The Advocate 3-4

WEDNESDAY l 3.4.2020

OUR 70TH CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

TAX HIKE TO BOOST FUNDING

By Jose Arebalo

Students rally in support of initiative to fund schools

news editor

jarebalo.theadvocate@gmail.com

RICHMOND — Youth leaders and community members held a press conference at Memorial Park in Richmond on Monday afternoon to garner support for an amendment that would help bring much-needed relief to their district.

The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD)-approved budget from June already contained $12.5 million in cuts. However, in

October 2019 it was revealed there was a projected $39.9 million deficit over the next two years.

This puts the board in the uncomfortable position of needing to make even further cuts.

Students are being directly impacted by having classrooms without teachers and while programs are understaffed, they risk losing educational experiences.

In response to this dire situation, a measure being placed on the ballot this November hopes to help alleviate

n “My friends and I won’t be able to get the full senior year experience if we don’t do something.

— Adela Calderon , student

these conditions for the district.

The initiative being advocated for by student leaders from Faith in Action East Bay and others is the California Tax on Commercial and Industrial Properties for Education and Local Government Funding Initiative, also known as the

Schools and Communities First (SCF) Initiative.

This would amend the state constitution to require that commercial and industrial properties, except agricultural ones, would be taxed based on their market value.

If passed, the initiative would provide up to $12 billion every year for schools and services.

Proposition 13 is a California constitutional amendment passed in 1978 that still sets the standard for how tax rates are set. It limits taxes on real property to 1 perSEE RALLY, PAGE 3

History, art celebrate success of black people

ABOVE: Community organizer Roberta Ryan (left) holds a sign during the Schools and Community First Initiative press conference at Memorial Park in Richmond on Monday.

INTERIM VETERAN POSITION FILLED

PAGE 6, 7

By Nick Sorrell staff writer

nsorrell.theadvocate@gmail.com

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

COVID-19 REACHES NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

PAGE 12

‘Parasite’ masterfully lives up to its hype

Dreamers take flight

Fair highlights struggles of undocumented immigrants

By Stacie Guevara associate editor

sguevara.theadvocate@gmail.com

In an all-day event filled with speakers, workshops, a resource fair and an engaging musical performance, the Contra Costa Community College District held its ninth annual Dreamers Conference at Contra Costa College on Feb. 22.

The annual event is meant to give resources and information to undocumented immigrants and groups who help them — especially undocumented people in fear.

“I don’t want to live my life in fear. I don’t want to live my life like that. Because that’s not living,” poet Yosimar Reyes said.

The districtwide conference

n “I don’t want to live

my life in fear. I don’t want to live my life like that. Because that’s not living.

— Yosimar Reyes, poet

was presented by the Dreamers Alliance of Contra Costa College and was held in Campus Center Plaza, as well as throughout the General Education Building from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

From any entrance on campus, there were volunteers to greet attendees to the free event and guide them to the Student Dining Hall, where a complimentary breakfast was served.

Guests were then led to the second floor of the GE Building, where registration tables were set up featuring tote bags, which had programs and pencils inside.

Along with the registration tables was audio tour equipment provided for those who preferred to have the presentations translated into Spanish.

There were headphones and audio packs available and a Dreamers Conference volunteer translated the orators’ words in-real-time.

Everyone was then led into GE-225, where Interim Dean of Enrollment Services Rod Santos introduced Reyes, Ali Saidi and Jose Antonio Vargas.

SEE CONFERENCE, PAGE 3

After a month of vacancy, the position of Veteran Services coordinator has been evaluated and filled with a new presence.

After the perplexing termination of the previous coordinator TeJae Dunnivant, and the resignation of Dedan Kimathi Ji Jaga from the Veterans Resource Center, the position was left vacant for evaluation.

On Feb. 24, Hector Moncada was hired to be the Veteran Services interim coordinator, in hopes to reestablish Moncada the Veteran Services on campus.

Dean of Students Dennis Franco said, “He (Moncada) seems like he’s going to be a great addition.”

Franco said, “Because I’m personally not a veteran, it’s very important for me to hire someone that is a veteran so that the veteran students can feel heard and understood.”

It’s essential for all veterans to know they, too, are part of the community that makes up CCC, and they deserve to have their voices heard, Franco said.

Veterans should not feel as an obsolete extension on campus.

Moncada has a lot of experience when it comes to fulfilling the needs and services of veteran students.

Moncada served in the U.S. military as a field medic and is still finding more ways to serve by supportSEE VETERANS, PAGE 3

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DISENCHANTED ELECTORATE

Walker Cronkite journalist 1980 Cindy Pantoja editor-in-chief Robert Clinton associate editor

First-generation participants struggle to find candidate

Stacie Guevara associate editor

Denis Perez creative director Jose Arebalo scene editor Luis Lopez news editors Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Byron Agu William Barkley Oscar Cornejo Carlos Cruz Allan Garcia Wanda Gonzalez Daniel Hernandez JoJuan Johnson Janet Lira Christian Medina Brenda Mwingira Jose Rivera Nicholas Sorrel Sicaly Sorrell Evalyn Soungpanya Danielle Tabor-Regis Efrain Valdez Staff photographers Eric Martinez Denis Perez Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019 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 2019 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.

●

EDITORIAL

Quotable “Freedom of press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy.”

Xavier Johnson web editor

opinion

WEDNESDAY, MARCH. 4, 2020 VOL. 110, NO. 12

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM

W

ith the process to select the next Democratic presidential nominee firmly underway, it’s odd that coordinated efforts to get students over the age of 18 to engage in the process don’t draw larger crowds.

Historically, low turnout is expected for voters ranging from 18-24, however, during the 2018 midterm elections, college-aged voters turned out to vote in larger numbers than any time in recent memory.

According to statistics compiled by the Public Policy Institute of California, 19.9 million of the state’s 25 million eligible adults are registered to vote — six million more than were registered in 2015.

Sure, voter registration tables, along with campus programs promoting the importance of legislative participation have made appearances at Contra Costa College, however, the average college student still appears to be disenchanted with the process and skeptical of politicians in general.

Students looking to get involved in the political process have good cause to distrust politicians, local and national, because of the empty promises in ads and interviews leading up to the November election.

Campus groups like the Community Organizing and Political Action club (COPA) make a hearty attempt each election cycle to inform students of issues that affect their daily lives. However, when the time to take action at local polling stations arrives, many students are nowhere to be seen.

Last month, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders made a campaign stop at the Richmond Craneway Pavilion.

Sanders spoke to a packed house about his promises of free college, health care for all and a billionaire tax to re-distribute wealth from the top down.

More confusing than a presidential candidate speaking in the city of pride and purpose, was the disproportionate number of white adults in attendance.

Also missing was an overwhelming number of voting-age-students who most of Sanders’ programs are geared toward.

The rally seemed more like a scene from Richmond, Kentucky, which is 88 percent more white than Richmond, California, which is 42 percent Latinx and 20 percent black.

For many local residents, the prospect of fighting through a packed crowd to hear a curated list of empty promises just wasn’t an appealing proposition.

Over the years, promises become more elaborate, but in reality, outcomes continue to remain stagnant.

In this political cycle, President Donald Trump has become the embodiment of future doom.

Because of this, what has been deemed the Trump-Bump has energized a new generation of voters to engage in the political process.

According to the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy, between 2014 and 2018, turnout for 18- to 24-year-olds jumped nearly 20 percentage points.

Even accounting for these increases, voter turnout of youth continued to remain much lower than turnout of the total population eligible to vote.

Will that be enough to affect real change or just create a new crop of voters destined for disillusionment?

DANIELLE TABOR-REGIS / THE ADVOCATE

■ POLITICS

Democrat failings ensure Trump victory A fter an era of hope and change that left many Americans looking for a new direction, the 2016 election was very hard for voters to stomach. People were divided on policy and social issues that nearly tore the country apart.

Near the top of the list were immigration, taxation, military spending, social programs and the mother of them all, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act — better known as Obamacare.

Relationship building with foreign nations, techwars and other needs of U.S. citizens were forced to the back burner.

Me, and I assume many other voters, saw the presidential election as a no-win situation, Hillary has a gun, Trump has a knife — I’m screwed either way it goes.

In the end, I decided not to vote even though I’m a lifelong Republican — probably the only one on campus who will cop to it — so be it.

During the 2020 election cycle, voters have been presented with a number of like mind candidates, The Democrats have become a dysfunctional, eat my own children, if you don’t side with me kind of party. To join, one must be a socialist, communist, radical, malcontent, who must be on a social welfare program, or smoking all the legal weed per day that is humanly possible.

Anyone who doesn’t fit

williambarkley this description they see as a racist, Islamophobic, misogynistic, white power happy, war mongering, mentally unstable, naive, illiterate.

Many Democrats see voters outside their bubble as somewho Denial is one doesn’t a terrible do social media, thing, get read a newsready for paper, or listen another to other four years. citizens discuss important issues of our day.

Sorry democratic-elitists, average Americans can’t all be rich, white, well-educated and fashionable like you.

That said, here’s a prediction for you all to remember — the elections have already been decided for you. Trump wins again and this time by a larger margin than Ronald Reagan did in 1980.

This past week, national publications like The New York Times, the Economist, the New Yorker have all echoed similar sentiments of a

Trump victory.

What’s worse, most of them have no plan they can explain.

Once again, its two-party politics in a whites only club who all live and work in “the swamp” (Washington D. C.).

