The Advocate 10-19

WEDNESDAY l 10.19.16 OUR 67TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.

“ When I heard about his passing I couldn’t believe it.

It was like cold water on my face.”

District board Trustee John Marquez weeps after sharing a story about fellow Trustee John T. Nejedly during the district Governing Board meeting in Martinez on Oct. 12.

— John Marquez, district board trustee CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

Board member’s unexpected death leaves ‘family’ devastated Collegues tearfully reminisce, honor Nejedly during Governing Board meeting

By Lorenzo Morotti associate editor

lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com

Nejedly He served the district for 22 years as a board trustee. Nejedly passed away in his New Orleans hotel room on Oct. 9. The cause of death is still unknown.

MARTINEZ — With tears welling in their eyes, the four remaining Governing Board members sped through action items, discussions and reports. Uncharacteristically, the monthly meeting here at the District Office on Oct. 12 only lasted one hour.

The weight pressing on everyone in the room resonated from an empty chair, and how the man who sat in it for 22 years influenced the history of the district and the lives of his colleagues, friends and family.

“He was just a good guy. He loved life. He loved this district,” Contra Costa Community College District Chancellor Helen Benjamin said. “And just since Monday (Oct. 10), when his death became public, what I realized is that we were his family.”

Administrators, professors, district officials and students fought through the sorrow that gripped their hearts to honor the

DEPARTMENT LACKING FULL-TIME INSTRUCTOR

memory of Governing Board Trustee John T. Nejedly with words of respect, love and admiration.

“It was his turn — that’s the way I have to reason it for myself,” Dr. Benjamin said.

Nejedly, 52, died in his hotel room at the Hilton-Riverside on Oct. 9 while attending the annual Association of Community Colleges Trustees Convention in New Orleans, district officials said.

Benjamin said district Communications and Relations Director Tim Leong, Nejedly and herself were attending the ACCT leadership convention.

New Orleans Coroner’s Office Spokesperson Jason Melancon said the cause of Nejedly’s death remains under investigation.

Leong said because the news of Nejedly’s death came just two days before the Governing Board meeting, district offi-

NEJEDLY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS Experience — As the longest tenured Governing Board trustee, Nejedly served the district and its communities for 22 years.

Bonds — Nejedly Influenced the passage of all three recent bond measures — the 2002 Measure A bond, the 2006 Measure A bond and the 2014 Measure E bond. These bonds brought $856 million to the district for infrastructure projects at its three campuses.

Relationships — As a person who enjoyed people, he brought empathy and charismatic levity to the board and District Office.

SEE NEJEDLY, PAGE 3

Sexual crime redefines mental health

Health and human services department Chairperson Aminta Mickles earned the Contra Costa County Office of Education’s Teacher of the Year award for 2016.

By Christian Urrutia web editor

currutia.theadvocate@gmail.com

The availability of classes is tantamount to a growing institution’s course selection because it not only keeps the curriculum updated, but also provides essential knowledge for interested students.

Computer science is not one such subject at Contra Costa College this semester.

The only computer science course offered in the 2016 fall schedule, COMP 260 — Intro to Programming, was canceled because no instructor could be assigned to teach the course.

Pamela Rudy, department chairperson of business, computer and related electronics, economics and real estate, said, “(We) still have a full-time faculty member (Thomas Murphy) on banked load since he started using (his load) two years ago.”

Murphy, a high performance computing, computer information systems SEE COMPUTER SCIENCE, PAGE 3

FACEBOOK: /accentadvocate

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

PAGE 10 & 1 1

EARTHQUAKE READINESS, GUIDELINES DISCUSSED

The Advocate presents a graphic display and several stories to educate readers about basic earthquake planning strategies.

PAGES 8, 9 & 16 INSTAGRAM: @cccadvocate

Professor elevates healing Educator wins Teacher of the Year award

By Marci Suela art director

msuela.theadvocate@gmail.com

A strong support system empowers individuals to overcome discouragement and thrive as they reach for their dreams. So when Contra Costa College health and human services department Chairperson TWITTER: @accentadvocate

Aminta Mickles attended graduate school, she worked hard to maintain a schedule that allowed her to pursue her career dreams.

Her passion for earning a master’s degree in clinical psychology continuously motivated Mickles despite balancing a fulltime job and taking care of her 2-year-old child.

“I was working a full-time job in Contra Costa County’s substance abuse division and I had a child with severe asthma,” Mickles said. “But, I was doing everything I possibly could because I loved doing it.”

YOUTUBE: /accentadvocate

During Mickles’ graduate studies at San Francisco State University, a professor discouraged her from obtaining that degree because she struggled attending group activities on campus outside of class. “(Those words) pierced my heart, but I talked to my mom and sisters about the situation and they encouraged me to go back and finish my master’s.

It was a learning opportunity because it pushed me more to finish and to never discourage SEE MICKLES, PAGE 3

SNAPCHAT: @cccadv0cate

2

Quotable “Committing journalism is ...so important that it’s constitutionally protected.

We need to think all the time about what we are doing with that privilege.

When we write without that moral perspective... we’re like the atheist in his coffin: all dressed up and no place to go.”

Jane Bryant Quinn, columnist, 1998 Roxana Amparo editor-in-chief Christian Urrutia web editor Marci Suela art director social media editor Lorenzo Morotti associate editor Benjamin Bassham Michael Santone news editor Robert Clinton opinion editor sports editor Xavier Johnson scene editor Reggie Santini spotlight editor Cody Casares photo editor Denis Perez assistant photo editor Tashi Wangchuk multimedia editor Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Advocate staff Sean Austin Jose Chavez Dylan Collier Salvador Godoy Naylea Hernandez Edwin Herrera Karla Juarez Perla Juarez Anthony Kinney Jaleel Perry Julian Robinson Michael Santone Jessica Suico Efrain Valdez Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Member Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges How to reach us Phone: 510.215.3852 Fax: 510.235.NEWS Email: accent.advocate@ gmail.com Editorial policy Columns and editorial cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.

opinion

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19, 2016 VOL. 104, NO. 7

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM

●

EDITORIAL REMEMBERING DEDICATION

R.I.P. JOHN NEJEDLY 1964 - 2016

John T. Nejedly’s death leaves void in hearts, district

T

he Contra Costa Community College District family has lost its most valued leader.

Governing Board Trustee John T. Nejedly, 52, died in his Hilton-Riverside room on Oct. 9 while attending a community college leadership convention in New Orleans.

Nejedly’s influence in securing districtwide construction bond measures, charismatic levity and genuine dedication to the district and the communities it serves will be impossible to replace.

He served on the board when the district secured each of its successful bond measures — Bond Measure A (2002), Bond Measure A (2006) and Bond Measure E (2014).

His dedication to the district helped secure about $856 million in funds to use for construction and renovation projects at its three colleges — Contra Costa, Los Medanos and Diablo Valley.

But his personal drive, and his humanity in the face of the bureaucratic monotony that thrives in environments like the District Office, is something that everyone could benefit from emulating.

The source of sorrow and grief at the Oct. 12 Governing Board meeting, just three days after his death, radiated from Nejedly’s empty chair at the board’s table.

That night many people spoke about his achievements in the district, but the most valuable stories came from those who talked about his ability to relate to the people around him like no one else could.

United Faculty President Donna Wapner was supposed to present her constituency report at the meeting. But, because of Nejedly’s death, she chose to remind people at the meeting that a title, or job, does not define a person.

“Not having (Nejedly) here makes me think of the relationships we build as way more than just constituency groups… and sometimes we forget about that,” Wapner said. “Our real purpose is to serve students and the communities they come from — and John knew that. We need to help people from the communities we serve get the education they need and deserve.”

Despite being the youngest board member at 52, Nejedly’s 22-year tenure gave him the most experience serving the district’s communities.

Relationships are what define our existence.

How we interact with the world is how we will be remembered. And in that regard, Nejedly is unique.

District Communications and Relations Director Tim Leong said Nejedly had an ability to empathize with people because he saw that connections between people matter.

Leong said Nejedly spoke his mind about issues that passed through the Governing Board in a way that made the content relatable.

He said that was the way he carried himself and interacted with the world around him.

“In a way that you know he is real — what you see is what you get (with him),” Leong said to those assembled at the Governing Board meeting.

At that meeting on Oct. 12, board Trustee John Marquez said he had a disagreement with Nejedly when he first joined the board in 2010.

But after years of working with him, Marquez said he found a friend.

“He would tell me, ‘You know you remind me of my dad’,” he said. “And since I knew his dad — Sen. John A. Nejedly way back when — I was honored by those comments.”

So when the district begins the inevitable search to replace Nejedly, it should look for someone who shares his ability to empathize with others and dedicate himself to bettering our communities and the experiences of our students.

And while it is impossible to replace Nejedly — we need a person who understands that without students none of the work done at the District Office matters.

MARCI SUELA / THE ADVOCATE

■ POLITICS

‘Antiquated beliefs’ fuel political campaign M ike Pence is the current governor of Indiana and Donald Trump’s Republican running mate in the 2016 presidential election. The possibility of Pence becoming vice president is one of the most overlooked catastrophes waiting to happen to the people of the United States.

Pence is a staunch social and fiscal conservative who puts his own personal faith and antiquated beliefs at the forefront of his political platform.

In an official capacity, the vice president’s only substantial power is breaking tie votes in the U.S. Senate. The vice president also becomes the president should the standing president die, be rendered unable to perform presidential duties, leave or be removed from office.

But the danger of a Pence vice presidency doesn’t come from his official duty.

The danger stems from his potential influence over Trump, a political neophyte who wishes to be president of the United States.

Trump has no experience as a public servant. He never served as a governor, senator, city councilman, or even in the military. Sure, Trump does have experience as a businessman working with the political system.

However, there is a big difference between working with the system and working in the system.

Trump lacks the political experience to achieve his goals on the beltway, nor does he understand intricate political systems like those with years of public service.

To compensate for his ignorance, Trump will need

justice who would overturn the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court ruling prohibiting states from disallowing marriage equality.

But he removed any doubt that he was antiLGBTQ with his voting record during his 12 years as a congressman. In 2004, to rely on experienced polit- he voted yes on a proposal ical advisers to give him for an amendment to the knowledge and influence Constitution that would him into making sound only allow hetero-monogadecisions. Pence, as his vice mous marriage in the U.S. president, Pence voted no on would be a The oppor- the Local Law Enforcement major voice Hate Crimes Prevention in Trump’s tunity for Act of 2009, which called ear and his for greater enforcement most notaPence to of hate crime laws in the ble adviser U.S. Pence also voted no to the pub- influence on the Employment Nonlic should Discrimination Act in 2007, Trump win Trump is a drafted to prohibit workthe presiplace discrimination includdency. disastrous ing on the basis of sexual The orientation. opportunity one.

Pence’s anti-LGBTQ for Pence voting record is reason to to influence believe he will influence Trump is a Trump to veto any bill that disastrous one. A group of comes to his desk that calls moderate Republican advis- for greater protections for ers could work with Trump LGBTQ citizens. to level out his political Trump himself has shown platform to one that’s more inconsistency in his stance supported by both parties. on LGBTQ rights. His runPence will drive Trump’s ning mate Pence, on the platform far more to the other hand, will consistently conservative side and alien- oppose their rights, whether ate moderate Republicans it is in regard to marriage or and Democrats. workplace equality.

Pence is fine when it Pence also wants to comes to issues involving take away federal funding budgets. He has done a good from Planned Parenthood job balancing Indiana’s bud- because it provides aborget and keeping the state’s tions. This is just another debt at a reasonable level. It’s example of Pence not caring his social policies that make about what’s good for the him a dangerous man.

American people.

Pence has been vocal in his anti-LGBTQ stance and Xavier Johnson is scene has said in a Trump preseditor of The Advocate. idency he would support Contact him at xjohnson.

Trump in nominating a theadvocate@gmail.com.

xavierjohnson

CAMPUS COMMENT How do you define sexual harassment?

“It is a lot of unwanted attention, grabbing, hugging, flirting. If it makes someone feel uncomfortable it’s harassment.”

“I don’t know because I don’t get harassed. But I feel it’s when people don’t respect personal boundaries or what the word ‘no’ means.”

“When someone does or says something sexual, like flirting or verbal remarks that makes someone else feel uncomfortable.”

“I feel it’s when you look at someone uncomfortably. But it really depends on the person and what they feel is harassment.”

Sasha Graham

Latifah Mills

Ariana Castaneda

Julian Akogu

social behavioral science

psychology

ROXANA AMPARO, ROBERT CLINTON AND JESSICA SUICO / THE ADVOCATE

biology

computer science

“It’s any unwanted or solicited attention that causes discomfort.”

Michael Murry fire science

“I believe it’s when someone stalks or gives someone unwanted attention or commits harassing actions toward someone.”

Amar Isa biology

campusbeat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

3

NEWSLINE NEJEDLY | Community meets to share sorrow, love Continued from Page 1

n TRANSFER

SPARKPOINT OFFERS TIPS ON FINANCES The opening of the SparkPoint Office on campus will be held in the Career and Transfer Center (SA-227) on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to noon SparkPoint provides information and coaching workshops on budgeting, saving, credit, debt and job searching.

Students will be able to discuss and learn about financial services for Contra Costa College students, faculty and staff over refreshments.

A care package drive for students in need will be held during the event.

Those wishing to donate can bring any travel-size toiletries and non-perishable snacks to donate.

To request a parking pass, contact Bill Bankhead at 510-215-6873 or at bbankhead@contracosta.edu.

n DREAMERS

AB 540 CONFERENCE TO PROVIDE HELP The 6th annual AB 540 Dreamers Conference will be held in the GE-225 and Fireside Hall on Saturday. The conference is held to support AB 540 undocumented students and parents.

The event will feature keynote speaker Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca, the founder of the Dreamers Roadmap scholarship.

The conference will hold a resource fair, a workshop on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and financial aid. Students interested in attending can register at http://www.contracosta.edu/ dreamers-conference/.

CRIMEWATCH Wednesday, Oct. 5: Police officers responded to a student feeling sick while in class.

The student was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

Wednesday, Oct. 5: Police Services assisted the San Pablo Police Department with an unwanted person call.

Saturday, Oct. 8: Police Services assisted the San Pablo Police Department in detaining a suspect who was fleeing.

Monday, Oct. 10: A staff member reported that several chairs and a China hutch were taken from the old culinary arts restaurant in the AA Building.

Monday, Oct. 10: Police officers responded to a room in the CTC Building regarding a student who was reportedly getting ready to have a baby.

— Efrain Valdez

CORRECTION On page 4 of the Oct. 5 issue of The Advocate in the story titled “National program promotes education, success” Puente Club President Esmeralda Madriz’s last name was misspelled.

In the same issue on page 5 in the story “Council budgets clubs’ agenda,” Ron Huntington was misidentified as Armed Forces and Service Support Group Club president. He is not the president but instead the master-at-arms.

The Advocate regrets these errors.

— 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.

cials postponed the public discussion about replacing the longest tenured board member.

A burning image As a band in downtown New Orleans finished playing its set at D.B.A, a bar and music venue on Frenchman Street on Oct. 6, Leong said he noticed Nejedly, who had accompanied him to the show, had left it early.

Leong scanned the venue and sent two or three text messages about five minutes apart. “(Nejedly) didn’t respond,” Leong said. “So I sat at the bar and began answering emails and answering (Benjamin’s) texts as to why we didn’t ask her to come (out to the show),” he said.

After waiting a moment, he said he slowly walked back to his hotel, the Doubletree, while enjoying the night breeze and the smoky smells rising off the food vendors’ grills.

