Woodland Hills, California Volume 141 - Issue 7
Students, former department chair say professor engaged in repeated misconduct
Amid investigation, auto tech professor denies alleged derogatory remarks
By Delilah Brumer Editor-in-Chief
Longtime Pierce College automotive technology professor Tom Fortune is teaching four classes this fall, a load similar to previous semesters. Several of the courses he teaches are a requirement for auto tech students to graduate. Each of the sections is full, and many have a lengthy waitlist.
For multiple auto tech students who spoke to the Roundup, these facts pose a frustrating reality. The students said Fortune repeatedly bullied them, made sexist and racist comments and required them to take expensive off-site tests. They also said Fortune demeaned them when they spoke out.
The Roundup interviewed students, faculty, Pierce President Ara Aguiar and Fortune, and reviewed months of emails, lecture videos and other documentation. The records and interviews show that the Los Angeles Community College District is aware of misconduct allegations involving Fortune.
Fortune said allegations that he made derogatory remarks are false.
The district put Fortune on paid administrative leave for 90 days during the Spring 2024 semester, after multiple complaints. Now, he’s back to teaching, pending further investigation — and some students say little has changed.
‘Bigoted or inappropriate’ remarks
When Joanna Trujillo walks into her automotive technology
classes, she wears the same red and black, grease-stained uniform as the rest of her peers.
But as one of two or three women in each class of 40 to 50 students, she stands out.
Although Trujillo’s presence is an anomaly in a male-dominated field, she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty tuning up an engine, and she said her classmates typically treat her with respect.
Trujillo said she was “upset” when she witnessed the comments she said that Fortune made while teaching an auto tech class she was in earlier this year.
Trujillo and two other students said Fortune spent several minutes during a class session demeaning men whose girlfriends earn more money than them.
Then, the students say, Fortune said it’s best if both a man and a woman in a relationship earn a high salary, but not if the woman does it “by being on the pole.”
Fortune said this claim is false.
“I was like ‘What the hell,’” Trujillo said. “I wasn’t the only one to hear it, and it threw me off.
In auto, for females especially, we’re supposed to just deal with the inappropriate comments dudes make.”
But Fortune is a professor, and “it’s not okay,” Trujillo said.
The students said Fortune has repeatedly made degrading comments about women’s bodies, including their butts and breasts. They said Fortune has frequently gone on tangents during class time about strippers and prostitution, both before and after his Spring 2024 leave. Fortune said he did not make such remarks.
“He still would continue to do
the things he used to do, even though he was warned,” said Trujillo, who is currently taking a class with Fortune.
Carlos Arroyo, an auto tech major who has taken multiple classes taught by Fortune, said the professor’s comments are often “bigoted or inappropriate.”
As a member of the FAST club, an automotive tech organization at Pierce, Arroyo attended the club’s end-of-the-year event in 2023.
A tradition of the club is for students to get toolboxes when they graduate. Arroyo said that at
the 2023 end-of-the-year event, Fortune remarked that those toolboxes “aren’t for Mexicans.”
Arroyo, a Hispanic student, said Fortune looked directly at him when he said it, later patting Arroyo on the back and claiming he was joking. Fortune said he did not make these comments.
Automotive technology professor Alex Villalta was at the event and said he also witnessed the comment.
“Words matter, and they matter a lot,” Villalta said. “You can say you were just kidding, but they still matter.”
Villalta, who used to be the auto tech department chair, said Fortune has “bullied and dehumanized” students, specifically female, Hispanic and disabled students, for years. Villalta said students have complained about Fortune to him, with one crying in Villalta’s office.
“As sad as it is, it’s almost the norm [in the auto industry],” Villalta said. “But this should be a learning environment, a safe environment.”
Article continues on page 4.
Alfonso Vargas / Roundup
Karla Villacorta / Roundup News
Abraham Elizalde / Roundup News
A student walks by the Advanced Automotive Technology Building at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on October 21, 2024.