How did we get here?

The southern states, along with both the Midwest and Northwest, voted for anybody with distance between them and a Washingtonian philosophy — Trump never expected to win.

He ran to boost his ego, and got a job he wasn’t prepared to get. But hey, beginners’ luck.

So far, he’s done well — no new wars, despite some minor incursions, plus the economy is at all-time high and climbing.

People are at work, which does lead to “Making America Great Again.”

He’s passed more legislation, bills, laws and treaties in his first two years in office than Obama did in his eight-year run and easily answers the question, you were elected to change the country, have you done that?

I still won’t vote, but ultimately, does that really make a difference?

I’ve made my decision.

It’s your choice to support, defend or abandon your country.

William Barkley is a staff writer of The Advocate.

Contact him at wbarkley. theadvocate@gmail.com.

CAMPUS COMMENT

Would you like our campus to be more eco-friendly, and if so, how?

“I think we need to

maximize awareness.

We also need more landscapers and to get everybody involved.”

Dalia Fadhle dental hygiene

JOSE RIVERA / THE ADVOCATE

“Having a green cam-

“I feel the campus is

“Yes. Having the cafe-

“We need to add more

pus would make me feel more comfortable and it would also give more life to the school.”

already eco-friendly.

Maybe changing cafeteria utensils and the use of plastic on campus would help.”

Eliezer Paul-Gindiri

Chisom Nwadike

Jennifer Aguilar

Mildred Wilson

engineering

criminal justice

teria use eco-friendly utensils, and having more recycling bins spread around campus would help.” nursing

gardens, plant tomatoes and also strawberries.

That way it can make people feel better about the campus.” undecided

“Yes. More informa-

tion about recycling for students would definitely help our campus.”

Phillip Poe business

campusbeat

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LEFT: Supporters of the Schools and Community First Initiative gathered at Memorial Park for a press conference in Richmond on Monday.

NEWSLINE PRESENTATION

LIBRARY PROVIDES MLA CITATION HELP There will be an introduction to MLA citation presentation today in LLR-107. The presentation will be held from 10-11:30 a.m.

Students will be able to learn how to format an essay in MLA style. They will also learn how to format in-text citations and citations for a works cited page.

WORKSHOP

INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS OFFERED A workshop is scheduled today in the Career/Transfer Center, SA-227, to help students find internships and summer employment.

It will start at 11:30 a.m. and is open to all.

RESOURCES

APA CITATION HELP OFFERED COST-FREE There will be an introduction to APA citation presentation on March 12 in LLR-107. It will be held from 2:30-4 p.m.

Students will learn to format an essay in APA style and how to format in-text citations as well as learn about library resources for APA formatting.

PANEL

ENGINEERING AND LAW RESOURCES An engineering and law panel discussion is set for March 12 in Fireside Hall.

The panel will start at 3 p.m. and will offer resources for both engineering and law students.

EVENT

FORUM HOPES TO CURB PLAGIARISM An event entitled “Plagiarism and How to Avoid It” will be presented on March 17 in LR-107, from 10-11:30 a.m.

Students will learn the basics about plagiarism and CCC’s Academic Integrity Policy.

The event will cover the best practices for avoiding plagiarism, and the differences between summary, paraphrase and direct quotations.

EVENT

CAMPUS PREPS FOR ARBOUR DAY PARTY The Contra Costa College Sustainability Committee and the Culinary arts department will host Arbour Day in at the Culinary Garden on March 13.

CRIMEWATCH Wednesday, Feb. 26 A person stole items from the Contra Costa College Bookstore at 10:40 a.m. No prosecution is desired. No further information is available.

No other crimes were posted about Contra Costa College.

— 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

RALLY | Local residents push for wealth redistribution Continued from Page 1 of its value and establishes the 1975-76 assessed valuation base for property tax purposes. This loophole, which leaves taxes at a lower rate than the market, will finally be addressed by the state Legislature.

In our current system, students are being burdened with subpar standards that will have a detrimental effect on the academic development of their communities.

“I think that there is so much that young people are tasked with as far as experiencing the gaps in our services and communities,” John

F. Kennedy High School Assistant Principal Helen Burks said.

Having an administrator’s point of view allows Burks to come face to face with many of the conditions students face.

Adela Calderon, a junior at shared her concerns on the effects of the budget deficit.

“I recently found out the school board is planning on eliminating 300 positions and 230 of those positions are going to be teachers.”

Calderon said.

“My peers and I won’t be able to get the full senior year experience if we don’t do something,” Calderon said.

“We also have to think of the future of this country, the children.

They’re going to be our future doctors, engineers, professional athletes. They can be anything they want to be if they grow up with the support and education they need.

Think about the number of people who are going to be affected when you go to the polls this November,” Calderon said.

Members from the community, such as Rev. Khristin Schmidt, gathered to show support for SCF on the ballot.

“We believe the most important thing right now for the world and this country is for us to begin to see

people as people. It is absolutely necessary that we band together and remember that the strength in a community comes from its people and not from Wall Street.

“This community is strong because it is diverse and because people come together from shared values and interests.”

The crowd in the park was filled with passionate politically-engaged individuals such as local parent leader Cecilia Norzagarai.

“I have always had a great sense of commitment to everything that involves the education of my daughters and all the students in my community,” Norzagarai said.

CONFERENCE| Resource fair offers information, hope Continued from Page 1 Unfortunately, Vargas was unable to make it to the event due to a family emergency, but as someone who grew up in the Bay Area, he promised he would come back. Reyes is an undocumented Latino poet, who does work for the queer community and has presented at university campuses across the U.S. Saidi is a deputy public defender immigrant attorney and civil rights advocate in Contra Costa County.

Reyes began his presentation with a poem of resilience.

The poet was quite entertaining, relating to the audience with jokes while simultaneously telling his story.

He presented pictures of himself and his family, which led to memories of his grandparents, whom he affectionately called his “abuelitos.”

He gave light to undocumented elders who are unable to retire.

Reyes said undocumented elders should have their voices heard, because when undocumented issues come up, people usually think of the youth and the future, while the elders’ stories are often forgotten.

He retold his struggles of how people would look down on him and he felt he didn’t need to convince anybody of his worthiness as a human being, “You don’t have to justify your existence to anybody,” he said He then mentioned how people ask him, “Are you scared?”

He continued to inspire attendees saying, “People think undocumented people can’t be poets, artists, philosophers, but here we are.

We might not have political power, but we have cultural power.”

He encouraged audience members to let their undocumented stories be heard before Saidi took the stage.

LEFT: Interim Dean of Enrollment Rod Santos informs DACA students about services during the Dreamers Conference Feb. 22 in GE-225.

ERIC MARINEZ / THE ADVOCATE

As each presenter spoke, someone was in the back of the room translating for the guests with headsets.

When Saidi went up, he told his story, explaining how he was born in Iran but came to the U.S. as a child. Because of this, he felt a paradox of not feeling American nor Iranian when he was growing up.

He said there is an advantage to that, though, having a foot in each world — in their home country and in America.

“We (immigrants) are the bridge-builders. We are the code-switchers,” he said.

He said immigrants are the people who can create the most change.

Growing up, he said the America that he was told about and the American Dream wasn’t

very accurate.

“The America that was and the America that is, is not the America our parents whispered to us about on our journey to this country,” he said.

He finished off his presentation with a hopeful message, saying the current America isn’t the most ideal or the one their parents whispered to them about, but it can be the one they can build together.

After his presentation, guests then broke off into a variety of programs and two workshop sessions.

Workshops such as stress management, legal solutions, applying for financial aid and scholarship help were provided, some exclusively in Spanish.

Each workshop had its own speaker and some had one-on-one help for students and families.

Lunch started at 12:30 p.m. along with a resource fair held in Campus Center Plaza.

To assist with entertainment, BoomShake Music started its drumming performance and captivated guests with heart-thumping beats and inspirational messages.

They emphasized the inclusion of people from all backgrounds and their performance encouraged audience participation through call and response.

The resource fair included EOPS, the U.S. Census 2020, UC Berkeley, Cal State-East Bay and many other resources for DACA students.

Dreamers Alliance member Alfredo Angulo said all in all it was a successful event with a big turnout of close to 200 people.

VETERANS | Coordinator aims to improve relations

Continued from Page 1

porting the needs of veteran students.

When asked of his goals for the Veteran Services, Moncada said his main objective for the students is for them to “get as much education while they’re in the service to get further in life when they get out of the service.”

Returning to normal life as a veteran student comes with many challenges inside the educational system and the workforce, he said.

Some of these challenges are depression, disorientation and

post-traumatic stress disorder.

Moncada said, “The most important part is a friend on campus — it could determine if you graduate or not.”

Moncada explained how having someone to help guide and aid a student-veteran can make a difference with their experiences on campus.

Veteran Services was established to give veteran students a chance to excel in their academics and provide a comfortable community to unify all veteran students.

The Veteran Services Office is located in SA-111.

DAN HERNANDEZ / THE ADVOCATE

Veterans Services coordinator Hector Moncada greets campus vets on Feb. 24

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ALUM EXTOLS VIRTUES OF BIOLOGY Shams discusses robotic planning at UC Berkeley

LEFT: Contra Costa College STEM alumnus Muhammed Kamil Shams discusses biological robotics at a workshop in the Center for Science Excellence Feb. 21.

