The Advocate 10-24

WEDNESDAY l 10.24.18 OUR 69TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Timeline: 2012: Obama signs the DACA

Executive Program into law in August

2015: Trump starts off campaign by promising to repeal DACA as soon as he is in office

2017: On Sept. 15, Trump

rescinds DACA and Homeland Security secretary announces the phasing out of DACA benefits for recipients

2018: On Jan. 9, a

judge in California issues a preliminary injuction on Trump’s actions and forces Homeland Security to continue renewing DACA applications By Jan. 20, Democrats and Republicans are unable to come to a bipartisan solution leading to a governmental stalemate over the issue

.

INFOGRAPHIC, PHOTO BY DENIS PEREZ

Undocumented existence ABOVE: Guadalupe Mendoza kisses her son, Joshua Mendoza as she walks down 23rd Street in Richmond, California on Monday.

POSSIBLE CHANGES IN POLICY INVOKE FEELINGS OF UNCERTAINTY, DOUBT editorial

By Denis Perez

creative director

dperez.theadvocate@gmail.com

Contra Costa College’s undocumented immigrant community is prideful about its heritage, its history and its people.

The Advocate recognizes the efforts of the multitudes of groups who work to effect change on campus and outside of it.

Many in the campus community participated in a week-long event to celebrate the accomplishments and effort of so many who work for, and with, the undocumented community.

DACAWeek, recognized this past Monday through Thursday, offered different campus groups the opportunity to hold events that raised awareness about the struggles of undocumented immigrants in different environments.

Each day a different theme was reflected in the type of event held on campus.

Monday’s Get Social event aimed to use social media to raise awareness about undocumented people’s rights.

It used local friend groups to stir up activity on the platforms of influential public figures including local legislators’ social media accounts.

Continuing the struggle The effort to find a path toward a successful future lies, for many of the world’s underserved populations, through programs like DACA. However, the uproar over immigrant rights, puts a bulls-eye on many at CCC.

All the events were different and although they varied in theme, the purpose of each gathering was always to reverberate the humanity of the immigrant as worthy of being here.

Events such as Thursday’s Multicultural Night are critical toward a growing community.

As celebrations continue to unite through themes of inclusivity, so does the number of people who gain empathetic understanding about the immigrant community.

These events highlighted the diversity of the immigrant community at CCC. Simply put, that is what CCC, and the campus community, represents.

The acceptance of all for who they are and therefore creating a space for undoc-

umented people to have a voice, embodies the label of Contra Costa College as a sanctuary campus.

Unfortunately, modern day immigration policies in the U.S. do not reflect the belief of CCC’s administration, the Contra Costa Community College District or the people who work at it or attend it.

Despite finding ways of using immigration for financial gain and continuing the exploitation of migrant communities, the United States continually fails to enact justice when it comes to immigration.

There has never been a compromise from the government to legalize DACA recipients’ status in the future. Instead, they are just used as piggy banks or as the basis for political talking points.

Today, there is a standstill between Democrats and Republicans on what to do with Dreamers, DACA recipients and immigrants in general.

The consequence of this administration’s nationalistic view of immigration has contributed to creating a class of people who are needed for financial stability.

In reality, immigration policies are not always logical, but minimally they should be humane.

SEE DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVAL WEEK STORIES ON PAGE 3

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NUNCA TE OLVIDES

Michael Santone editor-in-chief

Denis Perez creative director Robert Clinton associate editor Jessica Suico news editor Andrew Weedon scene editor Efrain Valdez sports editor Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Chris Alfred Jose Arebalo Issac Benavides Kit Duckworth Kyle Grant Dan Hardin Alex Kwasniza Luis Lopez Cindy Pantoja Joshua Poole Gabriel Quiroz Jackson Stephens Joel Umanzor Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 Member

Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges How to reach us Phone: 510.215.3852 Fax: 510.235.NEWS Email: accent.advocate@ gmail.com Editorial policy Columns and editorial cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.

●

EDITORIAL

Gregory E. Favre executive editor, Sacramento Bee1998

Xavier Johnson web editor

opinion

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 24, 2018 VOL. 107, NO. 7

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM

Hostile atmosphere demands administrative support

S

imilar to fractured families coming together at a funeral, communities tend to rally around its members in times of need or when navigating adverse situations.

However, when momentum is lost and the crowds have gone home, who will remain to support the people left most vulnerable?

That sentiment is echoed at Contra Costa College and was recently on display as many students on campus felt the ire of President Donald Trump through his failed attempt to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Sentiments became reality last Thursday when both of that day’s events scheduled for DACA week were canceled because administrators seemed to blow it off.

According to student organizers, no notice or reason was given for the administrative absence.

As a response, a call for accountability has been raised by event organizers toward the members who promised to come.

During the height of the undocumented students’ anxiety regarding their collective futures, many campus administrators made a concerted effort to show support for their students.

Some continue to work to provide personal assistance to migrant students.

However, as the months passed, enthusiasm toward maintaining that same level of support has waned.

Even though a federal court ordered the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume the requests to renew a grant of deferred action under DACA, students on campus still feel the same anxiety of being trapped inside the president’s cross-hairs.

Recently, news outlets have covered the migration of a caravan of asylum seekers hoping to make a new life away from impoverished home-countries.

These images are plastered alongside comments by presidential supporters stating these migrants are coming to replace American citizens.

Even though there are nearly 3,000 miles between CCC and Tecun Uman, Guatemala where migrants from Central America entered Mexico on a literal path-to-prosperity last week, their impact is already being felt in the U.S. With no way to actively confront these people who have been portrayed as wouldbe invaders, fearful Americans turn their contempt toward their nearest, most vulnerable target, members of the undocumented community.

To date, the FBI has only released hate crime statistics up to 2016, many independent reports chart a definite increase.

According to a report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism from Cal State-San Bernardino, hate crimes reported to police in America’s 10 largest cities rose 12.5 percent in 2017.

Much was made about the sanctuary status of this campus and its promise of empathy toward undocumented students.

Support is not only meant for crisis situations, it’s meant for students whose normal means constantly being under attack.

ISAAC BENAVIDES / THE ADVOCATE

■ UNDOCUMENTED

Economic policies fuel need for DACA H

ow would you feel if by the time you finished college, thousands of dollars in debt, opportunities were limited because the government planned to revoke your work permit ending the possibility of you ever having a well-paid job?

This was the sentiment of nearly 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students this past June 16, 2017.

Their angst was increased when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it intended to repeal the executive order by President Barack Obama that expanded the DACA program.

The Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was created on June 15, 2012. From its inception, DACA was by no means a way to offer legal status to someone who was in the United States illegally.

The intent of Obama’s executive order was to provide students, who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives, with a Social Security number and a work permit so they could generate tax revenue.

There was never even a compromise from the U.S. government to legalize DACA recipients’ status in the future. Instead, they are just used as piggy banks.

DACA recipients are constantly threatened to have all of their privileges removed if they don’t pay their fees on time.

cindypantoja Shortly after the current administration threatened to end DACA, a federal court ordered the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume the requests to renew DACA a grant of deferred recipients action under are constDACA. Recipients antly threatcan renew their exist- ened to ing applihave their cations, however privileges new applications are removed. no longer being accepted. The government is not doing any favors to DACA recipients by letting them stay in the country for a longer period of time — as they want us to believe.

According to a recent report from the Center for American Progress, the national gross domestic product (GDP) could take a $460.3 billion hit by the recension of DACA. California and Texas may be hit with the hardest blows to their GDP’s, with $11.6 billion and $6.2 billion in potential annual

losses respectively.

Those who do not support DACA argue that it only encourages the illegal immigration of minors, which has doubled in recent years — especially those from Mexico.

However, the migration of thousands of Mexican minors seeking refuge from poverty, since 2012, is largely due to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) agreement between U.S., Canada and Mexico.

NAFTA’s birth in 1994 marked the first blow in the slaughter of the middle class in Mexico.

A New York Times article, published in 2013, said because of the NAFTA agreement, heavily subsided U.S. corn markets caused a food crisis in Mexico.

Currently, 25 percent of the Mexican population doesn’t have access to their basic food needs and it is estimated that one-fifth of Mexican children suffer from malnutrition.

Who is really to blame for the $7.4 billion that the American citizens have to pay for DACA each year?

The Mexican parents who brought their kids to the U.S. illegally because they were hungry, or the U.S., the 12th richest nation in the world according to businessinsider.com, that is starving them for profit.

Cindy Pantoja is a staff writer for The Advocate.

Contact her at cpantoja. theadvocate@gmail.com.

CAMPUS COMMENT

What can be done for DACA students now to make them feel more comfortable on campus?

“Try to educate students more and keep them up-to-date on what is going on in the DACA community.”

Tony Gojilde English

“A support group on campus for DACA students would be great.”

Josefina Ibarra

early childhood development

“If they had a DACA club on campus that would be cool — ­ something to help them feel at home.”

“People know what DACA is, but they don’t know about DACA. I feel there needs to be more knowledge about it.”

“There needs to be more open sources and opportunity. We shouldn’t have people asking about DACA, they should already know about it.”

Gabriel Sanchez

Alexander Walker-Griffen

Elia Guerrero sociology

computer science JESSICA SUICO / THE ADVOCATE

political science

“We should bring more awareness and have more resources available.

Valeria Cardenaz biology

campus beat NEWSLINE WORKSHOP

DISCUSSION CENTERS ON ISLAMOPHOBIA Student Equity at Contra Costa College invites the campus community to an inclusive pedagogy workshop and keynote discussion addressing “Islamophobia” today from 12:45 to 4 p.m. in GE-314 and 225.

The event, facilitated by intercultural diversity consultant and educator Dr. Amer F. Ahmed, will focus on ways to better serve the Muslim student community and develop more inclusive practices.

Dr. Ahmed will also facilitate a student-focused session following the workshop and a keynote discussion at 4:30 in Fireside Hall.

For more information contact Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Equity Mayra Padilla at 510215-3880.

LGBTQ+

INSTITUTE BREATHS LIFE INTO CLUB Starting Nov. 2, the newly formed LGBTQ+ support group will meet on Fridays from 12:451:45 p.m. in AA-204.

The confidential support group is facilitated by the Wright Institute, an arm of the psychology graduate school located in Berkeley.

Its goal is to educate students to be critical thinkers and ethical problem solvers, to address community and societal needs and to function effectively as professionals in a diverse society.

The support group will meet each Friday.

For more information contact The Wright Institute at 510-8419230.

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.24.18 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Fair informs on DACA

By Jackson Stephens staff writer

jstephens.theadvocate@gmail.com

Writing to Congress to protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students was at the heart of the You’ve Got a Friend in Me Undocumented Resource Fair in the Campus Center Plaza Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

As part of the Undocumented Student Week of Action at Contra Costa College, this fair was designed to encourage students to sign postcards in support of the DACA program.

The gathering also served as an opportunity to meet with representatives of organizations that provide legal aid and rights education to undocumented communities.

Though the event on campus was organized

by Student Life, sending postcards is part of a statewide initiative at community colleges, Student Life Coordinator Joel NickelsonShanks said.

Postcards with the message, “This can’t wait! We need action now. California’s community colleges serve thousands of DACA recipients,” were handed out at the event.

A sense of urgency was conveyed in the pretyped petition on the postcards created by the Community College League of California, in conjunction with other groups.

It calls on Congress to preserve DACA and help undocumented students pursue higher education.

The social media hashtags #CCCforDACA and #UndocumentedStudentActionWeek were listed to promote the campaign. District 11 Rep. Mark DeSaulnier’s Instagram and Twitter account handles were shown so constituents can follow their representative.

Tickets were given after signing the postcards for a free food item from a Curbside Kitchen food truck parked in the plaza.

“I’m glad this event is happening because it makes undocumented students not feel so alone,” Student Life intern Kathleen Bonilla said.

Organizations dedicated to helping the

JACKSON STEVENS / THE ADVOCATE

Student activist Marisol Grace (right) talks to a student during the You’ve Got a Friend in Me Undocumented Resource Fair in the Campus Center Plaza on Oct. 16

undocumented community were invited to set up tables at the fair alongside the postcard station in order to bolster their message and services.

One of the groups invited was Stand Together Contra Costa, a new program started by a coalition of partners in the East Bay. The group manages a rapid response hotline for those being detained or deported from their home, at work or at school.

Program-trained legal observers can be sent to monitor Federal Immigration and Customs (ICE) agent’s interactions and activities.

Stand Together Contra Costa leader Yaquelin Valencia said it’s important to help those who are undocumented to know their rights and to correct misconceptions — such as knowing there is a difference between the rights of someone in their home versus a someone in

a vehicle.

The International Institute of the Bay, the largest non-profit legal provider in Northern California, reached out to students who attended the event.

“We’ve been looking to branch out into deportation defense since the start of the Trump administration,” staff attorney Sara MacPherson said.

She wants students who are in need of legal counsel to know that high-quality, free services are available to them.

Working to resettle refugees is the primary focus of the International Rescue Committee located in Oakland. Grecia Sandoval, an immigration caseworker, told students about free citizen workshops offered once a month and immigration open hours once a week for $30.

Cultural celebration unites campus

By Gabriel Quiroz staff writer

gquiroz.theadvocate@gmail.com

EDUCATION

VISIT CANCELED

BY STATE CHANCELLOR California Community Colleges State Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley canceled his visit and public forum at Contra Costa College for Oct. 31 in Fireside Hall from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

The cancellation is due to a family emergency medical issue.

The forum was a part of a statewide “Listening Tour” of which CCC was one of six colleges chosen, and the only one in the Bay Area.

The Contra Costa Community College District was also working on coordinating constituent meetings with Chancellor Oakley during the day while he was on campus at CCC.

CRIMEWATCH Saturday, Oct. 13

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Polynesian dancer Raven Mapanal dances Hitoto Otea outside of Fireside Hall during DACAWeek’s Multicultural Night on Wednesday

An auto burglary occurred in Lot 1 next to the Tennis Courts at 3:30 p.m.

A pair of shoes were stolen from the Contra Costa College Pool area during a high school water polo tournament at 3:50 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 15 A petty theft was reported in the Veterans’ Center at 12:12 p.m.

A male student was arrested and transported to the Martinez Detention Center after an altercation involving a domestic battery at 12:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 18 A burglary and forcible entry was reported in the culinary arts department in the Student and Administration Building at 11:05 p.m.

— 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.

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DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Noemi Gomez (left) and her teacher Lolisa Garcia play and sing Mexican traditional music Wednesday.

For the diverse group of students on the Contra Costa College campus there are not a lot of events that intertwine them all. However, for some students, last week changed that notion.

Held from 4-6 p.m. Oct. 17, Multicultural Night featured different opportunities to explore cultures in many forms. Artistry was on display in the Campus Center Plaza through film, food and fashion — staples of the event.

Multicultural Night was conceived by student ambassador and computer science major Gabriel Sanchez. Sanchez, like every CCC student ambassador, was asked to create an event for campus by Student Life Coordinator Joel Nickelson-Shanks.

Sanchez said, “Joel (NickelsonShanks) asked me to create an event for this semester. I went to Dover Middle School and I thought of how we used to have multicultural day and it would involve the whole school. We don’t really have an event like that here, so I thought it would be a good idea.”

The event was one of many that focused on undocumented students last week during Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Week at CCC. Clubs that contributed to the event include the Black Student Union, La Raza Student Union, International Student Union, Muslim Student Union and My Other Brother.

The food at the event drew a huge line of students, including many different ethnicities and cultures, willing to try culinary delicacies of another culture.

The food at the event, like many on campus, was a great success. When it was announced that food was going to be served, attendees rushed to get in line before it ran out.

There were many options to choose from, including lumpia, pot stickers, chicken, macaroni and even Halloween-

themed conchas.

Kinesiology major Jose Zamora said, “I actually heard about the event from Center for Science Excellence Program Director Setiati Sidhartha. She said there would be good food and she was right.

The lumpia was so good and they had a ton of resources for undocumented students.”

The event had a series of traditional clothing displayed in the back of Fireside Hall, including Japanese, Vietnamese, Muslim and other traditional clothing.

The display featured Japanese happi coats and yukata, a summer kimono.

There were also Chinese cheongsam (a female body-hugging dress), Vietnamese ao dai (a tight-fitting silk tunic) worn by both sexes and other traditional garments.

“We want to help students get support and feel like they’re part of the campus,” International Student Union Vice President Xinmei Wang said.

The International Students Club was one of the many clubs present at the event. They shared how they work with students, as well as how they put on events and trips to four-year colleges.

Two documentary films were shown at Multicultural Night — one, “Underwater Dreams,” about a group of undocumented high school students and another, “Uncolonized,” about a family of Native Americans doing what they can to prevent their kids from growing up colonized.

There were also two music performances at the event that featured a traditional Mexican song and another that had authentic Polynesian dancing.

Psychology major Noemi Gomez and her Mexican traditional song teacher Lolisa Garcia played and sang three songs — “La Guaca mayo,” “La Manta” and “La Morena,” which is a song about a beautiful dark-skinned woman.

Dancer Raven Mapano came from a local studio to perform traditional Polynesian dances for the captivated crowd.

UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS SHARE THEIR JOURNEYS

By Jose Arebelo staff writer

jarebelo.theadvocate@gmail.com

A touching story of a student’s family and life experiences was told to a small crowd at a low turnout event Thursday.

The town hall event was planned as an opportunity for discussions about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Brothers, and DACA student panelists for the event, Ricardo and Gabriel Sanchez, sat waiting in Fireside Hall as students walking outside the doors were invited in by Associated Student Union President Alex Walker Griffin.

As the crowd settled in, Ricardo Sanchez began to share memories of his youth, the experiences he wanted to share with other stu-

dents that evening.

“I remember everything being so fast, switching trunks quickly and tossing my brother in. He was a baby about it,” Ricardo said.

He recounted what it was like walking through the desert carrying his brother on his shoulders and what the moment was like when they made contact with their “coyote” after baking in the heat.

Stories had their light moments, but were dominated by heavy topics. Describing their father, Arturo Sanchez, they told stories of how much adversity he endured. Staying with family, he worked three jobs and found time for sleep when he could. He eventually saved enough money to bring his family to America.

“My dad barely had any time off and when he did, he had to get some rest and sleep. And

then his family would yell at him for sleeping,” Gabriel Sanchez said.

Even after settling as a family unit in the U.S., trouble would follow the brothers to school.

