March 26, 2014 l Vol 85 Issue 1
A student run newspaper of the Mt. SAC Journalism Program l mountiewire.com
UP IN SMOKE
VAPES BANNED IN PUBLIC
P.3
TMZ blasts Miss Mexico, Mt. SAC P.2
Bring on the FURY, band profile P.8
Former professor’s Does marijuana really affect your 60 years of art P.9 ability to study? P.6
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Mountaineer
2
Mt. San Antonio College
News
TMZ trashes community college with racist rant Sasha Chavez Managing Editor @sashmagosh Albert Serna Editor-in-Chief @AlbertPBJ Adam Valenzuela Opinion Editor @Adammichaelv
When Miss Mexico and former Mt. SAC student Beatriz Cazares, 27, walked into the spotlights and microphones of the press in Hollywood, she greeted them with grace, style and enthusiasm. Little did she know that entertainment news show TMZ would not only ridicule her for being a Mexican without an accent, but would also go on to bash her for attending Mt. SAC and pursuing a community college education. Although the TMZ interview with Cazares may have consisted of other questions, producers chose to air only one: “How was it tonight?” She gushed as she talked of her wonderful experience as a contestant in the Miss Queen of the Universe contest. Immediately after her response, TMZ commented on her nonexistent Mexican accent and went on to attack her for attending Mt. SAC. They continued using Mt. SAC as the brunt of their jokes, making fun of a community college education and throwing out insults like saying that only seven students have ever graduated the college. TMZ host Harvey Levin continued to laugh hysterically at the idea of someone attending a community college. Their only chance at redemption was lost when one of their staff members admitted to attending the college, but even after his failed attempt to defend Mt. SAC, he joined his peers as they mocked not only Miss Mexico, but the more than 60,000 students attending Mt. SAC. Cazares said she was at a loss for words when she saw the TMZ footage that aired on Monday. “Shame on them,” said Cazares. “It was really insulting. I was shocked and disgusted.” She said that discrediting someone’s reputation and talking bad against their education is unfair and that so many amazing people come out of community colleges. “I feel very proud of this community college, especially the help,” Cazares said. “Don’t go putting down a community college. Some of us simply do not have the resources to attend a university.” This is not the first time TMZ has been accused of racism. Kim Kardashian recently called out TMZ for being racist against her and Kanye West as an interracial couple. In 2012, TMZ interviewed the Mexican rock group Mana and asked them a racist question, “American rock bands get underwear thrown at them; do you get underwear thrown at you or Tapatio packets?” As for the insults flung at Mt.
Photo courtesy of Modelhayhem.com Queen of the Universe contestant Miss Mexico Beatriz Cazares was attacked by TMZ for not having a Mexican accent, with the staff questioning whether or not she could represent her home country of Mexico.
SAC, the college is not only known for its academic achievements, but also for its athletics program, which has turned out NFL superstars such as Delanie Walker and Superbowl winners Antonio Pierce and Bruce Irvin. Various programs, such as forensics, journalism, theatre, and music to name just a few, have gone on to win national competitions beating major universities for first place. The student success stories are endless, with transfer students going on to attend the most prestigious universities. James Jenkins, dean of humanities and social sciences, was appalled. “I think it’s always difficult to watch something where people who have an established voice within the system, [and] use that voice to put people down who don’t have the same voice,” said Jenkins. “Who knows what this achievement means to her, but it is hard won and hard worked for, and for them to mock it is rather pathetic.” In response to the claim by TMZ
that only seven students have graduated from Mt. SAC, last year alone, 2,100 students earned a degree, and 946 transferred to a four-year institution. TMZ could not be reached for comment.
“
Teachers, managers, and faculty deeply, profoundly, and genuinly care about their time here, no one is doing it for the money.” - James Jenkins
Jenkins wanted to remind students why the faculty and staff keep coming to work every day. “Teachers, managers, and faculty deeply, profoundly, and genuinely care about their time here, no one is
doing it for the money. It is for the opportunity to change [students] lives,” said Jenkins. “We believe in them and their potential, there is nothing more worthy of our time than their future, keep going.” Harvey Levin, creator and managing editor of TMZ, commented via twitter that “Mt SAC just got me back good for the TMZ TV segment... gotta say, pretty clever. But seriously, I was good teacher!” in response to a cartoon drawn and tweeted by Mountaineer opinion edior and cartoonist Adam Valenzuela. Cazares, who was born in Mexico and raised in California since the age of 3, is representing her native country as Miss Mexico in the Queen of the Universe 2014 pageant. She was pursuing a business degree at Mt. SAC and planned to transfer UCLA but put her plans on hold in the summer of 2013 to focus on the pageant. Cazares said she wants to be a role model for Hispanic women and children. “If I can be a role model to anyone, I feel blessed,” Cazares said.
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
News
3
STAFF
Editor-in-Chief Albert Serna Mountiewire Editor-in-Chief Adolfo Tigerino Managing Editor Sasha Chavez Art Director Cynthia Schroeder News Editor Adolfo Tigerino Opinon Editor Adam Valenzuela Features Editor Christina Artmanni A&E Editors Jamie Rocha, Monica Garcia Tech Editor Damion Julien-Rohman College Life Editor Julian Muhr Multiculture Editor Manny Flores Sports Editor Michael Chavez Assistant Sports Editor Layla Jasco Photo Editors Jose De Castro, Stephanie Hacha Social Media Director Vanessa Osio Copyeditor Ebony Hardiman
Pablo Unzueta/MOUNTAINEER Jerry Maravilla, 19, has smoked e-cigarettes for over a year and said that the regulations on vapes should not be imposed, because the scent it emits is not as bad as cigarettes.
Staff Reporters Analisse Deleon, Monserrath Flores, Adrian Islas, Brittney Morales, Angelica Olivares, Amanda Recio, Samantha Romero, Cynthia Schroeder, Ana Silva, Esther Silva Staff Writers Joseph Anchondo, Rachelle Araghi, Christopher Ayala, Portia Blankson, Yunuen Bonaparte, Daney Casas, Darelle Coleman, Fantashia Francis, Rolcan Garcia, Ernest Gonzales, Ebony Hardiman, Sabrina Hernandez, Michelle Jensen, April Jimenez, Angelica Loera, James Lommer, Tiffany Nguyen, Helen Ollendorff, Aaron Ramirez, Valerie Roxas Amanda Rubi, Jennifer Sandy, Donna Solis, Sylvia Villanueva, Robert de Anda, Yvonne Burton, Michael Tarronas, Nicole Taylor, Jillian Copeland, Jerry Luna, Zohair Yusufali Photographers Beatrice Alcala, Pablo Unzueta, Alex Aimaq, Stephanie Hacha, Jose De Castro, Adolfo Tigerino, Hugo Avina, Alex Urquidez Multimedia Neil Andersen, Freddy Carlos, Madeline Ealba, Ebony Hardiman, Batool Jaffer, Mariela Marquez, Stephanie Salomon, Sebastian Santiago, Abrielle Simpson, Jonathan Surrey, Rebeca Villasenor, Winter Lighthouse, Ruben Olmedo Advertising Director Veronica Grant Adviser Toni Albertson Cover photo of Jerry Maravilla, 19, smoking a vape pen by Pablo Unzueta.
