyone can be afflicted with aches and pains and illnesses. Suffering isn’t just for the elderly, neither is wisdom. Promiscuity isn’t especially reserved for 20-somethings either. We are never too young to die we are never too old to party.
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.
Experience • Brendan Cross
Editorial
Save money on textbooks
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aving to buy textbooks is an inconvenience. They are far too expensive and a lot of college students are on a tight budget, especially here at Los Medanos College where 42 percent of students rely on financial aid according to stats collected by college.niches.com. Some of these books are unreasonably priced and when you exchange them at the end of the semester, you get less than half of what you paid for. No one likes to be ripped off regardless of what their socioeconomic status is. There are ways of getting around this issue however. There are PDF versions of textbooks available online. If you know any sites specifically, pass them on to your peers. That’s 85 extra dollars in your pocket. These are accessible in the first week of school so you don’t have to wait for money to buy a physical textbook. Teachers seem to have this unrealistic expectation that students will have their books in the first week of school. Of course there are also the instructor written textbooks and it’s hard to find a way around buying those. Maybe the instructors involved in the construction of these books are egomaniacal but it’s hard to get a bargain for certain books. There aren’t many things you can do in this position. You can buy the book then sell it the next semester. Chances are, you’d get more from a fellow student than the bookstore. What a lot of students do to avoid shelling out money for books, is by going to the library to do their homework. There you can check out the book you need for a few hours. Don’t let yourself be suckered into the idea that you have to spend your money on a book you’ll use for one semester and won’t completely finish reading.
Speech includes LGBT milestone President Obama used the word “transgender” in his State of the Union Speech last week and there has been positive and negative criticism. Why is this a big deal you may ask. The answer is because the word uttered by the President, transgender, paved the way for a more inclusive society in America. History was made not only because he mentioned the word during a State of the Union speech, but also because the President used a national platform to personally include a group of people that have been marginalized in American society. It is also worthy to acknowledge the fact that it was the first time a United States President has ever used this speech platform to include lesbians and bisexuals. It’s amazing to see President Obama addressing such topics we have been learning about right here at Los Medanos College: sexual and gender identity. Some people may wonder why this level of inclusivity is “amazing” and here is why. Prior to colonization of the land in which we know today as the United States of America, the Indigenous people accepted multiple gender identities. The Christian missionaries during colonization brought with them a binary gender system in which our society tends to live within today: male and female. The Native tribes did not use the word “transgender,” they had their own variation of the word; however, the concept of the word remained the same. For example, the Navajo’s used “nadle,” while the Zuni’s used “ihamana.” Recently, the Native culture coined the term “two-spirit” to describe the third gender. Hawaiian culture also did not live within the gender binary system either until the Christian missionaries reached their shores in the Pacific. The Hawaiian culture has the word “mahuwahine” when addressing the third gender. The broader point is not the fact that the Native Indians and the Native Hawaiians
Voices
Gary Walker GUEST COLUMNIST
had better words for their third gender, but in these cultures there was respect and acceptance for this group to not be marginalized but to thrive without the worry of discrimination, abuse, systemic institutional bigotry and worst of all, violence stemming from fear and hate. It is important to be aware of American history regarding gender and sexual identity in order to understand a group of people. Moreover, as a result of gender colonization, the third gender was stripped of its once visibility and cast as evil or abnormal and placed categorically as “other.” Inevitably, people facing these views in a post-colonized America, began to suppress their gender dysphoria and reluctantly assimilate in to mainstream society. It is a fact when groups in America don’t fit the mainstream mold, our society views and treats them as outcasts. They become targeted victims and this is what happens to transgender individuals. Not only do they have to battle societal oppression, they have to endure an emotional struggle with their interpersonal dialogue daily. According to a story by Emily Alpert Reyes “41% of people who are transgender of gender-nonconforming have attempted suicide sometime in their lives, nearly nine times the national average.” This is outrageous! Should you be questioning the importance of inclusivity of transgender people in our society, this fact aforementioned, should spark an “eye opening” reaction. MoreSee OPEN, page 6
How do you feel about the Patriots playing in the Super Bowl after allegedly cheating? C
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“It wouldn’t surprise me one bit. Sports nowadays are corrupt and owned by the mafia.” — Peter Forrest
“Honestly, I don’t think they should play. I don’t think they’ll win anyway, though.” — Melek Balinton
“I don’t think either team should be in the Super Bowl since I’m a Niner’s fan.” — Paul Binion
“Well, the Packers should be in the Super Bowl. If you cheat, you shouldn’t be rewarded by playing. It’s not right.” — Samantha Ogorchock
“I think it’s wrong because I think cheating is wrong.” — Kendall Paige
“I hope they don’t cheat again, and I hope their balls aren’t deflated.” — Jasmine Wiley
“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
Editor-in-Chief ..................... JOSEPH DELANO Managing Editor................. BRENDAN CROSS Perspectives Editor........... KIMBERLY STELLY Campus Editor ...........................RATTANA KIM Features Editor ............................JOSH WOOD Arts Editor................................ DAMIAN LEWIN Sports Editor .............................STEVEN LUKE Photo Editor..................... CATHIE LAWRENCE Multimedia Editor.............. JAZMINE GORDON Copy Chief...........................CASSIE DICKMAN Web Editor .................. STEPHANIE PATTISON 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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Campus Newswatch Alpha Gamma back in action
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“We’re on the cusp, on the brink, of enormous change in this country.”