Ricardo said, “Because I came here at an older age, I kept my accent. Because of my accent, people would pick fights with me in school.”

In response to questions about outreach for the event, Dean of Students Dennis Franco said, “I believe there are some follow up events planned.”

After a while the crowd ran out of questions for the brothers. As the space cleared out, students gave thanks to them for sharing their stories.

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campusbeat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.24.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

University tours aim to provide experience Transfer event points students to potential colleges

By Luis Lopez staff writer

llopez.theadvocate@gmail.com

Students looking to transfer to four-year universities will get a chance to visit certain California four-year institutions thanks to the Contra Costa College Career/ Transfer Center.

The Center’s “Get on The Bus! Transfer Campus Tours” event allows students to take a trip to visit four-year universities.

“The purpose of the program is to empower students and give them the sense of experiencing a day on a four-year university campus with a real sense of experience,” transfer counselor Andrea Phillips said.

UC Davis and Samuel Merritt College will be upcoming stops on the tour. This is the fourth year in a row the Career/Transfer Center is holding this event.

On previous trips, CCC alums have been invited to speak at certain college stops.

The project is aimed at empowering students and providing them with the experience of visiting a college campus to which they aspire to transfer.

Phillips said the Transfer

LUIS LOPEZ / THE ADVOCATE

Campus Tour will go to UC Davis on Nov. 11 and Samuel Merritt College (in Oakland) on Dec. 7.

Each trip is limited to 50 students.

Of the students already planning to make the Davis trip, 15 are Middle College High School.

The event is open to everyone and registration is on a first come, first served basis. Students who attend the event will be provided with a free lunch in the school’s cafeteria and there will be a speaker and orientation on the campus as well.

Students will visit classrooms, dorm rooms and experience an orientation event or speaking event.

Liberal arts major Nicole Aiwaz has been attending CCC for two and half years and said she thinks

these events are a good idea.

“I think attending other college campuses helps students conceptualize what the next level of education is like,” Aiwaz said. “This is the first time I have heard of this (program) or else I would have planned on going in advance. I think I’ve only received one email about it,” she said.

Psychology major Karla Jimenez said the Campus Transfer Tours sound like fun, but scheduling conflicts keep her from attending any of the tour dates.

“I’ve heard of the tour because my friends have gone before and they told me what it’s like. It sounds really fun. If I didn’t have a really hard English class on Fridays I would register to go,” she said.

Another campus tour will be

happening next year. This one is a national tour.

The Career/Transfer Center will hold a “Get on the Plane Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Tour” from March 31 through April 5. Selected CCC students will join community college students from across California on a tour of HBCUs. The colleges students will visit on the tour include Bowie State University, Hampton University, Howard University, Lincoln University and Morgan State University.

Applications for the event opened Oct. 2 and will close Nov. 29. Tour participants will visit the National Museum of AfricanAmerican History and Culture and sight-see through Washington D.C.

ABOVE: Students in the Career/ Transfer Center fill out their four-year college applications last week.

Academic Renewal to clean bad grades

By Joel Umanzor staff writer

jumanzor.theadvocate@gmail.com

A little-known procedure in the Counseling Office can help remove D and F grades from the transcripts of students wishing to strengthen their overall GPA. Academic Renewal is the process in which Contra Costa Community College District students can get rid of substandard grades with a one-time only petition.

A quick trip to a counselor can get a student evaluated to see if Academic Renewal is the right method for eliminating a course that has been taken previously, may not be needed or is affecting the GPA of a student.

“Many colleges have different policies regarding Academic Renewal,” counselor Robert Webster said. “Our district has a policy of this being a one-time only request with some qualifications necessary by counselor evaluation.”

He said not a lot of students understand the process, or even

know it exists, but it could really impact the appearance of a student’s transcripts, especially those students who have taken classes that would not benefit their major.

Counselor Cynthia Haro said, “I like to explain Academic Renewal in this sense. Let’s say there is a student right out of high school who has a few bad semesters in a major such as medical assisting, but then realizes medical assisting is not what they want to do and would rather transfer and get a degree in social sciences or something else.

“In that case, if they have had previous multiple substandard grades of D or F and fit this situation, then that’s where we say, ‘Let’s talk about Academic Renewal.’”

The Academic Renewal procedure has qualifications that students must meet before it can be applied to the transcript of a student.

A student must have completed 20 units of “satisfactory work” in the district, or at any other accredited institution, since the previous substandard grade was received

and have received no substandard grades since.

This allows students to use work from another college to showcase their satisfactory academic results.

Counseling department Chairperson Sarah Boland Drain said, “The fact that a student can use a transcript from another accredited college or university to demonstrate 20 units of academic success makes the process more accessible for students who move through multiple campuses.”

Being that Contra Costa College has many students who are attending for shorter periods, this process can especially enhance the transfer process for those looking to satisfy minimum GPA requirements.

Haro said that for CSU transfer the requirement for GPA is 2.0, and attempting a course again can put a hold on a student’s desire to continue their education at a fouryear university.

“Instead of me telling the student to retake a medical assisting course, I would tell the student, ‘Let’s look at Academic Renewal.’

It helps because those are courses that you are not going to be retaking, although they do affect your overall GPA on your transcript,” Haro said.

Haro said the process of Academic Renewal cannot be applied to a W on a transcript, only substandard grades weighing down a GPA. It does not take the grade off of a transcript, but marks the grade as academically renewed and does not incorporate the grade results into the overall GPA. Webster said, “The actual course units are included in the transcript because we must include all of a student’s academic history on a transcript. However, the grade to be renewed is highlighted and it has no effect on the GPA number on a student’s transcripts.”

The petition form for Academic Renewal states that the processing time for these requests is two weeks. The process is quick if all forms and transcripts are accounted for.

Webster said, “We give ourselves

a window in those two weeks to be able to have it done, but it is usually a pretty straight-forward process.

“I had a student come in today who had a previous substandard grade, and we were able to help her with dropping the course.

“Initially, the student was in the nursing program, which is a competitive program that focuses on a GPA requirement. It took her grade past the threshold to be eligible for that program.”

A maximum of 24 units are allowed by the district to be renewed, but according to the petition, “Each college will make its own adjustments.” This allows for a bit of interpretation that can cause issues because it is a one-time only policy.

Webster said he is on a committee that is looking into reviewing the Academic Renewal policy for the district to make it more uniform across all three campuses in the near future.

Faith-based club given official meeting space Group keeps spirits high, studies scripture

By Dan Hardin staff writer

dhardin.theadvocate@gmail.com

The Church in Berkeley (TCIB) is the inspiration for the Christians on Campus (CoC) club at Contra Costa College, filling the void of faith-based fellowship opportunities on campus.

In spring 2018, TCIB partnered with Bibles for America (BfA) to distribute free copies of the “New Testament Recovery Version Study Bible” at CCC. TCIB outreach team, led by Don Mangold, put boots on the ground to fulfill one of the commandments given in Matthew 28:18-20 (go into all the world and teach the gospel).

“The Bible distribution at the college created an opportunistic condition for discourse,” Mangold said. “The response to our Bible distribution was amazing and encour-

aging. We realized there was a need for an ongoing Bible study.”

One of the club’s challenges has been the acquisition of a permanent room in which to hold their meetings.

Already this semester because of room conflicts the club has had to start some meetings late and were pushed out of rooms before their time was up.

It was during one of those unsettling dilemmas, in which the club was asked to leave a room they were occupying, that they were assisted by health and human services professor Mary Johnson.

Johnson came to the club’s rescue by providing access to a room for the remainder of the club’s time that day.

In a sense, it could be said she became their guardian angel.

“I have been instrumental in helping them obtain a permanent room,” Johnson said.

“In spite of the inconveniences, their spirits are always lifted.”

The Christians on Campus club meets every Wednesday in GE-304 from 12:30 to 2

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Students in the Christians on Campus club discuss Bible readings last week.

p.m. and everyone is welcome.

Second-year health and human services student Pamela Griffin said, “I appreciate having this club on campus.

“I know from personal experience that when you have God in your life there is an inner joy,” she said. “What I mean by inner joy is, when bad thing happen you can let them make you better and not bitter.”

She said she was once told that the word of God is deep enough for a scholar to drown in, but shallow enough for a baby to

wade in.

Mangold said that the club gave out The New Testament Recovery Version because BfA thought it was more cost effective and allowed them to reach more people through God’s word.

The word “recovery” is not referencing alcohol, drugs, or any other addictive substance. According to BfA, it is referring to the recovery of lost biblical truth, Christian experience and church practice through centuries by God’s people.

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HOTLINE ASSURES TRANSPARENCY Anonymous reporting site promotes trust, productivity

By Michael Santone

n “We wanted to send the

editor-in-chief

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

To ensure Contra Costa Community College District’s commitment to ethical standards, Chancellor Fred Wood sent out a districtwide email on Sept.

25 highlighting the “4CD Confidential Hotline.”

“We wanted to be sure everyone knew about (the hotline),” Wood said in regard to the email sent out to administrators, faculty and staff at the three district colleges and the District Office in Martinez.

“I guess (information about the hotline) had not been sent for quite a while and back when I was working at the university level we did it on an annual basis. So I thought I better get this thing out there.”

Located on the district’s website, www.4cd.edu, the anonymous reporting site is available to faculty, staff and students to report fraud, waste or abuse of public dollars and district resources, academic misconduct, or sexual harassment and misconduct.

Anonymous messages can be sent either online through the website or reported by phone.

Wood said his email was intended to

message that it’s very important to us at the district to have ethical standards and for people to be proud of working here.”

— Fred Wood, district chancellor

be a reminder of district policies after the resignation of Board of Governors President Timothy Farley in March amid accusations of sexual harassment.

In that case, an internal district investigation found the accuser’s claims to be credible.

“We wanted to send the message that it’s very important to us at the district to have ethical standards and for people to be proud of working here,” Wood said.

“If you see something that you have a concern about, we want you to know that we care. We want to have a strong ethical organization that cares about students and spends its money wisely.”

The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges requires all institutions to make readily available a means for establishing a gov-

ernance process to receive and address complaints from employees and the public.

Since establishing the hotline in 2012, the district has been under contract with EthicsPoint Inc., which creates open channels of communication that the district can use to promote positive work and educational environments and to maximize productivity.

The annual cost for the district to have access to the hotline is just over $3,600.

CCC District Director of Internal Audit Services Vito Hite, who has been with the district since 2015, said as long as he has been monitoring the anonymous hotline, he has only received online complaints.

“I monitor (each business day) the hotline complaints received, and manage the assurance that due diligence is provided to look into each compliant received,” he said. “Depending on the nature of the complaint allegations received, it may require support from human resources, Police Services or college administrators (typically vice presidents of instruction, student services, or business and administration).”

Hite said on average he receives about two complaints per month and

each report can take about 14 calendar days to process and complete.

Complaints can be submitted online through Navex Global, which is EthicsPoint’s hotline platform, or to the telephone operators.

Key information such as the name and location of the college, the primary issue, the identity of the person involved and a description of the complaint is required to begin the process.

“The (vendors) then transcribe the information received into the electronic complaint system, which I have access (log on ID, password) to view,” Hite said. “I believe complainants are less intimidated when anonymously entering their complaint online, as opposed to a phone call, where they might think the call could be traced to their name.”

Political science major Jazmine Caldron said she was unaware of any type of anonymous hotline for faculty, staff or students, but thinks it’s a great idea.

“I think it’s important to have a way for (people on campus) to report situations they don’t feel comfortable about or maybe they are concerned about,” Caldron said. “There’s a lot going on today, like sexual harassment and people abusing power.”

Location upgrade bolsters Speech Lab

By Jessica Suico news editor

jsuico.theadvocate@gmail.com

In keeping with the spirit of renovation on campus, the new Speech Lab is now located upstairs in the AA-219. Although not fully unpacked and ready, the new space is still open and inviting.

It’s also open to all students on campus.

“The new lab will be a great addition to the campus for learning communication skills,” speech professor Randy Carver said.

“We want to provide a comfortable space to practice speeches, get tutoring and provide other resources for students.”

There has been an increased student presence in the Applied Arts Building since the nursing department was relocated there following this past summer’s remodel.

Speech department Chairperson Sherry Diestler said, “All the nursing students have to take speech. Now that we are upstairs next to the nursing department we have seen an influx of nursing students coming in and using the lab.”

Diestler said the new lab is a better and a brighter space and now that it’s located next to the journalism and nursing departments, there are more students looking for access to labs.

The lab isn’t just to get help for speeches. There will be help in topic selection for speeches, research, outlining and delivery of speeches, including how to use visual aids.

Tutors and resources for other courses will be available in the lab as well.

Carver said, “History, anthropology and geography department Chairperson Manu Ampim has asked Sherry, the tutors and I to

XAVIER JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE

Speech team captain Shreejal Luitel practices a persuasive speech for an upcoming speech tournament in Stockton in the Speech Lab in AA-219 on Monday evening.

come in and present to his class. He wants us to inform the students about the new Speech Lab and the opportunities that are here.”

But some students have had a hard time finding the new lab.

“The old lab was smaller but more accessible,” supplemental communication instructor James Richard II said of its previous location downstairs in the AA Building.

“I would like to see all the students come in and use the resources the lab has. Richard helps in all subjects, believes communication is key and that it translates into all subjects.

Richard said, “I believe students, administration and faculty don’t communicate properly. Now, with this new lab, everyone can learn communication skills.”

Carver said, “I feel our department can

adapt to the influx of students. We don’t have a big influx of students right now, but we are preparing for it, when that time comes.”

He said the revamped lab is like an extension of the speech professor’s office hours.

“Tutors are wonderful, but being able to have opportunities to have one-on-one time with professors really helps,” Carver said.

Richard said, “(Campus Tutoring Assistance Coordinator) Brandy Gibson told me 18 percent of the student body is in tutoring, assistance or mentoring.”

In the upstairs location, there are more support services and the lab is still close to the speech department faculty offices.

Carver said, “It’s like a communication suite and makes for a more inviting space.”

Nursing major Rebecca Trisler said, “I

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thought it was a conference room not a Speech Lab.” The upgrade has breathed new life into the already successful department.

Diestler said, “We are here more, coming in earlier and staying later.”

Carver said, “We hope to work together with the journalism department since we both specialize in communication. Now that we are next door, Sherry and I hope to be able to sit down with professor Paul DeBolt and talk about possible collaborations. It’s just hard to find the time right now with all of our schedules.”

The lab in AA-219 is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., or for an appointment contact sdiestler@contracosta.edu.

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TEAM BEATS MUSTANGS IN BLOWOUT Comets end 17-game losing streak dating back to 2016 with resounding victory

By Efrain Valdez sports editor

evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com

PITTSBURG — In commanding fashion, the football team beat Los Medanos College (3-4 overall, 1-3 in the Pacific-7 Conference) here on Saturday in a victorious effort that included every unit.

The Comets (1-7 overall, 1-3 Pac-7) ended a 17-game losing streak that dated back to the 2016 season with a 41-6 road victory over the Mustangs, and played efficiently in all three phases of the game.

Offense, defense and special teams all contributed to the win.

What stood out in the victory was the rate at which the offense was able to produce yards through the air and on the ground.

Maintaining offensive balance has been a point of inconsistency for the team all season.

“Our staff did a wonderful job of getting these guys prepared,” coach Pat Henderson said.

“Each week provides a different challenge. (The team) did a good job of dissecting LMC and making sure to improve in the areas we needed to improve upon.”

The Comets will look to double their win total Saturday at Comet Stadium against conference rival Foothill College at 1 p.m. And despite the bad start to the season, Contra Costa College will get an opportunity to jump into third place with a win over Foothill in the six-team conference.

If CCC manages to win its last two games of the season, the team can possibly fall into second place if De Anza College can beat Yuba College on Nov. 10.

Quarterback Riley Lee has seen most of the time under center for CCC since starting quarterback Jalen Tregel went down with a foot injury.

The injury to Tregel, which occurred Sept. 22 against College of the Redwoods in Eureka, put Lee into the tough situation of trying to lead the young COMETS Comet offense with little experience.

Henderson said quarterback Lee has grown a lot over the season and that he has learned from his mistakes.

“That’s what you’re supposed to do.

MUSTANGS You live, you make mistakes and the best thing you can do is learn from them,” Henderson said.

During Saturday’s win, the five starters on the offensive line rarely got rest. But impressively, they kept hustling to create time for the passing game and to open up holes for the running backs.

“We only had five o-linemen (offensive linemen) all game.

They toughed it out, even in the heat,” Lee said.

After struggling in games earlier this season, Lee has now cemented his place in the offense. Saturday, in his most impressive start this season, Lee completed 13 of 25 passes and threw for two touchdowns.

The ability of the Comets to move the ball passing allowed their running game to excel later in the game.

41 6

DENIS PEREZ/ THE ADVOCATE

Comet wide receiver Terique Owens sheds two Mustang defenders during Saturday’s 41-6 victory over Los Medanos College in Pittsburg. The win ended CCC’s 17-game losing streak.

“That’s what you’re supposed to do. You live, you make mistakes and the best thing you can do is learn from them.”

Pat Henderson,

Comet football coach

As a team, the Comets are more experienced on the defensive side of the ball, which helped the team bounce back after an early Mustang score.

With nine minutes to play in the first quarter, the Mustangs took a 6-0 lead on a 6-yard touchdown pass.

“When we (the defense) got back to the sideline we were so fed up about them scoring,” Comet linebacker RJ Ma’ae said.

But a second quarter Comet drive was an efficient fiveplay, 66-yarder where they took a 7-6 lead and looked like the more focused team.

That possession was capped off by a beautiful fade pass from Lee, who was demolished by two Mustang defenders right after the throw.

He completed the throw while rolling to his right under extreme pressure.

Comet wide receiver Terique Owens fought for the ball

and snatched it away in the back of the end zone from two Mustang defensive backs.

He did this while tip-toeing and adjusting his feet and weight to keep from falling out of bounds.

Ma’ae said the team collectively wanted to win and that they were able to play as a family and with “no egos.”

That selfless work ethic allowed the Comets to earn their blowout victory.

“The student-athletes all bought in,” assistant football coach Tim Johnson said. “We saw they use many formations and motions and that’s what we worked on in practice.”

CCC’s defensive game plan led to a successful afternoon where the team managed to all but completely stop the Mustang running game.

By stopping the run, the LMC offense became predictable and allowed CCC to hunker down in the secondary and create turnovers.

