San Jose City College Times, Vol. 85, Issue 1, Jan 30, 2018

TheCityCollegeTimes

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018

The Voice of San Jose City College Students Since 1956

Jaguars prepare for season

volume85 Issue1

Back-to-school tips

BY KEVIN PRIM

TIMES STAFF

1

Sleep schedule — Adjusting your sleeping schedule will pay off in the long run. Sleep early and you will feel refreshed for the day without having break downs in the middle of the day.

2

School agenda — Getting an agenda will help you by giving you a daily plan. Make it a habit to write what you have to finish by the end of the day and it will keep you organized and you will not have to remember things from the top of your head.

Just pull out your agenda and easily remember what you have to do for the day with no hassle. This will also build organization skills for the future.

3

Plan accordingly — Plan homework, work, time to study and other plans to ensure you do not overlap your schedule. Do not deal with the stress of undergoing so many tasks all at once. Build a routine that will be easy to get through the day.

4

Adjust diet — Adjusting your diet can help with energy and moods throughout the day, creating a positive vibe and have you feeling great!

Remember fast foods can make you feel sluggish.

5

Course syllabus — Throughout the semester you should keep your syllabus with you.

A syllabus is your best reference point to your teachers and class expectations.

PHOTOS BY MELISSA MARIA MARTINEZ/TIMES STAFF

San Jose City College women’s basketball player Sarah Scott (No. 33) practices layups for upcoming season Dec. 14, 2017.

Judging individual character

BY REGINALD L WEBB

Let’s be mindful of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday as we transition into Black History month.

The most valuable lesson by King’s famous “I have a Dream Speech” is his hope that one day Americans would judge an individual by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.

While we claim to agree, do we actually recognize when we fail in this aim?

In February, let us focus on living up to it. Many might discover that it is a challenge to meet.

For example, the other day I was in line to purchase my merchandise and a black man who had left his backpack at the front counter before browsing the store, was told by the cashier he had to

wait to retrieve it.

He waited about 10 feet away from myself and a Vietnamese woman who was in front of me.

As she paid the cashier, her body language and her glare toward him with fear, apprehension and contemptuous suspicion were obvious.

He responded by shaking his head as if saying, “Here we go again.”

His disappointment was quickly replaced with a retaliatory look of scorn.

I thought to myself, how rude and offensive for her to outwardly greet him in such a way.

He was waiting for his backpack, not to steal her money.

This was the whole of their interaction. No resolution, no correction.

Without consequence, resolution or reflection, the behavior becomes pat-

Write down important dates — Keeping important dates in your agenda, such as the last day to drop without a W or the day your research paper is due, keeps you on your toes and creates easy reminders throughout the semester so those dates don’t sneak up on you.

7

Becoming the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King TIMES STAFF

6

Opinion terned.

These biases become both explicit, implicit.

Imagine how often scenarios like these take place.

This is an appropriate time to be mindful and honest about the difficulty to uphold this standard.

Remember King’s words: “Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man’s sense of value and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.”

Get involved — Being involved with your school community is great because it can help you pursue your interest and meet others who also have similar interests as you do. This can also help relieve stress from the day because you are investing your time with something you are passionate about.

8

List goals — write down your goals for the future and semester. Stating your goals for the semester are to get an A in all your classes if the first step toward making it happen. This will keep you motivated to achieve success.

9

Identify the type of learner you are — When you are able to determine the type of learning style that best suites you, you will find better results and higher grades.

10

Don’t procrastinate — Do not slack off. Always try to do your work two days ahead of time, that way you will have more time to get involved in the community and have fun enjoying your own college life with little stress and much to gain.

I am ...

Black History books

Page 4

Campus map

Page 8

Insight on social issues

Page 6

2 Opinion

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018

The problem with mansplaining One woman’s perspective

BY MELISSA MARIA MARTINEZ TIMES STAFF

Conceding leadership When students decided to charter a student organization called The Law Society, women outnumbered men in the group and yet one male member decided he would be president. When I objected, stressing the need for female leadership, the members agreed to vote.

