The Advocate 9-26

WEDNESDAY l 9.26.18 OUR 69TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.

LEFT: Retired College of Notre Dame staffer Kris Zavoli writes in a journal where friends and family could express their memories of late English as second language professor Lee Brelie during a luncheon at Skates on the Bay in Berkeley, California on Saturday.

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

LATE PROFESSOR THROWS PARTY

Retired ESL teacher dies, opts for luncheon instead of funeral

By Michael Santone editor-in-chief

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

BERKELEY — The Saturday morning fog began to drift off the San Pablo Bay as family and friends gathered at Skates on the Bay to celebrate the life of retired Contra Costa College English as a second language professor Lee Brelie.

Sunday would have been her 72nd birthday.

And according to many friends and family members at the celebration on Saturday,

Brelie, who died in her Hercules home on June 16 after months of battling cancer, etched memories of compassion and uniqueness into the minds of everyone she encountered.

“She would be tickled pink to have all these people here to honor her. I wish we could have done this before she passed,” Brelie’s niece Desiree Miranda Kopecky said as tears began to form in her eyes.

“Lee was special. She was quirky and witty. Even in her last moments when she was in hospice she perked right up and sang to me, told me stories and was just full of life.”

Rather than a traditional funeral or memorial service, Brelie requested that she pay for a party for all of her friends at one of her favorite restaurants, Skates on the Bay. This selfless act of remembrance, provided by Brelie and hosted by longtime friend

n “Lee was special. She was

quirky and witty. Even in her last moments when she was in hospice she perked right up and sang to me, told me stories and was just full of life.”

— Desiree Kopecky, niece of Lee Brelie

and former CCC English professor Walter Masuda, was on par with Brelie’s vibrant personality.

The act, however, was minuscule when compared to the dedication she had given those around her with laughter and a helping hand.

Brelie is survived by her sister Carol

Miranda, niece Desiree Miranda Kopecky and nephews Jeff, Bert and Joe Miranda.

Kopecky said, “When I was 23 she took me to my first opera in downtown San Francisco. We went to see ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and on our way she stopped and gave money to every homeless person she saw. I thought she was crazy, but she insisted that if you have a little extra you give a little extra.

She really wanted to make sure people were taken care of at all times.”

Lee Marjorie Brelie was born Sept. 23, 1946 in Marion, Indiana.

Shortly after her birth, her family packed up and moved to Michigan, where she spent her childhood.

In 1968, after receiving a bachelor’s degree in social science from Michigan State

SEE BRELIE, PAGE 3

Closet fire disables generator Short circuit melts batteries, sparks small flames, smoke

By Cindy Pantoja staff writer

cpantoja.theadvocate@gmail.com

After a small fire burned the backup generator in a downstairs corner closet in the Applied Arts Building early Saturday morning, students and faculty have realized that evacuation routes in case of an emergency are not clearly identified in the building.

Around 2 a.m. Saturday Police Services was alerted to an active fire alarm at Contra Costa College in the AA Building. The Richmond Fire Department responded immediately, and the fire was eradicated. A short circuit melted batteries in the generator causing a small fire and intense smoke in the closeted area.

Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said, “Even though this was DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE a minor issue, the fire An electric spark in a back up department classified the incident as a fire.” generator caused a small fire Since the backup generin the Applied Arts Building. ator in the AA Building is not functioning as a result of the fire, the lights that designate the emergency exits will not work if the building’s power goes off. In the meantime, maintenance workers have installed temporary

DENIS PEREZ/ THE ADVOCATE

workshop explores teaching black minds Research oriented study bolsters ability to teach different ethnicities

SEE FIRE, PAGE 3

BROTHERS REACH FOR EDUCATION, COMPETITION FACEBOOK: /accentadvocate

By Kyle Grant staff writer

kgrant.theadvocate@gmail.com

There seems to be a general negative perception among those in the white upper and middle classes regarding young African-American males, which has evolved through the years.

During a free public course, titled “Black Minds Matter,” presented at Contra Costa College on Sept. 19 in Fireside Hall, Dr. Luke Wood, a professor at San Diego State University, discussed some of the differences many adults have addressing young men of color — and their white counterparts.

Dr. Wood’s goal was to urge CCC faculty members to consider his expe-

DESPITE HEATED FIRST SET, COMETS LOSE 3-0 PAGE 8

PAGE 7 INSTAGRAM: @cccadvocate

TWITTER: @accentadvocate

riences and re-consider their approach when it comes to their interaction with young men of color.

The program is the brainchild of Wood and his associate Frank Harris III and was open not only to all faculty members, but students as well.

According to Wood, the race and gender of K-12 teachers is typically white and female, adding that a whopping 85 percent of preschool through fourth grade teachers are white females.

While this reflects the fact that most teachers may be experts in their subject matter, many do not have the tools and lack the background experience to teach adolescent students of a dif-

ABOVE: Athletic Director John Wade talks with Dr. Luke Wood after Wood’s lecture in GE-225 on Wednesday.

Wood is a professor at San Diego State University.

SEE BLACK MINDS, PAGE 3

CHEECH MARIN TO VISIT KNOX, TALK ABOUT CAREER, LIFE YOUTUBE: /accentadvocate

PAGE 4 SNAPCHAT: @cccadv0cate

campus beat

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NEWSLINE WORKSHOP

EVENT FOCUSES ON WRITING SKILLS The English department continues their free fall English workshops with “Writing Great Introductions” on Thursday from 9 to 10 a.m. in the LLR-12.

English professor Jeffrey Michels will lead the workshop, which requires no sign up to attend.

For more information contact the English department at 510-2154928 or email Jeffrey Michels at jmichels@contracosta.edu.

EVENT

TRANSFER DAY TO PROVIDE RESOURCES Get valuable information on transfer requirements, majors, financial aid and campus life during Transfer Day on Oct. 2 in the Campus Center Plaza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Receive one on one face time with representatives from a variety of colleges and universities including local, out-of-state, private and specialty colleges and universities as they come together for Contra Costa College’s annual event.

For more information contact the transfer center at 510-215-3914 or email Andrea Phillips at aphillips@contracosta.edu

CARPOOL

PROGRAM OFFERS RESERVED PARKING Want reserved parking? Sign up for Carpooling and score one of 11 reserved parking spots in Lot 4 next to the tennis courts. Just three student riders, including the driver and the parking permit is free for the full semester.

A special carpool sticker will be issued by Police Services once students complete the application process such as providing current registration, valid photo ID and license plate information.

For more information visit the Student Life Office in SA-109 or go to the colleges website at www. contracosta.edu.

MUSICAL

OPENING WEEKEND OF MUSICAL FILM “Xanadu,” a musical based on the film of the same name, opens at Pinole Community Players in Pinole this Friday.

The play follows the journey of the magical and beautiful Greek muse Clio who descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to 1980 Venice Beach on a quest to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time- the first roller disco.

The play is running until Oct. 20 with performances Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

For more information call the box office at 510-724-9844

CRIMEWATCH Monday, Sept. 17, 2018: An arrest was made at the Student Services Center at 6:24 p.m. after an alarm was triggered.

Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018: An alarm was reported going off in the Building and Grounds building area at 8:05 p.m.