As Leong got closer to the source of the aroma, he said he knew he had found his friend.

There was Nejedly, laughing with a pair of food vendors while sitting in a lawn chair next to a grill full of different kinds of sausage and corn on the cob.

“Well, (Nejedly) had made himself at home. And if that’s not strange enough (he) was talking to these people as if he has known them for years.”

He said Nejedly was waiting for an alligator sausage he ordered.

Leong said they tried to go out again the next day, but the musical performance they wanted to attend had been canceled.

That autumn night was the last time he and Nejedly were at a music concert together.

Benjamin’s last memory of Nejedly was at a panel that she hosted the next day at the convention. She said as she set up preparing her event, she looked up and saw him sitting in the audience, and grinning.

“He was just smiling like ‘I bet you didn’t think I was coming.’

But he was there. He was always

there. What I can say about him is that he supported me as an individual since he became a board member in 1994. Every job I’ve had (in the district), John has had something to do with me getting it.”

But just a few days later on Oct. 10, Benjamin had the duty of sending out a districtwide email informing the district of Nejedly’s death.

Leong said, “John (Nejedly) was really happy out there — he was having a great time. He was enjoying the experience of being in New Orleans.”

Working through tears At the board meeting on Oct. 12, people who knew Nejedly gathered to honor his memory, but also to try to get the district’s work done through their tears.

Governing Board President Vicki Gordon led the meeting next to Nejedly’s empty chair, adjacent to the flowers that decorated his place at the Governing Board table.

“In his memory we have to try to keep the faith,” Gordon said, “and keep this meeting as quickly paced as possible.”

But midway through the constituency leader reports, only 15 minutes into the meeting, the swelling feeling of grief that suffocated the room couldn’t be contained.

“I had things to say today but I don’t feel like saying them,” United Faculty President Donna Wapner said to the board as she worked out the gravity of the loss while standing at the podium.

“I’m sorry. Not having John here makes me think of the relationships we build as way more than just constituency groups, and (sometimes) we forget about that,” she said. “Our real purpose is to serve students and the communities they come from, and he knew that..”

After the business meeting concluded, Gordon invited attendees to share their memories of Nejedly. One-by-one, people around the room shared anecdotes and thoughts about Nejedly’s

strong, yet welcoming, character.

When it was Contra Costa College President Mojdeh Mehdizadeh’s turn to speak, a surge of emotion made her voice tremble. She said Nejedly had been the most stable figure on the board since she was hired at the district in 2001.

“What I really enjoyed about John is that he never took himself too seriously,” Mehdizadeh said. “He had an agenda, and his agenda was about our colleges and students. That was his sole focus.

He was extremely respectful and kind. And when he had questions that appeared to be controversial in nature, it always came from good place.”

Governing Board Trustee John Marquez, who is now the longest-serving board member with six years of experience, struggled to find the right words to describe a man he had come to admire.

“I appreciated John’s friendship and what he stood for on the board. He was no pushover.

If he had something to say, he would say it — whether you liked it or not,” Marquez said to those assembled as he wept. “When I heard about his passing I couldn’t believe it. It was like cold water on my face.”

On Oct. 10, in a phone interview just hours after hearing of Nejedly’s death, Gordon said figuring out how to replace him was the furthest thought from her mind.

“I’m still a little shaken up,” she said several hours after Benjamin sent the email blast. “But I have to admit, the process to replace him — I haven’t given that a second thought. I’d rather not talk about that.”

Not just a trustee Benjamin said since she made the official announcement, scores of friends, colleagues, and clients from both Nejedly’s law firm and his construction company have shared their grief of his passing.

Mehdizadeh said she is amazed at how many people have been affected by Nejedly’s death.

“He was someone who was

extremely well known. First and foremost, his passing has the greatest impact on his immediate family,” she said. “But the impact on the Contra Costa Community College District family is immeasurable.

“Because it was so sudden, and unexpected — there is a deep level of sadness.”

Nejedly, the son of former state Sen. John A. Nejedly, is one of three trustees to die since 2010.

The other two are Sheila Grilli in 2013 and Jesse Reyes in 2011.

He is survived by his wife Katie, their three daughters and their son.

Leong said memorial services for Nejedly will be held on Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. at Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Livermore.

He was a San Ramon resident.

Leong said his experience and community network is what makes his loss so devastating for the district. Nejedly’s influence was critical to the passage of all three recent bond measures — the 2002 Measure A bond, the 2006 Measure A bond and the 2014 Measure E bond.

Nejedly helped the district secure $856 million in funding to build and renovate facilities at the three district colleges — Diablo Valley in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos in Pittsburg and CCC. “He was the only person on the board who had a part in all three of the bond measures,” Leong said.

At the meeting on Oct. 12, Leong told those in attendance that Nejedly was one of the few people who would take the time to go to one of his gigs in the Bay Area, usually bringing his wife.

“I play music. And as a musician I play at a lot of nightclubs and events. And I know how grateful I feel when people come out to support me at my performance,” Leong said.

“They enjoyed the music. But I’m really grateful for that show of support that (Nejedly made) so well — and how he (did) it in so many different ways.”

COMPUTER SCIENCE | Fall semester class canceled Continued from Page 1 and computer sciences professor, elected to use his banked load at the end of the spring 2014 semester prior to his official retirement scheduled for spring 2017.

Banked load is a United Faculty contract provision for full-time faculty members to accrue overload contract hours when they teach above their required course load, in any given semester. They can use those accumulated hours at a later date if they choose.

Murphy is no longer on campus, but due to his accumulated banked load has been receiving his full-timer’s salary in absence since the beginning of the fall 2014 semester.

Since then adjunct professors have taught computer science classes in his place, but only one or two courses were made available each semester.

Rudy said, “You have to have a master’s or a Ph.D. in computer science or math in order to teach (it) and none of the other faculty within

the department has an FSA (Faculty Service Area) credential in computer science.”

Consequently, computer science majors like Marcella Navas are forced to commute to colleges, including Diablo Valley in Pleasant Hill, to complete their lower division computer science requirements.

Navas said, “It’s pretty inconvenient most of the time. But you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.

Rudy said, “It’s frustrating for us not to support computer science in the way that we would like to. Hopefully we can have the process to request a full-time faculty replacement approved.”

Dean of the Natural, Social and Applied Sciences Division Ghada Al-Masri said the process for such a request is an application submitted to district shared governance groups detailing the reasons a department would need to hire someone for a vacant position while they wait for the retirement of an employee.

DVC adjunct computer science professor

Leslie Asher has been contacted by Rudy to teach a class this spring.

Asher said, “At (CCC), during the 2017 spring semester on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, I will tentatively teach course COMP 251 — Fundamentals of Computer Science C++. This course introduces students to the field of computer science and focuses on computer programming.

“I plan to teach this course because (Rudy), has asked me to do so,” Asher said.

Murphy said, “I think the district’s policy toward banked load was problematic. I had to use all of it at once and then retire.”

He said a year before his departure he had a meeting with former CCC president Denise Noldon expressing concerns about exactly what has taken place. He was told not to worry.

“I wish I’d had the discussion with (current President) Mojdeh (Mehdizadeh). I think we would have had some productive scheming that would have had better results (for students) from the given constraints,” he said.

MICKLES | Health issues exposed, support offered Continued from Page 1 others,” she said. “I don’t care how much my students are struggling.

With my experience of how I was treated, I will never tell them they’re not good enough.”

She carried her experiences into her classroom when she started teaching at CCC in 2006.

Currently serving in her 10th year as the chairperson of the department, she challenges her students to work at the best of their abilities in their studies and their relationships with others.

Health and human services major Telshaia Hemry said, “Mickles always tells us, ‘Anything you give me, I will not accept it unless it is at a university level.’ She looks at each one of us as Harvard (University) students, preparing us for the real world and these situations when we enter the field.”

UCSF clinical social worker and CCC alumnus Kawal Ulanday said her motivating attitude and support positively impacts struggling students, turning them into successful clinical social workers, case managers and counselors.

“When I was in the community doing mental health work after I graduated, I often ran into my classmates working at agencies,”

Ulanday said. “When I went to trainings, they would also be there.

The thing we had in common was taking her classes. Some students were not sure if they could do this kind of work. But her motivating spirit promoted people’s confidence and reminded them they do have the ability to do this. Just who she is helped us to keep going.”

Mickles said, “We don’t know everything about a person, but everyone has crises. There’s so much negativity in the world. I don’t want to be a part of the problem. I want to be part of the solution.”

The respect and sweet demeanor she exhibits toward her students and colleagues has earned her the 2016 Contra Costa County Office of Education’s Community College Teacher of the Year award. Mickles received the honor at a lavish dinner in Concord on Sept. 22.

the support he received from others in the program and for having a platform to express his issues.

“They (students in health and human services) are people who want to become healers, but also were wounded themselves. They’re wounded healers who want to take part in healing the community,” Ulanday, who no longer has cancer, said. “It was a beautiful experience. People were coming to learn, but at the same time they were opening up and becoming vulnerable to each other.

“Because of the way professor Mickles holds the class and makes everyone feel safe to do that, the classroom turned into not just a learning environment — it was also a therapeutic environment.

She has a special skill to be able to create an environment where everyone becomes vulnerable and builds trust.”

Sincere treatment After working as a community organizer for nine years, Ulanday decided to change careers and returned to college in 2006 to work in a healing profession.

Soon afterward he learned he had Stage 4 throat cancer. He said he was grateful to be in Mickles’ classes during that time because of

Setting the example Mickles said since professionals “hear the good, the bad and the ugly,” she provides examples of how case managers should handle various encounters.

In order to effectively help others to achieve their own self-realizations, health and human services major Kimberly Wright said,

“(Mickles) is stern about certain things and gives me the correct answer when I’m not right. She holds me accountable, while having the nicest smile on her face.”

Aside from the material she teaches in her classes, students learn how to carry themselves in the profession by watching how Mickles acts, health and human services major Jamie Travis said.

“She never changes every time I see her and always has a smile on her face. Her goodness is infectious.”

Because she models how to work in the profession as a counselor, social worker or case manager, Lobos said it inspires and encourages students “to become the best practitioners.”

Mickles takes her students to serve food to the homeless at the Bay Area Rescue Mission in Richmond each semester to have direct contact with “the population we’re going to serve,” Mickles said.

“Last year I took my family to serve. We served lunch and chatted with (those eating lunch) there.

My nephew’s only 10 and he asked, ‘Are we going here again?’ This is making an impact on not only my students, but my family as well. We teach by example that everyone can lend a hand to somebody.”

4

campusbeat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

POLITICIAN TALKS EDUCATION

Politician visits

campus, answers questions

By Michael Santone

n “The idea is to get politi-

news editor

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

The Contra Costa College Democratic Society club hosted an informative evening of question and answer discussion with Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, congressman of California’s 11th District, who said he is always happy to come out to speak to students when asked.

The discussions, which brought up many issues including race, wages, environmental safety and ethnic and LGBTQ studies, were held on Oct. 12 in the General Education Building.

The evening commenced with an introduction by Democratic Society club President Andrea Webb who detailed a brief overview of the congressman’s 20 years in politics.

This includes the passage of 61 bills as state legislator, re-elected three times to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, mayor and councilman of Concord, as well as six years in the California State Senate.

Webb, who invited DeSaulnier, said “the idea is to get politicians into the local community so that they know who we are so they can represent us

cians into the local community so that they know who we are and they can represent us accurately.”

— Andrea Webb, Democratic Society club president

accurately.”

DeSaulnier received a warm welcome with applause from an auditorium of 27 students, who waited eagerly to ask their questions.

“It’s a weird time in our country, politically,” he said before going into a PowerPoint presentation which consisted of a more in-depth look of what he has done and is doing, the committees, law and amendments, and congressional district including a map of how the district is laid out.

He explained the workings of local government and grants, and concluded with the different outlets he is using to connect with the public, including a mobile office, district hours and an educational listening tour.

DeSaulnier was asked what he would

do to ensure ethnic and the LGBTQ studies classes in K-12 grade.

This seemed to be an underlying theme as this question was brought up multiple times.

DeSaulnier said that having two siblings who are gay and lesbian, he has witnessed the struggle they have gone through.

“If 23 percent of the population is gay or lesbian, we should have programs that reflect this community.”

Working in this district, DeSaulnier said, “I have seen the huge amounts of diversity we have here.

“Making sure we have a functioning ethnic studies program is important for people to understand the different aspects of culture and race,” he said.

Marisol Contreras, biology major, said she never had an opportunity to meet a public figure, and she jumped at the opportunity, asking five questions.

“I’m pushing for education,” she said.

Her questions brought up discussions on teachers’ wages, which DeSaulnier said contains a huge gap because of demographics.

“We have to pay teachers more,” he said, “and we do this through income grants, tax increases and tax credits.”

Contreras also asked about grants for programs, such as Metas, which is a free weekend tutoring and academic program offered on the CCC campus for pre-K-12th grade students.

“I hope he pays attention to everything that was said,” Contreras said.

Another question brought up race relations and the policing of the community.

“It’s a real challenge when those who are policing our communities are not made up of the diverse people living throughout these communities,” DeSaulnier said.

Other questions that were brought up during the discussion ranged from the rising housing costs, the environmental racism and job outsourcing brought on by Chevron, carbon taxes, and the closing of Doctors Medical Center in San Pablo.

DeSaulnier ended by encouraging the students to get involved.

He told those in attendance to set up open and honest discussions on campus, put pressure on public officials and local politicians, and create dialogue with staff about the problems that are affecting the community and the college.

Group raises money for trip Shares diverse cheese, champagne with community

By Dylan Collier

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

advocate staff

Dance major Wendy Huang (left) grabs some cheese during Chocolate and Champagne event hosted by the culinary arts department in the Aqua Terra Grill on Oct. 8. The event is used to fundraise for students going to Italy.

The culinary arts department hosted its sixth annual Chocolate and Champagne fundraiser in the new Aqua Terra Grill, from noon to 3 p.m. on Oct. 8, to help them raise money for their trip to Italy next June.

This gave students experience working in a restaurant environment and displayed their talent.

Culinary arts assistant professor Elisabeth Schwarz said this was one of two scholarship fundraisers — one during the fall and one in spring — they will have for the trip, with Rome as one of their destinations.

Culinary arts student Virginia Trowbridge said if she gets the opportunity to go to Italy she would be interested in learning about the rich history that Italy has for growing olives and the process by which they turn those olives into olive oil in the Italian countryside.

“I enjoy savory food, and learning about olives intrigues me just as much as baking,” Trowbridge said.

Culinary instructional assistant Angel Chau said that every year, the initial goal is to be able to take 10 students to Italy, and in order to make that happen they need to collectively raise between $6,000 to $7,000 per

n “I enjoy savory food, and

dcollier.theadvocate@gmail.com

learning about olives intrigues me just as much as baking.”

— Virginia Trowbridge, culinary arts student

student, totaling $60,000, which covers all transportation, food and tuition costs.

This allows the Bay Area natives a chance to attend Italian culinary schools and learn from Italian instructors on their 17-day educational tour.

The study abroad scholarship application requires that any student who goes on the trip must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 culinary units, have a valid passport by Feb. 29, 2017, have at least a 2.0 GPA and be a permanent resident of the United States, among other things.

“We narrow down which students get to go on the trip based on the points they earn through fundraising, leadership and participation,” Chau said.

This year the Chocolate and Champagne turnout was just over 100 guests, Chau said, and the culinary students dipped strawber-

ries in chocolate, adding to the aesthetics, presentation and decadence of their food.

