C onnection THE
Professor’s portrait project shows unity See Page 7 Alicia Ilaga | The Connection
Doug Winter
Meditation Room Campus pushes for safe space to meditate News, Page 3
Issue 2 Fall 2017 Student voice of CRC since 1970
Cole McCarthy Profile Former CRC student applies academic skills as a DJ Features, Page 5
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October 19, 2017
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>>News
Oaxacan artist presents carvings on campus By John Cabales jcabales.connect@gmail.com
A Oaxacan artist visited Cosumnes River College on Oct. 10 to showcase and sell her art and to give information about her community and what it takes to create her pieces. Alma Arreola is from the community of Arrazola in Oaxaca, Mexico and has been doing this art form called alebrijes with her husband for the last 20 years. They, together with 12 other families who create this art, form a collective of artists called Ecoalebrijes. “When you look at a piece of artwork, it’s not just the artwork you see,” Arreola said, through a translator. “It’s more of the family’s story, my inspiration; you get to see something that’s in me.” Alebrijes is the art of creating brightly colored wooden sculptures. In Oaxaca, they use the wood of the copal tree. “It’s soft to carve out and it’s the tree that grows
naturally in the area,” Arreola said. CRC English Professor Heather Hutcheson is responsible for helping bring Arreola to the United States. Hutcheson visited Oaxaca five years ago during a sabbatical leave and said she fell in love with the community and the art. “One of the things that I love about this is that the kids help out by sanding and learning, the men carve and the woman paint, so the whole family is involved and the unity is fantastic,” Hutcheson said. In Arrazola, 80 percent of the community creates this wood art in order to support themselves and the community. Since they are able to create and sell these pieces in Mexico and the U.S., they are able to stay together instead of coming to America to try and create a better life, Hutcheson said. Communication Studies Professor Sandra Wheeler took her class to see the artwork
Shannon Rusche | The Connection
Carvings painted by Oaxacan artist Alma Arreola on display for view and potential sale on Oct. 10. Arreola’s work is part of an artists’ collective called Ecoalebrijes.
and watch the presentation and said she really admired Arreola’s artwork. “The colors and magical qualities associated with the various animals are so simple yet powerful,” Wheeler said. “I have several of their
porcupines, they are my favorite.” Arreola said she draws her inspiration from what she sees in Mexico and from an archeological site. “Where I’m from, there’s an archeological site and all
my pieces come from that site and are pre-hispanic,” Arreola said. “All the colors are found in the town and I see them in the plants and the fields.” The pieces take about two weeks to finish and about three days just to paint.
Campus responds to report, earns full accreditation By Naomi Nater nnater.connect@gmail.com Cosumnes River College is once again accredited and faculty say they are elated. The process towards accreditation was filled with completing midterm reports, and revising a couple of systems the school had in place. Accreditation is an ongoing process that helps students receive credit for the classes they take, which in turn can be used to transfer out to other schools. Without accreditation, the school would not be able to award students with degrees and may even be closed down. “The commission thought there were two specific areas that we needed to improve on and wanted us to report out in 18 months,” said Edward Bush, president of CRC. “We reported out the work that we had done in those areas and
Every seven years, the then that’s when last June we CRC students needed to learn, got word that we met those through a certain course or school’s accreditation team sends in a midterm report to improvement areas and that program they chose to take. “I think it’s a great thing; show the Accrediting Comwe’re back on our regular cyit’s an important thing to have mission for Community and cle of accreditation.” The accreditation commis- our system of accreditation Junior Colleges how the colsion conducts a visitation ev- to ensure the quality of the lege is doing in order to reery seven years. This commis- college and to make sure that new their accreditation. The midterm resion reviews port is due how the college “It’s an important thing to have our system of next year and is doing and accreditation to ensure the quality of the college the staff has what needs to been working be improved and to make sure that it’s providing good educaon the report on to bring tion for our students.” since 2015. forth a better Not only education for are staff instudents. — Emily Bond volved in the CRC was Faculty Chair of Accreditation accreditation reviewed in process, but 2015 and put on academic probation in or- it’s providing good education students are as well. “Students der to sort out the two specific for our students,” said Emily are an intrical part of the acproblem areas in an 18 month Bond, the faculty chair of Ac- creditation process and if you look at the standards, student span. The two areas that need- creditation. Bond served in this year’s involvement is really imported improvement were the course-level program and col- accreditation faculty as one of ant,” said Georgine Hodgklege-level outcomes. the Tri-chair, which is made inson, former faculty chair of These two programs were up of one administrator, one Accreditation. Students play a vital role in the basic expectations that staff and one faculty member.
accreditation and are encouraged to get more involved and learn more about the whole process of accreditation. “Sometimes when the visiting team is here conducting that evaluation, they will ask to interview students,” says Hodgkinson. “Though students are involved, especially students in leadership positions.” If other students want to learn more about accreditation and whether or not their JC is accredited, Bond recommends logging in to ACCJC.org. “I know a lot of times students don’t know exactly what accreditation is,” said Bond. “It’s a system of peer review that colleges enter into where we follow certain standards that are agreed upon.” Bond believes the accreditation process is important because it “ensures that the colleges are financially stable and structurally stable.”