“It was a great team effort,” Johnson Henderson said.

“As coaches, we have all won before.

So to see these guys, especially the sophomores who were here last year (when the team went 0-9) finally get a win, it’s exciting,” he said.

Coaching enables personal growth Willingness to learn, determination shifts linebacker’s outlook

By Efrain Valdez sports editor

evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com

In the span of a student-athlete’s career, almost every single one will tell you about an instance when they found themselves changing their outlook on the field and in life.

After coming to Contra Costa College over the summer, 20-year-old linebacker R.J. Ma’ae found himself changing the way he dealt with being coached on the field.

“When I first got to CCC, I felt like I knew it all. I already had a fixed mindset,” Ma’ae said.

By allowing himself to be coached, he made positive strides in all aspects of his life.

Shortly after arriving in San Pablo, the linebacker said he would argue with coaches here about schemes. However, he soon realized the common philosophy that “coaches coach and players play.”

“The coaches here have shown me a lot and they have made me Henderson a coachable player. Ever since then, my game has improved,” Ma’ae said.

These kinds of realizations are what help students-athletes mature on and off the field.

Assistant coach Tim Johnson said, “Right now, just seeing him evolve as a person, more so than a player, is the biggest thing I can be proud of.”

He said Ma’ae’s trust issues on the field earlier this season were evident, but as the season progressed, he has been “100 percent

behind his teammates,” even when he’s not in games, Johnson said.

Coach Pat Henderson attributes Ma’ae’s personal growth to his commitment toward trying to make something out of himself.

“I’m glad we were able to make this happen for him. He’s a good young man and very passionate. I know he wants to make something out of himself and we appreciate having him here,” Henderson said.

As an alumnus of Archbishop Murphy High School (Everett, Washington), Ma’ae had an impressive season his junior year which garnered the attention of many university scouts.

“I was looking good that year.

Then, right before my senior year, I broke my ankle playing rugby in the summer. So, I didn’t play football in my final high school season,” he said.

Ma’ae said he moved to California in 2016 after he graduated high school to play at the community college level, because his injury brought an abrupt end to his senior year.

“I moved to Cali to play JuCo ball,” Ma’ae said.

He said that he attended Santa Rosa Junior College right after he moved south and then he spent last year at City College of San Francisco.

He decided not to play football at either school.

During his time at both colleges Ma’ae was working to ge t some things straightened out in his life.

What brought him to CCC was a family member who connected him to this college.

“It’s funny because my uncle’s high school coach is the line coach that recruited me here,” Ma’ae said.

DENIS PEREZ/ THE ADVOCATE

R.J. Ma’ae flexes his biceps before the Homecoming game Oct. 6 at Comet Stadium.

Johnson said that he is proud of the person Ma’ae is becoming and how he manages to still show his personality.

“His personality is kind of in-your-face, but you can tell he’s passionate. He’s learning every day and getting to know the linebacker position,” he said. “He has a fun personality during games. You can tell how fierce of a competitor he is and how much he wants to win.”

Ma’ae said that he just wants to get an opportunity to play at the fouryear level to pay for his education.

He will be getting his associate degree in social behavioral sciences in December.

“Football has always been in my family,” Ma’ae said. “My ultimate goal is to attend a four-year university. It doesn’t matter if it’s not a Division 1 school, I just want my education paid for.”

The maturing process that he has undergone at CCC is an example of the many ways junior colleges affect the lives of students.

“When he (Ma’ae) first got here you could see that his temper was a little up there. As the season has come along, he has calmed down a lot and he’s buying into the philosophy here,” Johnson said. “(Now), the sky’s the limit for that guy.”

The level of appreciation that Ma’ae and the coaches have built for each other is unmatched.

They will continue to fight until the end of the season to obtain their goals of winning games.

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eagles soar over comets in sweep Team continues to struggle in stretches, but manages to stay close in each set EAGLES DEFEATS COMETS

25-18, 25-19, 25-23

By Alex Kwasniza advocate staff

akwasniza.theadvocate@gmail.com

The volleyball team (2-14 overall, 2-7 in the Bay Valley Conference) held close in every set, but errors kept the team from controlling momentum as the Comets battled hard but eventually lost in straight sets (25-18, 25-19, 25-23) to Mendocino College Friday in the Gymnasium.

Mendocino (4-8 overall, 4-5 in the BVC) took complete advantage of the Comets staggering 16 errors in the first set of play.

“We gave them a lot of points (in the first set),” Comet setter Kimberly Calip said.

Contra Costa College was only down 18-15 in the first set, but would end up yielding almost every point to Mendocino for the rest of the set. Many of the points were on hit errors that would sail out of bounds or hit the net.

This was the volleyball team’s second meeting against the Eagles this season. In the first game, Mendocino barely edged out the Comets in a close conference match 3-2 in September.

CCC’s next chance at a win will be tonight against third place College of Marin at 6 p.m. in the Gymnasium.

This will be the second matchup between the two teams for the year. Marin won the first meeting 3-0.

Against Mendocino, right side hitter Victoria Matue said the team really wanted revenge for that September loss and was confident going into the game.

“They improved over the whole month that we didn’t play against each other,” she said. “We improved too, but I feel like we just didn’t show it this game.”

CCC coach Christy Tianaro said the team watched film and prepared for Mendocino, but the errors and other factors hindered the team from executing the game plan successfully.

More errors in the third set saw the Comets faced with a 22-16 deficit. The adversity forced the team into its best run of the game and the potential start of a comeback.

“They (CCC) played much, much better (in the third set). I was happy with how they played,” Tianaro said.

The energized stretch of play saw the team make it a compelling 24-23 affair, but the game ended on well-placed, mid-range floater by a Mendocino player.

The score completed the set and season sweep for the Eagles.

Middle hitter Erin Hale and outside hitter Christina Wilson both led the charge on offense for the victorious Mendocino.

Both players finished with seven kills each to lead their team.

The Comets will play their next three game on the road.

They will be in search of their third win of the season against College of Marin on Wednesday at 6 p.m..

DENIS PEREZ/ THE ADVOCATE

Comet middle blocker Makaya Thomas spikes the ball during her team’s 3-0 loss against Mendocino College in the Gymnasium on Friday.

Raiders betray Oakland again...

T

he future Las Vegas Raiders Many of the pundits would like traded away receiver, and the us to believe it was a steal for the NFL’s fourth overall pick in Raiders to receive Dallas’ first round the 2015 draft, Amari Cooper on pick. And that Cooper has not Monday to the Dallas Cowboys in a shown himself capable of being a blatant attempt at tanking the rest of number one wide receiver on a playthe 2018 season. off contender.

In exchange for the 24-year-old But no one was saying this in Cooper, the lame duck franchise 2016. residing in the Oakland-Alameda It is laughable to try to justify County Coliseum will receive the that a 12-win team from two seaDallas Cowboys first sons ago (when the Raiders round pick in the 2019 made the playoff at 12-4) NFL draft. with one of the most So continues the up-and-coming young garage sale that rosters would, just has surround22 months later, be ed the Raiders sitting on the verge since coach Jon of a complete Gruden arrived rebuild. as the “messiah” However, in a silver and here the black suit back Raiders are, in February. in the midst The Raider of an emernarrative is that gency conof a team incastruction pable of signing project young talent for that is no the long term puncone’s burden to tuated by a falsebear but their hood that a rebuild own. was inevitable.

With Vegas Khalil Mack was on the horizon too expensive. and a lack of Cooper wasn’t compelling star worth the money he power, the franILLUSTRATION BY EFRAIN VALDEZ/ THE ADVOCATE is being paid. chise has been

JoelUmanzor stripped to the studs and frame with no one guaranteed to see the move finalized.

And that includes the 125-million-dollar-man, quarterback Derek Carr. Even he is not immune from the prospect of being jettisoned.

Trading Cooper shows those on the national level that this team is ready to leave for Vegas and that management is packing light.

Getting rid of having to pay the 24-year-old wide receiver any more money than necessary for his services is all good business, especially with the bottom line being a clean economic slate in state-income-taxfree Nevada.

But what trading Amari Cooper right now symbolizes to those inside of Raider Nation is a return to the depths of mediocrity.

And that’s a place many in Raider Nation have been trying to ignore for the past seven weeks.

Many fans locally, and on social media, keep reiterating hopes that

the team would be talented enough to make a push to the postseason while still in Oakland.

Doing so would serve as a sign of good faith between the much-maligned franchise and its fiercely loyal fan base.

Cutting another piece of the team that had the most success in Silver and Black since 2003 only shows the patient fans of the East Bay there is no more loyalty from those running the franchise.

The right of any fanatic, of any team, is that one can choose to remain irrationally loyal to entities that do not care about their support.

People can choose to either turn off the emotions involved in their fandom or sever ties completely.

I, for one, have packed all of my Oakland Raider gear away in a box and have it in my attic.

It is a part of me that will live on forever in the attic of my home and in my mind. But as a rational individual, as well as a rational football enthusiast, I refuse to co-sign on the narrative the Las Vegas Raiders are selling to their fan base — both the present one and those future fanatics..”

Joel Umanzor is a staff writer for The Advocate. Contact him at jumanzor.theadvocate@gmail.com.

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Slasher icon returns in horror sequel

PAGE B8

FRIGHTENING PRODUCTION SCARES UP THEATER FUN

The first production of the drama department’s fall semester sees an original play written by department Chairperson Carlos-Manuel Chavarria

JOSE AREBALO / THE ADVOCATE

COMMUNITY HUNGERS

By Robert Clinton opinion editor

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

PAGE B7

Exploring the dark side of a starving community

Outdoor activities calm soul, pocketbook PAGE B2

The fear of being forced into life on the street keeps millions of hard-working Californians up at night, and with so many people living paycheck-to-paycheck, the prospect of becoming one of the 114,000 homeless people in this state, for many, is becoming a reality.

That figure, generated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, only tells part of California’s socioeconomic struggle.

Even as rate of homelessness continues to rise, many who struggle to cling to the roof over their head suffer food insecurities that make holding on in that struggle more difficult.

According to cafoodbanks.org, California produces nearly half of the nation’s fruits and vegetables, yet one in eight Californians currently struggle with food insecurity.

On average, one out of every eight Californians does not know where their next meal will come from.

By Jackson Stevens staff writer

jstevens.theadvocate@gmail.com

PAGE B3

Retiree starts to act in plays, shines in new roles PAGE B6

adequate, nourishing, diverse, balanced and moderate world food supplies of basic foodstuffs to sustain a steady expansion of food consumption and to offset fluctuations in production and prices.”

In contrast, food insecurity is when people have less food than they want and need. The definition includes people who actually go hungry, but also those who’ve had to reduce the amount they eat, skip meals, or eat food they know isn’t good for them. They do this to survive because they can’t afford what it costs to eat a healthy alternative.

It would seem, for Californians, part of the solution should come in the form of produce.

Currently California produces nearly half of the nation’s fruits and vegetables, yet 1 in 8 Californians currently struggle with food insecurity.

In an attempt to break the cycle of malnourishment, groups like the California Department of Food Banks have partnered with scores of farmers to distribute nearly 164 million pounds of produce to families that wouldn’t have been able to afford it.

ABOVE: Sociology major Jessica Breaux (second from the right) hands out plates of food with friends on the corner of West Grand Street in Oakland, California. For a closer look at Breaux’s efforts, see page B5.

Four finalists announced for VP Open forums scheduled this week for hopefuls

NCAA PROFITS, USES STUDENTATHLETES AS UNPAID LABOR

Food insecurities have a detrimental impact on a person’s well-being and can dramatically impact their performance at work or at school.

In many cases, extended bouts of poor nutrition can lead to physical and mental health problems.

In this issue of The Advocate, the staff will explore the ways Contra Costa Colleges works with the community to help battle food insecurities and also highlight students who have been inspired to create positive change on their own in the fight against hunger.

Campus programs and events offer reasonably-priced nutritious meals to students and community members whose budgets don’t allow for a consistent healthy diet.

Like many Californians, students at CCC sometimes must choose between meals or medicine, sustenance or school supplies.

Currently, 4.9 million Californians face food insecurities and 1.9 of those people are schoolaged children.

Food security, as defined by the 1974 World Food Conference, as the “availability at all times of

The final four candidates to fill the position of vice president of student services were announced Monday by the President’s Office.

President Katrina VanderWoude informed Contra Costa College faculty and staff in an email Friday that the names of candidates along with their bios would be revealed Monday.

A series of open forums is also in the works to give each candidate the opportunity to meet their potential constituents.

The forums are scheduled to take place Tuesday through Friday this week from 12:45-1:45 p.m. in Fireside Hall, Dr. VanderWoude said.

She describes this as, “an opportunity for our campus community to meet each finalist and learn more about their background, experiences and educational philosophy.”

Monday’s follow up email revealed the finalists as Vinicio J. Lopez, Herbert L. English, Dr. LeRodrick Terry and Joyce Coleman.

López is the current dean of academic affairs at the School of ESL, International Education, and Transitional Studies at City College of San Francisco and English is currently the dean of student equity and support at Victor Valley College.

Dr. Terry was formerly employed as vice president of student affairs at Rio Salado in Tempe, Arizona.

Information regarding the

What CCC looks for in a vice president - Five years as a leader in higher education institutes like a community college - Strong understanding of student services and student experience - Comprehension of the Guided Pathways education model - Shows understanding of enrollment management - Hands-on experience of managing student services programs and departments - Ideal candidate has led initiatives and has sat in committees and councils - Understands the Early College Programming - Knowledge of Categorical Programs (SSSP, DSPS) - Knows federal, state and local laws, as well as regulations and measures - Commitment to diversity of students and faculty in the educational environment - Understands participatory governance INFOGRAPHIC BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

n “An opportunity for our

campus community to meet each finalist and learn more about their background, experiences and educational philosophy.”

— Katrina VanderWoude, Contra Costa College president

forums comes from Senior Executive Assistant Lorena Cortez of the President’s Office.

She announced the series of four public forums will be held for each finalist for one hour to where each candidate will make a statement followed by a question and answer session with attendees.

The forums are open to students as well as faculty and staff and interested members of the community and a live stream of the forum is available through the CCC YouTube account.

The position of VP of student services, when searched on CCC’s website, is described as overseeing student affairs and support service programs for the college. It also requires managing and evaluating senior deans and other managers’ direct reports.

Some of the many essential functions and duties listed for applicants are ensuring accreditation standards are met as well as helping in the hiring process of faculty and staff.

The position requires the development and execution of comprehensive policies that manage the

c o l l e g e’s activities, while also keeping in line with district goals.

Bringing a stud e n t - f i r s t VanderWoude philosophy Contra Costa to the cam- College pus is one of president the first and foremost criteria CCC holds in looking at candidates.

“The United Faculty is interested in candidates who come from a background working to serve students and have a track record of working with others as a team,” UF Vice President Jeffrey Michels said.

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OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Camping provides active, affordable means of entertainment

A

ttempting to juggle relaxation and staying active on the weekend can be a daunting task. Camping is the best activity in the Bay Area that can incorporate these elements, while feeling like being on an under-budget mini-vacation.

Finding free time on the weekend is precious and after a long week of classes and work it can be easy to fall into a repetitive habit of binge watching Netflix at home. Hanging out with friends and family is great, but not when it’s often limited to the same old local spots.

While these activities can seem comforting, slipping into a funk can be a detrimental side effect.

Every so often, taking a drive to a campground in the Bay Area and spending the night can help stave off the monotony of routine.

It also makes the best use of hardearned weekend time.

A vacation at your fingertips The idea of a vacation promoted in commercials that spring up on TV and YouTube can be misleading and do not reflect the full range of what a vacation can be.

Web-based companies like Expedia and Trip Advisor flash online images of journeys to far off places like Hawaii, Miami or London.

This is a narrow concept that makes a vacation trip seem expensive, requiring a long-term commitment and portrays remote destinations as the definition of what a respite should be.

But a weekend camping trip can invoke the same feeling of relaxation and adventure that a vacation holds while being only a short distance from home.

A one-hour drive from San Pablo to Live Oak Campground in Danville, or Pantoll Campground in Mill Valley, can feel like a world away.

With a wide variety of landscapes and range of activities that accompany them, these local treasures allow Bay Area natives a reasonable, nearby escape.

Local campgrounds offer mountains, grassy hills, and oak and redwood forests. Many of them are near picturesque lakes, rivers and stretches of coastline.

The unique and exquisite natural beauty of the bay draws many travelers from across the

jacksonstephens country and abroad.

Trips that take some people hours of flying or days of driving are right in our own backyard.

This gives us the ability to enjoy the tourist life without any of the hassle and expense of hotels, restaurants or transportation worries.

What may be a one-time difficult visit for people from other states or countries, can be a normal weekend destination for East Bay residents.

Inexpensive A new fad called “glamping” has slowly, but surely, crept its way into the outdoors scene around the world — and the Bay Area is no exception.

Glamping is a term describing luxury camping where the amenities of modern life are placed outdoors for an unreasonably high fee.

This is in stark contrast to one of the great advantages of camping — it’s cheap.

Camping is so appealing, because it’s simple and cost effective. At its most basic level, the materials required are a tent, blankets, a pillow and food.

Other specific items such as an air mattress or camp grill can be added on as a budget allows.

Two-person tents can be purchased online from JC Penny for $15.99. A tent that sleeps four people can be bought for $26.99 from Coleman.com.

If owning a tent is too much of a hassle, tents can also be borrowed or rented from providers like Last Minute Gear in San Francisco.

Finding free campsites can be researched through the locator

on freecampsites.net. However, some tents require payment, which varies depending on the area.

The campsite reservation fee for family campgrounds in the East Bay Regional Park District is $8. At Anthony Chabot Campground, the cost to reserve a space is $25.

As for food and entertainment, bringing sandwiches, a good book, football and walking shoes from home might be all that’s needed.

Other activities, such as fishing, boating, or cycling, may require rental fees or purchasing equipment that is optional according to one’s budget.

Incorporates leisure and exercise Spare time can mean choosing to be devoted to working out or taking a moment to finally relax. Camping can offer a healthy balance of both.

What’s better than having a good workout by hiking up a steep hill? Or taking a nap under a shady tree when you reach the top.

It also serves as an opportunity to take a break from technology.

In a world were cell phones and social media pervade every facet of society, going camping provides a brief moment of pause where the screens are off.

Finding other outlets during down time might lead to new hobbies.