— Michael Santone

— The Contra Costa Community College District is committed to equal opportunity in educational programs, employment, and campus life. The District does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, parental status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status in any access to and treatment in College programs, activities, and application for employment.

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Desiree Miranda Kopecky, Lee Brelie’s niece, blows out a candle in celebration of the late professor’s birthday during a luncheon at Skates on the Bay in Berkeley, California on Saturday. The luncheon was held one day before what would have been Brelie’s 72nd birthday.

BRELIE| Instructor, traveler settled in the East Bay Continued from page 1

n “She had a lot of faith. She was

University in East Lansing, Brelie devoted two years of her life to the Peace Corps. While volunteering, she lived abroad for a year in a small village on the Fiji islands, absorbing the customs and traditions of a new culture.

Brelie then made her way to New Zealand and to Australia, where she taught fifth grade before hitchhiking, backpacking and camping across Southeast Asia.

In 1975, after taking up residence in England for a year, Brelie found her home in the Bay Area.

Brelie, who oftentimes offered money to those in need, also brought an eagerness and empathy into the classroom after earning a master’s degree in ESL while teaching at San Francisco State.

It was her knowledge of foreign cultures and her willingness to sit and listen to students and administrators that made spending time with her a refuge for many in the hustle and bustle of Bay Area life.

Brelie taught at colleges throughout the Bay Area including San Jose State University and College of San Mateo before finding her new home at CCC. After teaching part-time classes at CCC, Brelie was hired as a full-time, tenure-track faculty member in the ESL department in 1989.

Current ESL professor and department Chairperson Liz Xiezopolski said Brelie was on her hiring committee and a subsequent office mate when she was hired to teach full time in the early 1990s.

“She was a real inspiration to me as a teach-

very strong and so independent.

She’s my friend - she will always be my friend.”

— Lula Gallardo, former CC student

er,” Xiezopolski said during a break during the celebration. “Her dedication to her students was amazing. She would help students, not just with their academics but with their personal problems.”

Xiezopolski said during her 15 years as Brelie’s office mate they shared many conversations that ranged from serious to silly, but each one always ended in laughter.

“We laughed so much in the office. We would sing together, laugh together and be frustrated together about administrative issues,” Xiezopolski said. “There are just so many wonderful memories — she’s truly going to be missed.”

Those who knew Brelie, knew her not only for her warm spirit, but for her love of smoking cigarettes. During the early 2000s, before the college had division deans and after she had been selected the Liberal Art Division chairperson, the stigma of smoking never dampened her mood. It only elevated the intimate conversations she would have over a pack of Virginia Slims on the patio outside her basement office in the Liberal Arts Building.

Current adjunct humanities professor David “Dajarah” Houston, who served as philosophy

and humanities department chairperson at CCC, said he knew Brelie for more than 20 years and it was her level of grounding and openness that could be felt every time he was in her presence.

“She was the type of person you could slip outside her office with and sit and talk to,” Houston said Saturday, holding back tears.

“I’ve gone through my struggles. There was a divorce in the midst of life and I remember her being someone I could trust.”

During her more than 20 years at CCC, Brelie created the ESL writing lab, fought for the rights of immigrant students and created a loving atmosphere in every hallway, classroom and office she visited.

Although Brelie retired in 2009, she returned part-time for a few semesters to continue her work in the ESL department.

While off campus, especially after her retirement, she enjoyed her solitude.

“I met Lee 14 years ago and realized how kind of a human being she was,” former CCC student Lula Gallardo said on Saturday at the celebration. “She had a heart that everyone could feel in their hearts.”

Gallardo said over the years she and her family became extremely close to Brelie, so much so that she would take Brelie to her doctors’ appointments.

“She had a lot of faith. She was very strong and so independent,” Gallardo said. “She’s my friend — she will always be my friend.”

In honor of Brelie’s memory, an ESL department scholarship has been created by the college Foundation to help students with personal or financial needs.

FIRE | Weekend classes relocated after small flare Continued from Page 1 battery-operated lights in the hallways just in case the power goes off and Police Services has stepped up its patrolling of the building.

It was open for classes as usual early Monday morning.

But since the building was renovated this past spring and summer it now lacks the maps all other campus buildings have posted that show an emergency exit route out of the building.

“If there were no lights in the

(AA) building and there was an emergency I wouldn’t know where to go,” computer science major Diego Treminio said. “I don’t know exactly where the exits are.”

Every building at CCC must conduct an annual fire drill where faculty, staff and students practice where to go during emergencies. However, even with new instructors in the building, the AA Building hasn’t had one this year.

On Saturday after the fire, the building was closed forcing some classes to be relocated to other

buildings on campus. After installing the temporary emergency lighting, the AA Building has been deemed safe to be occupied by students and faculty.

“We spent the weekend making absolutely certain that the building is safe for today (Monday),” Contra Costa College President Katrina VanderWoude said. “I have seen the area where there was the problem. I walked through the building and I have seen where the lightning is and we are confident that we are in a good place (for re-opening the

building).”

Repairs to damage caused by the fire are scheduled to take over the next two weeks.

Special parts already have been ordered King and contractors will be hired to repair the generator. During the repairs over the coming weeks, police aides will be on hand in the building.

BLACK MINDS | Seminar addresses black student needs Continued from Page 1 ferent ethnicity. As a result, the two parties sometimes have difficulties communicating with one another, which can lead to larger behavioral and or learning issues.

Wood discussed his own experience as a child. His skin tone is darker than his parents’ who were unable to exactly understand or identify some of the struggles that he and his brother encountered every day.

The two-hour, short-form course included a slide show, a portion of which caught the attention of CCC health and human services professor Aminta Mickles.

Specifically, one of the statistics that caught her eye was that Contra Costa County was listed among the five largest urban counties in the state where black males are suspended at a much higher rate than other students. The other counties “The race and gender of are Los Angeles, Sacramento, San K-12 teachers is typically Bernardino and Riverside.

Together, these counties white and female, adding account for more than 60 percent that a whopping 85 perof the state’s black male suspensions in elementary and second- cent of preschool through ary schools. fourth grade teachers are Additional faculty members white females.” and administrators who attended the “Black Minds Matter” course Dr. Luke Wood, San Diego State included Dean of Institutional University professor Effectiveness and Equity Mayra Padilla. only helped her understand some Dr. Padilla helped plan the of the social struggles young men event and said the course has not of color face throughout their

LEFT: Dr. Luke Woods (top right) speaks during the “Black Minds Matter” workshop in GE-113 on Friday.

DENIS PEREZ/ THE ADVOCATE

academic careers, but how CCC faculty members can be better prepared to serve and interact with all students, especially AfricanAmerican students.

She said that the college’s equity plan is a part of that effort.

Teaching Men of Color, an online course taught by Wood and Harris, has been completed by 41 teachers at CCC, with more expected to complete it this fall.

Arthur Fletcher, former head of the United Negro College Fund, coined the slogan, “The mind is a terrible thing to waste.” Last week’s condensed version of the full Black

Minds Matter course seemed to draw a direct link between that quote and the course itself. Wood said he hopes his course will give educators additional tools to help them effectively communicate with students of color.

Wood is a professor of education at SDSU, where he serves as director of the joint doctoral program in education between SDSU and Claremont Graduate University.

If students or faculty have any questions about last week’s event, or would like more information, visit jlukewood.com.

