The Advocate, Issue 21 - March 16, 2018

Independent Student Voice of MHCC

Volume 52, Issue 21 MARCH 16, 2018 advocate-online.net

The contemporary labor movement PAGE 2

Sax star steps up to the podium PAGE 7

SPOTLIGHT ILLUMINATES PRESIDENTIAL FINALISTS

MHCC track athletes shine in first meet PAGE 8

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Lorde connects with ‘Rip City’ PAGE 6

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OPINION EDITORIAL

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

TAKING A PAGE OUT OF WEST VIRGINIA’S BOOK

W

that same report, of the workers who pay union dues, the vast majority work for the government – by a 5-to-1 ratio. Furthermore, per the BLS, nonunion workers are making 80 percent of what their unionized counterparts are making.

For all the pencil-pushing, soul-sucking bureaucracy that a government job entails, at least you’ll rest easy knowing your salary is higher and your collective bargaining rights protected.

Except, a divisive case currently being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court seems likely to overturn a key ruling from the 1970s, an outcome that would significantly impact public-sector unions’ political clout.

The 1977 case, Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, essentially ruled that while an employee in a unionized job may opt out of unionized membership, they can still be required to pay the union fees, a ruling which has typically resulted in de facto union membership.

Detractors of the 1977 ruling claim their first amendment rights are being infringed, saying that a union could use these obligatory dues to advocate for political causes they personally don’t believe in, and they have a point – should ardent prolifers be legally forced to

pay union dues used to lobby for prochoice legislation, for instance?

Regardless of their political beliefs, however, the average American significantly benefits from a union membership. Historically speaking, strong union membership has equated to better working conditions, higher wages and stronger legal protections – things such as the minimum wage, the 40-hour workweek and overtime pay all owe their existence to union advocacy.

Looking at looming economic trends, these protections, which many of us take for granted, will be more important than ever. According to National Public Radio, in 10 years as many as 1 out of every 2 jobs could shift to a contracted/freelanced one, as companies such as Uber redefine what it means to be employed.

Many of the aspects of freelancing or contracting (flexible hours, the ability to be your own boss, a general sense of freedom and independence) are extremely attractive to people entering the workforce. Especially, as the digital age gives the average person a significantly greater ability to telecommute than ever before.

These perks, however, come at a cost:

The medical benefits, retirement package and security net that accompany more traditional forms of employment are notably absent from the contract equation.

Historically, radical reconceptions of employment tend to favor business owners and large employers, at the expense of workers.

At the turn of the 20th century, the advent of industrialization upended the largely farm-based economic framework under which the U.S. had been operating. Industrial upheavals radically reoriented the job market, and businesses were able to capitalize on this by offering disproportionately low compensation and unsafe working conditions.

It took significant action, bloodshed and political organization, spearheaded by the unions of the time, to stand up for worker’s rights.

Which is why the Supreme Court’s ruling will have a tremendous impact on what the economy of the next 20 years looks like.

While the majority of unionized jobs are in the public, rather than in the private, sector, if the Court overturns Abood v. Detroit Board of

MY UNION IS MY VOICE

Education, there will be little reason to pro-actively start or join unions, governmental or otherwise. Labor unions function on the budget of their financial dues, and as the laws stand, people working unionized occupations have to pay union dues regardless of if they’re an active member of the union. This encourages active membership, which ultimately strengthens job protections, and makes collective action like the West Virginia teacher’s strike possible.

However, if non-members are ruled exempt from paying their dues, how many people will see those $400 union dues (the average annual cost, per Adams, Nash, Haskel and Sheridan) as an unnecessary expense they just can’t afford?

Perhaps this ruling foreshadows the final death rattle of the American labor movement.

But, perhaps not: Teachers’ unions in Oklahoma, Arizona and Kentucky are currently discussing walkouts, negotiating things like pensions and salary increases with their respective state governments, doubtless inspired by the West Virginia walkout.

Though the future of worker’s rights is uncertain, if they can do it in coal country, maybe there’s hope after all.

Graphic by Nicole Meade // the Advocate

hen you hear the words “West Virginia,” you could be forgiven for thinking of mountaintops blasted away for coal, of rural poverty, of jug bands on the front porch. The words “bastion of twenty-first-century workers’ rights,” however, appear to be more applicable, improbable as that may seem: Last week, a nine-day teacher’s strike resulted in a statewide 5 percent pay increase.