The Mountaineer is a college newspaper published by the students in the journalism classes at Mt. San Antonio College. The views expressed in this newspaper do not reflect the views of the adviser, administration or the Board of Trustees of the Mt. SAC district. The Mountaineer and mountiewire.com are First Amendment Publications. Phone 909-594-5611 ext. 6123 FAX: 909-468-4106 Bldg. 26D, 3220B
E-cigarettes banned in public spaces, Student Life Center Adolfo Tigerino News Editor @atisanoxymoron
Students who felt comfortable smoking e-cigarettes in public places are now being penalized for “vaping,” just like conventional cigarette smokers. The lawmakers swept the floor by banning “vaping,” the practice of inhaling vapor produced by e-cigarettes, on a 14-0 vote on March 4 in public settings such as; parks and beaches. However, in vape lounges e-cigarette users can vape there freely. Kyle Cox, 23, computer engineering major said that he started smoking e-cigarettes to quit smoking. Cox said he used to smoke a pack a day since the age of 18, and found that e-cigarettes were his safe haven out of smoking. “Pushing people that are trying to quit smoking near smokers that are actively not trying to quit smoking is counterintuitive with what e-cigarettes are for,” Cox said. Opponents to e-cigarettes said that the advertisers are trying to make smoking socially acceptable after years of public campaigning to discourage the habit. Director of the LA County Department of Public Health, Johnathan Fielding, said in an article by the Los Angeles Times, “We don’t want to risk e-cigarettes undermining a half-century of successful tobacco control.” Council President Herb Wesson
told the floor that he has smoked for decades and his addiction began because he wanted to look cool. “When you are 15, you want to be cool,” he told LA Times. “And I will not support anything -- anything -- that might attract one new smoker.” However, opponents on the floor said that e-cigarettes are not tobacco and should not be treated as such. Councilman Joe Buscaino said that his relative turned to e-cigarettes as a way to quit the habit.
“
It’s becoming a social thing now and [opponents of e-cigarettes] are trying to control it. It’s sad and petty that they want to do that.” - David McNabb
“[E-cigarettes] are not tobacco,” Buscaino said. “And I don’t think they should be regulated exactly the same way.” Some e-cigarette users find it ridiculous that they are going to regulate it.
“Silly and childish to treat [vape pens] like cigarettes,” said David McNabb, 29, animation major. “It’s become a social thing now, and they’re trying to control it. It’s sad and petty that they want to do that.” With the wave of regulations passed by local city governments, Mt. SAC is currently in talks regarding what to do with e-cigarettes on campus. Director of Public Safety Mark DiMaggio said that he is currently in talks with the student trustee Karina Maureira to see what they can do. DiMaggio did not add any further information on what they are planning. Maureira has been unavailable for comment at the time of publication. Additionally, there have been some rules already implemented against e-cigarette use. In the Student Life Center there are signs posted that state “The use of electronic cigarettes is prohibited in this building.” The decision to ban e-cigarette use in the building was the Director of Student Life Maryann Tolano-Leveque citing the smoking regulations on campus. In administrative procedure, AP 3565 Smoking on Campus, the definition of tobacco refers to “any product containing tobacco, the prepared leaves of the nicotiana family, including, but not limited to: cigarettes, loose tobacco, cigars, pipes, or any other preparation of tobacco consumed in a manner that emits smoke.”
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Mountaineer
4
Mt. San Antonio College
News
Stadium to be renovated for Olympic Trial bid
Jose De Castro/MOUNTAINEER The Hilmer Lodge Stadium was last rennovated in 1978, but it has been a stadium where many top-notch athletes have broken world records. In 1999 several athletes broke seven world records in a single night.
Angelica Olivares Staff Writer
Hilmer Lodge Stadium is set to undergo renovations in attepts to place a bid as the host for the 2020 Olympic Trials. The stadium has been known as a place for top-notch athletes to set world records; throughout it’s history, 20 world records have been set with seven being broken at the stadium in 1999. “It is not really a new thing we are dropping here. We are putting a new dress on it and we are cleaning up,” said Doug Todd, director of track and field, cross country and special events. “We are refurbishing our facility and moving it into the 21st century.”
Although the final design isn’t set, the plan is currently to move the athletic facilities south of Temple Avenue into one complex. The plan is to relocate the swimming pool, tennis courts, and gymnasium. To achieve this, developers intend to level a hill that is located to the west of the current stadium and place the new facilities in that location. The new athletic complex will include a field house, new stands, classrooms and lecture halls, two weight rooms, a new track and field, an additional practice field, and press box. The budget is set at $55 million but with the plan thus far, the project is estimated to cost $62 million from Measure RR, a
facilities and general obligation bond, which was passed in 2008. “$62 million is more than we currently have budgeted, but the final plan will stay within the budget or close to it,” said Bill Scroggins, President and CEO of Mt. SAC. There is no finalized date or time for the renovations, but Brian Yokoyama, director and assistant track and field coach, said the construction process will begin soon. “The status of the project is that it is set to begin with certain components this summer,” Yokoyama said. “If there was an Olympic Trial here it would give our athletes a chance to see and experience working with the greatest athletes in the world,” Scroggins said. Some student-athletes have expressed excitement over the renovations, and look forward to larger crowds at sporting events. “I think an update is a good idea, it will definitely bring more people to the stands,” said Johnny Juarez, 19, chemical engineering major. Todd agreed that it will attract more people who are not athletes. “I think when people see the new facility there may be an interest in hosting a number of championships at our place, it is going to be just gorgeous,” Todd said. While some people are excited others think more questions should be asked when deciding where bond money is invested. “What is the value that the district expects to gain for the students, community and those that supported the bond measure, and is there anything being
sacrificed,” said Lance Heard, faculty association president. “Like is there less money being spent in academic class rooms, I think those are aspects to be considered.” Some students have doubts on whether the project is important enough to use bond money on. “It pisses me off that [Mt. SAC] can’t hire a janitor to clean the restrooms on a daily basis,” said Osvaldo Lara, 40, psychology major. “But they can spend millions of dollars on a stadium that isn’t important.” The last time Hilmer Lodge Stadium went through a major renovation was in 1978 when the track went from a dirt track to an all-weather track. “That was the last time any major work has been done, you know our stadium is sadly out of compliance in a number of ways,” Todd said, adding that there are a number of issue with the current stadium. “The stands don’t meet accessibility requirements, the track doesn’t meet USA Track and Field standard, the track surface is in need of improvements, and the field house is out of date,” Scroggins said. One set back to the current plan includes an 18 month period where the stadium will be in the dark. “We won’t have the opportunity to play home football games or run home track meets, the Mt. SAC Relays will have to relocate for at least one year, there will be a time where there just won’t be any competitions,” said Todd.
Board of Trustees in talks about student housing Esther Solis Staff Writer
Students who commute, veterans and athletes are just a few of the groups that will benefit from student housing. Mt. SAC’s board of trustees discussed a feasibility study for the Student Housing Proposal, proposal that would add dorms to the campus, on February 22. The housing complex would accommodate 500 students. Groups that would benefit from this facility would be international students, athletes, veterans, and students who commute to Mt. SAC and are part of regional programs. “It will be less time consuming, and we wouldn’t have to wake up so early,” said Josh Kaiwi, 22, kinesiology major, an out-of-state student athlete from Texas. International student Jimmy Wong, 19, civil engineering major also added about the benefits of the student housing project. “We come here without a car. We have to find somewhere to live, some of us have to find bus routes, but if we have a dorm it will be more convenient for us to get to school,” Wong said. Some students find the project would be helpful for scholastic
purposes. “A housing project that accommodates veterans would make tutoring more accessible,” said Rupert Coronado, 26, animal science major. “It would allow us to focus more on school rather than thinking of going through the congestive traffic.” However, this wasn’t the first time the board has brought this proposal to the table. It came up a few years ago but no decision to start a project ever happened. But in 2013, Antartica Infrastructure Partners, a private investment group that is interested in construction of student housing for colleges and universities, approached Mt. SAC. Since then there have been discussions about this project with the fiscal staff. Additionally, a committee of public and private partnerships began and information about the college and student demographic was given to the investment group. “No decisions have been made so far,” said Bill Scroggins, president and CEO of Mt. SAC. The next president’s advisory counsel meeting will be forming a task force that will include Mt. SAC
Esther Solis/MOUNTAINEER The Equine Center is one of the three locations that the Board of Trustees have been discussing where to put dorms on campus
students. Over the next six months there will be a feasibility study that will look at the land use and environmental impact. Additionally, there will be environmental studies, alternative uses to pasture lands, and a more detailed proposal will be developed. This project has some possibilities but further studies
need to be done which will take approximately two years. A potential location for this housing project might be the pastureland near the equine, next to Cal Poly Pomona. However, this project is not included in the facility master plan yet. A more detailed proposal will be given to the board of trustees during the fall.