By Jose Arebalo scene editor

jarebalo.theadvocate@gmail.com

Alumni Muhammed Kamil Shams spoke with students from the Center for Science Excellence Feb. 21 in GE-225, sharing his experience at UC Berkeley and beyond.

He also talked about the differences between community colleges and four-year colleges.

Shams recently graduated from UC Berkeley and will be working at Chevron as a facilities design engineer.

“Once I transferred, there was just a lot more to do,” Shams said.

“I had to create my resume, go to career fairs, go to info sessions for companies, prepare for interviews and figure out how to get research opportunities. There are just a lot of things you have to face once you transfer.”

Since he joined an engineering lab that was relatively new and his professor didn’t have many graduate students, he was able to interact with the professor more often than a typical undergraduate student.

“I would recommend, if you’re looking for research opportunities, to look for labs that are relatively new because that would make for a better learning experience,” Shams said.

As his professor received more projects, she later assigned Shams a leadership role in their lab. He showed footage of a robot that could dive as deep as 60 meters

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

n “We are trying to make a robot that biologists can use.”

— Muhammed Kamil Shams, facilities design engineer

that his engineering lab created.

“Usually divers go and collect coral. We are trying to make a robot that biologists can then use to collect instead,” he said.

Over the course of his presentation, he recalled his first truly helpful connections with campus educators.

“(Contra Costa College engineering) professor (Mark) Wong.

I used to go to all his office hours and I think we became very close.

Every (letter of recommendation) that he wrote me was very valuable everywhere I was applying,” Shams said.

He said community colleges are a better source for the first two years of college because of class sizes exploding at larger institutions reducing face-to-face time with the professor. Once students transfer, they’ll need to learn proper time management skills.

Shams said, “Here, it’s all just go to lecture, take notes, and go home and do homework. There you had to kind of figure out ‘OK, for this course, the lecture isn’t really helpful. What else can I do? Do I buy other textbooks? Do I find online tutorials?’ It’s figuring out a lot more than you’re used to at a community college,” Shams said.

Shams has always been a high achieving student, Wong said.

“The thing that always impressed me most is the joy he takes in learning things. It makes teaching fun when you have students like

that.”

“I also am incredibly grateful when students come back. It’s always wonderful to get to hear the things they go on to do,” Wong said.

At the seminar, students were given a look at what hard work can bring to them.

Student Johnny Nguyen said the event was full of information.

“I definitely gained some helpful insight on what to expect after transferring and some things that I can do to be proactive in my own academic pursuit,” Nguyen said.

Tour offers glimpse of campus life at UC Davis

By Stacie Guevara associate editor

sguevara.theadvocate@gmail.com

DAVIS — Contra Costa College students interested in transferring to UC Davis visited the colossal campus on the Career/Transfer Center’s Get on the Bus Tour on Feb. 21.

Students met up with Career/ Transfer Center counselor Andrea Phillips on the bus before they departed.

Get on the Bus was its own event, but it was tied to UC Davis’ gathering entitled Discover UC Davis, specifically for transfer students from all over the state.

Though the event was targeted primarily to transfer students, any CCC student could attend, as long as they registered beforehand.

When community colleges from all over California arrived at the campus at 9 a.m., they were greeted with the UC Davis marching band right outside the Mondavi Center.

Phillips said everything was prearranged for the event — she only had to coordinate the bus.

Just about every Monday, UC Davis Transfer Opportunity Program (TOP) Bay Area repre-

sentative Renelle Johnson visits the campus and is available to help students with questions about transferring, the UC system and specifically UC Davis.

Because of this, Phillips said CCC was invited to Discover UC Davis since this campus is one of the districts the UC tends to.

According to Phillips, Discover UC Davis is one of the biggest transfer events the college holds and over 500 students attended the event.

Students shuffled Phillips inside the lobby of the Mondavi Center where they went to check in and have breakfast.

Shortly after, students were led to the Mondavi Center’s performing arts venue, Jackson Hall.

Students were greeted by Ebony E. Lewis, executive director of admissions at Davis, before Chancellor Gary S. May gave his welcome address.

May spoke about the many achievements of the campus, men-

tioning that UC Davis is the fifth best university in the country and there are approximately 39,000 students who attend it.

He continued to speak about the growing diversity on campus, saying, “Diversity is one of our greatest strengths.”

After he spoke, the group of students split — those who were current fall 2020 applicants would stay in Jackson Hall, and those who were future applicants went to the Alumni Center, learning about transfer basics.

In Jackson Hall, current transfer applicants were given information and next step suggestions, learning what they should be currently doing until April.

Johnson, a familiar face to CCC applicants, took the stage and led the audience through a presentation about financial aid, housing and the unfamiliar quarter system.

Johnson said there are over 800 student clubs on campus, so students have every opportunity to get involved.

Assistant Director of the Internship and Career Center Luis Esparza then gave a presentation on how to have a successful university experience.

To begin his presentation, he asked students to stand up from their seats, and say hi to someone sitting near them who they didn’t know.

After the students met some new faces, Esparza emphasized that having a successful university experience is all about that — meeting new people, building relationships and developing a community.

He continued to speak about organizations, internships and studying abroad.

A student panel was then held and all students met again in Jackson Hall.

Davis students answered many of the transfer students’ burning questions, such as, “What was it like adjusting to the quarter system?” and “How do you develop a relationship with your professor when there are over 100 students in a class?”

The UC Davis students provided valuable insight and a student point of view.

At 11:35 a.m., lunch was provided and the resource fair began.

Students were able to eat and also visit a variety of student resources and departments, such

as the LGBTQIA Resource Center, the McNair Scholars Program, the College of Letters and Science and the Transfer and Reentry Center.

Each resource had fliers, stickers, prizes to be won and pens offered to the attending students.

After the resource fair, afternoon sessions were offered, such as campus tours, financial aid workshops and money-saving tips.

By the end of the day, the buses departed at around 3 p.m. and everyone headed home.

Phillips said she was glad so many students signed up for this Get on the Bus trip, and she expressed her admiration for Chancellor May. She said he is very interested in helping students who are low income, first generation college students, African American students and especially those students interested in STEM fields.

CCC’s Career/Transfer Center is offering three more Get on the Bus tours in April, and Johnson visits every Monday as a valuable resource to students.

Those interested in attending can visit the Career/Transfer Center in SA-227 or call them at 510-215-6874.

Forum prioritizes student success

By Nicholas Sorrell advocate staff

nsorrell.theadvocate@gmail.com

It’s important for students to know that many resources are available on campus that can help accelerate their academic pursuits.

On Feb. 20, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) department hosted the Strategic Plan Student Forum in Fireside Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

If successful, students in attendance would become more aware of how their ideas can help make improvements at Contra Costa College.

The college’s Strategic Plan has been established so a road map based on student feedback and administrative directives can be established.

The Strategic Plan is applied to the college for five years to steer campus improvements for the students attending CCC. It also has a focus of bettering economic plans to benefit the campus community in general.

As new students register for

NICHOLAS SORRELL / THE ADVOCATE

Students mark, with stickers, what they think is important to them at the Strategic Plan Student Forum that was hosted in Fireside Hall on Feb. 20. classes and other students graduate, the environment and community needs change — with that change in mind, new questions are being raised.

The Student Strategic Planning Forum not only gave the opportunity for students to ask their questions, it was also a way of improving the campus and resources it

provides for all students.

STEM Program Coordinator Kelly Ramos has a definite idea of how the program should operate.

Ramos said, “Our main objec-

tive is to get as much student feedback as possible.”

Trying to improve the campus toward better serving its students in the best way possible can be difficult if students don’t express their needs and preferences.

Ramos said, “I hope they (students) feel and know that their voice is important and that we really value them.”

Some of the qualities established in past strategic plans were also centered on equity, access, engagement, achievement, excellence and accountability.

Despite all of these visions being accomplished in different time frames, enough has been done to make a progressive change for campus.

CCC has been able to provide aid in many areas of academia to give students a better chance to accomplish their goals.

District Policy Planner Christina Paul said, “The Strategic Plan is developed to help students for years to come and we hope students’ feedback will help shape the future of the college.”

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LEFT: Culinary department Chairperson Nader Sharkes places plastic waste in the recyclable container adding to his department’s focus on decreasing the carbon footprint of the campus.

Sustainability committee DANIEL HERNANDEZ / THE ADVOCATE

embraces green initiative

By Daniel Hernandez staff writer

dhernandez.theadvocate@gmail.com

One group here on campus is responsible for the installation of new drinking fountains and getting departments to have green certification with the intention of reducing greenhouse and carbon emissions.

Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King is the chairperson of the Contra Costa College Sustainability Committee. He said their goal is to reduce the energy consumed from things such as cars, lights and air conditioning and highlight the importance of recycling on campus.

The committee sits together to merge ideas about how they and the campus can effectively take steps to becoming more environmentally friendly and sustainable within budget.

The committee does not require commitment to be a member, but King encourages the exchange of ideas and suggestions to start working on new projects.

Any and all students, staff and faculty are welcome to join the

committee’s meetings.

“We try to open up the committee to the whole campus,” King said. While there are several members who represent different departments on campus, such as English or automotive, the amount of student participation has remained stagnant since the 2018-19 academic year.

King plans to bring the question to the committee next meeting to see if they can increase student awareness and participation.

King notes that the issue of timing tends to affect the outcome of their meetings. With many participants having busy days, everyone comes to the agreement that a Thursday, 7 a.m. meeting time works out.

Meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month in the R Building (the Buildings and Grounds portable south of the Applied Arts Building) conference room.

“I try to make it enjoyable. We’ll often bring in guest speakers and the biggest continental breakfast you’ve even seen,” King said referring to the large number of snacks and coffee that appear in each

meeting.

At the first meeting of the semester on Feb. 6, guest speaker Susan Psara, hazardous waste reduction manager for the office of Contra Costa County, discussed how departments on campus can receive a Green Business Certification.

So far, CCC has custodial, both divisions of the Automotive Services Center and Buildings and Grounds departments with certification.

Culinary arts department Chairperson Nader Sharkes, an active member of the Sustainability Committee, is interested in becoming the fifth department on campus to become certified by the county.

According to Psara, to be certified, an entity must go to the California Green Business Network’s website to register details about their operations. The website will then generate a specific checklist for facilities to follow.

The list covers water and energy conservation, solid waste reduction and transportation management.

“Once they finish that checklist,

simply filled out but doesn’t have to be complete, a green business coordinator like myself would go out there and verify what checklist items have been completed,” Psara said.

A representative from the county has already made a visit to culinary arts department.

“The only thing we need to do is fill out the application,” Sharkes said.

He does not have a definite time of when they will finally become certified.

Through the application process, Sharkes teaches his students several ways to practice sustainable cooking habits in the kitchen and at Pronto.

“Right now, we recycle almost everything. We compost all our food byproducts and we recycle our (cooking) oil.”

The way they recycle their oil is by keeping grease a container that is built into the kitchen where used oil is strained into a receptacle.

The remainder is clean and ready-to-use cooking oil. The rest is placed in a special bin for a disposal service to take away.

There are extra costs for when

it comes to investing in sustainability. At Pronto cafe, the use compostable paper plates are costly in comparison to buying traditional paper plates.

Sharkes is trying to implement red serving baskets for food when Pronto patrons decide to eat there.

Culinary arts major Penny Chuah, who serves as a baker in the kitchen, said, “When we do vegetables, we cut everything. We have leftovers. The head and the bottom, we go for the soup. After making the soup, we go for the compost.”

The maximization of everything edible is not only eco-friendly but cost-effective and boosts students’ kitchen skills.

Instead of automatically sending waste to landfill, they mindfully compost items such as eggshells, paper-based cartons, coffee grounds and vegetable scraps.

“I’m so glad that I don’t have to feel guilty,” Chuah said in reference to composting.

“We want to show the community a good example that we can be a futuristic, modern institution of education and we are right up on everything,” King said.

Neighborhood forum yields important questions

By Stacie Guevara associate editor

sguevara.theadvocate@gmail.com

In an attempt to involve more students and community members in the decision-making process at Contra Costa College, the Strategic Planning Committee recently held a neighborhood forum in Fireside Hall.

The event was held from 12:302:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 with refreshments provided, such as coffee, juice, fruit and build-your-own sandwiches. Upon entry, people were prompted to sign in and had the option to sign into an anonymous survey electronically.

This forum was held to present the strategic educational master plan to the public, addressing popular topics and questions of community members.

Interim President Damon Bell opened the meeting with

an introduction and Equity and Institutional Effectiveness Dean Mayra Padilla guided a slideshow presentation.

Though the meeting was open to students and community members, the audience primarily consisted of faculty and staff.

In presenting their Padilla Contra Costa Community College District Strategic Plan 2020-2025, Padilla mentioned the accreditation process the campus is currently going through and then posed a question to the audience.

“What do you think is CCC’s role in the community?” Padilla asked.

There were poster boards all

over the room decorated with questions like, “What are the values that you think CCC should embody?” and “What equity and social justice outcomes should we prioritize?”

There were also five big tables set up around the room with notepads and colored pens in the center of them. Padilla referred to these notepads and encouraged audience members to write down their thoughts, which were to be added to the poster boards in the room.

In response to CCC’s role, Director of College Advancement Sara Marcellino said it’s important to harness the community, and the CCC Foundation is not listed in the Strategic Plan, but she wants it to be.

Board of Supervisors District 1 Chief of Staff Sonia Bustamante said she sees CCC as a safe meeting place and also as an educational

and cultural center for the community.

As Padilla continued to speak, she mentioned the student equity plans at CCC, one of which is the free breakfast program.

This was brought up when someone asked about students’ basic needs and security, to which Padilla mentioned the Food Pantry and campus showers in the locker rooms.

Currently, no housing for homeless students is offered, however, qualifying students are eligible for housing units in the area and the county. But that’s not always a sure thing.

District Governing Board Trustee Rebecca Barrett said to audience members, “The bottom line is that there isn’t land available for housing, so our school’s housing can’t be built.”

Barrett told audience mem-

bers if they are ever at a meeting or have an opportunity to talk to Assemblyperson Buffy Wicks or other legislators, they should bring up issues like housing and homelessness to them.

Another point that was brought up was the ability to maintain respectful communication between the college and the community.

Some of the committee’s vision for success goals are to increase the number of CCC students annually who acquire associate degrees, credentials, certificates or specific skill sets by at least 20 percent. Some of the next steps are a student survey operating from Feb. 18 to March 3, and a student forum.

To close the meeting, Padilla again encouraged audience members to put their notes on the poster boards and voice their opinions.

Support courses boost math proficiency

By Efrain Valdez staff writer

evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com

With helping students in need of additional support in mind, the math department implemented a co-requisite for students taking Math 120, Math 164 and Math 171.

For years, community college students in California have been placed into remedial math and English classes that delayed their path toward graduation and transfer. California Assembly Bill 705 came into effect in January 2018 in an effort to avoid putting students in classes that would be considered remedial.

Math professor Terrill Mead said, “A lot of what AB705 has done is thrown this back at faculty.

If you (instructors) have students who aren’t as well-prepared for these classes, how do we support them?”

Mead also served as the math department chairperson during AB 705’s implementation.

The professor said, under the umbrella of AB705, community colleges in the state have the option to allow students to enroll directly into the transfer level courses and if the college wants, they can provide additional support.

What the math department at Contra Costa College did was create a one-unit co-requisite that goes with the Intermediate Algebra (Math 120), Calculus (Math 171) and Statistics (Math 164) classes.

“Some colleges are offering

support courses that are optional, some are making them required,” Mead said.

“Some (colleges) are doing it for credit and others are doing it for non-credit, but there are all kinds of options.”

“What we opted to do is make a one-unit lab credit so that Mead the cost for students wouldn’t be much more than what they already pay,” he said.

Professor Perry Aliado said he and other professors at first thought it was going to be similar to the regular math classes, but he

said they were wrong.

“Our strategies of teaching the old course completely went out the window,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve had to come up with different strategies. I haven’t been able to coast through like in my 164 class,” Aliado said.

“There is an amount of comfort and autopilot that goes on with the 164, that totally was not happening in the 164 (math co-requisite). There are more worksheets, interactive work and group assignments. It’s changed the way I teach the regular course,” he said.

According to Mead, the “pilot” is going good so far but that the department won’t be able to fully judge this until the end of this school year.

Both professors agree that this new way of doing things has changed the way they both teach the regular course as well because of the extra time they get to spend with students.

Business major Eugene Cornel said the 164 class he is taking is interesting and not the extra burden he originally thought it was going to be.

“At first I thought it was going to be a drag because of the extra class time, but it turns out it’s not that bad. I’ve been able to get more help and better understand some of the harder concepts,” he said.

Aliado said his students have received the new course well and that they have been able to build a community within the class.

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Professor bridges POETIC ENLIGHTENMENT FILLS FIRESIDE gap, dispels myths

LEFT: Collin Edmonds (left) and Chardonay Thomas burst with laughter at the Black Student Union’s Poetry Jam and Comedy Night.

BSU curates comedy, showcases poetry

By JoJuan Johnson advocate staff

jjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

By Eric Martinez

Month by discussing the work and accomplishments of Dr. Carter G. Woodson.

A house of community members, With accomplishments ranging officials and students alike filled a lecfrom writing more than a dozen books ture room within the Richmond and founding the “Journal of Negro Public Library to the brim for History” in 1916 to being the founder Professor Manu Ampim’s of “Negro History Week,” which would lecture on the history of later be recognized as Black History African civilizations on Month, Dr. Woodson would be the Feb. 20. crux of the widespread dissemination The focus of of African achievement, history and the night’s lecsuccess. ture, which Further into the presentation, the started at audience would be shocked to learn of 6:30 how aspects of classical African culture could still be seen in the 21st century.

The shock stemmed from an unsupposed ostrich feather.

In one slide of the presentation, Ampim showed the audience a photograph of ancient art depicting a man with a feather to which he pointed out was an ostrich feather.

According to Ampim, the ostrich is a humble bird, of which the feathers were only used by those of “high status.”

The shock came when he proved this by following up with photos of him with people from the same region who still carry on these traditions, as was made evident by the ostrich feather that sat atop the village leaders.

Kamarianna Thomas Johnson, an African American studies and psychology major who “loves listening to Ampim’s lectures,” said she “learned a lot about Africa, Kemet and Nubia” and found it interesting to learn about “the significance of ostrich feathers.”

To conclude his presentation, Ampim stressed the importance of events such as these.

Events like this one give him a chance to share his original research with the community, including students, parents and professors.

