San Jose City College Times, Vol 93, Issue 2, Dec. 15, 2022

P r o d u c e d a n d E d i t e d b y S t u d e n t s

United voices and action

Faculty and state representatives alike advocate for adjunct faculty healthcare

BY JASON TORRES IRAHETA AND MADISON WILBER TIMES STAFF

State leaders, labor organizations and college faculty met together to rally for Campus Equity Week at Mission Community College on Thursday, Oct. 27.

Together they championed equal health care benefits for parttime educators as well as full-time faculty.

Members of the California Federation of Teachers, which represents over 120,000 educational employees, spoke about their decrease in morale over the past year.

“Over 60 perscent of our mem-

bers said they felt like leaving education in the last year,” President of CFT Jeff Freitas said.

Throughout the event, protesters held signs reading slogans such as, “Part-Time Faculty equals Full-Time Human,” and “Faculty Wellness equals Student Success.”

This was also reinforced by Freitas who said, “That is what this is about, it’s providing for the students, being able to be here on campus in a healthy situation.”

Campus Equity Week, which was held this year from Oct. 2428, brought attention to the poor

conditions professors and educators deal with in their careers.

While protesters spoke about how inequality exists on every level, the rally focused particularly on the disparity of healthcare between part-time and full-time faculty. Governor Gavin Newsom approved a $200 million yearly budget through Proposition 98 for healthcare for part-time faculty, on June 27.

Faculty members stepped forward to share their experiences of the obstacles they have faced without healthcare.

“I myself was an adjunct, I was working as part-time faculty at UC Berkeley. I actually was being shoveled on and off health insurance and there was actually a time, because I would commute by bike to campus, I was hit by a car,” Marianne Kaletzky, an ex-

ecutive secretary for the American Federation of Teachers said.

“In the moment that it happened I wasn’t that hurt but I thought, ‘Maybe I should go to a doc-

tor?,’ but then I thought, ‘I

Coffee, donuts and deans

BY LAUREN TAYLOR AND PO CHIANG

The deans of San Jose City College celebrated the spring semester’s registration period beginning with “Coffee and Donuts with the Deans” on Nov. 16 in the Cosmetology Quad, where students enjoyed a snack break with their peers and deans from different departments.

“The event is an opportunity to socialize,” explained Yessica Ceda, a cosmetology major.

The deans and departments present were Business and Workforce Development, Counseling, Humanities, Social Sciences,

Arts, Kinesiology and Athletics, Language Arts, Math, Science and Engineering.

“We started this as part of ROAR week because we wanted to do something for the students,” Associate Dean for Career and Tech Education Pamila Yang said.“Many times, the deans are cooped up in their offices dealing with paperwork, so this is just a way to give back to our students, staff and faculty.”

TIMES STAFF

Dedrick Griffin is an english composition and critical thinking professor at San Jose City College, who graduated from Middlebury College. Recently, along with other educators from different parts of the United States and Ghana, Griffin participated in the “All African Diaspora Education Summit” that occurred Sept. 19-24. The conference’s focus was to bring educators from around the globe to discuss implementing a more Afrocentric curriculum. After Griffin’s return, he had some reflections on the criticality of the summit’s purpose, “The reason this is important is

Dedrick Griffin pictured with one of the locals from Cape Coast, Ghana.

until I got to graduate school, so if you can imagine it’s not everyone’s experience but it’s most of our experence.”

don’t know how much it’ll cost,’ because at that time I wasn’t on the university health coverage.”

The Voice of San JoSe ciTy college Since 1956 fall 2022 eDiTion

San Jose-Evergreen Community College District Trustee Tony Alexander talks about his plan to help institute healthcare for adjunt faculty on Oct. 27.

PHOTO BY JASON TORRES IRAHETA / TIMES STAFF

PHOTO BY DEDRICK GRIFFIN / CONTRIBUTOR

PHOTO BY LAUREN TAYLOR / TIMES STAFF

Dedrick Griffin: An Unforgettable Journey Professor participates in “All African Diaspora Education Summit” to find solutions on how educators can incorporate more Afrocentric material

TIMES STAFF

Are student and faculty complaints taken seriously? Are our problems handled in a timely manner?

BY CHRISTINE JOSEY TIMES STAFF

Students at San Jose City College who experience conflict with another student or a faculty member should know that there are options for resolution. Students may get into a situation with a staff member or student and none of us are guaranteed to have the situation resolved in the way we would want. For example, as a freshman student I myself have already had a problem with a staff member and I feel it was a situation that no one would want to go through.

“I believe complaints should be filed on a staff member or student, especially when the individual is not being professional,”said 18-year-old freshman Justice White.

I spoke to SJCC Articulation Specialist Julinda LeDee, who has worked in the Counseling Depart-

ment for 22 years. She shared her thoughts on whether on-campus complaints in general were taken seriously and said, “Going by hearsay, some individuals have mixed feelings and that people believe that some people don’t have their own complaints dealt with seriously, especially if harassment is involved just because of the possible legal issues.”

I believe that it is important to take all matters at San Jose City College between fellow staff and students here seriously, and that most complaints could be dealt with in a matter of days after you report it in writing. If you ever have a terrible experience with someone else on campus you would need to file a report through the school’s website. At this point in the complaint process, Director of Student Development and activities, Blake Balajadia, would meet with you and go over partic-

ular details of your specific case. If for some reason the parties involved are not satisfied with the final resolution of your reported complaint then you go to William L. Garcia, Vice President of Student Affairs.

