Oak Leaf Spring 2016 Issue 6

The

Oak Leaf

Flashing lights, dancing and fun Strangers become close friends while dancing their hearts out at EDM festivals.

Features, Page 9

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Newspaper

May 16, 2016

Courtesy of Nate Danos

Volume CXXXV, Issue VI

Election disconnection

Will Mathis/Oak Leaf

An ad-hoc elections committee attempts to rectify election code violation allegations.

News, Page 4

Music: The companion

Bear Cubs fight back

Bryce Nagata, No. 21, comes storming into the Bear Cubs’ dugout after scoring on a two-RBI double by first baseman Ryder Kuhns in the bottom of the third inning.

Anthony Sosa and Will Mathis Sports Editor and Assistant Sports Editor

Estefany Gonzalez/Oak Leaf

Seasoned band of the week writer and music photographer explains why music is important to her.

Opinion, Page 7

Down but not out.

The Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team survived two elimination games against Folsom Lake College May 14-15 to advance to the California Community College Athletic Association Northern California Sectionals

Internal debates: Maci Martell

Whose side are you on?

Courtesy of playbuzz.com

Marvel superheroes clash in Captain America’s latest film, “Civil War.”

A&E, Page 13

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May 20-22 at Cook Sypher Field.

The Bear Cubs are two wins away from advancing to the State Championship May 28-30 at Fresno City College.

In Game 1, the Bear Cubs failed to produce anything offensively.

They recorded only five hits and struck out 13 times in a 3-1 loss.

Folsom Lake starting pitcher Will Felton kept the Bear Cubs’ bats quiet in 5.2 innings of work.

He scattered four hits, walked

Co-Editor-in-Chief Dean Tahir, assistant director of academic affairs, filed hostile work environment complaints against two Santa Rosa Junior College administrators in early March. A recently concluded SRJC investigation determined Tahir’s complaints were unfounded.

Tahir sent an email May 13 announcing his resignation and retirement effective July 30.

“The school has lost its most important link to the Black community,” said retired Baptist minister and longtime rights activist Ann Gray Byrd. “He withstood blatant racism and much discrimination. If requested, the NAACP will support, should he decide to file suit.”

Tahir officially filed the complaints March 10 against Robert Ethington, dean of student affairs and engagement programs, and Ricardo Navarrette, vice president of student services, for racial discrimination, harassment and subsequent retaliation when Tahir expressed his concerns.

SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong and Navarrette said they couldn’t comment on personnel matters, though Navarrette said the district strongly denies Tahir has been treated in an inappropriate manner.

SRJC hired Jay Resendez of Common Sense Legal Solutions to conduct an investigation into Tahir’s allegations.

The investigation report states the event that preceded Tahir’s complaints was the reorganization of SRJC’s student services department in fall 2014.

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two and struck out six. “[Felton] did a good job at locating his pitches and staying ahead in the count,” said Bear Cubs’ right fielder Jeff Bart. “I don’t feel like we capitalized on opportunities we had with runners in scoring position and that turned out to hurt us.”

For Santa Rosa, starting pitcher Ezio Bruchler averted danger in the second inning, but failed to do so in the third. He allowed a

Will Mathis/Oak Leaf

three-run home run to Folsom third baseman Tyler Kiam.

The Bear Cubs started a rally in the bottom of the fifth, when designated hitter Matt Bone hit a leadoff double and scored on the following double by third baseman George Foster.

Felton sat down the next three batters to end what looked like a promising inning.

Continued on Page 19...

Administrator to retire after filing hostile work environment complaints Ethington was promoted from director to dean of student affairs and engagement programs. The director position was subsequently eliminated. With Tahir’s credentials and accomplishments as assistant director, the director position would have been the logical next step in his career, Tahir said.

“I questioned, based on my work, why wasn’t I considered, or even had a chance to apply for the director position. Why did they eliminate the director position right off the order chart?” Tahir said. “Anybody else at the college who was an assistant director that started with me over nine, 10 years ago…everybody had been promoted but me.”

According to Navarrette’s statements in the report, he assessed all positions in the department starting in 2013, and

recommended five out of the 21 management positions be altered, Ethington’s included. Tahir’s job description wasn’t changed as part of the reorganization.

Tahir believes it was a personal reason why they didn’t promote him. “I think it was based on race.

They had never career-tracked me,” he said.

He applied for the director position on the Petaluma campus five years ago, but didn’t get it because he didn’t have prior instructional background experience in a classroom at the time.

He asked Navarrette and Martin Lee, dean of counseling and support services, if they would mentor him on his career path at the school, and they both declined, according to Tahir.

Continued on Page 3...

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Editors-in-Chief

Estefany Gonzalez and Maci Martell Section Editors A&E Editor | Devin Schwarz Assistant A&E Editor | Courtney Paige Copy Editor | Alex T. Randolph Copy Editor | Carin Huber Editorial Cartoonist | Laura Buel Features Editor | Nikki Goetz Co-News Editor | Maci Martell Co-News Editor | Genesis Napel Assistant News Editor | Jynessa Lazzaroni Co-Opinion Editor | Alex T. Randolph Co-Opinion Editor | Catherine Ramirez Multimedia Editor | Catherine Ramirez Photo Editor | Estefany Gonzalez Podcast Editor | Travis LaBrucherie Sports Editor | Anthony Sosa Assistant Sports Editor | Will Mathis Social Media Editor | Nikki Goetz Staff Writers Laura Buel, Jessica Carter, Zachary Chew, Arthur Gonzalez-Martin, Albert Gregory, Lachlan Irvine, Kiana Medina, Jocelyn Mobley, Rico Pinola, Jaime Rodriguez, Frank Sumrall and James Wyatt Intern Parker Dangers Oncken Photographers Estefany Gonzalez, Genesis Napel, Jenner Dangers Oncken and Courtney Paige Distribution Jessica Carter, Tommy Dennen, Travis LaBrucherie and Jaime Rodriguez Layout Team Keshia Knight, Catherine Ramirez and all section editors and editors-in-chief

Contact Newsroom: 707-527-4401 Ads Office: 707-527-4254 Anne Belden, Adviser: 707-527-4867 abelden@santarosa.edu EMAIL oakleafstaff@gmail.com Advertising Keshia Knight oakleaf-ads@santarosa.edu LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We appreciate your feedback. Send letters to oakleafonline@gmail.com or to the Oak Leaf office. Letters should include first and last name and be limited to 300 words. Letter may be edited for style, length, clarity and taste. Libelous or obscene letters will not be printed.

Rent control by popular demand Jynessa Lazzaroni Assistant News Editor A week after Santa Rosa Junior College students marched to Santa Rosa City Hall, council members voted in favor of a rent stabilization ordinance and a temporary moratorium halting substantial rent increases while city officials comb out the details of a long-term rent stabilization plan.

Santa Rosa residents and students marched from SRJC to downtown Santa Rosa’s council chamber May 3 to ask the city council to consider implementing a rent control and just-cause eviction ordinance in wake of the past year’s spike in rental costs.

“We need solutions. We need answers. We cannot continue to live like this,” said Enrique Yarce, SRJC vice president of student diversity.

Yarce and Scott Rossi, SRJC student trustee, led the march down Mendocino Avenue, followed closely by a group of students and community members.

SRJC student Rose Kitchel said she marched for an opportunity to speak at the council meeting.

“This is not about us being angry students. This will affect us.

This will affect all of us,” Kitchel said. “How are we supposed to go to school when we have to work until midnight every night to pay for rent?”

Participants chanted “Roll

back the rents!” as they marched to the council chamber on the corner of Mendocino and Sonoma Avenues.

The SRJC students were not the only group fired up at City Hall. Various community members and organizations, including North Bay Organizing Project, rallied in the courtyard before the public meeting began.

Community leaders spoke about their experiences serving populations most vulnerable to increased rent prices and frequent evictions. They also recognized the importance of addressing the issue immediately to avoid adding to the population of struggling or homeless families in the city.

“I have been a tenant attorney for over 20 years, and I have never in my life seen so many people be displaced because of rent increases and no fault evictions,” said Ronit Rubinoff, executive director for Legal Aide.

The council chamber was filled to capacity with attendees spilling out into the courtyard, where they were offered additional seating and the ability to listen to the meeting over a loudspeaker.

Council members heard statements from more than 70 citizens throughout the evening.

Members of the community addressed both sides of the issue.

Council members heard from concerned property

Top: Genesis Napel/Oak Leaf / Bottom: Nikki Goetz/Oak Leaf

Top: Aztec dancers lead the procession of passionate protesters on the way to City Hall. Bottom: Rent control protestors sported signs in support of their cause.

management companies and rental property owners who suggested the implementation of rent control would hugely affect their ability to sustain their businesses and their plans for future improvements.

Others expressed their opposition stating they didn’t think rent control was the answer to the housing crisis. Instead, they suggested the city look at options for more affordable housing. However, the vast

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www.theoakleafnews.com Exclusive, online-only content can be found daily at www. theoakleafnews.com Read articles on the Gabbi Lemos case, a Q&A with this issue’s band of the week, Sharks playoff updates, a view on polyamorous relationships and a profile on philosophy instructor Carla Grady.

Police escort protestors for rent control down Mendocino Avenue to City Hall May 3.

Genesis Napel/Oak Leaf

majority of the attendees present were in support of rent control and just cause eviction.

Davin Cardenas, organizer with the North Bay Organizing Project, asked the council to heavily consider the moratorium and rent stabilization to protect the most vulnerable citizens in the city.

“Rent stabilization is the simplest tool we have to address the issue,” Cardenas said. “The people who are suffering are not the people responsible for the conditions.”

Council members concluded the meeting with a 4-2 vote to prepare a rent stabilization ordinance but didn’t gain the majority vote necessary to implement a moratorium immediately.

On May 10, following a less heated discussion the majority moved the moratorium to action.

Tenants can now sleep soundly knowing their landlords may not raise rent more than 3 percent in the next 45 days or until the moratorium is in place.

“The rent stabilization ordinance and moratorium will not solve the housing issue, but it’s a step in the right direction,” Cardenas said.

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May 16, 2016

SRJC administrator files complaints In the

Know

Continued from cover...

Tahir said he had to go through the Association for California Community College Administrators’ mentorship program. He also completed the Administrator’s Managerial Certification program and served as an ACCCA district representative to recruit potential managers into the field.

Tahir said the director position would have offered him higher pay since he received his doctorate during the time he’s been at the college.

Ethington stated in the report he wasn’t aware of employees receiving a salary increase for earning a doctorate.

“Up until Matthew Long was hired at Petaluma as dean of students, I was the only student services administrator who had a higher-level educational credential in the division, which I achieved in my time over the last 10 years,” Tahir said.

Tahir received his doctorate in 2009. areas. Tahir alleged Ethington In 2011, the school board approved compiled this negative evaluation, an additional stipend for those at the which required him to fulfill a 90-day college with a doctorate. Tahir said he Performance Improvement Plan, out heard from ACCCA and colleagues of discrimination and retaliation for at other community colleges that the complaining about the reorganization. district, in most cases, will reimburse In the report, Tahir said he received employees from when they first get good performance reviews prior to their doctorate, yet he was never complaining about the reorganization. reimbursed for the two years he had Though the investigator noted the his doctorate while working at SRJC. former evaluations were generally Ethington told Tahir the board will good, they regularly showed the same only start paying once this stipend performance issues in communication was approved and the pay will not be and follow-through, which was retroactive. Additionally, Navarrette reflected in his most recent evaluation said in the report that employees don’t in which many witnesses cited he was get a pay increase when they earn a dropping the ball. doctorate and that Tahir’s position Many of the witnesses interviewed doesn’t require a doctoral degree. in the report noted Tahir’s strong suit The report, however, said Ethington is his work and relationship with the recommended hiring Tahir “not only students. Ethington said in the report, because he wanted to increase diversity “Tahir’s ability to work with and in the department, but also because mentor students is excellent,” though Tahir was getting his doctorate.” he feels he hasn’t been tough enough According to the report, Ethington on Tahir as he’s been neglecting his said he tried to broker deals for Tahir duties and hasn’t fully supported the to get a pay raise, but “people above Inter-Club Council, of which Tahir him in the food chain” didn’t support was adviser. a salary increase for Tahir.

Tahir said he felt like Ethington was Tahir appealed to Ethington, saying retaliating against him by “breaking he helped SRJC receive commendations up his job description” and giving his from the accreditation team, many of duties to Short-Term Non-Continuing which were tied to Staff. the multicultural Student Body events he assembles President Joshua on campus.

Pinaula said while “I don’t see “[Ethington] said Tahir is a great an element of he didn’t care what friend to students, outside evaluators fundamental fairness. he didn’t feel like said. He said he’s he was properly [This has] sullied my boss and the addressing only thing that’s marketing, ICC my reputation.” important is what or the student he says,” Tahir said. life committee, - Dr. Dean Tahir, Last year, Tahir so STNCS were Assistant Director of wrote a letter hired to fulfill of complaint to those duties.

Student Affairs Navarrette and “They’re BandChong, stating he Aids for things felt a pay inequity that students have and discrimination needed this entire in part because he said Ethington time,” Pinaula said. “It’s coming out had not reviewed his job description of our student budget to be able to in nine years. Tahir said according to have these positions; it’s because we ACCCA, management is supposed to functionally need these positions to review an employee’s job description operate.” every four to five years.

According to the report, the final In his annual evaluation in fall 2015, straw for Tahir was when Ethington Ethington reported that Tahir’s work allegedly belittled him in front of vice performance “needs improvement” president of student life Virginia Kerr and was “unsatisfactory” in several at a spring welcome barbecue Jan. 27.

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Asian & Pacific Islander Health Forum

The Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency Program will host the fourth annual health forum, focusing on breaking the silence on mental health and enhancing health services for the Asian and Pacific Islander community; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 19 in the Bertolini Student Center.

Latino/a Graduation Reception

The Latino/a faculty and staff association will host its third annual graduation reception from 10:30 a.m. to noon May 21 in the Bertolini Student Center. For more information, or to RSVP, contact Elvia Vera at evera2@santarosa.edu.