Now, the average high school teacher salary in West Virginia was calculated at $45,240 (courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), this amounts to a raise just over a little $2,200 a year, or about $188/month.

In other words, those teachers can now pay for the gas it takes to drive to school, but nonetheless it’s being touted as a victory by labor groups nationwide (all three of them).

Okay, okay, there’s not actually three unions in America, but seriously, union membership is pretty much at a longtime low: BLS calculated that just 10.7 percent of American workers currently belong to unions, down from 20.1 percent in 1983.

According to

Editor-in-Chief Matana McIntire Associate Editor/ News Editor Greg Leonov Associate News Editor & Copy Editor Bethany McCurley Arts & Entertainment Editor Ryan Moore Associate Arts & Entertainment/ Social Media Manager Cassie Wilson PA G E 2

Opinion Editor Kyle Venooker Web Editor Position Open Sports Editor Jonathan Zacarias Graphic Design Team Prisma Flores Nicole Meade Sheila Embers Nina Charkhsaz Photo Editor Fletcher Wold

Photo Team Fadi Shahin Andy Carothers Lisa Sellers Video Team Cory Wiese Megan Hayes Andy Carothers Ad Managers Megan Phelps Yen Le Twensiga Disan Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst

Staff Writers Maddy Sanstrum Logan Hertner Kente Bates Lukas Brito Barry Morganti Contact us!

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Cover graphics by: Sheila Embers Cover design by: Fletcher Wold The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc. edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print.

Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

OPINION

MARCH 16, 2018

TAKE A MOMENT TO CONSIDER THE PRESENT Lukas Brito

the advocate

As a child, I found my thoughts rarely coordinated with time. I was preoccupied with pondering what the next day would bring for me, and as I get older, my pondering has

begun to grow into not just days, but months. Whether it is school, work, or relationships, I find myself thinking and worrying more about tomorrow rather than getting through today.

Some of you reading this may be indifferent to what I am spelling out to you, but I know for a fact that there are some of you out there who know exactly what I mean.

Now, there is nothing wrong with being organized and trying plan out the future. But at some point we have to slow it down and enjoy the life we have.

Everyone is motivated by something. I know my motivation used to be solely driven by a longing for

GUN CONTROL

It can’t be an arms race Barry “Doc” Morganti the advocate

I applaud the Advocate for not taking the heavy-handed approach in regards to recent events that some publications have.

That said, I feel the article about the firearms law debate and the Florida tragedy that sparked it missed two very important points: We are all in this together, and it isn’t a simple fix.

Everyone likes an easy answer to a problem and even more so, a villain to

We are all in this together, and it isn’t a simple fix. blame. The trouble with easy answers is they are rarely right. As for clear villains, they are often mere phantoms, or in truth, innocent of their supposed crimes. A social crisis such as what we now face can, and will be, made only

worse by such oversimplifications.

The first thing we need to do to even start solving the problem at hand is going to be the hardest for many people. As I said, we are all in this together. Liberal; Conservative; ProGun; Anti-Gun; and so on – these are just labels, and labels divide us. We are one people and we must acknowledge this fact. Once we do, we will be able to act as one and work towards a viable solution.

The second step is also going to be hard, as swallowing one’s pride and admitting ignorance is never easy. Too often, people settle for incomplete information and opinion masquerading as fact – somewhat understandable these days, with so much information being presented to us so rapidly. Still, we have to try. Knowledge is power and we will need such power if we are to make the changes needed.

As for the matter at hand, we are in both old and unexplored territory. The firearms law debate is one that flares up from time-totime, more often than not, after a tragedy. It is an old and very loaded one, but we have an opportunity here to do something new.

Instead of making it “us vs. them” and “all or nothing,” we can meet each other halfway. We can come together

TO CONTINUE READING, SEE ‘GUN CONTROL’ PAGE 6

a luxurious life. A life of cars, cribs, money – heck why not throw in a private jet, just for kicks. My mind was always bouncing ideas around about the future, but eventually I realized that I was so obsessed with achieving this lavish lifestyle and thinking of the future, that I could not even enjoy the moment of today.

Please do not mistake me: There is nothing wrong with having a lavish lifestyle. I would love to one day have a nice house, or be driving a Cadillac. But I do not want to live a life that has me chained to perishable possessions, much less a life spent constantly thinking about tomorrow.

