Advocate 11-15

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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WEDNESDAY l 11.15.17 OUR 68TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.

Networking course lab, server rack floor plans:

Proposed by computer science professor Reyes

Router Ethernet Switch

DOOR

Server Monitor Rack 4 Server Rack 4

Patch Panel

Monitor

Monitor

Monitor

Monitor Tray

Computer Tray

Server Rack 3

Table

Server Rack 2

Table

Slideout Keyboard

Server

Server Rack 1

W H I T E B O A R D / S C R E E N

Uninterruptible Power Source

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Class modernizes program Future networking class aims to help computer technology program

By Andrew Weedon advocate staff

aweedon.theadvocate@gmail.com

A computer networking class has been proposed for next semester in order to modernize Contra Costa College and introduce students to a part of computer technology that may be foreign to many students.

The proposal is the brainchild of computer science professor Francis Reyes and introduces a networking class along with many other changes in the business information and computer technology department.

The proposal would introduce a computer networking class (CCT-274) to help train students to work on data center style servers, Reyes said. He has noticed that networking and data technology is a growing field with lots of opportunities for successful careers.

Part of the proposal would include the installation of network and server equipment to one of the class rooms in the Computer Technology Center. The layout will be inspired by similar set ups at Coastline College and Cabrillo College.

Business information and computer technology department Chairperson Pamela Rudy said there is a $23,000 wish list which includes the server equipment as well as used tear down computers.

The purpose of the equipment is to help

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Computer science professor Francis Reyes (middle) guides nursing major Latonya Thomas (left) and undecided major Crystal Morales (right) through a computer science lecture in CTC-115 on Nov. 6.

SEE NETWORKING, PAGE 3

New interfaith prayer room may be hazard to students

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

STRUGGLES INSPIRE EMPOWERMENT

A balcony in the Applied Arts Building that has been approved as an “interfaith prayer room” may not be a place that was initially designed to support substantial weight or in this case — students.

“The load restrictions are something that I don’t know off of the top of my head. There are a lot of variables involved,” Contra Costa College Community College District Facilities Planner Ray Pyle said.

Maintaining the appearance of inclusivity while fostering an environment that promotes growth and diversity are attributes that members of the campus community have come to expect while working at, or attending classes at, Contra Costa College.

Last semester, the Muslim Student Alliance (MSA) proposed the creation of an interfaith meditation room to Dean of Student Services Vicki Ferguson. The area, for students of all cultures and faiths, provides a quiet space to pray or practice life-enriching activities requiring a more personal setting.

Ferguson said, “I shared the proposal and the committee was open to the

PAGE 8

SEE SAFETY, PAGE 3

FACEBOOK: /accentadvocate

1.

AB19 expands financial aid to students without a demonstrated financial need, which is inconsistent with the efforts of state officials to target financial aid to students in financial need.

INSTAGRAM: @cccadvocate

It creates a significant new and ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund cost that is not included in the Budget Act of 2017. The bill would need the support of the state governor for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

2.

Source: Department of Finance Bill Analysis INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

By Robert Clinton opinion editor

PAGE 5

Assembly Bill 19 Funding Denial Reasons

Bill to remove first-year costs California proposal gives financial support

By Roxana Amparo associate editor

ramparo.theadvocate@gmail.com

California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley will ease the financial burden for first-year community college students through Assembly Bill 19 once legislation to establish funds is established.

Students are not required to provide proof of financial need to qualify for free tuition and the bill extends a tuition-free TWITTER: @accentadvocate

year to any individual, regardless of when they graduated high school, according to the Department of Financial Bill Analysis online statement.

AB19 “opens up the possibility” that California community colleges will offer free tuition to all full-time students attending college for the first time, according to the Newsletter of the United Faculty of the Contra Costa Community College District.

A full-time student is a student enrolled in 12 semester units or more.

The Department of Financial Bill Analysis opposed allocating funds for the bill because it expands financial aid to students without a demonstrated financial need, which is inconSEE AB 19, PAGE 3

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YOUTUBE: /accentadvocate

C M Y K

Panel celebrates veteran women, honors service

BALCONY SAFETY INCREASES CONCERNS

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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Quotable “If we do not sound the warning, who will?”

Cushrow Irani Indian editor 1998 Denis Perez editor-in-chief Roxana Amparo Anthony Kinney Michael Santone associate editors

Robert Clinton sports editor opinion editor Xavier Johnson scene editor Dylan Collier assistant scene editor Efrain Valdez social media editor Tashi Wangchuk multimedia editor Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Advocate Staff Leamsi Amaya Sean Austin Louis Cano Carina Castrillo Maxwell Craig Alondra Gallardo Ryan Geller Tony Gojilde Dan Hardin Julian Robinson Jessica Suico Desmond Sylva Drew Thomas Demond Washington Andrew Weedon 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 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: accentadvocate@ 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 LACK OF CLARITY HALTS FUNDING Concerns arise due to lack of planning, vetting process

Mayra Garcia art director Benjamin Bassham news editor

opinion

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 15, 2017 VOL. 105, NO. 10

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM

A

ssembly Bill 19 was written to pay tuition fees for first-year college students coming from low-income backgrounds. But funds for the bill have yet to be secured.

The bill would establish that California Community College Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley be responsible for administering and allotting funds to each community college that meets the specified requirements.

The Department of Financial Bill Analysis opposed the Oct. 3 proposal because, in AB19, students are not required to provide proof of income to qualify for free tuition.

Many legislators are against AB19 because under Proposition 98, colleges are guaranteed money from California’s general fund.

But the new proposal does not explain a way to return those funds to the state.

AB19 offers free college tuition to community college students for one year without the same vetting process as financial aid or other fee waivers.

Planning to provide free tuition for the thousands of students throughout the 114 California community colleges is an abrupt step toward financially supporting students with underprivileged backgrounds.

As of now, the plan fails to determine who those students lacking resources really are.

The lack of qualification requirements is inconsistent with the state administrators’ approach to offering financial aid and puts an undue burden on state residents.

Assembly member Miguel Santiago proposed the bill and Governor Jerry Brown signed AB19, the California College Promise, but a signature is merely ink scribbled in vain when the funds are nonexistent.

In order to successfully reach a goal with AB19, there must be realistic objectives toward helping the most vulnerable students.

When considering the success rate of application-based programs like the Richmond Promise, a college scholarship created for Richmond residents, trying to implement a proposal that doesn’t have the vital piece (cha-ching) secured, seems fruitless.

Adjusting AB19 to require an application, like the Richmond Promise scholarship does, will weed out opportunistic students looking to make a quick buck from financial aid and pulling essential money from the general fund.

Though AB19 doesn’t require proof of income, programs like the Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver already cover tuition for qualifying students.

Over the 2015-16 calendar year, community colleges served approximately 2.1 million students and roughly half of those students qualified for BOG Fee Waiver, according to the Department of Financial Bill Analysis.

Tuition for community colleges in California, Contra Costa College included, is $46 per semester unit, which can be projected to $1,100 annually for tuition for students taking 12 units per semester.

The Chancellor’s Office is working to ensure that funding will be provided to support AB19 in the 2018-19 California budget.

If the goal is to increase community college enrollment, allocating funds must be a priority, or legislators must reform the bill in its entirety.

Without administrative effort to find funding for something millions of Californians support, tuition-free college will disappear like the dream many believed it to be.

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

■ PROFILING

Texas trip spurs fears, concerns over racist law

L

ast month I visited Dallas, Texas with fears and expectations of racism and minoritization due to regional racism.

In Texas, Senate Bill 4 allows law enforcement to detain a suspected immigrant and ask them to provide green card identification or be deported.

This extends to college and university police departments in Texas, like those at Contra Costa College.

This bill is to counter sanctuary city policies, so it goes further to encourage law enforcement cooperation with immigration authorities.

Texas SB4 was signed into law in May. Although, the safety of citizens is in the minds of many supporters of this law, minorities are marginalized through it as they have been throughout all of U.S. history.

In Arizona, SB 1070 also makes provisions for law enforcement to stop suspected immigrants without a warrant and search them for immigration documentation.