CTE Completion and Celebration

SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong and renowned speaker Arel Moodie will recognize and honor this year’s Career Technical Education certificate completers from 4:30-6 p.m. May 27 under the oaks on the Santa Rosa campus. Graduating certificate students should arrive at 4 p.m. for processional lineup.

2016 Graduation Ceremony and Reception

Courtesy of Dean Tahir

Top: Dr. Dean Tahir lectures on conscious bias in a workshop in the Bertolini Center for Student Leadership. Bottom: Tahir (center, in white) poses with students from a diverse array of clubs outside the Bertolini Student Center.

As adviser, Tahir was supposed to be present for the totality of the event “to mitigate risk and provide supervision,” according to the report.

Ethington asserted Tahir wasn’t at the event for at least two hours because he was in his office. Tahir claimed he was mostly present for the event but had to rotate from his office to the quad and at one point had to attend an ICC meeting. Ethington said if Tahir was double booked, he should have asked student affairs coordinator Sahara Chaldean for help, but didn’t.

According to Ethington in the report, Kerr came to his office and said Tahir wasn’t there for most of the event and she wasn’t getting the support she needed. Tahir said he went to Ethington’s office, knocked on the door and entered when Ethington said he could come in.

Ethington said in the report that Tahir barged into his office.

Kerr said SRJC human resources officials asked her to keep personnel matters confidential.

The report stated two other students interviewed during the investigation saw Tahir at the event, yet the report never provided their statements. One of the statements not used in the report was that of SRJC student and Black Student Union member LaMont Powell, who described Tahir as a valuable asset to the college.

“I am bearing witness that Dean Tahir was present from 11 in the morning to two in the afternoon,” Powell said in his statement. “There are several students who witnessed Dean Tahir set up for this event, as initially the music equipment was not working properly. Tahir also attended the InterClub Council meeting and was late because he had been working in the quad for the events that day.”

Ethington concluded that by being mostly absent from the event, Tahir violated his Performance Improvement Plan and was subsequently put on a three-week administrative leave, pushing his PIP completion date from April to May. The investigator ultimately found that while Tahir is generally well-liked and a great mentor to students, there are deficiencies in his job performance.

Additionally, the investigator found no evidence to support any of Tahir’s allegations and determined he was not subjected to harassment, discrimination or retaliation. From the date of the concluded investigation on May 2, Tahir has 15 days to file an appeal to the board of trustees.

Ethington notified Tahir that his last day with formal responsibilities in the student affairs office is May 13.

“I don’t see an element of fundamental fairness,” Tahir said. “[This has] sullied my reputation.”

The SRJC community will honor this year’s graduates at 10 a.m. May 28 at the John Surryhne Outdoor Stage on the Santa Rosa campus.

Participants should arrive at the north entrance of Tauzer Gym by 9 a.m. with their cap and gown.

President’s Address to the Community

SRJC will recognize Dr. Robert F. Agrella, the college’s fourth superintendent and former president, with the 2016 President’s Medallion of Honor; starting 11 a.m. with a luncheon at noon June 2 in Haehl Pavillion.

Building Community Breakfast

The Friends of Petaluma Campus Trust will present its fifth annual community breakfast from 7-9 a.m. June 9 at the Petaluma campus Physical Fitness Center.

Marcus Benedetti, president/ CEO and chairman of the board of Clover Stornetta Farms, will be the featured speaker. The event is $40 a person. To register, go to santarosa.edu/foundation.

Luana: An Evening of Aloha

SRJC’s Hawaii community organization, Hui Pulama Mau, will co-sponsor a dinner, concert and fundraiser featuring Hawaiian musician Faith Ako starting at 5:30 p.m. July 9 at Shone Farm. Pre-sale tickets are $35 and will be available until July 8; tickets at the door are $40.

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May 16, 2016

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Student government controversy

Election violations prompt emergency action Alex T. Randolph and Will Mathis

Copy/Co-Opinion Editor and Assistant Sports Editor Amid rampant allegations of bribery, extortion, bullying and false advertisement surrounding this year’s student elections, Santa Rosa Junior College officials announced May 13 a special election to rectify the numerous code violations by the two student platforms, Justice League and Rebel Alliance.

The ad-hoc elections committee also decided not to disqualify all student nominees in an emergency meeting in the Bertolini Student Center. Since there was no concrete evidence of foul play from any one person, the decision was either all nominees keep their positions, or all be disqualified.

These special re-elections run next week with most positions unopposed as Rebel Alliance nominees Robert Martinez, Enrique Martinez and Mika Steiner suspended their campaigns out of protest for what they felt was a heavily biased election. Hannah Cagle resigned outright, citing an unhealthy and toxic amount of divisiveness.

“It’s not about the position; it’s about doing what’s fair for the students,” said Josh Pinaula, current Student Government Assembly president and vice president of organizations nominee.

The Rebel Alliance submitted an appeal of the first election’s outcome to the ad-hoc committee. It listed several accusations toward the Justice League, including but not limited to, campaigning within 30 feet of an official polling station, brochure bios that went over the 150 word count limit and extortion by SGA president nominee Jordan Carbajal.

Included were posts of Justice League emails submitted as evidence of false advertising and bribery.

Robert Ethington, dean of student affairs and engagement programs, and Patie Wegman, dean of student conduct, investigated the allegations and found several violations, including bribery.

Multiple allegations, including extortion, were not investigated due to difficulty or not being directly related to the election code.

When asked about the appeal, Carbajal said he disagreed with it and recommended the appeal be made public. “I encourage students to vote in the special elections,” he said.

Accusations against the Rebel Alliance included misplacement of campaign posters and collaborating with clubs for their vote. The Rebel Alliance received a 24-hour campaign suspension because of the allegations against them.

The Justice League didn’t send an appeal by the April 25 deadline.

When asked about its lack of response at the emergency meeting, Carbajal, acting as representative for

Community voices: James Wyatt Staff Writer Athlete concussion management, declining enrollment and student completion rates were among the topics of discussion at the May 10 board of trustees meeting in the Bertolini Student Activities Center.

College Athlete Concussions With Santa Rosa Junior College athletics in the midst of playoffs, Nancy Chinn, a faculty member in disability resources, discussed extending the college’s safe environment commitment to student athletes.

Chinn presented her sabbatical research on concussions in California community college contact and collision sports.

“Concussions are serious and we need to mitigate the risks so our student athletes leave our college stronger for having participated in their sport,” Chinn said.

Due to dangerous health affects of concussions, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the California Community College Athletic Association placed an emphasis on educating athletes on their symptoms and effects.

Chinn’s research found up to

36 percent of community college student athletes don’t report a concussion despite having been educated about them.

Her sabbatical research connected six factors to the reasons why students won’t report a concussion: denial, instincts, adrenaline, selfdiagnosing, being “in the zone” or a sense of duty to the team.

“Transfer of knowledge, the carry-over of learned information, is facilitated when the learning occurs in the same environment that it needs to be retrieved, not the classroom -- and procedural learning, repeated learning by doing, allows a recall of the information in stressful situations,” Chinn said.

Chinn created a possible model for a new concussion education protocol, which SRJC intends to use in the fall. The model includes education on concussions and how to report them in the same venues where student athletes play. It advocates replicating the experience of play during concussion education and creating hand signs and phrases to be used when an athlete suspects a concussion. SRJC student athletes will practice phrases like, “Coach, I think I need to be checked out.”

the Justice League, said the slate just wanted it over with.

“The election’s done. The students spoke. It happened,” Carbajal said.

He believes the special elections would strip away the rights of students who work full time and could only vote during the normal elections. “Stripping that right away should be an insult,” he said.

After the elections committee vote, a member brought up a motion, requiring all prospective SGA candidates to attend mandatory ethics and leadership meetings. Those who don’t will face disqualification. The board made several amendments, such as suggesting all current staff and faculty be highly recommended by the SGA to attend the meetings.

Student government is to approve of

Will Mathis/Oak Leaf

Top: SGA president nominee Jordan Carbajal (center) weighs in on the ad-hoc committee debate. Bottom: Patie Wegman discusses the alleged election code violations.

a neutral third party, unattached to the school, to lead the meetings.

The motion and all amendments were passed by unanimous vote.

“This is really good stuff,” said Vice Chair of Student Government Mike Scharf of the amendments. “I’m not supposed to show bias, but it is.”

Board of trustees meeting addresses concussions, representation, enrollment and student completion

Joshua Pinaula provided an emotional speech during his last board of trustees meeting, thanking the college for providing the opportunity to be a representative in student leadership. He said he was proud of the diverse group of student body leaders in place now.

“We never have, nor will we ever, have a more diverse group from different sexual orientations, adopted, multitude of races and couch surfers,” Pinaula said. “It has been a really great opportunity, and I look forward to next year.”

To create an opportunity for more representation of ethnic groups, SRJC has begun the process of redrawing District 3,4,5. Three trustees who oversee nearly 200,000 people, as compared to other districts, who have one trustee to 69,000 people, run the current district. Redrawing the district is intended to provide fair and equal district representation.

Doug Roberts, senior vice president of finance and administrative services, presented a list of criteria to be used in the process of redrawing the district.

The community was given time during the public comment portion to provide input on proposed District Representation criteria to be used in developing Student government president trustee boundaries.

“This is only the initial process.

No finalizations have been made, and will not be made until students and staff have returned in the fall,” Roberts said.

decline in enrollment, SRJC is still serving diverse community needs, making it a top choice for recent high school graduates and growing its online programs.

Online programs have grown 45 Enrollment Management Plan percent in the last four years due to To restore access and rebuild the increased demand by students and school schedule so more full-time faculty willing to teach online. students return in the fall, SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong assigned Student Completion Rates Vice Presidents Mary Kay Rudolph A scorecard report from K.C. and Ricardo Navarrette to develop a Greaney, Ph.D. and director of strategic enrollment plan. institutional research, provided Their initial reports state that details of SRJC student success due to the economy still recovering compared to state and national from the 2008 financial crisis, many averages. potential students are choosing to Currently, 54.1 percent of SRJC work instead of go to school, or students complete school through increase their workload instead of degree, certificate or transfer. their school load.

Students were categorized into two There are more students enrolling different groups: prepared students overall, but they’re taking fewer – those who qualified for math 151 units. The strategic report also and English 1A – and unprepared shows the public is unaware of the students – those who didn’t qualify classes available at SRJC. Other for those classes. factors contributing to declining Roughly 73 percent of prepared enrollment include Sonoma County students complete school compared rent increasing 40 percent over four to 43 percent of unprepared years, enrollment increases going students, showing a 30 percent from $36 to $46 per unit in fall 2012 completion rate gap of prepared and flat local high school graduation students to unprepared students. rates for the past four years.

A breakdown of completion by Rudolph and Navarrette were genders showed 56.2 percent of able to demonstrate how, despite women completing compared to 52 these factors attributing to the percent of males.

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Opinion

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May 16, 2016

EDITORIAL

Student affairs office needs to clean house

A series of damaging incidents within the student affairs department has snowballed into a catastrophic end to the school year, leaving administrators and student government officers scrambling to tie up loose ends.

Santa Rosa Junior College’s best course of action to remedy this situation might be to just wipe the slate clean and start over with new people who’ll take positions in the department more seriously.

The laundry list of upsets includes allegations of election code violations and hostile work environment complaints.

A precursor to the department’s dysfunction is simply a lack of communication and an unwillingness to cooperate in a professional manner. Throw that on top of minimal managerial oversight and you get a department divided amongst itself.

Months of tension led up to a nearly semester-long investigation into assistant director of student affairs Dr. Dean Tahir’s discrimination and hostile work environment complaints against Robert Ethington, dean of student affairs and engagement programs, and his supervisor.

The investigator, Jay Resendez, ultimately found Tahir’s allegations to be unfounded. Regardless of the case’s outcome, the allegations undoubtedly left a bad taste in the mouth of the student affairs administrators.

All this could’ve been avoided if everyone involved communicated properly and didn’t jump to accusations.

Student government officers and candidates followed their advisers’ example of slinging accusations and not cooperating. Following this year’s student elections, Vice President of Student Services Ricardo Navarrette determined a new election would be required after an administrative review alleged both slates committed election code violations.

Some of the alleged violations were as petty as accusations of candidates moving opponent’s campaign posters, and as shameful as claims of bullying and bribery.

Most of the allegations weren’t substantiated with evidence, and the ones that were have been ignored.

So the incident was nothing more than bickering candidates pointing fingers. If opponents exhibited more appropriate communication with each other, and if the student affairs department adequately monitored the elections and candidates, there wouldn’t have been such disorder.

Inadequate observation isn’t the only thing the department needs to improve, but also its responses to difficult situations.

On May 9, former speech instructor Josie Koch settled her $120,000 case against the college for failing to provide a safe workplace after a male student said he fantasized about raping her in

I love you, Siri

2011. Koch said she felt trapped in her room while the student talked to her for nearly two hours about drinking his own urine and torturing animals.

When she came to Navarrette about the incident, Koch said he told her “a young lady like yourself should expect that type of treatment from male students,” she said to the Press Democrat.

No one should have to expect that type of treatment from anyone.

What they should expect is an appropriate and supportive response

from a college administrator.

Perhaps just as bad as Navarrette’s response is SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong defending him. In a staff email, Chong said he believed that the “allegations disparaging [Navarrette’s] reputation are false and groundless.”

While Chong claims in the email the administration takes student and employee safety concerns seriously, this isn’t reflected in either his or Navarrette’s responses. Regardless of whether Navarrette replied to Koch with

that despicable statement, she obviously felt unsupported.

If the student affairs department, wishes to be credible and taken seriously, then they need to show more transparency and admit when they messed up.

If we want to be a part of a school we can fully trust, we need to hold administrators as well as student government and faculty accountable for their actions, even if it means ditching the old ones for more progressive and better functioning models.

Smartphones’ impact students’ ability to learn Sophia Stamoulis Contributing Writer I was standing behind two of my peers when I first heard “lol” used as an adjective. Shortly after, I found myself repeating the same lingo at a party in response to a story told by a drunken friend.