With the end of the Winter Term, finals week, and spring break all approaching so soon, I can imagine that as students, we all share a similar burden of stress. It may not be quite as similar to “thinking about the future,” but we will find ourselves lost in a sea of endless thoughts.

I encourage you to stop for a minute, take a deep breath, be thankful for the life you have, and enjoy your day.

We all know that we have a finite amount of time, but we don’t know when the hourglass will bead its last grain of sand. The world will never stop spinning. In other words, time will never slow down for us. We can

try and plan our future, but what we plan will never be for certain.

So, I say we stop living so much in the future and start living now.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again – there is nothing wrong with thinking about tomorrow. If I never thought of tomorrow, my life would be nothing but sporadic and restless.

But know that there comes a time for all of us to take a breath, slow down, and set our minds free from what tomorrow may bring.

Let’s not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will worry about itself.

Let’s take life day by day, because each day has enough trouble of its own.

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NEWS

Lisa Skari Greg Leonov the advocate

On Wednesday, Lisa Skari, vice president from Highline College in Des Moines, Washington, spoke to staff and students in the Visual Arts Theatre. Skari is a finalist in the search for Mt. Hood’s next president.

Skari left behind a career in retail to pursue education and public service because she wanted a job where her work was meaningful to her. “With an interest in teaching and a response to an ad on the local newspaper, I found myself standing in front of 14 students,” she said.

She has spent the next 26 years at Highline as an instructor, then an administrator. For the past 17 years, she has been chief advancement officer on the president’s executive staff.

When she first started working at Highline (just south of Seattle), the staff there was almost exclusively white, and the community did not like the college. “It was criticized for being the ‘little Harvard on the hill,’

Paul Jarrell Bethany McCurley the advocate

Under his pressed suite and professional manner, presidential candidate Paul Jarrell has tattoo sleeves, an affinity for the Big Lebowski, and a relaxed demeanor.

At Tuesday’s public forum, Jarrell said he leads through relationship and empathy.

His left arm is tattooed with a colorful dragon and koi fish

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A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

disengaged, and elitist,” she said.

Since then, the college has transformed. “Today we are praised for our partnerships and accolades for our work in our community,” she said. The college is also stable when it comes to its budget. “Through generation of external dollars, both grants and foundation … and stable enrollments, we are steady,” she said.

Highline College is currently the most diverse college in Washington state. “We’re 75–78 percent students of color,” Skari said.

Skari said she is a collaborative leader. For policy meetings and when large decisions are at stake, she includes her entire staff in deliberation, she said. “I’m not a micro-manager. I also believe as the leader, it is my responsibility to give credit. If things don’t go right, take responsibility,” she said.

She said she has occasionally taken on mentoring her staff at Highline. “I kind of understand who my employees are as individuals, and then figure out the best mechanisms for holding them accountable,” she said. Some employees just need some simple input on how to reach a goal; others need some encouragement when it comes to advancement, she explained.

Skari described a particular employee as having “tremendous opportunity.” She has a “ritual” every fall: “I go into her office and I say, ‘Okay, let’s talk about your advanced education. When are you going back to school?’ ”

intertwined among lotus flowers, representing transformation, and his right arm is decorated with a phoenix.

“I like the symbolism of opportunity and second chances,” he told the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC)’s newspaper when he first started, as they are traits he brings into his leadership. “And they make me a badass,” he added.

Jarrell currently serves as the Vice President-Assistant Superintendent at SBCC, California. Despite Santa Barbara’s image of being a rich touristy city, Jarrell said the community of students is very similar to MHCC’s, as both are ethnically and economically diverse.

As a first generation college student, one of Jarrell’s greatest goals is to minimize the barriers students face, especially lower income students. SBCC not only developed a food pantry, but built gardens on the

PRESIDENT FINALISTS INTRODUCE “I’m not going to give up on her because I know she’s going to be amazing and she needs that support,” Skari said.

When it comes to different types of teaching and learning, Skari said that “education is education, and we have students that come and they have different interests.” She said that even technical programs should have some sort of liberal arts courses included in the curriculum.

“It’s stronger, because if you think about diversity of thought, you need to have different programs, different classes, that actually build on developing skills and looking at things in different ways,” she explained.

open lawns where students and staff can work and take home the produce.