Other sweet treats included at the venue were chocolate cream puffs, and mini chocolate cupcakes lightly sprinkled with slivered pistachios.

There were a few additions to the fundraiser this year including a chocolate fountain and students who demonstrated their ballroom dancing skills in the plaza, partaking in dances such as the waltz, the cha-cha, swing, bachata and merengue.

Former Contra Costa College culinary student Victor Nava, who now works at the Richmond Country Club as a culinary director, said it took him a half hour to prepare the sweet white chocolate fountain and put it on display next to the bar area.

Many students used this time to fine-tune their culinary craft by crisping up their culinary knowledge.

Culinary student Cinthya Hernandez said, “I learned how it takes a lot of people to run a restaurant and how much teamwork is involved. I gained experience busing tables and multitasking, and I realized what it takes to run your own catering company.”

All the champagne and some food items were donated to the program for the event, including the cheeses, strawberries, pineapple and other fruits that the students used to make everything fresh and in-house.

There was a multitude of delectable delights and food for the palate like chicken mole, morsels of pork to dip into a sweet and sour sauce and a table, designed by Erica Marks who already graduated from the culinary arts baking program, of salami, prosciutto and homemade breads.

Marks also made the breads and baguettes and carefully placed all the flowers on all of the tables.

“It took the students about one week to prepare for this event, and they learned how many products it takes to contribute to a fundraiser like this,” Marks said.

Joe Quario, a former recipient of the Italy scholarship and graduate from the culinary arts program, said becoming a chef at CCC was the best thing he ever did because it positively changed his life and got him on the “right track.” He climbed his way up the ladder and now works as a sous chef at Agrodolce Osteria in Berkeley.

AB 1995 to support homeless student hygiene, education Bill inspired by first-hand homeless experience

By Denis Perez assistant photo editor

dperez.theadvocate@gmail.com

Students who are homeless will have access to shower facilities on California community college campuses starting Jan. 1, 2017.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1995 into law on Sept. 21 which was authored by Assemblyman Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara). AB 1995 allows access for any homeless students who are enrolled in coursework, have paid their enrollment fees and are in good standing with the community college district.

Dean of Student Services Vicki Ferguson said AB 1995 is a great opportunity for the Contra Costa College campus to face homeless students’ problems. She said there are programs that aid homeless students but many still face problems.

“We (CCC) can’t ignore these stu-

n “The bill is still at the dis-

trict level of planning. Right now the three campuses have to work together to create a plan to implement the bill.”

— Vicki Ferguson, dean of students

dents,” Ferguson said. The college doesn’t know for sure who and how many students are homeless on campus since these students don’t identify naturally, nor is there a system to track them, she said.

Ferguson said the bill allows the district to decide its own regulations, like an age limit and minimum college unit requirement.

She said, “The bill is still at the district level of planning. Right now the three campuses (Los Medanos College, Diablo Valley College and CCC) have

to work together to create a plan to implement the bill. It will take a month to have a rough draft.”

After having a plan set, the next task would be to market the service and AB 1995 throughout the district.

Williams said he expects no difficulties implementing this bill because of the support California Community College system offers homeless students who attend their colleges.

Previously, homeless students in PE classes were allowed to use the showers.

“I am a strong believer in the importance of the community colleges and (AB 1995) opens the doors to more people who can benefit from our great educational system,” Williams said.

“I was approached by a member of the community who was a homeless student and felt there was a need to create this legislation. I was homeless while I attended community college in the 1990s,” he said.

Williams said, “It was always a difficult choice between attending classes without showering first or skipping class and putting my education at risk of failure. It is this first-hand experience that inspires this bill.”

Contra Costa Community College District Vice Chancellor for Community and Marketing Paul Feist said in the recent legislative cycle many relevant post-secondary bills passed.

Three separate bills, AB 801 — Success for Homeless Youth in Higher Education Act, AB 1747 — Food Assistance for Higher Education Students, and AB 1228 — Priority Housing for Homeless Youth, were all signed into law.

Williams said all people have obligations to help and uplift one another.

“My bill is part of that greater effort to expand educational opportunities for those who are least fortunate among us,” he said.

campus beat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

5

Chef teaches exotic spices

Celebrity chef uses authentic Chinese style during campus visit

By Anthony Kinney advocate staff

akinney.theadvocate@gmail.com

Award-winning chef and television host Joey Altman left a savory taste on the palates of those who attended his mouth-watering cooking demonstration for culinary arts students Oct. 10 in the Student and Administration Building.

The new state-of-the-art culinary arts demonstration classroom filled with tastebud teasing aromas as chef Altman prepared Chinese-inspired dishes. The meals ranged from sesame daikon salad and duck liver sausage to Sichuan fried chicken.

“It’s new and exciting,” culinary arts major Christopher Williams said. “To have such a successful chef take time out to come in and talk to us is an amazing opportunity.”

The well-seasoned chef and host of numerous TV shows started the demo by giving praise to CCC’s “impressive” student kitchen and described how his journey also started at a community college.

“Anything is possible — it just takes dedication,” Altman said. “You’ve got to have the passion to be a good chef. You’ve got to have the desire to always want to make your customers happy.”

Classically trained in France, Altman became an executive chef at 25 for the Bay Area restaurant Miss Pearl’s Jam House.

From there, the chef opened Wild Hare Restaurant in San Francisco while being featured on television cooking shows such as The Food Network’s “Appetite for Adventure” and “Tasting Napa.”

During his Contra Costa College demonstration, Altman awed his audience (and their noses) as he prepared steamed Jasmine rice with Chinese duck liver sausage, shiitake, and shoyu in a clay pot, an old Chinese cooking tool that is similar to the crock pot.

Culinary arts major Marianna Romero said she enjoyed the demonstration because

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Chef Joey Altman pours sesame seeds atop a daikon salad during his Chinese-style cooking demonstration in the culinary arts demonstration classroom on Oct. 10. Altman is an award-winning chef and television host.

Altman’s choice of Chinese food promoted a variety of flavors and introduced students to spices they may not have known about before.

“I’ve never had duck liver sausage before,” Romero said. “It was pretty exciting to taste something like that.”

Altman shared kitchen tips with the students as they eagerly anticipated tasting the savory-smelling meals he prepared on the culinary art department’s kitchen demonstration table.

He told the students that the key to a great tasting meal is balancing the salt and the acidic flavors of the dish.

“If your dish tastes like it’s missing some-

thing, it’s probably salt or acidic-like vinegar, wine or lemon,” Altman said.

He also talked about how most people “eat with their eyes first” and the importance of having a variety of colors in one’s dishes.

Rhonnie Schwartz, a first year culinary arts major, said the demonstration has inspired her to become more aware of the colors different vegetables and fruits provide to dishes, as well as the flavors they produce.

Shirley Sanders, also a culinary arts major, said the demonstration was different for her but still fantastic.

Sanders said, “I wasn’t expecting the Chinese cuisine, but it was delicious. And it wasn’t your basic Chinese food either. It had

flair to it.”

Sanders said she left the demonstration inspired to try these recipes in her own kitchen.

Sanders, however, wasn’t the only aspiring chef moved to incorporate these selections into her personal recipe book.

Williams said, “It was delicious. These are definitely new recipes I’m adding to my recipe book.”

Altman’s demonstration was just a tease for what he said can be expected from his current project as the culinary director for “ChinaLive,” the new upscale three-story Chinese restaurant that will open its doors in San Francisco in January 2017.

Lactation Room to open next semester Student Life Office to open a private nursery for nursing mothers

By Roxana Amparo editor-in-chief

ramparo.theadvocate@gmail.com

Nursing mothers attending Contra Costa College will soon have a space to “pump” their milk in the comfort of a personalized room in the Students and Administration Building.

“It is about creating a space for women to keep up their milk — to pump milk and keep the supply going,” Vice President Tammeil Gilkerson said.

Student Life Coordinator Joel Nickelson-Shanks said the Lactation Room will be available next semester, located in SA-124, available MondayFriday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and also available for drop-ins on Saturdays for students taking classes on those days.

Dean of Students Vicki Ferguson said this initiative falls under Title IX, which states that anyone in the U.S., regardless of sex, cannot be denied the benefits or be subjected to discrimina-

n “It’s all about accessibility

for the population of students and for us to be able to provide a place for them to express their milk.”

— Vicki Ferguson, dean of students

tion under any education program or activity receiving federal financial aid, which includes a community college.

“It’s all about accessibility for the population of students and for us to be able to provide a place for them to express their milk,” Ferguson said.

Through Title IX, students who are mothers also benefit because they have rights just as any other student, Ferguson said.

The decision to create a space for nursing mothers was made during an Operations Council meeting on Aug.

22 in SA-211.

Members of the committee brought the idea to Nickelson-Shanks to locate a room within the SA Building that could potentially be used as the Lactation Room.

Nickelson-Shanks said he will be supervising the room and scheduling nursing mothers time to use the room out of the Student Life Office for next semester.

“At the moment, people who use (the Lactation Room) are vendors. But we know that there are other students on campus,” Nickelson-Shanks said.

“We want everyone to feel comfortable and a mother to have a private place,” he said.

Gilkerson said the population of nursing mothers is small at the college, but there are mothers who will benefit from having a room.

She said the plan to bring a Lactation Room started last spring. The furniture

Ferguson

for the room will be donated and it will, of course, be free of charge for mothers to use.

“You want to be relaxed. You don’t want to be doing it in a public restroom,”

she said.

Gilkerson said they knew the Liberal Arts Building was going to be unavailable, but were able to find space in the SA Building, which was previously going to be used for storage.

Ferguson said Police Services will have to be contacted to let them into the room on Saturdays.

She said the room will be decorated and given a “nice environment” for the students who are nursing mothers.

There will be decorations to give it a calming mood

STORM SHUTS OFF POWER, FRIDAY CLASSES CANCELED East Bay hit with seasonal storm

By Lorenzo Morotti associate editor

lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com

Classes and events at Contra Costa College were canceled due to a campuswide power outage on Friday caused by a broken power line pole amid a storm in Richmond.

Because of the campus closure, the “Empty Bowls” event that was scheduled for that day has been rescheduled to Friday at 11:30 a.m. at the Aqua Terra Grill.

Vice President Tammeil Gilkerson said the undocumented student workshop training that was also set for last Friday in the Fireside Hall is postponed until further notice.

On Friday, college President Mojdeh Mehdizadeh said after speaking with PG&E representatives at about 8 a.m., it was determined that classes and buildings should be closed because the estimated time to restore power could not be determined.

“We learned that the reason for the outage was a power pole being struck and damaged in Richmond,” Mehdizadeh said. “A power pole

takes much longer to make operational than just a downed power line.”

Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said power was restored on campus at 11:45 a.m., but various events on campus had already been postponed.

King said the volleyball game against Solano Community College at 6 p.m. and the drama department’s “Achilles in Sparta” production at 7:30 p.m. would take place as usual.

Business Director Mariles Magalong said the campus needed to be closed because of safety concerns and because many professors are unable to teach without access to power.

Senior Dean of Instruction Donna Floyd spoke to professors on the second floor of the General Education Building before the campus was closed.

“I can imagine it is tough to teach or learn like this. It is pretty dark in here,” Floyd told them. “It is up to each teacher’s discretion to let the class out early. But it is a challenge to teach in this setting.”

Mehdizadeh said Police Services Lt. Tom Holt sent her a text at 6 a.m. about the power outage, and PG&E’s initial estimated time to restore power was at 8:30 a.m.

But that estimated time was

changed as the storm influenced power outages through the Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito and other parts of the Bay Area.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian said due to the high volume of outages throughout the East Bay, she was unable to provide detailed information about the power outage at CCC. She said throughout the Bay Area, 24,000 PG&E customers were without power that morning — 12,500 in the East Bay. “The East Bay area was hit the hardest by the storm so far today,” she said.

“We have got a lot of questions and our crews are working to restore power to various outages in that area.”

The students and professors who walked through the rain to sit in dark classrooms, or wait in dark hallways early Friday morning were finally told to leave the buildings by Police Services and college administrators at about 9 a.m.

Mehdizadeh said a notice about the campus closure for today was sent to students and faculty through an emergency text message system at about 9 a.m. as well.

But the initial emergency text sent at 7:48 a.m. was not received by some students.

LORENZO MOROTTI / THE ADVOCATE

Students walk away from the closed General Education Building during a campuswide power outage on Friday.

Dwight Wilson, a computer science major, said he did not receive the text, but he had to leave his house at 6:45 a.m. from Vallejo.

Wilson said when he got to campus he had no idea the power was out until he arrived at the GE Building for adjunct anthropology professor Lisa Scwappach-Shirrif ’s Friday lecture.

“It was not until I got on the road when I realized that classes should not be going on today,” Wilson said.

“Closing down the school is a smart thing to do because we can’t have class in the dark. But I would have liked to gotten a text because it is a safety risk for people who have to drive from far away.”

6

campusbeat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

“

It’s always good to bring Latin culture into the mix, and good to observe students from different cultures trying something new.” — Katherine Guevara, nutritional science major

FAULTY SIGNAGE MISLEADS CYCLISTS

By Jaleel Perry advocate staff

jperry.theadvocate@gmail.com

Misleading signs on campus are soon to change to better regulate wheel travel through campus.

The current signs are labeled, “Use of skateboards, inline skates and bicycles are prohibited.”

Building and Grounds Manager Bruce King said the wording of the signs does not accurately express the rules they want to enforce on campus but are the district’s standard signs.

The signs are located at the three entrances to campus and have been there since the end of the spring 2016 semester, King said.

He said the signs were created to prohibit “irresponsible” riders on campus.

However, the language on the signs has drawn complaints from many students, as well as staff, who feel the sign should exempt people who use their bikes responsibly.

“I think CCC needs to regulate riding bikes instead of prohibiting it,” Automotive Technician Jim Gardner said.

King and Gardner are both part of the Sustainability Committee and said they are dissatisfied with the signs’ wording. “(It) makes us seem hypocritical, but we’re just trying to make it safe for pedestrians. We even host a Bike to School Day to encourage people to ride their bikes to school. We just want people to ride responsibly,” King said.

Bike to School Day is an annual event on May 12 to encourage students and staff to ride their bikes to the college.

Police Services Lt. Tom Holt said the signs were initially put up because there were so many complaints about irresponsible bike riders, and hover boards being ridden in hallways.

“I was told that if we didn’t have signs, the courts wouldn’t enforce the ticket,s” Holt said.

However, complaints were made when the signs were placed on campus.

Business major Kennedy Magana said, “I don’t like that I can’t ride my bike on campus. What if I’m late and my class is all the way across campus? I think they should allow people to ride their bikes on campus.”

King said Police Services officers are working on changing the language on the signs to make the rules clear. Holt said he agrees bicycles are a great way for transportation.

The sign that is currently under works says, “Skateboarding, scooter, inline skating and hoverboarding are prohibited beyond this point. Riding bicycles is prohibited on all sidewalks and pedestrian walkways. Violators will be cited PER C.V.C 21113(f).”

Holt said that this is not 100 percent approved, but the wording is close to what people on campus are asking for.

English major Eric Martin said, “I don’t like having to walk my bike around campus to find a bike rack.

I’m glad there are new racks, but I would enjoy it if we had more freedom riding our bikes on campus.”

“I think it’s silly. Why would we make new bicycle racks if we can’t ride our bikes on campus?” Gardner asked.

He said sister college Diablo Valley regulates bike riding on campus and that is the way it should be here.

When the language on the signs is changed, Gardner said, the instructions will be cleared up for students to be able to follow their intent.