One young mother ran against a young father and the two agreed to give a speech, so members could vote on who they believed was the best candidate.

The young man’s speech was highly underwhelming, much like the Sheryl Sandberg’s (author of “Lean In”) impression of a man who was asked how they have achieved success. “I’m awesome.”

When he was finished with his speech, the young lady withdrew her name from the race and another young lady was happy to take on the position as club secretary.

In my experience, when an opportunity is presented, women who are more qualified concede the leadership

position to a man, therefore when women see themselves as a leader, it’s appropriate to encourage her, rather than question her.

During a meeting of the Associated Student Government, two women explained why they should be appointed to vice president.

One woman said she believed in fairness above equality.

She said sometimes equality doesn’t always mean justice, but fairness allows for more time to be spent on an individual who may require it. It was eloquent and honest but suddenly one male member of the board asked her to expand on this, which she did. When she was finished, he offered her some advice.

Being the loud mouth that I am I said to myself, “Stop the mansplaining.”

What is mansplaining?

“All my life men would explain things to me that they didn’t necessarily know better than I did and at times I knew much better than they did, but there was this assumption that because of gender they were somehow more knowledgeable, and I was in need of an injection of their knowledge, wisdom, insight,” Author of “Men Explain Things to Me,” Rebecca Solnit said during an

Campus Events

Spring 2018 At-A-Glance Jan. 29: Spring semester begins Feb. 11: Last day to Add/Drop Feb. 16-19: Campus closed for President’s Day Feb. 23: Last day request Pass/No Pass grade March 16: Graduation/Certificate petitions due March 16 - April 1: No classes held (Spring Break) April 1: April Fool’s Day April 13: Professional Development Day (No classes) April 26: Last day to drop with a W May 18: English final exams May 25: End of spring semester May 26: Commencement June 5: Calif. Primary Election June 7: Spring semester grades available on MyWeb June 30: FAFSA 2017-2018 deadline

Student Government and Shared Governance Associated Student Government: Wednesdays, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. in SC-204 Academic Senate: first and third Tuesdays of the month, 2:10 p.m. in SC-204 District Board: second Tuesdays of the month, 6 p.m. at District Office Visit http://sjcctimes.com to see more events, updated weekly.

Sports

*Starred are Home Games

Women’s Basketball 1/31 Las Positas – 5 p.m.

2/2 College of San Francisco – 7 p.m.* 2/7 Ohlone – 7 p.m.* 2/9 Skyline – 5 p.m.

2/14 College of San Mateo – 5 p.m.

Men’s Basketball 1/31 Cabrillo – 7 p.m.* 2/2 Hartnell – 7 p.m.

2/7 De Anza – 7 p.m.

2/9 West Valley – 7 p.m.* 2/16 Gavilan – 5 p.m.

Softball 2/3 Folsom & Merced – 1 p.m./3 p.m.

2/8 Delta – 3 p.m.

2/9 Siskiyous & Santa Rosa – 10 a.m./2 p.m.* 2/13 Cosumnes River – 12 p.m./2 p.m.

2/15 Sierra College – 3 p.m.* 2/17 Diablo Valley – 11 a.m./1 p.m.* 2/20 Modesto – 3 p.m.

interview on Democracy Now. Solnit said conversational bullying occurs when men assume the right to talk over you, to not listen to you, to tell you how it’s going to be, to explain reality. This micro aggression silences women, depriving them of their power.

Why does it matter?

Silencing women is a slippery slope. It’s the kind of behavior that leads to abuse on all levels; from gender pay inequality to domestic violence to sexual assault.

The challenge There is a saying that goes, “teach a man teach an individual, teach a woman teach a village.” This is because women share knowledge and their successes.

It’s time to give more women the opportunity to succeed.

One of my favorite authors Charlotte Perkins Gillman said, “In a sick society women who have difficulty fitting in are not ill but demonstrating a healthy and positive response.”

This is my challenge to everyone: Demonstrate a healthy, positive response by being the woman or man who speaks up when everyone else is quiet. Don’t sit there while a man or men tell a woman how it’s going to be.

Letter to the Editor:

Weed reeks!