“Lol,” I said, forgetting to laugh.

“Lol” is more than a dismissive acronym. It now plays a definitive role in the convergence of today’s youth with technology. The boundary doesn’t begin here, nor does it end at work, on the bus, in the gym or at school. Dependency on smartphones transcends the essence of our humanity so completely that it’s nearly impossible to go anywhere in public without seeing one.

Modern society’s students are packing up their bags, leaving reality and travelling into cyber space to frolic among fiber optic connections to converse electronically.

The Pew Research Center named millennials “generation wired.” So who are we? Comprised of cyborg youngsters and metropolitan hipsters, the wired generation is a

new breed with heads bowed down in reverence to our favorite toy.

The smartphone is an integral part of life. Not only is it a GPS, alarm clock, camera, calculator, weather oracle and social medium, it’s a cherished pastime and informant of the next party.

The productivity of the future work force, the presumably ‘studious’ university generation entrusted with solving the world’s innumerous problems, are surrendering their engagement in the present to their smartphones.

Smartphones, which could once be used in moderation for essential functions, are now synonymous with toys. Productivity becomes subjective in smartphone usage with the prominence of social media applications and the internet.

The increase in the use of smartphones for entertainment qualities rather than as a tool is at best distracting. Previous studies conceptualized electronic media as a “filler for unstructured time,” which often detracts from students’ performance and ability to multitask.

A recent Ohio State University

study found students spend an average of three hours and 45 minutes engaging in electronic social interaction each day.

Within this correlation is a strong negative association between social networking sites’ exposure per day and academic performance.

As the wired generation increasingly redefines the binding role of their smartphone from appliance to cherished friend, the relationship between user and phone seems to be a toxic one.

The negative association between electronic media usage and grades implies trouble for the easily distracted. For many, the temptation to fondle our little metal friends is significantly stronger than the desire to crack open a textbook and study for a test.

Contrary to Ohio State’s study, other examinations of smartphone use and higher education foresee a promising unity between the two.

Marcelo Milrad and Daniel Spikol of Vaxjo University in Sweden believe “interactive multimedia and communication offer new possibilities for supporting innovative ways of learning.”

Catherine Ramirez/ Oak Leaf

Smartphones easily distract students from studying and other academic duties.

Milrad and Spikol conducted a control study of specialized smartphones designed to complement their university regime. They found students and instructors alike participated eagerly in both video and audio communication. They also found students were more expressive in their dictation, avoided SMS abbreviations’ like ‘lol’ and worked on producing complete sentences.

This medium of “multicasting” presents a more optimistic outlook

of smartphones’ role in students’ lives that could unlock great potential for efficiency. The ability for the smartphone to transcend between pedagogical tool and personal life is a unique quality that could accommodate the various learning preferences of students.

Regardless of pending developments in technology, existing student users are forewarned of the academic dangers of lol-ing too frequently when school is in session.

6

May 16, 2016

Just the tip Genital Herpes Genesis Napel Co-News Editor A lusty night in heaven can quickly inflict a hellish state of contemplation.

Itchy sores unlike any ingrown hair radiate pain and foster fear in your psyche. A few blisters in your crotch will forever change your perspective about sex.

Genital herpes, or HSV-2, is easy to get and impossible to get rid of; simple skin-to-skin contact with a carrier can equal infection.

Days after a raunchy roll-about with a newly found partner, what looked like pimples appeared on my pubic bone. There were no other symptoms or noticeable sensations associated with the bumps, but their appearance perpetuated darkness in my thoughts.

The feelings of intense attraction toward the new lover quickly transformed to aversion and outrage.

We were both explicit about our sexual history and present state of being STD free.

Had she lied to me? How could this happen to me?

I felt like a witch had cast a curse on me to prevent me from ever finding love. How could anybody ever love me with this new contagion?

In America, genital herpes is common in sexually active people.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said one in six people between the ages of 14 and 49 have genital herpes. The statistics are a role of the dice.

For the next few weeks I feared any contact with potential partners for fear of the connection escalating to sex.

The thought of having to tell them I had what I thought was genital herpes made me want to curl into a ball of depression and stay there, embracing myself forever.

Genital herpes can be diagnosed through a blood test or swabbing the fluid from a sore. Clinics are open to the public and generally free, but the fear of testing positive kept me from going. When a few more bumps appeared I decided it was time to get a definitive answer from a medical professional.

After discussing what was going on with the nurse, she had me drop my drawers to further assess the anomalies on my crotch.

Clinics often tell you “no news is good news,” but after a week I couldn’t bear the anxiety anymore; I called the lab just to be sure.

The tests all came back negative.

For weeks leading up to getting tested, a blanket of sorrow and selfloathing came over me. I prepared for a life of being unwanted and alone.

Definitions and description of genital herpes found on the internet did little to lessen the emotional flooding.

Everyone is suseptible to STDs. The whirlwind of terror I experienced luckily wasn’t as serious as I believed. Getting tested regularly for the many STDs circulating the world is the responsible thing to do. Clear communication and transparency with partners before intimacy is a duty of respect and honesty.

If anyone has what they think could be genital herpes or any STD, see a medical professional as soon as possible. STDs are no joke.

Opinion

Gender fear:

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Women empowerment message enforces idea of fearing men

Lanea Florence

Contributing Writer It was 1 a.m. – the only time I had free as a busy college student. As I sat in the gym, overwhelming anxiety sprung upon me. Suddenly my mind raced, thinking of escape plans and possible items I could use to defend myself. I became scared for my life.

I wasn’t in any danger. My fear was driven by the fact that I’m a woman, alone, at night.

One in six women are the victims of sexual assault, and one occurs every 107 seconds. Of the total population of female Santa Rosa Junior College students, about 2,000 of them will or have been victims of sexual assault.

In the last few months, the dialogue about sexual assault exploded as people brought attention to the issue, sharing their stories and discussing ways to combat it. Celebrities like Kesha and Lady Gaga have come forward to share their own stories of sexual assault while encouraging their fans to speak up as well.

In September 2015, President Barack Obama launched the “It’s On Us” initiative to increase awareness and bring a sense of responsibility and unity among college students by signing a pledge to speak up and take action if they witness an attack.

SRJC students have been speaking up with “Take Back the Night” events designed to empower women, give them confidence, build community and bring a greater awareness to the issue of sexual assault.

As I reflected on that night in the

gym, I realized never before had I been scared to be a woman, and began wondering why. Why now? Why is it that the spreading message of woman empowerment is actually making me more fearful?

Then it hit me. The very fact that a message of empowerment for women is necessary shows that something is wrong. It speaks to the societal belief that men are inherently more powerful, dominating and important.

Women have to tell themselves they have power over their bodies and lives, even when statistics, data and history say they don’t.

Recent floods of rape statistics and stories in the media have cast a negative light, showing women as victims and men as predators. We’re told gruesome stories of men harming women, then told we can prevent it by being strong and united.

The message that men are to be feared is a subtle one. It’s not overtly taught, but it’s a powerful message still worming its way into how women think and assess the world.

Subconsciously, every day, we are being taught to fear men. We’re taught we are victims, men naturally control us and our safety is constantly in jeopardy.

Long live the woman empowerment message that we can stand up for ourselves and our fellow women. We need to know we all have worth. But at some point the conversation has to go beyond this and speak to men as well.

The focus of the discussion on sexual assault needs to shift and address the issues behind the acts.

It’s time to speak to men about their role in perpetuating rape culture.

We need to address the societal structures of male dominance, instant

gratification, greed, lust and power that influence thought, belief and action, which lead to fear in women.

Until the root issues are tackled, the problem will persist.

Let’s teach men women should be cared for and respected, not treated like something to be won or conquered.

Let us help men understand that women shouldn’t have to be afraid for their lives and shouldn’t have to be afraid of men.

Women should not have to always be in a state of cautiousness. We should be able to live our lives without deeming it necessary to carry pepper spray or plan ahead of time for the “safest” place to park our cars or be on alert at all times of day because we never know when something might happen to us.

We should not have to fear for our safety just because of our gender.

with hardly any money, it was not the right time.

I was brought up to believe abortion is a sin, yet it was the first option to come to my mind.

It turned out to be a false alarm, but it changed my views on abortion. I am now pro-choice.

When I told a close friend about what my choice would have been, he told me that I would’ve been a murderer had I chosen that path.

A woman is not a murderer if she gets an abortion. We kill things that we don’t consider murder on a daily basis, like killing germs or squashing a spider. We don’t bat an eye over it -- we just see it as a way to get rid of something to help a situation.

An abortion is no different.

Women are sometimes put in situations where having a baby is not part of their plan. A fourweek old fetus is the size of a poppy seed, much smaller than a spider, and has not yet formed organs or tissue. The fetus is

attached to the woman, and if she were to die so would the fetus; it’s a part of her. Therefore she has the choice to abort it if she feels it’s best.

Women have many reasons for choosing abortion. According to Life News, 40 percent of women choose it for financial reasons, 36 percent due to bad timing, 31 percent because of issues with their partner, 29 percent because they already have other children and 20 percent say it would interfere with their future plans.

Fewer than 20 percent say they’re not emotionally or mentally ready to have a child.

Rape plays a factor in abortions.

Every 107 seconds a victim is raped in America; 44 percent are

under 18 and 80 percent are under 30, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. A study from the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found 5 percent of women have gotten pregnant because of rape.

Though a small percentage, it still happens. Women are already traumatized enough from sexual assault.

Precautions can be taken to prevent pregnancy right away like Plan B, the morning-after pill, that stops pregnancy.

Women have the right to choose what they want to do with their body. It doesn’t make them murderers, it doesn’t make them sinners and it doesn’t make them horrible people.

It’s not murder; it’s a choice Nikki Goetz Features Editor

It took a pregnancy scare for me to go from pro-life to pro-choice.

As a baptized Catholic, I was raised to believe that abortion is a sin.

Protesters outside of Planned Parenthood buildings continue to call them murderers and baby killers. Abortion is a sin in their eyes because the Bible talks about God creating life. Nowhere does the Bible say anything about abortion. It’s not a sin and it doesn’t make women horrible people if they choose to do so.

Two years ago I was put in a situation I never thought I would be in. I was three weeks late for my period and feeling nauseated.

I thought I was pregnant.

I was terrified. I was still in school, living with my parents with a part-time job. I want children one day, but at 21 and

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Opinion

May 16, 2016

7

A journey through music

After the encore Estefany Oak Leaf

Astrology

Gonzalez/

Right: Photographer Estefany Gonzalez captures photos to remember moments that she treasures.

Left: Gonzalez shoots one of her favorite bands, UnderOath, during its reunion concert at The Warfield Theatre.

Estefany Gonzalez Co-Editor-in-Chief I’ve seen hundreds of bands live. I’ve traveled thousands of miles across the states to see bands play in hole-in-the-wall venues because their music means something to me.

Music gave me my first real friend.

I wasn’t the loud, rowdy, outgoing person I am today. As a kid, I didn’t like opening up to strangers. I got along with kids in my neighborhood fine but I kept to myself at school.

The girls I hung out with during my lunch breaks provided small talk on pop culture and schoolwork during the start of middle school. We didn’t talk about anything with substance; we didn’t make each other laugh or even bother to plan meeting up outside of school.

I didn’t find real friends until

-Estefany Gonzalez, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Aries: Smoke floats through the

air as the wind chooses to carry it.

It’s time to be your own burst of air.

Taurus: You can find a beacon seventh grade, after I scribbled the name of a pop-punk band I listened to at the time on my notebook. The girl across from me in class noticed and we became fast friends, the kind who had deep conversations. Opening up to her gave me the encouragement I needed to open up to others. By the end of the year, I had a whole circle of friends to hang out and listen to music with.

My love of music only grew as I got older.

When I was 14, I attended my first concert; the lead singer of The Distillers, Brody Dalle, became my role model. She was everything pop-culture queens like Britney Spears weren’t. She had a raspy voice, looked like she hadn’t showered in days and sported a mohawk.

That concert venue was the first place I felt I truly belonged.

From the moment I walked into the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma,

I was captivated by the culture.

In a crowd with hundreds of kids wearing band T-shirts and rippedup jeans, screaming song lyrics I loved, I felt understood.

Music became my constant companion.

When I’m in a lousy mood, I can put on some Kanye and pretend I’m a high roller. When I’m on a long drive, I can blast Yeah,Yeah,Yeahs and sing with Karen O to stay awake.

When I don’t know what words to say, music helps me find them.

As I drove to a concert with my best friend after the death of her roommate, we were both at a loss for words. A song came on as we passed the tunnel on the way to San Francisco. It reminded me of how I feel at the end of concerts. In those final moments, when the band is playing an encore, it’s bittersweet because you’re connecting to the song and you don’t want it to end.

When it does, you go home and

you’re bummed because it’s over – you’re back in the real world where you have responsibilities.

“But when that song comes on, it takes you back. You’re in that moment again and you’ll always have that. He was your song,” I told my friend. In that moment, I knew those were words she needed to hear and I needed to say to process this loss. Once again, music helped me express the inexpressible.

I’ve seen hundreds of bands live.

I’ve spent countless dollars to see musical acts. I could probably buy a house with the amount I’ve spent on concerts throughout the years, yet I wouldn’t trade the experiences I’ve had for any mansion.

It’s because of this feeling that I write about music and spend my days capturing these performances on camera. I know others connect to music the way I do. I want to give them something to remember.

Anything but ‘yes’ is ‘no’ Carin Huber

Copy Editor There is an unspoken idea in U.S. culture that women owe sex to men, and that men are within their rights to take sex regardless of women’s desires.

This is called “rape culture.”

This is not to say that all men are potential rapists, nor that they in fact have the right to be so. But the idea exists that they do have that right, and it’s so ingrained in our general culture that many people can’t even see it until it’s pointed out to them.

Not only women get raped, and not only men commit rape, but statistics show women are at 14 times more risk for assault than men. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in a 2011 study that approximately one in five women in the U.S. suffer attempted sexual assault, sexual assault, attempted rape or rape sometime during their lives. A 2010 CDC study found that one in 71 U.S. men would be raped or sexually assaulted in their lives.