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Quotable “All strategies with the press work briefly, but they are bound to fail.”

Jon Katz online journalist, author 2001 Michael Santone editor-in-chief Xavier Johnson web editor Denis Perez creative director Robert Clinton associate editor Jessica Suico news editor Andrew Weedon scene editor Efrain Valdez sports editor Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Jose Arebalo Chris Alfred Issac Benavides Mariah Davis Kit Duckworth Kyle Grant Dan Hardin Alex Kwasniza Luis Lopez Cindy Pantoja Ixia Perez-Vallejo Joshua Poole Jackson Stephens Gabriel Quiroz Joel Umanzor Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 Member Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges How to reach us Phone: 510.215.3852 Fax: 510.235.NEWS Email: accent.advocate@ gmail.com Editorial policy Columns and editorial cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.

opinion

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26, 2018 VOL. 107, NO. 3

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EDITORIAL CHILD’S VIEW MARES ASU Campus activities lack adult orientation, leadership

O

n any well-functioning college campus its student government is a coalescing force with the ability to transform thousands of people pursuing higher education into a collective student body through events, shared experiences and community organizing.

At Contra Costa College, this isn’t the case and hasn’t been for a very long time.

Our Associated Student Union isn’t failing due to apathy or ignorance, to the contrary. Our student government seats some of the smartest high school and college students in the area.

CCC shares its campus with two high schools, Gateway to College and Middle College High School, and although the majority of the students on campus are college-aged adults, the majority of representatives in student government are high schoolers.

To be clear, college life and high school experiences are vastly different and while high school students receive all of the amenities of attending the average school ­— proms, spirit week and candy grams for Valentine’s Day — for CCC students the college experience is vastly sub-par.

Homecoming celebrations are all but non-existent and there hasn’t been a party, dance or concert in recent or distant memory. More often than not, events on campus are sparsely attended and would be less so if not for the extra credit given by professors to students who make a showing.

This widening gap between student representatives who coordinate events and the students expected to attend is showing no signs of retracting. While high school students on campus gather gleefully in front of the Applied Arts Building for pajama day, college students have little incentive to invest time in any activities promoted by the ASU. For many of the events, trinkets like lightweight backpacks and fidget spinners are offered as prizes for students who would rather the funding be spent on more equitable rewards.

One party per semester would go a long way toward shaping the campus into more than just a place to learn and leave.

For too long, members of the campus community have wondered what it would take to get students to invest more time on campus, taking full advantage of the resources offered without considering what a college campus is supposed to be socially.

It’s supposed to be study hard and have fun, but the ASU can’t even stuff a body in its marginally expensive, brand new mascot costume. The costume could have covered the cost of a DJ. We can probably still return it.

It’s clear why offering more mature events to students is far off the spectrum of the ASU’s radar. Most of them are too young to go to a party without a parent present.

It’s true, student representation at CCC is important and high school age ASU senators are always on campus to attend meetings. But if juggling prom, homework and post-pubescent hormones isn’t enough, these teenagers have to represent the interests of adults — something they understandably have no idea how to do.

ISAAC BENIVADES / THE ADVOCATE

MENTAL HEALTH

Self-realization, therapy ease depression

I

magine you’re in your room feeling significantly sad for no particular reason — crying, frustrated and thinking everything bad that’s happening is somehow your fault.

You have no idea why this is going on, but it happens a lot and is getting worse.

It seems impossible to even think at times, leaving your wandering mind to ruminate on everything bad that’s happened over the years — sometimes leading to suicidal ideation.

You look up what you’re going through online to try to figure it out.

All of the answers point to the same diagnosis, but you don’t really want to believe you have depression, anxiety or another mental disorder.

After a couple days, weeks or months you’re finally in a better mood and ask your friends and family for help, but they tell you that you don’t need it. That you just need to get your act together. They say you should eat healthier and work out or that what you’re going through isn’t real — it’s all in your head.

I’ve experienced all of these situations and listened to “family and friends” who embrace misunderstandings and stigmas about mental health disorders and treatment.

Unfortunately, I believed them and thought for a very long time that I could will my symptoms away with diet, exercise and the right attitude. However, this was very wrong.

gabrielquiroz Many people do not know there is a difference between being depressed and having depression.

These are two different beasts that many people After are misina couple formed about.

When after days, suffering a breakdown I weeks told my father I wanted to or seek help in the form of therapy months to combat my symptoms. you’re He used his own experienc- finally in es with depresa better sion to deter me from reaching out for help mood. so, sadly, I held off getting help for a long time.

I told friends about wanting to go to the hospital when my suicidal thoughts became overwhelming, but they convinced me not to go because it could make things worse. Other people told me not to take medication because it didn’t work for them.

Both forms of advice turned out to be terribly wrong and I got worse as time went on.

And I thought it was my fault.

Many times, I have seen friends not seek mental health treatment for similar reasons. I have seen Instagram posts saying, “I don’t need the medicine.

I can do this on my own.”

These posts are followed by the excessive use of alcohol or other forms of self-medication out of fear of how they would feel on medication.

What I failed to realize was that none of these people knew anything about mental health or, worse yet, were against the idea of seeking mental health treatment.

It took me many years and the help of a lot of people, to finally decide to go to therapy after being brainwashed by those who told me it wouldn’t help me.

I didn’t want to seek traditional treatment because I didn’t think I needed it.

Finally I went and talked to a mental health professional and realized I had not been taking care of myself. The result? My medication has made me feel like a person again.

I went through many years into my 20s trying to figure out different ways to deal with depression But getting professional help was what actually helped me. It’s the only thing that has consistently helped me. I know I will never be completely well — but this is a real beginning.

Gabriel Quiroz is a staff writer for The Advocate.

Contact him at gquiroz. theadvocate@gmail.com.

CAMPUS COMMENT

If money wasn’t a concern what career path would you choose?

“I would choose nursing because I would have money to support my career and passions.”

Justine Casino nursing

“I would like to be a philanthropist. I’d be a man of leisure and give back to others.”

“If money wasn’t a concern I’d like to be a traveler, maybe to Egypt.”

“I would want to do something chill like being an interior designer.”

“I would be a dancer that focuses on hip-hop dancing.”

Casey Walker

Daniel Anaya

Jovi Nimedez

undecided

business

criminal justice

communication

Cameron Thomas

“I originally wanted to be a culinary major but found out that field didn’t pay very well. I would like to be a chef.”

Kali Go nursing

JESSICA SUICO / THE ADVOCATE

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campusbeat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 9.26.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVORS SENDS OFF ASU LEADER Young politician’s departure leaves void for team to fill

By Michael Santone editor-in-chief

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

After committing to transferring in spring 2019 to Saint Mary’s College in Moraga and running for Hercules City Council this fall, Alexander Walker-Griffin will be vacating his post as Associated Student Union president come Dec. 14.

“I’m going to miss being able to have a place to call my second home,” Walker-Griffin said. “The ASU has really allowed me to get to know my community. It’s allowed me to grow as a person and help put myself in an even more comfortable position for what I want to do in the future.”

Walker-Griffin, who has been a member of the ASU leadership since 2016, has presided over the weekly Wednesday meetings as president since 2017.