He also said the administration has removed all labels. If anyone goes without a meal or is hungry, they are welcomed without proving they’re “needy”.

Textbook affordability is also important to Jarrell. He said that when he taught anatomy, the textbook was easily over $300. He even knew students who wouldn’t take classes because the textbooks were too expensive. There are now more freely accessible books, but there is still a long way to go, and it is a big concern for students, he said. Jarrell said he is an advocate for OER (Open Educational Resources), and believes that it is natural for institutions to transition to offering free course material in place of traditional textbooks.

A big part of both student and staff success is investing in the

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Greg Leonov the advocate

Lisa Avery

culture, feeling ownership, and belonging on campus. “I couldn’t imagine not being in the community, and I couldn’t imagine not being involved on campus,” said Jarrell.

Today at 2 p.m. in Theatre, Lisa Avery, Sylvania campus of Port College, will be the fin in the open presidentia joining PCC she serve for the Community Co Avery was responsible PCC’s strategic plan

He said he is the type of person connect with local businesses an community, and will also pop h head into classrooms and check with staff.

After earning his doctora degree of philosophy in biology fro the University of Oregon, Jarre said he taught for many years, so h understands many of the struggl staff face trying to promote stude success.

As a strategy to leadin empathetically, Jarrell tries to me with his employees individual and if that is not possible, visit th departments to listen and collaborat He said he understands people nee space to do their work and so he tri to offer the support and resourc they need and be hands-off. Jarre said when he originally started SBCC, “I’m motivated to provid the same opportunity to success f everybody.”

NEWS

MARCH 16, 2018

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n the Visual Arts president of the tland Community nal guest featured al forums. Before ed as vice provost olleges of Spokane. for implementing n with various

On Monday, the MHCC District board of education kicked off its daily public forums that featured each of the final candidates for the position of president of the college.

@mhccadvocate fb.com/theadvocateonline Youtube.com/mhccadvocate

partners. She also worked with the college’s international exchange, study abroad and American Honors programs, according to pcc.edu. Avery served in various dean positions. She served in a leadership role to students in transfer and CTE programs. She has a doctorate and masters in social work. Read about her on advocate-online.net.

MHCC District board members will be visiting the candidates’ current colleges next week.

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Utpal Goswami Greg

Leonov

the advocate

Utpal K. Goswami is the current president of Metropolitan Community College in North Kansas City, Missouri. He was an economics professor and holds numerous degrees in economics.

He started off talking about how the focus of a community college is to make sure every student succeeds.

“People say we are in the education business. We are in the education business, but we’re

Krista KristaJohns Johns Bethany McCurley the advocate

Krista Johns, finalist for the Mt. Hood president’s job, spoke to faculty and staff at MHCC on Thursday.

Although she has a Juris Doctorate – a law degree, she doesn’t see herself as a stickler, but likes cracking jokes and prides herself in alternative ways of approaching tasks, she said.

Johns opened the forum with a story about her 40 cattle. When she lived in Mississippi, she was worried that her cattle would be sold for meals instead of breeding, so she took a creative approach. She tried teaching her cows to come when called, to respond to their names, and to do tricks. It worked. When buyers saw the trained intelligence, they wanted to breed the group to make more cows of the sort.

Although it was a novel approach, her purpose was important to her: To see the strength of what is already in place, and build on it.

She said there are a lot of strengths at Mt. Hood and developmental change is good. But, Johns said, “Let’s remember good pieces.

also in the business of building citizens or developing citizens,” he said.

Goswami said that community colleges pose a unique challenge to educators because of the wide variety of student demographics.

He said it is important to personalize education so that students can reach their goals.

He listed the major points of his guiding philosophy, which are: student success, fiscal viability, taking care of employees, and community responsiveness.

The leadership model that Goswami said he functions by is one where he works to “create the environment where people can be successful.” He said he prefers to create environments where employees can have autonomy but “not forget that the primary reason you are here is to take care of the students.”

Goswami said that MHCC

“If I were president, I would roll up my sleeves and ask what is the work you’re doing and how can I help.”

Johns is currently the vice chancellor of educational services and student success at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, California (near Oakland), and said she leads through community.

Her judicial background, with a J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, give her insight to effective and purposeful collaboration, she said. To Johns, administration is not just rules to be followed, but creative ways of achieving student success.