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Meditation room makes headway After extensive discussions among students about creating a safe space on campus for use in prayer and religious practices, the conversation has finally reached faculty. By Lola Chase lchase.connect@gmail.com The meditation room has been an ongoing initiative for 10 years to create a safe space on campus for prayer, meditation and relaxation, and is getting closer to becoming a reality, according to advocates. The initiative has been driven by student activists from the Student Senate, religious clubs and veterans. “The students are the ones who really initiated it,” said David Weinshilboum, the faculty advisor of the Muslim Student Association. “They went through the right channels, they brought it to the social responsibility committee and the committee put it in front of the academic senate.” A vote for approval on the project was held on Friday by the Academic Senate. “I’m guessing it will pass, and that the academic senate will support it,” said Weinshilboum. “At that point, it’s really just a matter of where it goes and how to get it started.” In an Academic Senate document regarding the “SRC Inclusiveness Initiative: Campus Meditation Space,” it states “Resolved, that the Cosumnes River College Academic Senate Encourages the administration, in conjunction with the faculty and staff, to move forward with the creation of an inclusive space on campus without delay.” Advocates for the room have similar ideas for its purpose and implementation. “It’s important to have a serene place. A place of safety and refuge for students would be really huge to have here on campus,” said Weinshilboum. There has been more movement with the initiative in the past year since faculty have gotten involved. “The idea is that there should be a place for anyone in our campus
community, students or faculty,” said Anthropology Professor Anastasia Panagakos. “There should be a place where they can meditate, reflect, pray or just be quiet and still. A place where they are not being bombarded by other people or noise or overstimulation.” She said that studies show it is really important for people’s health that they have access to meditation spaces and practice mindfulness. “What I want to make it as is you have to sign up for it as a class, just like the math and English center,” said Halimeh Edais, Student Body President and leader of Muslim Student Association. “And then you sign in and sign out just so we can keep track of who’s coming in and out, so we don’t have any stray people coming in and messing it up or in case anyone is against religion.” Students who practice their religion on campus currently fear for their safety. “I want them to just feel included because me personally, as a muslim, I have to go behind the school to go pray, I have to go under the stairwell to pray.” Edais said. “I’m afraid that I’m going to get attacked, especially with the recent Islamophobic attacks that are happening now.” There is currently a meditation room at American River College, California State University and University of California, Davis. Edais
Shannon Rusche | The Connection
Student Body President Halimeh Edais discusses the importance of a meditation room during an Academic Senate Meeting on Oct. 13.
“So for me, it came up because the MSA has been using the anthropology lab for prayer, and I had no problem with that.” “I thought, yeah if we’re not using it for educational purposes then it’s great to be able to accommodate another group, but the only thing that troubled me about it was I felt like if we kept accommodating groups in these workarounds, then the campus itself was never going to take on the issue.” Student Ambassador and former
“We’re sitting there talking about being diverse and an open, accepting campus, but we’re not taking the necessary steps to do it, so I feel like the meditation room is one step towards it.” — Halimeh Edais Student Body President notes that there is a need for this type of space implemented at CRC. “We have the library, and it’s supposed to be a quiet space, but when you think of the library, it’s not really something that’s quiet. So the meditation room would be there,” said Edais. Muslim students have been going to the anthropology lab to pray when classes aren’t being held with the help of professors in the department, but Panagakos believes this isn’t sustainable. “It’s been floating around for the last five to 10 years, and it hasn’t been able to gain traction,” said Panagakos.
Student Senate President Freddy Mande spoke to students about the initiative’s ideas. “Most of the students I talk to are actually for the idea to be implemented. The concern they have is ‘when is it going to be done?’ That’s what the school is working on,” Mande said. “I focus on what kind of concerns students have, so some of them were maybe people shouldn’t take off their shoes or bring candles in the room, or about trying to have respect for each other and different religions. I had a really long list that we are considering.” Professors said that the room would likely be in the new building to
come in the following years. Temporary solutions are being considered for the time being until there can be an official meditation space. “So what we’re hoping, is that maybe a permanent space is going to be found in the next two or three years because there is construction that is going to be happening,” said Panagakos. “But in the interim, maybe we can have a temporary space and faculty can pilot meaning they would monitor the space. For example, I would hold my Tuesday office hours over there.” Walking into the meditation room, Edais describes that one would be seeing “prayer rugs, rosaries, just somewhere to chill. And if you want to bring your own little set up, you know no one will touch it because that’s yours and we’ll make sure of it because we have a sign-in.” She wants to emphasize that despite the movement being led by the Muslim Student Association, this space is to be made for people of any religious or non-religious background. These advocates hope more students will speak up and push for this change by speaking to administration and the district. “CRC is the most diverse campus in the district” Edais said. “I want us to practice what we preach. We’re sitting there talking about being diverse and an open, accepting campus, but we’re not taking the necessary steps to do it, so I feel like the meditation room would be one step towards it.”
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October 19, 2017
DSPS provides additional services for students a doctor’s note, or anything that will help us to determine that you have had a history of being served as an individual The Disability Support with a disability,”said Gomez. Programs and Services at Once the student’s disabilCosumnes River College asities are assessed, the student sists students with disabiliwill then be accommodated ties. Whether it be a physical, with the necessary tools or serlearning, or psychological disvices needed to help the stuability, the DSPS office is here dent in their classes, according to help. to the DSPS website. The goal of the DSPS office “When it comes to the is to help students with dis- exchange of information, it is abilities through “counseling, making adjustments on how support services and academ- they receive or give informaic accommodations that are tion,” said Learning Disability provided to Specialist and students who DSPS CounselWhat I like about are eligible for or Scott Hamilthe program,” DSPS is you’re not ton. according to “The protreated differently. the DSPS webgram provides site. I will have the same students with “DSPS is services such treatment as any an office in all as notetakers community other student...” if they don’t colleges,” said process lecYolanda Gartures quickly – Vidak Grubac cia Gomez, a enough, or if DSPS Student counselor for they don’t proDSPS. “We get cess auditory funding from the state that al- information well enough, in lows us to make sure that we order to give them the chance meet equal access for students to receive the same informawith disabilities.” tion as everyone else”, said “The eligibility require- Hamilton. ments for the program reSome other services proquire the student to have ver- vided to students include alification of disability through ternate media. documentation; for example, Examples of alternate meBy Jasmine Jernigan jjernigan.connect@gmail.com
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dia include textbooks converted into braille and audio and larger fonts for students with visual and auditory impairments, according to the DSPS website. Other services offered are academic advising, adaptive physical education classes and adaptive technology, which are there to make the college experience more accessible for disabled students, according to the DSPS website. Students in the DSPS program also receive help from their professors in order to make the learning experience more accessible. “We receive a sheet on each student that has an accommodation, and so we follow the information like a recipe for the student’s success,” said English Professor Heather Hutcheson. Students with disabilities are encouraged to take advantage of the resources provided by the program. “Any student that taps into the resources that they need, and they understand how they’re going to be helping them, then their success is already improved, just by acknowledging their need for assistance,” said Hutcheson. Vidak Grubac, a 25-yearold radio, television and film production major, said that he
Shannon Rusche | The Connection
A Disability Support Programs and Services student takes a test in a testing accommadation room in the DSPS office on Oct. 18.