“I actually did not have plans to ever run for (ASU) president but I received a lot of support, which made me want to run,” he said. “I pretty much just wanted to continue to be a voice for students at a level where I could have more interaction with faculty members on a more consistent basis allowing for the concerns of the students to be heard regularly.”

Student Life Coordinator Joel Nickelson-Shanks said Walker-Griffin’s departure is tough for him and the whole ASU Board.

“Things change, leadership changes. It’s going to be difficult at first. But current ASU members will have to step up and make their own progress,” Nickelson-Shanks said. “His (Walker-Griffin) leadership and connection to the political world will definitely be missed.”

Once Walker-Griffin vacates the position, current ASU

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Associated Student Union President Alexander Walker-Griffin gives a speech to the Contra Costa College graduation class of 2018 during the graduation ceremony at the Richmond Auditorium on May 25.

Vice President Chris Miller will take over as interim until elections are held at the end of the spring semester.

Miller said he never planned on taking over as president, but both Walker-Griffin and Nickelson-Shanks have been preparing him for his newly inherited role.

“I knew it was bound to happen at some point, but I didn’t realize how soon the date for his transfer was coming up,” Miller said. “I thought to myself, ‘No way this guy is really moving. Am I going to have step into those shoes?’ So I started panicking for a quick second, but then came to realize that it’s not fair for him to stay at CCC forever.”

Miller, who has been a part of the ASU since 2017, said he will use what he learned as vice president of the Community Organizing and Political Action (COPA) club to help guide him through his interim presidency.

“We have a lot of young, impressionable Middle College

(High School) students (in the ASU) so my plan is to cultivate them into being leaders and adjusting to their needs based on their student population. They are the future,” Miller said. “My influence has always been through the arts, music and activism.”

Nickelson-Shanks said Miller has a different kind of energy, which he brings to the ASU Board that radiates throughout the entire room.

“Chris is a dreamer,” Nickelson-Shanks said. “He has a real connection with students and thinks outside of the box.

He is new to the position, but I’m sure he can handle it.”

Walker-Griffin said Miller has everything it takes to be a great ASU president, as long as he takes time to listen to students and follow up with administrators.

“The ASU is in good hands. I have complete faith in Chris.”

Seminar highlights work ethic Program teaches students skills to succeed in business setting

By Jackson Stephens staff writer

jstephens.theadvocate@gmail.com

Imparting professional wisdom to students ready for the workplace was the purpose of last Wednesday’s personal and professional etiquette event from 2-4 p.m. in Fireside Hall.

Hosted by the college’s Career Services in conjunction with EOPS, CARE and CalWORKs this is part of a planned series of monthly workshops designed to educate students on what is expected of them in the professional world.

The presentation drew an audience of around 25 students from a variety of majors, as well as some faculty and staff.

Guest speaker and facilitator Ockemia Bean is a psychology major at Contra Costa College who has an extensive background in management.

She has experience in multiple fields including human resources, coaching/ training and finance.

Her goal was to impart key information that will help students thrive in both professional and social envi-

ronments after the transition out of an academic one.

“There is a gap of knowledge missing in the education system about what to expect from employers, interviews and proper conduct in the workplace,” Bean said.

Those deficiencies are something Bean wants to help remedy.

A mixture of prepared PowerPoint notes, printed handouts, scenarios of workplace interactions and audience discussion were used to demonstrate how to be successful.

The event covered everything from the initial interview to getting Bean a promotion.

The definition of etiquette in this context was explained as a set of manners appropriate to a certain place or situation.

One example Bean discussed, from “Modern Etiquette: The 10 Commandments of Business Behavior”

by Mary Mitchell of Reuters, was not using inappropriate language, such as using profanity, with a supervisor.

Being aware of how to best communicate and foster relationships with co-workers and customers was a consistent theme throughout the discussion.

General rules of the workplace, such as the do’s and don’ts of what constitutes appropriate dress, from casual office wear to formal business attire, were shown and explained using visual comparisons.

While looking at examples of two applicants, audience members were asked which candidate they would hire if they had the power to do so.

Good customer service is a part of good workplace etiquette. In a roleplay between Bean and Career Services Coordinator Natasha DeAlmeida, the improper and then proper way of interacting with customers was demonstrated — namely paying attention, staying off the phone and addressing customers’ concerns politely, even when that customer is being rude.

“Learning to get out of my comfort

zone and how to not speak too strongly to bosses,” was the most important takeaway for student Briana Lopez.

Attending the event for extra credit for Sociology 221, some new insights for her are how to dress formally and having a better understanding of professional etiquette. The plan for this event and others like it, DeAlmeida said, is that the skills and etiquette lessons gained will help students’ chances of impressing potential employers during the 2019 West Contra Costa Career Fair held on campus in March.

Approximately 40 employers will be in attendance.

Another resource she encourages students to explore, which is free and only requires a student I.D. to access, is collegecentral.com/contracosta, a platform that connects employers with potential candidates for jobs and internships.

DeAlmeida said that employers frequent the site and students are not taking full advantage of this opportunity.

Bean’s next event will be on Oct. 24 in Fireside Hall from 2 to 4 p.m.

Latino Thought Makers present cultural icon for intimate conversation at Knox

By Kit Duckworth staff writer

kduckworth.theadvocate@gmail.com

Attempting to bridge generational gaps while offering an example of how to navigate negative perceptions in entertainment and promote an activist’s agenda is difficult. However, some people make it their life’s work.

Latino comedian and activist Richard “Cheech” Marin has been invited to speak to these issues and many more at Contra Costa College in partnership with Latino Thought Makers and the Contra Costa College Foundation.

The event, “A Conversation With Cheech Marin,” will be held at the John and Jean Knox Center for the Performing Arts Thursday at 7 p.m.

As an added bonus, the option of live streaming the conversation will be made available to those unable to attend the live event.

For community members who wish to livestream the event, a Google Form asking for first name, last name and a valid email address will need to be completed.

A link to the form can be found on the Contra Costa College website page highlighting the event. Instructions will be listed under the heading, Latino Thought Makers: A Conversation with Cheech Marin.

Co-sponsored by Chevron, along with CCC

Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Equity Mayra Padilla, Marin’s one-time visit will be hosted by funnyman Rick Najera.

In past Latino Thought Makers sponsored programs, Najera has spoken with the likes of Edward James Olmos, Dolores Huerta, Danny Trejo and relatives of Cesar Chavez.

The event will open with a welcome from Dr. Padilla, followed by comments from Eric Zell, chairperson of the college Foundation.

After Zell, Marin and Najera will take center stage.

The actor will reflect on his life and career, which includes being half of the iconic duo Cheech and Chong beginning in the 1970s, all the way to his voice acting in the 2017 Disney film “Coco.”

Marin is an accredited actor, director, writer, comedian and musician.

He also authored a book titled “Cheech is Not My Real Name...But Don’t Call Me Chong!”

Through the years, Marin has cultivated a reputation as an activist based mainly in Latino issues.

CCC music major Murfy Williams said, “Everyone deserves to have their culture respected and appreciated and made valid. I think it’s cool the college is making an effort to do that by acknowledging Latino Heritage Month. Having someone from their culture who has made it,

who’s famous and still kept their Latino identity, is really inspiring. It’s so cool that there’s a platform for people to see that.”