Johns said she was attracted to the variety of programs Mt. Hood offers, and the diversity of the community.

She said she would be “proud to be a part of ” advocating for the changing demographics and social justice, if given the chance.

As a president, she said she understands that “you need to know your campus inside and out,” in addition to being the “chief advocate and cheerleader of your campus.”

In her first 30 days as a new president, Johns said she would want to fully immerse herself into the Mt. Hood community, and she would hold open hours to meet and hear staff concerns and a desired direction for the college.

She said that she doesn’t want to get caught up in the operation of the college, but truly focus on the students.

“I love the process, but a process with purpose,” she said.

At a community college, “you’re

has an opportunity to work with employers in the community and beyond to create pathways for student employment.

“What we need to do is connect students with their ultimate objective, and to do that, you have to build partnerships with industry, especially for the occupational programs,” he said.

Mt. Hood’s presence needs to be known by the community, he said. If a campus is not a viable possibility in certain areas, the college can still make its presence felt. He gave a personal example of how to do this. At a previous institution, people from the college helped a community with setting up for a theater production. He said, “All of you are ambassadors of your institution because what you do, people notice and then they reflect on the institution.”

Goswami talked about

part of something to change lives,” said Johns. And part of supporting staff is promoting an environment of celebration, safety, support, and allowing people to take breaks to replenish. It is also not about a hierarchy or comparing the importance of a position, but instead, a supportive value system, she said.

“We don’t need a pecking order,” she continued, saying that every part of students coming to campus is important.

“It’s more than access,” she said.

Once a student comes to campus, from the first introduction at the orientation center or being directed to a class by supporting staff, their experience and success is being shaped, she noted.

When coming into a new college, Johns said she doesn’t want to slash and burn the work in process and replace it with her previous models; instead, she wants to come alongside and see how she can help further the work being done.

Photos by Andy Carothers // the Advocate

the condition of Mt. Hood’s buildings, most dating to the 1960s or early 1970s.

“Even though it’s an old facility, It’s still fairly welldesigned and it still has a lot of

functional life left in it,” he said.

The cracks in sidewalks would need to be repaired, he said, and there is a possibility of enclosing some hallways “to take care of space needs.”

Most of the institutional budget is spent on people (i.e., salaries), said Goswami: “People are a resource, so we need to start thinking of people as a resource.” If the institution is full of employees who enjoy their jobs and are energized, they are compelled to be more innovative, he said.

“People (who are) at their full potential – will take the institution much higher than the people at the other institution (a comparable one where full potential is not reached),” he said.

Photos by Fletcher Wold // the Advocate Graphics by Sheila Embers and Fletcher Wold // the Advocate

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

LORDE CAPTIVATES FANS WITH AUTHENTICITY Cassie Wilson the advocate

In a moment of sheer luck, I learned that the Moda Center released more 300-level (affordable) ADA tickets for Lorde’s concert just two days before she was due in town, and I secured my spot for what ended up being one of the most magical evenings of my life.

It had been nearly five years since I last set foot into an arena for a concert, and all at once the excited energy overwhelmed me, and I was swept up in the crowds of people trying to find their seats.

Time passed quickly. At 7 p.m. Swedish electro-pop singer/songwriter Tove Styrke took the stage. Her radio-ready, dance-worthy songs got the crowd warmed up and excited for the night to come, and her sound was surely the right fit for fans of Lorde.

The only drawback to her Styrke’s set was her cover of “Liability,” originally done by Lorde. Knowing that Lorde would be performing the number later made it feel like watching a spoiler before seeing the full show, or in this case, Lorde’s set.

It would’ve been an enjoyable cover in any other context, but openers definitely shouldn’t cover other artists who are performing on the same show as them.

Positive energy The only Americans on the show were in the hip-hop duo, Run The Jewels, which consists of rapper/producer El-P and rapper Killer Mike. Even as someone who hasn’t previously cared much for hip-hop, I could appreciate the energy that they shared with the room, and the subjects that they rapped about.

There was a lot of chanting “RTJ” throughout their set, as well as repeatedly reminding everyone that it’s Women’s History Month, and to respect and appreciate all of the women in our lives. The duo also touched on mental health awareness and suicide prevention by reminding everyone to keep an eye on their loved ones, and stating that suicide is never the answer. It was amazing to see a group use an arena-sized platform to spread important messages.