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Opinion
5
An open letter to TMZ
Those who can’t,
TMZ Bob Seagren, was a Mt. SAC student, as were relay runners and twin Olympic silver-medalists, Davidson and Osmond Enzinwa. The list could go on, but that would have to be a separate letter. In spite of those numbers and the success stories, there is a prevailing stigma that if you are not at a four-year institution, your time at a community college is a wasted and is something to be ashamed of. Why? Regardless of the reasons why one chooses to attend community college, the choice to do so reflects a desire to improve oneself through higher
ʻ14
On a recent segment of your show, you and your team made fun of one of our former students, Beatriz Cazares, for being a community college student, and inferred that to be one or a former one is something to be ashamed of. The disparaging, condescending, and racist remarks made about Beatriz Cazares not only insulted her, but all current and former community college students. In California alone, there are 112 community colleges, and they serve a total student population of 2.4 million. On a national level there are 1,132 community colleges and collectively they serve a student population of 12.8 million. Women make up 57 percent of those 12.8 million. Demographically, Hispanics/Latinos make up the second highest ethnic group of community college students at 19 percent. These numbers indicate that Beatriz Cazares is in fact, the very embodiment of a typical community college student, and to laugh at her background in spite of her success is disrespectful to her and others like her. The desire for knowledge and self-improvement through education is not something to belittle and condescend. To do so reflects how misinformed you all are. Do not worry, this is not going to be “hate mail,” as Mr. Levin jokingly (or not jokingly) said you would all get a ton of. I speak on behalf of all students and faculty at community colleges everywhere when I say that we are in the business of educating and enlightening—consider this a crash course if you on what it means to be a lifelong learner. I hope you all pay attention. I’d like to start off by addressing some of the misunderstandings you all appear to have about our institution based on some of the statements that were made. “You can get your GED at this college! You can go to college to finish high school? Why not go back to high school to finish high school?”
-Yes, you can get your GED at Mt. SAC, and at most other community colleges as well. There are many reasons why some people would choose to do so: Some people cannot thrive in a traditional high school setting, and may need a little more attention in their education. Others might have had behavior or disciplinary issues and cannot go back to high school. People make mistakes sometimes, and community college offers a place where a person can turn their life around. And some people choose to get their GED because they want to complete their high school education early and get a head start on a college education. “It’s one of the biggest community colleges—over 52,000 students. And it says here only seven of them have graduated.” -Yes, we are in fact one of the largest community colleges in California. But you are wrong about only seven of us graduating. First of all, not everyone technically “graduates” from community college. Some students go to community college to save money by completing their general education before transferring to a four-year university. Some get their associate’s, which is kind of like graduating. Then there are those who go into our trade programs that we offer like nursing and aviation, and completing those programs is the equivalent of graduating. And there are many who go to community college to take a course simply because they have the intellectual desire to do so, and we are happy to quench that thirst for knowledge. Mt. SAC has also produced notable alumni across various professions and star athletes. The Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Sam Shepard, was a student here at Mt. SAC, along with Anthony Zuiker, the creator of the television show, CSI. Prior to getting drafted into the NFL, players like Antonio Pierce and Don Warren of the Redskins got their start playing for Mt. SAC. Olympic gold-medal Pole Vaulter,
Adam Valenzuela
To Harvey Levin and the producers and writers at TMZ TV:
education. And how dare you all laugh at that? With all the obstacles and challenges in place for many people pursuing higher education, we should not be mocking and shaming people for how they choose to educate themselves—because higher education is a basic human right that is foundational to the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Sincerely, The current and former community college students of America.
Editorial: No to anti-gay laws Any law that is enacted with the sole purpose of denying anyone the right to live in a peaceful manner they see fit is morally wrong and a violation of their basic human rights. The violent attacks on people of color during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, that resulted in sit-ins, walk outs, and marches have all led us to a point where we as Americans demand equality for one another. Emancipating our brothers and sisters forced into slavery, allowing our mothers and sisters to vote, is all about being treated fair under the law. As a nation however, we have come to a standstill for the rights of our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender citizens. In the past couple of months several states have passed laws that allow for open discrimination against
people in the LGBT community. Most notably, Arizona passed a law that would allow business owners to deny service to LGBTQ patrons if it went against their religious beliefs. The passing of the law is a major setback, even in a state where there are no protections for LGBTQ people in the workplace, where marriage equality is not recognized, and where looking even remotely Hispanic could force a person to have to prove they are a U.S. citizen. Like the Jim Crow laws of the 1890s, this bill gave bigots a green light to practice hatred under the veil of religious freedoms. There is no way that eating at a restaurant or shopping at a market can impede anyone’s religious freedoms unless they truly believe their God would judge them for accepting someone
You asked, we listened.
different. In Georgia, there was the “Preservation of Religious Freedom Act,” and in Mississippi the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act.” Both laws mirrored Arizona’s law in allowing for discrimination of not only LGBTQ people, but also anyone that business owners felt violated or threatened their religious freedoms. Even in a land far from our own such as Uganda, LGBTQ people are persecuted simply because of who they are and for whom they love. In America, there are those who cry out to stop the violence and hate in Uganda, but are we really that much different if we allow laws that discriminate? If we cannot accept and respect our American brothers and sisters, how can we cast blame
New design, better content. Got more suggestions? Email mountiewirenews@gmail.com
on anyone else? Harvey Milk once said to a crowd of thousands, “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet shatter every closet door.” The doors are open, but the discrimination has not been eliminated. Brothers and sisters, students and faculty of Mt. SAC, we at the Mountaineer believe that any law restricting the personal freedoms of any person based on their orientation, gender, nationality, or race is wrong, and that those bills are a direct violation of our humanity. As the bills have now fallen by the wayside, so too may all acts of discrimination fall from the face of the planet for any hatred on your brother or sister is also upon you. Albert Serna for the Mountaineer
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Mountaineer
Features
6 Productive
Potheads
Mt. SAC students succeed despite using marijuana daily Layla Jasco Assistant Sports Editor @laylanoelani
Lazy, deadbeat, and drug addict are among the stereotypical words that are used by some Mt. SAC students to describe fellow classmates that use marijuana on a daily basis. Amanda Recio, 18, journalism major, said that her experiences with friends who are potheads have been less than exciting. “My friend couldn’t hold a genuine and intelligent conversation like we once had,” Recio said. “I felt the pot had everything to do with it.” Despite these negative stereotypes, there are some students who claim to be just as productive, if not more, than their counterparts who do not smoke nature’s leafy potent plant on a daily basis. Marc Armanious, 20, art history major, said he proudly supports the use of medical marijuana, and added
Mt. San Antonio College
Cartoon by Karla Mejia
that being a pot-smoker allows him to be more productive in his daily routines at home. “Marijuana maintains and increases productivity in me in the same sense a writer feels after suddenly overcoming ‘writers block’. It gives me an instant boost in creativity and functionality,” Armanious said. “THC, [the active intoxicant in marijuana], helps my mind cognitively with a better performance in art and understanding it.” Armanious plans to move to San Francisco next fall to pursue a bachelors of fine arts in art history
and eventually wants to own and operate his own art gallery. He said he wants to bring to light artwork that could open more doors for people, like art has for him. “I believe art is a really important component to express creativity in the world and marijuana can play a strong role in ones psych when trying to explore their unique creativity.” Alexia Giannotti, 20, animal science major, also calls herself a “productive pothead.” “Someone who enjoys smoking weed on a regular basis without letting the effects of the substance
get in the way of their personal goals and responsibilities in life, is a productive pothead,” Giannotti said. “We are all individually responsible for being productive members of our society. There are all kinds of potheads, I choose to be a productive one.” Aside from being enrolled as a full time student who maintains a consistent 3.0 GPA or higher, Giannotti made the Presidents List each semester for her achademic excellence since she first enrolled to Mt. SAC, all while maintaining two part-time jobs. To ensure that Giannotti makes the President’s List each semester, she puts her schoolwork ahead of socializing with weed. She spends countless hours at home studying and making sure that she is prepared for any upcoming test, she said. “I have my smoke breaks to help ease my mind and allow for productivity in my thoughts.” Giannotti plans to intern at a local animal hospital over the summer and from there she would like to obtain a full time job in animal care. Not everyone believes in the idea of a productive pothead. “Using pot too young gives you an unclear view of what you should and shouldn’t be doing with your life,” said Louie St. James, 33, business major.