The benefit of a trip like this is there is no gym routine or Wi-Fi hot spot limiting the decision to go for a run through the woods or sit back by a lake.

The focus on being active or relaxing is entirely up to the individual and if one dominates the other a new trip can have a different focus.

Deciding on how time is used over the weekend is an investment. Staying home on the couch watching TV or going out to the usual places week after week is a poor return on hard-earned free time.

Choosing to sacrifice either being active or relaxing can be frustrating. Planning a camping trip in the Bay Area can accomplish both these goals while also being close to home, keeping to a low budget and enjoying the sensation of being on vacation.

Jackson Stephens is a staff writer at The Advocate. Contact him at jstephens.theadvocate@gmail.com.

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

The Advocate staff works as hard as it can to serve as the voice of Contra Costa College students, but there are opinions and issues we miss. We need to hear from students and faculty to cover the campus fully. Send your ideas, opinions or comments to us as letters to the editor to accent.advocate@gmail.com or deliver them to our Newsroom in AA-215. Letters are subject to editing for libel, space constraints and clarity.

NCAA SELLS DREAMS

■ SPORTS

Student-athletes finessed

I

t’s 2018, the NCAA hit an all-time high for annual revenue of more than $1 billion last year, universities are raking in hundreds of millions in sports revenue and coaches are making millions upon millions of dollars each year.

Yet, for some absurd reason, student-athletes go to sleep every night as poor as ever.

What’s worse, whenever one of these starving athletes takes any kind of money under the table, or above board, it’s looked upon as some sort of criminal act.

The most basic draw for fans to sports as entertainment is undoubtedly the athletes.

Nobody watches the Golden State Warriors focused on seeing what kind of defensive adjustments coach Steve Kerr makes at halftime. People usually don’t tune in to New England Patriots games dying to watch Bill Belichick relay plays to the offense.

Fans, whether casual or die-hard, tune into this more than $70 billion industry called “sports” to watch Stephen Curry drain 30-foot jump shots and Tom Brady throw touchdowns to freak athletes like Rob Gronkowski.

This rings true for college sports as well, and, in particular, NCAA college basketball and football.

The NCAA and college sports organizations draw in huge amounts of revenue, mostly due to the success of the teams on the field. And who make up a team in organized sports? You guessed it, the players.

The coaches, training staff and recruiters, of course, play a big part in team and organizational success.

But in the end, who makes the plays that ultimately result in the success or failure of the organization? Who sacrifices their bodies, and in some cases their lives, for these wins and losses on the field?

Whether you like it or not, it all comes down to the players.

These college athletes, like Duke forward Zion Williamson, Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Stanford running back Bryce Love, are pretty much celebrities before even becoming “professionals” in their field.

They are considered amateur players, yet are focal points in promotions for universities and sports networks like ESPN. It would be expected that the athletes, who generate that absurd amount of revenue, would be living the high life of luxury and fame. But fame is about all they get and they can’t even profit off of that without breaking rules imposed by the NCAA. These players, whether polarizing stars or bench-warmers, are basically employees of their colleges. They make it possible for their colleges to rake in millions of dollars. But do student-athletes get any type of payment for their hard work and sacrifice? Of course they don’t. That would be a blasphemous concept to these universities and the NCAA. This is justified by the concept that student-athletes are being “paid” with scholarships that cover tuition, their dorm rooms and just enough food to survive. NCAA rules even prevent them from holding a paying job during their season of sport.

That’s pretty much the extent of it.

The University of Alabama’s football program will make well over $100 million in revenue this year and Alabama head football coach Nick Saban will make $7.5 million.

But Alabama star quarterback and Heisman Trophy front-runner Tagovailoa won’t make a dime beyond his scholarship, whether or not his play and postseason awards bring in millions of dollars in revenue for his college.

alexkwasniza These kids, especially the ones from impoverished backgrounds trying to get themselves and their families out of terrible living conditions, are given no money for things like food, clothes or transportation.

Some of the jobs these student-athletes had while in high school contributed to the income of their households. Now that they are in college, that lack of income puts a lot of those families in a tough position.

Right before playing in the 2014 National Championship Game, University of Connecticut star point guard Shabazz Napier told assembled media, “Sometimes, there are hungry nights where I’m not able to eat. But I still got to play up to my capabilities.”

Napier would lead his team to the NCAA title shortly after saying this, ultimately netting a huge amount of revenue — not for him or his teammates — but for the University of Connecticut, the NCAA and CBS, which aired the tournament.

They are Some of these athletes are forced considered to starve at night, but are still expectamateur ed to show up to every practice, work players, extremely hard and get good enough yet are grades to maintain focal their scholarship.

Many say they points in should just get jobs, like other college promotions students. That notion is impossible for to realize as NCAA could lose universities. athletes their scholarships if they broke the rules and held down a paying job during their season of sport.

Budding NBA superstar and former #1 overall NBA draft pick Ben Simmons made headlines in 2016 with his words on the topic: “The NCAA is really f---ed up. Everybody’s making money except the players. We’re the ones waking up early as hell to be the best teams and do everything

they want us to do, and then we get nothing. They say education, but if I’m there for a year, I can’t get much education.”

These student-athletes are usually applauded for staying in college instead of leaving for the NBA or NFL for the money. This is something I just don’t understand. According to many people, it’s good for these kids and their families to continue to live in poverty for a few more years in college just so they can earn a degree in something they are probably not too invested in.

Had rookie Utah Jazz forward Grayson Allen entered the NBA draft after his sophomore year at Duke University a year ago, he would’ve been a sure-fire top-10 pick and would have made much more money than he currently is after spending another year pursuing a Duke degree while continuing to play for the Blue Devils.

He decided to go back to school for another year and was injured. The setback ultimately stunted his statistics and minutes in college and ended up costing him millions.

This is just a mild case, however.

What’s incredible is these issues have been on the minds of college athletes for a long time and still nothing has really changed.

In 1991, the University of Michigan basketball team swept the nation.

The “Fab Five,” consisting of student-athletes Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson and Chris Webber might have been the biggest sports story of the year.

The NCAA, Michigan and TV networks profited heavily off of the five starting freshman, whose antics and style on and off the court captivated the world.

At the time, these players were bigger than basketball.

Yet, Webber would see fans wearing his, and his teammates’ jerseys, that the University of Michigan was being paid for, and thought to himself, “Why aren’t we getting paid for this? It’s my name they’re making money off of, and I’m still broke.

However, people still fault Webber for taking money from boosters and the university, breaking NCAA rules and resulting in sanctions for both himself and the college.

Trials and investigations are currently underway

regarding universities and college coaches for allegedly giving money to top high school prospects as incentives to join their teams.

Athletes can also be stripped of all awards, championships and wins if they have been caught accepting money under the table.

Former NFL running back Reggie Bush was forced to give back his 2005 Heisman Trophy award — something he rightfully earned on the field. The NCAA constantly fines and sanctions colleges for paying players. The colleges accept these penalties and pay thousands, if not millions, to the NCAA as a consequence.

Funny thing is, these universities wouldn’t have to go through any of these scandals, trials, firings or fines if they would simply pay players a small amount of money, or at least be allowed to by the NCAA. I’m not saying student-athletes should be paid tens-of-thousands or millions of dollars. I don’t even think student-athletes should be paid differently based on recruitment priority or performance.

Give these players around $500 to $1,000 per month above their scholarships. Even a little less than that could suffice. Give them enough for the necessities of living a student-athlete lifestyle, like a decent meal to eat every night.

Will colleges and boosters still be giving large sums of money to entice high school prospects to join their program? Sure.

Every year thousands, a large number of them being poor, AfricanAmerican students, are basically giving free labor to these already filthy rich university presidents and coaches, all to make them profit and get richer off the athletes’ hard work and name recognition.

What kind of picture does that put in your head? Probably one that should be abolished.

Alex Kwasniza is a staff writer at The Advocate. Contact him at akwasniza.theadvocate@gmail.com.

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Making the bowl:

Students of the art department who are taking ceramics courses create original bowls out of clay.

They are heated on location in Contra Costa College’s own kiln. Over the course of the semester a variety of different styles of bowls are made in preparation for the annual Empty Bowls event.

Choosing the bowl:

During the Empty Bowls event on Friday in the Campus Center Plaza, attendees looked over different shapes, colors and styles of ceramic bowls. Once the attendees chose and purchased their ceramic bowl for $5, they then wait to have it filled with soup.

Filling the bowl:

A variety of soups were offered to fill the newly purchased bowls, including Tom Kha, French onion, Arroz Caldo con pollo, Pozole de Puerco, vegan chili, cauliflower and cheese, clam chowder and curried sweet potato. Once attendees had their fill, the bowl is graciously washed and wrapped to be taken home.

Donation:

All proceeds raised at the Empty Bowls event are donated to the Bay Area Rescue Mission located on Macdonald Avenue in Richmond. In 2016 the mission provided over 788,000 meals to the needy, along with clothing, shelter and a warm shower to 77,000 homeless and displaced members of society.

Fundraiser fills bowls, hearts with soup

Annual event raises money for Bay Area Rescue Mission

By Gabriel Quiroz staff writer

gquiro.theadvocate@gmail.com

Contra Costa College is known for its work within its surrounding community.

Whether it is students or teachers working off campus in the community, or members of the community coming to the college to help — there has always been a strong bond.

The Empty Bowls event, held Friday on campus,

was another such collaboration between the college and commuthe event feel like a trip through a kitchen door that led to a difnity, with all profits going to help the Bay Area Rescue Mission “Students and staff of the culinary arts depart- ferent country. in Richmond.

The event allowed patrons to go into the kitchen of the The event allowed attendees to choose and keep their own ment volunteer their time to work at this event culinary arts department and get a glimpse of what it’s like in a bowl, created by students in the ceramic classes of the fine and and help the Bay Area Rescue Mission. high-intensity cooking atmosphere. media arts department.

The kitchen experience offered a new perspective to custom— Nader Sharkes, culinary arts department chairperson ers and allowed students to tell them about their dishes in great They also got to fill it with soup made by culinary arts department students. detail — directly to the patrons. Culinary arts students told guests CCC alumna Holly Potenziani, who attended the event, said, exactly what ingredients went into the dishes, as well as showing “We visit the Aqua Terra Grill to give back to the community and There was also mixed berry and ginger carrot juice drinks them the thought they put into their design. have an affordable lunch. I used to go to school here too. The last included in the ticket price.

Culinary arts major Maggie Alinsod said, “We wanted to make thing we had here was beef tongue. It was so good.”

There were a variety of soups available with origins in something appealing for our display, so we used fried garlic on The event cost $5 for students for the first bowl and $10 for Thailand, Mexico, India, France and other countries around the top of our dish to make it more appealing since it is a light dish. the general public. Both prices allowed for unlimited refills, so globe.

It’s something you might eat for breakfast.” customers could try as many soups as they wanted.

The unique tastes and smells from all around the world made Alinsod’s group made a Filipino soup, Arroz Caldo con Pollo.

n

Addressing housing, food insecurities Campus programs provide resources, outlet to aid in disparities

By Cindy Pantoja staff writer

cpantoja.theadvocate@gmail.com

The lack of affordable housing across Contra Costa County continues to increase the risk of homelessness and food insecurity among especially first generation college students.

Living on the financial edge can quickly turn into a housing crisis and most low-income students don’t have an emergency fund.

A car malfunction or an unexpected eviction notice can transform stable living into a homelessness situation.

Often, students don’t have any option other than to live in a shelter, an automobile, abandoned building — or on the streets.

Data from a national study of basic needs insecurity in higher education published in 2017 by the Association of Community Colleges Trustees (ACCT) stated, first generation African-American college students experienced homelessness at much higher rates than any other racial or ethnic group who were also the first people in their immediate family to attend college.

Contra Costa College SparkPoint coordinator Bill Bankhead said, “Most of us don’t know how housing insecurity looks because that’s not visible. You wouldn’t know somebody in your class is having that problem because he shows up to class, even if he slept on someone’s couch and is not sure where he is sleeping that night.”

“Most of us don’t know how housing insecurity looks because that’s not visible.

You wouldn’t know someone in your class is having that problem.”

Bill Bankhead,

SparkPoint coordinator

While homelessness is a problem, housing insecurity presents a broader set of challenges that affects more students and even some faculty. This includes the inability to pay rent, utilities or the need to move frequently.

Students who experience housing instability often experience food insecurity as well.

The ACCT reported that 41.6 percent of California State University students reported food insecurity by their low to very low food security ranges.

The rate of food insecurity for women was 42.6 percent, slightly higher than the 39.3 percent for men.

First generation college students reported food insecurity at a rate of 49.0 percent, slightly higher than the 36.9 percent for non-first-generation college students, in the ACCT report.

Students with housing and food insecurities are vulnerable to suffer academic, social, mental and physical issues such as lower grades, hunger, anxiety, fear, irritability and depression, among other worries and stressors.

CCC business major Araya Turner said, “Today I was in a hurry and I

ILLUSTRATION BY CINDY PANTOJA / THE ADVOCATE

There were many people in the culinary arts department who volunteered for the event, but as it was not part of any specific class assignment. It was designed to be a way for students to interact with the community, department Chairperson Nader Sharkes said.

Culinary major Debbie Fisher said, “I really enjoy the experience and I’ve been here for two years. Our group made a French onion soup with toast and melted cheese on top.”

Students selected their soups through different means. For some, it was something they wanted to create that they had never done before.

“We wanted to appeal to vegetarians with our soup,” culinary major Chelsea Emslander said. “It was a collaborative choice. We used veggie stock, kidney beans, corn and roasted garlic.” Her group chose to make a vegetarian chili soup with cornbread and

butter.

The students chose their own soups to create for the event, which had to meet Sharkes’ approval.

Empty Bowls helped to foster an even greater bond with the community and the college.

“We have people who work at the rescue mission full time who go to CCC. After they graduate, they can continue to work as an intern at the mission,” Men’s Services at the Bay Area Rescue Mission Manager Darrell Olson said.

CCC has been hosting an Empty Bowls event for seven years now, Sharkes said.

“Students and staff of the culinary arts department volunteered their time to work at this event and help the Bay Area Rescue Mission,” he said.

A PASSION FOR THE HOMELESS, HUNGRY Student, friends feed 75 to 100 people each week to make a difference in the East Bay through generosity

By Jose Arebola staff writer

jarebola.theadvocate@gmail.com

couldn’t e a t breakfast at home.

My class is five hours long and Pronto only had coffee. I wish I could go out and eat somewhere else, but money is always an issue.”

One of the biggest concerns among experts is that hungry students are more likely to work long hours at low-wage/ low-quality jobs.

This stress puts them at higher odds of not completing college.

The Associated Students Union at CCC offers a Food Pantry and a free breakfast program where students experiencing financial hardship or food and housing insecurity can find a relief from food expenses.

“About 100 students use the breakfast program,” ASU President Alex Walker-Griffin said. “College students tend to skip breakfast more than any other meal. (This is) the most important meal of the day. So, with this (free) breakfast program, students can come here and get a hot meal.”

A lot of families in the Bay Area are living paycheck-to-paycheck. For these families, their expenses are higher than their income.

They must turn to public assistance

for help, but the biggest challenge for them is that not enough low-income housing units exist to satisfy their needs.

Adding to the problem, the Richmond Low Income Housing Program is working at the top of its capacity and currently has a waiting list of two years and is not accepting applications according to www.ci.richmond.ca.us.

“The key point is not to focus so much just on the homelessness issue, but to prevent it (from getting to that point) with the right intervention,” Bankhead said.

If money is part of the problem, programs whose missions are to help people achieve financial stability have to be part of the solution.

SparkPoint provides free workshops for budgeting and saving money.

It also offers one-on-one coaching for credit and debt issues.

The Bay Area has a multitude of inhumane problems facing it amid unprecedented growth.

However, this growth isn’t spreading resources to everyone.

Even as local governments try to find solutions, homelessness has been a constant problem for many people struggling to make ends meet in California.

There are people in need of help now.

Instead of waiting for institutions to take charge and make a difference, 31-year-old Contra Costa College sociology major Jessica Breaux decided to make an impact on her own.

“Meals are not always provided or guaranteed for the homeless and hungry,” Breaux said. “If I can make a difference one plate at a time, then I’m committed to making a difference and change.”

Breaux feeds anywhere from 75 to 100 people, in the areas where people need help the most, at least once a week — and has been doing so for the past two years.

Using donated products from a local grocer, she prepares large batches of food to be distributed. After spending her mornings cooking, her first destination can be anywhere from South Richmond to West Oakland or the Tenderloin in San Francisco.

Most of the time she goes out alone, sets up a table and graciously gives out meals until everything has been given away.

She fills her schedule with ways to give back to the community.

Instead of living for, and focusing on, only herself, this busy student saw an opportunity to help those in need. Breaux took it upon herself to spread compassion one evening by reaching out into her community. She went to Richmond Food Market on Cutting Boulevard and asked the store manager, who for this story only wants to be known as Sam, if there was any way to use their unsold produce.

“Of course when she came in I said ‘yes.’” Sam said. “People will always have times when they need help.”

When produce has a blemish it tends not to sell, so it can go to better use this way, he said.

Now, with ingredients handy, Breaux just needed to find where to hand out her homemade meals.

Finding places to serve proved easy for her.

It’s been six years now that she has been serving communities in San Francisco’s Tenderloin

n “Meals are not always provided

or guaranteed for the homeless and hungry. If I can make a difference one plate at a time then I’m committed to a difference and change.”

— Jessica Breaux, sociology major

District with the Shekinah Christian Fellowship in San Francisco. Even those in her congregation are constantly inspired by how she humbles herself in giving.

“She’s been a blessing,” Sister Viola Ryan said.

“I could call her today saying I need soup and she’d be down here in a few hours helping me serve.”

Sister Ryan has watched Breaux for years and is inspired by her consistent effort.

“She will get up at 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning, cook meals, cross the bridge and start respectfully greeting people,” Ryan said.

That humble mindset has stayed with Breaux as she expanded her hospitality to the East Bay. Not content with just helping her congregation, Breaux started to put together what she calls, “Blessing Bags.”

She would keep bags filled with snacks and hygiene products in her car and pass them out.

Once she saw how large the need was for more help, she began to volunteer serving meals in the East Bay with the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program.

Where does the drive to help so many people come from?

Tonya Simply put, she said she Breaux remains committed because there is a need for it.