Abraham Elizalde / Roundup News
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Editorial: From the desk of the Roundup Kicking costly parking enforcement to the curb
College students have enough to deal without the added stress of having to pay parking tickets. Keeping up grades, bonding with peers and exploring the campus should be what is on the minds of Pierce College students, not whether they have enough money to support themselves if they get fined. Pierce should avoid investing in parking enforcement. The money used to fund the program could be repurposed to better benefit students. According to LACCD Board Docs, Pierce spent $52,790 hiring Peak Parking, an independent parking enforcement contractor. With the current deficit, saving money has become a pressing issue.
LACCD Board of Trustees
President Angela Echeverri said “The budget picture is getting dire and we might be facing cuts next year, that seems to be the consensus,” reported an article in The Roundup.
To ensure that the 2025 school year is optimized to aid students, more emphasis should be placed on backing programs that could help needier students. Instead of cutting funding for classes or health services on campus, Pierce should dissolve their contract with Peak Parking. Outsider traffic wardens are a new addition to the grounds, introduced this year. Pierce was founded in 1947, meaning that it has functioned for more than seven decades without
contracted assistance in its parking lots.
A majority of those attending LACCD report their incomes as close to or below the poverty line, according to the district’s webpage. Charging students for tickets would place an unnecessary burden on members of the Pierce community who already struggle financially.
Monetary stress can harm a student’s educational experience. A journal article posted by the National Library of Medicine states that “students who experience higher levels of financial stress are more likely to discontinue their schooling than more financially secure peers.”
Pierce Vice President of
Editorial: From the desk of the Roundup
Administrative Services Rolf Schleicher explained that all colleges in the district are implementing stricter parking policies. He said the college is trying to keep its fees as low as possible.
However, if Pierce wants to make its services aid as many students as possible, they should steer away from introducing more ways to be fined.
Safe parking lots should not come at the price of cutting important services or students’ mental health. Pierce should not contract with Peak Parking in future years. The school could use the money saved to improve the campus itself.
Parking Enforcement Agent David Bayless patrols Stadium Parking Lot 5 for any vehicles failing to display a valid parking permit at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 18, 2024. File photo by Moses Murga.
Adulting: It’s not just a verb
“Adulting” sounds like a nonsensical course for young people. But it has become apparent that many college students are having difficulties managing living on their own.
According to an article from United Press International (UPI) asking parents about their children, “Just 8 percent were confident their teen could make an appointment with a doctor on their own. In the same study, “Only 25 percent thought their teen could dole out the correct dose of an over-the-counter medication.”
This is why Pierce should offer adulting classes to help students navigate the new challenges they are facing. Adulting is not just a verb. It is a behavior associated with
responsibilities a typical adult would need to master, such as laundry, paying bills and cooking a meal. More complex issues such as financial planning and budgeting, preparing tax documents and health care are necessary to become selfsufficient.
Many colleges and universities such as UC Berkeley have begun to offer classes that teach these basic responsibilities. A UC Berkeley enrollment website describes that “some classes may be out-of-the-classroom, as you will be actively engaging in the adulting skills as you learn them. However, a majority of the time, the class is structured around discussions on the articles read at home, guest speakers, and lectures.”
There are several reasons
why younger generations such as Generation Z are less capable of performing some of the basic life skills. Factors such as busier schedules, work and extracurricular activities combined with the lack of high school classes offering home economics and shop classes contribute to this dilemma. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this issue.
According to a piece by Tina Donvito in Parade Magazine, “millennials are the highesteducated generation—they too often neglected to teach the youngsters common sense skills needed to live in the real world.” The piece further describes what adulting classes offer. “Adulting classes aim to teach both practical life skills, like how to change a tire, as
well as ‘soft skills’ that help people effectively communicate personally and professionally. At Portland’s Adulting School, in-person and online classes include how to get out of debt and how to budget, nutrition and cooking, basic home repair and car maintenance, public speaking and interviewing, sewing, and whatever else they find a demand for.”
Pierce College can develop adulting classes based on the needs of its students and offer the classes through the Career Center. The classes should be designed to accommodate students’ schedules and not further overwhelm the participants. With adulting classes, students can be better prepared to take on life.