was offered helpful student services through DSPS. “I think the services are awesome,” said Grubac. “I am an international student from Montenegro, Europe and the fact is back home, I did not have the services that are offered here, like test proctoring, people reading to me due to me being visually impaired. It feels good to know someone has your back.” Grubac had encouraging
words for students afraid to get help for their disability. “There is no reason to be afraid,” said Grubac. “What I like about DSPS is you’re not treated differently. I will have the same treatment as any other person taking a regular test. I will just have it accommodated.” For more information on DSPS and its services, visit the DSPS office in BS-104. Students with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Increased enrollment bodes well for whole district By Artemus Steele asteele.connect@gmail.com Over the past few semesters, Cosumnes River College has had a relatively low enrollment rate and it has negatively impacted our campus. However, enrollment is up this semester. Enrollment has improved “from fall of 2016 to fall of this year, we are only up 35 students,” said Kristie West, CRC’s public information officer. What is bringing us into a positive percentage isn’t the minor influx of students. “Our increase wasn’t necessarily attributed to us having more students,” said Edward Bush, the college president of CRC. “Based on how enrollment is calculated, we factor in not only the number of stu-
dents, but also the number of units they’re enrolled in.” The amount of students taking more units has brought overall enrollment up by a small percentage, but campus staff say it is a great sign. “What that 1.1% tells me is that our message is getting through to them,” said West. Faculty and staff are really encouraging students to take more units. “We are also trying to redefine what full-time enrollment means,” said Bush. “If you’re only taking 12 units a semester, you’re going to be here for another 2 semesters. But if you want to finish 60 units in two years, which a lot of our students would like to do, then it’s 15 units a semester.” Enrollmet not only affects funding for our school, but
also enrollment among other enrollment. Los Rios campuses. “Two of the bigger col“It’s the enrollment of all leges are still declining, those four of our colleges that dic- colleges being American Rivtates funding, so we are all in er and Sac City, and Folsom it together,” is basically flat said Bush. with a slight It’s the enrollment “Based on increase,” said the amount of Bush. “So, you of all four colleges students you still have us have, the state as a Los Rios that dictates fundallocates a cerdistrict slighting, so we are all in it ly declining in tain amount of money. The enrollment, so together.” more students, even if CRC the more fundis increasing, ing you have if the other – Edward Bush and it goes by schools aren’t, Cosumnes River College the number of it will still afPresident FTES or Full fect the budget Time Equivaallocation.” lent Students, which is why The CRC campus as a the amount of units a student whole feels the effects of enis taking matters.” rollment, or lack thereof, as it Currently, CRC is one of rises and falls as the semesters two colleges that have positive pass by.
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“Increased enrollment is a good thing,” said Gregory McCormac, a former CRC dean. “From a dean’s perspective, that tells us what classes are in high demand and lets us know what classes we need more sections for and how we should allocate the funds we get.” Given that enrollment is so important to the school, there are a few things students should know. “It’s important for students to continually stay enrolled and if they feel like they are hitting barriers, even if they think those barriers are outside of the college, they should talk to someone at the college,” said Bush. “To me, the biggest message is for students to really set a timeline for when they want to finish their academics here.”
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Former student reveals journey to radio industry By Kainoa Nunez knunez.connect@gmail.com
“When will it be my time to rise up,” is the motivational saying that embodies the talent of upcoming professional disc jockey and former Cosumnes River College student Cole McCarthy, also known as DJ Rus Ruthless. Now working for “The 360 Radio,” McCarthy expressed his love for hip-hop, rapping and anime and how those things gave him the chance to prove what his determination is for. “The music industry is not for everybody unfortunately, but he has proved for himself that he’s got what it takes to make it, and I’m real proud of him,” said the founder of “The 360 Radio” and McCarthy’s supervisor, DJ Eddie Z. “I didn’t know it what going to come to this that he’s doing a better job than me at DJing on so many of these radio shows.” For McCarthy, it all started by not only going to college, but getting involved with activities with the school and
engaging and connecting with others throughout the communities. During his time at CRC, McCarthy said he learned a lot of great skills. What he learned and received during his time on the school paper, The Connection, were the skills to communicate and be able to get out of his comfort zone. From his time on the paper, all those skills that he developed gave him a good start and ended up giving him the connection to becoming a student ambassador for the Student Life and Leadership Center. “The skills that I got from the newspaper, I took it to them, and then, because I could engage and talk to people, they saw that I had potential to go forward with their program, and they made me become more professional,” he said. Winnie LaNier, the faculty coordinator of campus life who had worked with McCarthy during his time as student ambassador, said that McCarthy stood out to her because
Kainoa Nunez | The Connection
Cole McCarthy, stage name DJ Rus Ruthless, hosts The 360 Radio show in the Old Sacramento studio on Oct. 4.
of “his artistic expression and willingness to learn with an eager attitude.” What he learned during those experiences became what made him successful, McCarthy said. “Those skills that I picked up from both faculties have made me into a powerhouse,” said McCarthy. “Being involved with extracurricular activities helps students expands their own horizons and
participating with the school programs.” After he disenrolled from CRC, however, McCarthy said the struggles of being proactive with his time was hard. “When you’re not in college or employed, it’s no different from being at CRC because you have to swallow the same type of nonsense to get through the corporal system to get a job,” said Cole. However, that all changed
for McCarthy when an opportunity came up for him by the help of his mother’s friend, Katie McGee, the host of “Connected Radio”, who needed an intern. “If I didn’t take that internship then I would still be stuck at school for another four years, and life’s moving forward, so in order to make something happen you got to make things happen yourself,” said Cole.