In 1994, even California enacted Proposition 187, which prohibited undocumented people from using social services like health care and public education.

It is sad because in the land of the free, there are racists in our government, federally and locally, who manage social policies as if they were criminal offenses.

In the eyes of the law, my lack of documentation is a civil issue not a criminal one.

But in Texas, 95

denisperez Republican lawmakers who said yes to the current SB4 policy see me as a criminal.

I have decided to educate myself on issues that affect my community and provide it information through journalism.

This is what led me It is sad to Dallas as because, in I attended a national con- the land vention. of the free There, I saw no there are reason why racists in outside of the sanctuary of California our I could be government, easily thrown into a white federally van and sent and locally, to, as the bill states, a who man“secure facilage ity.”

I, indeed, social fit the description policies as if of those who would they were be detained criminal because of SB4, since offenses.

I can easily be seen as brown, undocumented and unworthy of being there.

I believe the 95 legislators who voted for SB4 would also have voted in approval of the old “Stop and Frisk” policy in New York, SB 1070

in Arizona and Proposition 187 in California.

I knew that Texas could be white and racist while also knowing that everything is supposed to be bigger in Texas.

Anxiety rose inside of me as I waited to see the big, bad racist white people waving their large Confederate flags.

I actually did see them, and was in the presence of the big, bad racist-in-chief himself, President Donald J. Trump.

The day we landed in Dallas and checked into our hotel in downtown Dallas, was the same day Trump met with community donors at a private fundraiser in the Belo Mansion — two blocks from our hotel.

There, a protest and rally was held to protest Trump’s private meeting and fundraising efforts.

The location was different, but the signs, the chants and the types of groups at this protests were quite similar to those here in the Bay Area. Even the people in support of Trump acted the same.

It showed me that racism is alive in Texas as much as it is in California — but so are the people who will fight it.

For an undocumented child from Mexico fighting to be a world class journalist, an opportunity is all I need to continue fighting for a better future for the undocumented community — everywhere.

Denis Perez is the editorin-chief of The Advocate.

Contact him at dperez.theadvocate@gmail.com

CAMPUS COMMENT How do you use your voice assistance function on your phone?

“I don’t really use it. I mostly listen to music on my phone.”

“I mainly use it for Google maps and YouTube.”

“I use it for directions and simple things like texting. I almost use it for everything though.”

“I mainly use it to text people when I am too lazy to type, so I just use Siri to text.”

“I use it to get directions.”

“I can look up stuff and text on my own. I don’t need an automated voice feature to do so.”

Chine Lhano

Dusty Payne

Harvin Medrano

Jojo Tate

Tina Mason

William Ealy

nursing

math

JESSICA SUICO AND LOUIS CANO /THE ADVOCATE

nursing

nursing

nursing

nursing

campus beat Newsline n NOTICE

TIME TO OPT OUT OF CLASSES NEARS The last day to drop classes without a withdrawal (a W) is Friday. Students can do so by using their InSite Portal or in person at Admissions and Records, SSC-115.

Students who drop classes after receiving their financial aid for the semester may be placed on overpayment and subject to reimbursement of funds.

For more information call 510215-6027.

n THEATER

HIP HOP PRODUCTION SHOWN AT CENTER The drama department’s production “How We Got On” by Idris Goodwin and directed by Angelina LaBarre will continue its run in the Knox Center Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m.

The play is a 1980s coming of age story featuring three determined teens, Julian, Hank and Luann.

They overcome social barriers such as cultural isolation, familial dysfunction and ruthless rivalries to make the music that defines their lives. It all takes place while dreaming of fortune and fame in the new hip-hop scene.

Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students/ seniors.

For tickets online go to: wegoton.bpt.me. Those who can’t go online should call 510-215-3961.

n HOLIDAYS

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 11.15.2017 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

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Speech team to present at home

By Ryan Geller advocate staff

rgeller.theadvocate@gmail.com

The speech team will be presenting its work for the campus community during Speech Night, held Nov. 30 from 6-7:30 in GE-225.

“The team participates in three to five tournaments at other schools each year,” speech professor Randy Carver said.

“Speech Night is an opportunity for students and faculty to see the hard work that the team brings to competition.”

Team members have been consistently placing in the top five in tournaments this year.

Four members placed in the top

five at the Santa Rosa Invitational, the team took first and second place in the Golden Gate Opener and there were two members in the top five at a recent tournament in Stockton, according to Carver.

“For us it’s pretty straight forward,” Carver said about the Speech Night event.

“Hopefully, students will see some smiling faces and realize that speech is fun.”

Some examples of speeches attendees may see at Speech Night are Angela McMahon’s speech on the gentrification to prison pipeline; Kulsoom Mohsin’s speech on genetic engineering, Dema Aldabbas’s speech on RFID chips in employees and Shrijall Luitel’s

speech on abuse in a rehab facility featuring “tough love.”

“The quality of the team is amazing,” Chepheren Goree, a new member of the CCC speech team said. “There is a lot of time and effort that goes into these speeches and these people are really intelligent.”

In addition to showing off the team’s hard work that they present mostly on the road, the home turf showcase is also about sharing important points of view on campus.

“At tournaments we are there to compete, but when we present at home, we really get a chance to advocate and share our intellectual ideas,” Jose Chavez, president of

the speech team said.

“I will probably get nervous because when we compete there are there are only about five or six people in the room. This will be a bigger audience, but I think I have it under control, Chavez said.

“The event recognizes not only how hard the team works. It’s for recognizing talent and it’s for spectators to see that talent in themselves as well, possibly encouraging people to showcase their own talents,” Carver said.

“I’m excited for Speech Night because it brings people from Contra Costa College together to share information about issues that are important to our lives,” Luitel said.

NETWORKING | $23,000 wish list proposed for class Continued from Page 1 students learn about taking a computer apart without the risk of damaging new computers.

Reyes also wants to get tablets and Macbased computers. The idea behind this is that when a technician is in the field they need to know how to work on any kind of computer so that they can do their job.

The proposal for this class was put in this semester and it is hoped that enough students will be interested in the class that it can start in the spring semester of 2018.

Along with the changes that are specifically being made for the networking class, this lab will also be getting new computers as the current ones are old enough to run Windows Vista, Rudy said.

Currently the plan is to use the front half of the classroom as a regular computer lab while the back half of the classroom will be devoted to the networking and future classes related to that.

“I am confident that the funding will be approved this semester so that the department can move forward.”

Kelly Schelin,

dean of economic and workforce development

Reyes said that he spends a lot of his time in the classroom making measurements to make sure that everything will fit once it arrives.

The funding for this project is coming from a few different grants, Dean of Economic and Workforce Development Kelly Schelin said.

The main source of funding will be through the Strong Workforce Program, Schelin said.

Other funding will come from the 2015-16 CTE enhancement fund as well as others that Schelin has yet to finalize.

“I am confident that the funding will be approved this semester so that the department can move forward,” Schelin said.

With Reyes being a network engineer and

holding a vast amount of knowledge and experience on the subject, he said he was very excited about teaching this class.

Reyes also believes that this class will be very successful and help many students make a career in this field.

“I am very grateful of all the work Reyes has put in and am happy to support all of his future work,” Rudy said.

As this class is part of the merger between the business and computer science departments, there are many logistical problems, Rudy said.

One of the main problems comes from the reviews that every program must undergo on a regular schedule.

While the vocational part of the program has a two-year review, the computer science part has a four-year review, Rudy said. This poses a problem for the new classes that will fall under both programs.

She said that a possible solution is to have a three-year review instead.

CHRISTMAS EVENT KICKS OFF SEASON

SAFETY | Prayer room load capacity questionable

The annual tree lighting in San Pablo will be held Dec. 2 from 6-7:30 p.m.

The event will be held at City Hall and will feature holiday performances, crafts, refreshments and festivities with the official lighting happening at 6:30 p.m.

City Hall is located at 1 Alvarado Square.

For more information, call the San Pablo Mayor’s Office at 510215-3080, visit www.sanpablo.gov. org email recreation@sanpablo. ca.gov.