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Zumba instructor Oscar Ivan Solano (left) and chemistry professor Seti Sidharta (right) demonstrate dance moves during the Bachata on the Yard event in the Campus Center Plaza on Oct. 12.

Bachata on the Yard promotes Latin culture

By Dylan Collier

n “Latin people come from

advocate staff

dcollier.theadvocate@gmail.com

Students trickled into the center of campus to tap their feet to the sound of music during Bachata on the Yard to learn the dance that came all the way from the Dominican Republic.

Certified Zumba instructor Oscar Ivan Solano taught free bachata dance lessons on Oct. 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. between Aqua Terra and Fireside Hall, which gave Contra Costa College students a taste of some Latin style.

“Latin people come from many different places, so we wanted to bring culture.

We are being really active by bringing in various activities related to culture,” La Raza Student Union President Ricardo Sanchez said.

The purpose of the event was for students to be more active and develop an appreciation for dance during October, which is Hispanic Heritage Month, he said.

Student Life Coordinator Joel Nickelson-Shanks teamed up with Solano to plan it.

Solano said what makes bachata fun is that it contains music from different genres, so it provides an opportunity for people to dance at different speeds.

Solano said it’s a way to “court a partner,” and a way to find a significant other.

Anyone was welcome to join the dance group from 1 to 3 p.m. and students from La Raza tapped their toes to the sound of the music thumping through the speakers.

Bachata originated in the Dominican

many different places, so we wanted to bring culture.

We are being really active by bringing in various activities related to culture.”

— Ricardo Sanchez, La Raza Student Union president

Republic at the beginning of the 20th century, where it started out as a mix of bolero music with traditional African elements, and was a breath of fresh air for the people who lived on the island, according to mydanceproductions.com.

Solano then had the men pair up with the women and he played the first song for them to dance to — a simple-sounding beat that consisted of all original bachata drums.

The basics of bachata are simple and include a one, two, three step with a tap from the opposite foot.

Then after moving to the right, both partners move to the left for a five, six, seven, tap.

The man steps back with his right foot and moves to the left, with the woman stepping forward with her left and moving to her right. Later, Solano showed the students how to incorporate a spin in the routine.

Both partners raise hands and the woman cups her right hand like a pair of scissors over the man’s left index and middle fingers, while the man’s right hand is lightly touching her elbow.

The woman lightly loosens her grip and slides her hand around the man’s two fingers, and they meet facing each other.

Biomedical engineering major Karla Cortes said, “After a day full of stressful classes, you are able to come out here and let loose, and it’s good to break away from academics for a little bit.”

She said she grew up dancing her whole life and got experience at family parties dancing bachata, cumbia and salsa.

“You can learn from other people and pick it up right away,” she said.

Chemistry professor Seti Sidharta invited the students from her class and the Center for Science Excellence program to join the fun event and learn about Latin culture through bachata music and dance.

Nutritional science major Katherine Guevara said, “It’s always good to observe students from different cultures trying something new.”

She said she was raised in Spain but later moved to Colombia.

Guevara said in Colombia, the dance scene is more salsa-centered, so naturally, she danced more salsa, but in Spain she grew up with more Dominicans, so she danced more bachata.

Child development major Lizeth Ceja said, “He’s a good teacher, and I like him because he engages students in current music.”

She said that Solano has style that easily gets students enthusiastic and wanting to dance.

Transfer Day brings attention to strategies

By Karla Juarez advocate staff

kjuarez.theadvocate@gmail.com

Students received information about transfer from representatives from UCs, CSUs and private colleges during Transfer Day on Oct. 4 in the Campus Center Plaza.

Students interested in transferring had the chance to ask representatives questions about requirements, programs and other opportunities available at the university of their choice.

More than 30 college representatives had booths set up with information about their colleges to offer Contra Costa College students help with their transfer process and to draw interest to their individual colleges.

“I think it (Transfer Day) is important for students to see that there are a lot of different options and to find out about what kind of financial aid is offered (at the university of their choice),” ESL department Chairperson Elisabeth Xiezopolski said.

She said students should ask a lot of questions to find a college that is most fitting for them and “not (consider) just the colleges that everyone says, ‘That’s the famous university, so you have to go there.’

Because it may not be the right school for

(the student).”

“It’s really important to ask a lot of questions, do a lot of research and find the right match for (the student). And that’s why Transfer Day gives (students) all these different choices all in one day,” Xiezopolski said.

Business and sociology major Isabel Ramos said, “This is the first time I’ve participated in (Transfer Day) and I already went to two tables. It is been very helpful — especially Cal State-East Bay. They gave me a lot of information regarding my majors.

“Today I learned the requirements I need in order to double major,” Ramos said.

“I think Transfer Day is important because it gives us more resources and information about the requirements we need (to fulfill) in order to transfer.”

Nikia Moore, enrollment counselor from Holy Names University, said the requirements to be admitted to her college are a minimum 2.2 GPA and 22 transferable units completed.

“We have a lot of support programs, like tutoring and disability services. We also offer carrier services, so if students are looking to find internships, we have someone who can help them with that,” Moore said.

UC Davis Transfer Opportunity Program

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Engineering major Robert Garcia (right) speaks with Cal State-San Bernardino representative Adra Bowman (left) during the Transfer Day event in the Campus Center Plaza on Oct. 4.

Coordinator Renelle Green said Transfer Day is important for students because it gives them the opportunity to see the differences between schools and finding the one most fitting for them to attend.

Green said, “(UC Davis) has a lot of clubs that support underrepresented students.”

UC Merced representative Carolina Valero said applications to her college are open now, and students can submit them up until Nov. 1.

She said UC Merced supports all of its

students, and even has a center for AB 540 (qualifying nonresident students exempt from paying out-of-state tuition through Assembly Bill 540) students.

Valero said if students are interested in doing research or an internship, UC Merced is partnered up with UC Berkeley and UC Davis.

She said, “Transfer Day (at CCC) is important for community college students because they can meet the person that might review his/her application.”

campus beat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

7

Academy targets low success rates

Program helps AfricanAmerican students pass English classes

By Xavier Johnson scene editor

xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

The Per Ankh Academy continues its efforts to address the low success rate of African-American students in English classes while raising cultural awareness as the program enters its second transfer learning community for the 2016-17 academic year The academy is a learning community founded on the Contra Costa College campus last year by math professor and Per Ankh coordinator Sherry Sharufa, history department Chairperson Manu Ampim, history department co-chair Carolyn Hodge, and transfer counselor Andrea Phillips. The goal is to address the issue of African-American students who struggle to pass English 142B and English 1A, two classes that are necessary to transfer to a four-year college.

The program’s goal is to assist African-American students to complete English 142B during the fall semester and English 1A in the spring semester.

The program is funded by the Student

Equity Plan, which is administered through the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.

The equity plan pinpointed this problem and the best way to address it is a learning community, where students take several classes together, Sharufa said.

Students in Per Ankh get the benefit of having a peer group of students all taking the same classes so they get the chance to know and help each other.

Tutoring is also available.

Sharufa said she is already seeing bonding between members this semester. “I see students coming to tutoring together and getting together to study,” she said, illustrating the advantages of creating a learning community.

Nursing major and Per Ankh student Terrie Simms said having teachers that she can get to know is helpful.

Students in Per Ankh are expected to meet a high academic standard as a condition of their membership, Sharufa said. Students need to maintain a minimum GPA above 2.5 and submit regu-

n “I want students to not just get an A, but to understand the material. Students need to feel enthusiastic about learning.”

— Sherry Sharufa, math professor

lar progress reports to Hodge.

“I want students to not just get an A, but to understand the material. Students need to feel enthusiastic about learning.

They (need to) feel like they’re needed on campus,” Sharufa said.

Per Ankh translates to “house of life,” the name for ancient Egyptian schools or libraries where scribes would prepare their hieroglyphic texts.

In order for students to become members they must first complete English 142A or earn an equivalent score on the college English assessment test.

Students must also fill out an application, provide an academic reference

and attend a mandatory orientation.

Per Ankh Academy members are also expected to attend monthly get-togethers, called Indaba meetings, on the third Wednesday of each month.

Sharufa said she invites outside sources to help guide students.

Last month a person from the Disabled Students’ Program and Services spoke at the meeting.

Per Ankh also has the goal of making members more culturally and socially aware.

Sharufa said, “These talks help students learn something they may not otherwise learn. We learn a lot about slavery, but there’s so much more to African history students can know.”

Undecided major T’era Anthony said, “There aren’t many groups on campus that represent and talk about African-American history so I wanted to be a part of it.” Anthony said she struggles with her English class and Per Ankh is helping her pass it, with all the help she is getting from fellow members and faculty.

SETUP HINDERS CULINARY ARTS’ EFFICIENCY

By Michael Santone news editor

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

The culinary arts department has an updated home in the new Student and Administration Building, but the state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen design has been outfitted with basic installation mistakes that inhibit efficiency. But education still perseveres.

The classroom, which is also used for labs, holds 28 to 30 students and is equipped with an audio and video setup that includes three cameras focused on a full kitchen, six large screens to maximize viewing of the demonstration taking place at the front, as well as a headset and speaker system.

Culinary arts professor and department Chairperson Nader Sharkes said, “The idea is fantastic, but the execution is not good.”

There were discussions of Bluetooth wireless installation, but the remote is placed on the back wall and cannot be removed, he said.

To have to go back and forth to replay or rewind a demonstration is time consuming, he said.

“It’s one drawback,” Sharkes Sharkes said. The cameras used to bring the instructor to the back of the classroom are positioned in an awkward way, he said.

“One camera placement cuts off my head, the other is directed at nothing. These are elementary mistakes,” Sharkes said. Culinary arts student Linda Montano said when Sharkes is using the cameras they begin to malfunction and operate in the wrong direction.

“Chef gets frustrated because he can’t see what he is doing, and neither can we,” Montano said.

She said the small problems with the new building and equipment don’t affect her learning.

One of the other main design issues is the location of the control unit, Sharkes said. This unit, which contains the on and off switch, connections and master controls, is placed in an enclosed section of the counter next to the refrigerator.

He said, “The whole unit overheats and freezes because it’s too confined.”

Sharkes said he believes the confined space is the reason for the hardware overheating because of the lack of air. The overheating causes glitches that happen before and after lectures and cause the monitors to occasionally turn off, freeze and lose connection, he said.

Culinary arts student Kyle Delos-Santos said the new kitchen is better than the old one and there are always going to be problems with anything new.

“But,” she said, “the things that are supposed to help (us learn), aren’t helping.”

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Documentary shows positive outcome of mental treatment

By Reggie Santini spotlight editor

rsantini.theadvocate@gmail.com

The documentary “So You’re Going Crazy: Living With a Delusional Disorder” was shown in LLRC-107 on Oct. 4.

Health and human services department Chairperson Aminta Mickles, who presented the movie, said, “A conversation about (mental illness) needs to happen on campus.”

The film is directed by Hilary Dean, who also stars as the main speaker in the documentary, which features speakers who have suffered from various degrees of mental illnesses during their lives.

Dean provides a detailed description of the hallucinations, disturbing life situations and struggles brought on by her mental disability.

In the film Dean says, “I would see demon people who would tell me to kill myself.”

She said she was able to find help before her delusional disorder caused her or others any harm.

Despite the serious subject matter and the hardships those portrayed in the film go through, the speakers present their information in a lighthearted manner to break the taboo of speaking about mental illnesses.

In the documentary a man says, “I relate a lot to Luna Lovegood from the ‘Harry Potter’ series.

Even though everyone thought she was crazy, she actually did see things that others did not see.”

As the film reaches its conclusion, the speakers share their ways of dealing with their disabilities and how they get through their day.

In her final words, Dean says the speakers had to wait and go through hard situations but “everyone that is in my film is alive. They made it. It is difficult, but it is important for us to talk about these subjects.”

Following the movie, Mickles gave the 11 students attending the documentary screening the opportunity to have a short discussion.

“Did you know Contra Costa College has programs to help people deal with mental illness?”

Mickles asked the students.

“When you judge, you do not listen. When you do not listen, you do not help. We have to use these things (motioning to her ears) to help people.”

Nursing major Leamsi Amaya said, “With what I learned from this movie I feel I can help someone who has depression or at least be able to talk to them about it.”

Many of the other students agreed that the movie gives hope to those going through mental illnesses.

“I have seen a lot of documentaries about this type of stuff, but I really like this one because it shows that you can overcome it,” business major Jullisa Martin said.

ABOVE: Business major Julissa Martin watches the film “So You’re Going Crazy: Living With a Delusional Disorder” during the mental health workshop (event) in LLRC-107 on Oct. 4.

The film focused on the taboos of mental health in society.

speech lab to expand, add classes

Program

to host debates, speaker showcase for 2016 national election

By Efrain Valdez advocate staff

evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com

The speech department is planning big events and collaborations with other departments in the coming year.

Speech department Chairperson Sherry Diestler said things like expanding the speech lab and hosting more speech and debate competitions are on her schedule.

“We are expanding our speech lab.

Currently we have four tutors and we were hoping to get more classes that involved in using the lab,” Diestler said.

“Typically there are other departments that use the speech lab when their students have to do presentations.”

This school year the department is trying to focus on making students comfortable with public speaking.

“We want all of our students to feel confident in all speaking situations, it might be public speaking, interperson-

al or intercultural communication,” Diestler said.

Professor Joseph Carver said, “For this semester we are trying to work on Carver taking advantage of the election because that is right up our alley and we should really be focusing on that.”

“I have a couple of students in my argumentation class that are interested in seeing how we here at Contra Costa can take part in the national debate watch party, like many other colleges,” Carver said.

“Professor Diestler encourages us to do a lot of things, and if students are interested in doing something she always tells them to do it,” Carver said.

Diestler said students will compete in debates and competitions, like the speaker showcase on Nov. 9, from 6 to

n “The real life situations

that have been implemented into the classes have helped me with my transfer and in life.”

— De’Alaundria Gardner, CCC alumna

9 p.m. at the Knox Building.

“We’ve had this for a number of years now. The students showcase the skills they’ve developed and we showcase the basic principals that are taught, like persuasive and informative speaking,” Diestler said.

“I used to be shy, and in my first experience in a speech class I cried.”

CCC alumna De’Alaundria Gardner, who now attends Cal State-East Bay, said. “I first started off with (former) speech professor Connie Anderson, but I stuck around with professor Diestler

because she has been a mentor to me,” Gardner said.

“The speech department helped me better articulate myself and helped me elaborate in a better academic fashion.

Now I can perform as a poet.”

Diestler said, “We will host an intramural speech tournament on Dec. 1 at 3 p.m., and we are working on a course with the drama department called ‘Voice for the Professional Speaker’.”

“The (speech department) professors have made me feel more comfortable with a lot of encouragement,” Gardner said. “The real life situations that have been implemented into the classes have helped me with my transfer and in life.”

The extra effort by the professors and tutors in the speech department has really helped many students overcome their fear of speaking in public, Gardner said.

8

spot

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Hayward Fault poses threat, Campus, district to create safety culture, establish disaster plan

n “The campus is split into three zones

By Lorenzo Morotti associate editor

lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com

T

o prepare for a disaster scenario on campus, a petition of about 50 signatures from faculty members who want to be a part of a community based training program was approved at the Safety Committee meeting on Friday.

Automotive department instructional assistant Jim Gardner said he started the petition because the campus does not have enough people with Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) certifications, despite its location directly on the Hayward Fault.

The Hayward Fault has the highest probability of causing a 6.7 temblor, or greater, according the United States Geological Service’s Earthquake Outlook for the San Francisco Bay Area 2014-2043 Report.

