News staff awarded
Armour says goodbye
Stangs prep for season
The Experience news staff brought home 11 awards after attending the annual JACC convention — page 3
Robin Armour has dedicated her LMC career pointing students in the right direction — page 4
The LMC Football team is gearing up for their upcoming season starting in September — page 5
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Anonymous letter claimed harassment By ADRIA WATSON @adriarwatson
An investigation into an anonymous complaint of alleged sexual harassment by former Contra Costa Community College Governing Board President Tim Farley was halted after Farley’s unexpected resignation Feb. 26. The investigation had been prompted by an anonymous letter dated Jan.
24, addressed to the district chancellor, board of trustees and human resources, that claimed the author heard “allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior by Tim Farley at a conference in Monterey, California.” In Farley’s letter of resignation from the board, he said his departure was prompted by “a pressing personal family matter that requires my immediate
attention.” As of press time, the Experience has made several unsuccessful attempts via phone and email messages to contact Farley for comment about the anonymous letter. Current Governing Board President John Márquez said although the anonymous letter was addressed to the board, none of the board mem-
bers had received it from anyone but that it was brought up to them in an executive session Feb. 28 after Farley’s resignation. Márquez said that there was nothing left for them to do once Farley resigned so the investigation stopped. “It doesn’t make sense in my opinion to conduct an investigation about an anonymous complaint or hearsay,” said Márquez. “I’m not going to do that, I’m not going to spend the district’s money See CLAIM, page 6
March honors labor activists
Final Exams
LMC will host a Spring Transfer Day event Thursday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m in the indoor quad. Mroe than 35 schools will be in attendance, including out of state and private universities. Volunteers are needed to help with this event. Sign-ups are available at tinyurl.com/ lmcspringtransferday. For more information about Transfer Day, visit losmedanos.edu/transferday.
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A Pittsburg High Ballet Folklorico dancer performs in front of a crowd.
District teams up with JFK Therapists from JFK University have partnered with the Contra Costa Community College District to offer free therapy sessions on campus to students at LMC, DVC and CCC. For appointments, referrals and further information, contact WellnessLMC@ email.4cd.edu or call (925) 473-7449. To make appointments at the Brentwood location, call (925) 473-7459.
Experience • Adria Watson
Student Ambassador Alexander Chavez.
LMC recruits ambassadors Los Medanos College is now hiring Student Ambassadors to work at high schools. Students can gain leadership skills, learn about LMC programs and support services, have a $10.50 an hour pay and more. If interested, students can pick up an application at the Welcome Desk.
Photos by Adria Watson
People Who Care, a youth outreach organization, march in Saturday’s Cesar Chavez/Dolores Huerta event celebrating the activists.
Locals walk for cause By PERRY CONTINENTE @perrycontinente
Caesar Chavez day was celebrated in Pittsburg with a march honoring both Chavez and Dolores Huerta. While the current political climate was a huge concern for the marchers, the majority of the energy was directed towards celebrating Mexican culture and the lives of Chavez and Huerta. The Los Medanos Community Health District sponsored the event. Roughly 50 marchers gathered outside Pittsburg’s civic center Saturday, March 31 with banners and flags emblazoned with the faces of both Chavez and Huerta along with the United Farm Workers insignia. Among the marchers was LMC student Alejandro Ruvalcaba. Ruvalcaba spoke briefly before the crowd.
Defending undocumented immigrants’ right to stay in the United States, “We are all immigrants,” he said, “Unless you can show me that you are of native blood, we all immigrated here.” One of the event’s organizers, Paul Ramirez, addressed the crowd before the marching began. “We may be a small group, but we are a strong one,” Ramirez said. “For each one of you here there are four or five who are here in spirit.” Ramirez also expressed his happiness with the inclusion of Dolores Huerta in the event. Huerta, a labor leader and activist, cofounded the National Farmworkers association with Chavez and continues her activist endeavors to this day. The crowd began to march to Marina Keynote speaker and Pittsburg High school alumnus See MARCH page 6
Heliodoro Moreno Jr. at the Multicultural Celebration.
District office fills new position
Novelist discusses obstacles
Miller hired as online dean
By KIMBERLY STELLY @kstelly1994
Ronnie Sydney is the best-selling author of several graphic novels, all a part of the “Nelson Beats the Odds” series. He takes creative license with his own experiences and weaves them into the pages of his comic books. During his presentation Monday, April 2, Los Medanos College counselor, Nina Ghiselli, noted the size of the audience saying it was one of the biggest turnouts for an event hosted by Disabled Stu-
By AZI CARTER Staff Writer
Experience • Brenna Enos
Author Ronnie Sydney II discusses topics covered in his graphic novels Monday, April 2 in L-109. dents Programs and Services. The protagonist of his book “Nelson Beats the Odds” mirrors his K-12 journey. Sydney was diagnosed with ADHD, and then was recommended
for special education in kindergarten. Throughout both his and protagonist Nelson’s stories, they struggled with being mislabeled as a nuisance See BOOK, page 6
As a result of technological advances education is but a mouse click away and the Contra Costa Community College District is responding to the call for increasing opportunities in online education for students. According to Hans Johnson, senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California and highlighted on the website of the State’s
Online Education Initiative, “the California Community Colleges are at the forefront of online education in California, more than any other segment of higher education in the state.” The district’s Strategic Plan includes steps to to maintain the momentum Johnson spoke of with its vision to be a beacon of excellence in learning and equitable student success. The plan’s mission is to transform lives by providing outstanding See DEAN, page 6
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“Everyone has a mountain... autism has not been my mountain. It has been my opportunity for victory.”