Continued from Page 1

n FINANCIAL AID

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION OPEN The Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship award is now open to online applicants.

Students can download the application at kennedyking.org and submit them to the Financial Aid Office by Feb. 2, 2018.

Email scholarships@contracosta.edu or call 510-215-6026 for more information.

CrimeWatch Thursday, Nov. 2: A student reported some vandalism on Mission Bell Drive.

Vandalism was reported in the Computer Technology Center at 4:05 p.m.

An alarm was triggered at 5:45 p.m. in the Student and Administration Building on Library Drive.

Friday, Nov. 3: An automobile accident was reported on Mission Bell Drive on at 9:11 p.m.

An alarm was triggered at 4:25 p.m. in the Student and Administration Building on Library Drive.

— Xavier Johnson

— 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.

idea.”

During the second Contra Costa College Operations Council meeting of this semester, without due diligence, the group voted to use the balcony on the second floor of the Applied Arts Building for the prayer room.

Administrators failed to determine if the overhang was designed for live loads, what the balcony’s load capacity is or if it was merely constructed for aesthetics.

No restrictions or stipulations were given to the MSA about use of the balcony, according to MSA President Rayah Alammari.

At first glance, the open-air balcony that faces east toward Shane Drive seemed like a perfect choice for the 25-member MSA and other students who sought a moment of solace during a hectic day of school.

However, upon closer inspection, the 35-year-old balcony lacks any sign displaying weight restrictions or maximum capacity that is expected when an elevated surface is specifically designed for public use.

Pyle said, “The basic load capacity, as determined by code, is 15 square feet per person.”

The 8 feet wide by 42 feet long balcony offers 336 square feet of

space. Given the 15 square feet of space allowed per student by Pyle, 22 students at once is all the area should be rated to allow.

The sheer number of MSA students alone who were forced into cramped conference rooms and the rear corner of the Library is precisely the reason Alammari proposed the creation of the room in the first place — not to mention the students with other beliefs that may also make use of the balcony.

Building and Grounds Manager Bruce King said if there are 10 people on the balcony there is no problem, but 50 people would be too many.

“To know the specifications, I’d have to go back to the architect. It (the balcony) was built (35) years or so ago. If it’s a major concern we’ll post signs. There will probably be no more than 10 people out there at a time — they will police themselves.”

California is no stranger to student tragedy caused by faulty elevated surfaces.

On June 16, 2015, five students died and seven others were injured after a balcony on which they were standing collapsed in Berkeley.

The balcony, located on the 5th floor of on an apartment building, was rated to support the 13 students on the deck at the time

n “The load restrictions

are something that I don’t know off of the top of my head. There are a lot of variables involved.”

— Ray Piles, CCCCD facilities planner

— the balcony also had not been inspected in years.

In December 2015, testimony to the Alameda County Superior Court explained the collapse happened because contractors cut corners to save costs.

Court records state the management company for the building, Greystar, ignored complaints about excessive moisture on the balcony from students who rented the apartment.

The AA Building balcony has been exposed to the elements for nearly 35 years without an extensive inspection regulating public use.

“I’m not sure how many people I would have to see out there to consider it a problem, maybe 15 or 20. I haven’t had to ponder it,” Police Services Lt. Tom Holt said.

“Nobody has spoken to me about it. I just remember the location

was discussed. Fifty people would be too cramped, but would 15 people be over the limit — I don’t know?”

The California Building Standards Commission recently approved emergency regulations to enhance balcony and walking surface construction requirements in the California Building Code (CBC).

The new CBC provisions, which went into effect on Jan. 30, 2017, apply to multi-family residential, hotels, motels, state-owned buildings and public schools in California.

The new regulations coincide with American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE-7) design loads and require additional ventilation, detailing, and inspection for exterior balconies and elevated walkways exposed to all kinds of weather.

Although these building codes are mainly for new construction, the emergency standards also reinstate a maintenance provision allowing local jurisdictions to re-inspect structures if necessary.

Ferguson, with King and Director of Business Services Mariles Magalong, scoured the campus in spring 2017 looking for available options for an interfaith prayer room.

AB19 | First-year tuition to be covered by state Continued from Page 1 sistent with the effort by state officials to target financial aid to the state’s neediest students.

On Oct. 3, Governor Jerry Brown approved AB19 to waive the first year of tuition for fulltime students attending a California community college.

When Brown signed AB19, known as the California College Promise, it was made as part of state law.

“The hope is that by encouraging students to begin their college experience directly after high school, that community colleges can move this new wave of students forward to either their associate degree or transfer to a four-year college,” United Faculty Executive Board member Doug Dildine said.

Assembly member Miguel Santiago, from Los Angeles, proposed AB19 to make higher education a possibility for students coming from low-income backgrounds.

Students who qualify to have their first year covered include foster youth, students with disabilities, formerly incarcerated students and undocumented students who meet the requirements of Assembly Bill 540, which allows students to pay in-state tuition of $46

per semester.

Depending on how many classes the student takes, up to $1,400 per student will be covered by the bill for community college tuition.

The California College Promise will be administered by the Chancellor of the California Community College who will distribute funding to community college districts to fund colleges that meet the requirements.

Dildine said students who come from low-income households may already qualify for Extended Opportunity Program and Services (EOPS) funds and the waiver of fees.

Dildine said AB19 will expand fee waivers to all full-time students for one year, “in which our district would include summer and the following consecutive fall and spring semesters.”

“The state is betting that the investment in first year full-time students will pay off. I’ve heard that every dollar invested in a community college student pays $4 back into the California economy,” Dildine said.

AB19 aims to increase the percentage of students earning an associate degree and career technical education certificates, as well as prepare students for in-demand jobs.

It aims to increase the transfer rate of students moving on from a community college to a California State University or the University

of California system and increase the number of students who graduate from college with a baccalaureate degree.

United Faculty Executive Director Jeffrey Michels said the most important fact for now about AB19 is that it does not mean that tuition next spring or even next year will be free.

“The bill starts California down the path, but it still needs to be funded, which as I understand may take more legislation.”

Michels said as of now there isn’t anything new to communicate to students.

Many students use Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Board of Governors Fee Waiver to pay for their annual tuition while in community college.

“I come from a high school with a lot of minority groups who really need the financial help,” Richmond Promise recipient Hilda Figueroa said.

Figueroa graduated from Making Waves Academy in 2016 and enrolled at Contra Costa College because her first-year tuition would be covered through the Richmond Promise Scholarship.

The program is currently providing financial support to 578 Richmond students for up to four years across 82 colleges and universities.

4

campusbeat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 11.15.2017 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Available scholarships Business More scholarships are available at contracosta.edu.

The deadline for the scholarships below is March 2, 2018

$3,000-$5,000 Amount: $5,000 William Available: 1 Worley GPA required: 3.25 Memorial Scholarship Enrollment required Spring: N/A Return to CCC: N/A

Applicants should plan to transfer to a four-year institution as a full-time student and major in any academic discipline except PE/athletics and CTE programs.

Amount: $5,000 Applicants should be Wells Fargo Available: 4 CTE majors with a Scholarship GPA required: 2.5 reference from a CTE Enrollment required faculty member or Spring: Full time counselor.

Return to CCC: N/A Amount: $3,000 Applicants should be Arizmendi Available: 2 culinary arts majors Culinary GPA required: 2.5 with 12 units completed in culinary arts, 6 Scholarship Enrollment required for DSPS. Spring: Full time, 6 units for DSPS Return to CCC: Half time in fall Puente Transfer Scholarship

Amount: $3,000 Applicants must be Available: 6 current members of GPA required: 2.5 Puente Project who plan to transfer to a Enrollment required four-year institution Spring: 9 units in fall 2018 or spring Return to CCC: N/A 2019.

Gil Family Charitable Trust Scholarship

Contra Costa College Foundation General Scholarship Journalism Program Scholarship

Applicants must be female, enrolled in the CCC Center of Science Excellence and plan to transfer to a four-year institution in the fall semester.