Student body president excited to give students a voice By John Cabales jcabales.connect@gmail.com Full-time student, president of the Muslim Student Association and student ambassador Halimeh Edais added a new title to the list when she was elected to be the new student body president of Cosumnes River College on Sept. 28. As student body president, Edais is the voice of the students and says she’s excited to be president and is ready to make a difference. “I’ve only been student body president for a week and I’ve already had two people come in to see me, so I feel like it’s going good,” said Edais. “I want people to know that I’m here and to utilize me.” Edais said she is focused on letting students know that they can come to her with all
Shannon Rusche | The Connection
Student Body President Halimeh Edais discusses the proposal of a meditation room for students during an Academic Senate meeting on Friday.
of their problems and she will do her best to make sure that their concerns are heard and that something is done about it. “When I attend these
meetings, I just want to bring attention to the students,” said Edais. “I want to bring attention to your problems.” The student ambassadors stand by their new president
and look forward to working together to make students more knowledgeable about what’s happening on campus and the resources that are available to them. They are confident that she can unify the students. “I know that she is very active and she’s very motivated and I trust her to lead the school where we want it to be and she can bring the students together,” said Student Ambassador Katie Edralin. Edais speaks for the students during school and district meetings and she wants to know all the problems and issues that the students have so that she can speak for them. “I feel like we, as students, don’t have much say in things like tuition, so I just want to give students a voice,” said Edais. The ambassadors also
want students to know that they should never feel hesitant to come in during office hours and talk to Edais. “She’s very laid back and welcoming,” said Student Ambassador Tremar Moore. “She definitely goes the extra mile to get things done,” Edais knows what it’s like to be a student and to feel like nobody is here for you and willing to hear you out. “I’ll always be here to listen to you all,” said Edais. “You can come into my office hours and we can work out your issues; I am a student and I know the struggles of school, work and family, so whatever concerns may have, I’m here for you.” If you have any questions or concerns about the campus, come see Edais at T108 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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‘Stories on stage’ brings student writings to life By Austin Ramirez aramirez.connect@gmail.com Stories on Stage is an event where pieces from literary journals from different Los Rios Community Colleges were showcased and performed by professional actors to bring the pieces to life. The most recent event, coordinated by Sue Staats, took place downtown and showcased a few different pieces, including one from the Cosumnes River Journal written by LeKeia Lee, 24, whose major is undeclared, a student here at CRC. Other pieces included Dylan Wells’ piece from Sacramento City College’s journal Susurrus, Eric Orosco’s piece from American River College’s journal American River Review and Maddy Humphreys’ piece from Folsom Lake College’s journal The Machine. “It’s a way to sort of reward yourself for the hard and lonely work of writing,” said Staats. “And, the cool thing for writers is to actually hear your piece read because the voice you hear in your head, when you’re writing it, is often very different than how a reader will interpret it.” Wells and Orosco had their pieces read by Doug Pieper while Lee and Humphreys had their pieces read by Kellie Yvonne Raines. Lee’s piece, “A Brief History of Places I’ve Lived,” was originally an assignment for her creative writing class. “We were told to write a list of whatever you like, and I decided to
write a list of places I’ve lived and how they’ve affected me and how they’ve helped me become the person that I am today,” Lee said. Due to the personal aspect of it, Lee said her piece came from a sincere place and the goal to be open with her audience. “My inspiration was truth and honesty and being able to share with others the experiences I had,” said Lee. “Often times, it’s hard to share difficult experiences, especially through writing, but I just wanted to be as vulnerable as possible.” Lee was clear that sheIt was very clear that Lekeia mainly wanted her work to be felt by others, no matter what the situation is. “I just want my work to touch people,” said Lee. “I always say ‘I don’t have to be a New York Times Bestseller. I don’t have to be on the bestseller list at all. As long as my work touches someone and they feel connected with me through my work, that’s all I wish to accomplish.” Lee’s piece was straight from her heart; she never deviated from what her heart told her to write about or how to write it and that’s what she hopes other writers will do. “My advice would be to always stay honest,” said Lee. “Never be afraid of how others will perceive your work. Always live in your truth. The worst thing that can happen is that they won’t choose you, but life goes on. Keep submitting and don’t be afraid to get a rejection because on the other side of rejection are opportunities like this.”
Jannah Khalil | The Connection
LeKeia Lee presents her piece “A Brief History of Places I’ve Lived” before it is performed at the Stories on Stage event on Sept 29.
Shani Zuberi, 19, a film major said that she appreciated the opportunity that events like these give to young writers such as herself. “It was marvelous, it was spectacular,” said Zuberi. “We need to have more of these events and really get these out in the public because creative writing is such an important thing to do, to express yourself with words, and to share it with the community it helps so much.” English Professor Heather Hutcheson, who is the editor of the Cosumnes River Journal discussed how the journal’s inclusivity of writers from all over makes it special. “The CRC journal is unique from
all the other campuses because you don’t have to be a student to be published in the journal which means that we are publishing students along with established writers which is a great opportunity for emerging voices,” said Hutcheson. “Students and writers are getting real life publishing and editing credit that are like other university academic journals where you are not limited to a specific audience of people, the whole world can come into our journal,” said Hutcheson. “This means that students get an actual practical experience to get published in a real world setting and that is more meaningful if you really are going to be a writer.”
#TrendingNow Northern California areas such as Napa Valley and Santa Rosa are plagued with wildfires causing the evacuation of thousands of residents and burning over 180,000 acres of land. “I think it’s tragic and I think it’s a sign that we should be very concerned about environmental changes and the effects that it will have,” said Gemma Mirmiran, 18, an English major.
s Shooting
Stephen Paddock committed the worst mass shooting in modern American history, killing 59 people and injuring over 500 more during a concert in Las Vegas, Nevada. “It’s just crazy that it even happened on that scale,” said Brenna Burgess, 22, a pre-nursing major. “I had friends from work that were at that concert. I know of friends of friends who were there, some of which got hurt, and I think about it in different aspects
than other people do.”
Weinstein
ia On Fire
Las Vega
Californ
Compiled by Naomi Nater. All photos are courtesy photos.
Allegations Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of The Weinstein Company is facing sexual harrassment and abuse allegations from a number of Hollywood actresses. “I feel like it’s an abuse of power,” said Lindsey Dotson, 21, a child development major. “He’s taking advantage of women and using women and their vulnerability for his own use.”