— Rachel Barcellona
Hailey Garcia
Nassir Kaddoura
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Student security not up to par With the recent attack on Marjor y Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla. it should be obvious that we are not safe in public schools. However, as a privileged country we are unaware of the possible dangers on campus. I myself have been on the same campus as a dangerous and armed individual. When I look back at the multiple instances where this has happened to me, I realized I wasn’t actually afraid. I never thought they would make it to my classroom or run into me in the hallway. But I was naive to think I was safe. Even though no one was hurt by the individuals in possession of these guns on any of the school campuses I have been on, that was not the case for all schools across America. As we know from the news, school shootings have become a huge problem. It’s frustrating that we have to put our trust in the hands of a man who changes his mind every two seconds by tweeting what he thinks. Tessa Berenson highlighted five ideas Trump has had in reference to gun control. No thought was put into these ideas and what’s worse is that Trump posted these ideas on Twitter. Using a social media platform to jump on a call to action is not the best way to handle a serious situation such as this one. Making sure background checks are more thorough isn’t a bad idea. Allowing teachers to carry weapons on school campuses is a terrible idea, however. That seems to me like it would just end in more unnecessary deaths. Trump seemed to have put no initial thought into his ideas before voicing them on a public platform. Why can’t America get off its high horse and realize that in this situation, we are no longer role models? Some countries look to the United States as an ideal place, but with a scenario like this we should be looking to other countries for advice on how to handle this. According to The Guardian, the gun homicide rate in the U.S. is 25 times higher than other high-income countries. Since the passing of gun control laws in other countries, the crime rate by guns has gone down an extraordinary amount. It’s amazing to see how hard it is for people to realize how huge this problem is and how simple the fix could be. The power that young voices have is the strength of our future. The March For Our Lives campaign is a symbol of that strength. The students and staff of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is Parkland, FL should not be forgotten about. Other schools that have fallen victim to gun violence should not be forgotten either. Yet in the wake of this most recent attack people are just now starting to think about the other schools that have fallen victim to gun violence. What actions are taking place to prevent another one of these situations from happening? As much as it scares me to think about, Los Medanos College could be the next school to experience these cruel acts. Our police services are great, but what about the one time things do go wrong? We can’t always put the trust of our safety into the hands of a team that rides around in golf carts checking our cars for parking permits. It saddens me that I can say I have been on a school campus with a gunman within close proximity. We are so unaware of the possibilities that can somehow become a reality. As students and faculty, we should be aware of these realities. We are not always safe. Until we are, we need to speak up and make change.
Seek the truth when browsing
Editorial
Experience • D’Angelo Jackson
Trump quiet on brutality
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he shooting of Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man in Sacramento has reignited protests against excessive use of force and police brutality against the black community. After being cornered in his grandmother’s backyard and reaching for his cell phone, the two officers fired 20 rounds on Clark, eight of which struck and killed him, an independent autopsy found on April 4. He was shot six times in the back and once in the leg, which happened as he fell to the ground. These findings are in direct contradiction with the police’s version of events. In spite of this recent finding and numerous protests which caught national attention this past week, President Donald Trump has yet to directly address the matter. When asked about the lack of a response, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said that it was a “local matter,” as though there is no precedence for excessive force against communities of color and as though police brutality isn’t a frequent national occurrence. The administration’s response or lack thereof, is in line with the apathy the President seems to have toward pressing matters of the black community. Unless it is economic or geared to demonstrating how he’s “the least racist” person, Trump just doesn’t seem to care. In fact, Trump has yet to show that he cares about any community of color as he threatens DACA recipients, demonizes muslims and remains silent on yet another shooting of an unarmed black man. For someone with such a “great relationship with the blacks” he sure doesn’t act like it.
A helping hand isn’t always vital The other day I was working at my restaurant job when a male coworker snatched plates out of my hand while I was cleaning a table. Utterly confused, I asked him what he was doing to which he coldly responded, “I don’t want my customers to think that a girl is doing the hard work.” At first I wasn’t offended — he was trying to help me out and be a gentleman, right? But as the night progressed I wondered: why did it matter to him that a girl was working hard? Perhaps he did not want to be outshined by another employee, but the fact that he brought my gender into it is what made his gesture very questionable. It was nice to have some help, but when that help was tainted by an insincere motivation, it quickly made me feel incapable of doing a job that I knew I was very competent in. I have seen this same type of belittling “help” many times before in classrooms, at home, between friends and especially in the workplace. It often occurs when a man feels the need to step in and “help out” a woman in something she is doing — typically pretty successfully — because he feels as though it is something he is entitled to do, despite never being asked to do so. Of course this is not an action that every man engages in, however, it occurs widely enough that it has become an issue that should be discussed. For years now, women have been encouraged to take on higher roles of power: women are being pushed to join the STEM field, to be the next generation of CEO’s and political leaders, and there has definitely been an increase in women assuming those positions. But when women step into positions, whether they are high level or lower level roles, and then receive less-than-encouraging comments and unwanted assistance from their male counterparts, it’s a big step back. The same principle goes for women as well.
Voices
Brenna Enos BRENYTHING’S POSSIBLE
Women should be actively encouraging and uplifting other women and not tearing them down when they feel threatened by their hard work. Both men and women need to be actively empowering other women and not belittling them when they feel threatened. Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving help or with being gentlemen-like, but it shouldn’t be done in a way to make women feel lesser or dis-empowered. It is very easy to provide help to women without making micro-aggressive comments. My coworker could have easily asked if I needed help without snatching plates out of my hand or making his comment. If he had asked if I needed help, I would have politely turned it down because I was effectively doing my job without a need for additional assistance. It really upset me that someone would jump to the conclusion that I need help because I’m a woman. It is important to make everyone, regardless of their gender, feel as though they are valued. A big step toward doing this is by trusting women’s efforts and offering to help instead of assuming they need help. I never want to feel as though my gender is a limitation to what I can do, who I can be or what I can accomplish. Whether it is running a business, making political decisions, or even something as trivial as cleaning a work space, men and women should show respect and not step in when their “help” is unwanted and unnecessary.