Enrollment required

Enrollment required

Amount: $750 Available: 1 GPA required: 3.5 Enrollment required

Amount: $500 Available: 2 GPA required: 3

Enrollment required

Spring: Half time Return to CCC: N/A

Enrollment required

Spring: 9 units, 6 units for DSPS Return to CCC: N/A Parchester Village Scholarship

Enrollment required

Applicants must have completed 12 units in journalism classes, have 30 transferable units completed, intend to complete an associate degree in journalism at CCC and plan to transfer to a four-year institution.

Must be a California resident or AB540 eligible and have a valid FAFSA or Dream Act application on file for the upcoming academic year. Awarded based on financial need.

Applicants must submit an essay to the Associated Student Union and demonstrate financial need.

Applicants must be EOPS/CARE students transferring to a university with 30 transferable units and having completed two consecutive semesters in the EOPS program.

Applicants must be verified residents of Parchester village and either full-time CCC students or transferring to a four-year institution to continue full-time study.

$250

Enrollment required

Spring: Full time Return to CCC:N/A Amount: $1,000 Applicants must Sy & Available: 5 demonstrate leadBeverly Zell GPA required: 2.5 ership/community Scholarship involvement and a Enrollment required financial need.

Spring: N/A Return to CCC: N/A

Amount: $500 Available:1 GPA required: 3

Spring: N/A Return to CCC: N/A

Amount: $1,000 Applicants must plan Dean Lesher Available: 6 to attend at a CSU in Scholarship GPA required: 3.0 the upcoming academic year.

Applicants must have completed 12 units.

Spring: Full time, 6 units for DSPS Return to CCC: N/A

Amount: $500 Associated Available: 4 Student GPA required: 2.0 Union Enrollment required AchieveSpring: 9 units, 6 ment units for DSPS Applicants should have Scholarship Return to CCC: N/A record of participation in clubs or other extraAmount: $500 EOPS curricular activities, Available:3 and must demonstrate Transfer GPA required: 2.5 Scholarship financial need.

Spring: Full time, 6 for DSPS Return to CCC: Half time in fall

San Pablo Scholars

Amount: $750 Available: 10 GPA required: 2.5

Spring: N/A Return to CCC: Fall

Amount: $1,500 Mary Ellen Available: 2 Bales GPA required: 3.5 associated University Enrollment required of Women N/A Scholarship ReturnSpring: to CCC: N/A

Spring: 9 units, 6 for DSPS Return to CCC: N/A Amount: $1,000 Applicants must major Culinary Available: 2 in culinary arts and Department GPA required: 3.0 have completed 12 Scholarship units in culinary arts.

Applicants must be new or incoming students and must demonstrate a financial need. Preference is given to STEM students.

Applicants must intend to transfer to a four-year institution and must demonstrate strong community service and involvement.

Applicants must intend to transfer to a four-year institution and must demonstrate strong community service and involvement.

$500-$750

Applicants must be female DREAMers who #cccwhereare full-time STEM smycheck majors and must Scholarship demonstrate financial need.

Enrollment required

Spring: N/A Return to CCC: N/A

Amount: $1,000 Edmund Available: 4 L. Regalia Scholarship GPA required: 2.5 Enrollment required for Spring: Full time Continuing Return to CCC: N/A Students

Amount: $2,500 Carola and Available: 4 Albrecht GPA required: 3.0 Forsythe Scholarship Enrollment required for N/A Excellence ReturnSpring: to CCC: N/A

Amount: $1,000 Available: 4 GPA required: 3.0

Enrollment required

Amount: $1,000 Edmund Available: 4 L. Regalia Scholarship GPA required: 2.5 Enrollment required for Spring: Full time Continuing Return to CCC: N/A Students

$1,000-$2,500

Associated Student Union Leadership Scholarship

Amount: $1,000 Available: 5 GPA required: 2.7

Joseph L. Anderson “Pay It Forward” Scholarship

Amount: $250 Available: 1 GPA required: 2.5 Enrollment required

Spring: N/A Return to CCC: N/A

Amount: $1,000 Applicants must be Amount: $250 Ulp Geriatric Available: 5 CCC students residing Nursing Available: 1 GPA required: 2.5 in San Pablo.

Scholarship GPA required: N/A Enrollment required

Enrollment required

Spring: N/A Return to CCC: Fall, no units stated

Spring: N/A Return to CCC: N/A

Applicants must be student athletes and business majors who will continue on at CCC or transfer.

Applicants must be in the fourth semester of CCC’s nursing program. Documented interest in working as a registered nurse with geriatric patients and/or Alzheimer’s patients is preferred.

courses offered online

By Anthony Kinney associate editor

akinney.theadvocate@gmail.com

As a method to promote higher enrollment in business classes at Contra Costa College, the business information and computer technology (BICT) department will be offering online business courses starting in spring 2018.

The online courses are the product of the business department’s merge with the college’s Computer Technology Center (CTC), real estate, economics and computer technology departments.

“The reality of it is that there are similarities that cross over in each of these areas. Business is definitely related to real estate and economics and computer technology is definitely related to business,” BICT department Chairperson Pamela Rudy said. “We have shared classes that are required for each area.”

Starting in the spring of 2018, the BICT department will be offering three online courses in addition to its traditional face-to-face classes: Introduction to Business (BUS-109), Principles of Accounting I (BUS186) and Business Law (BUS-294).

Each of the classes is transferable to the California State University system.

Next semester will be the first time in the department’s history that online courses will be offered.

The department’s newest addition, professor Bashir Shah, said the actualization of online courses will substantially expand the department’s enrollment numbers. It does this by accommodating for the demographic of students who can’t invest the time necessary for on-campus classes.

This semester was Shah’s first at CCC after spending five years at Diablo Valley College teaching online business courses.

He said his classes were littered with students from UC Berkeley, San Francisco State and other colleges through the Bay Area.

“We’ll be offering the same business major core courses offered at four-year universities for a fraction of the price,” Shah said. “We’re going to attract a vast number of new students to the school, which means more money for the college.”

BICT professor Joseph DeTorres said the department believes that face-to-face instruction is really key, however, he also recognizes that more students are asking for online courses as an alternative to an “in class” setting.

“We know that some students’ schedules can be too hectic for formal instruction in the classroom,” DeTorres said. “We want to provide those students with the same lessons, but at their leisure. It will help our students become more successful.”

Rudy said currently there is not yet a complete set of online classes for each business major, but eventually there will be.

The department’s plan is to implement two online courses per semester until the full business course catalog is offered online.

Online business courses will also be offered in the summer.

Since the merger between the business department and the computer classes went into full effect earlier this semester, business major enrollment numbers have been stagnant.

It is believed by many in the department that having an alternative method of attending classes, like the implementation of online courses, will boost student enrollment in business classes.

“Some programs have remained consistent, some have declined,” Rudy said. “We’re hoping new classes, new delivery methods and new energy will help grow the various programs.”

Although the new online structure will benefit the department as a whole, it has also created a lot more work for her as the department’s chairperson, Rudy said.

“It basically doubled the size of our department, which doubles schedules, evaluations and communication,” she said.

“However, as far as the various programs are concerned, I think the merger makes sense. Collaboration is much simpler when you’re in the same department,” Rudy said. “Growing programs with input from others is essential — more hands make for less work.”

Shah said students who plan on taking the online courses next semester can expect to use the new technology and have support similar to on-campus classes.

“There will be a lot of teacher/student interactions and emails,” he said.

CAMPUSWIDE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM TO BE INSTALLED

System installed at DVC to extend to CCC campus

By Michael Santone associate editor

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

A districtwide proposal to install a direct emergency line throughout campus buildings and classrooms was approved at the July 26 Governing Board meeting.

The two-way screen and speaker system will be button operated providing audible and text-based alerts that connect directly to

Police Services.

“DVC has most of its installation done,” Technology Systems Manager James Eyestone said. “The contractors are going in a sequence and Contra Costa College will be next.”

Classrooms and buildings, such as the General Education Building, Student Dining Hall and Applied Arts Building, will soon receive the communication upgrade aimed to better assist in case of natural disasters or a shelter in place emergency.