Vote yes on Prop. 4: Protecting California’s climate future
By Daisy Aguinada Reporter
As California struggles with severe climate challenges like wildfires, water shortages and rising temperatures, Proposition 4 offers a crucial solution—a $10 billion bond measure aimed at funding essential climate infrastructure and supporting our most vulnerable communities.
Earlier this year, the state legislature put Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, on the ballot.
Proposition 4 offers a chance to make investments in the state’s environmental future as Californians face the urgent effects of climate change. With an emphasis on improving drinking
water quality and preventing wildfires, the bond initiative seeks to finance essential climate infrastructure. Recognizing the importance of this concept is essential to taking meaningful action to protect our state.
Prop. 4’s emphasis on enhancing water security and quality is among the strong arguments in favor of it. Many communities in California, mainly those in lower-income areas, are experiencing an aging water infrastructure. Prop. 4’s dedication to equity is one of its key features.
By prioritizing these vulnerable populations, Prop. 4 ensures that 40% of the funds benefit disadvantaged communities, addressing both environmental and social justice concerns.
“Proposition 4 helps connect these communities to safe
drinking water supplies and helps additional water districts remove toxic PFAs from their drinking water supplies,” according to the Nature Conservancy.
Prop. 4 provides $850 million for renewable energy initiatives and $300 million for agricultural projects. In order for California agriculture to face the consequences of climate change and move closer to a sustainable energy future, these investments are required. This bond is in line with the Justice40 Initiative of the Biden administration, which seeks to provide communities in need benefits of government funding in clean energy and the environment.
This effort aims to “address decades of underinvestment in disadvantaged communities that are overburdened by pollution,”
according to the White House’s Justice40 work page.
Supporters believe greater financing is essential given California’s persistent environmental crisis.
“Given the threat the state faces from wildfires, water pollution and extreme heat, the need for more spending on these issues is urgent,” according to an article in CalMatters.
Prop. 4 provides an extensive plan to improve resilience and guarantee a sustainable future for all Californians by prioritizing water quality, aiding communities that are at risk, combating wildfires and excessive heat, protecting natural resources and promoting clean energy.
Nov. 5 is a chance to vote and make investments for California’s environment.
Vote yes on Prop. 2: Investing in education is investing in the future
By Raquel G. Frohlich
Copy Editor
The infrastructure on public school campuses throughout California has the chance to be repaired and improved, but it will come at a cost of $10 billion in borrowed funds, should voters choose to pass Proposition 2.
Of the bond’s total amount, $1.5 billion would be set aside for community college facilities, according to The Sacramento Bee. The remaining $8.5 billion would go to the renovation of existing buildings, new construction, land purchases, career technical education facilities and charter schools.
The Los Angeles Times Editorial Board endorsed
Proposition 2, noting, “There’s a growing backlog of more than $3 billion of school projects currently awaiting funding, about half of which are in the Los Angeles area.”
The Los Angeles Community College District alone has prepared a $10.2 billion budget for the 2024-2025 year.
Five bonds approved by Los Angeles voters in the last two decades have addressed LACCD campus facilities and infrastructure—Proposition A in 2001 ($1.2 billion), Proposition AA in 2003 ($980 million), Measure J in 2008 ($3.5 billion), Measure CC in 2016 ($3.3 billion) and Measure LA in 2022 ($5.3 billion). As recently as 2021, construction projects at Pierce continued to be funded
from Proposition AA, Measure CC and Measure J bonds.
Various newer construction projects are in the works at Pierce, such as the Academic East and Academic West buildings and the Child Development Academic Facility. The $35 million Advanced Automotive Technology building on campus was completed in 2022.
The state of California and community college districts often share the cost of renovations and new construction, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), with the state using bond funding to cover its share and the individual district using local funds for its portion. The LAO lists general tax revenue as the source of repayment for Proposition 2.
If the proposition is passed, California community colleges can submit a list of their project priorities and specific ones would be selected by the Governor and Legislature for funding, according to LAO.
At the moment, California owes $80 billion in borrowed funds, according to CalMatters, and interest for another $10 billion bond will cost $8 billion over a 35-year repayment period, ABC7 noted.