The Internet is a valuable medium that has changed the way we send and receive information, and the effect has been overwhelmingly positive. Because of how easy it is to spread this information, many people are able to send out false, hateful and harmful video content. In order to become media literate, we must be skeptical and ask questions about said information. It’s important to check multiple sources when presented with knowledge and information, A famous example of what happens when people are not verifying information they receive is the story of Jenny McCarthy, the most famous face of the Anti-vaccination movement. A supposed link between vaccines and autism was first seen in a study conducted by Andrew Wakefield and published in a medical journal called The Lancet. The contents of this notorious study led to the belief that there was a connection between the two, which caused a stir among parents throughout the country. Upon examination, however, “the paper has since been discredited due to serious procedural errors, undisclosed financial conflicts of interest, and ethical violations.” According to the article “Vaccine Myths Debunked,” Andrew Wakefield lost his medical license and the article was retracted from The Lancet. Nevertheless, Jenny McCarthy stood by her position that vaccines caused her son to develop autism and she resorted to remedies she found online, such as casein/gluten free diet in an attempt to cure her son’s condition. Despite her doctor advising against this change, and ignoring the fact that correlation does not prove causation, she noticed improvements in her son’s condition and attributed it to the diet.. To this day she is still against vaccinating her children and is following her gut feeling instead of believing in scientific research that disproves her belief. In this specific example, one month before her son’s routine vaccine, she had read in Time magazine that the MMR shot (measles, mumps and rubella) is the “Autism Shot,” and that many parents were concerned about this risk. Because of what she read in the magazine that day, it instilled so much fear into her that when her son was born with autism, she took the information as fact. I feel as though many people today can relate to something like this, whether it’s our grandmother reading an article claiming to know the miracle cure for cancer or younger children downloading files with computer viruses in an attempt to get free cheats for games. We have a lot of information at our disposal and it becomes impossible to tell what is real without investigation and skepticism. We must try to seek the truth and debunk lies. By questioning and investigating information that we read, we can hopefully reduce the amount of false information that is spread around the Internet and our local communities. If a relative or loved one introduces new information that seems unlikely or farfetched, we should not let it go unchecked and deem it an “opinion.” If you have time, ask questions and try to determine the source to see if you can do more research. This may not seem like a problem to some, but when someone takes action based on a false fact, it hurts many others in our society and jeopardizes the integrity of discussion on important issues that need facts in order to be addressed properly. The anti-vaccine movement was based on a false premise and has influenced thousands of people not to protect their children and has endangered many more by risk of exposure to preventable diseases. Although an uncommon event, the anti-vaccine movement serves as a cautionary tale citing the dangers and negative influence that unverified information can have. LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE
Can Pop-Tarts be considered ravioli? C
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“Pop-Tarts should not be considered a ravioli. Raviolis are pastas, Pop-Tarts aren’t pastas. Boom! Mind blown, right?” — Brian Gee
“Pop-Tarts should not be considered a ravioli because they’re completely two different food groups, dessert and dinner, so there you have it.” — Nick Sherman
“Pop-Tarts are totally like a version of ravioli. It’s just like on the inside it’s usually like fruit or s’mores flavor. it doesn’t need to be meat...right?” — Ariana Duldulao
“Well, they can’t be the same because one is an actual food like an actual plate and then the other is just like a snack or a breakfast thing.” — Elsa Hernandez
“So ravioli and Pop-Tarts should be considered different foods because they are made of different things and are eaten at different times. But both are delicious.“
“They are similar because they are both filled with another type of food, a sauce or something like that, and they’re both delicious.as well.”
— Paul Mendoza
— Andrew Deras
“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 ........................ADRIA WATSON Copy Chief..............................LILLY MONTERO Perspectives Editor..................JORDAN NEEL Campus Editor ..............PERRY CONTINENTE Features Editor ........................BRENNA ENOS Sports Editors ........................JESUS CANO & HUGO CALDERON Social Media Editor ............. ROBERT PIERCE Photo Editors .............................CHRIS RUIZ & A.R. BROOM 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 always wanted to be a hairdresser.”
— David Beckham
Newswatch S.A.C.H.E. club looks to help
The Students with Abilities Coordinate to Help Each-other or S.A.C.H.E. club is looking for students who are either already a part of Disabled Students Programs & Services or have an intererst in helping to spread the voices of students with disabilities to join their service-based club. All students, staff and faculty are welcome to join, and you can email the club’s administrators at sache.club@ gmail.com for meeting details, dates and times. For more information, visit their website at www.lmcsache. weebly.com.
Collegebuys.org offers deals
Los Medanos College students, faculty and staff can visit CollegeBuys.org for information on a host of exclusive deals on popular software programs such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Cloud, as well as discounted hardware from phone cases and charges to full laptops at up to 50 percent off. Visit the website today for more information. Collegebuys.org is sponsored by the Foundation of Califonia Community Colleges.
Art Club presents Paint Night
The LMC Art Club is hosting two nights where they will teach participants how to paint. Art Club will provide the materials and instruction along with snacks April 20 and 27 in room CC-307 from 2 to 5 p.m. Participants will learn painting tips, tricks and techniques while creating art themselves. The event costs $20 at the door, but there is a $5 discount if participants pre register online. For more information you can contact the LMC Art Club Email at lmcartclub@gmail.com
Student Life cleans out closets
The Office of Student Life is hosting a spring cleaning event where students can donate unwanted clothing in good shape to the Student Life Closet. Clothing that you wish to donate can be brought to the office of student life located near parking lot A to the right of the cildcare center. Clothing donated should not have stains, rips, missing buttons or broken zippers. For more information contact the Office of Student Life by phone at (925) 473-7554 or by email at studentlife@losmedanos.edu.
Awesome Sign Legends
Assist students of sign language practice and help educate the public about deaf culture and American Sign Language with Awesome Sign Legends club. Club meetings are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in Room CC2-213. For more information please contract Taydi bush at tbodley551@insite.4cd.edu or Yessenia Marquez at ymarquez941@insite.4cd.edu.
LMC buys back textbooks
Th LMC bookstore is looking to buy back textbooks. students looking to make some extra cash can go to the bookstore May 21 through 24 9 a.m. through 7 p.m. and May 25 9 a.m. through 12 p.m. for more information students can contact the LMC bookstore at wwwlmcbookstore.net or visit the Pittsburg campus store.
Experience • Brenna Enos
Experience Editor in Chief Adria Watson and Web Editor Kimberly Stelly examine another school’s paper at the Journalism Association of Community College’s annual convention held in Burbank. The four day event attracted the journalism programs from 34 schools bringing in over 400 students and staff.
Experience wins 11 By D’ANGELOJACKSON @DAngeloJackson_
The staff of the Los Medanos College Experience attended the Journalism Association of Community Colleges 2018 Annual Convention in Burbank and returned with 11 awards. The conference was held from March 22 to March 24 at the Burbank Marriott Convention Center. The event, which attracted 400 students and faculty from 34 colleges, is designed to support journalism education by bringing professional reporters, photographers, editors and other journalists to speak with students about real-life experiences. Students attended workshops and panels, and competed in on-the-spot competitions. The annual State Publication Awards were given at the convention and the Experience staff won six awards for works submitted in January in addition to a general excellence award for the print edition of the newspaper. n First Place, Critical Review: Tyler Mortimore n Third Place, Sports Feature Photo: Eric Perez
n Third Place, Photo Stor y-Essay: Cathie Lawrence n Third Place, News Photo: Perry Continente n Fourth Place, D’Aujah Gordon n Honorable Mention, Sports Feature Photo: Cathie Lawrence The on-the-spot competitions made for an unexpected surprise for LMC Experience Web Editor Kimberly Stelly, and Social Media Editor Robert Pierce, who each won top honors in their categories. Stelly, a long time staff member for the Experience, wrote an assessment of the band “No Big Deal” that won first place in Critical Review. “It still hasn’t quite hit me yet. My dad is super proud of me and keeps bragging to everyone in my family, so that feels good,” said Stelly. “Also, I’m incredibly proud of the staff.” Pierce was especially surprised, this being his first year and win. He took first place in Social Media for onsite live coverage via Instagram stories of a panel discussion with former writers of the L.A. Weekly, entitled “Battle of Los Angeles.” “Winning was amazing, I literally could
LatinX community leaders recognized
Earth Day comes to campus
Students will be able to celebrate the environment because LMC will hold an Earth Day event on Wednesday. April 18. This event was put together by the LMC Nature Preserve and will take place at the outdoor quad from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will have many different exciting activities to participate in and booths to visit. Some activities that will be going on include a nature preserve plant sale, live animal to see, environmental games, and vendors. There will be local green organizations as well and the opportunity to win prizes by entering drawings at booths. Make sure to come to the Earth Day event and celebrate nature.