Breaux said she was always aware, and worried about, the difficulties that people experiencing homelessness face.

Her mother, Tonya Breaux, said that she has always been service-oriented with a good set of morals.

“She has been like this since she was a child,” Breaux set up a serving table at 23rd Avenue and West Grand Street in Oakland on Oct. 13 where friends and family unloaded trays of food, water and utensils before joining hands in prayer,

JOSE AREBALO / THE ADVOCATE

Contra Costa College sociology major Jessica Breaux (right) hands out donated food to those in need at the corner of 23rd and West Grand Street in Oakland, California, on Saturday.

then handing out meals.

Donte Richardson, a former co-worker of Breaux’s, said, “Coming out and serving, it actually means a lot.”

He said during his first time joining Breaux, he was joyful to learn how impactful the simple act of giving could feel.

Another friend said she was glad to have joined Breaux in serving and seeing the opportunity on Facebook was one of many similar posts she usually catches.

Breaux surrounds herself with people of an honest and compassionate nature and plans on continuing her positive influence.

“The work doesn’t take a toll on me, however, it can be difficult trying to manage cooking such large meals in my small kitchen,” Breaux said.

What affects her most is when she inevitably runs out of food and has to tell someone that there is nothing left.

It tugs at her heartstrings in just the wrong way, she said.

She has big ambitions on her service journey, planning to work in pediatric social work with hopes of starting a nonprofit one day as well. But her ultimate goal is continuing to feed people while working with pregnant homeless woman.

Breaux’s efforts are actively improving the quality of life for those in the communities she serves.

“Some of these people used to dumpster dive for their meals and now they know where to find me instead,” she said.

Communities all over the Bay Area have welcomed her efforts with open arms.

Police officers simply respect her presence.

Even during tense situations, Breaux said people waiting for a meal will form a line dividing the sidewalk. One side of the sidewalk can have warm meals and smiles, while the other side could be an arrest in progress.

Breaux said. “I’ll ask the officers to eat with us as well and they’re always happy to join us.”

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I auditioned again because I like the adrenaline. I like people coming and enjoying what we are doing there on stage.” — Silvia Sobal, actress

XAVIER JOHNSON/ THE ADVOCATE

Silvia Sobal (right) and her son Oz Herrera-Sobal cower in fear during a scene in “Vengeance: A Ghost Story” on Sunday evening in the Knox Center.

Fortunate circumstances direct journey, passions Retired nurse finds excitement in acting

By Xavier Johnson web editor

xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

On the final day of the drama department’s production “Vengeance: A Ghost Story” in the Knox Center Sunday, Silvia Sobal got the opportunity to perform on stage with her son Oz Herrera-Sobal for the first time.

Herrera-Sobal was filling in for an absent cast member and the character he was playing, John Vargas, is the son of Sobal’s character Mara Vargas.

“I always saw her in the audience, but now we were on stage together. It warms my heart knowing she wants (to act). I especially love it because we got to perform together,” Herrera-Sobal said.

This unique situation wasn’t something that either of them thought would ever happen. While Oz is a lifelong actor, Silvia never planned on acting.

In college, at Instituto Tecnológico de Puebla, Sobal was a singer in a musical group that played Mexican folk music — but that’s as far as her stage experience or aspirations went. However, last spring Sobal auditioned for “The Cries of La Llorona” with her son’s encouragement and her familiarity with the La Llorona folktale.

“Having grown up in Mexico, hearing that story, I had to give it a try. When I was a little girl I thought I heard La Llorona around my house,” Sobal said.

After auditioning, she was selected for the part of the titular character La Llorona.

Sobal said she was nervous throughout the rehearsal process as she had never experienced preparing for an acting role. The soliloquy-heavy nature of the role meant most of her time speaking on stage was alone.

After weeks of rehearsal and waging a battle against her nerves, she took stage for the first time in April. Once the two-week run concluded, she was hooked. This led her to audition for this semester’s productions.

“I auditioned again because I like the adrenaline. I like people coming and enjoying what we are doing there on stage,” Sobal said.

Sobal’s path toward calling the United States her home was also an unintended circumstance. Born and raised in Mexico, an 18-year-old Sobal came to the United States to visit her sister in San Francisco in 1985.

After some convincing by her older sister, what originally was intended as a summer visit turned into a permanent stay.

“I didn’t want to stay. My sister was alone out here and didn’t have any siblings here.

She was the oldest and I was the youngest, so I had to listen to her,” Sobal said.

The sudden move to the U.S. was diffi-

cult for Sobal. She had to learn English and adjust to her new surroundings, but the transition was eased by her strong support system.

“My sister had been here for a long time, so she was able to guide me. I enrolled in ESL classes, then counselors helped guide me along. It wasn’t that hard, thanks to the guidance,” Sobal said.

She earned an associate degree from City College of San Francisco and began working at San Francisco General Hospital to begin her nursing career.

Nursing was another situation where Sobal found herself doing something she didn’t plan to do.

Sobal said since she was a child she wanted to be a doctor, but when she came to the U.S. medical school was too expensive.

Her sister told her to go into nursing and work to pay her way through medical school. But once she started working as a registered nurse in 1991, her plans changed.

“I loved nursing, I really loved it. My interactions with the patients were closer than the doctors. The nurse is there, they cry with you and patients look for comfort with the nurse. I liked that connection a lot better, so I stayed in nursing,” Sobal said.

Both “La Llorona” and “Vengeance” were directed by drama department Chairperson Carlos-Manuel Chavarria who said Sobal is dedicated and learns fast for someone who’s so new to acting.

“One thing I like about her is she’s so new.

She listens to what I say. She listens when I give her direction on the character and she takes that,” Chavarria said.

Chavarria is the only director Sobal has worked with, but she said each show has been a good experience.

“I love working with Carlos,” she said.

“He’s fun and makes a lot of jokes when we are rehearsing. It’s easy going and I like that.”

Her castmates in “Vengeance,” Irena Miles, Joshua Saephan and Sheryl Meeuwsen all said Sobal is a pleasure to work with.

Each immediately made a emphasized how nice she is during rehearsals. “She’s very positive. Even if you’re having a bad day you can’t help but smile around her,” Miles said.

Sobal retired from nursing in June and acting has become one of the bullet points on her ever-growing schedule of activities.

“I just retired, so I have to look for other things to do. It’s fun not having to deal with work all the time — like having to do notes in the middle of the night and dealing with doctors. It’s recent, so I’m still getting used to it, but I do want to find more fun things to do,” Sobal said.

No matter what else she decides to pursue, it doesn’t seem like the desire to act will go away anytime soon. Chavarria said he wants Sobal to be in his spring semester show “The Hispanick Zone.”

“There are some roles she would be perfect for,” he said.

Early steps into acting Spring 2018

‘The Cries of La Llorona’

Directed by: Carlos-Manuel Chavarria In her first acting role, Sobal played the Mexican folklore figure La Llorona. The character is a ghost that steals children that ran off from their families after her own children tragically drowned. Sobal grew up hearing the story of La Llorona in Mexico, inspiring her to audition for the play.

‘Vengeance: A Ghost Story’

Fall 2018

Directed by: Carlos-Manuel Chavarria

Sobal auditioned for this fall’s drama department productions. She was picked for the role of Mara Vargas, the wealthy matriarch of the Vargas family that owns the haunted cabin at which the family stays. Vargas murders her best friend, which causes her ghostly spirit to seek vengeance.

What comes next?

Spring 2019

‘The Hispanick Zone’

Directed by: Carlos-Manuel Chavarria Before the run for “Vengeance: A Ghost Story” concluded, Chavarria already expressed interest in casting Sobal in the final play of the 2018-19 theater season. “The Hispanick Zone” was described by Chavarria as an “Hispanic Saturday Night Live.”

Fall 2019 To be determined

Directed by: To be determined The drama department’s 2019-20 theater season is still being finalized with each director in the department deciding which play they will be holding. With Sobal’s continued interest in acting, next season could be another year where she adds more acting credits to her resume.

INFOGRAPHIC BY XAVIER JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE

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XAVIER JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE

Ghost seeks bloody retribution ABOVE: Angelica, played

by Merrit Onyekwere (left), shows Mara Vargas, played by Silvia Sobal, (right) a heart in “Vengeance: A Ghost Story” on Sunday in the Knox Center.

By Gabriel Quiroz staff writer

gquiroz.theadvocate@gmail.com

Attention to detail would be an understatement when referring to the drama department’s recently closed original ghost story production of “Vengeance: A Ghost Story.”

The story, inspired by a Chinese play, recounts the life of a family of five on an annual trip that entangles a birthday with a haunted cabin.

Even before the performance began Sunday in the John and Jean Knox Performing Arts Center, every carefully placed knick-knack on stage told the story before one word was uttered.

By the looks of it, it was clear something scary was coming, but just how or why left the audience in anticipation for what might creep into their nightmares.

The ominous two-story cabin set would send much of the initial fear into audience members.

Children grasped tightly to their parents before they even knew what the ghost looked like.

However, it wasn’t all screaming in terror and fear of ghostly fiends. There were plenty of engaging, tension-filled moments.

One of the highlights was Mara, played by Silvia Sobal. She portrayed the grandmother in the story who is a very distinct and stubborn character. Throughout the play, Sobal adeptly conveys emotion, simply through manipulating her facial expressions.

Sobal’s back and forth with her on-set daughter-in-law Mary, played by Sheryl Meeuwsen, flows in a manner that makes viewers flash back to similarly awkward family interactions in their own lives.

The tension is broken up by humorous moments that lull audience members into a false sense of security.

This is before they are caught off guard by eerie music and the appearing and disappearing presence of the ghost, played by Merrit Onyekwere.

The burn of Sobal’s line, “What a noble idea,” and an eye roll to Meeuwsen creates an uproarious laughter from the crowd during their arguments over whether the ghost is real or not.

For almost every humorous scene, the laughter is quickly stolen by flickering lights and music that let the audience know it is time for a shift into a darker place.

The ghost is alone on stage when it appears, but is accompanied musically by a trio of musicians.

Erin Forman, Ninoangelo Lastimosa and Tyler Nguyen, who composed their own “environmental music” for the play, increase the ghost’s overall presence.

They accomplish this with haunting violin notes, a thunderous bass and screeching screams from keyboard strokes.

This amplifies how the ghosts stalking and coldness fills the room and gives a feeling that it

XAVIER JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE

could appear anywhere, even the aisles of the seats.

There are varying degrees of acting in the play. One actor joined the play just days before the production closed on Sunday, as one of the main characters was unable to attend.

John, played by Oz HerreraSobal, the son of Sobal (Mara, and husband of Mary), was a last-minute change to the final performance.

He was substituted into the play when Armond Lee couldn’t make Sunday’s performance.

Nobody would have known if wasn’t announced at the beginning of the play, as Herrera-Sobal flowed well with the cast after only a short time to learn his lines.

Audience members were told that there may be scripts around the set, but Herrera-Sobal didn’t seem to need them.

Giselle, played by Irena Miles, has a funny back and forth with

her grandma, Mara, as they wonder if Giselle’s brother Robert and his friend Tom are gay because of their close relationship.

Robert, played by Joshua Saephan, the son of Mary and John, brings his friend Tom, played by Murfy Williams, to the cabin for what he thinks would be a fun 18th birthday.

The two seem to have a background role in the play until the ghost begins to use Tom as a vessel by possessing him.

For all the detail in the play, the ending moves a bit slow.

Mara’s back and forth with the ghost, and seemingly on the nose dialogue of what the reason was for the haunting by a ghost who suddenly could speak, seemed a little forced.

However, the entire cast managed to put on an entertaining story that scared, entertained and kept the attention of an audience of all ages.

LEFT: Robert, played

by Joshia Saephan (left), Giselle, played by Irena Miles (middle) and Mary, played

by Sheryl Meeuwsen (right), cower in fear during “Vengeance: A Ghost Story” on Sunday in the Knox Center.

Exhibit explores perspectives not typically observed Detail, skill gain focus in student photography

By Kyle Grant staff writer

kgrant.theadvocate@gmail.com

A picture is worth a thousand words — or, so they say.

In the Eddie Rhodes Gallery on Oct. 17, photographs adorned the wall, and for those in attendance, these pictures had lots to say.

A mix of both black and white and color photographs taken by three Contra Costa College student photographers decorated the walls. Each picture told a story of its own and it was easy to see each photographer’s individuality and skill in their craft.

With the help of fine and media arts department professor Dana Davis, students Mitzie Yamamoto, Elmarise Owens and Lisa Lacabanne successfully turned the gallery into their own little museum, with skill and style.

The collection was largely geared toward macro photography,

which typically focuses on extreme close-ups of random small naturelike subjects ranging from flowers, to insects, to tiny organisms.

One display, however, seemed to take a step out of macro photography box. In particular, a picture of what first seems to be an ordinary shot of a red apple in ice from afar, appears to be someone’s frozen fingers.

That photo, in particular, sent chills down exhibit goers’ spines.

While Davis encouraged the three photographers to plan the event, Owens provided some insight behind the specific idea to arrange and organize this specific type of presentation.

With a careful look at her photos, it is easy to see that the artists carefully captured moments in time. They accomplished it with attention to detail so specific, it feels like the images of fruit are ripe and ready to be plucked.

Lacabanne’s pictures stood out as well, many of which were of everyday nature. The subjects in her photographs appear raw and unfiltered and sometimes hard to identify.

But upon taking a closer look,

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Union City resident John Lacabanne views photography by his sister Lisa Lacabanne in the Eddie Rhodes Gallery Oct. 17.

the detail almost creeps into the retina.

She detailed some of the history behind her shots and said, “Since the images were captured, weather and time have since changed. And therefore, so has the landscape. So, this makes these images one of a kind shot.”

Yamamoto clearly enjoys taking pictures of things embedded in ice, all from different angles and offering viewers her unique perspective.

She views her work as largely a newly created form of art.

“I create original art forms using various ingredients, materials and techniques and let the

objects take on a spontaneous, non-contrived, free flowing form, eventually becoming a whimsical abstract piece.” she said.

All the photos are available for sale.. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday and will feature the exhibit over the next four to six weeks.

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THE ‘HALLOWEEN’ SERIES EVOLUTION ‘Halloween’: Original 1978 movie directed by John Carpenter has a budget of $325,000.

‘Halloween II’: 1981 sequel directed by Rick Rosenthal has a budget of $2.5 million.

Halloween III: The 1982 movie “Season of the Witch” is a failed spin off by director Tommy Wallace.

Halloween IV: The 1988 film “Return of Michael Myers” gets back to the original story. The film has a budget of $5 million.

Halloween V: The 1989 film “Revenge Michael Myers” has the lowest box office revenue of all the movies at $11 million.

Halloween: The 1995 “Curse of Michael Myers” gives a reboot to the series and is directed by Joe Chappelle.

Halloween: 1998’s “H2O” movie is the direct sequel to 1981’s ‘Halloween I and II.’

Halloween: “Resurrection” in 2002, is directed by Rick Rosenthal and continues “H2O.”

Halloween I, II: In 2007, 2009 director Rob Zombie reboots the series again.

LEFT: The iconic masked slasher Michael Myers comes back to the silver screen in the sequel “Halloween.” This is the 11th installment in the franchise and is the followup film to the original 1978 cult classic.

The movie is directed

by David Gordon Green.

Sequel revives iconic franchise Reboot of horror classic breaks box office records

By Michael Santone editor-in-chief

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

N

othing screams that time of the year more than the iconic masked serial killer Michael Myers, who returns to the big screen in “Halloween,” directed by David Gordon

Green.

With its release on Friday, the film broke box office and franchise records by grossing $33.3 million on that opening day.

The acclaimed sequel to the original 1978 classic by the same name picks up 40 years after teen babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) narrowly escapes Myers’ Halloween killing spree.

It all takes place in her sleepy suburban hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois.

Strode, who has been crippled with PTSD since her bloody battle with the masked murderer, booby-traps her home and stays rifle-ready for the day she is certain he will return.

Although the 2018 reboot of “Halloween” slightly captures the horror magic of the original, it does nothing to elevate the reboot to more than a pale imitation of John Carpenter’s cinematic cult masterpiece.

It’s almost impossible not to compare the two movies when the 2018 sequel follows an almost identical plot trajectory as most of the 10 films in the franchise.

Viewers experience Myers escaping from a mental institution and finding his way back to his hometown on the eve of Halloween in search of that one traumatized teen girl who happened to escape his grasp.

The trajectory is typical, except of course for 1982’s “Halloween III: Season of the Witch,” which removed the on-screen duo of Myers and Strode altogether — and pretty much confused the whole fandom.

The only noteworthy thing that the 2018 reboot has going for it is the fact that screenwriters Green and Danny McBride completely disregard the familial tie Strode and Myers developed over decades throughout the franchise.

In fact, the new direction of “Halloween” completely removes everything known about the franchise, while re-branding it into a moderately quintessential slasher flick.

The real genius lies with having Curtis reprise her role as Strode, which hasn’t been done since 2002’s “Halloween: Resurrection.”

Myers masks: 1978 to 2009

1978:

1981:

Strode, who seems to keep a gun pointed at everyone she encounters, lives among the solitude of her hidden booby-trapped house.

All is normal until she is paid an unexpected visit by two investigative journalists looking to retell the story of Myers’ infamous rampage through those leaf-littered streets in 1978.

Curtis does a phenomenal job conveying the timid and paranoid demeanor of Strode, who basically becomes a bad-ass survivalist in her 60s following years of torment

by Myers.

This fear-induced way of living becomes the catalyst to failed marriages and a strained relationship with her now adult daughter (Judy Greer).

Greer portrays the disengaged and slightly estranged daughter, Karen, who grew up constantly being taught self-defense.

Her mother does everything in her power to protect her from “the shape (Myers).”

In Karen’s eyes, her mother raised her to fear — even the unimaginable. Her upbringing caused friction within her marriage to husband Ray (Toby Huss) and relationship with daughter Allyson (Andi Matichak).

This friction, partly caused by Laurie, unravels throughout the film and relies on the relationship building of Allyson and Laurie’s characters.

This all develops as Myers is once again let loose into the streets of Haddonfield.

Following the clichéd trajectory of being transported and escaping, Michael, along with a busload of inmates, are found wandering on the side of a dark road by a father and son taking a trip into the forest.

Predictably, it doesn’t end well for them as they encounter a mask-less Myers.

Oh, and remember the investigative journalists?