Investing in education is a positive investment in society at large, and Californians should consider how the learning environments in state schools will impact the next generation of students. That’s why voters should pass Prop. 2.
A look into the archives: 70 years of the Roundup
On this day 55 years ago, The Roundup published Volume 32, Number 5.
Pierce hosted a Vietnam Moratorium rally where students and teachers stood against the Vietnam War and United States involvement in conflict.
Should more taxes be spent on community college infrastructure?
“Yes, because in the present day, not a lot of people have money to afford universities and some people can’t get support from their families.”
Jason Abeleda - Nursing
“If you make the infrastructure better, it will make it more lively and give community colleges the same access to the top infrastructure as people more privileged.”
Hanns Arinda - Computer science
“We’re already paying so many taxes, but I think if we’re already going to pay the taxes then we should put them towards super affordable education and college.”
Riley Fike - Business admin
Hinkston emphasized the importance of freedom without suppression.
Copy by Violet Garcia.
The rally was attended by about 1,000 people. Notable attendees include Eugene Hinkston, a political science instructor, and Wayne Karlin, a student and Vietnam War veteran.
“I think schools have been getting affected by the economy, and I think that more money should be funded toward the schools, so we have a better community college all around.”
Giancarlo Ochoa - Business admin
Interviews by Ryan Kassebaum
Photos by Hanna Vandergugten
Auto tech professor’s alleged misconduct (continued from page 1)
Hundreds of dollars of tests
According to four students and Villalta, an obstacle to succeeding in Fortune’s classes was that until this semester, he had required outside tests called Automotive Service Excellence certifications, or ASEs.
The tests could cost as much as $100 each, and were not administered or graded by Fortune. Fortune confirmed that he previously required these tests.
“Getting to go take the test is a valuable experience,” Fortune said.
The tests were required for students to pass some of Fortune’s classes, despite only being mentioned in the Course Outline of Record reports for the classes as a goal for which to prepare students, not a requirement. The “student-provided resources” sections of the required Course Outline of Record reports, which were reviewed by the Roundup, mention only “safety glasses,
textbook [and] shop clothes.”
Fortune said that offering ASEs was a team decision by the department. These types of outside tests are not a requirement to pass in other Pierce auto tech classes, though. Some professors offer extra credit to take them.
Victor Marroquin, an auto tech student who graduated in June, worked full time while attending Pierce at night. Some of the final courses he needed to graduate were taught by Fortune and required ASEs. He said he ended up taking and retaking the exams a total of nine times — spending more than $800 — before passing the classes that required the ASEs.
Marroquin also said had to take a day off work each time he took an ASE, because the offsite, in-person exams conflicted with his schedule.
“It made me feel unmotivated,” Marroquin said. “It had me stressing out so much. It made me not want to even show up to class, because I was told if I don’t
pass this one thing, I’m not going to be able to graduate.”
Auto tech major Lenore Kassab said he spent more than $300 on ASE tests. He said interacting with Fortune led him to try to get a substitute class for one of Fortune’s advanced classes to avoid having to take another class with him. He said the testing and substitution ordeal have led to a delay in getting his diploma, despite having all other requirements completed.
“In these classes, you’re not learning anything and you’re dealing with all this,” Kassab said. “It’s really disappointing.”
Fortune confirmed that, as of this semester, he no longer requires the tests, and that discontinuing the requirement wasn’t his decision.
Students say Fortune repeatedly bullied them
The students who spoke to the Roundup said Fortune has engaged in verbal bullying. They said he demeans students who work non-automotive jobs, although many are low-income students, and do so to make ends meet while still in school.
In lesson videos reviewed by the Roundup, Fortune gave examples and anecdotes of students, who he did not identify by name, working jobs he considered low level and not “giving the industry a chance.” These examples included “working at dad’s construction company” and “manager at Bevmo.”
Kassab said one of Fortune’s low-level job anecdotes was about him, although Fortune never said it was. Kassab said he felt like everyone in the class recognized it was about him because the auto tech department is small.
“That’s really not a good example for a professor to set, to call out his students like that,” Kassab said.
