WEDNESDAY l 2.15.17 OUR 67TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.
Percussion, language laud African heritage CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE
Event showcases link between ancient, current African people
BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR
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Ingenuity, expression and the persistent spirit of black excellence merged to explore the long lasting impact that African culture has on American society at the African Heritage Month celebration held Feb. 9 in the Knox Center. While most Black History Month celebrations focus on African-American life post-slavery, this program, titled “From African Empires to Congo Square in the U.S.,” explained the unique cultural influences that blended to become the modern African-American experience. “Often times people focus on slavery and nothing beyond that,” history department Chairperson Manu Ampim said. “But like a good student activist said — ‘If you start your history at slavery the best you can be is a good slave.’” Ampim gave a presentation on his archaeological studies in Central Africa and offered primary source information about the “cultural
complex” that still exists there in many regions. He then bridged the gap between ancient Africa and the experiences and contributions by blacks after slavery. Congo Square, located in New Orleans, Louisiana, was a meeting place for enslaved Africans in the colonial era of the 18th century. Although public gatherings were forbidden, people braved beatings and threats of death to congregate and share experiences, accompanied with food, music and dance. The area was given the name because of the large number of Africans from the Congo Kingdom who were bought and sold in the small French settlement. Mistress of ceremonies, Contra Costa College student and African-American studies major Lavonia Bobo, seamlessly steered the celebration between presenters who ranged from current and former students, staff members, traditional performers and professors. As a tutorial on the origin of Black History
Month, CCC graduate and Cal State-East Bay master’s program participant Lacretia Robinson explained Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s vision for creating the now month-long recognition of the contributions that black people made and continue to make in society. Robinson also cited the calming influence Africana/Chicano/ethnic studies department Chairperson Carolyn Hodge provided her as a professional returning to school later in life to foster a career change. Before examining the cultural melting pot that was Congo Square, Ampim reflected on the similarities between ancient African empires through his first person experiences while on sabbatical in Northern and Central Africa. The professor returned from Africa three days before the spring semester began. “We’re going beyond the slavery barrier, in fact, beyond the Atlantic Ocean,” he said. “We SEE HERITAGE, PAGE 3
UNITED FACULTY SUES DISTRICT OVER UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE Employee union submits lawsuit, cites misconduct procedures as biased BY Anthony Kinney NEWS EDITOR
akinney.theadvocate@gmail.com
The United Faculty filed an “Unfair Labor Practice” claim in November 2016 with the Public Employee Relations Board against the Contra Costa Community College District after years of failed attempts to modify how investigations into faculty misconduct allegations are conducted. Going in blind According to the UF’s newsletter, An unfair labor lawsuit “Table Talk,” faculty members who have filed in November been involved in 2016 demands professors under investi- misconduct investigations through the gation of misconduct years often complain be given right to know of feeling disrespectallegations in policy. ed, frustrated and PAGE 2 scared after meeting with district lawyers. UF Executive Director Jeffery Michels said alleged faculty members and their union representatives are oblivious of what to expect until they’re met by an abundance of accusations and incriminating questions. Michels, the lead UF negotiator, said student confidentiality and attorney-client privilege clauses are the usual ostensible reason district
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DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Food pantry offers relief for community Student group operates on-campus canned, nonperishable goods
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BY Reggie Santini SPOTLIGHT EDITOR
rsantini.theadvocate@gmail.com
The Associated Student Union has helped create and open a food pantry for Contra Costa College students who can’t afford to feed themselves. Located in SA-234 and open three times a week, Mondays and Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the student staffed food pantry provides students with enough food to make one meal on each day of the week for up to seven days. Students can withdraw food from the food pantry twice a week. “We know that about
one out of five students at CCC suffers from food insecurities,” Student Services and Instructional Support Coordinator Joel Nickelson-Shanks said. “With the opening of our food pantry we will be able to impact students on our campus.” Students must come to the Student Life Office in SA-109 and log in with their student ID numbers before heading to the Food Pantry to pick up a bag of groceries. Political science major Jose Arebalo said, “I have worked at different food pantries before and ours is very diverse. The people
ABOVE: Computer science major Amante Nepomaceno (right) and sociology major Minerva Arebalo (center) fill undecided major Susana Ponce’s bag during her visit to the food pantry in SA-234 on Monday.
‘Face blindness’ rendered using paint, canvas, mannequins PAGE 5
Comets dominate road game at Marin Despite only having five players suited up, CCC won comfortably at College of Marin. PAGE 7
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ABOVE: Kiazi Malonga (right) with Fua Dia Congo (left) plays his drum during the annual African Heritage Month celebration in the Knox Center on Thursday.
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