“Even though the district is working on its own preparedness plan, we need to have a community of people on campus who know what do in an emergency, how to prevent injuries and save lives,” Gardner said. “And that is possible through CERT training.”

Contra Costa Community College District Risk Management Director Herb Lester said he is working with safety committees throughout the district, and re-establishing campus drills, like the Great Shakeout on Thursday, to increase awareness about emergency preparedness.

Lester said the petition to take the CERT certifications signed by faculty will be brought to the next Operations Council meeting on Monday for discussion.

He said while he supports the faculty in its plan to establish a CERT community. He said the program is more community-based and is not intended for campuses.

Lester said the district’s emergency plan will be ongoing, and working to improve policies and community involvement.

“That is the value of establishing a strong safety committee at each campus,” he said. “So people can have time to prepare for a catastrophic event like an earthquake near campus.”

Gardner said Diablo Valley College and Los Medanos College have active safety committee like Contra Costa College’s. But, he said, safety committees alone are not enough to meet CCC’s seismic issues based on its location on the Hayward Fault.

Police Services Lt. Tom Holt said each building on campus has its own rally point in specified parking lots.

“The signs are posted near the entrances of each building and let people know where they are supposed to go,” Lt. Holt said. “Once a month we do an evacuation drill in a certain building. In October we plan to have a drill in the Knox Center and the Gym Annex Building.”

represented by colors based on prior seismic studies. We can build in green zones, but yellow zones require seismic trenching and study to be turned into a green zone. We cannot change the status of a red zone. Those are no-build zones.”

— Ray Pyle, district facilities planner

And in the scenario that people have to rally on campus for a long period of time, Holt said the Gymnasium would be transformed into a community shelter with cots, food and emergency supplies.

“We could use the Gym as a shelter. If people want to remain on campus, we want to try to keep them comfortable with food and supplies.

Most of the staff knows who to talk with to access a supply closet.”

He said the custodial department is responsible for checking up on the five emergency supply closets that are scattered in different buildings on campus.

Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce Kings said the new buildings do not have supply closets, but are stocked with defibrillators and fire extinguishers.

King said seismic retrofits, the amount of planning and the pace of the most recent construction project reflects the need to prepare for a possible temblor along the Hayward Fault.

The campus is bisected by the main trace of the Hayward Fault in between the Student and Administration Building and the Gymnasium.

Contra Costa Community College District Facilities Planner Ray Pyle said because the campus lies within the Alquist-Priolo Zoning Act of 1974, most of CCC’s buildings have been torn down to build new facilities, or were seismically retrofitted.

Out of the 22 buildings on campus, 18 are located within two parallel lines 2,000 feet on either side of the active fault.

Pyle said this makes construction projects at CCC especially challenging, but are equally as necessary in terms of earthquake preparedness.

“The campus is split into three zones represented by colors based on prior seismic studies,” he said. “We can build in green zones, but yellow zones require seismic trenching to be turned into a green zone. We cannot change the status of a red zone. Those are no-build zones.”

College President Mojdeh Mehdizadeh said because of the Hayward Fault, projects can take nearly a decade to move from the vision to the completed building.

Mehdizadeh said one of the most efficient ways of preparing for an earthquake is to have buildings strong enough to withstand the possibility of violent shaking if the Hayward Fault shifts near campus.

Legend nMap shows the Hayward Fault bisecting campus, and the Alquist Priolo Zoning Act perimeter. nYellow zones are areas that have not been seismically surveyed. nGreen zones have been cleared for construction projects. nRed zones have potentially active faults.

Construction in these areas is prohibited.

Faults hinder construction options, alter project scope Hayward Fault’s seismic network extends throughout campus

By Robert Clinton sports editor

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

Earthquake fault lines indicate where seismic activity will occur, but to date there is no sure way to predict when or what size earthquake will erupt from the fractured mantle supporting the places we live, work and learn.

With the $73 million Campus Center Project structurally complete and fully functional, save for a few final cosmetic adjustments, the effort to further modernize Contra Costa College’s aging campus now has to shift from new construction to the rehabilitation of older buildings.

“There were multiple meetings between four different committees, but our options are remodel or refurbish at best,” Academic Senate President Beth Goehring said. “We were hoping to rework the Fitness Center and expand it to two levels, but maintaining the maximum structural stability of the building limits renovation options.”

The College Council unanimously approved a $95 million tentative construction plan last August to revitalize the Gym Annex, both locker rooms and build a new Police Services Center among other structures, using Measure E funds.

But District Facilities Planner Ray Pyle says trenching, a process used to determine the seismic safety of a given location, was inconclusive in some areas, which limited the construction options the district planner was left with.

“Whether or not an area is near a fault line, the first thing engineers figure out is if the area in question is buildable,” Pyle said. “At CCC, trenching is done at a depth of 15-20 feet to find pre-holocene dirt, which is soil that has been in place for 11,000 years or more.”

Some areas of campus are clear and some are within safe boundaries to build. The soil inspection places a build site into one of three zones. Green zones mean the trench is clear of fault activity; red areas show fault traces and are unsafe to build on.

Most of the lower portion of the CCC campus, which contains the GA Building, falls into the yellow zone. In those areas trench workers have not found fault activity in the soil, however, they have yet to dig deep enough to discover pre-holocene soil.

Trenching is still ongoing on campus; workers were digging, inspecting and back-filling open trenches in the Gymnasium parking lot for the better part of this semester.

After inspectors take their soil samples, a preliminary report summary takes about four to six weeks to create.

Seismic engineering has advanced since CCC moved from its temporary location at the Kaiser Shipyards to its current San Pablo location 60 years ago.

The new Campus Center buildings feature up-to-date construction methods that adhere

n “There were multiple meetings

between four different committees, but our options are remodel, or refurbish at best.”

— Beth Goehring, Academic Senate president

to California’s seismic code. Wider footings tied into high-density concrete piles anchor the foundation deep into the native soil.

“We plan to renovate the lower campus with some seismic strengthening,” Pyle said.

“However, we may not be able to reach current code due to cost.”

Unless a clear area to build is found through trenching, planning is limited to no more than 50 percent of the price of a new structure, without creating a new building footprint.

Construction of new facilities on the lower campus under current soil conditions could soar above $29 million, including the cost of architects and engineers and earthwork.

“I just learned how close we are to the Hayward Fault today,” biological science major Cindy Latu said. “It does make students feel nervous, but I guess that’s why they do those earthquake preparedness drills in the Library, to make us feel more comfortable.”

Comfort aside, the rigors of re-working an existing building to suit modern needs is tough, but it becomes especially difficult when funding depends on building conditions.

“We would rather blow this building (GA) up and start from scratch,” Goehring said.

TRACKIN MOVEME

Potentially active of the Hayward cut underneat Gymnasium, th Building, the Art and the Physical Building. Kleinfe compiled differen studies in its Ap report.

Active fault terrain, wat concerns of

By Benjamin Bassham news editor

bbassham.theadvocate@gmail.com

The Hayward Fault pins Contra Costa between two branches of its system, with th fault line running parallel to Rheem Creek meters out into the drop-off area.

Splitting off from the larger San Andre system, the Hayward Fault is a strike-slip faul the ground on either side of the fault line mov ways in a shearing motion, along the fault, rath thrusting over or under the opposite side.

Specifically it is a transform fault system th the boundary between the Pacific Oceanic pl the North American continental plate, CCC professor of geography Teresa Williams said.

Williams said, “Whenever you see a hill on or around it, those have been pushed up by the Williams said CCC is close to the expected e of the next earthquake on this fault, which is p to be as severe as magnitude 6.8.

The Association of Bay Area Governments P predicts the area around CCC will be subject to shaking, a nine on the Modified Mercalli I Scale.

That scale says shaking will be strong en overturn “heavy furniture.” Damage will be specially designed structures, like the newest b on campus, but could cause partial collapse nary buildings, like the Liberal Arts Building Williams said already has visible cracking fr 2014 Napa-Vallejo earthquake.

Williams said the campus is built on s deposited by Rheem Creek. The ground is m conglomerate, sand and clay, she said.

The campus has used the exceptional wat of the Rheem Creek watershed to provide w the landscaping and athletic fields, and Buildi

tlight

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

9

, need to prepare for crisis ART BUILDING

NG ENT

Seismic risk level : IV The building was constructed in 1971. This building has not been seismically retrofitted.

e traces d Fault th the he CTC Building Science elder Inc. nt seismic pril 2012

BOILER ROOM

Seismic risk level : IV The brick building was constructed in 1954. This building has not been seismically retrofitted.

GYMNASIUM

Seismic risk level : IV The building was constructed in 1956. This building has not been seismically retrofitted.

GYM ANNEX

Seismic risk level : IV The building was constructed in 1969. This building has not been seismically retrofitted.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LORENZO MOROTTI, MARCI SUELA AND CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

t transforms ter table raises f liquefaction

College he nearer k, a few

eas Fault lt, where ves sidether than

hat forms late, and adjunct

campus, e fault.” epicenter predicted

Program o violent Intensity

nough to slight in buildings of ordig, which rom the

sediment made of

ater table water for ings and

EARTHQUAKE OUTLOOK FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY REGION 2014-2043 LEFT: Using information from recent earth-

quakes, improved mapping of active faults, and a new model for estimating earthquake probabilities, the 2014 Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities updated the 30-year earthquake forecast for California.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) concluded that there is a 72 percent probability of at least one earthquake of magnitude 6.7 or greater striking somewhere in the San Francisco Bay region before 2043.

Earthquakes this large are capable of causing widespread damage; therefore, communities in the region should take simple steps to help reduce injuries, damage, and disruption, as well as to accelerate recovery from these earthquakes.

“Whenever you see a hill on campus, or around it, those have been pushed up by the fault.”

Teresa Williams,

adjunct geography professor

Grounds Manager Bruce King said CCC’s well “never missed a beat in five years of drought.”

The water table has required that pumps be used constantly during the seismic trenching, done to determine where buildings may be safely constructed around the fault.

Now, water and the loose soil that flows through campus increases the danger temblors pose. The soil holds on to water and during a temblor it undergoes liquefaction, and acts more like Jell-O than solid ground, Williams said.

While the ground is imitating a liquid there is a tendency for objects denser than the soil, like buildings, to sink.

The Natural Heritage Institute’s assessment of the area says, nearly everything that is not a stony hill, is an alluvial plain been gradually deposited, in part by Rheem Creek itself, over the last 10,000 years, since the San Francisco Bay was flooded with sea water.

This means that all the schools, hospitals, police departments and other services that were built on that big, flat, convenient alluvial plain are in danger from liquefaction, especially those nearest the fault, just like CCC. Williams said, “At the entrances of buildings, sometimes you see signs that tell you to be aware of carcinogens. All government buildings should have natural hazard signs (to warn of earthquake danger).”

Contra Costa College

There is a 72% probability of one or more M ≥ 6.7 earthquakes from 2014 to 2043 in the Bay Area SOURCE: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAP OF BAY AREA; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AUGUST 2016.

10

spotlight

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

ACTS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Harassment scars victims’ self worth LAWS INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN VICTIM RIGHTS

TITLE IX Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendment protects any person from sex-based discrimination, harassment or sexual violence, regardless of a person’s gender identity.

It forbids sexual discrimination in all student services and academic programs. This addresses discrimination against parenting and pregnant students, as well as women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.

The law also prohibits student-to-student harassment and same gender harassment.

If a college official is notified of any report of discrimination, harassment or violence that constitutes a “hostile” environment, the college administration must take corrective action and act to eliminate it and prevent its recurrence.

To file a violation of a Title IX complaint, contact Dean of Student Services and Title IX Coordinator Vicki Ferguson at 510-215-3961 or vferguson@contracosta.edu.

CAMPUS SAVE ACT As a part of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization, the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SAVE) Act was passed in 2013 to address campus sexual violence policies.

The act increases transparency on campus about incidents of sexual violence such as sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking.

Colleges must publish victims’ rights and college responsibilities, including information on how the college will protect the confidentiality of the victim while making available services for legal assistance and victim advocacy.

Even if a victim does not formally make a complaint, the college must publish information of victims’ rights to change academic, living or work situations.

Colleges must also publish the procedures for reporting sexual violence, information on how to preserve the evidence of a crime and the right to decline formally reporting to authorities.

Women on college campuses are at an elevated risk of being sexually harassed, but most of these crimes go unreported

By Roxana Amparo editor-in-chief

ramparo.theadvocate@gmail.com

Every 109 seconds a person experiences sexual assault. However, only six out of 1,000 rapists will end up in prison.

College women are more likely to be sexually assaulted than robbed and they often do not report sexual assault to law enforcement.

This is true despite statistics stating that women between the ages of 18-24 are at an elevated risk of experiencing sexual violence.

What is sexual harassment?

According to Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), an American anti-sexual assault organization, sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature in the workplace or learning environment.

Contra Costa College Dean of Students Services and Title IX Coordinator Vicki Ferguson said the district has a sexual harassment informational module called “Not Anymore,” created for new and returning students.

Contra Costa Community College District Associate Vice Chancellor of Educational Services Sally Montemayor Lenz said, “It is important as a community to provide these resources for students, although it is mandated to have these resources readily available. Sometimes students don’t understand how to recognize the signs of sexual violence.”

Examples of sexual harassment Liberal arts major Vanessa Diaz said she defines sexual harassment as verbal or the touching of inappropriate places or when someone approaches someone the wrong way and it gets uncomfortable.

“When I go out and a guy thinks it is OK to slap my butt at the club, that is sexual harassment,” Diaz said.

Middle College High School student Duane Jones said, “When you go overboard and you touch a (woman), that is the point of no return. It can scar her. It can affect her future and she might even begin to feel like a sex symbol.”

Diaz said, “I tell them not to (touch me), but I don’t want to be rude and cause them to get mad because that person might attack you.”

Diaz said as a woman she feels like she is not taken seriously and feels uncomfortable to let men know that she feels unsafe in a situation.

“They (men) usually laugh. I don’t think they take it as serious as it is.

They don’t take us seriously. Maybe they take it as if we want that kind of attention.”

Ferguson said “We want to make sure if we have someone on campus who is accused of sexual harassment that we have to investigate.”

As Title IX coordinator, Ferguson’s role is to ensure any student reporting sexual harassment is safe.

“I let them know that we will keep them informed of what is going on with perpetrator. It will be in writing.”

Under Title IX, an education amendment signed in 1972, discrimination based on gender is prohibited in all programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance, including colleges.

“Historically, when people thought about Title IX, they thought about women’s sports,” Ferguson said. “It’s a gender equality bill. It protects men, women and anyone with any sexual orientation or religious affiliations.”

Population on campus Director of Admissions and Records Catherine Frost said CCC’s enrollment is 59.1 percent women with a 3,791 total headcount, 39.77 percent men at 2,251, and 1.14 percent unreported gender at 73, Frost said.

“Gender should not play a role at all in sexual harassment. It should be a zero tolerance policy on all college campuses,” she said.

“They (men) usually laugh.

I don’t think they take it as serious as it is. They don’t take us seriously. Maybe they take it as if we want that kind of attention.”

Vanessa Diaz, liberal arts major

Political science professor Vanna Gonzales said, “Sexual harassment affects the learning environment in so many different ways. Fundamentally, I think it starts with the administration and how they communicate to faculty and students about what is tolerable and what is not.

“I think it affects the culture of an institution a lot because a lot of it is dictated by social norms that determine when people speak up and what they speak up about. And if there is prolific sexual harassment it gives the message that people who say something about it are trouble makers vs ‘we encourage people to say something because we don’t tolerate it here at this institution’,” she said.