Trujillo said Fortune has told the students that they could end up homeless, or needing to drink and smoke weed to get through the day, if they don’t find a good job.
Villalta also said Fortune has bullied students, including using the R-slur. Fortune said the claims of bullying are false.
LACCD investigation
The LACCD investigated the complaints against Fortune in Spring 2024, placing him on a 90-day paid administrative leave. According to Aguiar, further investigation is ongoing.
The events that initially sparked an investigation, according to the students, Villalta and Fortune, were some students
cheating on ASEs.
Some of the students who were interviewed by the Roundup said they knew of peers who submitted fake ASE results to Fortune, to avoid the stress and cost of repeatedly retaking the ASEs.
Fortune said he then alerted Villalta, who was department chair at the time, and other Pierce admin of the cheating.
Fortune said he expected disciplinary action to be taken against the students. What instead happened was that administrators were concerned about the ASE requirements in the first place. Concerns were raised that requiring students to pay for and pass an outside test could be in violation of California Title 5, Section 55002.
In the time since district and college administration began
Kimhou Chhith, the current chair of the auto tech department, did not respond to a request for comment.
Career Technical Education Dean Mon Khat said, “I have received the concerns that the student body and additional stakeholders have raised about the situation, and we are looking into them. Unfortunately, I am unable to comment on matters that are still pending.”
“I want you to know that here at LA Pierce College, we do take these concerns seriously and handle them with care and concern for all parties involved,” Khat added.
The students who spoke to the Roundup said they are disappointed in the way the district has handled the complaints. Some of the students
“The school and the district just brushed it off, basically.”
Carlos Arroyo
Pierce
auto tech major
investigating Fortune, several current and former students have come forward with their experiences of alleged bullying, sexism and racism.
When Fortune came back from his administrative leave, some students said his alleged misconduct did not change or end.
Trujillo, who is currently in a class taught by Fortune, said Fortune announced in a class session that he is “an asshole” but that, since he was able to return, it means he can “be an asshole.”
Fortune said that claim is false.
He added, in an interview with the Roundup, “I’m not going to comment. I am an asshole, okay. I am all right. How many people could admit that, ‘I could be a bit of an asshole sometimes.’”
Fortune said that the students’ various complaints about his comments are false, and that they were “solicited by the former department chair to complain about me.” He said the student concerns tie back to Villalta, who was not re-elected to be department chair, with his term ending on July 1, 2024.
The students disputed this claim, and so did Villalta.
“As department chair, the students’ complaints came to me, and my job as a chair was to report what they were saying,” Villalta said. “My mindset is of serving the students. This is about the students and the needs of the students, not me.”
said that college administrators were helpful initially, but that once the complaints escalated to the district, they felt unsupported.
Some of the students went to the Sept. 28 meeting of the Pierce Academic Senate, hoping to raise awareness of their concerns.
“The school and the district just brushed it off, basically,” Arroyo said.
An LACCD media representative said the district “cannot comment on the specifics as this matter is part of an ongoing investigation.”
“We want to emphasize that we take all allegations seriously and are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive campus environment for all students and employees,” the district media representative added.
Aguiar said it’s important to follow the proper processes for investigations into professors. “We have to be fair to everybody,” Aguiar said, adding that in the meantime, “students can feel that we’re not doing enough.”
“It’s not going on deaf ears,” Aguiar said. “We are very much aware and we are in the process of working with the district, so that the district can continue to look into this matter. The faculty, they’re entitled to that process, and so we are following the process, both for our employees, and then we’re also being responsive to the student concerns.”
Automotive Technology professor Tom Fortune sits at a booth during the Meet Your Major Fair event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 2, 2024.
Karla Delgado / Roundup News
Zero cost textbook options increase
Faculty aim to expand education access by changing their textbook requirements
By Nathalie Herrera Reporter
Textbook expenses are often something college students fear having to deal with. Pierce College has had an increase in zero cost textbook options for classes, putting some students’ minds at ease.
Librarian and Open Education Resources Coordinator Clayton Gediman started at Pierce a decade ago, where he learned about the option of zero textbook cost classes, and began to introduce it to faculty.