Sara Marcellino, development officer for the Foundation, is coordinating the event. She said the Foundation’s goal is to acknowledge and honor Latino Heritage Month by bringing in a “famous and politically active name to campus.”

Latino Thought Makers is a known and respected program and Marin is a nostalgic figure because of his years as part of the comedy duo Cheech and Chong.

“We at the Foundation really want community members to come to campus and see its beauty and all it has to offer. We like to increase the awareness of the college and one way to do that is to throw events,” Marcellino said.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

campus beat

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5

HIREES TO UPLIFT STUDENT LIFE

By Gabriel Quiroz staff writer

gquiroz.theadvocate@gmail.com

There are new and returning faces on the Contra Costa College staff and faculty this semester and all are eager to work with students and each other to make CCC not just a better campus but a better community overall.

There are over 10 new hires that have been either promoted from within the college or are joining CCC as first time hires.

New hires and position promotions can be found everywhere, from new professors and counselors, to maintenance and administrative workers that will hopefully bolster and ease the overall college experience.

New hires and position changes include athletic facility assistant Denine Colbert, program coordinator Christina Craig Chardon, administrative assistant Yvette Escobar, science lab technician Alden Gaines, counselor Jared Romero, administration of justice professor John Sanford, Dean of Enrollment Services Andre Singleton and building service maintenance worker Aaron Taylor.

One thing all of the new staff have in common is that they want to help students at this college succeed in their pursuit of education.

Everyone in this new employee class says they are very excited to be part of the community and work with the students on campus.

“The people and the environment, the students sharing their perspectives on what’s going on at CCC and how they engage and aren’t afraid to do so,” said Senior Executive Assistant Lorena Cortez when asked about what she enjoys most about being part of the campus community.

Cortez mentioned Student Life Coordinator Joel NickelsonShanks and his many contributions to CCC, including Coffee with a Cop, when speaking of contributions to the community that reach beyond education.

Cortez seemed particularly excited about her new position and her expanded duties in the administrative process. She embraces being a resource, coordinating meetings and helping President Katrina VanderWoude in her duties.

Cortez continued to speak about her experience with the district and the importance of community colleges. In years past, Cortez took a class at Diablo Valley College in order to graduate from Saint Mary’s College.

The new and promoted staff are very happy to be part of the community at CCC with palpable excitement about their new positions and enthusiasm toward student outreach.

Financial Aid Specialist Patricia Herrera said, “I have been in the district for six years and attended DVC. I enjoy helping students and seeing their progression through their time at CCC and seeing how they change and adapt.”

Herrera’s duties include reviewing financial aid, verification of email, speaking with students about their financial aid and numerous other tasks.

She was promoted from administrative assistant and for a while held both positions before she was officially chosen as senior executive assistant in August.

The teaching faculty at CCC are some of the best in the state, as many work for years perfecting what they do to help students become better and better as they grow and transfer.

“Honored, excited, inspired, and energetic. We have incredibly talented, dedicated staff on this campus,” assistant music professor Jennifer Griest said. “Our students are passionate and dedicated. This is a wonderful place to work. I hope to support not just the music department and its students, but the college community as a whole in this new position.”

Griest is now full time after being at CCC for over a decade as part-time professor.

Her new position includes teaching beginning piano, continuing piano, theory and musicianship and beginning choir courses.

She also does individual work with music majors.

The new and promoted staff and faculty are all around campus to help make CCC better and it’s only the beginning of the semester.

Students can look forward to changes and innovations throughout the campus whether it be in the classroom, the administrative experience or even just how the college looks.

Alden Gaine, science lab technician

Andre Singleton, dean of enrollment services

Denine Colbert, facilities assistant for athletics

Jennifer Griest, assistant professor of music

Patricia Herrera, financial aid specialist

2018 Contra Costa College hires

MaryKate Rossi, Welcome Center program assistant

Christina CraigChardon, early college credit program coordinator

Yvette Escobar, administrative assistant for business services

Lorena Cortez, senior excecutive assistant in the Office of the President

DENIS PEREZ, ANDREW WEEDON / THE ADVOCATE

Emergency alert system gives sense of safety on campus Police Services use intercoms to communicate

LEFT: A student walks past one of the campuswide alert system boxes set up in the hallway of the second floor of the General Education Building.

By Luis Lopez staff writer

llopez.theadvocate@gmail.com

To give each classroom and corridor the feel of being part of an interconnected network, old, new and refurbished buildings on campus have been given a new method of conveying real-time information to Police Services.

The campuswide emergency alert system is finally up and running at Contra Costa College.

This is first semester that the system, initially only found in new buildings, is fully operational throughout the campus. Every classroom and building on campus is now outfitted with a two-way screen and speaker system that, with the push of a button, connects users directly to Police Services in case of an emergency.

“The emergency alert system’s intended purpose is to give students and staff direct contact with Police Services in the event of an emergency or urgent situation,” Police Services Lt. Tom Holt said.

Police can communicate with all the speakers at once but cannot activate them separately. This means officers can only hear from individual units if the button is pressed first.

The devices cannot be used to monitor what is happening in classrooms.

Sometime during the upcom-

LUIS LOPEZ / THE ADVOCATE

ing week, Police Services will test the two-way screen and speaker system and the District Regroup Notification System.

A brief message will read “TEST TEST TEST” where the time is usually shown, with nothing needed from those in the building or the classroom.

To minimize confusion, the test will be conducted when the campus is closed or there is a low volume of people on campus, Holt said.

According to Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King, Contra Costa College was the last

of the three district campuses to have them installed over the summer.

The decision to install a new emergency alert system in every classroom across the Contra Costa Community College District was approved in July by the Governing Board and “the project took about three to four months to finish,” King said.

Information about the purpose of the new system, and a clear outline of its features, has yet to be widely shared with students.

Of the students who were asked about the new emergency

alert system, many said they were not even aware of the purpose the speaker boxes serve.

Middle College High School student Shreejal Luitel said, “The purpose is helpful because in some classrooms you get no phone signal and it would be hard to reach anyone outside in case of an emergency in those classrooms.”

Shreejal said there are improvements that can be made to the alert system.

“I feel teachers and staff can do a better job of informing us about the new technology,” she said. “The only reason I know

TRIP EXPOSES TECHNOLOGIES TO STUDENTS

By Jessica Suico news editor

jsuico.theadvocate@gmail.com

To inspire educational opportunities, the Adelante Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Academy is planning an Autodesk Gallery field trip to San Francisco on Tuesday.

Autodesk unites exceptional design and engineering projects from around the world and features concepts by Lego, Mercedes-Benz and Nike, among others.

“The exhibits treat students to concepts inspired by going from mind to design in minutes,” Senior Administrator of HSI STEM Student Equity Jonathan Lee said.

METAS Parent-Coordinator Ysrael Condori said, “I am excited for this trip. I have been working for STEM (at Contra Costa College) since 2014 and I am intrigued by the knowledge I will be learning on this trip.”

For Condori, his most exciting experience is being involved with students learning something new and also seeing them flourish in something they are passionate about and intrigued by.

CCC students will be participating in a design and make workshop during the field trip.

“They will learn how to use Tinker card, a

3D CAD (computer aided design) design tool.