— Jennifer Granholm
Dinner honors vets
With a strong emphasis on community service, LMC’s Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS) is looking for more members to participate in their meetings, fundraisers and other club activities. Weekly meetings are held each Friday at 2:30 p.m. in the new Student Services Center Room SS4-412, next to EOP&S. For more information, including meeting times, planned activities and membership requirements, visit the AGS website at www.losmedanosags.com or contact the student President Jason Quintana at jason_quintana@aol.com or club advisor Phil Gottlieb at pgottlieb@losmedanos.edu.
What’s lost may be found
Los Medanos College’s lost and found has numerous items found on campus. If you have lost an item, check with Police Services, which is located on Level One of the main college complex building. Inquiries must be made in person or no pick-up will be made.
Counselors ready to assist
Looking to make an educational plan, or review your current one? Do you need career advice or a personal counselor? LMC offers general counseling at both campuses. Drop-in hours are offered throughout the week and change on a weekly basis. Students must have a student ID number and a photo ID to meet with a counselor. Appointments at Pittsburg can be made in person, by calling the Counseling Department at 473-7449, or by visiting www.losmedanos.edu/counseling and clicking on the Make an Appointment link. Appointments at the Brentwood Center can be made in person, or by calling 513-1625.
Free campus tours available
Unsure of where to transfer? Want to add another school to your college list? Sign-up for the Transfer Center’s upcoming university campus tours: n UC Davis-Discover Davis Day: Feb. 27. Registration is now open. n San Jose State University: March. 27. Registration opens Feb. 27. The Transfer Center will provide transportation. For additional information, registration, future tours and tour suggestions contact the Transfer Center at 473-7444 or check out its website www.losmedanos.edu/transfer/ default.asp. The Transfer Center is currently located in Student Services, SS4-435.
Study Abroad in Barcelona
Interested in traveling to Barcelona next fall? The Study Abroad program will be offering the option to experience incredible architecture, cuisine and culture all while furthering your education in Barcelona in the fall of 2015. A meeting for those interested will be held at LMC Wednesday, Feb. 11 from 12 to 1 p.m. in room LA-105. If you are interested or would like more information, contact the Study Abroad Office via e-mail at studyabroad@ dvc.edu or call 969-2507
Honors Contract applicable
Are you an Honors Program student? Do you need to fulfill your two honors classes per year requirement but don’t have time in your busy school schedule? An option for you may be to initiate an Honors Contract in one of your classes. This contract is a way to earn honors credit in place of taking an honors course offerred during the semester. Signed Honors Contract proposals are to be turned into Director Jennifer Saito in the Honors Center on Feb. 6 by 12 p.m. Proposals must be pre-approved by Jennifer Saito and your professor before being submitted. For more information and example of an honors contract, check out the Honors Program website http://www. losmedanos.edu/honors/cur.asp — compiled from press releases and staff reports
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
Veteran Stewart Wadsworth and Gary Walker at the Jan. 28 District Governing Board Meeting.
Assemblyman Frazier to be keynote By TAMARA SEWARD
tseward@lmcexperience.com
Veteran students, military families, faculty and staff are invited to an appreciation dinner hosted by the Veterans Advocacy Task Force next Friday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Los Medanos College Cafeteria. The VATF is working to have the dinner goes off without a hitch in order to honor veterans
and their supporters for their services and sacrifices. “A fun night has been planned,” said LMCAS President Gary Walker and Committee Chair said, “Complete with the march of the colors and singing of the Star Spangled Banner by Xavi Alejandro.” Also planned for the evening, two Veteran students will speak about their experiences, and
SSCCC President Omar Paz Jr. will give a speech. Assemblyman Jim Frazier will be the keynote speaker. The lasagna dinner, provided by Olive Garden, comes complete with salad, breadsticks, and dessert. The gathering will also be an opportunity for them to socialize and see they are not alone in the community and on campus.