“I did some advertising with faculty and I thought, ‘Hey, if you have questions, let me know and I’ll see what I can find out,’” Gediman said.“And now 10 years later, I’m just still doing it.”
Gediman added that suddenly about two, three years ago, the
demand for classes without textbook costs really blew up.
Distance learning spurred by the pandemic helped that too, because online, pretty much all the resources students are looking for are digital, according to Gediman.
Gediman shared that zero cost textbooks have not always been the best quality, but have grown in quality within the past several years.
“It wasn’t that great a few years ago,” Gediman said. “It’s gotten really good now, especially with California, putting a lot of money into textbook development. The state of California has put millions of dollars into it.”
Gediman continued to explain that zero textbook cost classes not only benefit students, but also faculty, according to Gediman.
Students are able to benefit from the free books, but faculty are able to have more freedom when it comes to teaching a class using zero cost textbooks.
“It works for the students,” Gediman said.“For GE classes, buying a textbook for those, it seems a little bit like a waste of money because you’re never going to look at that book again. The licensing for these textbooks is usually pretty open, so they can mix it with other things. So they can create a textbook that works for them and not make a class that works for the textbook.”
Hannah Vigil, a sociology major at Pierce, explained that most of her classes use zero cost digital textbooks, and that the quality matches textbooks she would be purchasing.
“They tend to be in the Canvas
shell,” Vigil said. “I think one of my classes has a textbook that I had to buy. It’s a lot easier and more beneficial to students because students aren’t able to buy them themselves.”
Dale Fields, a faculty member for the Physics and Planetary department, said they use zero cost textbooks because these resources help students who may not have access to an education due to costs. Not only does money play a factor in taking a course, but Fields also believes charging for a textbook causes a lack of diversity in classes.
“I want my community college students to be successful,” Fields said. “Cost is a barrier and cost makes it so that the community cannot actually access education, because every single step of this process, we lose some members and we get less diverse in the people that we’re working with.”.
When it comes to creating a lesson or finding a free textbook that fits with the class, Fields looks for a book that matches their lessons rather than making their lessons match a book.
“It’s not a matter of this textbook is going to be the focus, but rather this textbook is helpful, but it’s going to be an extra supplement.” Fields said. “This will actually help you out and give you a better overall idea. If you can, same thing with the free textbooks or any textbook from my perspective.”
Fields is used to the idea of using free information for the public, as most information from astronomers is made for public knowledge, not for monetary gain.
Students are able to find which courses offer zero cost textbooks when selecting their course via the student portal.
Crime Log
No crimes were reported between Oct. 16 and Oct. 22.
Incident Report
A car accident occured at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Oct. 22 along Winnetka Avenue and Brahma Drive. Damage to the vehicles involved, but no injuries, were reported.
The crime log is made publicly available at the Pierce College Sheriff’s Office.
Pierce College Sheriff’s Office General Information 818-719-6450
Emergency 818-710-4311
Librarian Clayton Gediman shows some of the textbooks provided by instructors at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 14, 2024.
Karla Villacorta / Roundup News
Reporting by Violet Garcia Blotter
Murder mystery charms
By Daisy Malone Opinion Editor
Mystery, murder and intrigue remain timeless for generations. That’s probably why Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” has been running for more than 70 years in London.
This enduring story is now at Pierce College, and it makes for a lovely night of entertainment.
Directed by Shaheen Vaaz, Pierce’s Theatre Department takes a seven-decade-old play and reimagines it, first opening on Friday, Oct. 18, at the Performing Arts Mainstage.
“The Mousetrap” was written by Christie in 1947. Other than a brief suspension during the pandemic, the work has been running in London’s West End for more than seven decades, making it the longest running play in the world.
The play follows the whodunnit formula Christie popularized. Set in an isolated, English guesthouse in the middle of the 20th century, seven strangers are faced with a grisly murder. Detective Sergeant Trotter is tasked with investigating each suspect and unraveling the mystery at hand.
The secrets of each cast member are revealed one by one, until the killer is exposed.