By LILLY MONTERO
lmontero@lmcexperience.com
LMC to hold gospel concert
LMC’s 24th Annual Gospel Celebration is coming up. The event, hosted by LMC professor Silvester Henderson, features Keisha Renee, a celebrity vocalist who appeared on The Voice. Also featured is Shonte herring, A gospel performer who has appeared on BET along with other local musical guests. The event will be held on Saturday, May 5 in the Los Medanos College recital hall. Admission is $22 at the door or $20 in advance. Children under 4 get free admission.
LMC hiring tutors
LMC is hiring tutors to work at Pittsburg Senior High School. Toutoring subjects are mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics and foreign languages federal work study welcome. In order to qualify for the job students need a grade B or higher in the toutoring position’s subject. Student toutering hourly wage is $11.50 an hour. Applications can be sent to www.losmedanos.edu/stem/. Prospective tutors can also contact Anthony Duldulao at (925) 517-3407 or at anduldulao@losmedanos.edu for more information.
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. Inquiries must be made in person.
How to report news
If you have a news tip for a story, or a short item you would like considered for publication, here’s what to do: Stop by the Journalism Lab (Room CC3-301) on the main level or email the editor in chief Adria Watson at awatson@lmcexperience.com. News Briefs: If you are involved in an event that you would like publicized or have a short announcement for the newswatch collumn, stop by the journalism lab and fill out a news form. — compiled from press releases and staff reports
not believe it,” said Pierce, “I heard them call my name and I almost forgot to stand up and walk to the podium.” The event was a first for many on staff. Experience Features Editor Brenna Enos, won second place award for Feature Writing, an on-the-spot competition based around writing a story on a speaker. “I did not expect to win,” said Enos. “I was going into the contest with the mindset that I just wanted a learning experience, so it was really cool that I actually got something out of it.” Sports Editor Jesus Cano, was recognized with an honorable mention in sports writing for coverage of a softball at CSU Northridge during the convention. “I made it a goal in 2018 to win a JACC award and it only took me three and a half months to prep for it, so I’m pretty happy about that,” he said. “I feel really proud of this staff,” said Editor-in-Chief Adria Watson. “I don’t want us to do this to win awards, but when you see all that hard work paid off with things like General Excellence, it’s great to see people get recognized and awarded for all that they do.”
Photo courtesy of Kyle Davis
Elba Pastora, who recived an award for her efforts in the community, embraces a friend at the event.
Los Medanos College celebrated influential community leaders at the annual César Chavez Awards Thursday, March 22. “Buenos noches and bienvenidos,” said Los Medanos President Bob Kratochvil. Kratochvil made a point to keep his statements brief and used the time to introduce the legislative staff and representatives in the room. California state assemblyman Jim Frazier, was one such representative. Frazier
took the time to share the importance of Chavez’s legacy to the community. “One person can improve the life of countless others,” Frazier said. “We need to help parents and students cherish and preserve the ethnic cultural diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community.” After a word from one of the founders of the celebration and former honoree Paul Ramirez, the 2018 honorees received their awards. The Spirit Awards were first presented to a group of
See AWARD, page 6
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Features Sister act releases a new album By KIMBERLY STELLY
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“My favorite groups of students are the re-entry students. I see them come up and I give them their paperwork. They are so nervous and I go ‘You’re going to be OK. You’ve made a good step in coming to college,’” said Admissions and Records Director Robin Armour who retired just before Spring Break Before heading to Los Medanos College, Armour spent 14 years as an evaluator at Lake Tahoe Community College. Seeing students come through her office with their plans and degrees at Lake Tahoe encouraged Armour to go back to school at age 40 and get her associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees over the span of 10 years. That preparation eventually led her to LMC in 2008 to begin her work in the Admissions and Records Department. Armour dedicated 10 years at LMC to make sure every student who came up to the Admissions counter window walked away with a greater understanding of what their next steps were to succeed at LMC. “I’m not teaching but I’m
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Admissions and Records Director Robin Armour prior to her retirement from LMC before Spring Break.
Experience • Adria Watson
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‘Ready Player One’ Movie Summary: Director Steven Spielburg ‘s adaption of Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel of the same name “Ready Player One” released March 29. Set in 2045, the movie concerns a fight over the ownership of a virtual reality paradise called OASIS and stars Tye Sheridan as Wade Watts.
