Club 411: ASL Club Students sign together

Estefani Zamora Roundup Reporter

Silently speaking with the movement of their hands as their figures glide in an effortless transition from one word or phrase to another, the American Sign Language (ASL) club at Pierce College communicates as a group without speaking.

Although most people are used to the idea of verbally communicating with another the ASL club share how the visual language uses hand gestures, facial expressions and different body movements.

The ASL club takes part in communicating with others by providing awareness of deaf culture and history.

“We just want to promote the students learning sign language and communicating with people and learning more about deaf culture,” said president of ASL club Zoe Harmala.

“I want to get more people involved. More people aware. A lot of people don’t know about sign language, they don’t even know we have a club.”

Ultimately ASL’s goal is to increase awareness and gain support in order to grow and build a stronger community.

“In every campus not only in Pierce, deaf students are coming in and the percentage is growing higher and higher,” said ASL club member Cynthia Carrasco.

“I’m a strong supporter in the deaf community and I believe as a hearing ally attending the clubs, fundraisers and volunteering not only will it help me but also help me with helping out the deaf community,” she said.

Club President, Zoe Harmala is a ASL interpreting student and became president of the club this year at Pierce College.

She learned sign language years ago where she attended a deaf preschool where her teachers used sign.

Her passion for ASL continued as she progressed through high school expanding her knowledge with sign language.

There is no argument that the ASL club at Pierce benefits the students. It’s an opportunity to augment and be more aware about ASL due to the increase of deaf students in the community.

More students are now being assisted in college with interpreting programs as the club also provides a chance for all the deaf and hearing students to get together. “It brings together hearing and deaf people that can share a language and community,” said Vice President of ASL Sierra Bownan.

“You can kind of understand how amazing they see things. How different they see things, how their culture is different and not only that, they aren’t any different than we are so when they’re describing things or explaining things to us you can envision what’s going on,” Carrasco said.

The American Sign Language club has become significant in not only to those who are deaf or hard of hearing but the club helps students to become aware of their surroundings.

“Occasionally on the job you’ll meet someone that needs to use ASL instead of something else,” Bownan said.

“Even working with children, autistic children sometimes use ASL instead of English or any other spoken language. Sometimes children with special needs use it.”

The ASL club wishes to increase recognition of sign language and welcome everyone to join.

Meetings are held on Wednesday’s at the Village 8210 from 3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.

The ASL club has a Facebook page and anyone who is interested in learning more can send an email to the club president Zoe Harmala at zharmala@gmail.com.

Are maps nothing more than contour lines and earthly colors, or can they hold personal meaning and reveal how people feel about the places they visit and inhabit?

The Pierce College Art Department’s newest art show, “Shadows of the Grid”, seeks to transcend the definition of a map and reveal the relationships both students and artists form with Los Angeles County and the rest of the world.

“What is a map? We have a concept of a map, but we’re questioning who gets to define what a map is,” said Art Gallery Director Monika Del Bosque. “Maybe a map is not such a static thing.”

The show, which opened on Nov. 6 at the Pierce College Art Gallery, features several interactive exhibits as well as a collage of art and photos depicting different places in the world.

Arzu Arda Kosar, an artist who has created many pieces using maps as a motif, was invited by Del Bosque to collaborate with Pierce Exhibition Design students to put the gallery together. One of the exhibits, titled “Terra Incognita”, is an interactive piece that Kosar has shown in different iterations at several locations in the past, including East Los Angeles College.

“Terra Incognita” is part art piece, part sociological survey, according to Kosar. It consists of a large map of Los Angeles County

Robinson Roundup Reporter

Slanging Corea is quickly becoming a force in the food truck business not only in the San Fernando Valley, but throughout Los Angeles County.

However, Slanging Corea is more than just their delicious food. It’s their staff that also makes you keep coming back. The staff consists of four or more men who go out of their way to make sure their customers are taken care of. Their cooks are fast and on the task and they don’t make you wait too long obtain your meals.

mounted on a wall, and visitors are encouraged to place stickers on the map to denote places they have positive or negative feelings toward.

Green stickers are placed on areas the individual feels fondly about, red stickers indicate negative feelings about a location, and yellow stickers represent indifference.

“The work is supposed to evolve,” Kosar said. “The map has visitors find areas that they’re comfy with and places they would not want to go. At the end, you’ll have a sociological survey.”

“It’s almost like a study of how people from different geographical areas interact with the geography itself. I call it ‘psycho-geography,’” Kosar said.

In addition to “Terra Incognita,” “Shadows of the Grid” features two other interactive exhibits.

Meanwhile, their truck is emblazoned with the “Korean Fusion Food” description, but it would be wise that a customer actually takes a look at their menu and tries their food.

Slanging Corea knew what they were doing when they added “fusion” as one of their taglines, because they indeed fuse or blend American, Mexican, and of course Korean cuisines together.

If there is a dish on Slanging Corea’s menu that can set off a food addiction no matter what culture of food you’re used to, it has to be their Mondu vegetable dumplings. The tiny but delicious side dish is coated in a fried white outer layer that tastes just as good as the ingredients inside of it. These dumplings are light and crisp and it is extremely hard to eat just one of them. The dumplings cost $7 but you get ten of them.

Vanessa Arredondo Roundup Reporter

Dressed in a long black gown, Ji Young An mesmerized the audience with her passionate performance as the violin bow controlled and moved her body to every note she played at this week’s concert of the Thursday concert series.

An played five pieces assisted by pianist, and husband, Henry Shin. Together they played Winter from Le Quattro Stagioni, Sonata for piano and violin in e minor by Mozarat, Praeludium and Allegro by Kreisler, Meditation from Thaïs, and Czardas by Monti.

An has been performing as a part of the concert series for approximately four years. She performs once per semester every fall and spring.

Jim Bergman, professor of music appreciation, looks for a variety of people to perform these concerts, professional and student musicians. He was told about An by a violin

Another meal that can induce mouth salivation is their kimchi quesadillas. A customer gets five thick and juicy quesadillas for $9. The first element of this dish that greets you is the cheddar cheese, as that ingredient is spread side to side under a delicious tortilla.

The kimchi which is a mixture of fermented (a tedious food preservation method) vegetables is prominent in this dish. The kimchi gives the quesadillas a crunch and something other to taste than the dominant cheddar cheese ingredient. If there is a caveat with these quesadillas, it’s that they are very thick in cheddar cheese and look fattening. If you’re worried about your diet, then just order one or two. Customers seem to really like the burger that is served here. Near the middle of the truck there is a picture of the burger and it looks mouth watering but at the same greasy and fattening. But if you judge this burger by that picture you’re missing out.

-Jim Bergman Professor of Music Appreciation

professor at UCLA and she has been performing twice a year here ever since.

“She’s really good,” Bergman said. “She’s very sensitive. She has amazing musicality, technique and tone.”

Throughout the performance, An moved her body in a such a way almost giving a visual to the notes she played.

“I can’t help it,” An said. “My body just moves to how I feel. There are people who don’t move when they play but it doesn’t mean they aren’t feeling the music.”

This ongoing concert series has picked up some loyal followers who attend these concerts whenever possible.

“It’s an opportunity to experience different music,” Roberta Boyle, a regular attendant, said. “I like violin music. It’s always a treat to hear. I’ve seen her play twice now.”

The Thursday concert series continues next Thursday Nov. 13 at 12:45 p.m.