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Features
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
7
Taking a
stand
Student leader fights for equal rights
Hugo Avina/MOUNTAINEER Associated Students’ student leader Michael Saucedo, 24, hands out flyers during club rush in front of the Student Life Center on Thursday, March 20.
Amanda Recio Staff Writer Committed. Diligent. Inspiring. These are words that sum up 24-year-old communications major, Michael Saucedo. The striving equal rights activist is a proven example of a goal-oriented student with a promising future. Saucedo, who is in his fourth year at Mt. SAC, said that he chose communications as a major after struggling to find something he was passionate about. He settled on public relations as a focus because he was able to step up and be a leader when the opportunity presented itself. “I don’t mind leading the group. To me, it’s not a big deal,” said Saucedo. Along with his studies, he was involved
in several campus organizations such as Associated Students and LAMBDA, a campus club targeted toward members of the LGBT community, both in which he has had leadership positions. Saucedo said that being involved in other things was a great way to build lasting friendships. A heavy involvement in the gay community plays a large part in Saucedo’s life. “Personally, I’m all for equality. That’s my right. That’s my struggle,” he said. Saucedo volunteers for organizations outside of school such as GLAAD, an organization that encourages the LGBT community to share their stories, and The Trevor Project, an organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide
prevention for members of the LGBT community ages 13-24. He said that he has helped out by leading a support group for men who are ages 14-24 to promote awareness and talk about issues in the community. “It was mostly fundraising, but it was a great way to meet other people and network,” he said. He also participated in bringing a mobile testing unit to campus where students could sign up to get tested for HIV. Saucedo’s volunteer work is in preparation for the lifelong career of his dreams. “I’d like to work for a LGBT non profit, somewhere high up in the company itself, because I think it would be a good way to give back to the community,” said Saucedo. As far as long-term goals,
Saucedo said, “I have a tentative plan of what I want to do.” After finishing at Mt. SAC, he hopes to transfer to Cal State Northridge and get his degree in communications. His future plans include joining the Peace Corps for a year and travelling to places like New York City and Mexico City. Saucedo’s long-term goals propel him forward despite setbacks in life, such as his first couple of years at Mt. SAC when he was unable to get good registration dates. “At first I kind of winged it, it wasn’t until my third year here that I thought, I need to get down to business,” he said. Although Saucedo sees success in the future, he said he doesn’t want to set his entire life plan in stone.
Pathways offers fast track to transfer
Program helps students meet educational goals in a timely manner Brittney Morales Staff Writer With so many students staying at Mt. SAC for three or more years because they can’t get the classes they need, more programs are popping up to help students get over the slump of a bad registration day. Mt. SAC offers students a variety of accelerated programs to help them succeed in their educational goals. Two of the newest programs to be offered on campus are Pathways and the program formerly known as Statway. Both of these programs are designed to help students quickly get their English and math prerequisites out of the way so they can complete the college level courses in a more timely manner. Pathways is a program just implemented this past semester which is for students looking to take English 67 all the way through 1A.
“It started with English 67 in the winter,” said Kimberly QuintanaMullane, English professor. “Those students, if they passed, were guaranteed registration into English 68 with me and then if they passed 68 they’re guaranteed a spot into English 1A with me again.” Pathways is designed for students that are enrolled in English 67 or 68 are guaranteed a spot into the next level class as long as they pass. Quintana-Mullane said that this helps motivate students to do better in their classes. “I really do feel that because the carrot was dangling in front of them that they would take the next class immediately after rather than having to wait for it or not being able to get into it,” she said. “They just seem so much more motivated.” Similarly, the program formerly known as Statways, now integrated algebra and statistics, is being
redesigned to help students get from beginning algebra to statistics in just two semesters instead of three. “The idea is that students will be able to use the same professor both semesters and that they would be able to have a guaranteed seat in the second semester if you took the first semester and passed,” said Scott Guth, 51, mathematics professor. “Anyone that needs a statistics class, this is a two semester approach to get to it.” Integrated algebra and statistics is for any student that is eligible for math 51 and needs a statistics class. Students will be able to sign up for math 70S -integrated statistics, beginning fall 2014, followed by a second semester of math 110S, which is college level statistics. Beginning this fall, math 110S will be accredited to transfer to both CSUs and UCs. Both Pathways and integrated
algebra and statistics are designed to give students a seamless transition from their prerequisites to their college level courses. These programs have been put into place to help students get their core general education classes out of the way quickly. Priscilla Rodriguez, 19, undecided, began Pathways this past winter taking English 67. “I felt so much better because I knew I wouldn’t have to find another class the next semester, it was really helpful,” she said. “The class goes by pretty fast so you have to be on your toes most of the time, but I like it.” Because of Pathways, Rodriguez will be done with her English 1A requirement at the end of this semester.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Mountaineer
8
Mt. San Antonio College
A&E
Thrilling the crowd Students and faculty fundraise for scholarships
Jamie Rocha A&E Editor John Cordova, in a skintight corset, shiny latex boots, and glitter makeup, struts across the stage lipsyncing Pink’s hit “Blow Me (One Last Kiss).” This may be the last thing to expect from the regional director of the Health Workforce Initiative for the California Community College Chancellor’s office, but for Cordova, it was just another year for the annual “Puttin’ on the Hits” concert on March 8 at the Sophie B. Clarke Theater. Faculty and students have lip synced and danced to popular songs in an effort to fundraise money for student scholarships since 1999. The show has grown in size and popularity since the idea was first brought to light by former Faculty Association President Dr. Ron Norton Reel. This year’s show brought in no shortage of song, sequins, and outrageous costumes as the show’s theme “Everything Old is New Again” showcased over 20 Mt. SAC staff members, three board members, and 20 student dancers. Amongst the songs performed were tunes from an array of different eras, like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ “Let’s Call the Whole Thing
Stephanie Hacha/MOUNTAINEER Jeremy Hart, Disabled Student Programs and Services counselor, performs Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” for the annual ‘Puttin’ on the Hits” concert on Saturday, March 8.