Ampim said, “Having so many people attend shows the value of this kind of research to both CCC students and members of the community alike.”

When asked what she took away from the lecture, STEM major Yvetta Griffin Jackson said, “I thought it was multicultural. We are all connected and it was refreshing to see this tonight.”

The key takeaway is to remember Dr. SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE Carter G. Woodson’s During professor Manu Ampim’s African-American history lecture at the Richmond Public Library, he dis- message about played photos and talked about ostrich garments in African tribes’ cultures. unity, she said. advocate staff

emartinez.theadvocate@gmail.com

p.m., was on highlighting the contributions and lasting culture that is often distorted by many historians.

Ampim, chair of the history, anthropology and geography departments at

Contra Costa College, presented on select key points during the night that, to keep with this year’s theme, bridges the Africa-to-America connection.

Grateful to the Richmond Library for inviting him and hosting his event, Ampim, as well as the library organizers, were happy with the turnout that night.

The night began with Ampim laying the foundation to African He r i t a g e

W.E.B. Du Bois lecture series bolsters leadership qualities

By Danielle Tabor-Regis advocate staff

dtabor.theadvocate@gmail.com

Long-time East Bay activist Virtual Murrell spoke of leadership and its connection to learning a discipline as the guest speaker in GE-225 on Saturday.

The gathering was hosted by sociology professor J. Vern Cromartie, who also founded the W.E.B. Du Bois lecture series in 2002. His hope, through this lecture series, is to continue to spread the knowledge of sociology Seale throughout the student body.

The lecture had a turnout of 150 people.

Dr. Cromartie welcomed Murrell to Contra Costa College and told students they were privileged to hear tales of his journey in politics from Richmond, California to Washington D.C. During his talk, Murrell said he hoped to challenge today’s African Americans to start asking “why” again, make their voices heard and

n “A great leader is a great follower first, you make the best out of any situation in following and in leadership”

— Virtual Murrell, long-time activist

put themselves in positions of political leadership.

Murrell said focusing on understanding “why” will put African Americans in a better position to advocate for their communities.

When speaking about the light of black people in America, Murrell quoted Malcolm X during his lecture by saying, “We’ve been hoodwinked, bamboozled, led astray.”

Currently, he works as president of the Pegasus Group, a company handling governmental strategic plans. He used many examples from his personal experience, to more firmly imprint that message into his audience’s minds.

Murrell said the collective mindset of African Americans has been laden with accepting what they’ve been given and failing to question “why.”

His roots in activism stretch back to Oakland City College, now

known as Merritt College, when he partnered with Bobby Seale and created the first black studies course there. The college appointed a white teacher with no knowledge of black history. It led him to begin a grassroots effort to attract students and create an African American student advisory council called, “Soul Students.”

The “Soul Students” were brought about as a result of the African Americans not being represented on Pioneer Day. Murrell said, he, Seal and seven other students protested this fact, built a movement around it and won.

Seale would go on to become the co-founder of the Black Panther Party and Murrell the distributor of their newspaper.

Murrell said, “A great leader is a great follower first. You make the best out of any situation in following and in leadership.”

Virtual learned from conversations with Seale to do his homework, which was being well-versed about the topic to be discussed before diving headfirst into a conversation with another person.

When he was drafted to go to war in Vietnam in 1972, this would later

prove a valuable lesson.

Murrell had already decided he wasn’t going to Vietnam.

In boot camp he refused to do the drills and when asked why he wasn’t following orders, he responded by saying, “I’m not in the army yet.”

He believed blindly following orders without asking why is dangerous and encourages his fellow African Americans to not give up and “to keep standing up for their community and what they believe in.”

He said it’s important to keep breaking the glass ceiling and not be put into the mold that “past societies have placed you in.”

Murrell said, “You always know when you are a little bit different from your friends and to use that knowledge within yourself to better advocate for you and your community.

DANIELLE TABOR-REGIS / THE ADVOCATE

East Bay activist Virtual Murrell speaks of leadership as the guest speaker in GE-225 on Saturday.

The Black Student Union hosted a packed Poetry Jam and Comedy Night in Fireside Hall on Thursday full of emotional moments, laughter and good food.

The event ran from 5:30-8:30 p.m. and the poetry portion was hosted by sociology major Daioge Martin and the comedy portion by comedian Antwan Johnson.

Before the event started, two students went on stage to entertain the audience.

Martin presented a poem called “Making Love to Concrete,” by Audre Lorde. Early childhood education major and vice president of the BSU Roshawntala “Tay” Cunningham then recited a poem called “I Sit and Sew,” by Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson.

Cunningham said, “(‘Making Love to Concrete’) is more about feminism for me. Especially during the Harlem Renaissance. I could only imagine what black people could do back then.”

In the event, students competed for best poems and jokes. Jamey Williams won first place, Collin Edmonds won second place and Contra Costa College alum Chardonay Thomas finished in third place.

The event itself kicked off with a poem titled “I Am,” recited by psychology major Jeremiah Williams. Williams said black history and culture influence his poetry and this was his debut poetry performance.

Bay Area creative teaching artist Collin Edmonds has been writing poetry for 3 and a half years.

Edmonds said they have been writing, performing and teaching poetry “all day and every day.” Edmonds said they have hosted two shows in the Bay Area and for this night they performed two poems.

The two poems were “Tootsie Roll Racism” and “Bloodstain.”

According to Edmonds, “Tootsie Roll Racism” is “a trip through history and blackness in general.”

Edmonds said, “‘Bloodstain’ is

NICHOLAS SORRELL / THE ADVOCATE

a way to de-construct the incident where I stepped in a blood puddle and all the weight that it carries, knowing that someone probably died on that block. And you just kind of stepped on the only marker of their life that you know of.”

Edmonds said they’ve been performing and competing against Williams for a long time and said they both performed flawlessly.

Williams won first place in the poetry competition.

Thomas has been writing poetry since she was in sixth grade.

Thomas said, “Black history has been the root of my poetry since I first graduated from high school because it gives me

n “(Making Love to Concrete”)

statistics.”

Thomas said Collin Edmonds, Reggie is more about feminism for me. Edmonds, and Jamey Williams inspired her to become a poet.

Especially during the Harlem She performed a poem called “Female Renaissance. I could only imag- Daddy Long Leg,” which she said was ine what black people could do “inspired by entering a space filled with a lot of queer individuals and the feelback then”. ings that arise specifically when queers approach me.”

— Roshawntala “Tay” Cunningham, BSU Another poem that she performed was vice president “White Dreads,” which she said was about her experience watching a white person with dreads come to an Oakland poetry a platform to explore more of myself, my slam and performing a piece about police history and different aspects of my iden- brutality from the lens of someone who tity without needing to always go back to could understand police brutality rather

than someone who is a direct contributor to violence.

The comedy portion of the night had the audience filled with laughter with comedians Kevin Deshaw “KD” Ashley, Thylon Sizemore, and Jay Rich telling their jokes to the audience.

Sizemore held the attention of the audience the most, calling out people in the audience and even the children sitting in front.

While the comedy portion was full of funny and sometimes irreverent jokes, there was an underlying message of black unity and finding confidence and pride within one’s culture and history.

Vibrant prodigy energizes squad, sets standard

By Evalyn Soungpanya advocate staff

esoungpanya.theadvocate@gmail.com

For many high school students, by the time they come home from a long day of studies, the most they worry about is their homework and what TV show is playing later that night.

But for Naja Ji Jaga, she stays up until 10 p.m. through a rigorous schedule of school, sports and extracurriculars only to repeat the tasks the following day.

Ji Jaga is a 16-year-old junior attending Middle College High School (MCHS), which is an education-based high school at Contra Costa College and doesn’t offer any high school sports or teams.

So she is currently playing basketball for Pinole Valley High School (PVHS) as part of the varsity girls’ basketball team.

Ji Jaga also does jazz band and dance class at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts and YMCA Youth and Government. She said all the extracurricular activity and being an MCHS student from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. interfere with her sleep schedule.

A quick 15-minute nap is a way that helps her recharge after school before beginning her hectic routine.

She often doesn’t come home until 10 p.m.

“These extracurriculars will help me learn life skills and help me prepare for a successful future. It can be tiring, but I know it will be worth it in the long run,” Ji Jaga said.

Ji Jaga has done performances for the East Bay Center for five years doing showcases during the fall and spring.

Along with all her other activities, she said basketball practice and games often cause her to

CINDY PANTOJA / THE ADVOCATE

Naja Ji Jaga is a Middle College High School student and athlete currently playing for the Pinole Valley High School girls’ basketball team. Ji Jaga also participates in track and in the creative arts.

miss her dance classes at the center.

Ji Jaga said if she could change one thing about MCHS, she’d want to change the time her classes end as they often interfere with her active schedule.

Her father, Dedan Ji Jaga, was the one who introduced Naja (Ji Jaga) to sports as a young child and also recognized the benefits of team participation. He’s helped her with scheduling and managing her extracurriculars.

Her family also assists by supporting her activities which makes them easier to deal with.

“She simply has an intense, dedicated spirit that passionately, and in most cases successfully, drives her toward greater challenges with little regard for the magnitude of the reward,” Naja’s father said.

The young athlete has participated in many sports throughout her life since beginning athletics at 4 years old. She ran track until middle school and participated in javelin and shot put along with running.

Along with track, she played tennis and learned karate at 6 years old and swimming.