Dear Editor,

Something must be done about the marijuana smokers on campus. And it must be done right away.

That smell.

It’s everywhere. I can’t stand it. I’m not coming back next semester.

I’m finished with Blunt College.

I go to classes every day and endure that smell every single day.

So many guys come to class reeking of the stuff.

It’s on their clothes, on their breath. They open a backpack and you can almost see the fumes of smoke coming out.

It stinks. This situation stinks.

What if I decided to never shower again?

I’d stink real bad. You want to sit beside me?

Would you complain if you had to sit beside my stinky butt every day?

Of course you would.

Nobody should be forced to put up someone’s

body odor over and over every day. It’s the same thing with these stinky stoners.

Also, what the heck is wrong with you, Mr. Stinky Stoner? You smoke daily, your judgment is so impaired you can’t see how it is holding you back. No one can tell you either.

You think it’s great, don’t see any problem with it at all other than it takes your money. You will just have to learn the hard way. One day you’ll figure it out. Until then, you’re just another stinky loser.

I can’t wait for this semester to end.

Goodbye, smelly boys.

- Martin Lopes Send a “Letter to the Editor” to citycollegetimes@ jaguars.sjcc.edu, on any story, or other community issue, and your thoughts may be published.

This newspaper issue is produced by the fall semester students in December 2017.

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018

Campus News 3

7 steps to get financially fit Here are seven money moves to make before the clock hits midnight that will start your year on the right foot.

1

Declutter and sell: Have an aunt that gives you an ugly sweater every holiday?

Consider selling your unwanted clothes, gift cards, electronics and the like, online. Sites such as Raise, thredUP and Ebay are great places to sell your unwanted items and earn extra cash.

Start investing: Investing doesn’t have to be scary. And you can start small (such as taking the extra cash you earned from selling your unwanted items!).

The easiest way to start investing is to make sure you are enrolled in your employers’ retirement savings plan. You can also use apps such as Stash, Robinhood or Acorns to begin.

Check your credit report: Planning on making any big purchases in 2018?

Your credit report contains information about the status of your credit accounts and your bill-paying history. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends checking your report at least once a year, and check again before applying for loans for big purchases such as cars or a home. Keep in mind that if your credit is frozen, you can anticipate a $20-$30 charge to unfreeze your credit so a report can be run.

Make a plan to ditch your debt: Evaluate all the different loans and any credit card debt that you’ve accrued and consider combining them into a single loan with one easy payment. A loan with LendingClub transfers all your different debts into one place, and with a much lower interest rate.

“Managing one payment is a lot easier,” says Alia Dudum, consumer debt expert for LendingClub.

“With lower interest rates on your debt through loan consolidation, you’re setting 2018 up as your best year yet.”

Create a budget: Ah, the dreaded “B” word. To avoid taking on even more debt in 2018, make a budget to plan your spending. Think about your net income, allocate 10 percent of your paycheck to your savings, itemize necessary expenses, and then you an use what’s leftover for vacations, shopping and eating out.

Take a money minute: Get into the habit of scheduling time to look at your spending and checking in on your financial goals. Put an alert on your calendar to check it once a week. You should also make this a family affair by scheduling meetings with your spouse, parents and children to talk about your financial status and your financial goals.

Reward yourself: If your downfall is spending and racking up credit card debt, for example, allocate a small amount of money to treat yourself to something small once you have reached a specific financial goal, such as paying off that one credit card, not eating out every day, or sticking to your budget.

2 PHOTO BY KEVIN PRIM/ TIMES STAFF

Sheng li and Ivete Camila read The City College Times and talk about their experience with the paper, Dec. 12, in front of the Technology Center.

Students judge The Times

BY KEVIN PRIM TIMES STAFF

The San Jose City College Times is run by students on campus, investigating and writing stories that relate to the school through print and online media.

Students work in an environment different from what they are used to, one that resembles a professional job in journalism.

Page creating decisions, from which story is best story to use to which format and which pictures, are made by the students themselves; learning through every piece of work they produce.