Off,” Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” and YouTube’s comedic sensation Ylvis’ “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?).” “When I first started working at Mt. SAC, I was working in staff development and then I started working in the health division as a supervisor for the programs,” said Cordova, who has been involved in the show for 15 years and served as the show’s director for the first time this past year. “I started working when Ron Reel was here, who started [the show]. That’s how I got involved, and then my position kind of grew.” Mt. SAC construction specialist Zac Gallegos opened up the show with Hugh Jackman’s rendition of “Everything Old is New Again.” His
performances are a testament of underlying talent hidden within Mt. SAC’s staff. Gallegos, who also performed the hit “Footloose,” is only in his first year of the show and got some of his colleagues to get in on the fun. “I have background in dancing and theatre, so it was up my alley,” Gallegos said. Lance Heard, who is the current faculty association president, performed Lenny Kravitz’s “Are You Going to Go My Way” and has been performing in the show since 2009. Heard said that the show is a bonding experience between students and faculty. “My favorite part is getting the chance to spend time with the students, professors and staff that I normally don’t get
to spend time with,” Heard said. Cordova added that he loves the show because of the crowd’s response, completed with singa-longs, dancing, and standing ovations. “Seeing the crowd and the joy that they get...that’s my satisfaction.” Cordova said. Additionally, a tribute to Mt. SAC professors Joe Franko and Phil Maynard was included in the program. Both professors passed away this past year and were previous participants in the show. The memorial, filled with pictures of the professors’ involvement in the shows, played on the theatre’s big screens while professor Eric Kalijumagi performed Garth Brooks’ “The Dance.”
Reach Higher & Advance Take Summer Session Classes at Cal Poly Pomona Summer classes are open to existing students and the public Registration begins April 7th www.csupomona.edu/summer
Local Artist Spotlight: FURY Alex Aimaq/MOUNTAINEER
Frontman Jeremy Stith throws down during Fury’s set at Munoz Gym in Bakersfield, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 19.
Alex Aimaq Staff Writer Yorba Linda’s hardcore scene erupts with Fury. The band just released three tracks on Bandcamp this past February. Their upcoming demo will be released on Moshers Delight Records. Fury will be terrorizing the streets of LA at the 7th Street Warehouse on April 11 with Stoic Violence, Doses, Stupid Life, and Blazing Eye.
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
A&E
9
Exhibit your
inhibitions From mind thru hand: A 60 year retrospective
Adrian Islas Staff Writer Pablo Picasso once said, “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” For art students at Mt. SAC and aficionados around the community, this statement is resonating loudly through the Rob Ownbey exhibit being in response to my relationships, my family, the history and state of the world and currently on display at the campus art gallery titled “From Mind Thru Hand: A 60 Retrospective 1953-2013.” Ownbey, a former Mt. SAC art professor and department chair, is credited with introducing digital media to the campus. Renowned art critic Peter Frank said, “We have come, after all, to understand sensibility rather than style as artistic distinction, and Ownbey’s sensibility is graphic.” According to the Art Gallery website, “From Mind
Thru Hand” provides the public a look at the work of someone who helped bring Mt. SAC into the 21st century by taking advantage of the technological and artistic developments of the 20th century. “The ideas for my work are very personal reflections and interpretations of my fantasies, emotions, feelings, and reactions, all stemming from my inner the moment in time in which I exist,” Ownbey said. “The serenity, chaos, complexity and vastness of the universe, our world and the variety of life forms that nature and God have created feed into my mind. The ideas formulated in my mind are filtered through my heart after much introspection and struggle, and come out through my hand onto the paper or canvas.” Art Professor and Gallery Director and Curator Fatemeh Burnes said that she is excited to oversee the exhibit. “The Art Gallery exhibits a diverse array of
art forms and styles that represent the unique vision of the contributing exhibitors,” Burnes said. “Our Gallery program has consistently complemented this enduring process by presenting traditional and contemporary art in fluid and dynamic presentations that nurture pluralist values, traditions and addresses a multitude of multicultural issues and concerns. With the support of our campus community, the Art Gallery team has been able to advocate and stimulate a general interest in art through special programs and events, making these exhibitions readily accessible to the widest possible audience.” The exhibit located in Building 1B Room 10 is free and open to the public and runs through April 17. Burnes said she understands the importance of exposing her students to works like Ownbey’s. “As an artist and educator, I hope to be continually instrumental in
Alex Aimaq/Mountaineer Top left:The art piece “Still-Life X-9” by Ron Ownbey.Top Top right: The art piece “Hand Coat of Arms” by Ron Ownbey. Bottom left: A collection of art pieces by Ron Ownbey being displayed at the Art Gallery. Bottom right: The art piece “Golden Tower” by Ron Ownbey.
instilling students with ambition by presenting them with an array of exhibitions by established artists,” Burnes added. “To motivate these emerging artists, Mt. SAC’s art program offers an opportunity to exhibit their artwork in the gallery.” Art, animation, and photography students on campus will get this chance when the 66th Annual Student Art Exhibition begins on May 15. The hours are Tuesday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Mountaineer
Mt. San Antonio College
College Life
10
Screwed What do you do when you screw up in love and relationships? Cynthia Schroeder Art Director @thealanapresley
Mike Tarronas/MOUNTAINEER Anginssan Machorro, 18, computer science major, Nigel Howden, 20, computer science and Alex Perez, 19 computer play Magic: The Gathering during their break outside the Student Life Center on Tuesday, March 25.
SAC’s very own ‘House of Cards’ Julian Muhr College Life Editor @julianemuhr
Outside the Student Life Center lies a safe haven for card gamers and video gamers alike. Upon entering students are greeted by the sound of shuffling cards, a quiet chorus of different jubilant 8-bit music, a drifting aroma of nearby extinguished cigarettes, and a friendly smile of a student player inviting you to join them. These students that unite briefly to play may seem like a well-run club, any of the players would tell you different. “We aren’t a club at all; we are just a group of guys and girls having fun,” said “John,” a two year veteran of the scene. While they may not be a club, the group does have some slight organization in the way of game placement and a rule or two.
According to “John” and another student player, the requiem, the inside shared area of the Student Life Center, is saved for the “Magic: The Gathering,” commonly just Magic, card game players while the outside is shared or kicking back and playing the three other prominent card games; Yugi-Oh, Pokémon and Vanguard, while many listen to music and dance, and others use their Nintendo DS’s for gaming and street-passing. Compared to the size of their operation now, apparently the card playing crew used to number only a handful and would barely take up a few tables said some of the players. Angel Reyes, a psychology and business double major, said, “You come and watch the group and the people grow. It’s really cool to be a part of.” According to students, the games started up with a single group of students joining each
other for a card game at the tables. It was soon after more students began showing up with their cards looking to play. This place is not just a place for gamers, but also a sanctuary for skaters, dancers, and musicians alike. While Reyes was packing up to leave after a game, he explained that the traffic of players is dependent on their class schedules as expected, but some people will come to school two hours early in the morning to get some matches in. “It’s dedication,” he said. Both “John” and Reyes said that it is a fun experience and everyone is welcome. Games are not played with stakes set, every game is for fun, and a newcomer gets introduced to everyone and shown how to play. With an open invite system and a great attitude the group seems to be growing quick and for good reason.
What are you wearing? Stephanie Hacha Photo Editor Pictured on the right: Dre Warre, 19, biochemistry major, said, “Wearing hightops and skinny jeans makes me want to dance.” Pictured on the left: Melissa M. Ho, 20, communications major, said, “I buy my clothes from thrift stores because retailers are too expensive.”
I almost missed out on a great love because of peer pressure and my naïve perception of what love was. Let’s rewind to this time last year. I had just come out of a yearlong “kind of, sort of, not really” relationship- you know, the whole “are we a couple or not?” type of thing that left me completely unsure of myself. I felt the need to seek guidance, from people I thought would know better than I did. I developed a checklist of what my ideal boyfriend had to be: very into fitness, outgoing, and very attractive (because posting pictures together on Facebook is so cute). As I set out on my search for a guy who fit the mold, I started dating two guys at the same time. “The Jock” who had a smile that would make any girl go gaga like Taylor Swift over Harry Styles and “The Musician,” the guy that let me wear his favorite denim jacket when it was cold outside and gave me a vintage cassette tape of my favorite album by my favorite band on our first date because he knew my car only had a cassette player. The Jock met all the criteria on my perfect boyfriend list and my friends agreed. I willingly disregarded the fact that we had nothing in common because I all I could focus on was how cute we would look together on Instagram. “The Musician” was a total dreamboat in his own right, regardless of not being “Mr. GQ.” I was just too foolish to see it because of my friends. They repeatedly told me “Cynthia, you are way too pretty for him. Don’t settle like you did before!” The Musician is reserved and he’s not exactly a gym rat, but he pursued me like no other guy ever had. He understood me and genuinely liked me for who I am – sassy, outspoken, opinionated, and all. A few months later, I finally got over myself and realized that I had someone really special all along. Every other person that I went on a date with only drew me closer to The Musician. Our connection was unlike any I’ve ever had and I knew I wouldn’t find that with anyone else. We are now in a committed relationship and I feel so strongly about him that I’m willing to put in print that he is the love of my life and that it almost didn’t happen. I let other peoples opinion influence my decision-making and I cared too much about shallow things that 20 year olds tend to think are important. I feel lucky every day knowing that I get to call him mine, regardless of the mistakes I’ve made.