Students will get hands-on experience using Autodesk Fusion 360 software, a 3D CAD CAM and CAE,” Lee said.

CAE is a computer-aided engineering tool that connects a user’s entire product development process in a single cloud-based platform.

STEM Program Coordinator Manal Ayyad said, “The purpose of this trip is to give students exposure to real life opportunities. We want to fuel each student’s passion for wanting to learn new things.”

According to Lee, there are 24 students signed up to go on the field trip and three chaperons, Condori, Chao Liu and Ginelle Perez. A bus has been chartered to transport the students to Autodesk, but space is limited.

Ayyad said, “We wish we could bring more students, but (bus) seats are already full. STEM is trying to make a way for them to have a field trip like this once a month to give students as much exposure to different opportunities as possible.”

STEM has taken a few trips like this in the past, most notably in 2014 when they went to Yelp headquarters in San Francisco and Pandora in Oakland in 2015.

“We try our best to plan field trips and make sure the wait lists go out in enough time prior to the trip. The next trip that will be

planned is to EA Games,” Condori said.

Lee said the students will have an opportunity to participate in a workshop to simulate what Autodesk’s own engineering teams experience on a day-to-day basis. They also will receive training related to problem solving and team collaboration.

“Since I am a program lead I would like to get insights on students learning new skills, broaden my perspective and give back to the engineering and computer technology careers,” Condori said.

To plan these trips, Lee must reach out to local tech companies through previous contacts and mailers. Every January he does this to a secure a company site for campus visits during the upcoming fall semester.

“We are trying to schedule a field trip to Twitter headquarters, in San Francisco, this semester as well,” Lee said.

He said, “After the field trip date was secured with Autodesk, our STEM Transfer Program Lead Eleanor Pangilinan and Ayyad have been handling the outreach, recruitment and logistics for the trip.”

Ayyad said, “A lot of students don’t get exposure to opportunities like this. Being able to help students get exposure to what it would be like to work in a technology and engineering career motivates me to want to do more.”

6

scene

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 9.26.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

HAUNTING AT THE KNOX CENTER

Unleashed

MOVIES

This week: “Night School” (R)

“The Sisters Brother” (R)

“The House with a Clock on its Walls” (PG)

“The Old Man and the Gun” (PG-13)

“Hell Fest” (R)

DIGITAL

LEFT: Joshua Saephan (right) and Murphy Williams attempt to hide from Merit Onyekwere during rehearsal for “Vengeance: A Ghost Story” in the Knox Center on Monday.

XAVIER JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE

Ghostly tale would kill to scare you World

premiere strives New releases: “Chef’s Table: Volume 5” (Netflix)

“King Lear: season 1” (Amazon)

“Made In Mexico” (Netflix)

“4 Minute Mile” (PG-13)

to induce fear, deliver surprises

MUSIC

New releases: Brockhampton: “Iridecence” Lupe Fiasco: “Drogas Wave” Noah Cyrus: “Good Cry” Macy Gray: “Ruby”

GAMES

New releases: “FIFA 19” (E)

“Forza Horizon 4” (E)

“Valkyria Chronicles 4” (T)

“Life is Strange 2” (M) Editor’s note: This column lists popular new (and upcoming) releases for the week.

received horror productions, Chavarria spent a year writing a ghost story he believes would truly grip audiences. or those looking to spend their evening in One of his main inspirations is the classic Chinese drama suspense and horror, the drama department’s play “Snow in Midsummer,” a story of retribution in which “Vengeance: A Ghost Story,” from playwright and director a wrongfully murdered widow vows revenge on a Carlos-Manuel Chavarria, promises to deliver quite the small village.

He spent some time lookfright. ing at British and western Taking place over the span horror movies citing “The of one night, an Ortize family Grudge” as another fun scare. vacation in the woods goes These stories all convey completely awry as a malevoa type of engaging fear that lent ghost joins in the fray. only a ghost or the unnat“Vengeance: A Ghost ural was able to capture.

Story,” which runs from Audiences ride along in susOctober 12-21 at the John pense as the story unfolds, and Jean Knox Performing but once the shocks begin to Arts Center, already has tickets available for purchase emerge they will keep viewers on the edge of their seat. online for $10.

Chavarria said research Working with an ensemble was only the start of his of fresh performers, Contra Costa College drama depart- process. Once the script ment Chairperson Chavarria was complete, the question became how well a cast produces scares like you would come together to recwould never expect in a live reate the written suspense on production. stage.

He said dread slowly Aware of the fact that spebuilds up to a free fall of cial effects carry many horror sheer panic with constant movies while the stage has twists and turns around its technological limits, the every corner.

“Vengeance” cast and crew After seeing how well have worked hard to create the CCC community

By Jose Arebola staff writer

jarebalo.theadvocate@gmail.com

F

their most captivating performance.

Any fan of horror movies will enjoy the show, especially if they are open to accepting the craft of live theater, Chavarria said. If an audience member can suspend disbelief and come with an open mind, then the cast will carry them through a terrifying thrill ride with constant surprises until the conclusion.

With so much of the enjoyment riding on the unknown, it is hoped attendees will not spoil the fun for anyone who has yet to see it once the production opens.

The technical team behind the production has lined up a few exciting surprises for horror fans. “Blood is my friend,” Chavarria said as he described how the show may not have the budget of productions like “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” but still takes inspiration from them.

The cast has been able to take his vision and adapt it to the stage in tremendous fashion. The show doesn’t have a traditional lead, but rather relies on the dynamics of the entire cast to weave its story together.

“(There is) a lot of physical blocking,” cast member Armond Lee, who plays the father of the Ortize family, said.

This is a shared sentiment of how active each actor’s role is in this production.

The cast bounces their energy off each other as they work to quickly shuffle in the dark from one spot to another during scenes. Beyond the physicality of their roles, each cast member has been preparing to channel their character’s energy.

“It’s the cast’s first time working with their director,” Irena Miles, who plays the family granddaughter, said.

“That in itself gives them all a sense of camaraderie.”

Merit Onyekwere, a veteran of stage work, said she’s trying her best to create the scariest ghost vibes she can.

“The production has been an interesting and different experience,” she said.

Although most performances at the Knox Center are family-friendly, with little need for content ratings, contracosta.edu lists “Vengeance: A Ghost Story” as a production for viewers 14 years of age and older.

Burgerim offers diverse options

By Xavier Johnson web editor

xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

A

new contender for student dollars has opened in the shopping center on El Portal Drive across the street from the college — a gourmet burger joint who’s large number of choices runs in opposition with its uncomfortably small dining area.

The striking part of the Burgerim experience is the small interior. With about 24 seats, cramped walkways and a minuscule amount of space between the order counter and front door there is really no space to hang out in it.

Once four or five people are in line it quickly becomes claustrophobic leading to confusion setting in as to who’s next in line to craft their meal.

A large menu is mounted above the order counter and is an intimidating menu to decipher, which extends the waiting time as people mull over what kind of burger they want.

The gluttony of choices leaves people wanting to sample it all.

Luckily, Burgerim serves its burgers in packs of two

and three. This makes it easy to try out different burgers in one trip making experimentation easy.

Experimentation, however, isn’t cheap. The two-pack will run people $6.99 and the three-pack $9.99. Customers should keep in mind these prices don’t include sides and a drink.