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Professor challenges Southern stereotypes By Jannah Khalil jkhalil.connect@gmail.com In the small town of Selma, Alabama, they follow the motto, “From civil war to civil rights and beyond.” But one professor’s sabbatical project has brought a new theme into the spotlight: unity. Photography Professor Kathryn Mayo traveled to her hometown of Selma, which she chose as the location for her sabbatical project. “We Are Selma: The Portrait Project,” showcases the town’s residents with the hope of showing who they really are. “I’m hoping that when people see this that they’ll see diversity and identity and a connection to home and the fact that this person’s white and this person’s black and this person’s old and this person’s young they really have the same values and are working towards the same goal,” said Mayo. Ruth Shaw, one of the people that Mayo had pho-
tographed, said in an email that she l admired how Mayo was able to address difficult things but in a way that helped the people of Selma. “Kathryn was very careful to include a variety of people; different races, different ages, different religions,” said Shaw. “Race is still a major stumbling block here in Selma, but this project crossed that barrier and helped all of us involved in the project feel proud of Selma. Selma needs to realize that it can be defined by its past, its present, and by things yet to come. Kathryn’s project helped us talk about ‘now’.” As a native of Alabama, Mayo said that she realized there was a misconception about people from Selma that she hadn’t realized before. With her project, she hoped she could show Selma from a different point of view. “I gave people a way to contribute to how their identity was being portrayed, which I think is really important,” Mayo said.
Kathryn Mayo | Courtesy Photo
Ruth and Victor Shaw, 58, photographed as part of Mayo’s portrait project. Mayo said that the couple were a huge help to her while in Selma.
Doug Winter | Courtesy Photo
In a photo taken by her husband, who served as an assistant during the project, Professor Kathryn Mayo works on getting her exhibit for “We Are Selma: The Portrait Project” ready to show in Selma, Alabama.
“It’s very important for you to have control over how you’re being portrayed, how somebody sees you or how comfortable you are with how somebody sees you portrayed.” Mayo used a unique form of photography called the wet plate collodion process to create her images. She said that using this process that was used in older times really connected her project to Selma’s history, but the process is long and involved, so it also gave Mayo the chance to connect to the people she was photographing and also connect them to each other. Photography Professor Patty Felkner, who was a part of the committee that awarded Mayo her sabbatical, admired Mayo’s approach to the project and how it “ties her past to her present.” “I really love that it’s about civil rights,” said Felkner. “Even though the march on Selma happened 51 years ago, there’s so much going on right now in the United States that kind of echoes those days, so I felt like it was really timely.”
While photographing her subjects, Mayo conducted interviews where she would ask them about themselves and their connection to Selma. At the end of each interview she would ask them “what is your hope for Selma?” and said that everyone, in one way or another, answered “unity.” “I think that’s what people are trying to work towards, but they don’t know how to get there,” Mayo said. “So, I was hoping that by talking to people when I was photographing them, that I could plant seeds or make connections.” In the end, Mayo’s hope for the project was that Selma can be seen as it really is, not what it’s stereotypes define it as. “It’s too bad that there are still those stereotypes; it’s too bad that there are people that perpetuate those, that do the things that cause those stereotypes to be perpetuated, but, for me, it seemed like the people there want change, they’re just trying to figure out how to get there,” Mayo said. “I hope that they’ll see that people in those areas are really working to make
it a better place, that people in those areas are individuals and that they’re thoughtful and resourceful and they are interested in moving forward.” Head of the Photography Department, Professor Jim West, also commended Mayo on her project and discussed the importance of sabbatical projects for faculty. “I think that, if you’ve been on a campus long enough, you lose touch with the outside,” said West. “Especially us as photographers, we lose touch with the industry, we lose touch with what’s going with the outside and I think a sabbatical provides the opportunity for us to reconnect professionally.” West also expressed his admiration for Mayo as not only a professor, but as an artist. “I think that Kathryn is a strong force in our department and I think she’s hasn’t peaked,” West said. “I think that she is on her way to creating more memorable work and that’s she’s got a long, healthy career ahead of her.”
October 19, 2017
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>>Opinion EDITORIAL
Will you get up or stay down after tragedy hits? The world as we know it is a messed up place, and lately it seems as though it’s only getting worse. The hurricanes that devastated our nation - Harvey, Irma, Jose - were bad enough. Then Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Maria. And before they could get any support, a mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada left over 50 people killed and hundreds injured. Now, wildfires are destroying forests and communities in our own state. The list goes on. How do we recover from disasters like these? There’s hardly a break from one disaster to the next, and we are left dumbfounded and helpless. It’s no wonder that many are so disenchanted with our world, because our world feels as though it’s on a downward spiral to destruction. What does that do to our minds? According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is the most pressing concern for college students, with 41 percent of students having anxiety, followed by depression at number two with 36 percent. Also, according to Mental Health America, two of the most likely responses to disasters and tragedies are anxiety and depression. Disasters also cause unusual levels of stress, for people both directly and indirectly affected by the tragedy. When disaster strikes, we turn to our phones, social media, television and more. We use these items as a distraction. This is okay, but only for a time. If we distract ourselves for too long, we become indifferent to the problems that occur. This may make sense; why would we ever want to feel pain, anxiety and depression? Wouldn’t it be better to find something else to focus on? But therein lies the problem. These disasters are not distant. These are things that are happening to us, our friends, our family, our country. We cannot afford to ignore or bypass these issues. These are real people in trouble, and we need to do our part to help them. What about us though? Anyone can suffer anxiety and depression, and whether we are directly or indirectly impacted by disaster, it still hurts. Here are some ideas for how to both do your part and relieve your anxiety: Talk about it. Feelings that are locked away can only fester. Express your concerns and anxieties; you are not alone. Do things that can help to relax you. It’s good to take a break from reality sometimes. You can’t stay out of it forever, but a short break now and again can be a healthy break for your mental health. Get involved. A quick Google search will show you all the ways that you can help the victims of these events. The Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund is looking for donations to help victims of the California forest fires. The American Red Cross is accepting donations for the Las Vegas shooting victims, as well as the victims of the forest fires. Doing something for others will help ease your concerns. Be informed. Ignorance is something that our nation cannot afford. Understand what is going on and what you can do about it. The world can be a hard, dangerous place these days, but we have to learn how to deal with it. On our own, we’ll be overwhelmed, stressed, anxious and depressed. But by working together, we can make it better, little by little.
HAWK TALK How do you cope in the wake of recent tragedies? Compiled by Artemus Steele Photos by Jasmine Jernigan
Joshua Moreno 20, Astronomy
Jeff Tarafa 28, Accounting
“I try and fill my life with positive messages, encouragement through my friends and family, and I try to keep the victims of these tragedies close to my heart.”
“I keep myself busy and stay on top of my school work, stay on top of my schedule and planner. This keeps me focused on my daily activities.”
Melissa Mcavoy-Jensen 18, Criminal Law
“What I do to cope is I try not to focus on it too much. I am Catholic so I pray a lot, but I try not to dwell on things I can’t change.”