— Ernest Cline, Ready Player One
Armour’s au revoir
@kstelly1994
Sisters Chloe X Halle are able to make a seamless transition from YouTube musicians to signed recording artists on their debut album “The Kids Are Alright.” With this album, the duo melds clean vocals, catchy melodies and surreal, layered harmonies with relatable hooks. Even the intro “Hello Friend” and the interludes “Baptize” and “FaLaLa,” are worth noting whereas other albums from other artists practically beg you to skip the these sort of tracks. Oddly enough, these tracks showcase what’s best about the project. The title track is the anthem that captures youthful innocence and arrogance. The main theme in the song is a carefree adolescence which includes experiences with friendships, partying and self-confidence — all the markers of a song made by a young person. In terms of theme, it’s similar to another song on this album “Grown,” which can be heard on the show “Grow-nish,” the show where Chloe and Halle have recurring roles. In comparison to “The Kids Are Alright,” “Grown” reads more like an anthem for 18-year-olds who have all the confidence of a person who knows what they’re doing in life, but without the knowledge. However, it comes across as endearing rather than annoying. Whether you like one of the two songs better than the other is just a matter of instrumental preference. Hopeful piano-heavy ballad “Fall,” is a syrupy
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working in the office. I started right up there at the counter, helping the students,” said Armour pointing to the workers at the counter. Armour said that once she got into education, she saw the lives she was changing and how being in college, especially community college, can be instrumental to student’s growth. And for many, the Admissions office is the first step in that life-changing process. She explained that one of the greatest challenges in her years as director of Admissions and Records is resolving stressful situations students go through while stopping by the window. Armour’s previous experiences working for a phone company and as a police dispatcher, both requiring conflict resolution and exemplary customer skills, prepared her for the experiences she had with frustrated students coming by Admissions and Records. There may have been times walking past Admissions when people saw Armour calmly speaking with a LMC student at the smaller window off to the left of the larger counters or even assisting one of the See ROBIN, page 6
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Jordan says: Thrill ride worth seeing
Brenna says: Fun filled and nostalgic
Robbie says: Not amazing but fun
Steven Spielberg’s latest film Ready Player One is a fun action thrill ride. Based on the 2011 book written by Ernest Cline, Wade Watts who lives in the year 2045 competes in a virtual reality gaming competition and must collect three keys to unlock its grand prize inside the OASIS. The strengths of the movie are its story and the special effects. It was great to see the many pop culture references peppered throughout, though you may need to watch it twice to catch all the references. The performance from Ty Sheridan as Wade also helps drive the movie. There’s also a great finale to help wrap it up. The film’s main flaw was the development of its secondary characters. The book explains things more in depth, but the movie rushes through situations in order to explain the story in a two-hour movie. The film is still worth seeing.
If you’ve wanted to see a movie that will give you fun-filled futuristic experience sprinkled with pop culture of the past and present, “Ready Player One” is a movie you’ll enjoy. Centralized on a virtual reality game called “Oasis” that all of a society in 2045 has become addicted to, this movie mixes both live action and CGI graphics to create a fascinating crossover between the real and the semi-real. “Ready Player One” is a nostalgic trip into the past with its references to “The Shining”, “Back to the Future” and “Jurassic Park” while also jam-packed with comedy and action. For those who are not into pop culture or gaming, this movie might not be appealing to you. The movie does have several cheesy one-liner jokes and falls short in establishing some characters, but overall it is a fun, lighthearted experience.
“Ready Player One” is not an amazing film, but it is one that defied my personal expectations and was entertaining in an innocent, dumbfun way. As obnoxious as “gamer culture” and nostalgia pandering tend to be, the numerous licensed character cameos and spot gags don’t take anything away from the storyline and the movie itself never feels awkward or overstays its welcome; it holds attention just fine if you don’t take its outlandish wish-fulfillment premise too seriously. The main protagonists are all relatable, likeable, well-written people that go through solid character development and do a lot to draw the viewer into the film’s retro-future fantasy world, which is by far the greatest strength and most interesting aspect. In the end, if the premise interests you, it’s worth your time, but don’t expect a game changer.
— Jordan Neel
— Brenna Enos
— Robert Pierce
Viewers will ‘Love, Simon’ Romance film is relatable to everyone By JONATHAN LITTLE @jonathanglittle
What “Titanic,” “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Me Before You,” and “La La Land” all have in common is that they’re all romance films that have left an impact on many viewers over the years. In some ways, those movies have become folklore, as people love to discuss and contemplate what happened in those movies and what might have happened to those characters next. “Love, Simon” has the same quality. As the movie progresses, viewers can tell that it’s a movie that will have an impact for years to come. The movie featured rising actors Nick Robinson and star of “13 Reason’s Why”, Katherine Langford. Both showed chemistry on screen that got a viewer like me invested in the story for the long run. Since both are rising actors, there is plenty of growth both Robinson and Langford demonstrate in their acting to sell the backstory to the readers, and keep the audience connected as the movie reaches its climax. There are many adjectives that can be used to describe this movie, and it could even
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Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) as the main character of the film “Love, Simon.” be compared to John Green movie’s “The Fault in Our Stars” or “Paper Towns.” Then again a viewer could compare the movie to other famous romance films such as “The Choice” or “The Notebook.” However, “Love, Simon” does well to separate itself from other romance films that have been released in the past four years. The film is categorized as romance, so as a viewer it is expected that the movie will be focused around the topic of love. “Love, Simon” does well to speak on all aspects of
love, no matter who you love and that a person shouldn’t be afraid to love someone. On that point, the film does well to not only talk about the romantic side of love but also the platonic side of love. The move shows that when you care for someone, they care for you and will accept you as who you are no matter what changes may happen in life. “Love, Simon” is a well put together movie, has a good flow to it and the characters keep viewers invested in the story. This film is definitely a must see.
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Long journey back from Tommy John @HugoCalderon09
A year ago, Scott Meylan had to watch his teammates play from the dugout. Fast-forward a year later, he is one of the best performing pitchers on the roster. Straight out of high school, instead being excited about college and playing the following semester, Meylan was facing a pitcher’s worst nightmare. Meylan was forced to undergo a Tommy John surgery to replace a torn ligament in his elbow instead of doing what he loves the most. “Tommy John was rough to say the least. It was one of the darkest time periods of my life,” said Meylan. Many players with such an intense injury often decide to no longer pursue the sport and hang up the glove. Meylan is not like many players. “What motivated me to get back into the game was the fact that my parents dropped serious bank on the surgery and I didn’t want to disappoint them,” said Meylan. “I also knew that most people who come off of this surgery come back stronger and throw harder. That fired me up a little bit.” The 6 feet 4 inches tall pitcher had a scholarship to San Francisco State University fresh out of high school, but was unable to attend due to his elbow injury. In stepped in Los Medanos College baseball coach Anthony D’Albora, who offered Meylan use of LMC facilities while he recovered. Soon after, Meylan decided to join the
Mustangs’ baseball program. “The deciding factor for me to go to LMC was Coach D,” said Meylan. “He welcomed me to the program with open arms and has given all the opportunities to get healthy and get better at the game.” D’Albora simply wanted to help Meylan recover and improve. “When he got hurt and needed an opportunity to get healthy and work to get the best four year opportunity available, we knew we could help push him towards that goal,” said D’Albora. This season, the pitcher has played 13 games with 35 innings of work for the Mustangs, striking out 41 batters along the way and only allowing 14 hits to his name. “He’s made a ton of progress,” said D’Albora. “He’s got a long ways to go to keep getting better and stronger each and every day, but he has to put himself in the right position to continue to be successful as he continues to put the work in.” America’s pastime runs through Meylan’s blood. His mother, Debra Meylan, played softball at Saint Mary’s College and was his coach throughout his and his brother’s Little League years. His brother, Grant Meylan, plays Division One baseball at Santa Clara University. According to Meylan, his mom is the reason that he is at the level that he is at now. Currently, Meylan is majoring in business at LMC but says he may
— Ric Flair
Football returns to the gridiron By JESUS CANO
Pitcher returns to mound By HUGO CALDERON
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“To be the man you gotta beat the man.”