Ji Jaga also played softball in middle school and started basketball during her sophomore year as a post player.

She hopes participating in these sports and activities will help her get a scholarship for college.

Ultimately, she wants to pursue a career in the medical field and later start a nonprofit for children to get in touch with their artistic side through music and dance.

Some of her achievements up to

date include fourth place in javelin for the 2015 AAU Junior Olympics, a City Proclamation from Richmond along with becoming captain of her varsity basketball team at PVHS. Brian J. Gaither, coach of the PVHS girls’ varsity basketball team, said, “I think Naja (Ji Jaga) set a great tone as our captain. She is more of a leader by example. She has a heavy academic load and still finds the time to be a committed and dedicated contributor.”

Gaither hadn’t given the captain position for a few years and decided Ji Jaga was the best fit for it since it wouldn’t go to her head.

She said being an athlete has made her a better person.

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CINDY PANTOJA / THE ADVOCATE

Multi-dimensional art student Steven Bernt presents his multi-faceted artwork entitled “Growth” is presently being shown in the Eddie Rhodes Gallery in A-5.

Internal drive fuels artistic creativity

By Cindy Pantoja editor-in-chief

cpantoja.theadvocate@gmail.com

Contra Costa College students are known to strive for greatness, and artist Steven Berndt is no exception.

Berndt has always been interested in creating art out of different materials and combining color palettes.

“I’ve been painting for quite a while. When I was a child, I used to like airplanes and I just always loved arts and crafts, but I was never really serious about it until I got a little bit older,” Berndt said.

After losing his job when the gaming company Frontline Gaming moved to San Diego, Berndt refused to feel defeated and he decided to enroll in college courses at CCC. “When the company moved away, it left this vacancy in me – I was used to being active and it left me feeling this artistic urge to make things all the time,” he said.

“In the back of my mind, I knew I

needed to find a way to be creative and that’s how I started at CCC in 2018.”

Berndt divides his time between working full-time as a bus driver, attending art classes during the day and painting for several hours at night.

“One of the things I like about driving a bus is that I have a lot of time to think about new projects and ways to improve my technique,” he said.

During Berndt’s time at CCC, he experimented with different media and after a year of artistic work, he had enough art pieces to fill a gallery.

Fine and media arts department Chairperson Anthony Gordon said Berndt is a multidimensional artist who combines his ability to build into his art pieces.

“He definitely shows up and brings a lot to the table. He takes the things we say to heart and then applies them to his assignments and we actually are able to see them get better,” Gordon said.

“He is a meticulous artist.

He works slowly and he’s very precise. ” — Michael Zephyr, media arts department assistant

Artists often dreamed about exposing their craft in a gallery — however, this dream only comes true with great effort.

In Berndt’s case, he was able to create over 40 art pieces in almost two years – enough material to fill the Eddie Rhodes Gallery.

Gordon said, “We have a few students who show their work in the Rhodes Gallery every semester.

It seems like a small room, but it’s hard to come up with a concept and fill up these walls.”

Berndt’s art exhibition is titled “Growth” and it showcases pieces in porcelain, genuine mix-media drawings and acrylic paintings that resemble his growth as an artist.

Media arts department assistant Michael Zephyr said Berndt’s artwork stands out because of his creativity and his attention to detail.

“He is a meticulous artist. He works slowly and he’s very precise,” Zephyr said. “He really takes his time with every piece.”

One of his most notorious pieces is a master copy of Guido Reni’s “Archangel Michael Defeating Satan” that took Berndt over 125 hours to complete.

“He is very dedicated, very talented and he has a lot of potential,” Zephyr said. “He’s one of those people who really wears his heart on his sleeve. He just shows up, he listens carefully and he asks the right questions.”

“I would love to be able to see his work a few years from now, especially if he does his showing somewhere else,” Zephyr said. “I would love to attend and see what he has to present. Some of the art that our students produce is absolutely remarkable.”

Emphasizing his attention to detail, once Berndt visualized the “Growth” gallery showing, it took him eight months to bring his vision to life.

Every piece is presented with an essay-like description that would bring to the audience the feeling of being in the art class when that certain assignment was given.

Fine and media arts professor Dana Davis said he usually sets up the galleries when students are ready to present their work, but in Berndt’s case, he was only there to assist him because he was ready to do the hard work.

“He came here with a plan. He had a specific order of how he wanted to put the art together,” Davis said. “I just did a little bit of fiddling to get them to look right on the wall. Setting up the gallery took pretty much three hours of work.”

The exhibit will be available for viewing at the Eddie Rhodes Gallery in A-5 for two more weeks.

Musician awarded for dramatic composition

By Stacie Guevara associate editor

sguevara.theadvocate@gmail.com

Music major Ninoangelo Lastimosa has been awarded third place for Sound Design — Meritorious Achievement for original sound/music composition and realized sound design for his work on drama department Chairperson Carlos-Manuel Chavarria’s “Frida Kahlo: The Artist; The Woman.”

From Feb. 16-22, Lastimosa, Chavarria, drama professor Angelina LaBarre and six other Contra Costa College drama students visited the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region 7 (KCACTF7) in Fort Collins, Colorado.

LaBarre said it was her third time going to the festival and CCC’s fourth.

It was actually Lastimosa’s second time because he had gone last year for his work with music majors Tyler Nguyen and Erin Foreman on Chavarria’s “Vengeance: A Ghost Story.”

Lastimosa said he started his work with Chavarria early in the fall 2018 semester, after Chavarria reached out to music department Chairperson Stephanie Austin.

He wanted to know if she knew any violin players in the music program who were interested in playing the instrument for his production.

Dr. Austin referred him to Lastimosa, who then got Nguyen and Foreman in on the project.

The three students helped compose music for “Vengeance: A Ghost Story”, and they all played live music during the showings of the spooky play.

Lastimosa played violin, Nguyen played bass guitar and Foreman played piano.

“Violin, bass guitar and piano — that’s what created the soundtrack to ‘Vengeance,’” Lastimosa said.

As compared to his work on “Vengeance: A Ghost Story”, Lastimosa focused more on collaborating with the actors in “Frida Kahlo: The Artist; The Woman.”

Lastimosa said in “Vengeance: A Ghost Story,” he collaborated a lot more with the tech crew — working on sound effects.

The drama behind that was at the forefront of his mind.

Lastimosa said for “Vengeance: A Ghost Story,” there was more sound design, while this year it was more about composition.

Spring 2019 was when Lastimosa went to KCACTF7 for the first time for his work on “Vengeance: A Ghost Story” and that’s when Chavarria asked him if he would collaborate with him again, but this time on “Frida Kahlo: The Artist; The Woman.”

Lastimosa agreed and Chavarria gave him a copy of the script.

Lastimosa studied the script, but didn’t really start composing until summer 2019, when he visited France with CCC commercial jazz vocal ensemble JAZZ-ology.

JAZZ-ology performed at many jazz clubs in France and when their tour was over, Lastimosa got to work.

Chavarria said he and Lastimosa were in constant communication and they met one-on-one a few times throughout the summer to discuss the music.

Chavarria told Lastimosa what he wanted him to do and what he wanted the music in the play to sound like.

Lastimosa did some research on his own and said he was looking for a way to represent Mexico and Oaxaca.

LEFT: Ninoangelo Lastimosa collaborated with drama professor CarlosManuel Chavarria on the music composition for the play “Frida Kahlo: The Artist; The Woman.”

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

He composed pieces for specific parts of the play and sent Chavarria sound bites, then Chavarria would reply and offer his critique of the pieces.

Lastimosa said he was glad Chavarria was accessible and they could communicate frequently.

During fall 2019 rehearsals, Lastimosa said he asked the actors who played Frida Kahlo (Vanessa Crisostomo Garcia) and La Pelona (Cinthya Zuniga) about what they thought the mood was and what

the music would sound like in certain scenes.

This influenced his composing process.

LaBarre said, “It’s really cool to have Nino (Lastimosa) come in and work with student actors and respond to what they’re doing.”

Lastimosa said he was proud of his work especially because of the reception it got.

He said a prestigious drama professor at the festival told him he has “a soul for music” and that

really spoke to him.

LaBarre has not yet worked with Lastimosa, but she is excited to work with him in the future.

Chavarria said, “It’s a really great thing he got third place because he’s a music major — not even a theater student — and the judges were judging from theater points of view.”

Chavarria hopes Lastimosa continues in theater and continues to compose for more productions.

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9

ILLUSTRATION

BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

‘Parasite’ shatters expectations

By Xavier Johnson web editor

xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

I

t’s easy to go into powerhouse director Bong Joon-ho’s acclaimed new film “Parasite” feeling cynical.

The Korean filmmaker dominated the global film conversation since his film burst onto the scene at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.

Now that “Parasite” has added a couple Oscars to its name, including Best Picture, it has suddenly become a must-watch film for everybody.

With all the hype comes the creeping feeling that the film can’t possibly be as good as everyone says it is, right?

There have been underwhelming Best Picture winners before.

Well, the hype is justified. “Parasite” is downright incredible.

The opening scene perfectly encapsulates what makes “Parasite” so fun to watch. The Kim family is running around their minuscule basement home trying to find a public Wi-Fi to connect to.

Great cinematography with dense frames and meaningful blocking, and strong dynamics between characters delivers a real sense of momentum.

These opening moments show the dire circumstances in which the Kim family lives.