The night of information and food will be free to all who RSVP. To do so, go to www. losmedanos.edu/studentlife/ act.asp. The VATF was formed with the idea of giving Veterans on campus a voice and services to help them continue their education and acclimate to the students and surrounding See VATF, page 6
Foundation relocates Faculty and staff celebrate
By DAMIAN LEWIN
dlewin@lmcexperience.com
“I feel more a part of the campus community,” said Adrian Williams of the LMC Foundation Office. Williams, along with members of various departments, took part in an Open House Jan. 26 commemorating the new location of the LMC Foundation, Marketing and Media Design, Office of College Advancement, Office of Planning and the Workforce Development Department, now all located on the fourth level of the Core. “I like it,” added Williams. “I like it a lot.” Multi-colored streamers hung from the entrance way as guests were treated to snacks and beverages provided by the staff. Wine glasses filled with a sparkling pineapple punch and bags of fresh popped popcorn were enjoyed as attendees conversed among each other. “We just want to let people know where
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
LMC employees A’kilah Moore, Donna McConnell and Lisa McFarland chat at the open house of the new Foundation Office. we are,” said Kiran Kamath, Sr. Dean of they walked towards the refreshments, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness. urging them to “come in” and “have Kamath, whose department is the only something to eat.” one to have been previously located in And they did. See HOUSE, page 6 the same building, greeted guests as
LVN program gets 10K grant for clinicals advocates for the homeless veterans of Contra Costa County. The nursing department has LMC’s Licensed Vocational Nursing program received a offered assistance from nursing $10,000 Health and Wellness students who will be vessels to provide services grant from the to veterans, such as Community Health taking vitals and Foundation. administering basic “We are ver y healthcare needs. excited,” said BethAccording to the Ann Rober tson, Delta Veteran webSenior Office Assite, the group’s sistant for Planning goals are simple: and Insititutional bring together all Ef fectiveness. the various Veter“It’s nice for the ans Service Organiprogram to be zations, remove the recognized for all barriers and walls the hard work it “We are provides for the excited for our that frequently exist between these community.” students... to organizations and Sharon Gold- partner with champion support farb, director of community for veterans in the the LVN Program, California Delta said the nursing to promote area, focusing department plans health.” to use the funds for — Sharon Goldfarb on Contra Costa County. student clinicals “The stand down during the Contra Costa stand down in September. is a perfect way for our students The stand down is an event to receive hands-on training. where homeless veterans We are excited for our students receive basic health care for of LMC to partner with the free. Delta Veteran Group is community to promote health,” a non-profit organization that said Goldfarb. By SUZZANNE SPERRY
ssperry@lmcexperience.com
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“Justice is what love looks like in public.” — Dr. Cornel West
‘Selma’ was great MLK film relives history By JAZMINE GORDON
jgordon@lmcexperience.com
‘Selma’ was a great movie. With scenes that lead to feelings of empathy, and flashbacks of past events that happened during the Civil Rights era of the early 1960s, the film showed the understanding and struggle of being an African-American fighting for equal
REVIEW
Photo courtesy of imdb.com
Oprah Winfrey stars in the historical drama “Selma.”
voting rights by using non-violence. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr’s (David Oyelowo) determination to use non-violent tactics and religious ways to secure equal voting rights for African-Americans was shown in his march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. With scenes being introduced with typewriter style text, as if imitating official historical documents, the
audience can expect re-enactments of events such as Martin Luther King talking to then President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) about the Civil Rights Act, which ultimately passed in 1964. It was infuriating to watch certain things such as police brutality of confederates toward African-Americans with batons, whips, and tear gas. This movie made it known that despite races being viewed as “equal,” See FILM, page 6
Jazz swings into the rhythm
Student musicians diligently rehearse the possible selections for concerts during this semester. Above: Trombonist Shawn Hancock provides harmonies with other members of the brass section. Far right: Returning bassist Emile Concepcion lays down the foundation for a tune with a smooth walking bass line. Right: New pianist Tim Combs fleshes out a jazz waltz with unique chord voicings.