“I, personally, think it is important that all individuals know that discipline or complaints are not supposed to be used in the form of punishing but teaching the individual,” Balajadia said.

I spoke with Garcia recently and he said that he takes all student or staff complaints seriously and that he tries to learn the nature of the complaint so he can work to find a resolution to satisfy all of the students or staff involved.

“If students or employees are unhappy with the resolution of their own complaint process or how it’s going, then this is where my role comes in,” Garcia said.

BY ELIZABETH OLIVER TIMES STAFF

Technology has made life easier, more convenient and more enjoyable, but at the cost of living up to our full potential.

Trying to imagine what life would be like without technology is practically impossible. We have been exposed to technology from such a young age that has become an inescapable part of our lives. In an increasingly digital world, the majority of communication is accomplished through a screen.

Globally, people average 6 hours, 58 minutes of screen time per day, the average American spends 7 hours, 4 minutes looking at a screen each day and our Generation Z averages around nine hours of screen time per day, according to data collected from Exploding Topics.

With those averages alone we are causing a plethora of issues; one being a shortage of primitive understanding of our everyday social cues.

Being able to sustain eye con-

tact is a vital tool that is dying. Eye contact is the strongest form of nonverbal communication. It conveys confidence and respect. At present, we prefer to text instead of calling or having an in-person conversation.

For me personally, COVID-19 was a major reason why my screen time has gone up tremendously. I went from barely ever being on my phone to having courses transferred online. Before the pandemic we had an eighthour school day in a classroom to an eight-hour, if not a longer day, listening to lectures and then doing homework on a screen.

Apps such as TikTok live up to their name. I have spent precious hours scrolling when I could have been doing something productive, or have stayed up late, not even knowing how long I have been scrolling on the app.

I myself have gone out with a group of friends and rarely did anyone put a pause their endless scrolling, even just to talk.

Growing up, I was taught to be present in life and to spend time

with friends and family. I was taught to not be on your phone at the dinner table and that when you have people who stare at a phone while you are trying to interact with them is extremely sad, annoying and disrespectful.

Technology today has made young kids switch out running around the playground for playing a game on their digital tablet.

Technology today has made drivers lazy on the roads and at times have impaired judgment due to multitasking.

Technology today has made us lose basic writing and conversation skills, among many more problems.

Using technology is not wholly bad by any means, it is how our society operates and is continuing to lead. However, I urge you to also keep those skills we were taught by our parents and teachers throughout the years.

There is so much more to life than just staring at a screen and I hope my generation and the generations to come learn that balance.

BY FADIA ZEID AND JERRALD MCMILLON TIMES STAFF

Jose Luis Parra, who was given the moniker Scrappy Parra by a neighbor, is a 34-year-old rapper and songwriter. Born and raised in Mexico, he makes music dually in English and Spanish.

His songs were featured on the San Jose music podcast DJ Blue Radio the JBlue Show in early 2020.

Scrappy Parra released one of his most prominent songs, “Gotti” on Spotify during the pandemic in February 2021. The accompa-

nying music video has amassed more than 2,500 views on YouTube since its release. The song instrumentally features strong rhythms and a dark piano loop, with lyrics that reference his life growing up in the inner city.

Bryant Mills, 37, a DJ, producer and artist, produced a demo for Scrappy Parra in San Jose in 2020. Mills is also a team collaborator on DJ Blue Radio the JBlue Show.

Mills said through his unique

way of storytelling, Scrappy Parra creates work that listeners can feel and deeply empathize with.

Scrappy Parra said that he thinks of himself as a “very hard worker”, and that he has a lot of passion for the art of songwriting.

Chiquita Thomas, a close personal friend, said that she discovered Scrappy Parra by listening to his popular song, “Gotti”.

Scrappy Parra secured a distribution deal for one of his singles in 2020 under “The Hood Crew Records” imprint, an independent record label.

PHOTO BY CHRISTINE JOSEY / TIMES STAFF

Director of Student Development and Activities Blake Balajadia at SJCC.

ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH OLIVER / TIMES STAFF

Scrappy Parra is a 34-year-old rapper and Mexican songwriter.

PHOTO BY JOSE LUIS PARRA (SCRAPPY PARRA) / CONTRIBUTOR

SJCC men’s football take loss on home turf

“He

Ending score of 14-23

BY CHRISTINE JOSEY TIMES STAFF

The San Jose City Jaguars started strong during its home game against Monterey Peninsula College on Saturday, Nov. 12 but lost momentum during the second half. They were eventually defeated 14-23.

“The team has to work on finishing the game right. We have leads late in games, but then we let the other team score so you know we don’t win on the scoreboard,” said Head Coach Jim Winkler, who has been coaching at the ju-

nior college level for 20 years.

Assistant Coach Tim Duran expressed he felt similar to Winkler and addressed some of the team’s biggest issues.

“The team hasn’t necessarily learned how to put teams away, if you look at all the games throughout the season we jumped out to some pretty big leads sometimes and instead of being able to keep the gas and the pressure on the other teams, we kind of let them climb back into some games and we shouldn’t,” stated Duran, who has been with the team since 2019. “So I think that’s our big-

gest issue, at least offensively.”

Quarterback Jared Julian said it means a lot to the team to have fans in the stands during the home games.

“I think it just gives it that extra bit of moral support to see fans,” Julian said.