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
College Life
11 A day in the life of a disabled student Getting around Ana Silva Staff Writer
Jamie Rocha/MOUNTAINEER Arts and Entertainment Editor Jamie Rocha explores Grand Central Terminal during the College Media Association conference in New York on Friday, March 14.
Stranded but not alone Jamie Rocha A&E Editor @jaynic737
I became more and more envious of each person passing me by as I sat on the floor of the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. They were struggling with their luggage, overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the terminal, gasping for air as they sprinted to their assigned gate in time to catch their flight. As I watched this play out in an endless cycle, I slumped my way to an open chair near by and sat down defeated in a war of time. 11 hours. I have to wait 11 hours. I was internally cursing myself for taking so much stuff on this weekend trip to New York. I wouldn’t have being denied my flight for barely missing my baggage check-in time and having to rebook my 8:15 p.m. flight to 7 a.m. the next morning. It was too late to go to my friend’s apartment back in the city and I kept resisting the urge to jump back on the subway to go to an environment that wasn’t filled with strangers and fluorescent lighting. I was going to be alone for the next 11 hours, while my friends, who were on this same trip, were already on their flights back home to Los Angeles. “I can do this,” I reassured myself as I took a deep breath. “Things could be worse.” I’m no stranger to traveling and should be used to waiting, seeing how I had just recently traveled the United States’ west coast in a van for three weeks while on tour selling merchandice with a band called the Maxies. I have also been a passenger on many buses and trains over the course of my life seeing how it’s my primary source of transportation. I reminded myself of this as I sat on an uncomfortable vinyl, poor excuse of a chair and began indulging in whatever form of entertainment
I had available on my laptop and phone to make the time pass as fast as humanly possible. A young lad took residence a couple of chairs away from me and seemed to be struggling with an electrical outlet he was trying to plug into his laptop. He wasn’t from around these parts, thanks to the obvious travel electrical converter he was using that wouldn’t fit into the outlet. I could have easily slipped back into my trance of the glow of my computer screen but I freed myself to help him out with his annoyance. This small interaction opened a door to a night of conversation and newfound friendship. His name was Redo. A 24-yearold dancer from Holland, he was on a long layover on his way to the Bahamas to perform for the U.S. Embassy. This caught my interest, since he had a few noticeable physical disabilities: he was born with a shorter right arm, has a total of five fingers, and a shorter right leg. For the next hour or so, Redo and I engaged in small conversation. However, in this little time, I felt nothing but a sense of trust, as he graciously looked over me as I went to the ladies’ facilities or to grab a bite to eat. Soon after, a gentleman by the name of Amir, a young and lively individual who just exuberated a convivial and conversable presence, asked if he could take a seat in the section that soon became the headquarters of our waiting game. Next to join us was Bobby, a young female yoga instructor from Michigan who looked very cultured and worldly, as beads graced down from her hair. Immediately, we started trading stories about travel, food, music, politics, and culture. Hearing stories about Amir being a Middle EasternAmerican and constantly being
picked out of airlines post-9/11, Redo’s experience in other places that wasn’t his home of Holland, and Bobby’s adventures around the world, I gained a delightful and eye-opening insight into the lives of strangers who were opening their worlds to me in our personal “kumbaya” in the middle of an airport. Amir and I began to search YouTube videos of Redo, after we learned he was in a well-known international B-Boy Break-dancing super group called Ill-Abilities, a crew of extremely talented dancers who, despite having disabilities, perform all over the world while spreading their story as motivational speakers and showing that anything is possible. It blew my mind realizing that if I would have just been stuck in my own little world with my headphones and smartphone, without looking up, I would have lost the opportunity of meeting these three talented and beautiful individuals with such a zest for life and a unique outlook on things. As the morning hours finally approached, we were allowed to head to our gates. Before parting ways Redo requested a group picture to capture this unique story and memory of the time when we gained new friends out of such an undesirable situation. We all exchanged Facebook information, (which by the way, we are now all Facebook friends and vowed to keep in touch) and gave our goodbye hugs to Redo before he headed to tropical paradise. Amir stayed and kept me company until my time arrived to go home. The last thing I thought I would feel as I left that tarmac was that unanticipated feeling of being grateful for being stranded in the middle of nowhere.
Late again. For the third time this week I did not arrive to class on time. And why? My ride to school was late. My name is Ana Silva and I am a disabled student at Mt. SAC. I take public transportation services to get to school. These are personalized rides that a person arranges by calling the public transportation office. Sounds nice, right? Well, not always. This type of public transportation can cause more problems than one thinks. The problem is never getting a ride to school, it’s arriving on time to school. I schedule rides an hour early despite only living 10 minutes away from school. I do this so that I can get to school on time even if something goes wrong, like the bus or van breaking down. Unfortunately, at times I am still late to school and when I am, I miss out on class. I have been fortunate enough to not get into too much trouble at Mt. SAC but that does not mean I am okay with being late. My fear is that I will be late too often and possibly be dropped because of my situation. Another issue is that I have been stranded before. Sometimes the rides mess up and I am left waiting for an hour or more. In some cases they do not even show up. I see people driving in their cars and wish I could too. I wish I didn’t have to rely on public transportation so that I could have more freedom in getting to school. I have to take what I get. Hopefully I am not late again.
Did you know Some of the older buildings that make up Mt. SAC used be part of a military hospital up until World War II.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Mountaineer
Mt. San Antonio College
12
Tech
Get on my level Assassin’s Farcreed Dogs? Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Watch_Dogs; Two of Ubisoft’s popular adventure franchises and a new open-world action adventure franchise that hopes to break in the new console generation. While Watch_Dogs’ gameplay systems can only be speculated from the provided gameplay, the Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry series share a rather specific formula as of late that bring question to how unique Watch_Dogs is going to be. The formula is as follows; open world layout, have main quests introduce new areas of the map, and use the basic climb a tall thing in a new part of the map to reveal the area. Once that area of the map becomes revealed, the side quests and activities become available for completion, which all round up to
the general 3 hours of padding per hour of main story gameplay in each of the Assassin’s and Far Cry games. With Far Cry toting a firstperson shooter game type and the Assassin’s Creed third-person free-running approach, Watch_Dogs has taken a hybrid approach of third-person free-running actions shooter. Whether or not the climb tower to activate map approach will be adapted to the futuristic Chicago setting of the game is speculation since no footage of that system has been released thus far. With the release for Watch_Dogs set for May 27, players will soon be able to decide for themselves if Ubisoft is recycling the working formula for their most popular franchises for their own profit. Julian Muhr College Life Editor @julianemuhr
Titanfall for Xbox 360 delayed to April Xbox 360 Titan pilots will have to wait a little longer. The Xbox 360 version of Titanfall, a port of the recently released Xbox One and PC game, has been delayed just a mere week before its original release date. Instead of hitting store shelves on the March 25, EA Games announced on March 19 that the online-only multiplayer shooter would see release in North America on April 8. Europe will have the game two days later. In a post on EA.com, Vice President of EA Studios, Patrick Soderlund told gamers that while the game is “fantastic,” he and port developer Bluepoint Games, “see a few things that can make the game better – so we’re giving Bluepoint a little extra time to do just that and deliver an epic Titanfall experience for Xbox 360 players.” Soderlund went on to say that the 360 version of the game will have the same content as its current-gen and PC brethren, such as 6v6 combat, maps and weapons, along with the perkinducing Burn Cards. Editor’s Take We here at Get On My Level love delays. Well, not love. It’s never a
good sign when a game is delayed. But we are all for them when necessary. If the reason is for the delay is an extra layer of polish and detail, weeks or even months, in the long run, are not that big of a deal. South Park: The Stick of Truth for example took some extra time to freshen up, and the game garnered some pretty decent reviews. That said, there’s been much concern over the 360 version of Titanfall. EA has released little to no information about it since its announcement alongside the One (barely even any screenshots), which was probably done to push the new console further. Additionally, earlier beta testing was performed for the One and PC versions, leaving the 360 port in the cold with nary an explanation. So now, it’s up in the air how the servers are going to handle the load, or what servers are even being used on release. It’s going to be an interesting April 8. Damion Julien-Rohman Tech Editor @legendpenguin
Photo Courtesy of Ubisoft
Aidan Pearce is the main character of the upcoming open-world action adventure game Watch_Dogs.