The body can respond to physical stimulus regardless of what the heart and mind want. Bringing a woman to orgasm or making a man’s penis erect doesn’t mean they’re enjoying your actions.

Even with the birth of the Women’s Rights Movement in the ‘60s, the idea of male right to dominance persists.

We have only just started addressing the problem in the last decade or so.

Some California schools have adopted a “yes means yes” policy, encouraging students to get enthusiastic consent from sexual partners.

It’s important to understand what rape and non-consent are, because it isn’t clear to everyone. Rape culture is so pervasive, even some victims of rape can be confused about them. When you’ve been taught since childhood you don’t have the right to refuse sexual behavior, it can be hard to consider any other viewpoint.

Sexual behavior with someone who has not consented to it is assault at best, rape at worst. Both can be traumatic to the victim.

Sometimes it’s easy to tell when someone is refusing consent. When the person being approached says, “No,” “Stop,” “I don’t want to,” the message is clear.

Then there are responses that might seem less certain. “I don’t know,” “Okay, I guess,” or a hesitant silence may sound like an opportunity to press the issue. Don’t. If your prospective partner shows any sign of reluctance, she or he has a good reason, even if the

reason is just that they don’t feel like it.

Respect that.

Some people aren’t comfortable saying “no,” because the rape culture message has been so deeply instilled in them. They may respond to a comeon by changing the subject or drawing another person into conversation. If neither of these actions are possible they may physically withdraw, seeming to shrink in on themselves or gradually backing away until they are literally backed into a corner. If you have to slowly chase someone across the room, he or she is trying to run away from you. Stop.

There are people who think it’s OK to take advantage of someone who’s drunk or passed out. They miss the point that “taking advantage” means using a situation to one’s own favor at the expense of the other person. If you wouldn’t trust someone to drive safely, don’t try to have sex with that person, even if they say “yes.” To do so is rape, plain and simple.

If you’re drunk too, there’s still no excuse. Just like it’s your responsibility to arrange safe transportation for after a party, you’re responsible for not sexually assaulting someone. Ask your designated driver to keep you out of all kinds of trouble.

Being in a relationship with someone

doesn’t mean you get sex whenever you want. Consent once is not consent for always. You wouldn’t borrow your buddy’s car without asking just because he loaned it to you once before. Don’t expect your regular sex partner to put out every time you want sex. Forcing yourself on your spouse is rape.

It’s important to be clear when you decline an offer of sex. Use the word “no,” and say it clearly. Even if you’re tempted but you have a reason not to have sex with the person offering, be clear and emphatic. Leave no room for confusion.

If someone refuses sex with you, be respectful. Start by not making the person feel crowded. Take a small step back, or lean back a bit if you’re seated.

Literally give her or him some space.

Watch your tone when you speak, don’t be accusatory or whiny. If the person doesn’t want to give you an answer, that’s OK. She or he probably hasn’t been treated with respect in a situation like this before, and may not know what to expect from you.

The goal is to make her or him feel heard. Showing this respect improves your chances of a satisfying emotional and physical relationship later. When everyone knows they can say “no” and be safe in doing so, rape culture will be a thing of the past.

of light in a dark storm. Your resourcefulness will prove handy in the coming days.

Gemini: As the birds chirp and the sun starts to become more prominent, it’s important to spend time outdoors. Fresh air will keep your mind clear.

Cancer: All work and no play leads to irritablity Take a break from your obligations.

Leo: Dancing releases your inner

child. You are in need of nurturing.

Allow yourself to dance as though no one is watching, even if they are. It’s important to be true to yourself.

Virgo: Thinking you’re perfect is a

false reality you must shatter. No one is perfect. Being humble is important.

Acknowledge your mistakes and move on.

Libra: The end of an era means

the start of another. Take signs from the earth toward your next big adventure.

Scorpio: Ego doesn’t help when

trying to relate to others. Take a step back, analyze your actions and you may find a pleasant surprise.

Sagittarius: A drink of wine is nice at the end of a long day, but not necessary. Indulging in times of stress isn’t always a wise option.

Capricorn: Eating a cookie

without first inspecting it may leave a foul taste in your mouth. Upon the first bite, you may realize what was once appealing is quite stale.

Aquarius: Your body is much

like a river, composed mainly of water. It’s important to remember what you are made of before the drought runs you dry.

Pisces: Pick a direction and go with it. Overanalyzing every action will not lead to success.

Features Mastery of movement 8

May 16, 2016

www.theoakleafnews.com

Finding balance and serenity through Tai Chi Genesis Napel

Co-News Editor In a neighborhood of predominately Asian immigrants in the 1980s, he found himself mesmerized by classic Kung Fu films.

Justin Eggert, 33, Santa Rosa Junior College’s Tai Chi instructor and founder of Wu Academy on Mendocino Avenue, has practiced martial arts since he was 8.

Movies like “The 36 Chambers of Shaolin” and “Once Upon a Time in China” ignited Eggert’s a desire to learn martial arts.

“Me and my sister watched way too many Kung Fu movies,” he said. Their mother received persistent pleas to enroll the siblings in classes.

With a working-class family and divorced parents, Eggert was by no means rich. Even so, Eggert’s mother was supportive of his desire for a positive outlet for his energy. They shuffled through the cheaper activities they could find.

In the beginning, Eggert tried Kenpo and Taekwondo but considers his true beginning of martial arts practice when he was 9 and started training in Judo.

At 13 Eggert found his current teacher after studying Judo and Capoeira for two years each.

Master Li-Shu Dong is a 20th generation Chen-style Tai Chi Master from Henan, China, where Shaolin Kung Fu and Chenstyle Tai Chi originated. After immigrating to America, Dong began teaching classes in the park.

At this time, in the ‘90s, breakdancing was making a small resurgence, especially among Asian communities. Eggert said he and his mainly Laotian and Cambodian friends would get together and break-dance for five to six hours a day.

As they got older, a lot of his friends started to get more into gang culture and hard drugs like methamphetamine.

Eggert said martial arts saved him.

“They all got into drugs and that became the focus of their life,” Eggert said. “Being tougher or cooler looking instead of [practicing] their dance. I got more and more into martial arts.”

Eggert found Dong just as he was starting his studio. “He opened a school and I just went kind of nuts with it,” Eggert said.

Dong was a great role model, he said. “I started acting more like him.”

From then on Eggert began spending his summers training with Dong and competing internationally as a member of the U.S. team for traditional style Wushu Kung Fu and Tai Chi. Eggert recalled that, of his 30 or so neighborhood friends he grew up with, only he and one other person graduated from high school. Seeing the impact drugs and violence had on his childhood

friends influenced Eggert to pursue a degree in philosophy.

Now more than 25 years after Eggert’s first martial arts lesson, he is a World Gold Medalist in Health Qigong, a four-time World Sliver Medalist in traditional Wushu-style Tai Chi and the founder and head instructor of his own martial arts school.

At Eggert’s school, Wu Academy, he teaches classes six days a week.

He also instructs two Tai Chi courses at SRJC. Students of all ages and ability gather in Tauzer Gym to practice mind and body awareness, while improving their balance, focus, flexibility and breathing through teachings in Chen-style Tai Chi. The course advertises Tai Chi as “A series of flowing movements developed for personal cultivation, health improvement and self defense.”

Magdalena Scott, 17, attends Mesa High School and is also a student in Eggert’s Tuesday/ Thursday Tai Chi class at SRJC. “He shows us lots of breathing techniques; [Tai Chi] is a lot about movement and center balancing,” Scott said. “It’s kind of relaxing.”

Scott said she practices Eggert’s teachings at home to help her better understand Tai Chi techniques and philosophies.

“One of the first tasks to any movement [dance, martial arts] is breaking apart any habits that you created without any theory or are not helpful to the way you want to move,” Eggert said.

Tai Chi and Qigong both incorporate standing meditation.

If you can get past the torturous burning of joints and muscles, one can learn to release this tension by ergonomically curving joints, being aware of the breath and focusing on

the body’s center of balance.

“A couple of things happen when you get really introspective into your body and mind,” Eggert said.

The center of gravity becomes the center of attention, allowing the mind to process where thoughts travel. “You notice more about the way you carry yourself and the way you interact,” he said.

Part of Tai Chi philosophy is to slow down physically and mentally to allow yourself to become conscious of habits of thought and movement.

“It’s like this really smooth, balanced feeling when that becomes so much a part of you that if you move in a different way, you feel really terrible,” Eggert said.

When the principles of Tai Chi are so prevalent in every action that you can correct yourself with these philosophies, then you have become a master.

“Now you can be your own teacher,” Eggert said.

In 2008, Eggert reached a tipping point when everything clicked. Now, it’s hard for him to do live outside the principles of Tai Chi. “I can apply this to other martial arts and ways of moving,” Eggert said.

Even as a master, Eggert practices fine-tuning the fundamentals of Tai Chi which he learned 20 years ago. Right now he is working on collapsing the tension in joints that create extreme straight lines in the body. The proper ratio of expansion and extension helps to release this tension.

Eggert said as we grow, we learn patterns but never assess them to see if there is a more efficient way to do them.

Tai Chi promotes ergonomic movement based on the

Genesis Napel/ Oak Leaf

Top: Magdalena Scott (center) and classmates gather twice a week in Tauzer Gym to practice the flowing movements of Tai Chi. Bottom: Shifu Justin Eggert instructs his students in breathing and balance techniques to deepen their understanding of how to move freely and maintain their center of gravity.

biomechanics of the body.

As an adolescent, Eggert found in Tai Chi and other martial arts a positive outlet to focus on while many of his friends chose less proactive and inspiring pursuits.

In retrospect, Eggert said growing up with these kind of friends has helped him be more understanding and less judgmental.

“Things aren’t so black and white,” Eggert said. “It’s good to remind yourself of that sometimes.”

After over 25 years of training, Eggert has mastered his art, and hopes to provide pupils with a positive outlet as it was for him. Honoring their teacher, his students call him Shifu, or “teacher” in Mandarin.

www.theoakleafnews.com

EDM festivals

Features

May 16, 2016

9

Human connection through music Jessica Carter and Laura Buel Staff Writers

S

ome may call it a music festival, an event, or even a rave, but Santa Rosa Junior College alumnus Nate Danos refers to it in a more personal sense.

“It may be strange to you, but it’s home to us.” Danos is talking about a culture that has become a huge part of his life and has changed it for the better.

People associate music festivals with negative connotations, such as drugs, sex and a place to party hard.

Some SRJC students are aware of music festivals but don’t partake, while others attend them religiously.

Danos began listening to techno music in first grade after a friend played it for him. Ever since, this genre has been embedded in his soul.

“The moment I was fully enveloped into the [Electric Dance Music] culture was when my friends took me out on my 14th birthday and took me to an underground rave in an abandoned warehouse,” Danos said, “The music, the lights and the atmosphere really impacted my life in general.”

Danos realized what music festivals brought to his life; dancing, lights, friendly people and human connections he would not get in his day-to-day life. He reiterates people are generally nicer at music festivals and you will most likely walk out with new friends, even if you go alone. He’s met people from all walks of life through attending music festivals. These people come from different backgrounds and professions, from college students to CEOs, police officers and nurses and other amazing people.

“One of my favorite experiences that I remember was meeting an old couple attending Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas 2015, they were partying harder than anyone in the middle of the crowd,” Danos said.

Danos has dealt with the negative image and stigma which accompanies EDM, or ‘raving.’ Danos believes the biggest stereotype connected with these types of music festivals is the idea people who attend are drug addicts with the intentions of getting completely wasted.

Danos has been going to these festivals for years and knows although drugs are present, the experience is not what stereotypes would claim. He advices people who are curious about attending to try it out and see for yourself what music festivals entail. He reminds people to keep an open mind if one decides to partake in an event. Twenty years from now you will still find Danos attending events, because it’s become an intricate part of who he is.

Jessica Carter/Oak Leaf

Promoters for EDM festivals encourage meeting new people.There are no strangers at Beyond Wonderland 2016, only friends.

Eighteen-year-old SRJC student Amanda Borges is currently completing a certificate program to become an X-Ray tech. She has been a fan of EDM since the age of 16. She’s attended all-ages events but has been anticipating turning 18 so she could attend 18 and up festivals.

She is attending EDC Las Vegas this summer, which has been her goal to attend for years. Her excitement is through the roof and she is busy preparing while finishing the last couple weeks of school. She connects these events with being able to dance and not being judged by anyone.

“I watched the documentary ‘Under The Electric Sky’ and I was like, that’s totally me, I need to be there,” Borges said.

She goes for the music, the DJs and the people. You can find Borges front row at these events — she loves being close to the DJs and has even touched hands with Skrillex, a well known EDM DJ. When Borges compares festivals and concerts she explains it’s a different experience — everyone dances at festivals way more than concerts.

“Everyone is so friendly and nice,” Borges said.

Borges admits she’s addicted to these events and is already planning her next adventure. She understands that drugs are part of the scene but knows these experiences don’t need to include drugs to have an unforgettable time.

Music festivals don’t only encompass music, but also have a business perspective. Mike

Hodgens, 25, and Alyssa Erikson are entrepreneurs of the EDM culture.

They are co-founders of the EDM fashion line, Freedom Rave Wear, which is a growing business they are both passionate about. They created their company purely from love and a strong belief in connecting with others through clothing.

“We started making custom outfits, grew by word of mouth, reinvested the income, diversified our offerings and now offer over 250 handmade products on a pretty large scale,” Hodgens said. They look at their apparel in the sense it creates memorable moments between strangers, which can potentially lead to friendships.

Hodgen and Erickson attended their first festival, Nocturnal Wonderland, in 2014. Erickson made a Fire & Ice couples outfit and people loved it. They said they met amazing people that day and their festival experience was completely enhanced by what they wore. The pair asked attendees if they would wear outfits like the ones they created and people responded with a solid yes.