Josh Yutangco 20, Respiratory Therapy
“I’m not really grieving. I don’t really have any coping mechanisms, because right now I don’t need to because I’m not being affected.”
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Page 9
Should athletes kneel during the anthem?
The Pro By Kainoa Nunez knunez.connect@gmail.com Another year for football in America, and fans are always excited to see their favorite teams play. On Sept. 22 in Huntsville, Alabama, President Donald Trump gave a speech mentioning NFL players. President Trump stated that if any NFL player doesn’t rise for the National Anthem, they should be fired immediately instead of suspension, and using the term “son of a b----” to refer to them specifically. “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag to say ‘get that son of a b---- off the field right now? Out. He’s fired’,” Trump said. That following Sunday, most NFL teams had a message to our President, from more than 200 hundred players either kneeled raised a fist, interlocked arms, sat down, or stayed in the locker room during the National Anthem. The players were not happy with the President’s comments, and I agree with them. Kneeling is to be in or assume a position in which the body is supported by a knee or the knees, as when praying or showing submission. Kneeling isn’t offensive and is the exercise of free of speech and the right to exercise constitutional rights. For example, U.S. Army veteran Alejandro Villanueva, offensive tackle, was the only Pittsburgh Steelers player to stand for the National Anthem in the tunnel while his team was in the locker room. But, after regretted it that he wasn’t with his team rather than paying his respects to the flag he apologized to the fans and media for his actions. Most NFL player have no intent to disrespect our flag or to our troops that have died protecting our country. They love this country and are very grateful for the things that have happen to them. . But there is a reason these NFL players are protesting peacefully, and it’s because they want to end racial injustice, police brutality and the inequality that happens in our country today. But, people just see is players disrespecting our flag. That is unfortunate, and it’s sad to see that our country is becoming divided. It should nev-
and
er be that way. No athlete should be fired for exercising their constitutional rights because that would be illegal, and Trump’s insults were unnecessary when he called players “sons of b----.” There was no need for that. Everyone has the rights to express freedom of speech for it says in our first amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to assemble, and to petition of Government for a redress of grievances.” The fans and viewers across the
The Con
By Austin Ramirez aramirez.connect@gmail.com There are many ways to peacefully protest as an NFL player. One of which is to kneel or sit during the national anthem. While it is a constitutional right of the player to do so, it is not acceptable on a grand stage. As an NFL player, you are expected to give your attention to the flag for our fallen and current troops who protect our country for that short minute and a half during the anthem. While the players have not said
Courtesy Photo
country see their teams as offensive and disgraceful for they don’t rise for the National Anthem, and on top of that fans have expressed on what they think of their teams protesting by burning every owned gear. It’s so unnecessary to do, and if they believe what they think of the teams are doing then there’s nothing to change their mind. There is too much negativity that is going through our country today, and it’s scary because we as a country should collaborate and unite. This protest raises awareness for people to understand what is happening in our own backyard. NFL players are trying to make our country come together. Until the injustice and racial inequality ends, players will continue to take a personal stand and use their status as a voice people can relate to.
directly that they are disrespecting our troops, that is how many people see the protest. There are no words needed when not standing or paying your respects during the national anthem. A player’s actions will speak much louder than their words. Players want to be seen and heard as they protest for equality, but the stage on which they are doing so is not correct. That minute and a half is the time that our troops have earned from us by protecting our rights and freedoms. The players are disrespecting the troops who have fought and currently are fighting for that player’s right to peacefully protest. This is not to say that the players should not protest in some way shape or form if they feel that it needs to be done, but on national television during that
honorary moment is not the time nor the place to do so. Some teams have military veterans on their team. If a member of your team is a military veteran, you owe them the respect to stand during that moment. No matter how you feel about, what has been said by anyone else, you owe your teammate that minute and a half, and if you can’t give them that, then you don’t deserve to be on that NFL field alongside them. A major problem with players not standing for the national anthem is that it is a part of politics and a political action. While the NFL is a business at the end of the day, the majority of the fans do not want to see football become more political. Fans want to see the sport be played because that is why they pay money to go to the games and watch the sport. Fans do not buy tickets to the game to watch players kneel during the anthem or express their political opinion. Players can do that in their free time. Many former fans have expressed that they will no longer be watching or spending money on NFL products because it is simply too political now. While a fan here and there may not seem like a big deal, the bigger picture is there there are so many fans who have stopped watching and paying for the games because they don’t want to see another political event. According to an NFL memo from Brian Rolapp and Howard Katz, the NFL’s viewership through the first four weeks is down by 11 percent. That is 11 percent in just four short weeks; it will only get worse if these protests continue. Players need to realize that their actions are causing the NFL to lose views. If the NFL loses views, that means pay cuts for the teams and ultimately, the players. So those players making millions and protesting right now will be making less and less over time if they continue. The NFL is all about money by the end of the day, and controversial stir is not good for business. Teams will eventually begin to get rid of any players that are considered bad for business, especially if they carry a lot of dramatic baggage concerning off-thefield issues.
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October 19, 2017
>>Sports
Young team needs confidence, coach says By Artemus Steele asteele.connect@gmail.com The Hawks volleyball team at started off their season in high spirits and set some goals early on that they fully intend to keep. The players have been pushing themselves quite a bit this season to meet the goals they set at the start. At the beginning of the season, Head Coach Kari Post said that the goal for the team was to get 12 wins and be midpack. “We’re still working really hard. We have eight wins right now, so getting to 12 is still a manageable number,” Post said. “We need four more wins, and I really believe we have about six to eight more games where we can really beat these teams, so we have a good shot at getting to that goal of 12.” The team has been doing well so far in terms of bettering themselves. Post said that working on their technique has been pivotal to their improvement. “This season, we’ve defi-
nitely been talking about technique,” Post said. “I really feel like our technique is very close to getting as good as it’s going to get. We’re really focusing on heart and really going after every single point and working on our confidence level.” Unfortunately, for the team, not every player is in good health this season. In fact, one of the players on the team broke her wrist and is out for the remainder of the season. The team has been working on how to build one another up. Post said that all the players on the team are working hard not only as individual players, but also as teammates. “I think that genuinely every girl on the team is there for each other, which isn’t exactly normal so I think that our team comraderie definitely plays a role in how we play every single match,” said Post. There were a few things that Post spoke on that she feels need to be improved to continue to do well. “Our confidence level.