Ferguson said Title IX is for any student or staff member who is susceptible to sexual harassment on campus.

Reporting the situation According to a report from National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college.

Lt. Tom Holt said since his arrival at CCC in the fall of 2015, about one or two report requests have been made regarding sexual harassment, but he cannot clarify whether one of the reports was officially classified as sexual harassment.

“For us, when someone comes in and they want to make a report, we ask, ‘was it sexual harassment? Was it a sex crime?’ Not that one is less than the other, but what does the victim want?”

Holt said some people may feel violated but don’t know that what happened to them is an actual crime.

If it’s hands-on, then it falls into the criminal area, but in order to investigate, the victim must want to proceed with the investigation, Holt said.

“I’ve done a lot of sex crimes (outside of CCC) in my career. And it’s always up to what the victim wants to do, and we try to make them feel as whole and make them feel as safe and comfortable as possible.

“I can never say ‘I understand,’ because I don’t. I have never experienced sexual harassment, and to tell someone that you understand sometimes minimizes their situation.”

Holt said under California Penal Code section 293, any law enforcement employee who receives a report from a victim of a sex offense must inform the victim that their name will become part of public record unless the victim requests to keep it confidential.

Holt said, “We are a police department and a victim (of a sex offense) has the right to anonymity. Their information can remain solely with us. We don’t have to tell the rest of the school.”

Gonzales said, “(Reporting sexual harassment) is intimidating, so I am always trying to say, ‘You have to create the public record. You have to make the complaint.’ And that is a sacrifice that we have to make.

“When they look at the file and see that this guy has 20 complaints against him, a victim may feel it might not benefit them to file a report, but that track record benefits the institutional bias that is created.”

Holt said it is typically women who may feel violated, but not feel it was sexual harassment or may not want to come off as a “tattletale” or may not know who to contact.

“First of all try being assertive, but know that many people have the luxury of being able to be more assertive because of the position of

power or relative power they possess.

And the other thing is that there are negative consequences of someone who is super sensitive to any particular thing.

“So I am thinking whether it is class-based bias, racial-bias or gender-based bias that causes them to not be taken seriously because they are the one taking this action,” Gonzales said.

The effects Gonzales said, “I think a lot of women in political science are more, what’s the word that doesn’t have a negative connotation? Because it is often categorized as aggressive — or assertive.

“To be in this field you have to be really assertive.

“I am a really outspoken person, which is probably why I chose this career pathway.”

Gonzales said, “My mom and my aunt really care about what people think. It’s a chilling factor when the norm is that you don’t do this and that is not acceptable for someone like you, who is a woman, or maybe someone who doesn’t have a pro- Ferguson fessional position.

Or if you are a stu- Dean of dent.” students C o l l e g e services President Mojdeh is Contra Mehdizadeh said, Costa “It’s important to College’s let them (students) Title IX know that they are coordinator. appreciated and respected. We need to create a safe environment for students.”

Middle College High School student Jessica Fernandez said, “Sexual harassment can happen anywhere, which is why you have to stay in groups, with people you trust.”

Fernandez said sexual harassment does not have to be verbal or physical, it can be getting close to someone and invading their personal space.”

Diaz said, “When a guy sends a girl a message through social media constantly saying things like ‘hey wanna go out?’ “You look good.’ It’s annoying and you want them to stop.

It is a form of harassment.”

Middle College High School student Kamarrie Green said, “I think the line of sexual harassment is crossed when it involves touching someone without their permission.”

Green said he felt he was a victim of sexual harassment but everyone thought it was funny when he spoke about it.

“I had a friend who was gay, and I was really homophobic at the time, but my best friend helped convince me to change my views.

“There were multiple times where he would reach over, while we were with our group of friends, and he would reach over to touch my butt.

I would tell him to stop, but he kept doing it.”

Green said he was contacted via the social media app KIK app after the occurrence.

“He asked me why I was ignoring him and what had he done to deserve it. I told him and he tried to deny it.

He denied everything.”

Green said that guy is no longer part of his friends’ group.

Middle College High School student Nia Alexander said, “I remember getting off the bus on Macdonald Avenue one day. A man whistled at me and asked me if I wanted to go on a date with him. When I told him no and that I was 17 years old, he told me it was OK, that he didn’t mind.”

Alexander said it all starts with what society teaches us about how things should be.

“I don’t think it is stopping anytime soon,” she said.

Mehdizadeh said, “Sadly, I think it sure is what has been designed as a SEE PAGE 11

spotlight

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

11

SEXUAL ASSAULT TOWARD WOMEN

SEX CRIME EFFECTS, SOLUTIONS

1 in every 4 women

is sexually assaulted in college.

n

SOURCE: ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES

28%

of victims report an incident of sexual assault to an organization or agency.

Unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Harassment can include making remarks about a person’s sex. It is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

n

Attempted rape is sexual assault. Forcing the victim to perform oral sex or penetrating the perpetrator’s body.

n

Unexplained headaches Panic

Guilt

Sleep disorders

Fear

Feeling filthy

Sexual assault

A crime of power and control.

Sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim including penetration of the victim’s body, also known as rape.

SOURCE: ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES

Overly defensive behavior

Sexual harassment

Rape

Sexual penetration without consent is rape. It is a form of sexual assault, but not all sexual assault is rape.

Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by another person’s sex organ without the consent of the victim is rape.

n

Partner sexual violence

A perpetrator can have a relationship with the victim.

The majority of women who have been physically assaulted by an intimate partner have been sexually assaulted by that same partner.

Humiliation Decreased ability for intimacy

Lack of confidence

n

TRAUMATIC REPERCUSSIONS

Victims of sexual assault suffer a series of psychological, emotional, mental effects.

Understanding consent

An agreement between participants to engage in sexual activity.

Consent is about communication. Laws on consent vary depending on the state and situation, but consent is easy to understand.

SOURCE: ANDREOZZI & ASSOCIATES, P.C.

Continued from Page 10 part of the culture that has developed and it needs to change. There are individuals who think catcalling is a form of flattery.”

Although Mehdizadeh said she has not experienced sexual harassment on the CCC campus, she said she has heard “foul” language used toward other students.

Environmental science major Kate Campos said, “I usually just ignore them. I do notice, but I don’t like to give men eye contact.

“The other day when I was getting off of BART a man was staring at me. I was wearing a dress and I felt uncomfortable with him staring at me.

“I was debating on whether I should have worn a dress because it can make women feel uncomfortable.

It also makes me wonder, ‘Why can’t I wear a dress and show my legs?’ The unwanted attention usually comes from older men.”

Ferguson said, as administrators, they are responsible for students even if sexual harassment happens outside of the campus.

“My role is to support you, so that nothing is hindering your education.

You have the right to your education.

Accommodations have to be provided for the victims,” Ferguson said.

Gonzales said the approach to combat sexual harassment on a cam-

“I can never said ‘I understand,’ because I don’t. I have never experienced sexual harassment, and to tell someone that you understand minimizes their situation.”

Lt. Tom Holt, Police Services

pus is “relevant.”

“There has to be this sense that the administration is not singling out men or particular men. This is what defines an institution’s culture. We want to enforce that, and make sure we do that with everything we do.

We try to appoint balanced boards We try to make sure in hiring evaluations. We have a balance of men and women. That is the policy we have.”

Gonzales said, “In community colleges, the student population is mostly women — not just in California, but at community college in general.

There are more women graduating from four year colleges as well.

“I think sometimes women themselves are hesitant to come forward because of the fear of negative things happening to them — victim shaming. Look at what is happening all over the political environment,”

Gonzales said.

Solutions Gonzales said, “I am always counseling people on how to be assertive, because some people will assume you don’t care if you don’t say anything.

Some people believe if you don’t make noise then you don’t care enough to do something about it.

“And then it gets thrown back in a woman’s face. ‘If they cared they would have launched a complaint. If they cared or if it was bad enough, they would have taken me to court.

They didn’t, so see, I didn’t do anything that bad because there is no formal record of anything.’”

Diaz said in order to put a stop to sexual harassment, women should speak up and not allow it to happen.

Holt said his plan is to have more police aides watching the space in front of the Bookstore, and a camera has already been installed there.

“We’ve already had a fight in that area,” he said.

Holt said the plan is to put signs near the area where the surveillance camera is stating that harassment of any type will not be tolerated on campus.

Ferguson said Title IX posters will be put in classrooms in Spanish and English, with instructions of how to report harassment and what defines sexual harassment is in the 2016-17 catalog.

n

Sexual violence effects

A psychological, emotional and physical effect on a survivor leading to depression, flashbacks and post-traumatic stress disorders, which are not always easy to deal with, but with the right help and support, can he managed.

n

AVAILABLE SERVICES

Victims of sexual assault can and should seek help of a trained professional.

The National Sexual Assault Hotline’s number is 800-656-HOPE (4673). The hotline is operated by the Rape, Assault and Incest National Network (RAINN). RAINN also offers an online chat service at www.online.rainn.org.

Community Violence Solutions is a local rape crisis center located on 2101 Van Ness Street in San Pablo, Calif. Its contact number is 510-2370113.

It offers programs for victims of sexual assault and families, providing a sexual assault response team, children’s interview center, prevention services and anti-human trafficking services.

SOURCE: RAPE, ASSAULT AND INCEST NATIONAL NETWORK INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC AND PAGE DESIGN BY MARCI SUELA / THE ADVOCATE

12

scene

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Film clears fog of ignorance Historical facts expose system of oppression

By Denis Perez assistant photo editor

dperez.theadvocate@gmail.com

D

irector Ava DuVernay plunges viewers into the historical oppression of African-American communities by the American justice system in her documentary “13th,” currently streaming on Netflix.

The film gets its name after the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution that granted freedom to all Americans, including slaves. It highlights the clause that takes away that same freedom once a free citizen has been convicted of a crime.

The documentary, comprised of interviews with scholars, polSPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE iticians and activists intertwined In a photograph from the film “13th,” a protester holds up a sign stating, “Am I Next?” referring to the possibility of his death at the with footage of riots, police hands of police. “13th,” directed by Ava DuVernay, explores the historical oppression of black communities and the mass incarceration shootings and speeches, engages of African-Americans starting from the end of slavery in 1863 to the present day police brutality epidemic. audiences of all walks of life to stop and think about American izenship bled into popular culture, (1969-73), the same influences of the public to associate marijuana when tying history to modern political views through the perbolstered by popular films like the Ku Klux Klan that branded with hippies and blacks with hero- day police brutality. When most spective of African-American “Birth of a Nation” which fortified African-Americans as criminals in and criminalizing both heavily, people are trying to move on from communities. the perspective that racist white made it possible for Jim Crow laws we could disrupt those commuAmerica’s sins, this film states that The film pours so much rich and segregation to be acceptable nities.” the true problem is the lack of seriinformation into the one hour and Americans had of black people.

The film continues, covering despite lynching death statistics Deeper into the film, it explores ous dialogue on the subject.

40 minute run time that you might the rise of the Ku Klux Klan’s decreasing. the administration of President Bill DuVernay doesn’t clearly state a just want to sit, watch attentively influence in American culture.

Furthermore, a perceived white Clinton. From 1990 to 2000 under solution to this problem, but gives and even take notes to get the full It defined new era of terrorism moral high ground allowed Nixon Clinton, the prison population a warning to the viewers that racexperience. toward black people in the form to get away with racism in his poli- in America rose from 1.2 to 2.5 ism will always reinvent itself. And Early in the film, DuVernay of lynching, mob killings and cies by lying to the public. million. although America is moving into explores the aftermath of the extreme racism.

This strategy made it possiThe prison system at the time an era where mass incarceration Civil War in the Southern states.

The conditions forced blacks to ble to arrest leaders of the Black of Clinton was heavily lobbied for rates must go down, the converLeft with its economy destroyed, find refuge throughout the U.S. in Panthers and black power moveand legislation was introduced to sation must be as realistic as the the South rebuilt its economy by what is known as the great migra- ments. benefit the profits of corporations scores of African-Americans who exploiting the 13th Amendment’s The approach was successful rather than the country. face death at the hands of racism. backdoor clause allowing free peo- tion from the South.

DuVernay’s film transitions enough to shut down anti-war and This happened mostly at the At the end of this film the ple to return to slavery after the smoothly from era-to-era, explorgay liberation movements. expense of black lives. viewer is left thinking about what commission of a crime. ing in it the last era’s influence and One part when anger strikes The film shows, throughout the the meaning of #blacklivesmatThe South imprisoned masses the re-occurring theme of black viewers in the film is when Nixon’s history in America and continuing ter is. And until black lives truly of African-Americans on petty criminalization under the guise of adviser John Ehrlichman is heard until today, that African-American matter, none of us will be able charges labeled the (Black Laws) maintaining public safety. explaining Nixon’s strategy for get- lives are seen as disposable. to truly experience living as free to maintain a labor force without For example, during President ting rid of protesters of the time.

One of the greatest parts of Americans. requiring compensation.

Ehrlichman said, “…by getting “13th” is the relevance it holds This notion of second-class cit- Richard Nixon’s term in office

Play depicts life beneath authoritarian dictatorship Social, political issues examined through satire

By Dylan Collier advocate staff

dcollier.theadvocate@gmail.com

T

he award-winning cast of characters put on an elaborate and political performance about what could happen if fascism erupted in America in the play “It Can’t Happen Here,” at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

The cast even features Bay Area homegrown talent with affiliations to Contra Costa College.

The protagonist, Doremus Jessup, is a liberal middle-class newspaper editor from Vermont.

He writes for the Daily Informer.

Jessup is caught between all the political pandemonium and family life and he witnesses how this changes the future infrastructure of every day people in his small town.

Jessup watches society unravel in the midst of the authoritarian dictatorship under President Buzz Windrip.

Fascism, which is a far rightwing authoritarian type of government, was prominent in Italy, Spain and Germany during the 1930s and functioned based on three primary beliefs that we see throughout the play: intolerance of political disagreement, violence as a necessary element in society, and strong enthusiasm for the motherland.

We see the social landscape change when President Windrip gets elected because he has already put together a private security police force called the Minute Men, who later turn into a federal army.

They are made up of WASPS paid by Windrip’s regime to take care of all political dissent. The play is based on a novel of the same name by Sinclair Lewis, set in 1935, just six years after the beginning of the Great Depression, and poor white folks were the majority.

One of the characters, Shad Ledue, is through with being a laborer for Jessup and sees the $5,000 offered by Windrip’s filthy

regime as an opportunity to revolt and get power over his life and Jessup’s.

Greed and power are the catalysts that drive Ledue’s character in the second half of the play, turning him into a villain when he works as a Minute Man. Windrip makes a promise that all citizens who join the Minute Men will get $5,000, but we never find out if he follows through.

Throughout the play, we see the government enact martial law where military personnel have the authority to make and enforce civil and criminal laws, therefore suspending specific civil liberties, like the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.

The play sheds light on what this may have been like for Jews living in Nazi Germany during 1935 with Hitler’s overarching power and use of the Nuremberg Laws, which deprived Jews of their rights as German citizens.

The two freedoms taken away from average citizens that the play drew parallels between the Jews and the middle class Americans, were the government imposing their unjust force of searching and seizing property in one’s house and the tensions around Jessup’s daughter dating Shad, because he was a Minute Man working for the government.

In the play Jessup takes a bold stand by writing an in-depth article about how much he disagrees with Windrip’s administration, outright denying Windrip as president of the United States.

The government convicts Jessup of seditious libel and puts him in prison. Later, we learn that the only reason they let him out is because he’s forced to write pro-Windrip editorials. This is when Jessup quits and starts to write for what they call “The Underground.”