“If anyone is thinking about following a dream, creating a business, getting a dream job, traveling to far-flung corners of the world... and it’s all you think about, then do it! We can’t stand the idea of missing out on this precious life.

That is why we do what we do. Time is so valuable,” Hodgen said.

Hodgen and Erickson don’t plan on slowing down and letting go of this passion. They know that EDM

culture has the potential to positively reshape generations across the world. This driven couple shows that not only has music changed their lives, but it has also become a lifestyle and a growing business that’s very promising. “Festivals bring people together...we need way more of that right now.” Hodgen said.

SRJC student Stacy Hammond attended Coachella last year for one day. Her friend had an extra ticket and Hammond was excited initially, but that changed once she arrived.

Hammond’s friend told her she never left home, and since there was an extra ticket, she should just go.

Once she arrived, she didn’t like the people who attended and was bored by the performers.

“I expected not as much puking and drug use,” Hammond said.

She knew there would be drugs, but not to the degree she encountered.

She thinks people were too focused on drugs and not the music like she anticipated. She’s open to trying different ones, but will not be back to Coachella ever again. She might be into something on a smaller scale and with artists of her choice.

Christian ‘Los Angeles’ is originally from Los Angeles, but has found himself in Santa Rosa through his love of music and his belief that ‘roses’ are a sign to him. One of his music inspirations is Tupac Shakur, who lived in Marin County once.

Christian used to find music festivals intriguing and attended them in the past, but certain events are not for him. He discovered his dislike for certain genres through his experiences at a variety of music festivals, such as raves. One thing Christian does agree with is that music brings people together and it’s an important part of his life.

“I start my day with music, I end with it, I study with it,” he said.

All these people have one thing in common: music. With summer on its way, SRJC students can try new experiences that could change their lives.

They can dance their hearts out alongside strangers.

In the words of the music department chair, Mark Anderman, “Music can bring people together. It is a vital element in the defining of nations, tribes, cultures and subcultures.”

Music and Culture Festivals in and near California Bottlerock Napa, CA May 27-29 California Roots Monterey, CA May 27-29 Lightning in a Bottle Bradley, CA May 25-30 The Untz Festival Mariposa, CA June 3-4 Blaze N’ Glory San Bernadino, CA June 4 LIVE 105’s BFD Mountain View, CA June 4 Country Summer Santa Rosa, CA June 3-4 Huck Finn Jubilee Ontario, CA June 10-12 Sierra Nevada World Music Festival Boonville, CA June 17-19 Kate Wolf Music Festival Laytonville, CA June 23-26 Woogie Weekend Silverado, CA July 8-10 Lost Highway San Bernadino, CA July 23 Hard Summer Music Festival Pomona, CA July 30-31 Reggae on the River Humboldt, CA Aug. 4-7 Outside Lands San Francisco, CA Aug. 5-7 FYF Fest Los Angeles, CA Aug. 27-28 Ohana Festival Dana Point, CA Aug. 27-28 Burning Man Black Rock Desert, NV Aug. 28 to Sept. 5 Nocturnal Wonderland San Bernardino, CA Sept. 2-4 KAABOO San Diego, CA Sept. 16-18 Sundown Music Festival Huntington Beach, CA Sept. 17-18 Symbiosis Gathering Oakdale, CA Sept. 22-25

Finals week

surviva

Student on the street “What do you do to handle the stress of finals?”

Her eyes slowly open. She realizes her alarm hasn’t gone off. She flies out of bed with her study guides sliding off her. No time to brush her teeth or eat breakfast as she trips down the stairs and out the door.

Santa Rosa Junior College student Rachel Scutt flees from her house in a panic. With her keys in the ignition,

Chris Cullen, SRJC English instructor “Be positive, come in, believe in yourself. Don’t stress yourself out and don’t get in your own way by not believing you are capable.”

Jason Monroy, undeclared “You’ve got to read everything carefully, take deep breaths, breaks between each subject and run them over again.”

Julie Levine, music major “Sometimes I paint my fingernails. My friend got me an adult coloring book with a new set of color pencils and I’ll do that.”

Pamela Menendez, undeclared “I like to go hang out with my friends to get out of the study mood.

It drives me crazy if I only have the mindset of studying.”

Stephanie Greene, business major “I don’t wait until the last minute. I’ll actually try to avoid studying the day before, giving myself time to relax. I also like to eat dark chocolate.”

she prays that her little VW cooperates with her as she turns the keys. The motor eventually grumbles to life and soon she merges onto the freeway, flying down the road, hoping there is no police cruiser hiding to pull her over.

Embarrassed and exhausted, she approaches her professor for the exam, living a student’s worse nightmare. “The professor was mad I was so late and my classmates were all staring at me like I was crazy,” she said.

Stress is an everyday factor, but the intensity of it seems to triple during the final week accompanying every semester. However, stress doesn’t have to rule our bodies and minds during this time. Here are eight tips to help conquer finals with ease and reduce the effects of stress on the body.

Food:

SRJC Nutriti Instr uctor Jill Tarver sa natural, unprocon id it’s always good to es se d fo eat and periods of fatig ods whenever possible. Durin can actually burn a ue many students turn to a cagffstressful times make sure to include student out. Stick to what you useine fix, which vegetables and blueber vitamin and protein rich foods lik ually eat and e salmon, nuts, s.

Most students find rie Whether it’s due to coit easier to eat junk food during tim have a negative effe nvenience or comfort sugary and fa es of stress. a stressful period, likct on the body. Tarver suggests th tty foods can of natural foods. Bu e finals, make sure to go shoppinge week before and grapes. Also eat y healthy snacks such as bananas, and buy lots unhealthy fast food meals such as salads instead of apples, carrots meals. those easy but

Exercise and

retches: SRJC kinesiology insst tr uc exercise to relieve stre tor Andrea Thomas stresses the goes into fight-or-flig ss. Thomas said as the body experieimportance of form of sugar. Whenht mode which releases energy into thnces stress, it in a negative way. “Sewe don’t use up this energy, it af e body in the stress-related effects venty five-90 percent of doctor’s visitfects the body s are due to d not managing them Thomas encourages an ,” T ho m as sa st around. Stretch, do yo udents to take breaks from stud id. find enjoyable. Getting ga, go for a brisk walk or performying and move into our blood stream active not only uses up the sugars anything you to two hours. “Exerci , but reduces anxiety and increases being released new brain cells,” she se can give you an energy boost and energy for up to improve focus andsaid. “Twenty minutes of aerobic ex can stimulate ercise is shown brain function.”

al guide

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Music:

We’ve heard music helps us study and keep relaxed, and a Monash University study showed, “stress-induced increases were each prevented by exposure to music, and this effect was independent of gender.”

SRJC student Viviana Reyes said, “I like to chill out and listen to music for about 10 minutes and go back to it in intervals.” If you’re starting to feel the stress build up, take a step back and crank up the tunes.

Create fun study playlists of whatever music you enjoy. Classical and instrumental music is proven to be most beneficial to learning.

Rewards:

There’s nothing more motivating than rewards. Tell yourself if you read a certain amount, you will get a treat. Maybe go for a shopping break or watch part of the game you were recordingwhatever gets you excited to study.

SRJC alumnus Lindsey Willamson said, “I like to make something yummy before I start studying, like cookies, but I don’t allow myself to eat any until I get at least a chapter of reading done.”

Buy food you love to eat, but don’t eat it all at once. Put the food in another room and finish your studying before digging in.

Preparation:

We’ve all been there. It’s the day before and we’ve yet to even open our textbooks. Procrastinating is one of the biggest contributions to stress levels during exams. SRJC English instructor Chris Cullen said, “Don’t wait until the last minute. Don’t get stressed out. Talk to your teachers in advance, go to office hours, study, get a good night’s sleep and don’t cram the night before.”

Open the books a week before your test is scheduled. Just do it, it’s not going to go away and will only get worse the longer you wait. Always go back and review your notes before the test to absorb as much information as possible.

Bring up your grades

Put down the phone -Eloy Delgado, Contributing Writer Headphones on, cell phone by her side. As she works on her essay, she has several tabs open, including Facebook. Not a minute goes by after she starts writing before she picks up her cell phone. It beeps with a notification. She purposely puts the phone face down to avoid seeing it light up. Phone goes off again.

Cynthia Rubio, a Santa Rosa Junior College nursing student, struggles to stay on task, delaying the start of her homework. She can hardly concentrate for long periods of time. “It’s hard for me not to be looking at my cell all the time,” she says. “Sometimes I have to hide it in my backpack and put it on silent so I can get reading or writing done.”

Many times this does not work.

As people become more dependent on smartphones, studies show that our attention spans are decreasing as a result of their use. They also show the amount of time spent on social media in the classroom negatively impacts college students’ test scores.

Media distractions have always existed for students, but earlier forms of mass media, like television or radio, were considered background media, according to SRJC media instructor Linda Schoen. Now we have access to endless amounts of information on our phones, including several forms of social media.

Schoen says she has seen “a fundamental change in which media is affecting our attention spans and concentration levels.”

Our phones are constantly going off with notifications, and we must stop what we are doing to check them, thus increasing the time it takes to complete a task.

“We have accepted and expect constant interruptions from our cell phones,” Schoen says.

“Our brains have the capacity to multitask, but there is a limit as to how much of it we can actually do.” For example, she points out if we are reading a chapter and stop several times during the process to check our phones, our ability to absorb material will be greatly impacted. “The context and flow of the reading is affected because our mind is constantly shifting from different subjects.”

Schoen remembers being able to grade homework for four hours straight, but now she can only stay focused for about two hours.

According to a 2015 Microsoft Corporation study, goldfish now have a longer attention span than humans do at roughly nine seconds. The average human attention span has fallen from 12 seconds in 2000, around the time the mobile revolution began, to eight seconds in 2015. Additionally, the study found respondents struggle to focus in environments where prolonged attention is needed.

In a poll of SRJC students, 34 percent said their use of social media or smartphones had affected their ability to concentrate when doing homework or studying for a test. The average student participates actively in at least three different forms of social media, with Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat being the most common.

Mark Nelson, communication studies department chair, says he has attempted to incorporate social media, as per his students’ request, into his lesson plan.

It’s very common for students to deviate from the lesson and access other sites instead. According to Nelson, it’s easier for students to become distracted, and these distractions are having real effects on students’ performance and grades.

According to a study Longwood University’s Dr. Chris Bjornsen conducted and published in the Journal, of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, college students’ test scores suffer with cell phone use in class.

Bjornsen says, “Just as higher cell phone use predicts lower test scores, lower cell phone use also predicts higher scores.”

Most SRJC instructors prohibit the use of smartphones in class, but this doesn’t stop students from checking them. According to the SRJC poll, a majority of students check their phones four to six times each class.

Rubio admits doing her nursing homework takes longer than it should because of constant interruptions and wanting to see updates on social media. “Sometimes I wish I could make my phone disappear because I want to be checking on it all the time,” she says. She recalls getting in trouble in one of her classes when she forgot to put her phone on silent and it went off. “My teacher made me bring cookies for the whole class,” she says.

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May 16, 2016

SRJC band of the week

A&E

www.theoakleafnews.com

The

Estefany Gonzalez/ Oak Leaf

Top: North Bay duo The Oopsie Daisies perform at The West End Farmer’s Market located at the heart of Railroad Square Historic District of Santa Rosa.

Bottom left: Kristen Pearce said she’s seen women in the North Bay stepping up to perfom music and is excited to be a part of this movement.

Bottom right: Ashley Jarrett said music allows her to connect with others and allows her to release emotions that sometimes get bottled up.

Estefany Gonzalez Co-Editor-in-Chief Oopsie, they did it again.

The Oopsie Daisies string duo came together in a chance meeting when Ashely Jarrett and Kristen Pearce sang their first duet.

“We were watching The Hubbub Club and they were playing a song that we both recognized. We were just standing and we just started singing harmony,” Jarrett said. “We looked at each other and said, ‘We got something. We need to start singing together.”

It’s a rare occurrence when two people can sing harmony to a song and have it work out perfectly, without singing the same parts or being off key. For the North Bay performers, attending a concert turned into a musical project of their own.

After that day, the pair decided they needed to sing old tunes that lend themselves to harmonies. The pair mainly perform covers or song mash-ups with a creative twist of their own. Jarrett’s high upbeat voice and Pearce’s low blues inspired vocals create a fun, creative and one-of-a-kind sound.

The duo uses cheerful instruments like ukuleles to bring happy notes to even some of the sadder songs it plays. “I like the balance of having a somber sound with this bright instrument because if I have a moment when I’m sad, I’m still happy,” Jarrett said. “There’s always both inside of me.”

What is most unique about the band’s style is both members of The Oopsie Daisies play guitar and ukulele, which allow the duo to switch off harmonies without missing a beat during live performances.

Estefany Gonzalez/ Oak Leaf

Left: The duo strategically selects songs to cover or mash-up songs. The pair enjoys putting a new take on old classics.

Right: Both members of The Oopsie Daisies play guitar and ukelele.The use of ukeleles brings a cheerful element to even their more somber tunes.

A&E

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Clash of heroes

May 16, 2016

13

‘Civil War’ pits hero against hero in latest Captain America film Alex T. Randolph Copy Editor, Co-Opinion Editor There was so much that could have gone wrong.

“Captain America: Civil War,” the latest film in Marvel’s interconnected movie universe, is a political thriller involving nearly all of its established characters, and introduces new ones on top of it. Giving all these personalities their due without crowding out Cap as the central character is difficult.

Making them all interact in a plot that doesn’t disintegrate into a jumbled mess is a herculean task.

The fact that the actual movie does all this and makes it look effortless is a near miracle.

When an Avengers’ mission in Nigeria goes awry and innocents die, it’s the last straw in a long line of fights with lots of collateral damage, as seen in earlier movies.

The United Nations move to create a board that would dictate

where and when the heroes can act. Some, such as Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), see this as a necessary step forward, while others, most notably Steve Rogers, Captain America (Chris Evans), chafe at the idea of government oversight.