Photos by Ashley Castaldi • Experience
West and his ‘Burden’
Redmayne eyed for Best Actor
Author-professor to speak in San Francisco April 10 By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ
bhernandez@lmcexperience.com
Author and Union Theological Seminary professor Cornel West will speak about “The Burden Carried by African American Men” April 10 at the Nourse Theater in San Francisco. Best known for his book “Race Matters,” which sold more than half a million copies, his speech will focus on the themes of his book which include the analysis of nihilism, or worthlessness, black anti-semitism and the role of gender in racism. West is also known for his political activism, which began at a young age when he attended civil rights demonstrations with his family in Sacramento. It’s from West’s work as a proactive intellectual and his experience in writing and teaching that brings him to San Francisco to speak about
“The Burden Carried by African American Men”. “I think that it’s important that enough people listen,” said Child Development depar tment chair Janice Townsend, “to start forming a common truth.” Townsend facilitated a New Jim Crow workshop earlier this month based on the book “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander. The workshop drew in around 60 people who discussed the book and the idea of developing a common truth and a beloved community that supports its students and each other. “If you don’t have shared truths how deep is your community?” questioned Townsend. This is the third year the college is practicing its self-reflective idea of “looking in and looking out,” which has been a theme of several profes-
Editor’s note: Oscar Buzz is a four-part series reviewing acting performances of Academy Award nominees. By ALEX TAGLIAMONTE
atagliamonte@lmcexperience.com
Photo courtesy of cornelwest.com
Author-professor Cornel West. sional development workshops and activities on campus. Townsend said the reason behind such events is based on the fact that people may be misinformed on the issues people of color face, and it’s important to know that not every person of color goes through the same thing. Although there has been a societal push for more diversity, she said See WEST, page 6
This year’s Best Actors nominees bring first time nominations for four out of the five actors nominated: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Ever ything), Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Michael Keaton (Birdman) and Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), while American Sniper gave Bradley Cooper his third consecutive nomination. In a year that has been much criticized for lack of diversity, I fear that this category is no exception. It’s surprising to see that David Oyelowo of Selma was snubbed as his portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left a lasting impression on audiences. Here I break down the actors’ performances and predict a winner.
Steve Carell’s performance in Foxcatcher is certainly the best acting he has done of his career. Carell has tried his hand at dramas before with Dan in Real Life and Little Miss Sunshine, but the role of frightening and obsessive mentor/ killer Jon Du Pont is where the actor brought his A-game. Carell acts with a slow methodical presence; his character gives the impression of a bad actor rehearsing a play, with odd and insincere remarks. Michael Keaton stars as the brooding Riggan Thomsan in the Meta hit Birdman. Keaton plays an aging actor on a quest to prove that he is more than the action hero he used to play decades ago (you might remember Keaton played Batman decades earlier). This is the best acting Keaton has done in years, possibly his whole career. Keaton stands a good chance of winning the award this year. Bradley Cooper’s turnaround performance from his last two manic
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“They give you a round bat and they throw you a round ball. And they tell you to hit it square.”
— Willie Stargell
Hawks balk on the Stangs
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
LMC rightfielder Ty Nielsen lays down a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the sixth inning that led to two unearned runs scoring to tie up the game.
Season opens with loss By STEVEN LUKE
sluke@lmcexperience.com
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
Head Coach D’Albora argues with an umpire about a balk call in extras that gave Cabrillo the lead.