Family and friends of the Jaguar players expressed how they felt about the game.

“He’s doing really well and it was just about her son finding a balance his first year here,” stated attendee Dyema Jackson, mother of Jaguar player jersey number 22, Issac Hawkins.

“First off, I like the new field, it looks amazing, my first time seeing it,” said Keion Curry, 26, who attended the game. Curry once played his freshman and sophomore year, who was giving his own thoughts on the teams in the last home game of the season.

“Second off, you know I don’t think it’s the way we wanted to see it go out the season’s last home game, but the Jaguars played their hearts out. I’m proud of the guys,” Curry said.

After the game, Assistant Head Coach Andy Gonzalez said the game felt like it was a “rollercoaster of a ride.”

“We controlled our destiny and we made some minimal mistakes offensively that cost us field position in time and also scoring opportunities that we need to clean up moving forward,” Gonzalez said.

Jaguar player Nicholas Morris, number 23, said he wants to focus on working harder to learn from their past mistakes and grow as a team.

“The defense played great,” Curry said. “I feel like on the offense you have to hold our blocks a little more and give our quarterback a little more time to make a play because he’s making good plays. But he needs just a little more time in the pocket to be able to find more of an open hole.”

SJCC basketball team secures a victory

The Jaguars clinched a slight edge in a back-and-forth affair, eventually ending the first half with a score of 38-31.

BY ANGEL CARRISOSA TIMES STAFF

The San Jose City College Men’s Basketball Team played their second game of the season on Nov. 4 in the Jaguar Gym, against opponents Feather River College, who were visiting from Quincy, California.

The SJCC Jaguars ran up and down the court, as they triumphed over Feather River College in a close game, 87-80.

The atmosphere in the gym was thrilling as students and parents supported their fellow Jaguars.

Once the second half started, the game started to pick up more tension. Both teams were fighting neck-and-neck until the final buzzer, but the Jaguars came away with the win in the end.

22-year-old Forward David Galentine, senior, had an outstanding performance for the Jaguars and led them to victory with 23 points and 16 rebounds.

After the game, Galentine was asked how the team plans for their upcoming games, “We ignore the past and take one game at a time,” he said.

Galentine also expressed that he wanted SJCC fans to, “come out and watch us, come support us and we will give you a show each time you come out.”

stresses himself too much as a first year player,” stated Hawkins’ girlfriend Elizabeth Diaz.

PHOTO BY OSCAR LOPEZ / CONTRIBUTOR

The San Jose City Jaguars play against Monterey Peninsula College on Nov. 12.

PHOTO BY ANGEL CARRISOSA / TIMES STAFF

SJCC Jaguars defending the paint on Nov. 4 against Feather River College.

Queer people deserve to live

It shouldn’t need to be said

BY JEREMY HOANG TIMES STAFF

Raymond Green Vance. Daniel Aston.

Ashley Green Paugh. Derrick Rump.

Kelly Loving.

These are the names of the victims that died when a gunman opened fire at Club Q, a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, on Nov. 19. A total of 22 others were injured, and it might have even been worse if not for the courage of a few heroic bystanders.

Hate crime charges filed against the perpetrator and some surrounding evidence point to one conclusion:

The victims were murdered because they were queer.

This atrocity is the likely culmination of recent and relentless rhetoric from right-wing figures

attacking the LGBTQ+ community.

At best, they spread ideas that could lead someone to do something this terrible.

At worst, they might as well have loaded the gun.

These are the same people pushing harmful groomer narratives, denying gender affirming healthcare to transgender youth and that have a Supreme Court Justice suggesting that the legalization of gay marriage be “reconsidered”.

The same side that ignored the AIDS epidemic.

These killings are yet another tragedy in a long and deeply infuriating line of violence against the LGBTQ+ community, a group that I am a part of.

When I heard the news of what happened that fateful Saturday evening, it broke my heart. I felt

a profoundly deep despair bubble to the surface, along with a deluge of tears. The shock I felt at such senseless, unprovoked violence was beyond description.

It has been over 50-years since Stonewall, the protests which sparked the fires of queer liberation. It feels like so much has changed since then, but also that nothing has.

It is in periods like these, full of quietly mournful days and sleepless nights, that I am reminded of the danger of loving differently.

I am reminded that it could be friends or family next time.

I am reminded that it could be me.

It is a terrifying thought, knowing that I am at so much risk because of something I cannot ever hope to change.

I often wonder if pessimism is the way forward, the means to best maintain sanity in a world inhospitable to my very existence.

America’s war on Black trans women Treatment of transgender women of color in our country

BY LAUREN TAYLOR

TIMES STAFF

Being Black in America is already a war in itself. Prejudice against those who are both Black and transgender or gender non-conforming is another problem entirely. In recent years, hate crimes against Black trans women have been on the rise. In the summer of 2020, nine Black trans women, all under the age of 32, were found murdered in the span of just nine days.

Naoime Skinner, 25, was shot and killed by her boyfriend this past February in Detroit. It was the fourth slaying of a Black trans woman this year. Many of Skinner’s loved ones remembered her as “someone who loved to live a fabulous life” on a GoFundMe page.

Chanelika Y’Ella Dior Hemingway was a Black trans woman who had just graduated from the University of Albany and was a recipient of the 2022 Spellman Academic Achievement Award. However, she was killed in May

at her home in Albany, New York, just days after celebrating her 30th birthday.