The system is taking the place of the emergency phone lines that were once a staple in classrooms.

“Los Medanos College did the

phone thing but it got out of hand with on going license fees to provide services,” Eyestone said. “With this system, there is a compromise for a two-way connection to Police Services, faculty and staff.”

With the recent string of campus shootings including the scare at the University of Southern California campus on Oct. 2 and the Grambling State University shooting death of two freshmen on Oct. 27, the need for safety and readiness has taken precedence.

“The whole idea is to keep students and faculty safe,” Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said. “Just the other day a campus was locked down because of an

active shooter. This new system will give those in danger the ability to communicate with those on the outside.”

Because this is a districtwide project, the same contractors will be used for all three district colleges, King said. The installation involves re-wiring and cable pulling through all of the areas that are to be connected.

“They got the equipment and have been working on it in some buildings,” King said. “It shouldn’t take longer than three to six months to complete, but I don’t know when it will be in full operation.”

Police Services Lt. Tom Holt

said he has not seen how the whole system works, but knows that it involves a direct connection to Police Services officers.

“We can talk back to it and if people are overly panicked, we can cut it off so we can spread the message,” Holt said. “No matter what’s happening we can find the place and what’s going on.”

The older emergency system, built in the General Education Building, sends alerts to officers’ phones when the button is triggered.

“There was a lot of discussion about putting phones in the classrooms,” he said. But they decided not to do that.

campus beat

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5

LOUIS CANO I / THE ADVOCATE

Sequoia Eramus (left), a staffer in the Richmond mayor’s office, and veteran Dr. Bob Hollis talk after the veteran celebration event at Fireside Hall on Nov. 8.

Veterans Day honors sacrifice Female veterans’ perseverance in military honored

By Efrain Valdez social media editor

evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com

The Veterans’ Resource Center and Contra Costa College held a Veterans Day celebration to highlight the hardships that women veterans go through while serving in the military.

Also, four veterans were recognized with certificates for their service in the military during the event on Nov. 8 at Fireside Hall.

Irene Perdomo, Anthony Kinney, Dr. Bob Hollis and Derek Casanares were the veterans recognized.

“I’m here to celebrate the female veterans who have contributed to the safety of our country because they do just as much as the men,” Hollis said. “The way our society raises men and women is the greater problem. They (women) bring a lot of value to our society. We have to change the way we treat women.”

Dean of Enrollment Services Dennis Franco said the event was held to recognize female veterans and how civilians need to help veterans ease back into society.

CCC alumni and Marine Corps veteran Perdomo said, “I think we (women) are not recognized as we should be. As females we have to overcome a lot of

“I think we (women) are not recognized as we should be.

As females we have to overcome a lot of things in the military. We want to highlight the struggles we face.”

Irene Perdomo,

Marine Corps veteran

things in the military, we want to highlight the struggles we face,” In her keynote speech, Perdomo shared with the roughly 50 people in attendance two toxic relationships she had during her time on a New Orleans military base.

“I tried to write the speech a week before this and I started getting flashbacks of everything that happened,” Perdomo said.

She explained how she and her first boyfriend had an on and off relationship which ended in her getting chased by him.

In her second relationship, her boyfriend raped her while she was asleep and gave her a sexually transmitted disease.

“I just wanted to show that female vets are resilient and that we have to try extra hard to keep up with our male counterparts,” Perdomo said.

Veterans’ Resource Center coordinator Derek Casanares said that the college has acknowledged veterans on campus for the holiday in the past, but this is the first time that it has done something for

women veterans specifically.

“Their contribution is important because they have risked their own lives for this country. We have to acknowledge that they were willing to serve in the military,” Casanares said.

In Dr. Hollis’ speech, he spoke about how it is difficult for soldiers to come back from service and assimilate back into civilian life.

“My son served in Afghanistan and once he came back I visited him. While I was there, I noticed that he would just stare out the window. That’s when I noticed something was wrong with him,” Hollis said.

He said that it’s hard to mix military service and civilian life together instantly.

“We, as military members, are used to doing things well all the time. It’s difficult to change (us). But we all resist openly to leaving service,” he said. “We want to serve well, but we need some downtime after we arrive back from combat.

“We, as civilians, have to give them (veterans) space and special attention,” Casanares said.

“A lot of us are traumatized by our experience, even if it wasn’t in combat.

Just being sensitive and helping veterans find the many resources available to them is helpful,” he said.

Casaneras said that just by talking to veterans about their experiences in the military is helpful.

“I think people have to be patient with them. They always think that you’re strong — which we are — but the transition to civilian life makes us weak.”

“We are good at hiding things,” Perdomo said.

Honorees Irene Perdomo Perdomo is a Marine Corps veteran and is a Contra Costa College alumnus.

Anthony Kinney Kinney served in Fort Riley, Kansas as an UAV operator. He is a current CCC journalism major.

Dr. Bob Hollis Hollis served in the Navy. Now he does outreach for veteran resources.

Derek Casanares Casanares is a veteran now working as Veterans’ Resource Center coordinator at CCC.

Student network to share immigrant struggle Voces del East Bay gives undocumented students online outlet

By Ryan Geller advocate staff

rgeller.theadvocate@gmail.com

A group of undocumented Contra Costa College students and their allies are building a local community support network for Deferred Action for Early Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients and others facing immigration issues.

The committee, aptly named, Voces del East Bay, is creating social media spaces for people to share their stories and information about immigration, Lizbeth Gonzalez, a member of the committee, said.

“We want people to know that we are here and that they are not alone. We want people to know that they can come out of the shadows because there are many of us,” Gonzalez said.

Voces del East Bay began as a response to the termination of the DACA program by President Donald Trump’s administration on Sept. 5.

DACA give qualifying undocumented immigrants a two-year renewable work permit and exemption from deportation.

La Raza studies professor Agustin Palacios, and members of the La Raza Student Union, initiated the idea of a media committee to support dreamers and their families.

Since then, CCC students, both documented and undocumented have started pages under the Voces del East Bay handle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The idea is not only to share information that undocumented community members need, but also to share the personal accounts of those who are affected by U.S. immi-

gration policy, Luis Ledesma, a member of Voces del East Bay, said.

“People can relate to stories and feel some type of relief that they are not alone. Stories can help build trust in us (Voces del East Bay) because people can see that others also know what it is to move from another country to follow a dream,” Voces del East Bay member Michelle Armienta said.

Even though the group is small, consisting of five to six core members with professor Palacios as their adviser, they have a busy schedule of events planned into the next year.

Voces del East Bay members will be attending the California Dream Network annual retreat, held this weekend at Cal State-Sacramento.

The retreats and conferences are a valuable way to gather information and connecting regional and national networks to build the movement for immigration reform, Ledesma said.

“At the retreat we can get to know more people. We also want to learn because we are just getting started,” Gonzalez said.

To increase their visibility on campus, Voces del East Bay will be holding a “Posada” on Dec. 6, in Fireside Hall from 5:30-7 p.m.

Posadas are a Christmas tradition in Mexico in which carolers go from house to house re-enacting the biblical story of Mary and Joseph.

“Ours will be a secular celebration,” Palacios said.

The event will include performances, an open mic and traditional foods.

Members of Voces del East Bay are also planning presentations at the National Association of Chicano/Chicana Studies Conference in April of 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

They will talk about their work around using social media tools, organizing for the Contra Costa Community College District sanctuary status and other local successes that have been the result of student and

n “We want people to know that

we are here and that they are not alone. We want people to know that they can come out of the shadows because there are many of us.”

— Lizbeth Gonzalez, committee member

community efforts.

Michelle Armienta is a political science major at CCC. She was born in San Francisco and is a U.S. citizen, but she grew up in Mexico with her parents.

Even though she does not face the difficulties that undocumented students face, Armienta understands the difficulty of adjusting to a new country.

“It was still difficult for me to apply for health insurance and to apply for a job because everything is different. I can imagine how hard it is when you don’t have papers and you don’t speak English,” Armienta said.