Well, their rendezvous didn’t go so well either.

By the time Michael dawns his signature mask, the body count has reached double digits, yet the suspense leading up to these moments of bloody murder seem anticlimactic.

It isn’t until the introduction of Allyson’s friends

1988:

1989:

1995:

Vicky PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

(Virginia Gardner) and Dave (Miles Robbins) that the tension is amped up and the audience is finally given the full Carpenter-like “Halloween” experience.

This is really expressed in the legendary camera angles, lighting and storytelling made famous by Carpenter, as Myers begins stalking the innocent.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a “Halloween” movie if there weren’t the slaughtering of a babysitter, which is by far one of the best scenes of the entire film.

Not only does it borrow a classic scene from the original 1978 film, but it builds up the tension and suspense almost perfectly.

Although the movie doesn’t stand up against the original “Halloween” that spawned it all, it does leave its impression on a new franchise.

It doesn’t answer any of the burning questions, like why Laurie? Or how is he so strong at 63 years old?

However, it does shed a different light on the masked maniac and the women who got away.

1998:

2002:

2007:

2009:

C SECTION WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM

spotlight Proposition 4 funnels cash to hospitals, renovations

PAGE C6

SAN PABLO CITY COUNCIL SEATS UP FOR GRABS

Five candidates vie for positions including treasurer, city council and secretary.

PAGE C3

Proposition 3 aims to clean water, repair infrastructure PAGE C6

Election offers hope

ILLUSTRATION BY ISAAC BENAVIDES / THE ADVOCATE

By Michael Santone editor-in-chief

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

On Nov. 6, Californians will have their chance to add their voices to the nation’s democratic process as they cast their ballot in the 2018 California General Election.

With what’s been a tumultuous political climate since the election of President Donald Trump in 2016, and California and its leaders at odds with his administration ever since, the stakes are high and seem detrimental to the continued progress of liberal-leaning California.

To help Contra Costa College students gain a better understanding of local, regional and state issues that are at stake in this election, The Advocate explores the 11 state propositions, including Proposition 10, which expands local governments’ authority to enact rent control on residential property. Also examined is Proposition 12, which establishes new standards for the confinement of specified farm animals and bans the sale of related non-complying products, and Proposition 6, which would repeal the state’s gas tax that was approved in 2017.

A variety of local measures are also on the ballot, including Measure R, which would authorize Contra Costa County to tax com-

mercial marijuana businesses in unincorporated areas.

Voters also have the power to determine who will take on leadership roles, not only at the various local levels, but at the state level as well.

Articles, graphics, artwork and photos in this section also dive into the campaigns of local and state candidates vying for a seat.

The biggest contest is for governor of California, which pits Democratic heavyweight Gavin Newsom against Republican outsider John Cox. Newsom, who has served as California’s lieutenant governor since 2010, maintains a steady lead at 50 percent of probable voters, according to a KFI-NBC poll conducted on Oct. 16. Cox, a businessman from San Diego, has struggled since hitting the campaign and trails in that poll at 43 percent.

During this year’s gubernatorial campaign, a variety of issues facing California were dragged into the spotlight.

These issues include healthcare, affordable housing, homelessness and the environment.

Cox and Newsom have conflicting views on many of these issues, including the hot button topic of the moment — immigration.

While Cox seems to be more in line with the Trump

Administration’s border wall and opposition to sanctuary cities, Newsom is steadfast on his platform of keeping the families of those who cross the border together.

Aside from the race for California governor, a race for U.S. Senate finds Democratic mainstay Dianne Feinstein against Democratic newcomer Kevin De Leon.

Feinstein, who has been a U.S. senator since 1992, leads De Leon 41 to 28 percent, according to an Oct. 14 poll by KABC. Feinstein Other noted state election Democratic races include mainstay secretary of state, attorney general and lieutenant governor.

The Advocate has also provided a short bio of local candidates campaigning for a vote on election Tuesday.

Richmond residents will have the chance to choose three candidates to serve four-year terms on its city council and will select either challenger Melvin Willis or incumbent Tom Butt as mayor.

San Pablo residents will also have the chance to decide on two city council seats among three candidates.

A hotly contested state Assembly race includes Democratic newcomers Buffy Wicks and Jovanka Beckles, who are vying for Tony Thurmond’s seat for District 15, which encompasses the bayside East Bay. Democrat Thurmond has termed out.

Incumbent Democrat Jim Frazier and Republican challenger Lisa Romero are competing for the Assembly District 11 seat (East Contra Costa and Southern Solano County), while Jerry McNerney and Marla Livengood battle for the House of Representatives seat for District 9.

For those planning to vote on Election Day, Nov. 6, polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. As long as voters are in line by 8 p.m., they will be able to cast their vote and have it counted.

Each county has its own polling stations and for those who are unsure of where their polling place is located, call the California secretary of state’s toll-free voter hotline at 800-345-VOTE (8683).

First-time voters may be required to bring identification and anyone registered to vote in the state of California can vote early in person.

SEE ELECTION COVERAGE ON EVERY PAGE IN THIS SECTION

NEWSOM , COX CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA PAGE C8

Melvin, Butt face off for Richmond mayoral seat PAGE C4-C5

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ILLUSTRATION BY CINDY PANTOJA / THE ADVOCATE

VOTING IN MIDTERMS IS CRUCIAL

T

he right to participate in the electoral process by voting is a hard-fought American tradition.

However, in California, the blue wave that rises on a two-year cycle extends a wave of apathy over the Golden State.

Get out the vote campaigns run rampant across college campuses whenever a Super Tuesday draws near, but despite the hoards of Craigslist canvassers who crowd Campus Center Plazas across the state, voter turnout numbers continue to be lackluster.

California voters casually skip out on election day festivities, even if an “I voted” sticker earns a free regular cup of coffee at Starbucks.

And media saturation of national politics drowns out the issues that most directly affect the people living in the state. Because presidential politics seem paramount, many voters stay home, as the majority of the state’s population leans blue.

However, when so many people remain stagnant and only the most radical of any faction participates, the issues that non-participants care about get underrepresented.

EDITORIAL

According to the California for Civic Engagement Project, during the 2012 election cycle, less than 50 percent of people age 18-24 were registered to vote.

Sure, many of our friends and co-workers have legitimate reasons why they can’t participate in the election process, but for those that don’t share those reasons, why not vote in candidates who support your interests and the people you care about.

As of May 2018, 19 million of California’s 25.1 million eligible adults were registered to vote according to the Public Policy Institute of California. That is a 2 percent increase from the same polling done in 2014.

The increase is no reason for California’s college-aged students to pat themselves on the back as Californians ages 55 and older make up 32 percent of the state’s adult population, but constitute 48 percent of likely voters.

And this is despite the younger voters having the energy, access to information and ability to distribute information in a varied number of ways.

The older generation of Californians is not only out-thinking their younger counterparts, they are out working their information-spreading efforts and in turn, beating them at the polls as well.

This isn’t just college newspaper hyperbole — the evidence is measured out in the facts.

Research from the institute shows the share of likely voters in each region mirrors the region’s share of the state’s overall adult population.

In the Bay Area, 20 percent of residents are adults and they make up 23 percent of likely voters. Adults in the study are listed as being 35 to 54 years of age.

Young adults are listed as age 18 to 34, and make up only 18 percent of likely voters.

There has to be a complete shift in the system for the situation to change. What’s funny, in a sad way, is the easiest way to change the system is through voting, but distractions and an inherited sense of apathy have left this generation without the stomach to try.

program to increase voter turnout

By Joel Umanzor

LEFT: Former state Assembly speaker John Perez urges youth to get involved in the voting process before the age of 21 during a voter education summit in GE-225 lecture hall on Saturday.

advocate staff

jumanzor.theadvocate@gmail.com

A day of voter information and workshops was held on Saturday in the General Education Building highlighted by the turnout of many local elementary, middle and high school students.

The event consisted of local city and county officials partnering with local minority groups to raise awareness for those in West Contra Costa County of the importance of voter turnout — not just in 2018, but beyond.

Co-organizer of the event Doreen Moreno said, “There are community leaders who partnered up with Contra Costa College, specifically with the METAS program.”

The leaders plan to communicate the importance of voting while getting involved to participate in the democratic process, and to increase voter turnout of Latinos and other communities of color.

“This event has been in the works for three months now, but we are hoping to use this as an opportunity to get our local minorities involved in voting,” Moreno said.

“We want this not just in 2018, but into 2020 and beyond.”

The focus of the Gioia event was to inform and educate families in the community and to bring awareness of the importance of partnerships between local officials and their constituents.

Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia told the assembled, “As children and teenagers you should not be ignorant to the fact that you have influence on your parents.”

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Many students from local high schools, such as Richmond, El Cerrito and Hercules, were present to hear the supervisor speak words encouragement.

The parents of these students were also the focus of that encouragement.

Co-organizer of the event, Oscar Garcia, said, “Being that Richmond is about 40 percent Latino, voter turnout among this next generation and their parents would be a game changer.

“Imagine 40 percent of the community showing up at the polls and making their voices heard. We are hoping to use this community college as a centralized location with influence for Hispanic and minority voters.”

State Senator Nancy Skinner spoke, before introducing former State Assembly speaker John Perez, about impacting the polls by having active Latino and other minorities participat-

n “As children and teenagers

you should not be ignorant to the fact that you have influence on your parents.”

— John Gioia, Contra Costa County supervisor

ing. Citing examples from Governor Jerry Brown’s most recent election campaign, she said the reach of having silent voices heard is starting to be understood by many in the Democratic Party.

“Governor Brown, to his credit, understood that it was the Latino vote that made the difference in his election,” Skinner said.

Influence as citizens, whether in legal standing or not, was a topic that Perez spoke to when examining the importance of civic duty.

He said the legal standing of a person’s citizenship should not define whether someone is a good citizen.

“What is citizenship? Especially for a lot of us in the Latino community, it is a charged word that gets used a lot of different ways,” Perez said. “The modern interpretation is one that has the rights and privileges of a free person.

The ancient Greeks had a slightly different understanding. It was a person who had a special relationship with the state.”

According to Perez, cultivating this relationship between both the citizens of a community and the state, should be a dynamic process involving both those citizens and their governmental leaders.

Moreno said she is hoping this event will spawn many more of its kind in the future so that the next generation is ready for its civic duty.

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San Pablo, California Assembly candidates

San Pablo City Council candidates vie for votes; two square off in campaign for California Assembly District 15 SAN PABLO CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES Current San Pablo City Clerk Elizabeth Alvarado is running for city council for the first time.

As city clerk, Alvarado has worked under the supervision of the city council and has been legally responsible for attending and recording all city council meetings.

Her campaign has been focused on supporting growing businesses, building affordable housing while providing more public programs for seniors and children.

She is a city representative for the San Pablo Childhood Obesity Prevention Task Force and is a board treasurer for the Economic Development Corporation.

ELIZABETH ALVARADO

The Economic Development Corporation creates economic opportunities for residents of San Pablo and West Contra Costa by collaborating with community leaders, job partners and businesses.

Alvarado will look to try to get one of the two seats that are up for grabs, as she faces current incumbents Paul Morris and Rita Xavier.

In an effort to bring diversity to the city council, Alvarado has a tough task in trying to unseat the old guard of San Pablo.

— Efrain Valdez

RITA XAVIER After holding leadership positions in many San Pablo civic organizations, Rita Xavier is running for one of two open seats for her first term on the San Pablo City Council.

She will be running against four-term council member Paul Morris and city clerk Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado.

Xavier said she believes the city should stick to its conservative budgeting plan and is an advocate for reducing crime.

Currently, she is chairwoman of the city’s Planning Commission

and is a member of the city Advisory Committee on Aging and Senior Center Advisory Board.

Xavier also serves on the Hazardous Materials Commission and the Transportation Authority Paratransit Coordinating Council.

She was born and raised in New York and served as an aide to a United States senator from 1979-1981 in Buffalo, New York.

— Alex Kwasniza

PAUL MORRIS Paul V. Morris is one of three candidates running for two San Pablo City Council seats on Nov. 6. He is an incumbent.

He was born in Chicago and has been a resident of San Pablo since 1996. He is a property consultant and previously operated his own advertising agency with offices in Chicago and Toronto. Morris has served the city of San Pablo for 20 years. He worked four years on the planning commission and has served 16 years on the city council.

Morris campaigned for Measure K in 2014, which provided San Pablo with an Emergency Medical Service squad to enhance Fire Station 70. He also wants to prioritize programs and activities that provide recreational activities and services to seniors and youth,

through the city’s Community Services Department.

In 2014, Morris led an entourage of 27 delegates to the National Civic League’s “All America City” conference in Denver, where San Pablo was one of 25 finalist cities for the award.

Since then, Morris and his team have helped build a new community center, opened a new library, are currently building a new city hall and plan to build a new police training facility.

“I am pleased to be a part of the transformation of San Pablo from one of the most violent cities in the Bay Area, per capita, to one of the safest cities in the Bay Area today.”

— Cindy Pantoja

SAN PABLO CITY OFFICE CANDIDATES

VIVIANA TOLEDO, TREASURER Running for re-election as San Pablo city treasurer, Viviana Toledo has more than 22 years of experience in the fields of accounting, payroll and administrative services.

Toledo has a bachelor of science in business and associate degrees in applied arts and accounting. She also has been a notary public in California since 2002.

Her community involvement includes serving as a member

of San Pablo Adopt-a-Family, treasurer of the San Pablo-Manzanillo Sister City Committee and fiscal agent for the Cinco de Mayo Parade since 2014.

Toledo has been San Pablo’s city treasurer since October 2010 and is fluent in both the English and Spanish languages.

— Michael Santone

PATRICIA PONCE, CITY CLERK Patricia Ponce is running for San Pablo city clerk in the Nov. 6 election.

The city clerk is the local official who administers democratic processes such as elections, access to city records and all legislative actions ensuring transparency to the public.

According to cocovote.us, Ponce believes she is a good candidate for city clerk because she has integrity and demonstrates sound moral and ethical principles.

Ponce said, “As a city clerk, I will be a public representative for the interest of San Pablo’s citizens.”

She firmly believes in the importance of keeping public records accessible and having transparency.

Currently, Ponce holds a management position as accounting supervisor with the West Contra Costa Unified School District.

“I am an independent thinker with strong skills and determination to get things done,” Ponce said.

She has a degree in health and human services and has been a San Pablo resident for 30 years.

— Jessica Suico

CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY: DISTRICT 15

BUFFY WICKS

JOVANKA BECKLES politics and she promises to uphold this promise her Assembly challenge election.

Beckles is an immigrant from Panama and is community oriented. Working as a children’s mental health expert for many years, she has led multiple successful efforts to bring money into Richmond’s most impoverished communities.

Her current platform is focused on housing and healthcare for all, as well as workers and civil rights. She also places a strong emphasis on a fair economy and a healthy environment.

Jovanka Beckles, a Richmond resident and member of its city council, is running for the state Assembly, District 15 — which includes most of the East Bay from Hercules to the Oakland border.

She ran for her Richmond City Council position on the platform of corporate-free

— Andrew Weedon

Buffy Wicks is a Democratic candidate running for the California Assembly hoping to replace Tony Thurmond as the representative for District 15.

The district includes Berkeley, Richmond and Northern Oakland. Wicks is a long-time community organizer with

experience as a staffer for both President Barack Obama and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Getting her start as a grassroots organizer, she has helped take on fights against Walmart Inc. supporting workers’ unions and leading Bay Area protests against the Iraq War. She also partnered with Planned Parenthood and the Center for American Progress to help launch a national women’s economic initiative.

In California, Wicks directed a campaign leading parents to fight for children’s rights.

Her campaign focuses on quite a few priorities. She plans to tackle the housing crisis, boost funding for public education and increase access to affordable healthcare.

Her also plans to provide support for an equitable criminal justice reform plan, champion environmental justice and seek to empower the workforce.

— Jose Arebalo

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The mayoral race

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Election 2018

Willis hopes to win top seat

Progressive Butt hopes to stay put

staff writer

By Alex Kwasniza

By Luis Lopez

llopez.theadvocate@gmail.com

staff writer

Richmond candidate for mayor Melvin Willis was born and raised in Richmond and is a current member of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).

He was also the city’s youngest council member ever elected at the age of 26 in 2016.

While on the Richmond City Council, he helped pass the Fair Rent Control Measures and was a part of a successful effort to raise the minimum wage for workers in Richmond.

After achieving success on the city council, Willis decided to run for mayor and has the support of many people in Richmond, including former mayor Gayle McLaughlin.

She said, “Melvin is thoughtful. People know him and love him and he is the best for Richmond.”

Willis’ run for mayor is based on his two mottos: “People power” and “Neighbor power.”

Willis said he vows to “keep people in their homes, fight pollution, defend immigrants’ rights, improve schools and reduce violent crime.”

He also said he will continue his policy of rejecting corporate money or its influences.

akwasniza.theadvocate@gmail.com

Tom Butt, current mayor of Richmond since 2015, is running as the incumbent against Melvin Willis on Nov. 6.

Butt grew up in Arkansas, where he worked as a U.S. Forest Service firefighter before joining the U.S. Army. He served in Vietnam from 1969-70.

He would later move to Richmond in 1973 after earning his master’s degree in architecture and urban design from UCLA. He served on the Richmond City Council for 19 years beginning in 1995.

Tom Butt has been the only city council member running a business in Richmond. He is a member of the board of trustees of Richmond’s oldest church.

The candidate said he hopes to continue his progressive priorities — making Richmond safer, healthier and greener and a place where youth can get a quality education and enjoy space for recreation. He also emphasizes equity, opportunity, fairness, social, and environmental justice.

Since Butt became mayor of Richmond, the city has seen historically low unemployment. There has also been a reduction in crime and homicides, increased construction of more affordable housing and the first signs of the rebirth of Hilltop Mall.

He is endorsed by Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier and State Senator Nancy Skinner.

MELVIN WILLIS

TOM BUTT RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES

CAROLE JOHNSON Originally from San Francisco, Carole Johnson moved to Richmond in 1996. She earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2008 and her paralegal certificate in 2010, both from San Francisco State University. She is a former Contra Costa College student.

After the gun-related deaths of two of her cousins and a good friend from CCC, Johnson began collaborating with a group of mothers to raise awareness about gun violence.