“She was always proud of who she was and so was I,” said her mother in an interview with a local news outlet in Albany.

Skinner and Hemingway are just two examples of the many transgender lives that were tragically taken this year from gun violence. According to the Human Rights Campaign two-thirds, or 69 percent, of all deaths relating to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals involved a firearm since 2013. In nearly half of those cases, the killer remains unknown or at large, and no arrests have been made. Their blackness also leaves them especially vulnerable, as African Americans experience 10 times the amount of gun-related homicides, according to gun-safety nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety.

In this year alone, approximately 32 transgender people were murdered or were targets of other types of violence, a group mostly comprised of young Black and

Latinx individuals. “Approximately” is the key word here, as deaths like these typically go misreported or unreported entirely.

And yet, these hate crimes are merely emblematic of broader attitudes towards transgender and especially Black transgender individuals.

For example, former President Donald Trump’s administration reversed Obama-era regulations barring discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in healthcare, a change that disproportionately affects those at the intersections of those groups – namely transgender people of color.

Our legal system established in America has only now started to protect the lives of the LGBTQ+ community. Advocates for the queer community have lobbied for decades for more equality under the law, most notably culminating in the legalization of samesex marriage and the military allowing the openly gay to serve.

This past Februrary, lawmakers

And yet, I always find myself inspired to continue fighting despite the odds.

After all, progress is clearly being made, albeit at a snail’s pace. Congress recently did pass legislation finally protecting samesex marriage, with a surprising amount of bipartisan support. It is obviously a watershed moment, but it is hard to celebrate what

should be considered the abject, barest of minimums.

We have to demand more.

If there is anything to glean from this atrocity, it is that we cannot ever give up the struggle for queer rights, in order to ensure that this awful action never gets repeated.

The stakes are undeniably lifeor-death.

passed the Equality Act of 2019, a bill that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and education.

Even with the many changes to the law, there are still so many issues faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community, especially transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. Issues, which unfortunately often result in deadly outcomes.

These innocent victims were real people with goals and ambitions they wanted to pursue and accomplish, with loved ones they no longer get to spend time with.

“They’re black, they’re transgender, and they’re women. Each of those distinct identities means that they face discrimination, prejudice and inequities on multiple fronts,” said Kerith Conron, Blachford-Cooper Distinguished Scholar and Research Director, from the Williams Institute at UCLA.

Is it okay to feel normal again?

Students voice opinions about level of COVID comfort on campus

BY MITCHELL PIEROLA

TIMES STAFF

Over the course of two years, we as students, staff, faculties, etc., have been going through what is believed to be one of the biggest life-changing events we have all had to face as a whole on campus.

“There were times where I got worried that some of the students were sick and I didn’t want that to spread towards me because I have family to worry about and now my younger siblings,” said Juan Rodriguez, 19, sophomore and undeclared major.

Now although some of us have been doing fine, it’s important to note that COVID and the pandemic in general have given us all a personal belief of what would be the right way to approach COVID.

While exploring and observing around campus, it has caught my

attention that a handful of students on-site seem to be comfortable enough to not wear a mask both during class and around campus.

This inspired me to further investigate if students trust each other enough to be responsible and maintain safety measures as a community here on campus.

There’s certain individuals with problems of their own to face, and every individual is affected through their own unique experiences and ongoing current circumstances.

At the moment, this is what led me to take out a sheet of paper and start an anonymous survey for students to participate. I had students either check marks under one of the two individual sections. which in this case the two individual categories contain either yes or no.

The results were collected within a time period of over five days from Oct 26 through Oct. 30.

Over 45 students participated in this mini survey. The results were collected anonymously.

Ultimately, an estimated 60 percent of respondents expressed concern regarding other students potentially attending class while feeling ill.

Additionally I spoke with three students who didn’t participate in the survey.

One of the students felt comfortable enough to share his honest perspective on the mix of people wearing verses not wearing a mask.

“I believe that people should care enough not to come while sick and be smart enough to know when they are sick,” said David Gilron Lopez, 19, sophomore and psychology major. “But I do believe people don’t care enough sometimes and that creates a risk.“

PHOTO BY SHANNA LEWIS / KRCC NEWS / CONTRIBUTOR

A candlelight vigil held for the victims of the Club Q shootings.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOFUNDME FOR NAOIME SKINNER

Black Transgender woman Naoime Skinner was killed by her boyfriend in Detroit in February.

ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH OLIVER / TIMES STAFF

Educators have reported having to forgo their appointments, skip on medical exams, and cut their medications because they lacked health coverage.

“We are the fourth largest economy right now as a state, and we are probably the richest county in the state, it is unacceptable that people get that way and until we achieve universal health care, we have to be doing these patchwork things and making sure everyone is done right,” State Assemblymember Alex Lee said.

For the past 15 years there has been a budget of $500,000 for some health care benefits for faculty Frietas mentioned.

“Half a million doesn’t go very far when you’re talking about thousands of employees across the state. The state governor and legislature approved $200 million a year and now we need to get the districts to actually implement that,” Freitas said.

Steven Mentor, a language arts professor at Evergreen Valley College, made a call to action echoing Frietas’ push for district level implementation.

He said that he would like to think the administrations would

COFFEE

from page 1

The deans also organized the event to encourage students to apply for the upcoming spring semester.