Last semester The Times asked students to offer their thoughts about the City College Times because the Times staff was interested to learn how we could improve our weak points and make plans for the future.

Some students said the paper was really great on identifying problems.

“Some of the stories this semester brought more light into the school,”

communication major Rachel Pinal said.

Some students said they did not know the college had a school paper or they did not know where to get them.

“I didn’t know about the paper until you told me about it,” said Ivete Camila.

Overall, take away from students feedback was that students were uninformed about the paper.

It’s a balance but we hope future students address by getting more involved with the paper; informing others about what is going on at San Jose City College.

The City College Times did its best to cover the college and anything related.

Remember we are students with busy schedules, but we need to learn to take the time to adjust and adapt to any new situation that comes toward us, taking it and learning from our mistakes and seeking improvement.

3 4 5 6

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LendingClub is a smarter way to take your debt head-on in 2018. For more ideas on how to make 2018 a prosperous year, visit www.lendingclub.com to connect with experts who can help.

Source: NewsUSA

NEXT NEWSPAPER: FEB. 20 EMAIL US: CITYCOLLEGETIMES@JAGUARS.SJCC.EDU CHECK US OUT ONLINE: SJCCTIMES.COM

4 Campus Life

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018

Flavorful beverages to warm you up this winter TIMES STAFF

isn’t a watery cocoa it’s a full dessert that you just happen to sip from a cup.

Add a touch of flavor to this winter with some highly rated hot drink recipes!

A dash of cayenne pepper makes the drink extra-warming without being overtly spicy.

BY RUDRIK SUTHAR

Backed by experts in the art of designing cocoa and coffee, the following recipes will be sure to sweeten your day and compliment the cold weather.

Each drink will take between 5 and 10 minutes to prepare.

Feel free to experiment and chef up your own versions of these drinks - spread the love!

Without further ado, here is the list: 1. Vanilla bean hot chocolate, 2. Double hot drinking chocolate, 3. Coconut tres leches hot chocolate, 4. Chocolate chai tea, 5. Spiced orange mocha.

Vanilla bean infused in hot chocolate is just what you need to fulfill your cravings this season.

Jill Prescott of Wisconsin’s former Ecole de Cuisine cooking school created this heavenly take on hot chocolate. In the process of preparing this drink, be sure to submerge bean pods (vanilla) in the mixture of hot water and milk. Chill for some time.

After it is sufficiently cold, remove and squeeze all the milk from the bean pods into mixture, and discard the pods.

Proceed to mix ingredients and prepare Next on the highest rated list of hot drinks is the double hot drinking chocolate. This

During your prep, make sure to stir the mixture until it is bubbly and creamy to create the creamy texture.

Don’t forget the whipped cream!

You can nearly taste this one by looking at it - the coconut tres leches hot chocolate.

It’s different. A combination of coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk and fat-free milk puts a fresh spin on classic hot chocolate. It has a quick and straightforward preparation process, perfect for an exquisite drink on the go.

Chai anyone?

A touch of chocolate can alter your taste for the classic afternoon delight. This chai tea is spicy, chocolatey and just a little thick.

Although a longer prep time, you don’t want to miss out on this genius, unconventional hot drink. When was the last time you saw “chocolate” and “chai” together?

Last on our list is proudly the spiced orange mocha. What’s a great drink without a taste of citrus? Blend coffee, cocoa powder, orange, and spices to create this mellow brew. Squeeze a few drops of orange into your drink, feel free to attach one to the rim if you’re enthusiastic enough. Stir well.

I hope you enjoy these clever recipes, share with your friends and design your own as well!