@y2j_Cano88
“My goal for baseball is to ride this rollercoaster for as long as possible.”
See TJOHN, page 6
— Mustang pitcher Scott Meylan
We say goodbye to the freezing temperatures and welcome warm sunny days as flowers and trees start to blossom to their fullest. Spring is here, but the Los Medanos College football team’s path to a successful fall is already underway. That road begins with spring ball. The 2017 season saw the Mustangs shatter glass ceilings in the program’s history. The team’s highlight was culminated at end of the season when they reigned victorious in the Living Breath Foundation Bowl, its first since 2003. The team also went 5-0 to kickoff the 2017 season, something that head coach Chris Shipe said had not been accomplished during his tenure in the program. To reach the same success set by last year’s team, Shipe says, it’s all about working hard as a team. “This game is not an individual spor t, so collectively as a team each individual has to put for th maximum effort every day. We have five months left before our season starts, so we have to continue to get better ever yday,” Shipe said. Spring ball allows the coaching staff to make adjustments for positions that need to be filled. One of those open slots is quarterback. Tim Evitt is the front-runner for that position. He threw the game-winning pass in LMC’s bowl victory. “It’s awesome knowing I’m the guy coming into the new season, but at the time I’m still working like I’m competing for play time. I don’t let myself get too comfortable,” Evitt said. There are also veteran players See FBALL, page 6
University of San Francisco
Jesus Cano
Jonathan Little
P L E A S A N TO N
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Robert Pierce
Wrestlemania 34 The LMC Experience predicts
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t’s the most wonderful time of the year in the pro wrestling community. While the holiday season is well into the books, Sunday, April 8 will have a Christmas feeling. Wrestlemania 34 is set to eminate from the Mercedez-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. It is pro wrestling’s Superbowl. This year’s showcase of the immortals has one of the most stacked cards in recent memory. Wrestlemania’s main event is the Universal Championship match between current champion Brock Lesnar and challenger Roman Reigns, a rematch from Wrestlemania 31, which happened in our own backyard of Levi’s Stadium. This is how the four horsemen of the LMC Experience predict how the grandest stage of them all will play out.
1. BROCK LESNAR (C) VS. ROMAN REIGNS Hugo’s pick: Roman Reigns Jesus’ pick: Roman Reigns Jonathan’s pick: Roman Reigns Robert’s pick: Roman Reigns 2. AJ STYLES (C) VS. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA Hugo’s pick: AJ Styles Jesus’ pick: Shinsuke Nakamura Jonathan’s pick: AJ Styles Robert’s pick: Shinsuke Nakamura 3. ROUNDA ROUSEY & KURT ANGLE VS. TRIPLE H & STEPHANIE MCMAHON Hugo’s pick: Triple H & McMahon Jesus’ pick: Rousey & Angle Jonathan’s pick: Rousey & Angle Robert’s pick: Rousey & Angle 4. DANIEL BRYAN & SHANE MCMAHON VS. KEVIN OWENS AND SAMI ZAYN Hugo’s pick: Bryan & McMahon Jesus’ pick: Bryan & McMahon Jonathan’s pick: Owens & Zayn Robert’s pick: Bryan & McMahon 5. CHARLOTTE FLAIR (C) VS. ASUKA Hugo’s pick: Charlotte Flair Jesus’ pick: Asuka Jonathan’s pick: Asuka Robert’s pick: Asuka 6. ALEXA BLISS (C) VS. NIA JAX Hugo’s pick: Alexa Bliss Jesus’ pick: Nia Jax Jonathan’s pick: Nia Jax Robert’s pick: Nia Jax 7. THE MIZ (C) VS. SETH ROLLINS VS FINN BALOR Hugo’s pick: Seth Rollins Jesus’ pick: Finn Balor
Jonathan’s pick: Finn Balor Robert’s pick: Finn Balor 8. RANDY ORTON (C) VS. JINDER MAHAL VS. RUSEV VS. BOBBY ROODE Hugo’s pick: Rusev Jesus’ pick: Rusev Jonathan’s pick: Rusev Robert’s pick: Rusev 9. THE USOS (C) VS. THE NEW DAY VS. THE BLUDGEON BROTHERS Hugo’s pick: The Usos Jesus’ pick: Bludgeon Brothers Jonathan’s pick: Bludgeon Brothers Robert’s pick: The Usos 10. CEDRIC AEXANDER VS. MUSTAFA ALI Hugo’s pick: Mustafa Ali Jesus’ pick: Cedric Alexander Jonathan’s pick: Cedric Alexander Robert’s pick: Mustafa Ali 11. THE BAR VS. BRAUN STROWMAN & MYSTERY PARTNER Hugo’s pick: Strowman and MP Jesus’ pick: Strowman and MP Jonathan’s pick: Strowman and MP Robert’s pick: Strowman and MP 12. ANDRE THE GIANT MEMORIAL BATTLE ROYAL Hugo’s pick: Matt Hardy Jesus’ pick: Baron Corbin Jonathan’s pick: Matt Hardy Robert’s pick: Matt Hardy 13. WRESTLEMANIA WOMEN’S BATTLE ROYAL Hugo’s pick: Natalya Jesus’ pick: Ruby Riott Jonathan’s pick: Sonya Deville Robert’s pick: Sasha Banks
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learning opportunities, and nurturing and empowering all students to achieve their educational goals. One goal of the strategic plan is to hire a dean of Distance Education to oversee the plan’s implementation and Joanna Miller of Moorpark College has been brought on board to fulfill that role. The competition for the position was intense according to Gregory Stoup, Interim Vice Chancellor of Educational Services. In addition to her primary role as a Journalism faculty professor and media adviser, Miller also served, as the distance education coordinator responsible for supporting instructional needs in distance education and facilitating the college’s in state online initiatives. Miller also served on the district wide Distance Education Committee and districtwide IT Advisor y Committee, chairing the Distance Education and Education Technology Advisory Committee advising the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. She also ser ved as the lead course reviewer for the state Online Education Initiative (OEI, which is a collaborative effort among the California Community Colleges that ensures more students being able to complete their educational goals by increasing both access to and success in high-quality online courses funded by the state chancellor’s office. Miller’s position with OEI included assessing online courses submitted for inclusion in the OEI Course Exchange. These experiences prepared Miller for the new venture in the Contra Costa Community College District that was seemingly a customized fit for her. Stoup said he had the opportunity to see Miller’s work with OEI and that skill set made her the ideal candidate for the new district position.