We notice similarities in the play when Jessup doesn’t approve

SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE

President Buzz Windrip, played by David Kelly, gives his acceptance speech during a scene in “It Can’t Happen Here” at the Berkeley Rep.

of his daughter Sissy spending time with Shad because he represents the force that put him in jail.

There’s irony in the title alone, because although people think that having an authoritarian dictator “could never happen here in America,” current presidential candidate Donald Trump is an example of the reminder to all Americans that it surely “can happen here.”

Both in the play and in our current presidential election, we find examples of applying a populist tactic to set everybody against a scapegoat, using anger and fear to get their messages across and rallying the forces behind them.

The play reiterates this motto of “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” which is a similar philosophy that Trump demonstrates.

Trump gives the impression that Muslims and Mexican immigrants aren’t welcome in the U.S. Before he gets elected, Windrip says, “I will create a safe haven for everyone in the United States,” which turned out to be untrue in the play. This sounds startlingly similar to when Trump says he will, “make America great again.”

When he says this it could have the opposite effect. Isn’t it true that when you force someone out of where they live it will only infuriate

them? It’s almost chilling to the bone, because you “It Can’t Happen Here” realize the events ★★★★★ in the play foreVenue: Berkeley shadow the real-life Repertory Theatre Trump campaign Directed by: Lisa Peterson “exactly” eight Runs through: decades later.

Nov. 6 In a sense, Trump’s carefully planned business spiel and reactionary delusion parallels the tactics used by Senator Berzelius Buzz Windrip, aims at the uneducated populace to gain votes.

Also interwoven into the fibers of the fine-print of the play, is this concept that influential members of society are worried that “radicals” are going to take advantage of the general population’s living conditions and stage a revolution.

One of many meaningful lines in the play is when President Windrip says, “Capitalism, Trump’s democracy,” and the audience thinks, “Yeah right, like there’s ‘no pun intended’ there.” The fact is, the very definition of Capitalism – which is an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations.

PLAY REVIEW

sports

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

“

13

I want to get out and make sure I provide for my family.

I feel that if I don’t live up to the expectations that (my grandfather) had for me, then all of this work has been a waste.”

— Rodney Washington, Comet strong safety LEFT: Comet strong safety Rodney Washington was named to the American Pacific 7 AllConference defensive first team in 2015.

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Re-defining objectives after heartbreak, loss

By Robert Clinton sports editor

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

Some people don’t get to choose their destiny; it is a decision that is made for them by a coach or parent. But the thing about destiny is, when it’s the right path you can feel it.

Comet strong safety Rodney Washington was born to play football. His 6-foot-2-inch height and 205-pound frame is tailor made for separating unsuspecting receivers from the ball.

“When I was a kid I was a basketball fanatic,” Washington said.

“My dad made me play football when I was 6 years old. We are kind of like a football family, but after I started playing it I started to love it.”

Washington was born in June 1997, to Regina and Rodney Sr. in Oakland California, but honed his skills while playing youth football for the Richmond Steelers.

“I’ve known Rodney for 10

years, since we played for the Steelers, and he’s still the same, just a little shorter back then. But he was always a playmaker,” Comet receiver Tyrone Morgan said.

Younger than his two siblings, Reyna and Ryan, Washington graduated from El Cerrito High School in 2015, but not before transferring several times to find the right place to thrive.

“I started high school at Hercules (High), but left because their football program was all but nonexistent,” Washington said.

“From there I transferred to Bishop O’Dowd in Oakland. That school made me a better person and helped me to grow.”

The independence afforded to Washington in his sophomore year at O’Dowd taught him the importance of maximizing study time and the importance of staying on top of his schoolwork.

“Going to school there was definitely a college prep experience,” Washington said.

As the Washington family sought the perfect situation for its youngest son, Washington the player was making a name for himself before finally landing at El Cerrito High School in 2014.

“Rodney was one of the top players in the area despite not playing in his junior year because of transfer restrictions,” Contra Costa College coach Alonzo Carter said.

“He played in some all-star games but I really got a good look at him when I worked the Cal football camp in 2014.”

At the Cal camp, Washington played both offense and defense.

“I thought the kid was talented and could play anywhere on the field,” Carter said. Washington garnered attention from Cal, and other Pac 12 and Big 12 colleges.

Before long, those opportunities first presented as open doors, began to slam shut.

“It was the worst moment in my life, up to that point, the moment I found out that I didn’t

n “He has all of the tools.

He’s a playmaker. He just has to get in the weight room a little bit more. As long as he’s pointed in the right direction mentally, he’ll have an opportunity to play on the next level.”

— Pat Henderson, CCC defensive coordinator

have the grades to make it to the NCAA right out of high school,” Washington said.

Needing support from the people he valued most, his family, Washington remembers his grandfather motivating him to push forward and encouraging him to be a man in the face of any adversity.

Those words were fuel for the safety. In his first year of playing football for the Comets, Washington helped lead CCC to

a 9-2 record while earning First Team All-Pac 7 Conference honors for his defensive play.

“He has all of the tools. He’s a playmaker. He just has to get into the weight room a little bit more,” Comet defensive coordinator Pat Henderson said. “As long as he’s pointed in the right direction mentally, he’ll have an opportunity to play on the next level.”

With his football life beginning to take form, it came as a shock when Washington learned that his grandfather, one of the men who meant so much to his development, died shortly after the 2016 football season began.

“It really changed a lot for me, my whole mindset shifted,” Washington said.

“This second year of JC is the end for so many people. I want to get out and make sure I provide for my family. I feel that if I don’t live up to the expectations that (my grandfather) had for me, then all of this work has been a waste.”

■ OFF THE RECORD

COVERAGE IS PROOF REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED N National divide over

anthem protest continues to grow

early eight weeks have passed since Colin Kaepernick was spotted sitting silently alone as his teammates stood for the national anthem before the third San Francisco 49ers’ preseason football game.

Since then, players from various sports and all walks-of-life have joined the 28-year-old’s protest to raise awareness to end systematic oppression and police brutality. Despite the growing number of athletes willing to use their platform as a means of support, media coverage of the protests has been sparse at best.

Engrained in our collective psyche is the mantra, “The revolution will not be televised,” but when (according to data compiled by the Washington Post) more than 60 people were killed by police in the first 22 days of Kaepernick’s protest against such violence, it would seem more media coverage of the protests would be deemed necessary.

Faux outrage by paper patriots sought to derail the message behind the protest by labeling early supporters of the grievance, who were predominately black, as

robertclinton unpatriotic.

The notion to skew Kaepernick’s intended message resonated with flag-waving nationalists who continue to hold these views of blacks as unpatriotic even after the quarterback met with former Green Beret and NFL player Nate Boyer.

The meeting, which resulted in the quarterback taking a knee instead of sitting, altered the protest to show deference to current and veteran soldiers.

Despite Kaepernick repeatedly saying his protest is not anti-military or anti-American, the seeds of resentment were sewn — judgment had been passed.

Less attention was paid to the validity of his argument than to the idea that blacks were averse to patriotism. The unlearned masses forget that on a cold March night

in 1770, a black man, Crispus Attucks, stood up to British soldiers and took a bullet for the rough draft idea of what America could possibly become.

Blacks have fought and died in every American conflict dating back to before the union was established, despite knowing second-class status is all they would receive upon returning home.

Attucks is known as the first causality in the American Revolutionary War. This fascination with perceived patriotism has less to do with denying history and more to do with denying African-American people justice.

Black people fighting for equal rights is never received well by the masses, but leaders are readily revered after they are no longer a threat. In most cases this occurs after death.

Earlier this year when Muhammad Ali died, Americans waxed poetically about the merits of his rebelliousness. Yet in the midst of his dissent in the 1960s, Ali was labeled every anti-American slur imaginable. He also lost his ability to earn a living.

Tommy Smith and John

Carlos raised black gloves on the medal stand in the 1968 Summer Olympics in the most memorable sports protest in history.

The act, a move to highlight human rights violations, earned the duo permanent expulsion from the United States Olympic program.

Kaepernick potentially faces the same fate as Ali, Carlos and Smith.

An anonymous poll of NFL executives found that 90-95 percent of teams would want nothing to do with the stigmatized quarterback following his protests to shed light on the plight of minorities in America.

For voicing his concerns, in what is hailed as “the land of free speech,” Kaepernick may eventually be robbed of his ability to earn a living in football.

If history holds true, Kaepernick will get the respect that he deserves for igniting a host of socially volatile conversations.

But sadly, he might not be able to receive it in this lifetime.

Robert Clinton is the sports editor of The Advocate. Contact him at @Rclinton3 on Twitter.

14

sports

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

“

HIRING INJECTS NEW LIFE INTO WOMEN’S GAME Qualified local candidate selected as face of program

“The tradition (at CCC) makes this a great opportunity. There’s just something about this place.”

— Vince Shaw, women’s basketball coach

n “He has basketball flowing

By Robert Clinton sports editor

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

When former CCC women’s basketball coach Paul DeBolt chose step down after 30 years at the helm of the program, many took the news in disbelief.

But at least one person saw the opening as an opportunity to step in and continue a legacy of basketball excellence.

After an extensive search, established coach and Bay Area native Vincent Shaw was hired June 20 to take over as coach of the Comets’ women’s basketball team.

“Of the people who applied he was the most qualified, so I thought he’d be a good fit for us moving forward,” Athletic Director John Wade said. “Just seeing the way he coached against us his teams played hard and with vigor. They were also organized and respectable.”

Shaw’s formula translated to wins.

In his five years at Napa Valley College his teams amassed a 30-30 Bay Valley Conference record.

Like most people, Shaw was taken aback when learning of the vacancy at CCC. “I found out like most people did, on DeBolt’s Facebook page,” Shaw said.

“When I read the post about him leaving basketball, I gave him a call to tell him that his account had been hacked.”

The message was no hoax and not only did DeBolt confirm his decision to Shaw, he also hoped the program that he built would hire someone with Shaw’s pedigree.

“He’s a basketball guy and I respect that he came up playing the game,” DeBolt said. “He has basketball flowing through his veins. I hoped that we would hire a basketball person and Vince (Shaw) is a natural fit. He understands the game at a deep level and he cares about his players as people.”

Shaw’s basketball experience reaches far beyond Napa Valley College. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Sonoma State University, Shaw earned a master’s degree in kinesiology from St. Mary’s College.

through his veins. I hoped we would hire a basketball person and Vince (Shaw) is a perfect fit.”

— Paul DeBolt, former CCC women’s coach

His coaching experience began in men’s basketball, first as an assistant at Solano Community College for two seasons, and then as an assistant at Santa Rosa Junior College for two more years. His final stints in the men’s game came as assistant coach at Sonoma State University followed by an associate head coaching position back at Solano.

After being back at Solano with the men’s team for two years, Shaw was offered the head coaching job of the women’s team at Napa Valley.

“I’ve paid my dues, learned my craft and have been fortunate to work with good people,” Shaw said. “I’m a go-getter, assertive, I believe you can’t wait for people to do for you. You have to be able to make good with what you’ve got.”

Along with his success on the court, the coach recognizes the larger picture when developing productive student-athletes.

Shaw strives to develop well-rounded individuals, not just good basketball players. He wants to put his players in the best position not to just win games, but to be productive, well-rounded adults.

“Some people say that I’ve gotten soft over the years. But with nearly two decades of coaching experience, I better understand the needs of the students,” Shaw said.

He believes a problem that many coaches have is that they do not really take time to get to know their athletes and consequently cannot identify with them or how best to help them.

“As long as they are here with me I will nurture their growth and steer them in the right direction.” Shaw said.

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Women’s basketball coach Vince Shaw passes the ball to a player during a practice drill in the Gymnasium on Thursday.

The coach recalls playing against the Comets in San Pablo and being invited into DeBolt’s office after the game. The walls, which serve as a pictorial reminder of a legacy of basketball triumphs reaching back over 30 years, enamored the visiting coach.

“The tradition (at CCC) makes this a great opportunity. There’s just something about this place,” Shaw said. “I remember standing in his office thinking, it would be awesome to be a part of this. Now that I’m here, it’s time to dig in and go to work.”

Comets shut out for first time since ’09 Adverse weather, mud puddles stunt team’s effort to find victory

By Robert Clinton sports editor

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

The football team suffered its worst loss since 2009 losing in every major statistical category while being shut out in a 34-0 drubbing at the hands of National Bay 6 Conference leading Santa Rosa Junior College Saturday in Santa Rosa.

In the rain-soaked contest, the Bear Cubs (6-0 overall, 1-0 in the Bay 6) held the Comets’ offense to a minuscule eight rushing yards and 45 yards passing, and also recovered four of CCC’s six fumbles.

The Comets (1-5 overall, 0-1 in the Bay 6) ran 59 plays for 53 yards of total offense — an average of less than a yard per play.

In contrast, Santa Rosa racked up 477 yards of total offense, gaining an average of more than five yards on every play from scrimmage.

“This was the ugliest game I’ve coached since I’ve been at CCC,” coach Alonzo Carter said.

“It was muddy and sloppy, but both teams played under the same conditions. We just got outplayed and it gets no easier.”

Although field conditions were equal for both teams, the Bear Cubs came ready for the wet weather.

On change of possessions, Santa Rosa substituted their usual leather ball with an all-weather composite ball.

“Some of the defenders were saying the ball felt different in the game, but when we watched the film we noticed the type of ball they were using,” Comet strength and condi-

BOX SCORES Football

Santa Rosa 34, Contra Costa 0 Santa Rosa 3 CCC 0

17 0

7 0

7 — 34 0 —0

tioning coach Marcus McLarity said.

“It’s perfectly legal to use an all-weather ball according to California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) rules,” Carter said.

CCC’s returns to Comet Stadium to face the College of San Mateo (3-3 overall, 1-0 in the Bay 6) Saturday at 1 p.m.

The game started off with promise when the Bear Cub kick off sailed 51 yards into the hands of Comet defensive back Lavon Washington who sloshed his way up the rain-soaked grass field for a 31-yard return.

That drive eventually stalled and the Comets were forced to punt.

CCC’s defensive line surged through the Bear Cub offensive front early in the contest forcing Santa Rosa into a third down and 25 yards to go situation between a first down and its first punt of the game.

On that drive, through the pouring rain, SRJC quarterback Mitch Hood completed a 29-yard pass to give his team a first down at the Comet 32-yard line.

The Bear Cubs would settle for a punt.

But after stopping the Comets who punted the ball back, Santa Rosa kicked a field goal to take an early 3-0 lead with nine minutes to play in the first quarter.

The Comets continued to tread water as Santa Rosa only allowed one first down while forcing two punts on CCC’s next two possessions.

The Bear Cubs, however, found their way into the end zone on a 10-play, 67-yard drive that culminated in a 5-yard touchdown run.

CCC found itself down 10-0 just five seconds into the second quarter.

Before the game, many believed the weather would be an equalizing force between the two teams. But throughout the contest Comet receivers dropped soggy balls that the Santa Rosa players routinely caught.

“It was the nastiest game that I’d ever

played in,” CCC safety Rodney Washington said. “There were times out there where I was standing in 4 inches of water. The puddles were deep enough to drown somebody.

Carter “It was grimy, but it was time to see what all the pretty boys on our team were made of.”

As CCC’s defensive backs let interceptions slip through their saturated gloves, the Bear Cubs continued to tack on points.

After a successful goal line stand for the Comets that yielded only a SRJC field goal, a 13-point deficit would have been a more than acceptable way for CCC to enter the locker room at halftime.