For three years Johnson served as the West Contra Costa County chapter president of Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. She also represented a similar organization in San Francisco, which conducted outreach to inmates at

VINAY PIMPLE

San Francisco County jails and at San Quentin State Prison.

Since 2011, Johnson has been active with Richmond Ceasefire, Richmond Homeless Task Force, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, and the Contra Costa Racial Justice Coalition.

In addition, Johnson served on the Richmond Human Rights Human Relations commission from 2013 to 2015.

Johnson is also a member of the Garden of Peace Ministries which assist in outreach to the homeless and inmates at the West County Detention Facility.

— Michael Santone

VIRGINIA RAMIREZ Virginia Ramirez is a Richmond resident originally from Salinas.

This is her first time running for Richmond City Council.

As an independent, Ramirez said she will be focusing on affordable housing and Richmond’s structural maintenance.

Ramirez is an immigration legal assistant for Catholic Charities of the East Bay in Richmond and her platform includes advocating for immigration rights. She wants to help fix the housing crisis in Richmond and said everyone should have a stable home.

“I’ve noticed that they’re already developing housing on Nevin Avenue and the Marina,” she said.

Ramirez has lived in Richmond for 20 years and received her bachelor’s degree

Campaign finance reform and a plan to get big money out of politics are on Pimple’s legislative agenda.

He said money in politics creates an unfair advantage along socioeconomic lines.

Personal Carbon Trading Markets are an economic solution he sees for citizens. This plan can supplement income and in turn help combat global warming.

Pimple is endorsed by the Contra Costa Democratic Party and California Democratic Party.

He was first appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Richmond City Council in 2015 and served as a council member until January 2017.

— Jackson Stephens

ADA RECINOS

in social welfare from UC Berkeley in 2012. Ramirez said she comes from a Mexican family that believes in humility and hard work.

According to Richmond.ca.us Ramirez said, “I believe in my community and its potential to create economic change while continuing its social justice work.”

Her vision for Richmond is to continue the great work in regards to infrastructure and community projects. She wants to support local arts and she wants to make sure that roads and parks receive regular maintenance.

— Jessica Suico

DEMNLUS JOHNSON III Demnlus Johnson III is running for Richmond City Council on the Nov. 6 ballot. Currently he is vice chairperson of Richmond’s Economic Development Commission and a community worker at Richmond High School.

He also is a member of the Citizens Police Review Commission.

Johnson also serves as a Town Hall Moderator for Richmond Ceasefire.

“I work to better the relationship between Richmond police and civilians through working to build respect, trust and understanding,” Johnson said.

According to votedemnlusjohnson.com, Johnson grew up in the Iron Triangle area of Richmond and after high school attended Howard University in Washington D.C.

Vinay Pimple is a Democratic candidate running for one of three open Richmond City Council seats on Nov. 6.

Pimple immigrated to the United States from India in 1993 and became a Richmond resident in 2010.

He has a law degree from UC Berkeley and experience as an attorney, teacher and software engineer. He is also responsible for the creation of the Chevron backed, Contractor Resource Center. It is a project that helps small businesses bid on high value contracts in construction and other businesses.

Pimple has approved the building of 450 affordable housing units in Richmond and supports the Central Avenue affordable housing project.

DIEGO GARCIA

While growing up in the Iron Triangle, he said he learned how important economic justice and community engagement is for the success of the community.

He also witnessed how its absence is detrimental to people’s lives.

Johnson partners with various community organizations to eliminate barriers in academic and social success for youth in the community. He wants to join the city council to help keep Richmond moving forward in a manner that respects the citizens and their heritage.

Johnson said he understands issues of wealth, economics, education and social mobility.

— Jessica Suico

Ada Recinos was appointed to the Richmond City Council in September 2017 to fill the seat left by former mayor Gayle McLaughlin when she announced her run for California lieutenant governor.

Recinos earned her bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Cruz and would be the youngest Richmond City Council member ever elected.

She will be running for her seat in this year’s election as a Latina who has put together six years of experience organizing marginalized members of the community.

She did this while advocating for their rights, socially and civilly.

Recinos has also gained experience by serving previously on the Richmond Human Rights and Human Relations

The businessman has been involved in the Richmond community since 1995 when he started a grassroots organization in Easter Hill, one of the toughest neighborhoods in Richmond.

He has worked on programs with the Richmond Police Department and the West Contra Costa Unified School District. In 2005, Garcia established a food drive that has grown into an annual Thanksgiving event, which feeds more than 400 families.

In 2009, Garcia was certified by Contra Costa and Solano counties as a gang expert and in 2016, he visited a town in Mexico and renovated a soccer field for its community.

— Jessica Suico

CESAR ZEPEDA

Commission.

Her platform includes partnering with small businesses and entrepreneurs in the 23rd Street area, improving the economics of the city while investing in local artists/art to showcase the talent in Richmond.

She also hopes to increase the minimum wage of Richmond workers in order for them to achieve a livable wage, which, in turn, would help the housing situation and the displacement of many in the area.

— Joel Umanzor

ELEANOR THOMPSON Having lived in Richmond for over 50 years, Eleanor Thompson is recognized throughout the community for youth activism and crime prevention. She has dedicated most of her life to improving the city as former Richmond Police Commissioner and president of the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Council.

Thompson is also the founder of Social Progress Inc., which is an organization that provides essential services to youth and young adults.

Originally from Arizona, Thompson moved to Richmond in the late 1960s, where she established herself among the local communities of the East Bay Area.

“My involvement in the community has given me invaluable experiences

One of Richmond’s most recognized and respected community leaders with a 23-year track record, Diego Garcia, is running for Richmond City Council on Nov 6. Garcia’s record of accomplishments spans community service, education, violence prevention, civil rights and youth recreation.

Garcia grew up in Richmond and has been a resident ever since. He is a family man, an experienced businessman and a dedicated volunteer and proven leader.

Over the years, Garcia has supported many youth programs and city commissions.

At age 20, Garcia was hired by the Communities in Peace program, funded by the California Wellness Foundation, to work with underprivileged students in North Richmond.

EDUARDO MARTINEZ

Cesar Zepeda is running for Richmond City Council and believes that it is important to give back to the community that shaped his outlook and opportunities.

Zepeda grew up in Richmond and San Pablo, where he attended Walter T. Helms Elementary and Richmond High School before moving on to Contra Costa College.

Zepeda co-founded Richmond’s first LGBTQ organization, Rainbow Pride, and serves on several non-profit boards and organizations, including the Contra Costa College Foundation.

Zepeda works as an analyst and broker at Aon, an insurance firm in San Francisco.

Currently, Zepeda is president of the Hilltop District Neighborhood Council

— Michael Santone

Longtime local politician Jim Rogers is running for Richmond City Council in the Nov. 6 election.

His plan is to hire more certified law enforcement officers and put new anticrime outreach workers on the streets.

Rogers also wants to improve pothole repairs, and, as an attorney, he said he has proven he can work with his council colleagues.

A man of his convictions, Rogers is independent and promises to get down to the root of Richmond’s problems and find meaningful solutions.

Rogers is a UC Berkeley graduate and part of the Richmond anti-drug task force.

He is also a chairperson for California Common Cause.

Rogers has worked to save schools from

in favor of expanding projects on renewable energy, defending homeowners’ rights, and defending public education programs.

Martinez is also in support of Proposition 10, the contentious initiative on rent control.

Martinez has served on the City Planning Commission, Pt. Molate Citizen Advisory Board, and the Recreation & Parks Commission.

His vision for Richmond include support for small and local businesses, new renewable energy projects and walkable neighborhoods and extended trails for bicyclists and hikers.

— Xavier Johnson

DAVID SCHOENTHAL

and president and founder of the Hilltop District Homeowners & Stakeholders Association.

He jump-started completion of a park that was in the works for 16 years, successfully advocated for installation of light poles that were down for eight years and new ADA accessible sidewalks.

In 2015, Zepeda won Crime Prevention Volunteer of the Year Award, and in 2018 he won the Richmond Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award.

When not volunteering at a community event, Zepeda can be found around Richmond with his dogs Zasha and Zoe. — Dan Hardin

JIM ROGERS

to find these unique approaches and implement them effectively,” Thompson states in her 2018 candidate statement.

Thompson is making her second run for Richmond City Council, campaigning on a platform for better community safety, homeless prevention and fair representation in local politics.

Eduardo Martinez is currently a member of the Richmond City Council and is running for re-election on Nov. 6.

The former teacher of 18 years in the West Contra Costa Unified School District has served on the council for four years.

After unsuccessfully running for a seat in 2010 and 2012, he secured that seat on the city council in 2014.

Martinez was born in Dumas, Texas and moved to the Bay Area in the 1970s.

He is a part of the political group Team Richmond, a progressive alliance with Melvin Willis, a Richmond mayoral candidate, and Ada Recinos, also a candidate for city council.

According to Martinez’s Team Richmond candidate statement, he is

David Schoenthal is running for Richmond City Council and has lived in the city for the past 16 years.

He is the sales director for a company that provides businesses access to law firms and is currently the president of the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council.

In the past, Schoenthal sat on the city’s Economic Development Commission and the mayor’s community fund.

The candidate said he strives to bring together community members so they can be a part of the city government’s decision-making process.

Regarding the city’s social and economic development problems, he believes that a collaborative effort between the public and private sector will solve the housing

and development problem in the city.

For six years Schoenthal has been the president of Point Richmond Business Association.

While president he oversaw 22 farmers markets, the annual summer fundraiser which raised more than $100,000 to benefit school, music, and swim programs, parent resources groups, the local food bank and other community interests.

He will also fight for affordable housing and jobs where current and prospective businesses hire local people — Luis Lopez

NAT BATES

closing in Richmond, including John F. Kennedy High School, Grant Elementary School and Olinda Elementary School.

As a public-school parent himself, Rogers is concerned with the direction of Richmond’s classrooms.

Rogers is a PTA vice president and his daughter is currently in second grade He said, “I’ve always put kids first.”

Rogers said he has helped eliminate cigarette and alcohol billboards near schools and wants to crack down on street corner drug dealers and crime-ridden liquor stores.

He has also campaigned to put a stop to poor El Sobrante developments and also wants to save the dog park at Point Isabel.

— Jessica Suico

The 86-year old Texas born, Richmondraised Nathaniel “Nat” Bates is running for re-election for a ninth term on the Richmond City Council.

As a two-time mayor of Richmond, Bates has been intertwined with the rich and tricky history of the city since he moved here in the1940s.

He was a star athlete during his days as a Contra Costa College student in the 1950s.

Bates’ top priorities this time around are to balance the city’s budget, continue work on the city’s public safety issues and the development project at Point Molate.

This year’s city council race is a tight one as three seats are up for grabs, with some political newcomers making an impact on the campaign trail.

Bates is still one of the favorites to retain

his seat, but this may be his toughest battle yet.

He is the longest enduring politician in Richmond’s history and will be tested by a new era of politicians on Nov. 6.

— Efrain Valdez

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election coverage

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Propositions 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5 and 6

BILL TO HELP VETS, HOUSING CRISIS If Proposition 1 passes, $4 billion goes to affordable housing

By Jose Arebalo staff writer

jarebalo.theadvocate@gmail.com

Proposition 1 on the Nov. 6 ballot is asking whether Californians want to allow the selling of $4 billion in bonds to support veterans and affordable housing programs.

The proposition was drafted with California’s current housing crisis in mind.

A yes vote allows the sale of $4 billion in bonds to be repaid by the state over 35 years, while a vote no opposes the sale.

Reports from the Urban Displacement

Project outline how rising housing costs have re-segregated the Bay Area. As prices continue to rise, thousands of low-income families have been displaced.

There is an increase in the number of low-income areas, mostly populated by African-Americans, that have become segregated and labeled as high poverty locations.

Struggling families of all races have been feeling the pressure of regional displacement.

Many families have left the region.

In this election, Californians will get to decide if Proposition 1 is a step in the right direction toward solving these problems.

According to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office, the proposition would authorize a $4 billion sale in general obligation bonds.

Bonds are debt tools that governments use to help fund infrastructure projects.

The state sells bonds to investors in order to have access to immediate funding and the state repays them overtime with interest. A general obligation bond is repaid using the state’s main operating account.

That same account, called the General Fund, is used to pay for services like education, prisons and healthcare.

Data from the analyst’s office also shows that, of the $4 billion sale, there will be $1 billion given to a veterans home loan program.

That program is expecting to repay the funds itself through veteran participation.

The amount repaid through the General Fund will be $3 billion. Currently the state has about $83 billion of general bond debt.

The measure gives $3 billion to state housing programs. Funds would be awarded to local governments, nonprofits and developers through by a process done by the state.

Affordable housing programs will provide low-interest loans to help construct rental housing projects. In return, those new buildings must reserve units for low-income families for 55 years.

Veterans housing programs will be provided with $1 billion to assist veterans with home loans. Typically, these loans would generally be used to purchase single-family homes and condominiums. The repayment of these loans will cover the bond’s cost.

Infrastructure and homeownership programs would each receive $450 million.

Funds will support the construction of housing and related projects, parks and roads in already urban areas.

Low- to moderate-income families would also get assistance on down payments for their first home purchase through loans and grants.

Bond aids mental health services Proposition 3

By Andrew Weedon scene editor

aweedon.theadvocate@gmail.com

Proposition 2 is on the Nov. 6 ballot and if passed would divert more money to mental health efforts. Proposition 2 aims to amend the Mental Health Services Act by moving money to the new No Place Like Home program.

This would be accomplished by approving bonds that allow more

money to be available for the act and similar programs.

The argument in favor of the proposition contends it would create more housing and treatment for mentally ill and homeless people. It is also argues that it would provide more resources for the homeless and mentally ill.

The argument against Proposition 2 is that money was already borrowed last year so there is no need to ask

for more money as it is already there.

The funds in question would be $140 million of county mental health funds that the state would then be allowed to use to pay back part of the $2 billion in bonds.

A yes would give funding to help with housing for mentally ill and homeless people, while a no vote would leave the decision to courts in the future.

billion dollar bond on ballot for children’s hospitals

By Cindy Pantoja staff writer

cpantoja.theadvocate@gmail.com

Proposition 4 is another obligation bond measure that will give California’s sickest children access to a better medical care. However, ultimately this debt will have to be repaid, potentially with higher property taxes over many decades.

The proposition would authorize $1.5 billion in general obligation bonds to provide for the Children’s Hospital Bond Act Fund.

The fund would be used to award grants to children’s hospitals for construction, expansion, renovation and equipment projects.

Overall, the Children’s Hospital Program would improve the health and welfare of California’s critically ill children by providing a stable source of funds for improvement projects for children’s hospitals.

All projects that are awarded grants should be completed within a reasonable period. If it is determined the children’s hospital has failed to complete the project under the terms specified, the authority may require the return of all or a portion of the grant.

Line item 6.3 of the Children’s Hospital Bond Act states, “The burden of

providing uncompensated care and the increasing costs of healthcare seriously impair our children’s hospitals’ ability to modernize and expand their facilities, and also to purchase the latest medical technologies and special medical equipment necessary to take care of sick children.

“Therefore, the people desire to provide a steady and ready source of funds for capital improvement programs for children’s hospitals to improve the health, welfare and safety of California’s children.”

The initiative would assign 72 percent of the bond to eight nonprofit hospitals providing comprehensive services to high volumes of children eligible for governmental programs.

It also expands services to children with special health needs eligible for California Children’s Services.

These hospitals are: Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Children’s Hospital and Research Center (Oakland), Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Earl and Loraine Miller Children’s Hospital (Long Beach), Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (Loma Linda), Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford (Palo

Alto), Rady Children’s Hospital (San Diego) and Valley Children’s Hospital (Madera).

The five UC children’s hospitals receiving 18 percent of the bond are UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, UC Irvine Children’s Hospital, UC Davis Children’s Hospital (Sacramento), UC San Francisco Children’s Hospital and UC San Diego Children’s Hospital (San Diego).

Other public and private hospitals that provide pediatric services to children eligible for California Children’s Services will receive 10 percent of the bond.

Supporters argue that these hospitals provide children with specialized care no matter if the families can pay for their services and, in return, they receive low Medi-Cal reimbursement rates from the state.

The 2018 ballot initiative is the third bond measure related to children’s hospitals in California. California’s Children’s Hospital Association developed all three of the ballot initiatives.

In 2004, 58.26 percent of electors voted to pass Proposition 61, a $750-million bond measure for children’s hospitals.

As of Sept. 1, California is $74.2 billion in debt from

general obligation bonds.

The state also has $32.7 billion in un-issued bonds.

The state’s Legislative Analyst estimates that Proposition 4 will cost California $2.9 billion to pay off the principal, which is $1.5 billion. The interest will cost Californians $1.4 billion in bonds over a 35-year period.

Annual payments would average $84 million. This annual payment would be lower than this average in the initial and final few years, but somewhat higher in the middle of those 35 years.

The opposition says that the measure bypasses the legislative process because the hospitals that will benefit from most of the bond are the same hospitals paying for the “yes” campaign.

The following hospitals contributed $1.36 million to the support committee: Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Valley Children’s Hospital, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Long Beach, Children’s Hospital and Research Center in Oakland, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Rady Children’s Hospital and Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital.

PROPOSITION WOULD ELIMINATE 2017 GAS TAX IF PASSED Proposal to reduce funding for maintenance

By Alex Kwasniza staff writer

akwasniza.theadvocate@gmail.com

Proposition 6 would eliminate fuel and vehicle taxes recently passed by the California Legislature in 2017. The proposal will also reduce funding for highway and road maintenance and repairs, many of which are in progress — as well as transit programs.

If Proposition 6 does not pass on Nov. 6, California motorists can expect a tax increase of 4 cents per gallon. The fee hike would bring the total federal and state gasoline taxes and fees in

California to 76.7 cents per gallon.

Voting yes on Proposition 6 will immediately lower gas prices along with ushering in a reduction in vehicle taxes.

Citizens voting for Proposition 6 argue that the cost of living in California is continuing to increase and gas prices are becoming unfair. A vote in favor of Proposition 6 will help considerably toward creating affordable living conditions in the state.

However, a yes vote on Proposition 6 will eliminate $5 billion annually that would have paid for highway maintenance and repairs, along with other transit programs.

Those who oppose Proposition 6 say it would eliminate funding for more than 6,500 bridge, road safety, transportation and public transit improvement projects currently underway throughout California.

Opponents say in addition to jeopardizing public safety, Proposition 6 will eliminate thousands of jobs that will hurt California’s economy.