We’re almost all freshmen,” said Post, “which makes it tough to go against people who are experienced, so I think that with every match we get more confident, and therefore we get better so we can actually go out and beat these teams.” Both the players and coaches on the team agree with Post, including Assistant Coach Brandon Merritt. “I think we have a really young team, and so giving them an opportunity to grow and learn and realize that they have to come out ready to go is going to be the main thing,” Merritt said. “A lot of it is just mental.” Outside Hitter Ashlee Dandeneau said that the players need to work on trusting each other most of all in order to be successful this season. “I feel like we have a hard time trusting each other and we don’t expect another person to get it,” Dandeneau said. “We’re like ‘Oh I have to do this and this’ and it’s like, just trust them.”
Kainoa Nunez | The Connection
Freshman middle blocker Destinee Elliot goes for the spike against Sacramento City on Oct. 11. Elliott has scored 87 points this season.
Basketball coach pushes academic achievement By John Cabales jcabales.connect@gmail.com
Jonathan James will be entering his second season as the head coach of the Cosumnes River College men’s basketball team. The previous season, he took the team to the playoffs with a 13-15 record. James said that even though they achieved success on the court, it was having all of his players academically eligible that he was most proud of. “I think all of my guys getting it done in the classroom and being eligible, that was the biggest accomplishment for me,” said James. James said he wants to build off that; he doesn’t want his players barely making it academically. The year before James arrived, eight players were ineligible due to academic reasons by the time Christ-
mas came around. The assistant coaches and players support James’ philosophy of handling your business off the court comes first and then the on-the-court success will come. “The biggest impact is academically; that’s priority number one for him is making an impact academically for these student athletes,” said Assistant Coach Mathew Bradley. Last season, due to the lack of height, James had his team play a more up-tempo game and really use the speed of their guards. “We didn’t have that inside presence in terms of a rim protector, shot blocker, someone we could just throw it inside to and just get a bucket,” said James. He looks forward to still playing an uptempo offense, but he’ll also have his team play inside when they need to.
“This year we will have a combination of both which is something that we really looked at during recruitment,” said James. “We have the right guys to be successful in both areas.” James is looking forward to making the playoffs and more this year.
“I think all of my guys getting it done in the classroom and being eligible, that was the biggest accomplishment for me.”
— Jonathan James
Men’s Basketball Head Coach
“Making the playoffs is always a good benchmark, so we want to maintain that moving forward. Not only do we want to make the playoffs,
we want to go on and see how deep we can go,” said James. The team features nine freshmen this year. Though his team is young, James has faith in his players’ abilities. “I think with us, it’s important that we give our young guys the utmost confidence,” said James. “We have to encourage them.” James said he’ll give them a little bit of a long leash and allow them to make mistakes, play through those mistakes and correct them. “We have a rule and that is don’t make the same mistake twice,” said James. “You have room for error, but let’s not make the same mistakes over and over again.” James is a CRC alum, got a scholarship through basketball and has played overseas. “He’s been there done that, he’s been to this school, worked hard and got a schol-
arship and even now continues to work on his education by studying to get his second masters,” said Bradley. The players also share the same perspective. “He can relate to us and he’s able to approach his players and it makes things easier,” said freshman player Drew Buggs. “He’s a great coach, he knows what he’s talking about, even though he yells sometimes, he knows what he’s talking about.” Even with the Big 8 conference being a tough one, James said he believes in his team and he thinks they can win the conference title this year. “It’s always one of the top five conferences in the state, but I believe we have the talent to do it,” said James. “That’s one of the biggest goals that I have for my guys this year; let’s make a legitimate run at the title this year.”
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Protesting players should take a stand, not a knee By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com
Tyler Twist | The Connection
Freshman player Renata Montanez tries to maintain control of the ball against Diablo Valley on Oct. 13.
Women’s soccer falls to Diablo Valley College 3-1 By Tyler Twist & Austin Ramirez ttwist.connect@gmail.com & aramirez.connect@gmail.com The women’s soccer team took a hard loss to the Diablo Valley Vikings on Oct. 13. Throughout the match, Diablo Valley kept constant control of the ball, leading to a 3-1 defeat for the Hawks. Freshman forward Sydney Pierce said she liked how the team played and gave her thoughts on what should be practiced for a better outcome during the next game. “We are probably just going to practice our shooting skills and practice more of our passes,” Pierce said. “We did really good; we played with a lot of intensity today.” The Hawks struggled throughout the first half while being held to their own half of the field for the majority of the first 45 minutes. As a result of this, the Hawks conceded three goals in this time ending the first half with a 3-0 score. The second half of the game did not seem to get much better for the Hawks as they were still unable to move the ball efficiently for the majority of the half.
Editor in Chief: Jared Lee News Editor: Shannon Rusche Features Editor: Jannah Khalil Sports Editor: Jared Lee Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati
Despite the lack of pressure that the Hawks were able to apply, a well timed pass towards the closing minutes led to a powerful shot by freshman forward Alexis Brown that rocketed past the goalie and into the back of the net. “I should have had three more right before that,” Brown said. “A lot of our players are hurt, so that’s basically a really big downfall.” The Hawks showed great heart and character despite the tough defeat. They never gave up or hung their heads; every player played through that final whistle and gave it their all until the very end. Head Coach Cesar Plasencia was pleased with his team’s attitude throughout the entire game. “I loved the spirit with which my team played with,” Plasencia said. Plasencia said that his team will work on all of the basics as well as some things that he saw on the field today. Fundamentals are a very key part of practice, if players can execute things in practice then players are expected to execute them on the field on game day, Plascencia said. “We’ve got to be sharper in front of the goal and defend a little bit better,” Plasencia said.