“The sooner students register, the sooner they will have a plan for how they will be moving through their educational programs, and ultimately to their career or transfer goals,” Dean of the Business

immediately step up to utilize the funds for adjunct faculty but, “I [Mentor] also want a unicorn and a pony for my birthday.”

Mentor went on to say that the faculty must hold the Board of Trustees accountable and not allow them to drag their feet when it comes to pushing for part-time faculty healthcare.

An important factor about this new $200 million is that it does not only happen for a year or two, but rather is recurring.

“97 percent of the state budget, all these things that you hear about on climate, on homelessness, you name the issue, is one time money… so the importance of this money ongoing coming through Prop 98 means it’s not going to go away,” Senator Dave Cortese informed spectators.

Advocates also spoke about how these new implementations would affect them and their own experiences with the inequity in the past. Also mentioned at the rally were general faults of America’s present health system.

Executive Director of Latinas Contra Cancer Darcia Green, a group that works to create a more impartial and accessible healthcare system for the Latin community, educated participants that 100 million adults have health care debt.

She reported that 12 percent of

Faculty members, organization leaders, and government officials alike group up to take a photo on Oct. 27.

adults owe $10,000 or more, and that 41 percent of adults face debt ranging under $500, obligations which disproportionately affect minorities and the disabled.

San Jose-Evergreen Community College District’s Board of

Trustee Tony Alexander mentioned how he would continue to advocate following his “LLLV,” (learn, listen, lobbying and victory). He explained that he feels protesters must learn how exactly to achieve full-time benefits, lis-

ten to know how to make action happen, lobby state legislatures and keep going until they reach victory.

“Victory, we will win, we are going to be victorious,” Alexander said.

and Workforce Development Division Dr. J. Edward Stevenson said.

Maria Silvas, another cosmetology student, noted that “the [cosmetology] program requires us to work 21-hours per week, from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. It’s a fulltime job.”

Both Ceda and Silvas said they felt tired, but motivated nevertheless to finish their 11-month program, and that the donuts and coffee boosted their energy.

“I am tired, so it is nice to have a snack break,” Silvas said.

GRIFFIN from page 1

Griffin expressed his belief in the importance of representation of African Americans in college curricula, saying that, “It means something to see yourself or hear about yourself in a novel or in some way being represented, and we didn’t have that.”. The goal of having more Afrocentric course content was the hot topic at the conference. Speaking on this, Griffin said that there were “… deans there that had recommended books, and if they are used early on, by the time students enter highschool and college they’ve seen how people that look like them are capable of reaching a higher level.”

Commenting on his 11-year tenure, Griffin said “It has been tricky for me here at San Jose City College because we are not as diverse with African Americans in the classrooms and I do believe Latin Americans have gone through trauma as well so I’ve been uncomfortable making all my curriculum all about African Americans,”mentioning further he still feels that Afrocentric material is information that is

salient and essential. Griffin still wants to remain cautious, noting that he doesn’t feel comfortable making his course material entirely concentrated on Afrocentrism, stressing that his course will still be “…based on the institution that I am in.”

He also discussed how he recently held a presentation on Tulsa’s Black Wall Street in one of his courses, “I want my students to have a more realistic understanding of people of color because we sort of have a hasty generalization that others have on us and they don’t realize we created one of the most vibrant, economically, successful areas in this entire country,” emphasizing untruth in the “… narrative that tries to paint us as not being able to create infrastructure, and do some of these amazing things.”

Griffin spoke additionally about how despite the fact that African Americans are some of the most advanced surgeons and doctors in the world, they don’t get the magnification they deserve, “There are a lot of things that we don’t get credit for and it’s not just people who aren’t African American, it’s us too.”

While there, he acquired an immense amount of knowledge to take back to SJCC, but also that

the beautiful country of Ghana had historical monuments that resonated with him deeply. Reminiscing on his experience, Griffin said, “Something that really stood out to me was after we had went to the slave dungeons and went to the last bath where slaves got to bathe before they were acutioned off and sent to the slave dungeon.” Griffin shared how the trip divulged the true inhumanity of slavery, “ …that room where they put 120 to 150 of us, just being in that room was hot and not knowing when you are going to get your next meal or not having a bucket to go to the bathroom just seemed so unrealistic to survive.”

He was open about how his main motivation behind the sojourn was to “…see where our people came from; because if you think about the way they handled the slave trade, those individuals had aunts, friends, and significant others that were torn from their homes and never got to go back”

Griffin spoke honestly about his reflections, “It’s important learning how to teach us because if I never had African American instructors and I never sort of had that I still need to be filled to a certain extent with how do I give that to something to students that I had never received.”

PHOTO BY MADISON WILBER / TIMES STAFF

PHOTO BY DEDRICK GRIFFIN / CONTRIBUTOR

The entrace to The Last Bath; where slaves would take their last wash and be sent to the slave dungeons before being auctioned off for slavery.

PHOTO BY LAUREN TAYLOR / TIMES STAFF

The Department Deans of San Jose City College hosted an event with donuts and coffee to connect with students and encourage registration for the upcoming semester on Nov. 16.

SJCC hosts “Hispanic Talent in Tech”

Mentorship, diversity and outreach were the focus

BY JEREMY HOANG

A couple dozen students, faculty members and support program representatives poured into a fourth floor auditorium of the Technology Center on Tuesday, Oct. 11 to participate in the “Hispanic Talent in Tech” event.