But when Roger’s old friend Bucky Barnes, AKA the Winter Solider (Sebastian Stan), is implicated in a terrorist attack, Captain America goes AWOL to save his wartime buddy, even as it puts him in direct confrontation with his friends and comrades.

This is perhaps the best example of how a shared universe can build on itself. The impetus for the entire film is based on what has happened in previous ones, and the characters’ motivations are believable because of their experiences. Stark’s viewpoint is due in part to his guilt in creating a monster in “Age of Ultron,” while Rogers is afraid people with agendas might try to manipulate the heroes for

Courtesy of moviepilot.com

In this super-powered political thriller, Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) divide the Avengers as they clash over whether or not they should be controlled by the government or remain independent.

their own end, just like in “The Winter Solider.”

Every scene involves characters we’ve grown to know and care about over several movies clashing over their ideals, using both their fists and their words.

The fact that both sides have valid points gives impact and dramatic tension to each and every fight, as you’re not sure who you want to root for.

Two of the most notable fights are the airport battle that involves nearly every hero introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far, and the final fight at the end of the movie. The first is a huge extravaganza as heroes on both sides use their special powers both against and with each other in a struggle that will make every

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comic fan squeal in pleasure.

There’s also light-heartedness to the fight because no one is trying to seriously hurt each other. The last battle is a much smaller affair between only a few people, but due to the emotional stakes ends up being far more memorable and intense.

Part of the reason the film works so well is because all characters are on point. While Downey and Evans are great as ever in roles they have by this point become the definitive version of, the new characters are the real treat. Tom Holland, the latest actor to play Spider-Man, does a great job as a high school kid with great power who cracks one-liners and gushes over the other, more established heroes. But Chadwick Boseman

as the Black Panther is the biggest surprise, playing the lesser-known African King-turned-hero so well many have started anticipating his upcoming solo movie. Daniel Bruhl also has a great performance as Zemo, a villain with his own mysterious agenda that may be the worst foe the Avengers have ever faced, despite having no costume or powers.

This movie is already the latest in a long string of hits for Marvel in a streak that shows no signs of slowing. With perhaps the best superhero action put to film since the first “Avengers” movie and more personal stakes, “Captain America: Civil War” expertly juggles its massive cast to give one of the most entertaining films of the year.

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May 16, 2016

A&E

Music venue Arlene Francis Center for Spirit, Art and Politics

99 W. 6th Street -Jocelyn Mobley

The Arlene Francis Center is an explosion of creativity.

When you first walk into the red brick building with the green door, the room seems small and cozy. There’s a piano to your left, a stage to your right and a bar straight ahead. The room capacity is 30.

The center’s mission is to build community and create interactions within Sonoma County by forming an atmosphere of acceptance. The founders believe the biggest problem with our society is that we don’t really know one another. They say it’s in our nature to crave acceptance and share our attention, thoughts and feelings. Through developing these ideals, they hope to better our community.

The bar, also known as Cafe Recognition, serves coffee, tea, beer, wine, baked goods and the opportunity to connect with others. The owners aspire to have their customers put down their social media devices and pick up a genuine conversation. People can also learn about upcoming events of the center at the Cafe.

Wednesday nights in this small room are open mic, where people of all skill levels can have the experience of playing in front of an audience. Many of the first time performers come back and become regulars, as everyone is welcome in this musical “family.”

Courtesy of arlenefranciscenter.org

When inside The Arlene Francis Center, you would never guess that it was tucked away in the heart of downtown Santa Rosa. It’s spacious interior and lively shows give it a truely massive feel.

But that’s just the beginning of the center. If you walk past the bar and through the corridor the place opens up. It has multiple smaller rooms, a terrace and a theater where larger events are held.

The theater is used for plays, concerts and movies. On the front side of the room is a stage used for theater productions. On the backside there is a big screen where people can watch movies. The Arlene Francis regularly screens films in the theater. After they are played, people are encouraged to talk and analyze them.

During the summer, “Shakespeare in the Cannery” is played in the second outdoor theater, which seats 200. The play received its name after renovating the old cannery into a theater.

Next time you’re looking to experience some new art, better yourself spiritually head out to the Arlene Francis Center. It has amazing opportunities for everyone.

Music store Bananas at Large 531 College Ave.

-Rico Pinola

Bananas at Large is easy to locate and should be your first and last stop if you’re a

www.theoakleafnews.com

musician, DJ or artist looking for instruments, quality recording equipment or studio supplies.

The prices are affordable and vary depending on the item.

If you’re on a budget and can’t afford new items, this place is perfect, with a wide variety of pre-owned items and items available to rent. With so much to choose from, there should be no problem finding whatever you desire, whether you’re a beginner or professional.

Acoustic and electrical guitars ranging from $65 to tens of thousands, bass guitars going up to $4,500 drums and keyboards range from $250-$2,500; and many other instruments are available with plenty of accessories to go with each one.

They also have production equipment such as turntables, microphones and mixers that are all reasonably priced.

Bananas at Large offers music lessons, equipment repairs and installations.

Will Mathis/ Oak Leaf

Gaia’s Garden offers something for everyone to enjoy while listening to live music every week.

Artistic eatery Gaia’s Garden

1899 Mendocino Ave. -Devin Schwarz Gaia’s Garden is vegan cuisine done right.

In a world of tofurkey and wheat gluten meat substitute, this primordial being of Greek mythology is here to save the day. A plethora of dishes like Gobi Masala, a curry dish with cauliflower as the protein source, and their simply unbelievable cheese and butter free polenta are only a sample of the dishes that will blow your socks off.

There’s something for everyone to eat. With mainly a vegan menu, the majority of food allergies can be avoided when going out to eat with someone new.

But delicious food is not all Gaia’s has to offer—this simplistic restaurant serves as a community hub for art and culture to flourish.

Each week, Gaia’s has “quiet Tuesday,” where the restaurant hosts The Very Veggie Book Club and encourages patrons to enjoy quiet conversation with one another. Each month the restaurant offers “dinner with an author” where a number of local authors gather to discuss their work and present new work for audiences to enjoy. Nearly every other night of the week the owners host a variety of local artist’s such as “Gypsy Jazz” to give you some easy listening while you eat.

With cheap prices, great art and delicious food, there are no excuses to not get creative with your cuisine.

The dub/sub debate

The superior way to view anime Arthur Gonzalez Staff Writer

Opinion I’ve been a fan of anime for years, gone to anime conventions and been in anime clubs where the golden rule is to watch with subtitles only.

It’s easier to multitask during dubbed anime because you can listen to it. I’m a busy guy with work and school. I don’t have much free time. In short, I multitask. I’m an auditory learner, and I learn the most if the information is spoken.

If there is complete silence in the background, it’s as distracting as a room full of people. I do homework or write short stories with a video or music in the background. I sometimes go on Netflix to find anime, like “Blue Exorcist,” and it’s sub only. I’m about halfway through it, but I have to set aside time so I can follow what’s happening on screen and read the text at the same time.

I normally set subs on for

everything, even in my own language, just in case someone is speaking too softly. So if you’re like me–limited free time and need to cram it into other tasks or just need something in the background– it doesn’t work to have subtitles.

I don’t like to pirate dubs either.

I support the people who make the products, and I get them through legit streaming sites.

My mother, a court interpreter, told me a number of times that “there is more to translating then just making a sentence from Spanish to English or from English to Spanish.” She’s right; part of her job isn’t direct translation but a localized one, like “stuck between a rock and a hard place” becomes “stuck between the wall and the blade” in Spanish. Some subs are pretty bad from cheap localizing companies with staff that may or may not have lied about how much they know about Japanese.

Translation is a very difficult skill to learn. Not only do you have to learn a whole new language from

scratch, but you have to understand the culture around the language; the slang, slurs, the different formal and informal pronouns.

Translating English to Spanish is hard to do, notable differences being five vowel sounds in Spanish compared to the 30 plus English has. English has more gender neutral terms than Spanish, where everything has a gender.

Japanese to English and back is a completely different story. Japanese has no Latin roots—its closest cousins are Korean and Mandarin.

Writing Japanese goes up and down instead of left to right, and a lot of their words have no real meaning in English. Nothing in our language relates to it. For example, there are eight ways to say “hi” in Japanese.

I use hi because that’s the roughest translation to it.

Dubs are also an art form. Being able to take a medium from one language to another takes a lot of work. One must transfer the scripts, and do it in a way that syncs with what’s on screen. Most animation

Courtesy of Youtube.com

The debate over the best way to view anime is nearly as old as the art form itself, dividing the fandom. This is an argument that won’t come to a conclusion any time soon, if ever.

from Japan has minimal facial expressions so it’s easier to sync up.

There is a good amount of fan-translated subs and dubs out there that put production studios to shame, but I don’t feel the same appreciation than the subs production studio. Better yet, fans’ dubs only had to translate from scratch with minimal funding, and a number of abridged dubs are featured on YouTube. Many have fan bases like Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged.

There’s only three real big production studios left like bandai, Funimation and Viz. Dubs like Trigun, “Dragon Ball” and “Dragon Ball Z” have a lot of great voice actors who aren’t in the industry anymore.

Dubs are usually the same couple of actors doing the same roles over and over again, which does get annoying. The rest moved on to other things because lack of opportunities and the thankless nature of dubbing. Other criticisms are that it loses the original meaning if it’s dubbed.

Well guess what? The fact you’re reading subs on screen means the original meaning is already lost. The act of translation is to reform the way it makes sense in the other language.

The original message is mostly there at best, but at worse, it’s only a reflection of the original meaning. So subs still kill the original meaning, it’s just less noticeable than dubs.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Sports

May 16, 2016

15

Homeless in Santa Rosa

Courtesy of Ali Benzerara

James Odoms III (left) and his brother Jay Hooks (right) moved from Tampa Bay, Florida to Santa Rosa looking for a better life. Odoms is redshirting on the Santa Rosa Junior College basketball team and dreams of playing DI basketball.

Two brothers travel to California in hopes of a better life Ali Benzerara

Contributing Writer Two thousand nine hundred and fifty-two miles.

This is the distance from Tampa Bay, Florida to Santa Rosa, California. This is the distance one Santa Rosa Junior College student traveled to chase his dream. This was the distance two brothers went to create a better life.

In June 2014, James Odoms III, 21, moved from Tampa Bay to California with only $5,700, hoop dreams and a yearning for better opportunities. With only one family member living in California, Odoms moved here with goals of his basketball skills getting noticed by a community college, then a Division I college, as well as having a “full college experience in California.”

Odoms, who started at SRJC in Fall 2014, spoke with the basketball coach before moving, and is redshirting this season. He has been homeless for 10 months, but is upbeat and positive.

When Odoms first arrived, he moved in with his uncle who lived in Mendocino. He lived there for three months before renting a room on the west side of Santa Rosa for $600 a month. He immediately enrolled at SRJC and started to train with the basketball team. He landed a job at the nearby Panera Bread.

Six months into moving to California, Odoms’ brother Jay Hooks, 22, moved from Tampa Bay to Santa Rosa to support his

brother on his journey to playing Division I basketball. He too came with very little money, in hopes of getting away from his struggling life in Tampa Bay. “It’s different back home,” Hooks said. “It was bad. I was in a bad area where you can’t succeed and everywhere you go you hear gun shots. People don’t want to go to school.”

With Odoms working at Panera, Hooks filled out job application after job application, with no luck.

“I worked at McDonald’s in Tampa Bay for two years, and I couldn’t even get a job at a McDonald’s out here, and they had a hiring sign up in the window,” Hooks said.

He eventually found a job at Safeway, but by that time he and his brother had received a 30-day eviction notice.

“She [the landlord] gave me 30 days and said I will get my deposit back as long as I clean the room.

I scrubbed the walls, the carpet, I cleaned everything! And she still didn’t give me my deposit back,” Odoms said. He was relying on that deposit to move into another room he had arranged. He and his brother were stranded with all of their belongings. Homeless.

According to a 2013 study, 4 percent of SRJC students were homeless or living in a shelter while in school. Today about 1,200 SRJC students struggle with homelessness. As for Odoms, he has to deal with the stress of school work, along with the struggle of eating every day, and finding a

couch to sleep on at night, while bus to Oakland. He then spent one keeping his energy to train with the night on Oakland streets before basketball team four days a week. catching his bus to the outskirts of “We slept in a van for about 70 Santa Rosa Avenue. It was a tough days, then spent nights in a car, three-day journey for Hooks, all for then spent all our money on hotels his brother, chasing a dream. and storage. We even slept in a 24Life in Tampa was far from OK Hour Fitness a few times on the for Odoms. During his sophomore basketball court because we had year at King C. Leon High School, nowhere to go,” Odoms said. he was arrested for possession of Although Odoms and Hooks a marijuana cigarette, and a small have endured immense hardships amount of marijuana in a bag. to stay at Santa Rosa Junior College, “I was picked out of a huge crowd it is nothing compared to their of students,” Odoms said. lives in Tampa Bay. Hooks’ family, The Green team a local law especially his mom, happy he was enforcement task force to prevent getting out of where he was. juvenile marijuana use came up to “You’ll be lucky ask if he had pot. if you make it to “They said if I 18 and graduate didn’t cooperate “We slept in a van high school they would slam down there now,” me on my head,” for about 70 days, he said.

Odoms added. then spent nights “My whole He was put on family loves that probation and in a car, then spent I’m over here began getting all our money on doing the right tested regularly thing. This is part for marijuana. He hotels and storage.” of growing up, I admits to failing a just didn’t know couple tests. Plus, - James Odoms III this is what it was he had to go to a Homeless Student all about.” detox center at the Hook’s mother juvenile hall. was so willing to In court, the help him pursue judge said if he a better life that she sent him to had outstanding behavior for a Atlanta to live with a cousin for week, he would be released from a couple months until he earned probation. That week, he was hit by enough money for a bus ticket to a car.

Santa Rosa. He rode on the step of “It was six or seven in the morning a hot overcrowded, Greyhound bus and I was walking to school. I turn for 13 hours from Atlanta to Dallas, my head to look behind me and I where he slept on the streets of Dallas didn’t see any cars; It was a dirt for one night until he got on his next road, with no sidewalks.” A car then

turned the corner and hit him from behind. He was knocked out and woke up with four broken bones in his foot, a cracked skull and a huge hospital bill.