“It was hard for me to get involved in all of this kind of stuff at first because I did not know a lot of people. Now, I know that I can actually help others because I have this group and we all agree on what to do.”

Even with such a full schedule of local, regional and national events, progress can still seem slow. Voces del East Bay members take on the additional tasks of information gathering, writing, posting and promoting along with the every day responsibilities of being a student.

“It’s a process of priorities,” Ledesma said.

“Our education and family comes first. Once you are OK helping yourself and family, then you can go on to helping your community.

It takes consistency and careful scheduling.”

Ledesma is a La Raza studies major at CCC who came to the U.S. when he was 8 months old. The DACA program allowed him to participate in a medical internship at

Kaiser Hospital in Richmond while he was in high school.

“The work authorization that DACA offered has been the biggest help,” Ledesma said.

Voces del East Bay is open to new members from all types of backgrounds.

The group is asking for submissions of poems, stories and music. Supporters of immigrant rights and anybody who has been affected by immigration policy are welcome to participate.

“The relationship between undocumented and those that are documented or are citizens is important because we are all living in this community. It is important for us all to get along and understand each other,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzales is an undocumented student who came to the U.S. when she was 12 with her mother. Her parents had recently divorced and her mother wanted to be closer to her family who already lived in the U.S. Gonzalez is also a La Raza studies and Spanish major at CCC. “I am planning to be a teacher here in Richmond and San Pablo. My teachers helped me a lot to adjust to life in the U.S., so this is a way for me to give back to the community,” Gonzalez said.

“Anyone interested in working on immigration rights, writing or media skills we meet in GE-310 on Wednesdays,” Ledesma said. “First, we train ourselves to be active socially. Then we cultivate our writing skills, train ourselves to be opinion writers and get in touch with our community — documented and undocumented.”

The fears for undocumented students are very real.

“You always have to be afraid of deportation. Every rule has to be followed with little to no mistakes. You have to be very aware and resourceful. DACA has been very helpful. Hopefully there will be pushback against the termination of the program,” Ledesma said.

6

scene

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 11.15.2017 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Selector, played by Akilah Kamau, narrates the action in the hip-hop inspired play “How We Got On” in the Knox Center on Thursday.

The play continues this weekend.

XAVIER JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE

Spirit of rhyme drives youth tale Hip-hop play brings forth humor, potent message

By Xavier Johnson scene editor

xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

F

inding a passion to act as an emotional outlet is one thing that teenagers will seek out to aid their struggles.

That outlet can be drawing, basketball, writing — or hip-hop.

“How We Got On,” the second play of the drama department’s fall semester lineup, is a coming-of-age tale of three teenagers — Hank, Julian and Luann — in 1988 from “The City” living in the suburbs, “The Hill.”

The teens are brought together by hip-hop as a common thread. Each character wants to rap and “get on” and be famous, like many kids in the 1980s watching shows like “Yo! MTV Raps,” or children today listening to Kendrick Lamar on Spotify.

“How We Got On” is the best production the drama department has put on this year and is a play that is felt as much as it is seen.

The eternally relatable narrative connects with anyone that ventures to the Knox Center to see the show.

It appeals to, as Hank says in the play, “rich people, poor, handsome people, ugly.”

Each of the teenagers represents the common

struggles people go through PLAY while on the road to adulthood.

REVIEW Julian, played by Oz Herrera“How We Got Sobal, desires to be seen, putting On” on a hardened facade to mask ★★★★★ his insecurity.

Where: Knox Hank, played by Umi Grant, Center When: Nov. 17-18 has the ability to write his own rhymes and a workman’s knowl- 7:30 p.m., Nov. 19 3:30 p.m. edge of hip-hop. However, his Starring: Oz self-confidence is shattered after Herrera-Sobal, Umi Grant, Akilah a bad performing experience.

Kamau, Ashley Luann, played by Ashley Carrie Carrie, has the spirit of hiphop flowing through her veins, which is exemplified through her ability to freestyle.

However, for Luann, her growth is stunted by prejudices against women and her disapproving father.

Not only is the acting by each of the four cast members stellar and natural, the overall spirit of the show screams the passion and do-it-yourself attitude of the early hip-hop scene.

During their efforts to “get on” they make due with whatever they can to make songs. This play feels very “hip-hop” with a minimalist set. They make the best use of the space they are given.

Before a single line of dialogue is spoken, the on-stage art sets the tone of authenticity that is interlaced within the play. The floor of the stage is tagged like a city train in New York with names of hip-hop legends like Grandmaster Flash and MC Lyte.

As the first line is uttered by Selector, played

by Akilah Kamau, as she spins a record of chill jams, any worries about this play being a cheesy performance using hip-hop as a gimmick are assuaged.

Each character speaks naturally with all the 1980s hip-hop slang and reverence for their contemporary legends, like Big Daddy Kane.

The Selector is essentially the DJ of this story.

She also voices Hank, Luann and Julian’s parents.

Her uptight portrayal of Hank’s academic father and apathetic delivery of Julian’s father display her range of talent.

Grant, Herrera-Sobal and Carrie all absolutely embody their characters and each bring a unique energy to the stage.

Their dynamic just works.

A particularly memorable aspect of the play is how the body language of the three actors changes as their characters grow. This adds a strong sense of progression to the 70-minute play.

COFFEE STARTUP OFFERS LOCALLY SOURCED BEANS Founders fall short on vision of amazing coffee

By Tony Gojilde advocate staff

tgojilde.theadvocate@gmail.com

T

he FasTrack Coffee Company is a startup coffee store that offers fast food and locally sourced coffee and espresso beverages that is suited more for the Starbucks crowd than it is to real coffee enthusiasts.

The café/drive-thru claims in its website that it has the “Best coffee in the Bay Area.

However, it’s approach to delivering it is confusing.

The FasTrack Coffee Company began as a shared dream of co-founders Kent and Troy Emry.

The two receive their beans from local farmers. To coffee enthusiasts, beans from the Americas typically mean an uplifting brew of coffee with hints of cocoa or spices.

Not surprisingly the coffee tastes exactly as the connoisseur envisions.

The dark roast has a faint nutty aroma with cocoa that tastes mildly acidic. It was surprisingly light for a dark roast.

For a medium roast, the brew tastes faintly like citrus and herbs and smells like more of the same.

The first thought that popped into my head when drinking the medium roast was that it was mellow, something that I could drink for an extended amount of time, although, it was just as

acidic as the dark roast.

The medium roast will be my go-to brew when I go back.

At FasTrack, the food is just good, but nothing special. It does taste homemade, which reinforces the coffee shop’s startup roots.

The pastries however are great. They have just the right level of sweetness and pair well with the coffee.

The combination works because the coffee is so acidic that the sweetness of the pastries cancel it out. The combination brings out more of the coffee’s flavor, dragging the flavor of the pastry along with it.

Espresso drinks are FOOD only as good as their REVIEW milk and foam, so I “FasTrack tried the cappuccino Coffee” at FasTrack to test the ★★★★★ barista’s foam control.

Cuisine: Coffee I was blown away as Where: Pinole Price Range: it was perfect. $ Somehow the foam gave the espresso a deeper, nuttier flavor than an espresso from Starbucks.

Although, when I tried one of their signature beverages, I got burned milk that destroyed the intended flavor.

This was confusing because I had just received perfect foam a couple minutes earlier.

Even more confusing is the choice of decoration.

The building is decorated with orange traffic signs reading things like, “WATCH FOR LATTES” and “DOUBLE SHOT AHEAD.” The walls are painted black and orange with black and yellow hazard

MAXWELL CRAIG / THE ADVOCATE

FasTrack bartista Kent Emry makes an espresso drink in FasTrack Coffee Company on Monday.

stripes wrapping around the entire store.

At first I thought that the paint was strictly for Halloween and that it was a nice touch. As I slowly started to notice that the paint was there to stay, I was mortified.

The décor is far from welcoming, despite the managerial staff doing whatever they can

to make it feel so.

The tables are small and so are the chairs. Even the furniture embraces the orange and black theme.

The service is great, the baristas are warm and welcoming, though aloof and the managers occasionally check up on customers.