Proposition 6 is currently opposed by firefighters, highway patrol officers, many engineers and more than 300 organizations, according to noprop6. com.

to repair water infrastructure

Initiative to improve water systems throughout the state

By Gabriel Quiroz staff writer

gquiroz.theadvocate@gmail.com

Proposition 3 is the California Water Infrastructure and Watershed Conservation Bond Initiative which authorizes $8.9 billion in water infrastructure, surface water storage and dam repairs. It also would fund groundwater watershed and improvements to fisheries, habitat protection and clean water.

The proposition would give $3 billion for drinking water and water quality, $2.9 billion for watershed and fishery improvements, $940 million for habitat protection, $855 million for improved water conveyance and half a billion each for groundwater and surface water storage/ dam repairs and over 100 other subcategories.

The proposition also gives priority to disadvantaged communities with hopes of saving local government hundreds of millions of dollars.

A yes vote on the proposition allows for bonds to be sold for water and environmental projects.

A no vote on the proposition would not allow for the bonds to be sold for the projects.

Those in favor of the bonds say they will increase the supply of clean drinking water, and reduce pollution in rivers, lakes and oceans. They also claim it will repair dams and treat and reuse water.

Those against Proposition 3 say it will not produce any new clean water and that it just gives money to organizations. They also believe the bonds will have to be paid back in double because of their interest rates.

General Obligation Bonds are a way to borrow money.

These bonds are sold to investors for upfront project funding and the state repays investors over time.

Initiative to help relieve seniors from homeowner property taxes If passed, Proposition 5 could reduce tax revenue for the state, 55+ get tax break

By Dan Hardin staff writer

dhardin.theadvocate@gmail.com

Proposition 5, an initiative written by the California Association of Realtors, would allow homeowners 55 years of age and older to buy more expensive homes without paying more in property taxes.

This new tax break wouldn’t reduce the cost of housing in California. Moreover, it would come at a steep cost to cities, counties and especially the schools families count on to educate their children.

Yes means seniors and severely disabled can purchase a new primary residence and not face this property tax penalty.

A no vote opposes amending how tax assessments are transferred between properties for home-buyers.

This means certain homeowners who are over 55 (or who meet other qualifications) would continue to be eligible for property tax savings when they move to a different home.

This lower tax value could be transferred as many times as homeowners want, regardless of the price of the new home and regardless of where in the state they move.

The same break would be available for homeowners with disabilities and anyone whose home is destroyed in a natural disaster.

election coverage

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Propositions 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 and local measures

Daylight Saving Time could see end Old tradition of changing clocks may become obsolete

By Luis Lopez staff writer

llopez.theadvocate@gmail.com

Proposition 7 is a proposal that would allow the California State Legislature to change daylight savings time if a twothirds vote is reached and as long as it is consistent with federal law.

This measure has no direct fiscal effect because changes to

daylight saving time would depend on future actions by the Legislature and potentially the federal government.

This means that if Californians vote yes it, will establish permanent, year-round daylight-saving time (DST) in California.

Proposition 7 allows for permanent Daylight Saving time, subject to federal approval. It would be light in the evening in the summer, as it is now, but winter mornings would be dark for an extra hour so children would be going to school in the dark.

As of 2018, the Uniform Time Act allows states to adopt one of two options: (a) adopt DST between the second Sunday of March or the first Sunday of November or (b) remain on standard time all year.

In 2016, the California State Legislature asked the President and Congress to pass an act that would allow California to adopt year-round DST. Ending daylight savings could put an end to what economist and medical researchers say is a health and productivity hazard for school children and people over the age of 65.

California, and the entire United States, had permanent DST between 1942 and 1945.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt labeled permanent DST as War Time because the change was intended to save energy during World War II. According to Time, farmers were some of the strongest opponents of permanent DST. U.S. Rep. James Wadsworth

Dialysis clinics face regulations

By Joel Umanzor staff writer

jumanzor.theadvocate@gmail.com

If Proposition 8 is a measure on the Nov. 6 ballot that would regulate dialysis clinics in the state and could cause dialysis corporations to refuse care to patients based on payment source.

This proposition would also require annual reporting to the state and cause dialysis corporations to spend money on better sanitation and patient care inside their facilities.

A yes vote on this proposition would mean that dialysis clinics would have their revenues limited by a formula. It also means the dialysis corporations have to pay rebates to insurance companies that pay for dialysis.

The theory behind the supporting the proposition is that the $3.9 billion profits for companies such as DaVita and Fresenius should go into helping patients reduce the cost of a procedure that keeps them alive.

Patients have reported many clinics as unsanitary and have called for improved conditions. These complaints spearheaded the proposition with support from California’s Democratic Party, veterans, healthcare advocates and religious leaders.

A no vote on Proposition 8 would mean that dialysis clinics could continue to operate as they are currently.

The reasoning behind the non-approval of this proposition is the potential closure of many dialysis clinics in California. These closures would be due to increased regulations and dialysis centers being forced rebate insurance companies.

This would cause an increase in those patients going to emergency rooms and an increase in hospital crowding, which boosts costs for taxpayers with Medi-Cal and Medicare.

Proposition 8 is opposed by nurses, doctors, patients, the American Nurses Association of California, California

PROPOSITION 10 LIFTS RESTRICTIONS ON RENTAL LAWS

By Jessica Suico news editor

jsuico.theadvocate@gmail.com

A yes vote on Proposition 10 would mean state law would not limit the kinds of rent control laws cities and counties can impose.

Voting no would mean state law could continue to limit the kinds of rent control cities and counties have.

Typically, California renters pay 50 percent more for housing than renters in other states. Renters’ rates vary statewide and are more than double the national average.

California cities with rent control laws are Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose.

Court rulings have limited local rent control attempts. In those cases, the courts ruled that rent control laws must allow landlords to receive a “fair rate

of return.”

If cities or counties create new rent control laws or expand existing ones, local rent boards would face increased administrative and regulatory costs.

There could be changes in state and local revenues, which would affect property taxes, sales taxes and income tax revenues should the proposition pass.

A yes vote on this measure means state law would not limit the kinds of rent control laws cities and counties could have.

A no vote on this measure means: State law would continue to limit the kinds of rent control laws cities and counties could have.

Prop. 10 restores authority to establish rent control in local communities, putting fair, annual limits on the amount landlords can raise rent

Medical Association and American College of Emergency Physicians of California.

According to Sean Wherley, a spokesperson for the SEIU-UHW West, the requirement to refund profits above the limit would set an incentive clinics to spend revenue on healthcare improvements because the revenue spent on direct patient care services and healthcare improvements would not be limited.

Overall annual effect on state and local governments ranging from net positive impact in the low tens of millions of dollars to net negative impact in the tens of millions of dollars. Dialysis does the job of a patient’s failed kidneys to remove toxins from the body.

Dialysis patients cannot survive without regular treatments, three days a week, four hours at a time.

Initiative to provide EMT flex pay

By Kyle Grant advocate staff

kgrant.theadvocate@gmail.com

Proposition 11 is on the Nov. 6 ballot and seeks to ensure that when a 911 call is made, the closest Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and paramedics are available to respond, regardless of whether they’re on break or not.

Proposition 11 is backed by the state’s largest ambulance provider, American Medical Response (AMR).

A yes vote would guarantee that EMTs and paramedics would be paid to remain on call while on break. Backers claim it would reduce response times in life threatening situations as the closest ambulance is sent out.

However, various orga-

nized unions, including one consisting of 4,000 EMTs and paramedics, oppose the proposition and claim that AMR backs the measure for the wrong reasons.

If approved, the AMR could have all pending lawsuits against the organization dropped.

Union members believe that its workers deserve their day in court.

A no vote on this measure means Private ambulance companies would be subject to labor laws for this industry.

Based on a recent court decision, these laws likely would require ambulance companies to provide EMTs and paramedics with off-duty meal and rest breaks that cannot be interrupted by a 911 call.

SUBPAR LIVING CONDITIONS COULD BAN SALE OF MEAT New law would change regulations for poultry, eggs

By Cindy Pantoja staff writer

cpantoja.theadvocate@gmail.com

Proposition 12 establishes new standards for the confinement of specified farm animals and bans the sale of non-complying products. This measure creates new minimum requirements for the space farmers must provide for egg-laying hens, breeding pigs and calves raised for veal.

This measure requires just one square foot of floor space per hen, but this is not enough space for poultry to fully expands their

wings.

These requirements, which apply to farm animals raised in California, would be phased in over the next several years.

The measure also makes it illegal for businesses in California to knowingly sell eggs (including liquid eggs) or uncooked pork or veal that comes from animals housed in ways that do not meet the measure’s requirements.

This sales ban applies to animal products raised in California or out-of-state. The ban does not apply to foods that have eggs, pork or veal as an ingredient or

topping (such as cookie dough and pizza). Violation of the housing requirements, or sales ban, would be a misdemeanor and offenders could also be subject to a fine in civil court.

This measure also requires the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the California Department of Public Health to write regulations and implement its requirements.

Proposition 12 is falsely promoted as a “cage-free” measure when, in fact, it explicitly legalizes the continued use of egg-factory cages through at least 2022.

(R-N.Y.), a critic of permanent DST, said, “Your net gain is fatigue for the farmer.”

In 1973, President Richard Nixon signed legislation to enact permanent DST for a period of 16 months as a response to an OPEC-backed oil embargo.

Less than 11 months after the bill’s enactment, the law was amended to return the nation to standard time during the winter months over concerns about children commuting to school in the dark.

Therefore, a full-year of permanent DST was not completed.

In 2016, further research revealed that stroke risks increase 8 percent when we change our clocks. For cancer patients the stroke risk increases 25 percent and for people over age 65 stroke risk goes up 20 percent.

All because we disrupt sleep patterns.

Since 2000, 14 countries have stopped changing their clocks. And now 68 percent of all the countries don’t do it.

They allow nature to determine time, not their governments. Lowering health risk. Reducing energy consumption.

Saving money. Being on permanent Daylight Saving Time will put us out of sync with our neighbors.

While we’ll always have the same time as Arizona, part of the year we’ll have the same time as the other Mountain Time states and the rest of the year we’ll be in line with Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Mexico.

LOCAL BOND MEASURES

MEASURE H Placed on the ballot by the Richmond City Council, Measure H aims to make changes to the Richmond Municipal Code by raising taxes on property transferred through deeds or other documents.

Currently, the transfer tax is levied at .7 percent for a property that is valued at more than $1 million at sale. Measure H

would raise the tax to 1.25 percent at the same sale price. It would increase the rate to 2.5 percent for a property sold at greater than $3 million and 3 percent for more than $10 million.

These tax changes would not apply to property sold for under $1 million.

— Jackson Stephens

MEASURE FF This measure allows the East Bay Regional Park District to continue an existing tax to fund parks in Western Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

Measure FF is an extension of Measure CC, which was passed in 2004. On June 5, the East Bay Park District Board of Directors voted unanimously to place Measure FF on the ballot.

It is a parcel tax of $1 monthly ($12/year) per single-family and 69 cents

monthly ($8.28/year) for multi-family units.

Measure FF will raise roughly $3.3 million annually and is set to expire in June of 2020, the original end date for Measure CC. This measure will continue funding for wildfire protection and public safety. It will also work to maintain trails and visitor centers while also restoring sensitive areas.

— Jackson Stephens

MEASURE R In an effort to increase tax revenue for the Contra Costa County General Fund, the county Board of Supervisors has proposed Measure R, a tax on cannabis businesses in unincorporated areas.

The ordinance establishes initial tax rates of up to $7 per square foot for commercial cannabis cultivation.

If passed, the measure will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2019 and will allow the Board of Supervisors to set maximum rates of $10 per canopy square foot for commercial cannabis cultivation.

The rate can be adjusted for inflation after July 1, 2021.

Also, the measure is expected to raise $1.7 million to $4.4 million in annual revenue for the county. County officials say this revenue will be

used to regulate the cannabis industry, protect public resources and help fund public safety initiatives.

The main argument against the measure is the belief that government officials are trying to milk every dollar they can from the cannabis industry, which encourages black-market sales.

The measure will only affect unincorporated parts of Contra Costa County like North Richmond, El Sobrante and Kensington.

Measure R is already one of the more talked about proposals in the area and is projected to be a close vote come Nov. 6.

— Efrain Valdez

MEASURE T This measure allows the East Bay Regional Park District to continue an existing tax to fund parks in Western Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

Measure FF is an extension of Measure CC, which was passed in 2004. On June 5, the East Bay Park District Board of Directors voted unanimously to place Measure FF on the ballot.

It is a parcel tax of $1 monthly ($12/year) per single-family and 69 cents

monthly ($8.28/year) for multi-family units.

Measure FF will raise roughly $3.3 million annually and is set to expire in June of 2020, the original end date for Measure CC. This measure will continue funding for wildfire protection and public safety. It will also work to maintain trails and visitor centers while also restoring sensitive areas.

— Dan Hardin

C8

election coverage

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.24.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Democrat leads race Financial, polling results hint at success

By Xavier Johnson web editor

xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

Former mayor of San Francisco and sitting California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom is the Democratic candidate running for governor of California on Nov. 6.

With sitting Governor Jerry Brown reaching his term limit, Newsom is running against Republican candidate John Cox. Newsom is ahead in the polls, according to a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll, with 54 percent of likely voters in California favoring him, compared to 31 percent who support Cox. The rest

John

Cox:

remain undecided.

And Newsom’s lead is not just with voters, but in dollars raised too. According to an LA Times financial analysis, as of Sept.

22 the Newsom campaign has raised $16.2 million compared to Cox’s $1.7 million.

The San Francisco-born politician is entering his first bid for the governorship after successful San Francisco mayoral campaigns and his most recent tenure as lieutenant governor of the Golden State.

As San Francisco mayor, Newsom, from 2004-10, was an outspoken and ground-breaking supporter of marriage equality. He was a vocal opponent of Proposition 8, which, when passed

by California voters in 2008, effectively banned same-sex marriages in the state.

Earlier, in 2004, Newsom oversaw the issuing of approximately 4,000 marriage licenses in San Francisco to same-sex couples until the courts stopped them.

In other areas of social policy Newsom supports San Francisco’s status as a sanctuary city and is a vocal oppo-

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In 2004, the Proposition N initiative Care Not Cash provided 5,000 homeless individuals with permanent shelter in San Francisco. Other ways Newsom made efforts to combat homelessness in San Francisco are the San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team (SFHOT) and Project Homeless Connect (PHC).

SFHOT acts as a short-term intensive case management team, assisting disabled, homeless individuals with access to social services.

PHC consists of bimonthly events making it easier for homeless individuals to connect with services.

Newsom set an initial goal to end San Francisco’s homeless problem within 10 years. However, the homeless population in San Francisco rose 3 percent from 20052013.

Newsom supported 2016’s Proposition 64, legalizing adult recreational use of marijuana in the state. It passed with 57 percent of the vote. He also vocally supported Proposition 47 to decriminalize non-violent drug offenses, making them misdemeanors.

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involved in an affair with campaign aide Ruby Rippey-Tourk. She was the wife of his campaign manager.

After being elected lieutenant governor in 2010, Newsom supported the California College Promise program which is a program to increase funding and assist students with attending public colleges.

Newsom is running as a progressive touching on social initiatives like expanding support for undocumented immigrants, expanding Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) opportunities for women and minorities and he supports workplace rights.

He also is an advocate for gun safety laws and the launch of the California Emergency Council to prepare for natural and man-made.

On environmental issues, Newsom takes the stance of combating climate change by marking long-term goals for California’s future.

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Corporate leader runs for governor Conservative mainstay runs despite many failed campaigns

By Michael Santone editor-in-chief

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

A businessman born in Chicago, Illinois, John Cox had his first political involvement in 1976 while running for a delegate position at the Democratic National Convention.

On March 7, 2017, Cox announced his Republican campaign for governor of California.

By finishing second in the June state primary, he is running against Democratic opponent Gavin Newsom in the Nov. 6 general election.

In that June 5 primary election, Cox received 21 percent of the vote to beat out the former mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa and advance to the Nov. 6 General Election.

Raised in South Side, Chicago, Cox, said he witnessed at a young age the political disadvantages of poverty and being raised by a single mother.

“My mother raised me and my older brother by herself in a very small apartment,” Cox said in an Oct. 10 interview with Capital Public Radio. “I’m fine today. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger — and I survived very well.”

In 1980, Cox received his doctor of jurisprudence degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology ChicagoKent College of Law. He earned his law degree after receiving his bachelor’s degree in accounting and political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

John Cox:

Businessman, long-time politician

Throughout the early 1980s, Cox founded the law firm John H. Cox and Associates and subsequently Cox Financial Group, Ltd. His businesses specialize in investment counseling, income tax planning, retirement planning and asset protection.

During the mid 1990s, Cox served as chief financial officer of Chicago-based snack food company, Jay’s Food.

Aside from many trial-and-error political campaigns, including a 2000 run for Congress in Illinois’s 10th

Congressional District, a 2002 run for U.S. Senate in Illinois on a conservative platform and a 2008 presidential campaign, Cox has yet to emerge into the political spotlight.

“I don’t give up. You’ve got to give me points for perseverance, don’t you?” Cox asked in that Oct. 10 interview. “I have fought battles against corrupt politicians. Usually, corrupt politicians are pretty powerful, so I haven’t won yet.”

Cox became a full-time resident of California in 2011 and shortly after authored the Neighborhood Legislature initiative.

The initiative would increase the number of local representatives from 120 to 12,000 and decrease the Legislature’s budget by a third. It would also impose a cap on the salaries of state legislators.

Cox attempted to get the Neighborhood Legislature initiative on the ballot in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018. In all four cases the campaign failed to get enough signatures to be placed on a ballot.

In 2016 Cox proposed the California is Not For Sale initiative, which would have required legislators to wear the logos of their top 10 donors on their suits when advocating for policies on the Senate or Assembly floor — much like NASCAR drivers.

Like the Neighborhood Legislature initiative, the California is Not For Sale initiative failed to gather enough signatures to qualify as a California ballot measure.

“I don’t have the time or the inclination to talk about what’s going on in Washington,” Cox said in the Oct. 10 interview with Capital Public Radio. “I’m going to talk about fixing California and let Washington fix itself.”

With the campaign slogan “clean out the barn,” Cox promises to lower taxes, get rid of business regulations, create a better infrastructure and repeal California’s recent gas tax.