After a successful 2014 season where the Los Medanos College Mustangs had nine different players earn awards, the 2015 baseball season kicked off Tuesday, Jan. 27. In the home game against the visiting Cabrillo Seahawks the ‘Stangs fell 3-2 in extra innings in a game that had a little bit of everything. The season kicked off on a warm Tuesday afternoon with all of the fanfare that you would see at a home opener of an MLB game – just on a smaller level. Both teams lined up along the foul lines and faced right-center field where the American flag was flying over the fence and the national anthem was played over the sound system. Once the Star-Spangled Banner was completed the 2015 Mustangs kicked off the season the same way the 2014 team kicked off every home game – with a huddle, a cheer and a break like you often see of special teams units in the NFL. The Mustangs sprinted to their positions and after brief warm ups the first pitch was thrown, and that is where the trouble began for the Mustangs. After quickly retiring the Seahawks lead-off batter JQ Folena, Mustangs starting pitcher Mike Alexander gave up
back-to-back hits, and then the first run Jared Ambuehl got the rally started that scored on a passed ball. The next batter would eventually tie the game. also singled giving up the second run of “It felt pretty good,” Ambuehl said of the game. With two runs on the board the hit that started the rally. “I knew their and only one out, Alexander settled in pitcher had a good breaking ball, and I and got into a groove. just tried to use the whole If Alexander hadn’t field and barrel one up.” settled into that groove “I think he After Ambuehl’s single, it could have been ugly missed the call. the line-up turned over to for the Mustangs, and leadoff hitter Derek Slate Seahawks Head Coach It’s not my job who promptly walked. Rober t Kittle felt the to make the With two on and zero team could have blown out, Ty Nielsen bunted calls, that’s it wide open. both runners into scoring “The reason we didn’t his job, and he position with 2014 Second blow [open the game] Team All-Conference was the LMC pitchers made the call he First Baseman R yan adjusted and did a really made, but I don’t Welsh coming up to good job to keep the game bat. With the Mustangs right there and our hitters think Nabeeh feared hitter up to bat, were unable to adjust to [Blackburn] did Ambuehl scored thanks them,” he said. head-up base running anything wrong.” to Over the next six inon a wild pitch as Slate — Anthony D’Albora nings, Alexander shut came around to score on down the Seahawks’ an error by the catcher offense and finished with a solid stat to tie the game on the same play. line of seven innings pitched allowing With the game tied late, the bullpens eight hits and one earned run with eight of both teams became their biggest strikeouts. weapons and both teams were up to the His strong pitching performance kept task. The ‘pens combined to pitch five the ‘Stangs in the game, but the hitting and two-thirds innings allowing only one and base running of ninth place hitter See BALK, page 6
Men struggling in conference Defeats continue for Stangs By CATHIE LAWRENCE and LOGAN JONES
clawrence@lmcexperience.com ljones@lmcexperience.com
Following a ninth straight loss to Merritt College, Los Medanos College is still looking for a win this season in their conference with an 0-9 record. LMC came short by only 9 points against the Thunderbirds at its Jan. 22 game, with a final score of 73-64. Merritt holds a record of 7-2, which gives them a second place spot and makes them a tough match-up for the winless Mustangs. “They’re one of the highest rated teams in the state,” said LMC Head Coach Derek Domenicelli, “We played ver y well against them… my guys played hard and together and hung pretty tough.” The single-digit deficit was encouraging for the struggling team, and Merritt just hit a couple more shots down the stretch when it mattered most. Shooting Guard Wayne Englestad sunk nine shots from downtown, which gave him a total of 34 points, and even though Domenicelli said Eric Jackson had one of his best games all year, he added it still wasn’t enough.
“The last two minutes could have gone the other way,” said Domenicelli, “I like [their] attitudes and hopefully we get over this hump quickly and get a win.” Merritt Head Coach Keenan McMiller commended LMC’s level of play and said they shouldn’t beat themselves up over the loss. “Wayne is a great shooter,” said McMiller. “If they have a hot night and they are shooting it can make it tough, but if they got hot [tonight] it definitely would have been a different game” Although Merritt is one of the top ranking teams in the league, McMiller admitted his team had some difficulty with the Mustangs in a game that was decided in the final minutes. “We played better team basketball, but we got to be playing a lot better,” said McMiller of the close call. “All we can do is handle our business and see what happens.” Hopefully LMC can bounce back with repeat performances from both Englestad and Jackson to close out a game and bring home a “W.” For a schedule of upcoming Experience • Cathie Lawrence games go to http://www.losmedanos.edu/basketball/list/ LMC guard Marcus Walton takes on Merritt’s Dannon mens.asp. Lemon in the nine-point loss to the Thunderbirds.
Women suffer 27-point loss By CATHIE LAWRENCE and LOGAN JONES
clawrence@lmcexperience.com ljones@lmcexperience.com
It was no contest at the Los Medanos College Women’s basketball game against Merritt College, which ended in a 64-37 blowout victory for the Thunderbirds. Despite a close start in the first half, the score shouldn’t be a surprise if you take into account Merritt’s 7-2 record, tying them for first place in the conference, and LMC’s 2-7 record giving them the third to last spot. “We started out a little slow so we thought we let LMC feel good about them selves,” said Merritt Head Coach Fred Brown of his team’s idle beginning. But Brown gave credit where it was do and acknowledged the Mustangs defense performed well around the rim. “They make it difficult to get inside shots,” said Brown of his team trying to avoid physicality in the paint with outside scoring. “We shot too many threes and didn’t make them.” During the second half Merritt brought their A game and began to build separation from LMC. “I’ve seen LMC play many times now,” said Brown. “I think they are [a] little short handed…because of injury. “ Although LMC’s Head Coach Richard Villegas thought the effort was there in the game against Merritt and the team played hard, the sloppiness in play and lack of shot making worked against it. “There were too many turnovers, many bad passes and we missed open shots,” said Villegas, “[it was a] frustrating loss, a frustrating loss.” LMC is gearing up to play the other top See LOSS, page 6
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Back Talk
Softball warms up
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
Lady Stang Jasmina Cross covers the plate during softball practice Jan. 27. The women’s team faces off against Lassen College on Feb. 7 at 12 p.m.