Serving as part of SJCC’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, the event aimed to connect students looking to get their starts in the technology field connected to mentorships with industry professionals. The event was headlined by speakers Patricia Rios, a global director of information technology for KPMG, as well as Jim Carrillo, the director of business application and development for the Santa Clara County’s Office of Education. The Department of Business and Workforce Development partnered with the Hispanic technology outreach organization HiTec to bring this

event to campus.

“The thing that drew me into technology [was] the ability to solve problems,” Carrillo said early into the event.

Carrillo, a lifetime California resident who himself is a product of the community college system, spoke about internships, describing them as a “free opportunity to fail.” He also shared personal anecdotes of flunking four classes during his freshman year of college and the feeling he has now that he “had all the resources, but didn’t take advantage of them,” flipping them from abject failures to an example of how anyone can make it in the industry, even if they struggle early.

Technology is the easiest field to succeed in, ” he reassured the audience.

Carillos’ story is one half of the American experience, one of hard work, perseverance and learning to use the system to your benefit. The other half would be the path of Patricia Rios.

Coming from Colombia, she

brought the necessary immigrant verve, one that any telling of success in this country could never be whole without. She spoke of getting into tech because of a desire to be on “the bleeding edge” and succeeding despite never having seen a computer before going to university. Being a woman and a person of color, she said she was aware of the challenges she had to face and overcome in the industry.

“Throughout my career, I’ve really had to push to get promotions and salary increases,” Rios said. On the subject of internships, she emphasized their benefits of being good chances to “build a network and apply your skills,” Rios said. She later shared that she felt “blessed to have many mentors.”

The City Times interviewed both speakers and both spoke about their different, but still optimistic views of the technology industry.

Carrillo, 53, made note of his privileged identity as a white, cisgender male. He said that his goal

was to “eliminate discrimination” in terms of representation, and that major progress is being made in the industry, albeit at a slow pace. Remembering earlier years, he brought up how he previously had a binary conception of queerness, “You only had two words, gay or straight,” Carrillo said. He

contrasted that with the present, noting the acceptance of different sexualities and gender identities. Carrillo – who took a lot of pride in having a transgender son – had the opinion that if “someone of [his] age” can understand these new and radical identities, anyone can, he said.

San Jose celebrates Día de Los Muertos

historical and cultural messages in Spanish.

BY FADIA ZEID TIMES STAFF

The birthday of San Juan Bautista, who is known in English as Saint John the Baptist, was celebrated at “Felíz Día de Los Muertos” on Nov. 2. Dozens of people brought friends and family to Mission San Juan Bautista to celebrate Bautista’s birthday, headlined by El Teatro Campesino, a Chicano band that shares

Everyone in attendance could be seen smiling and laughing, despite the frigid temperatures that evening, with many electing to don vibrantly colored costumes. Notably, there were a few individuals from the church clad in skeleton outfits, which are a prominent symbol of Día de Los Muertos.

Anita Reyes, a teacher in the Theater and Dramatic Arts Department at San Jose City College, volunteered at the occasion and took a handful of students with her to celebrate Felíz Día de Los Muertos at the Mission.

“I am a proud company member of the Mexican El Teatro Campesino community,” Reyes said.

SJCC celebrates with “Feria Latina”

SJCC METAS and The Puente Project hosted

BY PO CHIANG AND LAUREN TAYLOR

TIMES STAFF

Students gathered around the quad for games, food and music to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month at the “Feria Latina” event.

Sabrina Haggman, SJCC METAS counselor, a support system on campus, stated that “… students wanted to do this event to take part in Latinx Heritage Month.”

Student workers planned the entirety of the festivities for the Oct. 11 event. One of these workers, 23-year-old Valeria Herrera Vasquez, an international student

from Peru, explained that, “The most interesting part is engaging with students and planning the events.”

Vasquez emphasized that together as a team they worked hard to organize the event.

“Meta has some new interns but we still need a lot of help,” Vasquez said. “I am tired but I love it and it really means a lot to me as a Peruvian.”

This passion was also shared by some of the students in attendance.

“This event means something very special to me. I am able to meet different people with diverse cultural backgrounds,” and the event, “…creates a sense of community for us,” Evelyn Soto, 19, said.

The National Center for

Education Statistics records that 48 percent of SJCC’s student population is Hispanic/Latinx, the largest group on campus by far.

Acknowledging, and even celebrating that reality, is something that was paramount for those present.

“What is amazing about Latinx Heritage Month is that it shows how much more our culture is then just our food and so much more to us than what the eye meets,” Associated Student Government Student Trustee Javi Vallejo said.

“I think that’s the beautiful thing, to show people that we are just like you. We bleed, we cry, we die.”, Vallejo expressed.

To learn more information: The Puente Project, METAS, SJCC Events Calendar.

PHOTO BY FADIA ZEID / TIMES STAFF HITEC Hispanic Talent In Tech speakers Jim Carrilo (left) and Patrica Rios (right) talking about their experience in tech on Oct. 11.

TIMES STAFF

El Teatro Campesino, a Mexican band play thier songs to the crowd in celebration on Nov. 2

PHOTO BY FADIA ZEID / TIMES STAFF

Students enjoy games and prizes provided at the Feria Latina Event.

PHOTO BY LAUREN TAYLOR / TIME STAFF

Communicating at SJCC

Club speaks on planning future events

BY JASON TORRES IRAHETA TIMES STAFF

Jaguar students sat down and began to network with each other at the first ever meeting of the long time dormant club, the Communication Club. Students spoke with each other to form new connections that would allow them to reach more opportunities on Oct. 13 in room T304 in the Technology Center.