When Run The Jewels finished their set, I knew it was only a matter of 15-20 minutes before the New Zealand singer/songwriter, Lorde, would grace the

Graphic by Matana McIntire // the Advocate

stage. The giddiness I felt in those few minutes made me feel like I was at my first concert all over again, and when the lights lowered, the energy in the room exploded, right from the first few notes of “Sober.”

Lorde brought several dancers along with her to bring her songs to life. They added even more depth to the narratives she shared on both her latest record, “Melodrama,” as well as her debut album, “Pure Heroine.”

Intimate touch A key part of the production was a giant, clear box that was onstage, acting as a room of sorts for the dancers to interact with and perform in, and occasionally it would lift up into the air and even tilt from side to side.

Before performing “Ribs,” Lorde said, “I want to take you somewhere. Let’s go back to my living room when I was 16 and my parents were away,” and when the song came to a

close, she went into the box and changed into her next outfit, right there on stage in front of all of us. It felt like we were in her bedroom after the evening she had while her parents were away, and it was so captivating that it felt much more like a film or a play than what one would expect at a concert.

Lorde’s vulnerability and authenticity remained at the forefront of her entire show. It was obvious that nothing she said was really planned, and as she said it best, “The only way I know how to talk to crowds is like I’m talking to someone across from me at dinner, so, thanks for having dinner with me tonight, Portland.”

When she was about halfway through her performance, she decided to slow things down a bit. Crew members grabbed light sticks that originally lined the front of the stage, and moved them into piles on top of the clear box, which at this point was three-fourths of the way underneath the stage, so it was the perfect platform for the singer to sit on. The lights glowed orange and yellow, setting the mood much like a campfire.

Portland ties Lorde sat down and took a moment to just talk to us about being in Portland. She reminisced on the first time she played here, specifically remembering the Crystal Ballroom’s bouncy floors. Then, she took the time to thank the friends and family of some of her crew members from Portland for allowing them to be away from home for so long, and she expressed such genuine appreciation for the work that they do. They’re two of the most important people on her touring crew – her photographer and her personal assistant.

It was a really sweet moment, and shined a light on just how grounded Lorde, aka Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, is at the age of just 21.

She then went into “Writer In The Dark,” a cover of “Solo”

by Frank Ocean, and then “Liability.” It was the most emotional stretch of the evening. After that, she put a lot of focus into making sure everyone danced their troubles away the rest of the night.

The Portland date of the “Melodrama” World Tour came to an end far too quickly, but the way that Lorde made an arena feel like the size of a living room by being purely herself is something that will undoubtedly stick with everyone who was there.

‘GUN CONTROL’ CONTINUED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

can come together to find a solution that doesn’t alienate our friends and neighbors but benefits the nation as a whole. It’ll require restrictions, but also allowances.

Some propositions are good places to start; others are obvious false leads which will do us no good. Take, for example, the proposed raising of the legal age to buy firearms. It’s hypocritical, as we already have men and women bearing arms for their country at the age of 18.

Another more promising option is more-through background checks and measures to encourage inter-agency and interstate cooperation that would help keep arms from dangerous individuals by making a deeper PA G E 6

pool of information for background checks to draw from.

These are just the tip of the iceberg. There are may other options being offered and more that no one has yet thought of. Regardless of their source or how they might sound, each should be given the same consideration. We have to preserve our rights, but we also must ensure the safety of our fellow Americans as best we can.

In closing, I’ll say it again: Only together and with the fullest understanding possible can we prevent further tragedy. I want everyone to remember that no problem worth solving is ever easy but the reward is always made so much sweeter by the effort. Stay strong, everyone, and stand together.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SPORTS

MARCH 16, 2018

MUSIC STUDENT WITH DREAMS OF TEACHING TAKES LEAD Tran conducts in winter show, plays in local jazz group Cassie Wilson the advocate

Mt. Hood music student Michael Tran conducted a piece of music, “El Capitan,” in the Symphonic Band’s end-of-term concert on March 7, and grew his confidence along the way.

Last autumn, Tran, a second-year student, had talked to Symphonic Band Director Danielle Davey about college options to study music education and pursue his goals of becoming a

high school band director, and the conversation sparked an idea in her.