track encouraging listeners to “follow the gold at the end of the rainbow.” It’s simple and soft and is a solid conclusion to an album with so many well-produced tracks on it. The overarching theme of the albums is having self-confidence and persevering regardless of negative experiences, but also taking some time to enjoy all the good moments life has to offer. It’s hard to pin down a specific high point of the album because every song is well-produced and flows well with the other songs on the track. Each song is similar enough that there’s but different enough so that they don’t all bleed into each other. And they were able to pull of f a cohesive soundtrack with only two featured artists — Goldlink and Joey Bada$$ — which is impressive because this means they can carry their own weight without having to rely on the constant influence of other artists. Collaborations are great but sometimes, the artist’s unique sound or voice will get lost when other people are added to the mix. That is not the case with this album. Whether you’re new to their music, or you’ve been a fan since their YouTube days, Chloe X Halle have been musically consistent and their hard work is evident on everything they produce including their 2016 EP and their 2017 mixtape. “The Kids Are Alright” is no exception.
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because of hyperactive behavior in class. He said it can be really hard for students to tell their side of things when adults are more likely to believe other adults. “In power struggles, who wins?” he asked. “The teachers do.” Sydney explained that he had a handful of great teachers growing up who made him feel like he could be successful, but he still hung on to some of the shame because he never actually understood why he was placed into special education. When he got to high school, he thought he’d finally be able to be in classes with his friends, but he became disheartened after his schedule was immediately changed to include special education courses. “There was this feeling of being deflated,” he explained. Still, he persevered despite having an instructor who told him he’d never make it to college. He pointed out how messages like this can be extremely damaging to impressionable youth. He said a lot of people don’t realize their potential, because they’ve been discouraged by their teachers. “Some teachers can be bullies,” he said. “We get unfocused, we get unmotivated … we buy into that.” When asked if homeschool had ever been on the table for him as a child, he said he feels that students with disabilities shouldn’t have to adjust themselves for society’s sake. “Students with disabilities deserve visibility,” he said. “Society needs to know that people who think or live differently, exist.” It wasn’t until he got into college that he began to research the purpose of special education programs. And though he spent a lot of time talking about his experiences with special ed-
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Dean Joanna Miller Maintaining adherence to federal regulating guidelines is one of the crucial areas that Miller will oversee according to Stoup. LMC Spanish Professor Laurie Huffman who worked with Miller at OEI, described her as “one of the most capable and well-organized leaders of their OEI group.” She added that Miller’s attention to detail and breadth of knowledge will be crucial as the district begins to implement the DE Strategic Plan. Miller’s primary focus and bottom line is the students and equipping them to succeed in the world that awaits them on whatever level in life they are at. “Online education reaches so many more students,” Miller said. “Students today have so many var ying circumstances from working full or part-time, and full-time parenting, which is why online distant education is the goal of the district.” Each district campus has it unique and specific needs that will be addressed individually and collectively Miller said. It is also the goal of the district to make sure they successfully integrate strategies for embedding equity and culturally responsive teaching a part of these services. This is a goal, which has seen an increase in student retention and success, above the state average according to online statistics. “I’m excited about the oppor tunity to work with committed
ucation, his focus on uplifting different marginalized groups is an intersectional one. In addition to talking about and advocating for students with disabilities, he also intertwines his experiences being a social worker and also being black man in the United States. “Me sharing my story with other people helps them share their stories,” he said. A graphic novel published by Sydney last year, “Rest in Peace Rashawn”, was up for discussion as well. The story, loosely based on Tamir Rice as well a few other historical instances of police violence, tells the story of a kid who lashes out when his brother is killed. He noted that even though this was a tough topic for children to have to hear about, it’s already the reality for lot of black and Latinx Americans. About his book “Rest in Peace Rashawn Reloaded,” he called it a protest piece, explaining that it was the voice of a people who were tired of being treated poorly. “I wrote this book to protest police violence,” he said. Situations like the Tamir Rice situation, he said, are especially hard on parents who try their best to raise their children in a society that’s difficult for young black men to maneuver. “I don’t think black boys know just how much their mothers and fathers worry about their safety,” said Sydney. However, he expressed hopes that people will take their experiences and turn it into something that could potentially benefit disaffected youth. As a piece of advice to all creative types in marginalized groups, he said he hopes people will be inspired to write their own books and tell their own stories. “The worst thing we can do is not share our stories. Sometimes we let our shame and guilt keep us from sharing.”
AWARD From page 3
emerging community leaders. Erika Cisneros, an LMC 4.0 student who dedicates her time to serving the homeless, was the first to receive the award. “Thank you for giving value to stories like mine, because they spotlight that Dreamers are assets to this country too,” Cisneros said. The founding members of English as a Second Language, Peer Advisory Leaders — Paola Hernandez Betancourt, Julee Dinh, Nasima Miakhil, Elba Pastora, Maria Reyna and Abel Ruiz — also received the award for their efforts to create a network of support. Through their work they helped make resources more readily available to ESL immigrant and international students at LMC. Eva Padilla, received the East County Educator award. As a a bilingual counselor at Antioch Middle School and adjunct faculty member in LMC’s Counseling Department, she also works to increase access to resources for under-represented groups. The César Chavez Award for Exemplary Community Service was presented to Heliodoro Moreno, Jr. Moreno, who serves as Chief Trial Counsel for an immigration law firm, works to empower young Latinx people and advocates for sanctuary cities in East Contra Costa County. “I am an example of receiving all the benefits of those who helped me believe in myself,” Moreno said about his support group. “Whenever you have a chance you need to give back.” In memory of former César Chavez Award recipient Guillermo Muniz, who gave tremendously to the community, Tony Jimenez ended the celebration with the closing song “De Colores.” “De Colores” was one of Muniz’s favorite songs.
TJOHN From page 5
switch to communications later on in his educational career. Despite this, Meylan believes his future lies in baseball. “My goal for baseball is to ride this rollercoaster for as long as possible,” said Meylan. “Going D1 out of LMC would probably be at the top of my list right now. Being on the same level as my brother would be awesome, so he and I would have more in common than most brothers.” Playing a sport is a wild roller coaster and Meylan is in for the ride.