Cal Poly Pomona
FARM STORE at Kellogg Ranch
© 2014 National University 13929
MAKE YOUR CREDITS COUNT
Fresh Produce • Great Events Custom Gift Baskets • Fruit Gift Packs Unique Gifts and so much more!
SAVE THE DATE
If you like classic cars and tractors then you’ll love the
TRACTOR AND CAR SHOW WEBINAR:
TRANSFER WITHOUT THE HASSLE
3/26 5:30PM
Saturday, MAY 10, 2014 from 10am - 4pm. Lots of cars and tractors will be on display. Activities include trophy awards, entertainment, petting farm, bug exhibit, horse rides, tractor rides, and a Strawberry Festival including berry picking. Register your vehicle now or just be a spectator. Either way your gonna have fun!
At the webinar, get all of your questions answered, like: • What are college transfer agreements? • How do I plan my transfer? • Why should I transfer to NU?
JUST FOR ATTENDING, your National University application fee will be waived. You’ll also get a copy of our Community College Transfer Guide, and you’ll be one step ahead of the college crowd.
Where quality meets flexibility™
www.cppfarmstore.com
REGISTER NOW: nu.edu/learn NU14_13929-29_CC_Webinar_PrintAd_5x7p7_K.indd 1
Farm Store at Kellogg Ranch Open Daily 10am-6pm 4102 S. University Drive Pomona, CA 91768 (909) 869-4906
2/24/14 5:43 PM
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Multiculture
13
Jose De Castro/MOUNTAINEER Cosme Hernandez, 25, Portuguese and Spanish major discusses the influence of the drug cartels in his home state of Michoacan, Mexico on Thursday, March 13.
Violence, drugs, murder continue despite El Chapo’s capture Innocent families extorted and harrassed Samantha Romero Staff Writer Murder, rape, and violent extortions are now synonymous with the Mexican states of Sinaloa and Michoacan. Once known for their lush vegetation and surrounding views of mountain tops, the perception of these touristic states has been tainted by their reputation as major hubs for drug trafficking. Cosme Hernandez, 25, Spanish and Portuguese major, recently visited his family and realized that life is different in Apazingan, Michoacan. “The Federalistas pulled over some guy, and they had machine guns and M16s with grenade launchers,” Hernandez said. “They pass up in front of you, and they aim their gun at you to check your ID and ask a bunch of questions.” According to Hernandez, the military sets up these outposts regularly as a precautionary measure to prevent cartels from rampaging the towns. Regardless of the increased security procedures, people continue to live in fear. “They are more cautious and vigilant of everything,” Hernandez said. “They make sure to not go to certain areas at certain times and to not make association with certain people.” Drug related violence and crime continue to persist throughout these states and have a powerful impact on Mexican culture and families alike. “I do not see what the point is
in threatening and killing so many innocent people and tearing families apart,” said prospective Mt. SAC student, Nancy Castaneda, 18. “So many deaths and tragedies are heard of every week about what is happening in Mexico as a result of these drug cartels fighting for the control over the country’s drug industry.” Castaneda’s family has been affected by the violence from the drug cartel. Two weeks ago, her 26-year-old cousin Samuel Cuevas was a victim of extortion. He was selling hot dogs on a Sunday night in the rural town square of Jahuara, Sinaloa when a car crashed into his stand. The following morning, hit men known as sicarios threatened him. They demanded he pay the damages they had inflicted, if he did not comply, they would return for him within three days.
“
I do not see what the point is in threatening and killing so many innocent people and tearing families apart.” - Nancy Castaneda
“It reached the point to which there was practically no law enforcement in my grandma’s village, meaning it was a free for all and the people could do as they pleased,” Castaneda said. Dayna Meza, 18, biology major, said that her relative who worked as a doctor in Sinaloa was caught in the middle of a fatal crossfire as an innocent bystander. These are only a few of thousands of accounts that have inflicted fear and terror into the lives of Mexican citizens and relatives alike. According to Human Rights Watch, the drug wars have claimed the lives of more than 60,000 people between 2006 and 2012. The drug related violence has also helped fuel the narco culture, which continues to infiltrate the Mexican music scene through the emerging popularity of narco corridos, or Mexican folk songs. Narco Cultura, a documentary directed by Shaul Schwarz, goes behind the growing movement. According to the film’s website, “these bloodthirsty and explicit odes to the exploits of narco traffickers and drug lords of Mexico openly glorify violence, narcotics and money.” Mexico faces other problems as drug trafficking has had an overreaching influence on the economy and reputation of the country. A close family relative of Hernandez has personally experienced the economic tension in the state of Michoacan. As a teacher for the Instituto
Technologico Superior de Apazingan, drug battles translate into school shut downs, which means no work for teachers and faculty. “It’s been a negative thing for them because it gives a lot of people in the U.S. a bad view of Mexico,” said Hernandez. “Sometimes they blow things out of proportion.” Some family members choose not to visit their Mexican relatives when they learn about the tragic kidnaps and deaths. “Being that my immediate family and I are over here in the U.S., we are now scared to visit them,” said Castaneda. “We feel that going over there would also pull us into the situation, thus threatening our own lives.” Recently, Joaquin Guzman better known as “El Chapo”, CEO of one of the most powerful drug operations in Sinaloa, was arrested on February 22. According to Forbes, the Sinaloan cartel’s annual revenue raked more than $3 billion. The Cartel was also responsible for more than 25 percent of the illegal narcotics entering the U.S. Listed as one of Forbes most powerful people of 2013 to his designation as Chicago’s No.1 Public Enemy, Guzman had a strong presence. Meza said she believes El Chapo’s capture might negatively affect the people of Sinaloa. “He somewhat protected Sinaloa from other drug cartels coming and taking over,” said Meza. “Now that he’s gone other cartels can come and claim Sinaloa.”