“I didn’t get any physical therapy.

I thought I would never play basketball again. At that point I was really wondering what I would do with this life,” Odoms said.

Despite his accident and good behavior, Odoms returned to court a week later with a new judge. Unaware of the previous deal, the judge looked at his record and immediately sent him to a residential drug program. This ruined all hopes of playing high school varsity basketball. “They wanted to institutionalize me for smoking weed,” Odoms said, who was in treatment for eight months.

“It felt like a foster home. It was horrible. I didn’t like it at all, but I learned a lot from it.”

After dealing with all this in Tampa, when his mom asked if he wanted to move to California with his uncle, he immediately said yes. He felt he needed to move and his family feared of what was happening around him.

It’s now been a year and 10 months since Odoms reached Santa Rosa. Homeless almost half the time he has not once lost sight of his dream of playing DI basketball with his brother by his side as a solid support system behind him.

When asked about the hardest part of life in California, the brothers agree that homelessness is the biggest struggle.

Continued on Page 18...

16

May 16, 2016

Sports

From Bear Cub to Dust Devil :

Kiana Medina Staff Writer Dreams of playing at a university came true for one aspiring soccer player after scouts discovered the superstar during his last season at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Jovany Carlino, 20, is headed to Texas A&M International

University in August. Carlino was invited to play soccer through a scholarship and decided to take the opportunity.

“It’s going to be a new environment where I’ll be able to focus on soccer and school and not have any distractions,” Carlino said.

After graduating from Windsor High School in 2013, Carlino enrolled at SRJC during the fall semester, but did not start playing soccer for SRJC until 2014. Carlino thinks his coach Marty Kinahan helped him become a better soccer player.

“I got my technique through playing with the club teams. But coming to the JC, I got more experience with playing with more physicality, along with harder trainings,” Carlino said.

Carlino has played soccer since he was 10 years old. He started playing competitively for the Santa Rosa team, Atletico, which allowed him to travel throughout California and play against the best soccer clubs in the state.

Carlino’s father saw the potential in his son and worked hard for him to continue to play throughout school; which inspired Carlino to play for SRJC. His sister also pushed him to take the A&M opportunity.

“She told me if I get an opportunity, I better take it; you

can’t just let it pass by,” Carlino said.

The talented soccer player is the first one in his immediate family to go on to a university, and they’re all proud of him.

It wasn’t until Carlino attended SRJC that he grew a passion for the sport. He always figured because he was good at it, he would play.

However, once meeting Coach Kinahan, his views on the sport changed and his devotion for the game went to a higher level.

“In high school I liked soccer, but I feel I wasn’t as passionate as when I came to the JC,” Carlino said. “I was just playing it because it was something I was good at, and when I came here, it was like a reality check.”

Playing soccer for a club, Carlino built an ego. Kinahan let him know that there are players in the world who are better, and gave him a reality check.

“He [Kinahan] pushed us to our limits,” Carlino said. “I thought that was really good.”

Carlino came to SRJC as an individual player, but Kinahan is big about playing as a team; as one. Because of Kinahan, Carlino became more of a team player and was voted team captain this past 2015 season.

“It’s important to have accountability and discipline,”

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SRJC student earns scholarship to Texas A&M International University

Courtesy of Jovany Carlino

Santa Rosa Junior College soccer star Jovany Carlino poses with SRJC head coach Marty Kinahan after signing his letter of intent to the Texas A&M International University.

Kinahan said. “We get the guys to play for each other.”

Kinahan described Carlino as one of the key players on the field and watched his growth since starting at SRJC. “He grew as an individual; a player and an individual,” Kinahan said. “We’re proud of him.”

Carlino described his coach as a

huge help to get him to the point he’s at now; not only on the field but off the field as well. Kinahan helped him and his team establish a brotherhood and form lifelong friendships.

With everything that soccer allowed Carlino to do, he feels ready to take on A&M in August and begin training with his new team.

Track stars make history at Big 8 Championships Jaime Rodriguez Staff Writer Records are meant to be broken, and the Santa Rosa Junior College track team made history when it competed at the Big 8 Conference Championships at Chabot College May 6.

Stephanie Fernandez, Julia Grimm and Kasey Mancini led by example as their 2016 season came to an end.

The women’s 4x100 relay team broke a 41-year-old record set in 1975. Devyn Ruiz, Erin McCullough, Grimm and Fernandez finished with a time of 49.13 seconds. They are now qualified for the finals at the Nor Cal championships.

Currently, Fernandez is ranked second in the state for the 400-meter hurdles and is within a second from breaking the school record. The track star put in an epic performance, winning the Big 8 Championship with a time of 64.09 seconds.

“This has to be one of the greatest seasons of my career,” Fernandez said. “I set a few goals for the season and I am meeting them.”

Grimm had a strong showing at the Big 8 Championships. She finished third overall in the heptathlon, finishing in the top-five in all seven of her events, earning 4,495 points.

In the first event, the 100-meter hurdles, Grimm finished fifth with a time of 16.3 seconds. Grimm followed that with the high jump, tying for second at 1.61 meters. Grimm’s throw of 10 meters in the shot put landed her third place. In the 200-meter dash Grimm finished fifth with a time of 26.81 seconds. The fifth event of the day was the long jump, in which Grimm finished third with a jump of 5.06 meters.

Courtesy of Stephanie Fernandez

Members of the Santa Rosa Junior College women’s track team celebrate after breaking a 41-year-old school record in the 4x100 relay. Their time was 49.13 seconds. Both the men and women’s track teams exceled at the Big 8 Conference Championships at Chabot College May 6.

Track star Stephanie Fernandez (left) ranked second in the state for the 400-meter hurdles.

The javelin throw was Grimm’s best performance as she finished second with a throw of 39.55 meters. Finally, in the 800-meter run, Grimm finished fourth with a time of 2:39.56.

On the men’s side, Kasey Mancini in the Decathlon put in an admirable performance, finishing first overall with a whopping 6,127 total points accumulated from all of his events.

His blazing speed in the 100-meter dash, finishing third with a time of 11.62 seconds. In the long jump, Mancini finished third with a jump of 6.08 meters. A throw of 11.01 meters in the shotput landed him third for that event.

Mancini’s best performance came in the high jump, jumping a first-place best of 1.89 meters.

He finished second in the 400-meter dash with an astonishing time of 52.16 seconds. In the 110 hurdles, Mancini finished with a time of 17.13 seconds, third-best in that event.

Mancini showcased his strength in the discus throw, finishing second with a throw of 32.45 meters. In the pole vault, Mancini tied for second place with a jump of 3.95 meters, tying fellow Bear Cub Adam Gockel.

A throw of 44.62 meters in the javelin netted Mancini a fourth-place finish. Finally, in the tenth and final event, the 1500-meter run, Mancini finished third with a time of 4:54.83.

“No records yet. But I’m feeling pretty good about this season,” Mancini said of his performance. He’s not satisfied yet, as he will leave May 19 for the state meet in San Diego.

Some other notable performances at the Big 8 Championships include the men’s 4x100 relay team, led by twin brothers Jalen and Kadeem Hemphill, Justin Zinnerman and Brandon Beck.

They finished fourth with a time of 42.6 seconds, enough to qualify for the state meet.

Although the relay team has found success, Jalen isn’t satisfied due to a myriad of injuries.

“This is our first year running together and injuries have definitely gotten in the way of us posting times we would like to,” Jalen said.

The state championships take place May 19 in San Diego.

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To the NFL

Sports

May 16, 2016

17

SRJC softball coach’s son drafted by Cleveland Browns Albert Gregory Staff Writer Scooby Wright once again has to prove everyone wrong.

Philip “Scooby” Wright, who grew up in Windsor and attended Cardinal Newman High School, was selected by the Cleveland Browns as the 250th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Wright was an underrated two-star linebacker recruit coming out of high school. He attended the University of Arizona for three years, playing only two seasons due to injury.

Yet he was regarded as one of the best defensive players in college football during those two years.

After suffering a few injuries, his draft stock plummeted. But Wright won’t let that stop him. The 6-foot-1-inch, 245-pound football machine is determined to make his mark in the pros.

He has been underrated and undervalued his entire football career, a fact he continually takes pride in and accepts ownership of. This can be seen in his Twitter handle “@TwoStarScoob.”

Wright got his nickname “Scooby” from his dad, Santa Rosa Junior College’s head softball coach Phil Wright. Wright’s father spent a lot of time growing up mistakenly answering people calling for Wright’s grandad. He was fed up with the confusion and started calling his son “Scoob.”

Wright chose Cardinal Newman and played football there; he said it was a “great experience.”

“I went to private school my whole life and all my friends were going to Newman,” he said.

He was the first person to play junior varsity football as a freshman.

His sophomore year, he started every game on varsity, played all defensiveline positons, including nose guard.

“I was really quick and explosive, and the coach basically just told me go get the quarterback and make plays,” Wright said.

In his junior year, Newman lost in the semi-finals. His team still had some really big wins that year, including against Valley Christian, which had seven players go on to play Division I college football.

In his senior year, the Cardinals were undefeated until losing to Rancho Cotate High School. They went on to play the 2016 No. 1 draft pick, Jared Goff, and Marin Catholic High School in the playoffs.

“We were beating them pretty good. We made him throw three picks in the first half,” Wright said.

But in what would become the

beginning of a list of injuries, in the third quarter a player rolled up onto the back of Wright’s foot out of bounds, during a play that was essentially over.

“I was one of the main people on defense that year, because I was a pass rusher,” Wright said. “Then I got hurt and they came back and beat us.”

“He was extremely motivated. A pleasant young man to be around but extremely motivated,” said former high school football coach Paul Cronin. “I am really excited for him.

Courtesy of profootballfocus.com He’s got a great family and I’m really Phillip “Scooby” Wright was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 250th pick in the 2016 NFL draft. Wright’s dad is the SRJC softball coach. happy for all of them.”

Wright credits everyone who’s of Arizona. In 2014, during his had, especially from his dad. believes he has a great opportunity. helped him along the way, including sophomore year he was the only “From his agent, to his financial He wants to go in and do the best he his family and the SRJC football defensive player to finish top 10 guys, to his attorneys, to everything can with no regrets; continuing his coaches and training staff he practiced in the Heisman votes, coming in you can think of regarding the underdog mentality. with during the offseasons. ninth. He put up colossal stats that process,” Wright’s father said in Wright, who will wear No. 50 in the “[My family] shaped me into the year, recording 163 total tackles, regards to dealing with the pre-draft pros, admits he plays with a chip on person I am and showed me how 29 for a loss, 14 sacks, six forced every step of the way with his son. “At his shoulder, and believes that chip to have a good work ethic, and I fumbles and one recovered fumble. the combine he ran a slow 40-[yard has gotten even bigger after the draft. think that’s what has made me into Many college analysts cite those as dash]. That’s what hurt him. That’s “Oh yeah the chip is not there; it’s the athlete I am today,” Wright arguably the best stats ever put up why he dropped so fast. You know a boulder now,” Wright’s father said. said. “It’s just work ethic and by an inside linebacker. the year before he was a first-round “I think he is going to go in there and having that mentality that you’re He won every defensive award guy, and he was a top-10 pick the work his ass off. He’ll be great in the not going to get beat.” that year, including the Bronko year before, and then he gets hurt and film room and fast with his eyes.”

Wright’s dad grew up in Nagurski Trophy, Rotary Lombardi comes back and has to prove himself His dad thinks Wright needs to stay Healdsburg and also played football Award, Jack Lambert Award and all over.” consistently fast; whether it’s his feet at Cardinal Newman. He played for Chuck Bednarik Award and was When any player goes through the or his eyes, he needs to be as fast as SRJC on its last undefeated team in named the Pac-12 Defensive Player NFL draft process, it’s an interesting or faster than everyone else. His father 1985 and went on to play football for of the Year, becoming the first player experience, especially when it comes also thinks having the bigger and Long Beach State. to win that award to interviews given by NFL teams faster guys on the D-line playing in “Arizona was as a sophomore. interested in the players. front of him, which he has never had hot. They have During his junior “Probably the weirdest question before, can only help his improvement “He was a top-10 great people. year, he injured his I got asked was if you were to kill in the NFL. I love them to pick the year before, lateral meniscus in someone, would you use a knife or a “He’ll have to just prove himself in death,” Wright’s the first game of gun,” Wright said he was asked this Cleveland, just go in there and work and then he gets hurt the season against by one of the teams out of the 15 that like he always does,” Wright’s father father said.

“Greatest people and comes back and the University of interviewed him. “I forget who asked said. “I mean perfect situation, new in the world in Texas and came that, to be honest.” coaching staff, they’re going to want has to prove himself back 17 days after Because of his injuries, Wright only the guys they drafted to play and make Tucson. Scooby loved it there.” surgery. He tried played one game in the last two years, them look good, so hopefully Scooby all over again.”

When asked to play in a game the bowl game against New Mexico. will step into a good situation.” why he was against UCLA, but This is another reason why he was He’s faced off against Jared Goff in - Phil Wright overlooked going sprained his right drafted so late. high school, college and now has a into college and foot and didn’t “I’m just excited to get back to chance to play him in the pros.

SRJC Softball Coach now the pros, come back until football. My body feels good, I’m “After the high school game, Wright gave a Arizona’s bowl ready to go play football, to be honest,” [Goff] came up to me and said to simple answer. game against the Wright said. “I wouldn’t say I was a me we would’ve lost if you’d played “Your guess is as good as mine,” University of New Mexico, where he first-round pick. If you look at Reggie [the whole game],” Wright said in Wright said. “I understand coming was named game MVP. Ragland, who was a great player, he reference to the Marin Catholic loss. from a small school like Cardinal When Wright returned for the bowl went in the second round. I think I “And then in college, I said I ain’t Newman; not too many guys from game, he weighed the most he’s ever definitely would’ve gone in the top losing to you again.”