Vanilla Bean Hot Chocolate

Coconut Hot Chocolate

4 cups whole milk 2 cups whipping cream or heavy cream 2 4 - 6 - inch vanilla beans 14 ounces bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped Sugar (optional) Whipped cream

3 cups fat-free milk 1 14 - ounce can unsweetened coconut milk 1/2 14 - ounce can sweetened condensed milk (2/3 cup) 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Sweetened whipped cream (optional) 1/4 cup chocolate shavings (optional)

10 Servings

Double Hot Chocolate 6 Servings

1 1/2 cups whole milk 1 cup whipping cream 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar 2 3x1-inch strips orange peel 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Unsweetened whipped cream

NEXT NEWSPAPER: FEB. 20

5 servings

Spiced Orange Mocha 6 servings

1 medium orange 7 whole cloves 2 cups water 2 cups milk 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals 2 inches stick cinnamon

Photo Credit / www.midwestliving.com A quintet of drinks to try: vanilla (top left), coconut (bottom left), chocolate (top right), orange (bottom right) and chai (middle).

Chocolate Chai Tea

8 servings 2 cups water 4 teaspoons premium loose Assam black tea or 4 black tea bags 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened European-style (Dutch processed) cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder 8 cups milk 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 teaspoon almond, orange, mint, or raspberry extract Whipped cream Ground nutmeg

Top three books to read this Black History Month

BY TAMMY DO

TIMES STAFF

1. Passing by Nella Larsen (1928)

Larsen drew upon her experiences in the Harlem Renaissance to write “Passing,” a more relevant exploration of slippery identity in 1920s New York and the American Dream than “The Great Gatsby.”

2. At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance — A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power by McGuire, Danielle L.

McGuire busts the myth of “little old lady” Rosa Parks, and tells the story of how a movement against the rape of colored women was instrumental to the Civil Rights Revolution.

3. Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, R. Gregory Christie (Illu.)

This chlidren’s book tells the story of Lone Ranger inspiration Bass Reeves, who was born in slavery and captured 3000 felons in his career — including his own son — in eye-catching color.

Left: “Passing” by Nella Larsen Right: “Bad News for Outlaws”

Have a recipe you want to share?

Email it to us, and it may be featured in a future issue.

EMAIL US: CITYCOLLEGETIMES@JAGUARS.SJCC.EDU

CHECK US OUT ONLINE: SJCCTIMES.COM

6 Feature

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018

I am ...

We asked students to bring new insight into what they thought were the important social issues of our time, through the lens of their identities and life experiences — and to answer the ultimate question: Who are you?

... injera

Defining myself through tradition

BY SALIHA NASIR I will never know exactly who I am because the words don’t exactly come to mind. Injera describes me the most; a traditional Ethiopian dish my mom made growing up.

Injera is complicated to explain; just like me. It’s a soft flatbread that is served with fresh toppings such as meat, vegetables, and cheese.

The toppings can be sweet, savory, and a mix of different tastes.

Injera is who I am, symbolically, of course, and the toppings are my characteristics. I can be nice, mature, and intelligent, but I can

also be the complete opposite.

When making injera, it’s hard to know how it will turn out; just like how I will never know who I will turn out to be.

I was born in America and my parents are from Ethiopia, a country located in East Africa. People constantly ask me where I am from, and when I say Ethiopia, no one believes me. People say I have Asian, Arab, or black features. I am from America and have African parents, but people don’t consider me to be black because my parents speak their language and have brought their culture with them.

When I was younger, I felt out of place when people from my parents country were surprised that I’m Ethiopian too. For a while, I was thinking about taking a DNA test.

That thought sat in my mind for a while. I wanted to know if I really was a descendant of Arabs and Asians just like everyone thought I was. I felt like I didn’t really know myself. I am an African American despite what others say, despite my light brown skin, despite the fact that I am a Muslim woman and I wear a hijab.

I get it. I have lighter skin and smaller eyes than most Ethiopians, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t belong.

I may never know what countries my ancestors are truly from, but when I eat Injera with my family, I am reminded of who I really am.

Everyone’s preconceptions about me slowly slip out of my head with each bite.

... the perfect body Fighting the battle of words against self-image

BY DANIELLE KILGORE Memories that leave the deepest scars, sadly enough, are the most easily recalled. My mother’s boyfriend nicknamed me “thunder thighs” when I was about thirteen years old. My self-esteem had not even taken hold yet.

Whoever said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” obviously wasn’t a girl barely hitting puberty with a nickname like “thunder thighs.”