Sides also provide the same litany of choices as the burgers. They offer sweet potato fries, onion rings and their own disk shaped Burgerim Fries — all with several toppings to enhance the flavor.

The burgers are just shy of excellent. Burgerim’s house sauce is a solid addition that gives a good hit to the palate.

The condiments, like lettuce and tomato, look like real food that was cut by actual people.

The standard beef patty option isn’t seasoned well enough and is too bland to be an enjoyable choice to go back to again. The other options are great. The spicy Merguez patty is wonderfully seasoned and should be people’s go-to burger.

However, the choices don’t end there. There are fish and other beef-free options

XAVIER JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE

And wait, there’s more. It’s now time to choose the style.

Each style features different condiments and has a distinct flavor profile. Diverting from the classic burger they offer the bacon and onion ring-laced Cowboy style and a spicy style called Caliente.

For the trendy folks out there the California option tops the burger with avocado, mixed greens and chipotle mayonnaise.

Speaking of trendy, the interior feels very modern.

There’s minimalist burger art on the walls, sleek wooden counter tops and lined on the front counter are various neon-lighted phrases about burgers and Burgerim. At night the lighting will strobe for several seconds every few minutes, which quickly becomes obnoxious and dis-

orienting.

When thinking about Burgerim, it’s hard to know exactly what its identity is.

They serve beer on tap, wine and have three television sets. This sends the message that it’s a place people could sit down and enjoy a beer with your burger.

But it’s so cramped it’s not a comfortable place, especially when it gets busy.

It’s not really a good place to roll in with a couple bucks and get a quick meal in because it’s expensive.

Burgerim serves various well-made burgers only a stone’s throw away from campus. Those are two important variables. But its problems come from things that aren’t food-related. The interior is small, prices are high and it lacks an identity.

ABOVE: A customer orders a meal at Burgerim on El Portal Drive on Monday.

Burgerim serves burgers in packs of two and three contained to-go boxes.

sports

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7

MARINERS OVERWHELM COMETS

Team loses home opener despite valiant first set

By Xavier Johnson web editor

xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Libero Delanie Baca (left) and outside hitter Chrischelle Reyes (right) anticipate a ball during Contra Costa College’s 3-0 defeat against College of Marin on Friday at the Gym.

offense flounders as butte triumphs COMETS

0 3

BUTTE

Comets fail to extend early winning streak

By Joel Umanzor staff writer

jumanzor.theadvocate@gmail.com

Inconsistent officiating was the theme of the day as the men’s soccer team (3-5-1) fell to Butte College (6-1-1) 3-0 on Friday at the Soccer Field to cap off a three-game week.

Starting fast was a theme for the Roadrunners who understood the impact that the field conditions would present as the game progressed.

“We wanted to come out fast and press for the first five to seven minutes,” Roadrunner coach Ross Sandberg said.

“Being here three out of the last four years we know that it’s a thick field, slow field and because of those field conditions it creates and induces mistakes,” he said.

The Roadrunners took a commanding 2-0 lead into the break after capitalizing on a mistake by the Comet goalkeeper Humberto Melendez in the 38th minute.

The goal came after a goal kick where Melendez ordered the team to go high upfield but gifted the kick straight to the Roadrunner forwards which ended in an easy goal for forward Adrian Jauregui-Rodr.

Comet coach Nikki Ferguson said, “It was just one of those days where nothing goes right, and it’s good to have it now versus later on.

“I’d rather have it now than versus our first conference (opponent). We did well this week and we hit a bump today but you just hope you can bounce back, regroup

and go back at it again.”

Butte originally opened the scoring in the 5th minute of the game, which contributed to the Comets stalling offensively.

“I felt as if our possession wasn’t good at all today,” Ferguson said. “They overloaded the field and we struggled getting out of it.

We just didn’t play well today all the way around.”

The officiating miscommunication was evident throughout the game and has been a constant theme for both coaches who questioned the gray areas allowing officials to make the game flow choppy.

In the 60th minute the Butte goalkeeper came out of the box to defend against forward Eduardo De Loa, which resulted in impeding the play with his hands illegally.

The officials ultimately ruled that the Butte goalie was outside the box and was hindering a breakaway, but was not given a red card for a “last defender” foul.

That means the last member of the defending side was in a position to stop an attacking player with an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. If he does so, he should automatically be sent off, which wasn’t the case here.

De Loa said, “Diego saw me make that back diagonal run and he played me. The goalie got me with his cleats but he used his hand outside of the area.

“It was a handball outside the box,” De Loa said. “If he hadn’t been there I would have been able to chip the ball over him as he was the last player in between me and

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Comet forward Eduardo De Loa (left) dribbles the ball up the field as Roadrunner midfielder Cameron Weeks (right) chases after him during Contra Costa College’s 3-0 loss o Butte College on Friday.

the goal.”

Ferguson was livid at the call on the field and asked for a explanation from the officials, but no official response was given at the time to either bench.

“I thought it was a red card,” Ferguson said. He was out of the box. He was the last man and it was a handball, so by the letter of the law that’s a red card.”

Also, a hard foul in the second half led to two Comet

players and a Butte player tangling and falling to the ground with the aftermath being Comet Moises Hernandez suffering a broken clavicle and two bruised ribs.

“This injury will be a tough one and it’s ironic because he just got back,” Ferguson said of the injury.

He said the tough loss was a learning experience for the team going forward.

Despite a spirited effort in the first set, the volleyball team lost its home opener in straight sets (22-25, 9-25, 15-25) Friday against College of Marin (5-5 overall, 2-0 Bay Valley Conference).

Contra Costa College (1-8 overall, 1-2 BVC) played at their best early in the first set keeping the Mariners on their heels with eight unanswered points midway through the set.

After a late serving error, any momentum that was built up throughout the set quickly faded.

“The first set was a lot of receiving errors and bad passing,” coach Christy Tianero said. The final two points of the first set were given to Marin off Comet errors.

As the errors began to mount, the Comets’ energy dipped down reaching its low point midway through set two.

CCC’s offense couldn’t get anything going en route to dropping set two (25-9).

Right setter Victoria Matue provided eight digs along with three kills. Matue said once the team’s vibe turned negative, it couldn’t match Marin’s consistent intensity as the game went on.

“We knew Marin was really good and we played with them in the first set, but we needed to play like that the whole game,” Matue said.

The seventh place Comets face Los Medanos College in an away game tonight, then return home for a game against College of Alameda Friday at 6 p.m. in the Gymnasium.

During the first two sets against Marin, the Comets played good defense providing scoring opportunities the offense couldn’t convert into points. Libero Delanie Baca notched 15 digs and is currently ranked sixth in digs per set in the conference.

Set three was marginally more competitive, however once the Comets surrendered the lead, continued errors limited CCC’s ability to go on a scoring run.

Friday’s loss against Marin is the Comets’ first loss in straight sets in conference play this season.

The Sept. 12 victory against Napa Valley College and Wednesday’s loss against Mendocino College both went the full five sets.

With five sophomores and five freshmen on the roster, Tianero said her group of freshman are strong this year and contributing to the team’s growth and chemistry.

Freshman outside hitter Maleah Maddox contributed six kills and three errors on 15 hits. In the first set against the Mariners, the most competitive set of the match, outside hitter Amelia Garcia contributed three kills.