Experience • Cathy Lawrence
Mustang WR James Looney practices defense with Coach Shawn Timms.
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coming back like Antoine Tanner, James Looney and Meeko Barjona. Barjona made unanimous Pacific-7 first team All-Conference last season. Just a year before, the South Carolina native had to sit out the season due to an ACL injury. Now he says it’s
time to get back on the grind for his final year. “It’s going to take execution and intensity,” Barjona said. “If we execute and play with the intensity we train at, it should be a another great season for us.” LMC also welcomes a new defensive line coach, Jorge Magaña. He is an LMC alumnus and graduate of Montana State Northern University, where he transferred to play
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workers at the front to solve an issue. That is what she said challenged her and what she most enjoyed — helping others. “If a student comes in here really upset, we don’t know what happened just before they came to our counter,” said Armour. “So there’s always a story, there’s always a story to tell.” The goal, she said, is to “turn that contact around to make it a happy one. I may not be able to give them what they’re asking for, but as long as they understand why,” it’s a win. Her passion for helping students in this process also led to some big changes for the college about how to make the admissions and registration process easier for current and incoming students. One significant improvement Armour made during her time at LMC, was partnering up with the state and the district information technology department to bring CCCApply to community colleges across California in 2012. LMC was the first college in the state to bring the online application to students. For two weeks Armour and district IT spent time troubleshooting the applications and watching them come through until CCCApply was ready to spread to other colleges in the state. “Our district is well known throughout the entire state for being ver y technology minded and having a great IT
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Vista Elementar y School where the celebration began. City of Pittsburg’s Housing specialist Lisa Vela marched towards the front of demonstration. Vela started many of the chants that drove the marchers forward calling out “Si se puede,” the slogan of the United Farm Workers. Vela expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of young people at the event. “Kids today aren’t political enough,” said Vela who then called out to some youth ahead of her, “Do you even know who Cesar Chavez is? Do you know what we are marching for?” Vela’s energy helped carry the marchers to their destination. Before the presentations began, par ticipants were provided a free lunch. The lunch consisted of tamales in a thick mole sauce with beans and tortillas. Ramirez playfully mentioned the importance of healthy eating by mentioning Chavez’s vegetarian diet. The keynote speaker of the event was Heliodoro Moreno Jr. an immigration attorney, retired marine and recent recipient of LMC’s Cesar Chavez award for Exemplary Community Service. Moreno, discussed his histor y with his name and by extension,
football and then coached. Now, he tackles on the role of the new D-Line coach. “To get the posting of defensive line is exciting, because I get to give back to a school and program that opened doors for me,” said Magaña. The season opener is Saturday, Sept. 1 against Gavilan College. Until then, the Stangs continue to work Monday through Thursday to ensure another strong season.
department,” said Armour. “I think we do things a lot more ef ficiently because we’ve embraced the technology to help us process everything.” LMC President Bob Kratochvil said he is grateful for Armour’s time as director of Admissions and Records and thankful for the knowledge and support she brought to the college. “Robin is well-respected at LMC and with community college colleagues throughout the state,” Kratochvil said. “She consistently worked hard and always on behalf of our students. I thank her for her many contributions to the college, and for her tremendous support. She will be missed greatly.” Armour explained that friends who retired before she did told her she would know when it would be the right time for her to leave. She said she knew this was her time to dial back and ultimately spend more time with her loved ones. Although her decision to retire was a year in the making, Armour will still miss the extended family she has worked with throughout her time at LMC, including the students. “Like I said, when I came here I was looking for a home. I was looking for someplace to set my roots down and stay, and LMC became my home. It’s like my family. I’m gonna miss it.”
his culture and heritage in his speech. “I used to dread the first day of school. Teachers could never pronounce my name — I was embarrassed,” said Moreno.“Everyone in high school just knew me as Jr.” As Moreno grew more politically active, however, his view on his name changed. “Do you know what my name means?” said Moreno. “It means son of gold. That’s pretty cool and if you can’t pronounce it it’s your problem, not mine.” Moreno’s work also includes Future Leaders of America East Bay, a group that teaches academics along with leadership skills to LatinX youth. Moreno is himself an alumnus of the support program and spoke about the program’s importance not just to his education, but also to his political identity. It was through this program Moreno began his transformation from a largely apolitical and middling, student to the philanthropic immigration attorney he is today. “If you never give back you are not a success,” he said. “You may be rich but you are not a success.” Pittsburg High School’s ballet Folklorico dancers followed Moreno’s speech with dances to three songs from the Mexican state of Jalisco.
doing something like that.” Chancellor Fred Wood opted out of commenting on the subject of the anonymous letter and explained, “If we receive a complaint, we always investigate. But I can’t comment on any personnel matter about anyone in the district because it’s confidential and they have privacy rights.” Even though governing board members are public officials, district Director of Communications and Community Relations Tim Leong explained they are also “covered under the district’s policies and procedures such as the handling of personnel matters,” because they are also considered employees governed by the policies and procedures of the district. Leong also explained that when there is any inquiry or investigation in the district, the findings of the investigation are reviewed to see if any district policy and/or procedure was violated and from there, depending on the issue, any actions that may be taken are decided by the chancellor, college president or the governing board. “Whether a complaint is submitted anonymously or someone signs their name to a complaint, the district’s process is the same,” said Leong. “As you can imagine, it is harder to investigate an anonymous complaint since there is no one to ask for more details or clarification.” In the governing board meeting minutes from March 25, 2015, there is mention of the California Community College Trustee Annual Conference in Monterey May 1-3, 2015. District reimbursement records show Farley attended a conference on those same dates with then-Chancellor Helen Benjamin, board Secretary Vicki Gordon and Ward V Trustee Greg Enholm. Enholm confirmed that he, Farley, Gordon and late Ward IV Trustee John Nejedley attended the annual trustee conference in 2015 in Monterey and said he did not see “anything remarkable or unusual or out of the ordinary at that conference.” The Experience obtained a copy of the anonymous letter of complaint and in it the author claimed the following motivation for writing it: “Today, I choose to no longer remain silent in hopes to protect women in the future, and give voice to women who, for many reasons, cannot come forward and tell their stories. I look to the districts’ representatives and leaders to stop sexual harassment when situations like this surface. I hope, for the sake of all parties involved, that these rumors are not true … In respect to the #metoo and #Iwillnotremainsilent movements, I write this letter in hopes that the district takes these matter seriously, and get to the bottom of these rumors.”