Before the play begins, mysterious men in fedoras and trench coats lurk in the lobby. While not a part of the main cast, these figures elevate the work by building a sense of foreboding.
The set is intimate and well designed by Michael Gend. Behind the mainstage is a screen that plays an introductory video, as well as a snowy backdrop for later scenes. The lighting is mostly realistic, but it becomes stylized for a few key moments. There are a select number of moments when ensemble actors invade the audience’s realm, breaking the fourth wall. These aspects help create an eerie tone rather than distract the viewer.
The costumes designed by Eileen Gizienski are a highlight of the play. Each cast member has a unique sense of style, yet they are all recognizably from the same era. From a glance, the characters’ personalities are made clear by their wardrobe choices.
Ambient noise is effectively used throughout the play. The noise of a crackling fire fills the
gaps between scenes. Gusts of wind can be heard whenever the characters enter or leave the manor. These subtle sounds make the set feel tangible, as if there is a world beyond the false wooden doors on the stage.
The performances were solid, although a few actors slipped in and out of their accents. On several occasions, the cast sounded like they were posh Bostonians instead of elite Britons. The inconsistencies were noticeable, but they did not spoil the emotional impact of the dialogue.
Ironically, the best accent of the production was that of the Italian character, Mr. Paravicini (Ali Suliman). Suliman had a hypnotic control of the stage. He strikes a nice balance between comedic and evasive, making him interesting to watch even when he’s not speaking.
The play continues until Sunday, Oct. 27. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at Pierce’s Online Student Store, priced at $15 for students and seniors, and $20 for general admission.
‘Yellow Rose’ screening resonates with students
By Matthew Stewart Reporter
For Pierce College students who have dealt with immigration issues, or are dealing with them now, the Dream Resource Center seeks to aid them in the journey and give them a space to resonate with other students who have been in their shoes.
The Dream Resource Center, in collaboration with the UndocuBrahmas Club, screened the film “Yellow Rose” in the Multicultural Center on Oct. 17.
The film follows an undocumented Filipina girl who has to jump from house to house after her mother is detained. She aspires to be a country singer and finds time to write and sing songs while on the lam from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Students like Danna Catalan, a business major, joined the club because, even though their immigration status is sorted out, they have friends and family who are still struggling.
“It’s very scary how real it is to get separated from your family,” Catalan said. “I can’t imagine being in her shoes, like, now I have no parents, I have no home.”
The film resonated with students like biology major Jackelene Benitiz, who had to fan herself after some of the heavier scenes.
“That movie reminded me of what happened in the past with my mom,” Benitiz said. “Without my mom, I wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
The Dream Resource Center doesn’t only host events for entertainment. They also help undocumented students apply for visas and an opportunity to work under the California Dream Act. In addition, they host study sessions, give financial aid advice and allow their members to talk with immigration attorneys.
The Dream Resource Center
Lead Darcy Corwin helped organize the event and the entire Undocumented Student Action Week, which included bonding activities like painting murals as well as meeting with CARECEN legal advocates.
“It’s important because this week highlights that we want to make sure that our undocumented students here at Pierce College feel supported,” Corwin said. “ We want them to be aware of the areas that they can go to access a network of community resources, and just have a welcoming safe place to be.”
Ali Suliman kneels in front of Chloe Saponara and Trevor Bowens during “The Mousetrap” at the Performing Arts Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 15, 2024.
Abraham Elizalde / Roundup News
UndocuBrahma club member Alex Perez Garcia (left) watches on as fellow club member Alexander Rodriguez (center) hands out refreshments for the attendees of the club’s Yellow Rose film screening, held in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 17, 2024.