The meeting was an hour long and altogether 14 people showed up with four of them being present over zoom. Alondra Martinez, 19, majoring in communications, said she felt great about the turnout at the first meeting.

“Just talking to all these people

and having these people over, and then seeing that we all share one thing in common which is being shy, not knowing how to socialize, I feel like that’s gonna bring everybody together,” Martinez said.

The club discussed future events including field trips and volunteer work. Adeline Banuelos, the president of the club, said “We would like to think about what’s fun and what would students like to see.”

Hollywood was one of the ideas that the club officers had in mind for any field trips the club would like to take.

“See comedians, go on talk shows, just anywhere, anything that has to do with communications,” Banuelos said.

Haley Carr, a 23-year-old majoring in psychology, mentioned how she too was excited about the volunteer work and community engagement.

“I want to be better at it. just make it a better campus,” Carr said. “I was hoping it would just bring me closer to this college and people because I don’t really have that many friends.”

Carlos Castañeda, a club member and psychology major, also mentioned his excitement on reaching out to the people in his community. Some of the positive reactions Castañeda had about engaging with the community stemmed from negative experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I want to say COVID actually has played a really big impact within our social communications with one another … like imagine being secluded from everybody, we were in a pandemic, we had to seclude our families to stay safe from one another,” Castañeda said. “We’re social creatures and we were literally born to come into this world and communicate with one another.”

Martinez also said that her negative experiences were because COVID took away much of her senior experiences such as prom and interactions with her friends.

To some it is because of these negative experiences that clubs such as the communication club are vital to them more now than ever.

“We were just stuck in our room, talking to our computers

the whole time. It pretty much lowered our socializing and communication skills, and because of that people are afraid to go out and be open with each other … So I just want to be able to open up and have an opportunity to have people become more open.” Duke Dekowski, 18, vice president of the club said.

For the students who are interested in engaging with the campus in community service and communion Debowski encouraged joining the Communication Club.

“Give the club a try. Especially for the first year, I know it’s a bit overwhelming … I just hope that this club will have you unwind, just have fun, be free for a little bit and just have this club be the thing to think about when you remember College,” Debwoski said.

After speaking to Lopez, it became clear that every individual is affected by their own environment through their own way.

Having the thoughts of COVID in mind is a unique challenge individuals face on their own.

During one of my interviews with a student, I asked the same exact question from my survey to see if I could get some deeper insight into a student’s perception.

“Have you ever been worried about other classmates getting sick while attending classes on campus?”

“At first I did worry because I was afraid of bringing a virus into my house and making my family sick,” said Estefania Lopez Parra, 20, a junior business administration major.

Parra shared that her mother and younger brother have asthma, which led to her being worried about attending classes in-person.

“After I saw that everything was returning to normal, little-by-little, I decided to go to school and just follow the directions to reduce the chances of getting sick,” Parra said. “I think now I’m not as worried as I used to be.”

Now it’s post-pandemic. Beforehand, everyone during the pandemic must have wondered how things were going to come back to normal.

“The first class I attended I thought there were [sic] gonna be more student in the class but it

was a size of a high school class instead and that made my experience more comfortable because it reminded me of a high school like system and it got me used to college, “ Lopez said.

Now with the present time we are living and experiencing, it’s caught my attention that some of the classes here at SJCC are either really full, half empty or not available due to low enrollment.

I asked one student for his opinion of whether or not he is experiencing any effects due to the amount of students in his classes.

“I do wish in some of my classes there were a couple more students, but for the most part, I see the amount OK,” said Juan Rodriguez, 19, sophomore and undeclared major.

After some more investigation, I was able to have two students open up their personal thoughts and was given a genuine answer regarding if they personally take any precautions for face-to-face contact here on campus.

“The truth is that there are days that I take precautions, without thinking about it, it has become a habit for me,” Parra said. “I also feel like it has become normal for me to wear a mask all the time and when I forget to put it on, I feel weird.”

The thoughts of COVID are scary and sometimes we can’t control the things around us. But let’s not forget that we are still humans and must understand how everything about the virus is unpredictable and if we choose to panic it will only strike more fear within ourselves.

“There are times where I do avoid getting into direct contact face-to-face but I don’t take an extra step to avoid it if someone comes up to me, I won’t stop away or anything but if I don’t wanna be confronted with, I’m one step away,” Rodriguez said.

Students on campus may acknowledge that COVID protocols are still in-demand but each individual seems to have additional protocols of their own.

“I take additional measures to avoid getting sick on-campus,” Parra said. “I try not to be so close to someone, I try to keep my mask on all the time and take it off only when I’m home, and I also use alcohol wipes to disinfect everything before and after.”

At this point it shouldn’t be farfetched to assume some students on-campus already built a habit of being naturally inclined to protocols.

According to the students’ interviews, each and every individual has a unique set of boundaries of their own.

Towards the end of the investigation, a specific statement caught my attention. Out of the three students that were interviewed, only one was able to affirm that even though others feel differently, it’s always good to keep a positive demeanor despite how other students and colleagues feel about having interactions.

I asked students on a scale of 1 to 5 how comfortable they felt with having to interact and work with other students you haven’t seen in class before.