But no amount of customer service will make you forget about the setting.

I give the FasTrack Coffee company a three out of five stars.

In the end, it wasn’t my cup of coffee.

sports

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 11.15.2017 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

7

COMETS LOSE BAY VALLEY CONFERENCE SHOWDOWN

Team fails to maintain grip on BVC championship

By Efrain Valdez social media editor

evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com

The men’s soccer team (7-2-1 in the Bay Valley Conference) failed to win its third consecutive BVC championship and its third consecutive NorCal playoff berth when it lost 2-1 to Napa Valley College on Friday.

After beating Napa Valley (8-2-0 in the BVC) by a 4-1 margin Nov. 8 at home, all the Comets had to do was get a draw on Friday to win the conference championship.

“We “We didn’t get the best warmup,” Contra Costa College defender honestly Raul Garcia said. “There was a lot thought we of traffic driving up there because of the rain. We only warmed up for were going about 30 minutes. to beat “We dominated possession for them. We most of the game and we scored first and were up a player when played a their attacking midfielder got a red good game card for cursing at his teammates.”

Leading 1-0, CCC failed to dou- against ble its lead on a few occasions in them at the first half and a red card to one of Napa’s best players on the squad home so we sparked life into the home team. had confi“I was surprised by the drive they (Napa) had to win after losing dence comtheir best player. They started to sit ing in.” back and counter us as we moved — Raul up,” Garcia said.

Garcia, Comet defender In the second half, CCC continued to dominate possession but failed to convert goals. Napa sat back patiently for the remainder of the game and as soon as it caught the Comet wing backs up field they countered dangerously.

“All they would do is long throw-ins and corner kicks. Their tall center backs would go up and that was hard to defend,” Comet forward James Sibrian said.

Napa Valley coach Raul Ochoa said, “We managed to stay composed after the red card. We stayed back and absorbed the pressure they (CCC) brought. I think the team responded well to the pressure. We had our backs up against the wall but we converted when it mattered.”

Napa’s first goal of the game came by way of a throw-in near the corner flag. The ball was headed back by a Napa player toward the second post over the Comet goalkeeper.

Garcia said that the person who was guarding second post was in position to clear the ball, but he slipped going forward due to the muddy field.

“They were talking about our field being bad. Yes, their field is flat and their grass is green, but it was very muddy and slippery,” Garcia said.

The Comets, after a commandSTORM ing 4-1 victory over Napa at home last Wednesday, were set on beating their conference rivals again for the championship — in the last game of conference play.

COMETS “We honestly thought we were going to beat them. We played a good game against them at home so we had confidence coming in,” Garcia said.

The Comets began the season playing powerhouse soccer programs from all over the state. While getting some draws against good opposition like Butte College and Las Positas College, the team failed to beat prestigious programs like City College of San Francisco and Fresno City College.

Not winning the conference was unexpected but the growth that the soccer program has seen over the last few years is evident. With the foundation that coach Nikki Ferguson has set, this program is poised to be a competitor for years to come.

n

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Contra Costa College wide receiver Semaj Mitchell makes a catch above Ram defensive back Tyrik Mack during City College of San Francisco’s 62-6 win in San Francisco on Saturday.

Squad loses in blowout, ends season without a win

By Drew Thomas advocate staff

dthomas.theadvocate@gmail.com

SAN FRANCISCO — After an ugly start for the Comets in the 2017 season (0-9 overall, 0-4 in the National Bay 6 Conference) losing their final game of the season 62-6 was just as rough.

As the game drew toward its end, players were dealt a jolt of energy after a touchdown which erased the zero from the Comet side of the ledger.

CCC struggled early on offense, (131 yards in the first half) and defensively the Comets couldn’t shut down the high-power Ram attack.

“I expected a tough team. I expected for us to play hard against a good team and went in with that mindset,” Comet defensive back Kenneth Caston said.

“Some of us bowed out RAMS early. Some people came already with the mindset that we were going to lose this game. Some people definitely died COMETS out.”

San Francisco started the game with an onside kick trying to set a tone of what the game would

62 6

be. The play, which caught the Comets by surprise, was a wake up call for the team to always be ready for anything.

Receiver Semaj Mitchell said, “They tried to punk us and we made little mistakes, like getting penalties, that set us back.”

Comet penalties, fumbles and an interception helped give CCSF multiple opportunities to score.

The Rams scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and took full advantage of CCC mistakes, charging to a 21-0 lead going into the second quarter.

“Some of the team gave up when stuff started not going their way,” Comet receiver Courtney Beane said. “They didn’t know how to deal with it. We fought, but not necessarily the whole team.”

The Rams lit up the scoreboard with quarterback Zack Masoli passing to receivers Kevin Shaa and Frank Hall for two touchdowns each.

“Quitting is never going to be an option — ever,” coach Patrick Henderson said.

Some Comets appeared to have quit and it showed on the field, especially when CCSF repeatedly carved its way downfield making play after play.

CCC remained scoreless well into the second half after trailing 41-0 at halftime. By then some players looked completely flustered.

Henderson said the score doesn’t matter. What matters is playing the best you can to avoid ending the season quitting on each other.

Caston said, “This is it. We’ve got to keep fighting for sophomores and not give up.”

Just when it looked as if CCC was getting into a rhythm quarterback Davin Lemon-Rodriguez was intercepted by Ram Jairus Woodson — resulting in another turnover.

Trailing 45-0 as the fourth quarter began, some Comets really dialed in and started making plays to push the team down field.

The team finally scored a touchdown when Lemon-Rodriguez completed a 72-yard pass to Beane for a touchdown.

Beane said, “Communication with coaches helped. They put me in the position to make plays, so I thank them for the opportunity.

Henderson said, “Everything we went through, I think it was a great test that our players passed — and that’s not quitting.”

2 1

Women’s soccer team loses finale

By Drew Thomas advocate staff

dthomas.theadvocate@gmail.com

After finally winning a game against Merritt College, 3-1 on Nov. 7, the women’s soccer team (1-11 in the Bay Valley Conference) suffered a 1-0 loss in its final game of the season against Mendocino College Thursday.

Comet coach Manish Doshi said this season’s primary goal was to put a team on the field.

In the past, the Comets have had to cancel games and shorten seasons due to a coach leaving on a short notice or not having enough players.

After the game Doshi assured the team that he’s here to stay and that he is not going anywhere. He is dedicated to helping build the women’s soccer team back to a competitive program.

Unfortunately, this season the Comets still had to cancel games due to the poor air quality and being short-handed.

Comet forward Leslie Medrano said this

season she wishes they could have played more games.

Missing games hurt the Comet’s chemistry, but losing games was probably more damaging to players as their confidence wavered and some did not attend practice.

Doshi encouraged the Comets to communicate, work together and do all the little things as that make the difference in a game.

CCC experienced some failures, but found success as the team used experiences from past losses to finally earn a win.

“The team mentality going up against Merritt was to get a win,” Comet Maxine Alvarado said. “Coach EAGLES (Doshi) emphasized it was the final few games, so go out and play hard.”

The Comets didn’t give any second thoughts about being short-handed as playCOMETS ers had experience in playing full games with little rest.

They were aggressive and focused in the win against

1 0

Merritt and Alvarado scored the first score goal making sure Comets established a lead going into the second half.

Alvarado said the Comets received a huge confidence boost offensively and defensively after the goal.

Comet freshman Correa Shirley said the team was very aggressive from the start of the season and everyone contributed.

CCC had good ball movement and defended well putting pressure on the Thunderbirds as they were trying to get an offensive rhythm.

Before the second half began Medrano said Doshi wanted more communication because the players were bunched up leaving no space to spread the Thunderbirds defense.

“Doshi also told us to take longer shots because there goalie couldn’t react fast enough to stop the ball,” she said.

CCC began the second half with a temporary mental lapse which led to Merritt scoring a goal to tie the game.

Doshi said, “We’re focused on working

together and supporting each other.”

Comet defender Stephanie Alva did just that thanks to the teamwork of players Juana Ortiz and Alvarado’s passing display.

