Pierce celebrates Asian culture with festival

Volunteers at the Overdue booth talked about bringing communities together by organizing daily trash pickups, beach and river cleanups and hiking events. Pierce student and Overdue volunteer DaphneTenne talked about the initiative and spoke about her experience at the festival.

“We basically get together, pick up some trash around the LA river, sometimes we go to the beach, sometimes we just go to different areas in town and clean up together and then have a beer afterward,” said Tenne. “I love the dancing and the music that’s going on. I had some dumplings and they were amazing.”

Many local businesses participated. Quest Martial Arts is a karate school with locations in Reseda and Canoga Park that offers children, teen and adult programs and promotes fitness and discipline for the mind and body. Former Pierce student and the manager of the Canoga Park location, Marielle Bautista, spoke about the importance of celebrating Asian culture and diversity in the valley.

Rocky Young Park was filled Saturday, May 7, with traditional Kathak dances and Katori Shinto Ryu Samurai performances as well as artists and a petting zoo. They were celebrating the 1st Valley Asian Cultural Festival during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The dancers came from the Leela Institute of Kathak, which connected audiences to the richness of classic Indian art. Attendees witnessed a display of power, precision and speed from Japanese martial artists.

Los Angeles City Councilmember for the 3rd Council District Bob Blumenfield was there to make a speech and present several awards to local members of the Asian-American community.

“I love seeing the creativity of the different communities and how they’re representing their cultures. Whether it's the puppet show, or the figurines, or the artwork, or the dancing. It’s just really nice,” Blumenfield said. “So many times we get together in politics for disagreement, and it’s nice to get together on a positive note like this where it's all about togetherness, love, diversity and learning.”

Local interest and activist groups were also in attendance.

“Diversity, in general, is very important. I think that’s what kind of makes California so beautiful, is that it's so diverse and gets a little bit of everybody and I think it’s always nice to be knowledgeable and learn and just appreciate one another,” Bautista said.

Pierce also had many booths and activities available to attendees. The Pierce College

Adraft opinion piece written by Judge Samuel Alito on May 2, 2022, stated that the Supreme Court of the United States planned to vote to overturn Roe v. Wade and strike down federally protected abortion rights.

The draft opinion, which is 98 pages long, consisted of Alito the 1973 decision guaranteeing federal constitutional protection if a woman requested an abortion.

“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” Alito wrote.

In response to the draft opinion being leaked, Planned Parenthood, UltraViolet, the Women’s March, and MoveOn launched a “Bans off our Bodies” day of action Saturday, May 14, with protests and marches that took place across the country.

At Saturday’s protest in downtown Los Angeles over at City Hall, about 50,000 people had attended, with notable speakers including Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Representatives Karen Bass and Maxine Waters (D-CA).

Planned Parenthood

Federation of America president and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson and actresses Ann Walter and Christine Lahti also spoke at the protest.

Interim president Ara Aguiar said she was not aware of anyone that spoke or represented Pierce College at the protest.

“I support everyone’s voice being heard in a safe manner,” Aguiar said. “And I think it’s an important and interesting time that we’re going through.”

Aguiar stated that she had grown up during this time and was aware of women's hardships which continue to be faced today.

Patricia Perez, a participant in the protest, donned a red gown that symbolized the dresses that the handmaids wear in “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

“This (dress) represents the dystopian future that is right before our eyes right now,” Perez said.

Perez stated that it was important for her to be at the protest because the protest was not only about choice, but it was also about women’s health.

Perez also gave her thoughts on what would happen if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned.

EDITORIAL: From the desk of the Roundup STREET BEAT