“So far, working in groups with

other students hasn’t been uncomfortable,” Rodriguez said. “I will scale it around four out of five because there were times where some of our schedules didn’t line up and some of us have different opinions, but overall I felt pretty comfortable.”

The sense of precaution from students here at the SJCC campus became more evident based on mutual respect alone.

At the end of the day it’s nobody’s fault because COVID has taught everyone to keep our distances and take inconsideration with who we choose to have faceto-face contact with.

Ultimately, one step and one day at a time and everything will be normalized into an entirely worry free community once more.

Regardless, if a mask is desirable simply make sure you don’t attend school knowing you are feeling ill.

It takes us as a whole community to come together to share a form of unity and mutual respect towards every single individual. Everyone has their own individual health status, therefore it’s a good idea to set boundaries of our own when it comes to being health conscious towards one another.

Remember students to always stay sanitized and in case you want to obtain a mask on campus check out the Business Education building towards the end of the hallway next to the vending machine that is selling Scantron and other school supplies.

Use the SJCC campus map to find the Business building.

The newly formed club members speak with each other to break the ice and to get know fellow club members at their Oct. 13 meeting.

PHOTO BY JASON TORRES IRAHETA / TIMES STAFF

Some Jaguars say they feel comfortable talking to other students without a mask on and are not as worried, post-lockdown.

ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH OLIVER / TIMES STAFF

Examining

protocols of SJCC

Keeping a secure and welcoming campus community

BY ELIZABETH OLIVER TIMES STAFF

Fall Semester has brought a plethora of incoming freshmen who get to navigate all of what SJCC has to offer, starting with SJCC’s Campus Safety and District Police.

“Safety and security to all the students is first and foremost,” said Lieutenant Raul Martinez on Oct. 5 during an interview with the City Times.

Martinez, 54, spent 28 years in law enforcement. He has since retired and has moved on to being a part of the SJCC department for over two years.

SJCC has a police substation located at the Student Center, which operates from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. On the weekends, officers and dispatch are available from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

“Our doors are always open. Whether that’s a battery charge, to directions, food, and unhoused situations, we don’t turn anybody

away if you have a question,” Martinez said.

Building a Community and Staying Safe

If students are ever in need of help, SJCC has various blue emergency phones across campus at every main building which then allows a call to dispatch.

Martinez described the process after a call comes in, “We will figure out what the issue is, we’ll respond to emergency services or maybe fire it may be a medical issue. But no matter what dispatch will eventually handle the call,” Martinez said.

According to Martinez, their response time on average is three minutes if the officer is on campus. With that being said, due to staffing issues (one officer in the day, one at night patrol at a time) Martinez might have an officer respond all the way from EVC to SJCC, lengthening the response time to approximately 15 to 20

minutes depending on the circumstances.

After hours, when dispatch is closed, blue phones are still activated allowing students to get in touch with the department along with a security team named “Genesis” for the evening.

Additional Safety Precautions

SJCC has late night functions where students and staff walk to their cars alone. Campus Police take extra measures during the evening hours. They offer the opportunity for students and teachers to be walked by an officer to their car, as well as having Genesis, who looks after the campus once the department leaves. “It’s utilized by the faculty a lot,” Martinez said. On the Campus Police website, students are given suggestions to prevent crime by walking in pairs or groups, staying in well lit areas, and carrying a cell phone.

It’s safe to say that Martinez is very passionate about his work and encourages his Department of SJCC to do the same, going above and beyond to create a sense of community and security among the students and Faculty.

“Never forget where you came from but always lend an ear

and lend some advice if asked, be there for other people,” Martinez said

For more Information/Contact info please visit —SJCC CAMPUS POLICE/Campus Personal Safety— Raul Martinez 408-531-6176, Department, 408270-6468

SJCC’s efforts for the homeless

Students can get free fare from Jaguar Market

BY ALEXANDRA FRANK TIMES STAFF

Students know SJCC as a college they go to with homework to do on a deadline, but there are other aspects they may not consider.

For one thing, there is the Jaguar Market, where people can “shop” for free groceries and snacks.

Ally Dupre, a Jaguar Market employee, said the most fulfilling aspect of the market for her is “supplying families more than individuals.”

One of the main points of the Jaguar Market is to give back to those who are less fortunate, a number that has risen since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States.

Daniela Munoz-Martinez, who runs the Jaguar Market, explained the purpose of the Jaguar Market, as well as other forms of help that SJCC offers the homeless.

“There may be many different avenues where students at SJCC can get assistance,” Munoz-Martinez said. “Our center currently assists enrolled students who may be experiencing homelessness by providing community resources for safe shelters, transitional housing and safe parking

options via our Basic Needs Referral request form.”

Not all homeless people can readily find the resources they need in order to get out of being homeless, so it can be helpful to know that SJCC is doing this for them.

For Munoz-Martinez, the most rewarding aspect of the Jaguar Market is, “Knowing that our students are able to fill their stomachs and feed their minds with knowledge without having to sacrifice their health.”

The Jaguar Market is located in the Student Center, First Floor, SC-113 and the phone number is 408-288-3745. For more information, check out the Jaguar Market Website.

PHOTO BY RAUL MARTINEZ / CONTRIBUTOR

Lieutenant Raul Martinez has worked for SJCC for two years. Martinez spent 28 years in law enforcement.

PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA FRANK / TIMES STAFF

San Jose City College offers free groceries for Jaguars at the Jaguar Market, located in the Student Center.