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Our nation is often on shaky terrain. We as a people are at each other’s throats constantly. Sports should be a uniting factor for us, but we are now coming to terms with the realization that even the games we love are becoming divisive as well. It was not long ago that quarterback Colin Kaepernick began to sit or kneel during the playing of the national anthem. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said in an interview with NFL reporter Steve Wyche. Kaepernick is not alone in his protest. For weeks, many NFL players have began kneeling, locking arms or raising fists during the playing of the anthem. What was once a lone protest against oppression has become a movement. Kaepernick made his intentions clear, and whether or not you agreed with him, he made his point. But that point has been lost in noise. Is it a protest against oppression? Police brutality? Maybe racism? Does it have something to do with Black Lives Matter? I don’t even know anymore, and many people don’t know either. I do not agree with Kaepernick’s actions, but he made his intentions clear, and he used his platform as a known athlete to speak out against something he saw as injustice. This clarity though is no longer present. As more and more players kneel and sit, there may be more publicity, but the message has been lost, and viewers are simply becoming more divided than ever. After Alejandro Villanueva of the Pittsburgh Steel-
ers was the only player on his team to be present for the playing of the anthem, people were in an uproar. Villanueva later apologized, saying that he felt as though he had embarrassed his team. Villanueva is an army veteran who served on multiple tours; I don’t believe he has anything to apologize for, and yet this is what has happened. Many, including myself, see kneeling during the anthem as disrespectful. However, does this mean that these athletes hate their country? I highly doubt it. These athletes are using their platform to try to bring injustice to light. I believe there are better ways they could be doing it, but at least they’re doing something. Perhaps the problem lies in our misunderstanding of the flag and our anthem. Often, the start of these arguments stems from confusion over what they mean. Our flag does not represent race. It does not represent hate. It represents a people, a nation born of the struggle for freedom. The anthem is the story of a people, defending their home from those who would try to take it from them. The flag and the anthem are not the government. They are not oppressors. They are not the police. They are not bigotry, exclusion or injustice. The flag and the anthem are us. That is what we have lost sight of in this protest. The protest is not about players and soldiers. It’s about a people, our people, trying to stop injustice. This is what we need to realize. There must be a better way to protest injustice. We will always be divided, but when someone protests the flag, they are not protesting corruption or oppression. They are protesting their own people and their own home.
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October 19, 2017
Men’s soccer starts midseason comeback By Alexander Grado agrado.connect@gmail.com Soccer season is among us, and this year's men’s soccer team, led by Head Coach Ron Preble, is now finding its footing. Starting off the season with three losses and a tie would make a lot of teams begin to doubt themselves, but the team has picked it up on the fly and they know they can turn it around. “We have a really talented team,” said defender Ricardo Uribe. “I could see us being playoff contenders in the second half.” Preble said that the team can be among the best; they just are not fulfilling their potential. “We have played really good soccer, I mean we’ve only really been outplayed twice,” said Preble. Missed opportunities and timely mistakes have cost the team some strong games, but what they need to work on is pretty clear. “Finishing the game,” said forward Sai Frias. Frias is tied for the team lead with two goals on the season, and he said he believes the team has been playing well, but they just are not where they want to be. “It’s not like we aren’t getting chances,” said Preble. “Our team is really good,
Kainoa Nunez | The Connection
Freshman forward Ricardo Uribe sprints to keep control of the ball in the Hawks' game on Oct. 13. The Hawks are currently 5-6-4 for the season.
but we just need to be more consistent,” said team captain and sophomore forward Dylan Mello. He said he feels the team is better than they have played and that the costly mistakes have put them “up against a wall.” “We’ve played well in every phase of the game, we just have to have the hunger to score goals,” said Preble. Injuries have also played a role in the slow start, but Preble said they are used to it. The team will be looking for-
ward to the second half of the season to really pick up where they left, winning two of the last three games. Chemistry, too, seems to be among the things that the players said is getting better and will help the team start racking some wins. “Every game our chemistry gets better,” said Mello. That will be key in a team trying to fight for playoff positioning. Goalie Hector Grajeda, who is in his first year at CRC,
agreed. Grajeda, who has been one of the standouts on the team, has 40 saves on the season, according to the California Community College Athletic Association, which puts him in the top three in the conference and gives him the highest save percentage in conference as well. How does Grajeda stay so good? “I look at it as I’m not playing good,” Grajeda said. “I just want to keep working.” Yet, players like Graje-
da said that something is still missing. However, Grajeda said that the team is moving in a good direction. “We definitely are playoff bound,” said Grajeda, and many of the players truly believe that too. The team is now 5-6-4 for the season Preble said the team will continue to fight and get to where they need to be. “We’ve got a good group of guys,” said Preble, “they’ve worked very hard.”
Volleyball loses in close sets to Sac City By Naomi Nater nnater.connect@gmail.com
The women's volleyball team played against the Sacramento City Panthers on Oct. 11. The team had a strong start to the game, but towards the end of the first and second set, the Panthers took over. This game continued the team’s now seven-game losing streak. The Panthers won the first two sets of the game and the Hawks came back and took over the third one. Throughout each set, the Hawks started off strong with a good defense until the Panthers overcame them with their offense. “We had some good moments, we fought hard at times,” said Brandon Merritt, an assistant coach for the
Hawks. “We obviously would love to score of 25-16. get the win but there are some things The third set was where the Hawks we can take away from it and hopeful- won; they started off strong and kept ly we can try to improve for the next their offense and defense up while antime we play them.” ticipating the other team’s plays. They Every set other than the second was won with a score of 25-20. a close battle between the teams. The The team had high energy coming score consisted into the game of a four-to-five and many point difference. players, like The first and outside hitter second set startAshlee Daned off well for — Brandon Merritt deneau, said the Hawks; they were Volleyball Assistant Coach they came out strong looking forand were in the lead for the first cou- ward to winning. ple minutes of the game. However, “I was really excited because I rethe Panthers offense helped turn that ally wanted to win and beat this losing around and win those two sets. streak,” said Dandeneau. “So I was The first set ended with a score of really pumped and I was like ‘let’s do 25-20 with the second set resulting in a this.”
“We had some good moments, we fought hard at times.”
Sophomore Maya Young, a defensive specialist and sophomore Justine Busse, another defensive specialist, both helped the defense with having the most digs for the four-set game. With the loss of this game, it carries the Hawks on to their now seven-game losing streak, making the team's overall record for the season 8-9. The team record for conference is no 1-7. The team has had 17 matches so far in the season and are scheduled to have eight more matches going through November. Dandeneau said that the team will continue to improve for the rest of their season. “I feel like we could have worked a lot harder but we did good, like I think we did good but I also think we can always improve,” Dandeneau said.