Until I became an adult these words shaped my self-image and the critical view I had of my body. My confidence had been robbed before I even left my home. I am sure of this: words hurt.

Without self confidence, women are vulnerable. I met Erin, a young Brooklyn native with a major attitude problem, in 2010. I could never quite pinpoint whether it was pity or empathy that drew me to her. I could see that underneath that hard New York accent and leather jacket was a vulnerable, unsure woman begging for acceptance. Perhaps (gulp), in Erin, was a little bit of myself. At 100lbs, half of her hair had fallen out, she no longer had a period and her esophagus was eroding due to years of self-induced vomiting. I looked at

Erin and saw a rib cage and bulging tailbone. She looked in the mirror and saw fat. Her self-image was so distorted that she could not take care of her only precious body.

It is the norm to stand in line at the local grocery store only to see flawless, oily abs and perfectly round breasts on the cover of every magazine, reminding us of the losing battle for self-acceptance. One of the most daunting challenges of parenting is that we can only filter so much of what our young, impressionable daughters will see. I will constantly be in competition with the media, the opinions of peers, and the thoughtless words that relentlessly mold my daughter Grace’s view of herself.

Never in my wildest dreams did I picture standing in desperation, in the dressing room of Story Road Walmart, witnessing my nine-yearold daughter in hysterics because she is “so fat,” and the pants designed for a twelve-year-old won’t fasten around her innocent waist. This was a sobering, crushing moment as a mother. Suddenly, every negative or derogatory comment I had ever made about my own body came like a flood into my memory. On that day, I learned that it’s not just what we say to our daughters but that what we say

NEXT NEWSPAPER: FEB. 20

PHOTO BY TAMMY DO / TIMES STAFF

Danielle Kilgore is adjusting to being in school again and majoring in language arts about ourselves that influences their perception.

As a new generation of young women arise, the responsibility on those of us who have been here a few more years, is more important than ever.

We must accept and embrace our bodies, just as we are. Younger women will have to fight this battle, as every woman does, but how we equip them determines whether or not they will pick up their swords in self defense or fall prey to the “status quo.”

EMAIL US: CITYCOLLEGETIMES@JAGUARS.SJCC.EDU

PHOTO BY TAMMY DO / TIMES STAFF

After three years in the United States, Chin Chiu has overcome her initial cultural shock.

... my own kind of

American girl

BY CHIN CHIU

In my mind, to be American is to have a long blonde hair, a tall body and wear fancy clothes. That is the symbol of the American girl that I want to become.

But in reality, I know I don’t have those things, not, like in the movies.

America is a dreamland for a Vietnamese girl like me. Back in Vietnam, my teacher used to tell me, “Nhập gia phải tùy tục” It means I should understand the tradition of a house, before I enter that house. I was not prepared for the American experience.

I still remember the embarrassment that happened to me on my first day of school. In Vietnam, I had to wear a uniform every day; it was only black and white. So, I didn’t know what to wear to my new American school. I showed up with a big white skirt, a black jean and a ponytail. I had never hated myself more than when everyone looked at me and gave a big laugh.

My English was still limited so I wasn’t able to understand fully what they told me. Now I know what the word “nerd” means. It was the first word that stabbed me like a knife. I learned three lessons on that first day of school: 1) a costume does matter to people; 2) black jeans and a white skirt do not look nice on me; 3) to join with the school community, I would have to act like them.

Sometimes I wished I could dress up like my friends in high school, talk like them, and eat the way they eat. I wanted to act like an American. But my mom, in the way of the Vietnamese parent, wanted me to dress up as an Asian girl, both classic and pure.

She disliked when I spent too much time and money on fashionable clothes and makeup products.

For my mom, true beauty comes from our natural beauty, because we can’t change who we are. But I disagreed with her. A fancy costume could tell people about our family circumstances.

Looking back over the past three years, I cannot even recognize myself. I have changed myself to become a new person in the hope people would respect me as American. But now I am tired of waiting for somebody to tell me who am I. Maybe my mom was right — if I could see inside myself, carefully, I’d see I am beautiful.