Moses Murga / Roundup News
Dream Resource Center hosts community mural activity
Media students win awards
A group of Pierce College journalism and photography students attended the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) conference on Saturday, Oct. 19, at CSUN. Pierce’s student publications won several awards, for both onthe-spot and mail-in contests. The following students won awards for their work with the Roundup and the Bull Magazine: Alfonso Vargas, Ashley Shellmire and Karla Delgado - honorable mention for social media
Ashley Shellmire - first place magazine photo
Ashley Shellmire and Benjamin Hanson - third place magazine photo story-essay, honorable mention magazine photo storyessay
Delilah Brumer - first place news writing, third place copy editing
Delilah Brumer and Raquel G. Frohlich - second place
infographic
Delilah Brumer and Violet Garcia - honorable mention profile feature story
Emil Rizkalla - second place feature photo
Jeanne Riether - second place magazine profile
Myraneli Fabian - third place photo story-essay; third place magazine photo
Roundup News staff - third place front page layout
Sadie Shields - honorable mention feature photo
Sara Wolf - honorable mention magazine profile
Violet Garcia - second place news writing
Copy by Raquel G. Frohlich.
Pierce College media arts students hold award certificates in Northridge, Calif., on Oct. 19, 2024.
Photo courtesy of Myraneli Fabian
Students works together making butterflies and writing messages on them during the Dream Resource Center Community Mural activity at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 14, 2024.
Karla Delgado / Roundup News
Psychology student Estephanie Paz draws on a butterfly during the Dream Resource Center Community Mural activity at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 14, 2024.
Karla Delgado / Roundup News
A student draws on a butterfly during the Dream Resource Center Community Mural activity at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 14, 2024.
Karla Delgado / Roundup News
October fun at the farm
A bird hitches a ride on a donkey’s back at the Pierce Farm on Oct 14, 2024 ,at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.
Angelina Guerrero / Roundup News
A group of mourning doves perch on a tree at the Pierce Farm on Oct. 14, 2024, at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calf.
Angelina Guerrero / Roundup News
Oct. 18, 2024.
Brahmas prevail 2-1
By Alfonso Vargas Reporter
The Pierce College men’s soccer team earned their third win of the season on DATE at Shepard Stadium against the Moorpark Raiders 2-1, with their overall record now being 3-7.
Forward Vic Cano scored the first goal for the Brahmas in the first half, assisted by forward Carlos Ruano.
Cano expressed his thoughts after his goal.
“It felt amazing to score, and finally put our team up 1-0, “ Cano said.
Cano added on the play leading up before scoring.
“Right before the goal, someone had crossed it in, and I got a reflection, and I had a chance to dribble past two players and then tuck it in the bottom right,” Cano said.
The first half ended with Pierce being up 1-0, with their defense limiting the Raiders to three goal attempts with no successful score.
The Moorpark Raiders came out strong with a goal of their own just 11 minutes into the second half.
Pierce answered back minutes later with a goal by forward Damian Lopez, assisted by Forward Diego Nava.
Lopez said it felt good to score and make up for his mistake
earlier in the game.
“It felt good because I feel like I was the reason that made the mistake, and then I helped my team bring them back,” Lopez said.
Head Coach Julio Castillo said they won this game because of the change in mindset and believes the men’s soccer team is better than what the score reflects.
“Changing our mindset, plain and simple, everybody thinks that we’re out already. Everybody believes that we suck that we’re no good, but I know that these boys are way better than what the score reflects,” Castillo said.
Pierce football loses to Glendale 54-20
The Pierce College football team lost their first conference game against the Glendale Vaqueros at Shepard Stadium on Oct. 19.
This puts the Brahmas at an even 3-3 record this season and down 0-1 to start the conference.
The Brahmas started the game off with a 7-0 lead with a 10-yard touchdown by quarterback Maqael Henderson and the successful kick by kicker Valentino Lara.
The Vaqueros answered back with a touchdown of their own, and the teams started going back and forth in scoring.
Glendale starts pulling away in the second half of play, with the Brahmas losing 54-20.
The Brahmas will be going against the Pasadena CIty Lancers on Oct. 26 for their second conference game.
Copy by Abraham Elizalde.
Damian Lopez (#11) jumps up to recieve the ball in the air during a game against Moorpark College at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on
Alfonso Vargas / Roundup News
Quarterback Maquael (Kell) Henderson (#9) stiff arms Kylan Mitchell-Cosey, defensive back for Glendale College, on Oct. 19, 2024, at Shepard Stadium at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.
Angelina Guerrero / Roundup News