Sophomore middle blocker Makaya Thomas led the team with 11 kills on 18 hits with one error.

Maddox said she’s still adjusting to playing college volleyball and working on being more assertive on the court.

“I could have played harder and called for my ball more,” she said of her performance.

Tianero said the squad have consistently improved each game this season coming into league play.

“The very first tournament we played we played like the second set the whole tournament. After that we started playing better and better,” Tianero said.

SPORTSHORTS

Squad struggles despite positive growth in loss to Redwoods Despite improving in all facets of the game, giving up several big plays hindered the football team’s (0-4 overall, 0-1 in the American Pacific 7) chances of beating College of the Redwoods (2-2, 1-0 American Pacific 7) on the road Saturday in Eureka.

During the 44-13 defeat, Contra Costa College allowed the Corsairs to score a safety and two huge

one-play drives that deflated the team’s spirits.

“There were some things that were improved on,” Comet football coach Pat Henderson said. “It was just those big plays that hurt us.”

Adding injury to insult, late in the third quarter Comet quarterback Jaylen Tregle suffered a lower body injury after a 10-yard rush.

“He’s still waiting to be evaluated,” Henderson said.

“I don’t think the injury is as bad as he thought it was initially, but it all depends on how he feels (for Saturday’s game against Merced College).”

The Comets go back on the road for the third time in five weeks when they visit Merced on Saturday at 6 p.m.

– Efrain Valdez

Women’s soccer ends Questions surrounding the women’s soccer program at Contra Costa College will continue this fall as the team officially forfeited the 2018 season last week due to a lack of players on its roster.

Nikki Ferguson, who coaches the men’s soccer team and was handed the duties of women’s coach in May, said that they decided last week to make the announcement and begin the paperwork to forfeit the season.

“We were just trying to give the other people in the Bay Valley Conference a heads up before conference play started,” he said.

Even though 2017 women’s soccer coach Manish Doshi left a great deal of optimism after completing a full season after a few years of forfeited and partially played seasons, the program has to start from scratch once again.

With Doshi gone, the challenge to rebuild is left to Ferguson who is now on double duty.

At least we’re in a position to do some actual recruiting (this winter) during the high school season, which is important,” Ferguson said. ­­­­­­– Efrain Valdez

8

spotlight

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 9.26.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Number: 10

Age: 23

Position: Midfield

Year: Freshman

High School: Salesian

Raul High School: Salesian Number: 4

Age: 20 Position: defender, captain

Diego

Year: Sophomore

THE GARCIA BROTHERS INFOGRAPHIC BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Siblings reunite, compete on the pitch Soccer intensifies athletic bond, breeds growth of skill

By Joel Umanzor staff writer

jumanzor.theadvocate@gmail.com

I

n some instances in life, people experience role reversal, which, by definition, is a situation where a person adopts a role the opposite of which they would normally assume in relation to someone else.

This type of experience usually places a person in a situation where empathy from previous experiences exists and understanding is bridged between two people.

For the Garcia brothers — Diego and Raul — this Contra Costa College soccer season is one in which role reversal has come in the form of being reunited as student-athletes and teammates on the Comet soccer pitch.

Diego, 23, and Raul, 20, are two of the three sons of local business owner Diego Garcia who introduced them to the game of soccer early in their lives through his football club, Richmond Sol. The brothers attended Salesian College Preparatory High School and played together on the soccer team there when Diego was a senior and Raul was a freshman.

“In high school it was a little bit different,” Raul Garcia said. “More was expected of Diego because he was already there and he put in the work. He had already made a name for himself at (Salesian). I went to Contra Costa first and then he transferred in.”

For Diego Garcia, his path to the Comet soccer team led him first to San Francisco State University. Then he stayed out of school for a few years before jumping back into his education at CCC. “Originally, I was at SF State but then I stopped going to school for a year before deciding to come back. It was easier for me to go to CCC,” Diego said. “I’m here for a year to try finish (general education) classes and transfer back out to another college.

“But seeing my brother playing here I thought I might as well play soccer one more time.”

According to Comet coach Nikki Ferguson, the role reversal of the two brothers has been good to see up close and has added a dynamic to the team that can help fuel its competitive fire

throughout the long season.

“These are two brothers, but they are more than just limited to that on our team,” Ferguson said. “With Diego coming into a situation where his brother was in a position of experience ahead of him, it added to the competition and experience of our team overall.”

Ferguson said, “There was a moment during one of our first practices in the summer where Diego looked at me and asked me, ‘How did you get my (younger) brother to be so good?’ I think at that moment he started feeling more at home with the team, especially seeing how much his brother had progressed in our program.”

Ferguson also remembered a moment after the team’s disappointing non-conference game against Fresno City College, a 1-1 tie, when Diego spoke up after the game.

“Diego stood up and spoke out after the game and gave his teammates some (wise) words. He really opened up to us and showed the team leadership by being vocal,” Ferguson said.

This new dynamic for the Garcia brothers is just a new chapter in their competitive natures.

“I think we are all really competitive,” Diego said. “Me, him, even my younger brother and our dad, so I guess that competitiveness helped us push more. You know, each of us is better at certain things (than the others) so whenever someone is not the best at something, we would push to improve and do better.”

Both Diego and Raul see that dynamic unfold on the soccer field as they try to play their part as pieces of the bigger picture of competing for a Bay Valley Conference championship.

“Regardless of it being my brother, or any other teammate, playing soccer is all about teamwork. We need teamwork to be successful in life also,” Diego said.

“Whatever it is, you obviously have to work hard on your own to get what you want.

However, along the way you need help from someone else, and building that teamwork will help you get whatever you need.”

Teamwork will often cause teammates to butt heads, but according to Raul, those disagreements should not be perceived as personal attacks but as sharpening points for experience.

“Disagreements will come up, but as we have

n “I think we are really competitive.

Me, him, even my younger brother and our dad, so I guess that competitiveness helped us push more.”

— Diego Garcia, midfielder

gotten older we have learned to not make it personal and take it as constructive criticism to get better,” Raul Garcia said.

The brothers are perfect examples of the type of athletes who come from the East Bay but often do not get the spotlight in the area — and they recognize the importance of that.

Diego Garcia said, “I think there is a lot of talent here in Richmond and a lot of good players don’t end up playing here. They always go far away from here to play on bigger clubs. But when you get a lot of people from Richmond together in one place, it gets really competitive and you see the talent that Richmond has.

“Unfortunately, to play in school activities you need to have good grades and not everyone has that out here. So you can’t see the full potential of what (great soccer players) Richmond has.”

They are keeping open minds as to what they want to achieve in the coming years and how CCC fits within those plans to get to the next level.

“We both are planning on transferring at the same time,” Raul said.

“I have a couple schools in mind but I’m not exactly sure,” Diego said.

Both the Garcia brothers are open to continuing soccer after transferring if the opportunity presents itself, but say education is their main focus in the future.

“I joined the team because the opportunity was there for me. If I get the opportunity again, I’ll do it, but it’s not my main issue,” Diego said.

For the younger of the two brothers, Raul, soccer is still factored in as a serious portion of his future plans.

“For me, if the opportunity comes, then I definitely will take it,” he said. “If any school offers me that chance, I will take it.”