My story has just begun. I cannot waste more time to figure out “who am I.” I should be the one who judge myself, and I don’t need have blonde hair or blue eyes to become an American. Now when I wake up, I’m no longer ashamed of my hair, my black eyes.

When I look in the mirror, it’s never been so beautiful like this before. I proud to say, “I am American girl.”

I’m beautiful in the way that I choose to be.

CHECK US OUT ONLINE: SJCCTIMES.COM

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018

... la Frontera Crossing more than one border

BY VALERY ARZATE I perfectly remember every detail of the night I crossed the border, even though I was five years old.

It was five in the morning when my middle sister woke me up and told me it was time to go; I had no idea what was going on, and I didn’t bother to ask. I remember that my older sister didn’t want to go, but she also didn’t want to make it harder for my mother. A few hours later, we were on our way to the airport. My mom never really told us much, just that it was time to see dad, and I was happy.

When we arrived at Tijuana, we stayed at a horrible low-class hotel. The room was so old and dirty. The bed had no base, so the mattress was on the floor; and the wallpaper was peeling. We waited two days, then , it was time to get closer to the border.

We met up with two guys who would help us cross the border; in Mexico, we call them “los coyotes.” My mom was nervous because she didn’t know them, and my sisters were terrified. We walked to a gas station near the motel, and an old rusty car picked us up. It took us to a shack near the border, where we waited for several hours until the sun went down. Then “los coyotes” took us to an abandoned mobile home — if I said the motel was the most horrible place I have even been to, I lied.

It was cold and foggy, and it was hard to see if the border patrols were around. But the coyotes knew what they were doing; we had no choice but to trust them.

Suddenly, a black shadow appeared in

Daijunay Turner is studying chemistry.

the fog. Everyone was in shock; nobody moved at all. I felt like a statue. The man who had appeared came toward us silently; he began talking to the coyote, but it was impossible to hear them. In that moment, my mom hugged me and my sisters and told us to pretend we were deaf; until this day I still don’t know why, and I don’t want to ask.

The stranger took our backpacks with all our stuff, even my little pink shoes sent by my dad from America. The coyote explained that the man would have called the border patrol, so we had no other option. I was glad that my mom placed all our money in her sock.

Several hours passed, and one of the coyotes came running, breathing so heavily that he could hardly talk. He told the other coyote that the border patrol had left, so that meant it was time to run, and we did.

I was five years old and wasn’t fast enough to keep up with them, so one of the coyotes had to carry me across a small river.

We came to a high fence with a hole in the corner that we had to climb through to meet up with coyotes on the American side. My mom passed first, then my sisters, then it was my turn. When I crossed the border, my mom and sisters were gone.

I was nervous and scared, but I knew I couldn’t cry.

A coyote who I hadn’t seen before took me inside a car and drove away. I was in shock. I really thought I would never see my mother again. But the coyote stopped the car, made a phone call, and he said: “Here, it’s your mother.”

My mom answered, crying asking me if I was out of danger. I wish I could have told her to stop crying and to calm down, but I didn’t have the words.

We arrived to the hotel, and when I saw my sisters and my mother, I felt relieved.

PHOTO BY TAMMY DO / TIMES STAFF

... black and beautiful

BY DAIJUNAY TURNER I am a beautiful, brown-skinned, 5’9 young lady with thick thighs and a small waist, brown thick curly hair, a welcoming contagious smile and brown eyes that look for a bright future. People always ask me where I am from, as if I don’t belong here.

I say I was born in San Jose and lived here my whole life, but without hesitation, I add my racial background, “I am Puerto

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Rican, Native American and Black.” In a society that alienates people based on race, these two questions go together.

With race now being the main topic of discussion, their reaction usually is, “Wow! That’s exotic.” and, “Such a beautiful mix!”

Yes, compliments are nice to hear, but am I only beautiful to them because society has decided that being mixed is “in” and that a little bit of black is beautiful?

People don’t know what to say about my

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We were all safe.

The next day, the coyote spoke the words that gave my mother a small, soft smile.

She turned around and told us it was finally time to see dad. Somebody knocked on the hotel door, the coyotes opened the door without any hesitation. It was my dad.