Scrounging for Wi-Fi and struggling to get by folding pizza boxes, they are situated in an underclass fighting for survival.

The plot kicks into gear when Kim Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik), a son in the Kim family, gets a recommendation from an old classmate to pose as a college student and take his job as a tutor for Park Da-hye (Jeong Ji-so), MOVIE the teenage daughter REVIEW in the wealthy Park “Parasite” family. ★★★★★ Starring: Song After a bit of docKang-ho ument forgery, he Directed by: lands an interview Bong Joon-ho Where: South with the naive mother Korea of the Park houseGenre: Drama/ hold, Chung-sook (Chang Hyae-jin).

After a tense interview, he lands the job.

During these first 20-30 minutes of the movie, Bong Joon-ho’s directorial mastery and the stellar acting is on full display. Particularly the effective use of framing to convey emotions accentuates the drama and mood of the scenes.

Additionally, he captures the set-up and payoff formula found in great heist

films.

The cluttered tight shots of the Kim’s home life give a sense of claustrophobia that the characters feel as they run over each other to move around their home.

Once Ki-woo enters the Park household, it’s almost a sense of relief as the shots widen in their spacious home.

After Ki-woo is employed, he hatches a plan to get the rest of his family hired by the Park family. First up is his cunning and apathetic sister Kim Ki-jeong (Park So-dam).

“Parasite” takes on its strongest social commentary during this portion of the film from the overarching question: “Who is the real parasite?” It is explained through the commentary of Korean class dynamics with which American viewers might not be familiar.

There are also great relationship dynamics explored using each character. Ki-jeong seems to adapt to the rich life quickly, almost seeming like she belongs, while her brother Ki-woo struggles with feeling like an outsider in a world teeming with wealth.

Once the plot gets going, there’s no shortage of twists and turns to keep viewers on their toes. The killer thing

about “Parasite” is how it completely plays with expectations.

There are several moments where the viewer starts to think about what will happen next, but then the film takes a hard-left turn.

This is exemplified by the re-introduction of the Park family maid Gook Moon-gwang (Lee Jung-eun). After her firing at the hands of the Kim’s scheme, her re-introduction to the film is an unexpected twist in narrative and tone. The tonal shift in particular is a marvel to watch.

Bong Joo-ho effortlessly incorporates horror and thriller elements to a film that can almost be considered comedic until that point.

After all the wild twists and meticulously set up scenes, the film’s ending is sobering. It ends on a quiet, beautiful series of scenes that conclude the film in a thought-provoking manner.

“Parasite” is a really good movie and begs to be re-watched several times. Each scene is packed with great moments. “Parasite” is for sure going to be one of those films that comes on HBO in a few years and no matter what point in the movie is up next, there’ll be a scene coming that is too compelling not to sit and watch.

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SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE

“Sonic the Hedgehog” premiered in theaters on Feb. 14 and is the highest-grossing movie based on a video game, making over $265 million worldwide.

‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ earns $265 million at box office Director Flower displays classic SEGA video game characters

By JoJuan Johnson advocate staff

jjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

I

n his feature film directorial debut, Jeff Flower brings to life the classic SEGA video game character Sonic the Hedgehog.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” has been a hit with audiences, earning a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 95 percent and an A rating on CinemaScore.

Flower is known for his smaller animation projects such as short films “Rockfish” (2003), “Gopher Broke” (2004)

and “Where The Wild Things Are” (2009), which was directed by Spike Jonze.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” is not only a great movie for the entire family to enjoy, but it shattered box office expectations as the film made $265 million worldwide on just an $85 million budget.

With such success, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we’ll see another “Sonic” movie in the future.

In an interview with web series “Mercy of Whims,” Flower said he remembered playing every Sonic video game when he was 13 years old.

He said he spent a lot of time observing the speed and movements of the video game.

“We wanted to honor that sort of spirit and a lot of the key components of what fans of the game MOVIE would want REVIEW to see in the “Sonic the film,” Flower Hedgehog” said. ★★★★★ The Starring: Ben Schwartz movie was Directed by: Jeff originally Flower supposed Genre: Fantasy/ to be Sci-fi released last November, but due to harsh criticism about the artistic style of “Sonic,” the movie’s opening was pushed back to Valentine’s Day 2020.

According to a Twitter post

by Flower, they wanted to make “Sonic” “just right.”

In a film coverage YouTube channel, Kinowetter, interview, Flower admits that before releasing the second trailer with the new and improved version of the “Sonic” character, the team feels excited and more confident about the film’s direction.

The film is a live-action animated adventure starring Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic the Hedgehog, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, James Marsden as Tom Wachowski and Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski.

In the quiet town of Green Hills, Montana, Sonic must team up with Sheriff

Wachowski to keep Dr. Robotnik from using Sonic’s speed powers to conquer the world.

Over the course of the film, viewers are treated to one of the best live-action video game movies ever.

Schwartz does a fantastic job playing the role of the speedster. The animators also do a great job redesigning the new and improved Sonic.

Both the voice acting and design combine to create a wonderful representation of the iconic character.

In a Polygon interview, Schwartz said he always imagined Sonic was a childlike ball of energy and was happy to have the opportunity to bring the character to the real world.

film portrays painful reality of depression Superb acting shines through complex narrative

By Luis Lopez news editor

llopez.theadvocate@gmail.com

‘H

orse Girl” is a psychological thriller on Netflix starring Alison Brie, who tackles psychotic depression through the lead character’s paranoid breakdown.

Brie delivers a superb performance that carries the film’s confusing but meaningful narrative to the end.

The film was written by Brie and Jeff Baena and stars Brie as the main character, Sarah.

Sarah is a shy, socially awkward 20-something-yearold from a small town and is interested in the arts, crafts and horses.

The story focuses on Sarah and her slow psychological breakdown. The painful transition into psychotic depression is hard to watch without feeling sympathy for the character.

The film has a slow eerie pace that is helped by Brie’s portrayal of Sarah.

The film gives viewers a glimpse into Sarah’s life, which is quite sad, with her mother committing suicide a year before.

The film picks up with Sarah visiting her mother’s grave and also frequently visiting a horse stable where she visits her previously-owned pet horse.

Sarah’s life is sad, but she lives it as optimistically as she can.

The film shows Sarah’s peaceful and lonely life beginning to MOVIE deteriorate REVIEW slowly as “Horse Girl” she finds ★★★★★ herself Starring: Alison dreaming Brie, Debby Ryan and John Reystrange occurrences. nolds Directed by: Jeff Suddenly, Baena she begins Genre: Drama to have episodes where she wakes up somewhere completely different than where she fell asleep.

The film leads viewers to believe Sarah is simply sleepwalking, but it gets stranger with aliens and sci-fi themes beginning to intertwine their

SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE

Alison Brie portrays Sarah in the Netflix movie “Horse Girl.” Sarah is a shy, introverted girl who is socially awkward and lives a sad and lonely life. Slowly her mental state begins to deteriorate.

way into her “dreams.” Sarah is convinced she is a clone and that she is being abducted by aliens.

These instances get worse with the film playing with the viewers’ beliefs about what is happening to her through camera work that culminates in an exciting ending.

Brie does an excellent job as Sarah, playing the role of a shy introvert breaking down into a psychotically depressed person.

At the Sundance Film Festival, director and co-writer Baena said, surprisingly enough, the writing was mostly improvised.

“Almost all was improvised except for the TV show in the movie,” Baena said.

The movie tackles a difficult subject in the realm of mental

health as the character slowly falls prey to her own psychotic depression.

Psychotic depression is a subtype of major depression that includes hallucinations and a form of psychosis.

The film sheds light on how someone can be depressed without even knowing it, and having it get to such a bad place that it makes them hallucinate.

It creeps up on the main character as the movie goes on and, without spoiling the plot, all the strange occurrences are rooted in her psychotic depression.

The storytelling doesn’t make it clear she’s having a mental breakdown until the second half of the movie.

In the second half, Sarah

is committed to a psychiatric hospital where she seems to keep hallucinating while being told she has psychotic thoughts.

After 72 hours she is released, but can only remember 24 hours of her time in the psychiatric hospital.

Those 72 hours are portrayed through eerie “X-Files”like scenes that make viewers uncomfortable.

The shot selection is exceptionally fitting during those scenes and throughout the whole movie.

The final scenes beg the movie be re-watched.

The film is a unique experience that takes viewers on a trip that stimulates and questions them while shedding light on a serious issue.

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“

11

We need to execute when we have runners in scoring position” — Fernando Duenas, shortstop

LEFT: Pitcher Connor Rudy throws a pitch during the Comets’ 8-3 loss to Folsom Lake College on Feb. 20 on the Baseball Field.

XAVIER JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE

Comets split series, losing streak ends Team boasts 5th best non-league record in BVC

By Carlos Cruz advocate staff

ccruz.theadvocate@gmail.com

The Comet baseball team (4-11) split its two-game series against Folsom Lake College (113) last week, bringing the Comets’ 11-game losing streak to an end by beating Folsom Lake 5-2 in an away game on Feb. 21.

The game was tied 1-1 until the bottom of the seventh inning when Folsom first baseman Troy Shields reached first on an error by Contra Costa College shortstop London Penland allowing FLC centerfielder Austin Caviness to score.

In the top of the eighth inning however, Comet right fielder Khalid Johnson tied the game up at 2 with an RBI double.

Penland then made up for his error by driving in his second and third runners of the game with a double.