Sonoma County go onto play Pac- played at, because he was working out three rounds [if not for the injuries].”

Wright and Goff both started as 12 football.” constantly while sitting out.

Wright believes the mental side of true freshmen and Wright had his best He believed Arizona was the “I was working out twice a day the game will be the hardest to get game that year against Goff, recording best place for him to play, because for like nine weeks straight so I was used to, because the speed of the game 11 total tackles and three for a loss. He no one else believed in him and pushing 255, but I was benching 405 is much faster. followed that up the next year with an wanted to give him a scholarship. pounds,” Wright said.

“I think from any level you jump even more impressive 18 total tackles; But after getting hurt in the game On draft day, he had to wait a long up to, from playing football in Pop four for a loss and two sacks. against Marin Catholic, six or seven time to hear his named get called Warner, to high school, to college, to “The difference is you have two other schools were hoping Arizona during the draft. the pros, it’s always a step faster and great players that come out of would pull his scholarship and give “Worst and best day of your life,” that takes a couple weeks of getting Northern California, one goes No. 1 them a chance at recruiting him. But Wright’s father said about his son used to,” Wright said. “I think that’s and Scooby almost goes last. I mean Arizona stayed committed, so he did waiting that long to be drafted. just the nature of the beast, but I’m it’s ridiculous,” Wright’s father said. the same.

Having the support of your excited for it, to be honest. I just want “He’ll prove them all wrong. He Wright started every game family is always helpful for any to go play football.” don’t know how to fail. They didn’t his freshmen year at University player and that’s what Wright Wright’s goal is to start soon and give him No. 50 for no reason.”

18

Sports

May 16, 2016

A brothers’

journey

Continued from Page 15...

“Not being stable or being in your own home, in your own bed and being able to do homework at home where you can focus on school, and focusing on basketball while being unstable has been the hardest,” Odoms said.

Hook added, “Not sleeping for days, not eating and still going to school and basketball class. Not seeing my family. I haven’t seen my mom in two years, and I don’t want to go back to the same thing where people are catching 30 years. It’s real calm and chill over here, but not eating messed with my emotions real bad.”

With everything these two men have had to endure in order to stay at SRJC, you think that they’re basically on their own, and that’s exactly how they see it.

“Even though we’re couch surfing right now, I still consider myself homeless, because I have nowhere to go,” Hooks said.

But despite their ‘lone-wolf ’ feeling’s there is much help offered at SRJC. The college’s office of Student Equity has been around since the late 90s, helping students. It recently received more funding through the Student Success Act of 2012, and expanded since then.

Genevieve Bertone is the director of the Student Equity Program, which aims to first understand which students are struggling, then help them with those struggles. The student equity program has helped all types of struggling students including foster students, veterans and the disabled.

“What we try to do is meet the student where they’re at, and help them get across the finish line,” Bertone said.

And this is exactly what the student equity program is about.

With struggling students from a variety of diverse backgrounds, it is near impossible to personally help the needs of each of these groups.

The Student Equity office hands out 75 food vouchers to students (every Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.) in the Bertolini Center, as well as supply vouchers through clubs such as the second chance club and the dreamers’ club.

“Our mission is to identify the opportunity gaps, and reverse the barriers to academic success.

We all come from different places, and have different goals,” said Bertone.

Odoms and Hooks are hopeful of finding jobs over the summer while Odoms continues to train with the team. And with all the help SRJC is starting to offer homeless students through the Student Equity Programs, such as scholarships to help students with living cost and school expenses, and meal coupons, the future for these two men is looking brighter.

All-conference guard:

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SRJC basketball player Siaan Rojas’ hard work ethic pays off

Luke Straub

Contributing Writer You can hear them from outside the building. It sounds like hustle, hard work and credibility. The sound grows louder inside, reverberating throughout the lobby and raising to a fever pitch inside the gym. Folded bleachers, no fans. Just the sound of 30 pairs of basketball shoes pounding and cutting on three full courts inside Haehl Pavilion.

“It’s hard out here, bro!” said Siaan Rojas. He was smiling; his team was up next. Rojas finished his basketball career at Santa Rosa Junior College a month ago, but there he was at open gym, working on his game.

Rojas earned All-Conference honors this past season while averaging 14 points, seven rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Those are some serious numbers.

“Siaan is a goofball,” said teammate Jacob Wilson. That’s not to say that Rojas didn’t have company. “We’ve got a lot of goofballs on this team,” Rojas said.

Still, SRJC improved from sixth place in the Big 8 Conference last season to third place in 2016. Finishing near the bottom of the standings can wear on a team. The more you lose, the less fun you have to show for all of your hard work. So Rojas trained. His team persevered and won. Hard work, mixed with having fun, was the key to individual and team success for Rojas in his sophomore season.

Born and raised in Concord, the 20-year-old played basketball as long as he could remember.

“My whole life, basically,” Rojas said. At a young age, his father encouraged him to watch the greatest players in the NBA. “I’d go out to my backyard or the park and emulate what they did,” Rojas said.

At 6-feet, 5-inches tall, Rojas

can shoot from outside, drive to the basket, rebound and put his teammates in position to score by passing the ball.

At SRJC, his hard work included 20 units of classes during basketball season. “Wake up, go to class, eat of course, try to eat, practice and then night class,” Rojas said.

He singled out his psychology class, Psych 34 instructed by Brenda Flyswithhawks, as his favorite. “We’d talk about racism and discrimination of Native Americans, black people, Asians, way back from where it started. I learned a lot.”

Rojas’ father is from Columbia, his mother is black and Rojas speaks Spanish fluently.

Rojas also learned much from his SRJC coach Craig McMillan. “You have to go hard, every practice, everything. You can’t take anything off,” Rojas said.

Rojas plans to take his work ethic with him to a four-year school. He already has one scholarship offer, and will attend a junior college showcase

Courtesy of Jenner Dangers Oncken

Top: SRJC’s Siaan Rojas waits out of bounds with the referee to resume play with an inbounds pass in front of the home fans. Bottom: Siaan Rojas attempts a no-look pass against American River College forward Marcelas Perry en route to a dominating 22 point victory Jan. 29.

in Los Angeles to expand his options.

Whichever team signs Rojas will get a supreme ball handler who can keep defenders off balance. “He’s an all-around player. He can play one through four.” Wilson said. “We were always joking around, but we knew when to be serious and when not to be. Siaan was a leader of that.”

The 2016 SRJC team will always stay with Rojas, goofballs and all. “This team was pretty tight

knit,” Rojas said. “I made some lifelong friends.”

Rojas enjoyed success in a game he’s played since his childhood. “I’m just kind of a simple guy,” Rojas said.

The formula is indeed simple. The execution however, is anything but. The temperament needed to navigate high-level competition, no matter how many are on the court, will surely stay with Rojas wherever his life takes him after SRJC.

A tribute to the greatest broadcaster of all-time Anthony Sosa Sports Editor

Opinion Baseball won’t be the same without him.

Before the start of the 2016 MLB season, Dodgers’ playby-play broadcaster Vin Scully announced his plan to retire at the end of the season and complete his astonishing 67-year career.

Scully is the greatest MLB broadcaster of all time.

As an aspiring broadcaster, Scully is one of my biggest idols.

He masterfully mixes calling the game, talking about individual players’ lives and telling stories nobody else knows about.

Scully started calling games for

the Dodgers in 1950. To put that into perspective, Scully started broadcasting during Jackie Robinson’s fourth season in the league, while Harry Truman was president of the United States and the average price for a gallon of gas was 18 cents.

The talented play-by-play broadcaster called the 1950 World Series at the young age of 25. He owns the MLB record for youngest broadcaster to call the Fall Classic.

Scully has called tons of major sports highlights. He called Hallof-Famer Hank Aaron’s then record-breaking 715th home run. He called Dodger’s legend Kirk Gibson’s famous pinch hit walk-off home run in the 1988 World Series. He even called one of the most famous NFL plays of

Courtesy of 760kfmb.com

Dodgers’ broadcaster Vin Scully ends his 67-year career after the 2016 MLB season. Scully owns the MLB record for youngest broadcaster to call the World Series; he did so at the age of 25.

all-time: “The Catch,” by Dwight Clark during the 1982 NFC Championship Game.

When I listen to Scully, unlike any other broadcaster, I leave with goosebumps and more

MLB history knowledge than was ever imaginable.

As Scully rides into the sunset following the 2016 season, it’s fair to say there will never be another broadcaster like him.

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Sports

May 16, 2016

19

Not phased Bear Cubs advance to Sectionals

Continued from cover...

“We weren’t able to get on time with [the fastball] early,” Bone said.

“The two doubles were an example of how quickly we can get going.”

SRJC’s offense couldn’t create another rally once Folsom reliever Jason Wullenwaber came in for a 3.1 inning save. He struck out seven of the 13 batters he faced.

With their backs against the wall, the Bear Cubs responded to the Game 1 loss with a crushing 10-4 victory in Game 2.

“It wasn’t overwhelming joy,” Francois said. “They still had a foot on our necks, but what it did do was give us a lot of confidence.

The guys [SRJC] were confident, but not overconfident.”

SRJC ace Alec Rennard delivered a gem for his team. He pitched eight innings, struck out 13 and only allowed one run on three hits.

“I prepare all week to succeed,” Rennard said. “On game day I go out there and try to go as many quality innings as I can for my brothers on the field.”

The Bear Cubs supplied plenty

of offense for the hard-throwing right hander. First baseman Ryder Kuhns and Jake Scheiner combined for six hits and eight RBIs. “When you’re batting in the three and four spots, you get opportunities to hit with runners on base,” Scheiner said. “We just tried to capitalize on every scoring opportunity we could.”

Down 10-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Folsom Lake attempted a comeback. SRJC relief pitcher Paris Selzer replaced Rennard and struggled to get the final three outs. He gave up three hits and walked two batters to trim the lead to 10-4.

Selzer struck out Folsom left fielder Greg Vaughn to end the late Falcon rally.

“We had such a tremendous lead. There was no worry whatsoever,” Francois said.

“Damon [Neidlinger, SRJC coach] wouldn’t have let that happen.”

In the win-or-go-home Game 3, the SRJC pitching staff was nearly flawless. Matt Estes, Jared Noonan and Anthony Bender pitched three innings each. They allowed one

Will Mathis/ Oak Leaf

Top: SRJC pitcher Jared Noonan prepares to deliver a pitch to an opposing Folsom Lake College batter May 15 at Cook Sypher Field. Bottom: Bear Cubs’ right fielder Jeff Bart lines a RBI-single in a game against Folsom Lake College May 15. Bart finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

run on four hits while striking out 10 batters.

“Estes threw great and set the tone really well,” Noonan said.

“From there it was just throwing strikes and maintaining the lead.”

Pitching dominated the beginning of Game 3. Only one batter reached base for either team in the first two-and-a-half innings.

In the bottom of the third,

the Bear Cubs broke out for five runs. Center fielder Bryce Nagata and Kuhns each drove in two runs, and Bart tacked on another to give them what felt like an insurmountable lead.

“The hitters stuck to the process and the pitchers did what they do best; which is throw strikes and let the defense work,” Nagata said.

Noonan allowed Folsom’s first

hit in the fifth inning and their only run in the sixth.

Bender struck out six batters in the final three frames as SRJC went on to win the game 7-1.

“These guys never quit. They’re just grinders,” Francois said.

“Nobody, and I mean nobody, has worked as hard as these guys.

It’s not just because of their work ethic, but their brotherhood.”

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20

May 16, 2016

Musical muscles

Sports

www.theoakleafnews.com

Beats to help you move your feet Frank Sumrall Staff Writer The pounding heartbeat in an athlete’s ears increases as fast as the sweat on their brow. With hours until tip off, first pitch or kick off, the pressure begins to rise. Only one thing stabilizes focus in an athlete’s approach to the game: music.

Music has inspired competitors for decades now.

From motivational tunes to the most recent hits, athletes require music to gain a mental edge on their opponents. It turns them into an animal on the court, field or ice.

Athletes use music to become more focused, energized and hyped for their contest.

With everyone’s hectic schedule overflowing with stress during college, it’s good to have a deep cleansing of the mind to focus entirely on the game. Whether it’s personal drama or the pressure of school getting to their heads - all of that must stay on the sidelines during game time.

“Music is part of my pre-game ritual,” basketball guard Siaan

Rojas said. “I feel naked without it.”

With Queen’s classic anthem, “We Will Rock You,” beating in eardrums, music has become synonymous with competition. It has come to the point where the game announcer has duties as a DJ for sporting events.

Trey Dunia, the game announcer for major sporting events at SRJC, values the importance of music not only for athletes, but for fans too.

Dunia sets the mood with pregame music for a home court advantage at Hael Pavilion with the players warming up and the fans filing into the bleachers. The home court edge stands with the boisterous crowd and to get the fans pumped, up-tempo, rowdy music is necessary.

Once tip-off hits, the music changes tone. “[For basketball] pre-game music is for the players, in-game music is for the fans,” Dunia said.

“Creating an upbeat atmosphere at the game is good for the fans, and having good music and a capable announcer is an important tool for creating that atmosphere.” Music occurs to get the crowd going.

“I can’t speak to rituals in sports,

but I’m sure it’s very important to the players,” Dunia said.

“Basketball ritual music s e e m s much more prevalent.

Most of my requests come from basketball.”

Baseball players need a mental edge too, with their showdown against the opposing pitcher looming.

With each at-bat a careful piece in a game of chess, music can be the only advantage needed to turn the tables in a pitcher-batter standoff.

“Music is very important to me to get myself in the right mindset,” said SRJC shortstop Jake Scheiner. “I listen to music right before the game, and my walk-up songs allow me to stay

loose and have the right mindset coming up to the plate.”

The power in music is undocumented. There is no box score or stats for the influence it holds. But the spiritualistic rituals athletes perform on a daily basis keep their heads in the game and

music is a major part of it.

It helps boost motivation, reduce stress and elevate an athlete’s mood hours, minutes or even seconds before game time.

Athletes find themselves in a state of superstition for mental stability and music is the portal.