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communities. After Friday night’s dinner, the next goal is to transition the VATF into the newly re-chartered Veterans Club with Reggie Turner as the Adviser. Committee Chair Gary Walker will serve as one of the club officers. A group from the VATF attended the Jan. 28 District Governing Board Meeting to present and invite other veterans and their supporters to the event. The group also introduced themselves and their mission to bring a Veterans Resource Center to LMC. “My husband ser ved 24 years in the Marine Corps. I worked covertly with Don’t Ask Don’t Tell during my thirteen years with my spouse,” said Walker as to his involvement in the club, ”I was the first to be honored by the Marine Corps. Brigadier General for my service to the United States.” Walker went on to clarify that while he has worked closely with the military, he was not speaking from a “platform of serving in out military.” He introduced club President Stuart Waddsworth, who stressed “I know there are a lot of veterans on campus … we want to be there to give them a designated soft space, so we can ease the transition period.” For more information on the VATF and the Veterans Club, contact LMCAS President Gary Walker at garysimeonwalker@ icloud.com. You may also contact the Veterans Club President Stuart Wadswor th at stuar tjwadsworth@gmail.com. Club Adviser Reggie Turner at rturner@losmedanos.edu. The Veterans Affairs Task Force and Veterans club meetings are held on Mondays in Room CO-420 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Moreover, when a transgender individual feels included by being mentioned in a speech given by the President, just maybe, it will be a glimpse of hope for a transgender individual contemplating suicide. Transgender issues are a hot topic. Perhaps you have seen the Amazon Original Series of Transparent which has won two Golden Globe Awards or met Janet Mock, NY Times Best Selling Author at the Los Medanos College’s Elevating Diversity Conference last September. Perhaps you are familiar with Laverne Cox who is the trans actress on Orange is the New Black television series. These individuals are doing an outstanding job normalizing what it means to be transgender with their visibility and advocacy work on a national level, but to have a President of the United States not only utter the word, “transgender,” but to have a call-to-action for equality and inclusivity takes the cake! There were 31.7 million viewers watching the President’s speech. This is a wonderful first step in the courageous advocacy to remove the stigma around gender nonconformists in our society. Like the President stated, “We do these things not only because they’re right, but because they make us safer.” Our society would have less violence if we were more accepting. Do we have a long way to go to breakdown the binary gender boundaries – of course we do, but what a great feeling it is to know that we have a brave President who is willing to vocalize his vision for inclusivity of transgender individuals in America. This cer tainly gives me hope that in America’s future the gender binary system will no longer exist and “two-spirited” people can thrive like they once did in the Native Indian cultures and the Native Hawaiian Cultures!
sacrifices that were made,” sacrifices that many of the students’ grandparents had witnessed, and many still struggle with today. “More schools need to do the same thing,” said Magdaelena Gonzales, head of security at Pittsburg High School who lent her time along with officers of the Pittsburg Police Department to provide a safe route from the theater to the school. “I think it’s amazing.” With group rates arranged by Maya Cinemas that included discounts at the concession stands, students and faculty filled five reser ved auditoriums. The event ticket sales totalled 702 according to House Manager Michael Marinas. “The school was nicely organized,” said Marinas, who admitted his first thoughts of accommodating such a large audience would be “a little difficult,” but having just the opposite occur, adding the students were “absolutely behaved.” Leading the crowd of students and teachers through the busy cone-lined streets, Principal Angela Stevens-Stevenson spoke through a bullhorn to help keep things in order and amplify the march’s chant: “We are M.L.K. Creating our legacy every day!” With the namesake of the school having such a connection to the film, teacher Robert Butterfield said he feels strongly about the value of teaching the students “what had to be done” during the time of the film’s portrayal, as well as helping to continue the ideals put forth during the film. “It’s important for us to carry on that legacy,” said Butterfield as he marched with students across the busy intersection of Loveridge Rd. and N. Park Blvd. “We try to continue that struggle.” With smiles and heads held high, the students and teachers marched past onlookers to the sounds of honking horns as drivers waited for the mob of students to make their way safely across. As the final group paraded through the intersection, Gonzalales commended the school for its efforts in helping the students, as well as the community. “It takes a lot to take 700 kids to the movies. It takes heart,” said Gonzales. “Martin Luther King Junior High has heart.”