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Mountaineer
Mt. San Antonio College
Sports
14
Sports Stand Sanctuary in Sports Michael Chavez Sports Editor @mountiesports
Pitcher Sabrina Garcia winds up against Long Beach City College on Wednesday, March 5. Jose De Castro/MOUNTAINEER
Mounties head-to-head for No. 1 Spot Adolfo Tigerino Editor-in-Chief, Mountiewire News Editor @atisanoxymoron
Every team has a weakness. For the Mounties their kryptonite is defense. The Mounties, 8-3, trail behind Cerritos, 10-1, in the South Coast Conference. The number one SCC team, Cerritos, has faced the Mounties twice and defeated them in both encounters. The first time, the Mounties had a bad run early on with a 10-2 loss. Players attributed the immense run deficit to a lack of teamwork. “The first time we weren’t working as a team,” shortstop Celina Felix said. At the following game against Cerritos on March 6 the team looked as if they were going to come out victorious. Unfortunately, the defense cracked and Cerritos found a way to come up with the win, 8-6, subsequently shattering the Mounties 13-game winning streak. The Mounties need to focus on their defense in order to have a strong finish to the season. Their offense is not in question with
SPORTS SCHEDULE Mar 27, 2014
most games being over 8 runs. The Mounties have strong power hitters such as first baseman Charlotte Foster and Felix. Foster has a total of nine home runs with 35 runners batted in and Felix has eight home runs with 31 RBIs. When the team finds themselves in a jam, Coach Rubilena Rojas said that she inspires the team by telling them that they are in control. “Slow down the game. You have the bat, you have the weapon, so you’re in control,” Rojas said. When the team played against Long Beach on March 5, they were down several runs and the Mounties came out with a strong offensive that won them the game, 12-11. Defensively they had lost the game with multiple errors such as overthrowing, dropping the ball and so forth. It looked dismal for the Mounties, but they persevered when the odds were against them. “We struggled defensively,” Rojas said. “We did a great job offensively, that’s what won us the game.” The players added that it was because they were starting to work
better as a team. “We learned how to play as a team,” Foster said. “We learned how to cope with one other. It’s not individual anymore. We’re playing together as one.” “If we broke apart it would have been tragic,” Felix added. The Mounties defense is in question, but Rojas said that is what they will be focusing for the season. It is the most essential aspect of the game and they need to improve it. “Defense wins championships,” Rojas said. “Errors are going to happen. What I just don’t want to see is it become a domino effect.” Rojas added that the team got too comfortable at the start of the season. “We got complacent at the start of the season,” Rojas said. “I rather take those losses at the start of the season than the end.” The Mounties will once again face their rival, Cerritos, on April 1. “We’re going to handle business, make adjustments early, go out and do us,” Rojas said. “They’re just another team with a different color uniform.”
Mar 28, 2014
Softball Citrus @ MT. SAC 11:00 AM Re-Scheduled from 2/6 Rainout
W Swim vs. Chaffey @ Chaffey 12:30 pm
Women’s Tennis
W Swim
Long Beach @ MT. SAC 2:00 PM Softball
vs. Rio Hondo @ Chaffey 12:30 pm M Swim
El Camino-Compton Center @ MT. SAC 3:00 PM
vs. Chaffey @ Chaffey 12:30 pm
Baseball
M Swim
Long Beach @ MT. SAC 6:00 PM
vs. Rio Hondo @ Chaffey 12:30 pm
Mar 29, 2014 Track and Field vs. Pasadena Games @ Jackie Robinson Stadium - Pasadena City College Baseball MT. SAC @ Long Beach 12:00 PM
For a complete schedule head to Mountiewire.com
When I imagine the prototypical athlete I think of speed, size and strength. After those first few tangible attributes I then think about the intangibles, like desire, competitiveness and instincts. If I were to build the perfect specimen I would combine attributes from athletes across all professional sports. Yet, nowhere in that formula do I take into account sexual orientation. Why not? It should not matter. If my athlete can play then what should I care if they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or straight? My concerns should be based on performance during game time and being a high character individual in the public eye. Belonging to the LGBT community is in no way a knock against someone’s character so why should it matter if that athlete is a community member? When Jason Collins of the NBA came out publicly, the question of how many hidden professional gay athletes there are in professional sports was brought to the front. Undoubtedly, there are many more athletes who would prefer to live in the shadows given their celebrity profiles because they fear the perceived public backlash or locker room rift it might create. Potential player Michael Sam came out before the NFL combine last month. As a result, his name became the hot topic in many draft circles. Not because of a breakout senior year where he logged 11.5 sacks or displayed a quick first step that is vital for NFL pass rushers. No, almost all of the attention he received was because he would be the first openly gay NFL player if he were drafted. Being openly gay was even considered an obstacle at the NFL combine where his sexual orientation had to be taken into account for some backward reasons. Society has progressed in such unimaginable ways yet, still lives in the stone ages when it comes to dealing with different sexual preferences in the public sphere. Sports fans should be fans of just that, sports. There should be no politics involved. That is the very reason sports fans like myself, become fans. We look to be entertained by the best athletes in the sports we come to love. If sports are our escape why would we look to find fault in paradise? Performance is key, not preference.
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Sports
15
Guard Shaela Flynn attempts a three throw after being fouled against LA Valley on Saturday, March 8. Jose De Castro/MOUNTAINEER
Women’s basketball lose championship title Jose De Castro Photo Editor @starjigga
It was a season to prove to themselves and the world that they still belonged on top. The Mt. SAC women’s basketball team showed the critics that they did belong there.“We had to prove something,” guard Shaela Flynn said. “Making it to finals is a big deal, even though we lost I feel like we came up on top. Even though they reached the California Community College Athletic Association State Championship and lost to Venture College 68-55 in the process, the Mounties did it with three returning players and 11 freshmen. “It was really hard, we had a lot of adversity and over came that,” Flynn said. The Mounties completed an undefeated season in conference finishing 13-0
and 29-5 overall. With a young core of talent, the team went on a 15-game winning streak heading into the state playoffs. It was a new experience for the whole team and a learning process as well for them. Older players had to take the initiative and had to find their own ways to help the team along. “Being able to be a leader and being able to show the team what suppose to do,” Flynn said. Losses to LA Pierce and Long Beach brought the team closer and helped them to reaching their full potential.“The girls understood the urgency to play basketball in a higher level,” coach Brian Crichlow said. “I think we hit our stride and I think the girls became more focused and reality set in that they are actually pretty good.” Despite the loss in the finals, the Mounties are content.“We are one of two teams playing in
the last possible day of playing,” Crichlow said. “Every year coming into the season, we are looking to win the state championship and I think if you’re not looking to win the state championship every time your start new season you’re not really competitive as you should be,” Crichlow said.Crichlow knows that the girls are content playing in the state championship once again.“It was fun, it was a good experience to be in the finals,” Crichlow said. “They now know what it takes, they know what we cannot do if we want to win the state championship.” Crichlow continues to hope for a successful recruiting class.“We definitely are excited about next year just as excited as we were this year,” Crichlow said. “ After losing 10 sophomores last year, we are just excited this year with this new group along comeback.”
college journalism
getting it right one mistake at a time The Mountaineer | mountiewire.com
Sexy & Shredded Build your mind to build your body
Layla Jasco Assistant Sports Editor @laylanoelani
Physical fitness has been a part of my life for the past 10 years, including a year of collegiate athletics where my team and I won a United Spirit Association National Championship in the large coed division. I have a passion for being physically active. As a result I want to help people prepare for the journey that is working out and being healthy. When discussing fitness and how to implement it into a busy daily routine the first step is exercising your mind. This is not an easy thing to do and I must warn you now, it is never going to be easy. You just have to get used to pushing past the pain. You can do this by giving yourself positive reminders and learning to move beyond the intensity in order to see the finished project and focus your energy towards your goal. Once you have mentally told yourself that you are ready to kick the old habits and make better choices to benefit your health you are ready to start training. A quick workout student can do is taking the stairs. When you take the stairs remember to breathe and keep your stomach tight. You can do this simply by trying to make your belly button go towards your back, so suck it in. Bring your knees towards your chest and keep going till you reach the top. This may not be the most intense workout, but it is a workout that will help overtime when it is done consistently.
Now Mt. SAC students can ride clean, green Foothill Transit buses for free! Pick up your new Class Pass at the SacBookRac. For details, visit foothilltransit.org/mtsac.
CLASS PASS M T. SAC
Going Good Places