Ortiz and Alvarado assists created openings for Alva which set her up, resulting in two goals.

“We just went out there and played our own game,” Shirley said.

Alva fought through contact and followed the play through which provided the goals needed to insure victory.

Comet goalkeeper Yajaira Celeso said the game was important and the win was a huge step for the team.

Victory was short lived as Comets did there best to challenge Mendocino only to lose in San Pablo.

“Any team that doesn’t work together will suck,” Doshi said. “When teams play individually, it’s a disaster.”

CCC finished the season with another loss, but the team can take solace in one accomplishment — putting a team out on the field to compete.

8

spotlight

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 11.15.2017 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

islamic principles epitomize femininity INTERPRETING TRADITIONAL NOTIONS

Woman Allah Niqab Muslim

Being a woman, for sociology major Rayah Alammari, means being powerful. Alammari said being a Muslim woman in the U.S. has empowered her because she is free to practice her religion on her terms.

For Alammari, Allah (God) is part of her everyday life. She said Allah is one, but has many names that describe different attributes of Allah’s divinity.

Alammari said wearing the Niqab allows her to walk confidently and feel more spiritual in her daily life. It also removes any standard of beauty imposed by society.

To be a Muslim in the U.S. can have its hardships because of negative connotations toward the religion. Islam teaches forgiveness and creating positive change through caring actions.

Rayah Alammari wears a Niqab by choice every day as part of her devotion to the Islamic faith.

DENIS PEREZ/ THE ADVOCATE

Diverse Muslim traditional dresswear HIJAB — A scarf worn by women in the presence of adult men outside of their family.

Hijab in the Quran refers to a partition or curtain. It is characterized by the complete covering of everything except hands, feet and face.

Women who wear a hijab are called Muhaajaba.

Leader manifests solidarity through religious awareness

By Michael Santone associate editor

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

It can feel as if the world has been placed on your shoulders when navigating life in a country that labels you, your culture and your religion as the enemy.

When being constantly bombarded by distorted notions that portray your innate way of living as dangerous or evil, one’s very existence becomes etched into the lexicon of American politics.

For Contra Costa College Muslim Student Association President Rayah Alammari, these misconstrued perceptions have only instilled a deeper passion for breaking the learned stereotypes of what defines a Muslim.

“It can be tough hearing or seeing negative comments and images telling you who you are on a daily basis,” Alammari said with the look of determination in her dark brown eyes.

“I’m trying my best to show people that we aren’t who they are making us out to be. If I can change one (person’s) misconception — I’m happy.”

Born in Yemen, one of the poorest countries bordering the Arabian Peninsula, Alammari was raised following the teachings of Islam in a collectivist society. It is characterized by continuous prayer, the practice of fasting and the use of hijabs and niqabs by women.

“It’s about everyone, it’s not just about you,” she said.

“Coming from this culture and society has better equipped me with a path to help humanity.”

At a young age, her parents placed a strong emphasis on religion and education as well as the importance of individuality.

In 2002, when she was 4 years old, Alammari’s parents made the decision to move her, along with her sister and two older brothers, to the United States.

“My father wanted nothing but the best for us,” she said.

“He has been our strongest support system and wanted my siblings and I to worry only about our education.”

But adjusting to post 9/11 America came with its own set of obstacles as the clash of cultural differences took shape in a country at war with the Muslim community — a country Alammari now called home.

“I was put in this weird place where American society sees the way I dress and the religion I practice and thinks I’m weak or oppressed,” Alammari said. “It took time and it was a struggle to figure out the middle ground between the two different cultures.”

Graduating one year early in 2015 from Vista High School in Richmond, Alammari and her family planned to travel to Yemen, but the Yemeni civil war broke out.

With hopes of being reunited with extended family and old friends dashed, Alammari registered for fall classes at CCC to begin work toward a sociology degree.

“I love my culture and I love my people, don’t get me wrong, but I see a lack of help in the mental health field,” she said.

Biological science major Sina Alkrizy said, “Rayah’s (Alammari) integrity and self-motivating attitude really draws people toward her,” she said. “When I first met her I was inspired by how serious she was about her education and her passion for improving society as a whole.”

Having known Alammari for three years, Alkrizy said it’s Alammari’s faith that gives her the strength to express herself.

“When she chose to first wear the face veil my perception of her changed,” Alkrizy said. “She’s pushing to be herself and at the same time she is removing stereotypes associated with the niqab. That is admirable and shows she has a unique mindset for progress.”

Like the hijab, which is a head covering worn in public

by Muslim women, the niqab adds a face veil, exposing only the eyes. Alammari began wearing the niqab a few months before attending CCC. “I started wearing it because I wanted to, because I felt more confident with the way I looked,” she said. “I want the conversation to be productive and for people to look in my

“I was put in this weird place where American society sees the way I dress and the religion I practice and think I’m weak or oppressed.”

Rayah Alammari

BURQA — A garment worn by women in many Islamic traditions to cover themselves in public. Commonly worn in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it is popular among the more conservative factions of the Muslim community.

sociology major

eyes and understand what’s going on in my head.”

But with stigmas already attached to the Muslim lifestyle, the stares and comments that come with wearing a niqab only added insult to injury.

“When I’m out in public people ask me where my husband is and why he is making me dress like this. I’m told that I’m oppressed and that this is America.

“I know it’s their own ignorance and they will figure it out on their own,” Alammari said. “But I’m thankful when people come up and ask me questions. I want to be able to give them the real reason behind what I’m wearing and who I worship.”

Long time friend and CCC nursing major Sarabjot Kaur said Alammari is very passionate about helping students as an English and biology tutor.

“Rayah’s definition of perfection is giving all that she can, in everything that she is doing,” Kaur said. “She has very good time management skills and is able to help students and her family.” Although Alammari looks a little different from other students on campus, she is able to walk with an aura of confidence.

“Whenever she is faced with any racism or discrimination she is able to talk to them (the offender) about the issues and come out with a new friend,” Kaur said. “She doesn’t let the bad energy get her down. She’s able to face adversity and stay strong.”

For Alammari, CCC has been a safe haven filled with a diverse mix of faculty, staff and students who are able to see past the misconceptions that plague her community.

“I expected to wear the niqab and be stared at or teased, but people walk by as if it’s nothing and it feels good,” Alammari said. “It’s refreshing. I don’t know how I would feel about it at any other college.”

Since Donald Trump was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, his enhanced assault on the Muslim community has sent tremors of uncertainty across the CCC student body.

Alammari said the outcome had a ripple effect on her as well as other students on campus. “For me, it hurt my ability to walk confidently and not have fear,” she said.

“With the multiple travel bans affecting my country and the portrayal of Muslims in the media, it’s really hard.”

Alammari said this is only a bump in the road, but it’s an addition to an already turbulent ride.

“How do you stay strong when family members call you freaking out — what do you say?” she asked. “How do you stay strong for the people around you?”

For many Muslim students on campus, the light at the end of the tunnel has been the Muslim Student Association, a club regrouped by Alammari during last semester.

Providing reassurance and solace, the MSA has flourished with Alammari at the helm of the organization.

“There is such a strong Muslim presence on campus, I figured we could do something great,” Alammari said. “As a group, we work together to change the misconceptions of Islam.”

Unafraid to show weakness, and too strong to allow it to defeat her, Alammari has prompted awareness throughout many facets of student life.

Cultivating ideas like the Interfaith Meditation Room and holding events such a the fast-a-thon, her devotion to dispelling the negative notions of Islam have been brazen, but needed.

For many who admire Alammari, it is not her brazen feats that leave a lasting impression, but her leadership to begin a movement during a convoluted time.

NIQAB — An interpretation of the hijab worn only by a small number of Muslim women. The addition of a veil sets it apart from a hijab, because it exposes the eyes.

It is popular in Arab countries including Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

CHADOR — An outer garment that is wrapped around the head and is closed in the front.

It is popular among women in Iran. Black is normally worn in public, but a variety of colors can be worn at home or at a mosque.

Photo Illustration by Denis Perez / The Advocate