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tied for first in the conference Solano, Jan. 28, and Laney, Jan 30. But following that tough series, hopefully the Mustangs can capitalize on the only two teams with a worse record than it, Mendocino College, Feb. 4, and Yuba College, Feb 6. If you would like to view a full schedule for the Lady Mustangs go to http://www. losmedanos.edu/basketball/ list/womens.asp.
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HOUSE From page 3
Along with the addition of the new Student Services Center, the new location of the offices on the Core’s fourth floor are another example of an ongoing process to bring resources together into a centralized location to help benefit both students and faculty alike.
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Follow the LMC Experience online at lmcexperience.com
OBAMA SELMA BALK From page 1
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the federal government gives to states to help educate poor children and another $11.5 billion it provides for disabled students who require special education,” said the Washington Post on Obama’s budget. There are stipulations and requirements to this proposal; tuition waivers would only be considered for students who attend school at least half of the time and for a maximum of two years to use their allowance. The idea is to become more competitive with the rest of the industrializing world, where the U.S. is ranked 52nd in mathematics and science education. In President Obama’s Jan. 20 State of the Union Address, he explains, “40 percent of Americans choose Community College ... so no one knows for certain which industries will generate the jobs of the future. But we do know we want them here in America. That’s why the third part of middle-class economics is about building the most competitive economy anywhere, the place where businesses want to locate and hire.” “I think Mr. Obama’s proposal is quite bold and has the potential for providing opportunities to men and women who might not otherwise consider going to college,” said Los Medanos College President Bob Kratochvil, adding, “In the long r un, the more students who gain credentials and degrees will have a significantly positive impact on our economy and society. I hope it gets due consideration by Congress in the coming months.” Coding, robotics and nursing were a few of the subjects in which the Obama administration hopes community colleges will create more job apprenticeships and opportunities as the nation emerges into an even more technologically advanced regime. His speech was met with applause and boisterous cheers as he went on to explain the importance of maintaining a strong authority in the fight against the Islamic State. Student Collin Brown has a different take on the plan. “If the proposed plan of free community college passes, there will be such a large influx of individuals attending community college.” “I like to think of a degree as intellectual currency. If you saturate the market with too much of that currency, eventually it becomes useless,” he added. Those opposed to the initiative argue that this measure directly targets the middle class. Specifically those citizens who have 529 College Savings accounts because speculations assert that additional taxes would be placed on these particular savings accounts in order to pay for the free school.
of Life” screening, there were many seats left available even though the event was sold out, according to the college’s site. The feelings of the viewers were shown through their reactions to certain scenes. Some people covered their eyes, some people jumped in their seats. Gasps, sobbing and occasional laughter was heard throughout the film. Some people made comments about certain scenes. In the last 15 minutes of the film, there was a buzzing noise that seemed to distract audience members. At first, people seemed confused, then audience began to complain. There were no theater workers in the room at the time. The noise stopped after a few minutes and the angry comments subsided. When the movie was over, people applauded but remained seated. As people were leaving the auditorium, a theater worker thanked people for coming. Afterward, attendees either stood outside the bathroom, in the lobby or outside the theater and discussed the most impressive scenes and expressed their feelings of anger, sadness and inspiration to get more involved in social justice issues. “I thought it was great. Didn’t feel sappy or ‘Oscar baity,’ at least not compared to other historical dramas,” said PTEC student Daniel Justo-Sanchez. “The movie was a real inspiration to me because I actually saw how much of a struggle our ancestors went through for us young African Americans today,” said LMC student Erika Pree.