During the 5-2 victory, the Comets were able COMETS to put together a great team pitching performance.

Pitchers Fernando Duenas, Santino FALCONS Battaglieri and Chun Hao combined for a stat line of 9 innings pitched, 10 hits allowed, and giving up only 1 earned run.

The baseball team lost 8-3 the day before against Folsom Lake in

5 2

a home game that slipped away in the later innings.

Early in the contest, the Comets did a good job keeping the game close by only giving up one run through the third inning. Then the game got away from the Comets in only one inning.

Both teams had quick threeand-outs in the first three innings leading up to the fourth. A wild pitch on a third strike by the Comets got a man on base for Folsom Lake.

The Comets then gave up six runs in the fourth inning due to some amazing hitting by Folsom Lake that flipped the game in their favor. Folsom Lake shortstop Nate Hargraves (an RBI, 2 hits) slammed a triple that brought one runner in.

Comet pitcher Connor Rudy (115 pitches, 73 strikes) was solid in the first four innings, but Folsom

Lake found a way to get runs and, despite the Comets’ best efforts for a comeback, it fell short.

The score was 7-0 going to the fifth inning and it looked like it was over for the Comets. But they were not going to go out like that.

Comet shortstop Fernando Duenas (an RBI, 2 hits) said, “We need to execute when we have runners in scoring position.”

The team’s comeback efforts led to three straight innings of scoring one run in each making the score 7-3 going into the eighth inning.

The team started a streak of making one run per inning in the bottom of the fifth inning to the bottom of the seventh inning.

The first score during this streak was a sacrifice hit to bring in a run in the fifth inning. Then they did the exact same thing to bring in a run in the sixth. In the seventh

inning, Duenas hit a single that would bring in another runner.

The eighth inning was quiet with neither team scoring a run so, with the score still at 7-3, the Comets were running out of time to make the comeback.

In that inning, Folsom Lake first baseman Isaiah Haynes hit a home run giving his team a commanding 8-3 lead.

Duenas said the team needs to work on defense and also that they need to “keep routine plays routine.”

The Comets return to action Thursday against Los Medanos College, which is at the tail end of their opening week of Bay Valley Conference (BVC) competition.

The Comets are sitting with the fifth best non-conference BVC record prior to the beginning of conference play.

SEISMIC RETROFITTING CAUSES DELAYS

By Sicaly Sorrell advocate staff

ssorrell.theadvocate@gmail.com

As anticipation builds on campus to see what construction on the Gymnasium and surrounding area will produce, problems that often accompany large renovations have begun to take form.

The $29.5 million Gym Annex Building and Gymnasium renovation expected completion dates have been delayed until January 2021 for expanded earthquake retrofitting, according to technology services manager James Eyestone.

“The Gym Annex was set to open in the fall of 2020, but we are not going to be able to make that deadline now due to the retrofitting,” Eyestone said.

According to the Seventh Sense Research Group International Journal of Civil Engineering, retrofitting is the process of adding new features to older buildings, heritage structures and bridges to make them safety compliant.

Retrofit in structures is done to increase the survival functionality.

There were also issues with water leveling while in the process of retrofitting the Gym Annex.

Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said, “In the

FILE PHOTO / THE ADVOCATE

The Gym Annex renovations suffered delays due to expanded earthquake retrofitting.

process of removing dirt, the construction workers hit water 15 feet down.”

A water table separates the groundwater zone that lies below it from the passage fringe, or zone of ventilation, that lies above it.

Although the water leveling caused some complications to the construction, King said it was a minor issue that wasn’t at all serious or harmful to the overall con-

struction project.

“Despite having to retrofit and pump out the construction water, we are heading in the right direction,” he said.

While there is excitement for the finished modifications to the Gym Annex and Gymnasium, there has also been a huge adjustment for the faculty staff.

Athletic Director John Wade said the adjustment has been dif-

ficult because faculty and staff are displaced due to the gym renovations.

Wade said the difficulty in adjusting to the construction has more to do with the logistical side of things.

The coaches of baseball, basketball and football have all been relocated to the General Education Building.

Even with all the adjustments

being made for the renovations, Wade said he is looking forward to the finished product of the refurbished Gym Annex and Gymnasium.

Wade said the gym renovations are good for the campus because it should help bring in more foot traffic to the college.

“It’s good for the students because it’s something that’s new,” he said. There is much to be excited for when the gym renovations are finished, however, few are more eager and excited than basketball coach Miguel Johnson.

Johnson has been forced to navigate having to prepare players without having a primary gym to play and practice in.

“I’m looking forward to coming back home where we can build team chemistry,” he said.

Johnson said that having an upgraded campus puts the college in a better light and helps the campus grow.

He said although he is excited for gym renovations, he is also staying prepared for whatever happens in regards to the process of construction.

Johnson said, “I try to plan for any possible setbacks.”

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spotlight

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CORONAVIRUS PERMEATES CALIFORNIA North and East Bay Over 140 corona-exposed patients were taken to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield and released after a 14-day quarantine on March 2. The first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. appeared in Solano County. Dozens of cases have been reported and hundreds of health care workers are asked to self-contain.

Silicon Valley There have been nine cases reported in Santa Clara County and four of them traveled outside the county. Some patients were exposed to the public without the knowledge of being infected.

An elderly couple in San Benito County were infect- Two patients were released from quarantine ed and were not hospitalin San Diego. Patients in both Los Angeles ized, but quarantined in and Orange counties have been released, their home. but over 50 health care workers are isolated.

Southern California

INFOGRAPHIC BY DANIEL HERNANDEZ / THE ADVOCATE SOURCE: LOS ANGELES TIMES

CONTAGION SPARKS NATIONWIDE CONCERN

By Jose Arebalo scene editor

jarebalo.theadvocate@gmail.com

A new virus is spreading across the globe at such a rapid rate that scientists have hardly had any time to learn about it.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is thought to spread person-to-person and there are a few factors the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has discovered that play a role in contracting the illness.

They are being in close contact with a carrier — within six feet, the length of time near them, whether they released any respiratory droplets on you and how often you touch your own face.

To help avoid infection, people should follow flu prevention tips such as washing their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds many times a day and avoiding touching their eyes, nose and mouth. They should also be careful touching public surfaces, as a study of other coronaviruses found they survive on metal, glass and plastic for from two hours up to nine days.

While the illness does have a high transmission rate, its mortality rate is low.

Researchers from the United Kingdom estimate that between five and 40 coronavirus cases will result in death, with a best guess of nine in 1,000 or about one percent.

The most common symptoms that patients initially show with COVID-19 include fever, dry cough and a shortness of breath. People who believe they may have contracted the illness should call their doctor or local public health department to receive guidance on self-isolation and seeking further treatment. It is important to remember that many of the symptoms are similar to the flu.

This global health crisis has found the United States with a scrambling, yet intensive response. California faces a major shortage of test kits available to diagnose patients with initially only 200 kits for the 8,400 individuals being monitored, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

The Governor’s Office also told reporters that most of the state’s stockpile of facemasks has run out leaving only about 20,000 masks for health professionals.

Retailers have sold out of N95 respirator masks in recent weeks due to a flurry of

COVID-19 Statistics CASES REPORTED Based out of Wuhan City, China, there have been over 92,823 cases reported worldwide.

There have been 3,164 victims to COVID-19 as of March 3.

In the United States, there have been 108 cases reported.

As of March 3, over 48,469 people have recovered from COVID-19.

public demand because of rising fears and anxieties.

His office has reported that they have made an order of 300,000 masks, but most will be made in China, possibly leaving them on backorder until April due to high demand.

Locally, actions are being taken to help expedite the rate at which cases can be diagnosed. Officials in San Francisco are preparing for the inevitable spread of the disease in the Bay Area.

“As the situation changes rapidly in the Bay Area and on the West Coast, we expect to have confirmed cases in San Francisco and are preparing for community spread of the virus,” Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco department of public health director, said to NBC Bay Are. San Francisco will now be performing its own tests for the coronavirus instead of having to send them out to the CDC in Atlanta.

Local testing results will take one-totwo days instead of waiting four-to-seven days. However, San Francisco only has 250 test kits which limits availability to people who may have been exposed.

“It’s not a matter of if, but when. The health department will prioritize protecting the populations that are most vulnerable to becoming very sick or dying if they get COVID-19. That includes the elderly and people with chronic diseases and underlying health conditions,” Colfax said.

Contra Costa County Health Services announced two weeks ago that they are treating three patients who were recent evacuees from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship anchored in Japan, due to a lack of space of facilities closer to Travis Air Force Base.

In the second case to be confirmed positive in local counties, an individual in Sonoma County contracted the virus while on a cruise that departed from San Francisco to Mexico. This has prompted the city to declare a local emergency as they were in public for 10 days beforehand.

The CDC has changed its informational map from showing the number of people tested for the virus to only showing the number of confirmed cases.

Companies around the Bay Area are giving employees the option to work from home.

SYMPTOMS

PREVENTION

Symptoms will appear within 2-14 days after exposure, including:

Wash your hands regularly with alcoholbased soap

Excess coughing Shortness of breath Pneumonia Fever

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth Cough or sneeze into your elbow Avoid public transportation and high density public places

INFOGRAPHIC BY DANIEL HERNANDEZ AND JOSE RIVERA / THE ADVOCATE SOURCES : CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, CNN , WORLDOMETER