She wanted Tran to conduct one of the Symphonic Band’s songs during Winter Term.

Davey picked “El Capitan,” a march, and Tran got to work studying it.

“She’s been working with me, giving me conducting lessons, and I’ve been leading the rehearsals with her standing in the back just making sure I’m doing the right thing,” he said.

Tran explained that before this term, he didn’t know how to effectively and comfortably communicate in front of a large group of people. But, he said, “As the term kept going, I just got better at knowing what I wanted to say.”

One of the hardest things he’s trying to learn is how to get the band musicians to feel what he feels in relation to the song.

“Since it’s a march, I try to be more rigid, but also try to tell a story with the song. So, when I’m in front of the band I’m trying to express what I think of the song with them,” he said.

While one might assume that

missing out practice time due to February snow closures would add more pressure in preparing for the concerts, Tran said the lost days worked in his favor.

“It freed up my schedule so I could sit at home and rehearse on my own, so I could be prepared for the next time we met,” he said.

When he’s not standing in front of the band, Tran is playing saxophone in it. He plays all levels of the saxophone, and also knows clarinet, bassoon, and a bit of piano because it’s a required course in the MHCC music program.

He’s taken these skills and is already finding real-world use for them, and creating opportunities for himself as well as other Mt. Hood music students. For example, he started a small jazz group which now plays at his workplace, Wall Street Pizza, every other week.

“We play jazz arrangements of video game (songs),” he said. “We’re called ‘Studio Hood.’ It’s a vague

tribute to Mt. Hood, because we’re all Mt. Hood students.”

The other MHCC students in the group are Martin Lemon, Maya Brown, Max Mitchell, Bahr Trayhorn, Frankie Bryant, and Anna Meyer.

Tran also runs a music-focused YouTube channel where he plays anime covers.

“Right now, my life is pretty much just centered around music,” he noted.

While the Winter Term is coming to a close, Tran is already discussing the idea of arranging a piece for the Symphonic Band or maybe directing another song again, but either way, it’s safe to say he’ll be keeping busy with music in every aspect of his life.

To keep up with Studio Hood, look for them on all major social media platforms @studiohood1.

Graphic by Nina Charkhsaz // the Advocate

CAN THE BLAZERS KEEP THEIR HOT STREAK GOING? Logan Hertner the advocate

Can the Portland Trail Blazers get any better?

They entered Thursday night’s game with Cleveland winning 10 games straight. And, not against bad teams but against quality opponents – beating the Warriors twice in that stretch, the Heat, Thunder, Timberwolves, and ending the Utah Jazz’s 12-game winning streak, as well.

All this comes behind the hot hand of Damian Lillard. The three-

time NBA All-Star is performing at a rate in which he seems nearly unstoppable. He is finally starting to get some recognition and is being talked about somewhat in this year’s MVP race, which he rightfully deserves considering that in the past month, he is averaging 32 points per game, adding five rebounds and six assists, shooting 45 percent from the floor and hitting an average four three-pointers also.

He is making Kyrie Irving and Steph Curry look bad right now with his performances night in, and night out.

Another huge part of the reason why the Blazers are playing so well is because of the two big men down low, Jusuf Nurkic and Ed Davis.

Nurk is averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds per game while Ed Davis is coming off the bench and dominating the paint, adding seven points and 10 rebounds of his own, as of late.

Davis and Nurk are bringing

a defensive and outstanding paint presence which is what Portland has been ultimately missing, and you can tell it’s making a huge difference.

The Blazers are in the top three of every league defensive category and they are ranked at No. 7 in the league overall for defense –where last year they were in the bottom three in defense.

Lillard has stepped up on the defensive end, which is a side of him we have never really seen before.

Plus, Nurkic and Davis down low, with Al-Farouq Aminu and Moe Harkless guarding the perimeter, is a formula that seems to be the answer to our previous defensive problems.

Portland remains currently the third seed in the Western Conference playoff race, but now the question is, have they gotten hot too early?

Just how long will this streak last? We’ll find out, before long.

PA G E 7

SPORTS

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

SAINTS HOST FIRST HOME MEET OF THE SEASON

Jonathan Zacarias the advocate

The Mt. Hood Saints hosted their first track and field home meet of the season on Saturday, March 10.