hit, one walk and zero earned runs. In spite of solid relief by the likes of Anthony Ogolin and Nabeeh Blackburn, the Mustangs let an unearned run score in extras. In the tenth inning it was an error by shortstop Slate, one of the early saviors of the game, that played a key part in the loss. Slate made a great play to stop a ball from going up the middle off the bat of Seahawk Angel Sanchez, but a wide throw to first allowed Sanchez to reach base. With Sanchez on third after the Seahawks successfully moved him over, a balk was called on Blackbur n that caused Head Coach Anthony D’Albora to run out to the mound and get into a loud argument with the second base umpire. “I think he missed the call,” D’Albora said. “It’s not my job to make the calls, that’s his job, and he made the call he made, but I don’t think Nabeeh [Blackburn] did anything wrong.” Through all of the commotion and the possibility of a bad call costing his team the game, Blackburn was able to keep his composure and finish off the game without further incident. D’Albora said that Blackburn deserves a lot of credit for being able to work through something like that, and Blackburn said his ability to do so is because of D’Albora and the coaching staff. “Having such a great coaching staff, they taught us how to stay calm in situations like that and to keep it professional and stay focused.” Blackburn kept his composure and finished off the game for the Mustangs, and with the lead the Seahawks brought in their closer Matt Deane. He would allow one hit, but he went on to shut the door on any hopes of the Mustangs pulling out an opening day victory. In spite of the tough loss the team played well and looks to be in good shape for the 2015 season. “The beauty of today is that we competed our butts off. We didn’t do a ton offensively early, but we stayed on it,” D’Albora said. “We created some runs by being ready to run the bases. The dugout was energetic and the culture in there is good. We played defense besides the one 11 second chunk at the end of the game. There is plenty to walk away from this game pleased with.” The Mustangs will hope to build on what they did well as the season moves on. They return home Friday, Feb. 6 for the first game of a three game series against Fresno City College.
FILM From page 4
racial discrimination is still an issue, and it showed the historical importance of the Selma march. The audience understood and could identify with certain characters such as Coretta Scott king (Carmen Ejogo) confronting King by asking “Do you love me?” and “Do you love the others?” implying that he cheated. Religion was a heavy influence throughout the movie, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference founded by King played a big part in helping change and shape the future. For example, no more segregated diners or bathrooms. I was a bit shocked to see actors like Common and Oprah Winfrey in this movie, but it made it much more memorable. Overall ‘Selma’ was a great movie to see ahead of Black Histor y Month, and after seeing it I felt empathic at first, but reliving the events made me identify with the past. I highly recommend that people go see the film especially if they don't know much about the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
OSCAR From page 4
Oscar nominated roles, Silver Lining Playbook and American Hustle, both under the direction of David O’Russel. Cooper is relatively convincing as the Navy Seals sniper Chris Kyle. Benedict Cumberbatch in the drama The Imitation Game is a contradiction to the recent characters he has played. The Alan Turing is self-aware, confident, bumbling, socially inept, aloof yet arrogant. It’s a nice change of pace to watch Cumberbatch spread his wings as an actor. Although this is a fresh experience for fans of the actor, the portrayal lacked depth. One simply stunning performance that will surely be the winner of this year’s accolade came from Eddie Redmayne of The Theory of Everything. His physical transformation as the ALS stricken theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking is heartbreaking to watch as his disease slowly spreads over the course of the film. Redmayne captures the silent crushing frustration as he struggles to do elementary tasks such as eating dinner while his loved ones breeze through them with ease. Redmayne captures slight movements and utilizes his posture to portray a harsh reality that many face on a daily basis. A particularly hard moment to watch was a scene in which Stephen came home to find Jonathon, his wife’s new friend, teaching their son the piano and gently placing his hand on his pupils elbow. The pain that flits through Redmayne’s eye, as he sees a man who could replace him in his son’s life is exactly the kind of acting that is capable of winning the Oscar. I’m confident that this years Oscar will be a sure win for the first time nominee Eddie Redmayne for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking.
CCC From page 1
ence that the Contra Costa College community will find invaluable,” says Chancellor Benjamin. “Her student ser vices and instructional experience along with her nationally recognized expertise in technology are going to strengthen and prepare the college to be innovative in meeting the changing needs of our West County students.” While LMC President Bob Kratochvil did not know her as a student of the district, he has known her throughout her career in the district, noting that, “she’s provided alot of assistance to each of the colleges.” Kratochvil continued his sentiment, saying “I’m very pleased with the Chancellor’s decision to give her this oppurtunity.” The recent promotion became available after the recent selection of former CCC President Dr. Denise Noldon as the interim vice From page 4 some people might have un- chancellor for student serintentional biases outside of vices and special programs at the California Community their own awareness. “It’s important that people Colleges Chancellor’s Office. learn their own truths and biases,” said Townsend. West’s upcoming lecture will include topics expressed in his books. Ticket prices range from $12 to $75 and are available at cityboxoffice.com. For more information on this event visit ciis.edu.
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