Down 13-0 in the second quarter, both Santa Rosa and the Comets seemed to struggle finding their offensive footing. CCC’s defensive pressure forced a Bear Cub punt that pinned quarterback Cameron Burston and the Comet offense against their own goal line.

After a 5-yard run to give the Comet offense some semblance of a cushion, Burston’s scramble and subsequent fumble allowed a Santa Rosa defender to scoop up the ball and run it into the end zone, giving SRJC a 20-0 lead at halftime.

“We were ready to play but we weren’t prepared for the conditions,” Comet defensive lineman James Eggleston said.

“Every time we tried to get something going, something bad would happen. Either we fumbled or allowed a third down conversion. We needed to focus more on our preparation and to play more disciplined.”

Following the break, the rain continued to fall and field conditions grew worse.

The first six series of the second half saw three punts by CCC and two punts and a

First Quarter

Santa Rosa — Pedroza 32 yard field goal Second Quarter

Santa Rosa — Hood 5 yd run (Pedroza kick)

Santa Rosa — Pedroza 23 yard field goal Santa Rosa — Team fumble recovery (Pedroza kick) Third Quarter

Santa Rosa — Putman 30 yd pass from Hood (Pedroza kick) Fourth Quarter

Santa Rosa — Johnson 94 yd pass from Hood (Sadeghy kick)

Individual statistics Rushing — CCC — Cain 4-14, Burston 16-10, Williams 2-6, Morgan 1-0, Ross 3--10, Robinson 5--12. — Santa Rosa — James 10-92, Franchavilla 6-22, Ferguson 12-19, Hugh 4-17, Lepori 3-7, Smith 4-4, Johnson 1- 1.

Passing — Santa Rosa — Hood 12-34-325, Johnson 0-4-0. — CCC — Burston 7-27-45, Thomas 0-1-0.

n “This was the ugliest game

I’ve coached since I’ve been at CCC. It was muddy and sloppy, but both teams played under the same conditions. We just got outplayed and it gets no easier.”

— Alonzo Carter, coach

fumble by the Bear Cubs.

As the pouring rain diminished into a light a drizzle, Santa Rosa was able to convert a 30-yard touchdown pass to go ahead of the Comets 27-0 with three minutes to play in the third quarter.

The Comets’ best chance to avoid being shut out came late in the third quarter after a 22-yard Burston scramble on first and 10 from the Bear Cub 24-yard line.

The play gave CCC its lone red zone opportunity of the game. But the chance was negated when the ball squirted out of Comet quarterback Cameron Burston’s hands and was recovered by SRJC on the 6-yard line in the closing seconds of the third quarter.

Inspired by the play of its defense, the Bear Cub offense executed a 94-yard pitchand-catch touchdown just nine seconds into the fourth quarter that strangled the final signs of life from the Comets and sealed the 34-0 shutout victory.

Comet defensive back Arthur Hayes said, “I wasn’t prepared for the amount of mud and rain. There were huge puddles of mud in the center of the field. It was hard to get my feet out of the suction grip of the mud.

They should have called this the mud bowl.”

“We were still in position to make a comeback until they caught that short hitch and turned it into a 90-yard touchdown. It was little things like that missed tackle that really cost us the game.”

Receiving — Santa Rosa — Johnson 2-123, Putman 4-90, Gaspar 3-69, James 3-35, Beltran 1-5, — CCC — Mitchell 3-39, Williams 1-5, Pippins 1-4, Robinson 2--3, Field goals — Santa Rosa — Pedroza 2-3.

Records — Santa Rosa — 6-0, 1-0 — CCC — 1-5, 0-1.

sports

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

15

Height disadvantage dooms squad Struggles continue for improving team after home loss to Solano

n “I’m getting more experience and I’m confident that I can play and continue to improve at this level.”

— Justine Ayson, Comet outside hitter

FALCONS DEFEAT COMETS

25-7, 25-11, 25-7

By Robert Clinton sports editor

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

Despite forcing long volleys and exposing many Falcons’ defensive lapses, the Contra Costa College volleyball team lost too many battles at the net to build an effective scoring attack and succumbed to visiting Solano Community College Friday in the Gymnasium.

The Comets (2-11 overall, 1-5 in the Bay Valley Conference) lost their second consecutive game at home in straight sets 25-7, 25-11 and 25-7 to Bay Valley Conference co-leader Solano, which took advantage of its overwhelming height and effective hitting, anchored by 6-foot-2-inch freshman middle hitter Alana Sibblies, to win the match.

CCC will get the chance to defend its home court again tonight at 6 p.m. against Mendocino College in the Gymnasium.

“Solano (6-13 overall, 5-1 in the BVC) is a good team and they use their middle well,” coach Christy Tianero said. “Now we know what we need to work on.”

The Falcons struck first, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first set. CCC fought through a barrage of Solano kill shots but found themselves trailing 7-2 after failing to manufacture points out of its high-energy opening.

Despite fending off the Falcons’ initial scoring efforts, Solano was able to string together points in droves after wearing down CCC defensively.

Solano eventually won that first set 25-7.

The Achilles’ heel for the Comets this season has been their tendency to start slowly. Against the Falcons, the effort was there early on, but CCC could not get back into scoring position after working doubly hard to defend against the Falcons’ heavy hitters.

In the second set, the efforts of middle blocker Deanna Craighead and right setter Joshleen Ayson helped the Comets win some points. Despite dropping the set 25-11, CCC put together its most productive moments of the evening.

After gaining a second wind, Comet players were able to get lower on defense, making it easier to recover and get back in position to score.

Even with consistent scoring, battling

against the Falcons’ firepower proved to be too much for CCC to overcome.

Craighead missed multiple games for the Comets after injuries from a car accident sidelined her in the preseason.

“It feels good getting back into the groove after missing so many games,” Craighead said.

As the Comets’ tallest player and one of CCC’s two women over 5-feet-7-inches tall, Craighead’s defensive rotations have been adjusted by Tianero, giving the Comet more defensive middle responsibilities.

Craighead said, “I’ve played middle before so it wasn’t hard to adjust. It’s just remembering where I’m supposed to be.”

Tianero first employed the new strategy in CCC’s 3-1 loss against Yuba College earlier this month. In that game, the scheme came together resulting in a second set win.

The set was the first a Tianero-coached Comet team has taken from Yuba in her tenure at CCC, as coach or assistant.

“I shifted our defensive formation so our outside hitters have more of an angular approach to the net,” Tianero said. “Now the players can take advantage of their quickness and be in better position to cover for each other on shots not directly in front of the net.”

Another positive point for the Comets against Solano was the third set play of freshman outside hitter Justine Ayson, Joshleen’s sister.

She was able to put together a number of scoring opportunities for CCC with her serve, while her tenacity and defensive effort continues to improve.

“I’m getting more experience and I’m confident that I can play and continue to improve at this level,” Ayson said. “Our biggest problem tonight was our service receiving. We weren’t getting low enough when the so when the ball was hit to us, a lot of the time we were reacting instead of moving our feet. It’s something we will continue to work on.”

As the match began to get out of hand, CCC players started to make mental mistakes that were opposed to the energy and effort they used to open the BVC contest.

The Falcons continued their scorched earth campaign from the middle of the second set through their dominating effort in the third, sweeping the sets and winning the game.

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Falcons middle hitter Tori Owens spikes the ball past Comet middle blocker Alejandra Galvez during CCC’s 3-0 loss to Solano College in the Gymnasium on Saturday.

TEAM FINDS FORM WITH THREE-GAME STREAK Comet win sends Bay Valley Conference into three-way tie for first COMETS

2 1

STORM

COMETS

3 0

MARINERS

By Efrain Valdez advocate staff

evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com

The men’s soccer team (7-7-2 overall and 3-1-1 in the Bay Valley Conference) is coming into form after beating College of Marin (2-12-1 overall and 1-4 in the BVC) 3-0 in Kentfield on Oct. 11.

Then, on Friday, the Comets won 2-1 at Napa Valley College (4-7-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the BVC) creating a three-way tie for first place.

“We scored toward the end of the first half against Marin, which was great going into the halftime break,” Comet coach Nikki Ferguson said. “But Marin did not let up until we scored the second goal which, I think, was the most important one.”

With about 15 minutes left in the second half, Comet forward George Burrows received a diagonal pass toward the left flank, cut in and took the defender, then shot a sensational laser from 30 yards out.

“After we put the game away with that second goal, Marin’s confidence went down while ours went up,” Comet defender Eduardo Torres said. “We knew we could put another one in the net and we did.”

Ferguson said, “The Marin goalkeeper did not see that ball coming.

George (Burrows) snuck a wonderful goal past their goalie.”

“After that goal, Marin’s play became deflated and they kind of just rolled over at that point,” Comet goalkeeper Eduardo Escamilla said.

Ferguson said, “I don’t think Marin is inferior to anybody in this conferMen’s Soccer Standings Bay Valley Conference Team GP W-L-T Pct. CCC 5 3-1-1 .700 Napa 5 3-1-1 .700 Mendocino 5 3-1-1 .700 Merritt 5 2-1-2 .600 Marin 5 1-4 .200 Yuba 5 0-4-1 .100

Streak Won 3 Lost 1 Won 2 Won 1 Lost 3 Lost 4

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Yuba College midfielder Jose Zavala (right) fouls Comet midfielder Abdulahi Mohammed during CCC’s 3-0 against the 49ers at the Soccer Field on Oct. 7.

ence. But I think we are the best team in conference because of the results we have been able to get.”

CCC maintained about 70 percent of the possessions throughout the game (against Marin) and had most of the scoring opportunities.

“This was the first time in a long time that we did not get a goal from an own goal, set piece or from the penalty spot,” Escamilla said.

Ferguson said, “We should have scored more goals in that game against Marin. Finishing has been a constant problem all year but I’m happy that all Bay Valley Conference Men’s Soccer Results Last week’s non-conference games: Contra Costa 1, @Merritt 1 — Oct. 4 @Contra Costa 3, Yuba 0 — Oct. 7 Contra Costa 3, @Marin 0 — Oct. 11 Contra Costa 2, Napa 1 — Oct. 14 Marin 3, @Yuba 2 Napa Valley 2, @Mendocino 1 Napa Valley 3, @Marin 0

the goals we scored were built up from the back.”

“To be honest, since they (Marin) were in first place we thought we were going to get some decent competition. But they were not all that good.

Mendocino College was a much better team,” Comet defender Edgar Yepes said.

The game against Napa, however, was a much closer encounter compared to the Marin game where CCC was the superior team.

“Against Napa, we never gave up, we fought for every 50/50 ball and

Merritt 1, @Mendocino 1 Mendocino 3, @Yuba 2 @Napa Valley 3, Merritt 0 @Merritt 2, Yuba 1 @Mendocino 2, Merritt 0

even after they tied the game we kept on fighting and pushing forward.

Thankfully, we got the winning goal before the game ended,” Torres said.

The Comets did strike first blood in that game when CCC midfielder Juvenal Pena received a well-placed ball from Burrows and placed the ball in the back of the net with a few minutes left in the first half.

“At the beginning of the game we played very sloppily,” Yepes said. “Some of that was due to the rainy conditions and the muddy field, but fortunately we got a goal before the halftime break,” “We were in a tug of war with Napa throughout the whole game,” Escamilla said.

Napa tied the game 1-1 midway through the second half.

The Comets responded after Napa’s equalizing goal. With five minutes left in the game Comet midfielder Anthony Maytum saved a bad cross from going out of the end line, redirected it back into the box, where Torres put the headed ball in the back of the net.

Yepes said, “After that goal we played with more confidence and swagger even though we didn’t know how much time was left in the game. I thought that was huge.”

After five BVC games, signifying the halfway mark in conference play, the Comets have recovered to win three games in a row.

Before that streak, they were on a seven-game winless streak that put the team’s post-season hopes into question after a promising start to the season.

The Comets are looking to repeat as BVC champions for the first time ever.

Bay Valley Conference Men’s Soccer Schedule This week’s non-conference games CCC has a bye week Napa Valley @Santa Rosa Mendocino @Redwoods Santa Rosa @Mendocino American River @Napa

16

spotlight

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 10.19.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Precautions, preparedness bring survival in earthquake T

he unpredictability of an earthquake can leave anyone feeling uneasy, and in Northern California, with the constant threat of an earthquake occurring, being prepared is essential.

During times of devastation, education and organization are fundamental to survival.

It is the responsibility of every individual to be well-prepared and ready for any emergency.

According to the United States Geography Survey (USGS) database there is a 98.42 percent chance of a 5.0 magnitude earthquake in Contra Costa County in the next 50 years.

ELECTRONICS SUSTENANCE

ESSENTIALS TO PREPARE FOR FUTURE DISASTERS

Canned goods such as soups, fruits, vegetables and tuna are standard, but sources of protein including peanut butter and protein bars are great options.

Other tools and safety gear, including a fire extinguisher and a gas mask, can assist in situations that need immediate action.

Avoid standing near objects that may break on impact such as windows and mirrors.

A durable piece of furniture such as a table or desk can provide protection from falling objects that may hit a person on the head.

SECURITY

It is best to stand in an open area free from trees and other structures that may fall during the earthquake.

Be extremely cautious near power lines and light posts because of the added danger of electrocution due to exposed wires and lines.

When driving, slow down until you are able to pull over and stop. Avoid all trees, overpasses, bridges and power lines. Ride out the earthquake in your car with your seatbelt on and wait for information to proceed.

SAFETY

When faced with a disastrous situation, a quick decision could save a life. In the event of an earthquake, fear and shock can immobilize people. To avoid being crushed, electrocuted or pierced by flying glass, an individual must be attentive to their surroundings.

Flashlights are portable, easy to use and provide a safe alternative for the possibility of a power outage.

Having a first aid kit will help treat and protect injuries and wounds from infection.

PROTECTION

METHODS TO ESCAPE INJURIES, MORTALITY

Water is essential and should be stocked with a gallon per person per day for at least three to five days.

Staying updated and connected with an AM/FM radio will keep people informed on developments after the earthquake.

SAFETY

Preparation is essential when ensuring access to basic necessities after an earthquake. The storage of vital supplies and equipment helps to provide comfort and relief. It is through safety preparedness that most are able to pull through disastrous quakes.

There has been a reported 312 earthquakes in the county since 1931. Although most of them have been low magnitude, being so close to the Hayward Fault should magnify that number.

Earthquakes can happen at any time. Without taking the proper precautions, lives can be devastated in just seconds.

By properly planning, knowing and understanding the key steps needed before, during and after an earthquake, a person’s chances to remain safe and to survive are maximized.

With a list of necessary supplies as well as tips, The Advocate hopes to provide readers with a reminder that earthquake safety should be a primary concern.

CAMPUS COMMENT

Is Contra Costa College prepared for an earthquake?

“No, because no one on campus really talks about it so a lot of people are unaware about earthquake preparedness.”

Noel Ibarra

“No, because some of the buildings are not even earthquake proof from what I have heard.”

Ariel Phillips

administration of justice

astronomy

ROXANA AMPARO, ROBERT CLINTON AND JESSICA SUICO / THE ADVOCATE

“Although we are on the Hayward Fault, there is a 50 percent chance something happens and a 50 percent chance something doesn’t.”

Elijah Keys undecided

“I feel safe most of the time although I feel safer in the new buildings.”

Mariah Marinho pre-med

“In MCHS they told us we are suppose to go to the (football) field if the building were to collapse, so they would know where we would be.”

Elizabeth Young Middle College High School

“I trust that the architects and the construction workers did their work, although I think the student body isn’t ready.”

Jagjot Saggar biotechnology