My sisters and I ran to him and hugged him. I couldn’t believe I had my family all together again.

I have experienced a lot of struggles in my life, but it can’t be compared to the day I crossed the border.

This is unacceptable! I can’t believe people who want to improve their lives have to go through all of this, while some people that have the chance and the benefits to have a good life take it for granted. I don’t think wanting a better life is illegal. We don’t come to steal jobs, we don’t come to make problems; all we have is hope and the desire to work hard. Since I was 13, my sisters and I have protested in the Bay Area, and I constantly talk to my peers about immigration reform. But years have passed by, and my frustration increases; all we want is to feel free in this “free country.”

I recently asked my father to tell me why he brought us to this country. I hoped he didn’t have a good reason, so I could argue with him over how “our president” took DACA away. Fortunately he did have two very good reasons. One was that he wanted his family together and safe. We weren’t safe back in Mexico, he explained. A Mexican cartel was looking for us because when my dad was a Marine, he arrested one of the drug dealers from the cartel.

The second reason was that he knew that my sisters and I would be able to continue with our education and to build careers.

Back home in Mexico, many young women don’t complete an education; they have to dropout of school to work. The life of an immigrant is hard, but we are all still here working hard for our goals. It’s not about the “American Dream” — we don’t dream about a good life; we take actions and risks to make a better life in this country.

beauty. They say I’m exotic, meaning I’m unrecognizable, that I don’t belong in their society.

The term exotic originates from French people in the 1590s and English people in the 1620s, who used it to describe the outlandish and the alien. Calling humans “exotic” is disrespectful because the term described animals from places lacking civilization from the European perspective.

I’m not a woman: beautiful, pretty, stunning. I’m exotic. Their subtle racism frustrates and saddens me because I have had the hardest time feeling comfortable in my own skin, feeling like I don’t belong.

Wanting to be accepted in different environments and being black, while growing up with a Latin and Native American mom, I questioned which race to identify myself as to others. It seemed as though my mom would never understand my feelings. She just continued to tell me I was beautiful and loved.

Yet she also would say that my hair was too big and that I could never get braids because, “They are dirty.” Even my mom wanted me to fit into society instead of wanting to show off what a beautiful daughter she made. I didn’t see how hair could change people’s perception of me before even getting to know me.

I didn’t feel comfortable at school because all my friends had fair skin and straight hair, and I didn’t have any of that, nor would I ever. At school, people would ask me where I was from but I would never reveal my entire ethnic background because I didn’t know how they would react to me saying I was black. I masked myself from everyone at school and at home because I didn’t think that being

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PHOTO BY TAMMY DO / TIMES STAFF

When she isn’t participating in protests, Valery Arzate is studying psychology.

I don’t know how many people cross the border each year, or the many ways they cross it. But I have heard many stories of people getting killed or raped during the process. We were lucky crossing the border.

I will always be thankful for the decision my parents made to come to the United States. Coming to this country absolutely did change my life, and it’s changing my future.

However, my parents brought us to this country knowing we would need to hide all the time to not get deported, but they didn’t know they would have to watch out for people wanting to make life impossible for us as immigrants.

I still ask myself if I would be safer in any other place in the world, and if I could, I would definitely move there because I would love to have peace around me.

This country is always at war with other different countries, but it seems like now this country is at war with itself.

black was acceptable. I didn’t think I would be loved.

In taking a look in the mirror and seeing the person I truly am and not what society wants to see, I can answer the question, “Where are you from?” proudly, with no hesitation because I don’t have to mask myself anymore. I have a newfound strength and confidence. And if people don’t want to accept me for who I am, it is their loss, not mine.

I love myself even more everyday because I am a beautiful creation, trying to shed light in a world that needs to learn the true meaning of beautiful.

A fighter? A lover?

A parent? A child?

A geek, an animal lover,

a scientist?

Whoever you are, we’d love to hear about it.

Please send your answers to

citycollegetimes@jaguars. sjcc.edu with “Who I Am” in the subject line.

Your reply may be printed in a future issue.

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Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018

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