The Saints Open matched the home team against athletes from Corban University, Southwestern Oregon Community College, Warner Pacific University, and Multnomah University. There also were a wide range of others who competed as unaffiliated athletes, and some from Team IRON. The Saints fared well across the board, with both the women and men outdoing opponents in various field events and placing at or near the top in sections of the track contests.

First up, the women: The Saints’ Faith Richards won both the 800- and 1500-meter runs with respective times of 2:32.00 and 5:13.19 minutes. Her teammate, Erica Veltkamp, finished second in the 1500 meter with a time of 5:19.94 minutes.

In the sprint events, Mt. Hoods’ Taylor Presley took second in both the women’s 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, finishing in times of 13.23 and 27.93 seconds.

PA G E 8

Mt. Hood’s Therese Nahimana came in second in both the women’s long jump and the triple jump with respective marks of 4.87 and 9.67 meters. She came in a close runnerup to Warner Pacific’s Makhai Broussard in both events.

The field event portion of the meet saw Mt. Hood’s Grace Buchanan win the women’s javelin throw with a mark of 38.54 meters.

Men’s action featured a secondand third-place finish from Mt. Hood’s Michael Botchway in the 100- and 200-meters. He crossed the line in 11.16 and 22.93 seconds, respectively.

Pushing his teammates Ac tu a l ly, finishing ahead of Botchway in the 200-meter for the win was Saints teammate Andre Dorn, who also won the 400-meter run.

Dorn clocked times of 22.46 and 49.71 seconds. He was last year’s 2017 NWAC 400-meter champion – but unfortunately,

unofficially only, due to grade troubles that cost his eligibility and formal recorded times.

Dorn also is being forced to redshirt this season, and his marks won’t stand for Mt. Hood. But, thanks to the academic recovery program installed by Saints co-coaches Kelly Holding and Fernando Fantroy, he remains enrolled in school and continues to train with, and push, his teammates.

The Saints went one-two in the 800-meter run, with Tayton La Pointe and Christopher Llanos recording times of 2:01.29 and 2:03.54 minutes.

Distance runner Luke Mclean paced to a first-place finish in the 5000 meters, with a time of 16:47.19.

In the hurdles, Mt. Hood’s Austin DeWolfe took third in the men’s 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.93 seconds and won the men’s 400-meter hurdles, crossing in 57.25 seconds.

Continuing the first-place theme was Scout Labhart, who won the men’s long jump and triple jump with leaps of 6.64 and 13.10 meters.

Teammate Ramontre’ Williams won the men’s high jump with a leap of 1.98 meters and took second to behind Labhart in the long jump.

The Saints’ Kobie Ham took

second in both the men’s discus and shot put, with impressive throws of 44.98 and 14.02 meters.

Photo by Ben Carscallen // the Advocate

TOP: Freshman Ramontre Williams leaping to a second place finish in the men's long jump. LEFT: Freshman Grace Buchanan with a winning throw in the women's Javelin. ABOVE: Freshman Alex Moore in the first leg of the men's 4x1 meter relay.

Former Saints shine There also were a couple of notable Mt. Hood alumni athletes competing in Saturday’s meet.

Brian Salgado, who was the NWAC’s 2017 shot put champion with a toss of 16.16 meters and earned All-American honors, competed in the men’s shot put on

Saturday, winning the event with a toss of 14.59 meters.

Also out on the field was wellknown former Saints star McKenzie Warren, who represented Mt. Hood so proudly back in 2013-14. During her time at Mt. Hood, Warren set new school records in the women’s discus and hammer throw with marks of 44.25 meters and 54.43 meters, respectively.

On Saturday, Warren won all three throwing events: the shot put (17.26 meters), discus (47.59 meters), and the hammer (54.92 meters).

With just two meets so far in their season, an impressive eight athletes for Mt. Hood have qualified for the 2018 NWAC championships.

They include: Veltkamp in the women’s 10,000-meter run, with a time of 42:09.76; Buchanan in the woman’s javelin with a throw of 39.81 meters; Williams in the men’s high jump, with a leap of 1.97 meters; and Kobie Ham in the men’s shot put, discus, and hammer with throws of 13.81 meters, 41.00 meters, and 47.54 meters.

The Saints’ next meet will be at Portland’s Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, where they will compete in the Lewis & Clark Spring Break Open.

Photos by Jeff Hinds