Issue 5

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OneBook author stresses balance between nature and technology See Page 2

Ilaga | The Connection Connection ShawnAlicia Feuerstein

Campus Bomb Threat Questions addressed after March 29 bomb threat News, Page 2

Issue 5 Spring 2017 Student voice of CRC since 1970

Earth Appreciation Helpful tips to keep the world green Features, Page 7

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Why Pepsi’s advertisement took a wrong turn Opinion, Page 9

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Page 2

April 20, 2017

>>News

Bomb threat disrupts CRC campus operations

By Jannah Khalil jkhalil.connect@gmail.com A bomb threat prompted an emergency evacuation and caused an inconvenience for students and faculty of Cosumnes River College on March 29.

Students and faculty who were present during the bomb threat or were having class during the library building evacuation had to undergo some quick decision-making on what to do in the situation.

“I think in the moment, I trust all my colleagues, both classified and faculty on campus, that you’re doing what you feel is safe for yourself and the students in your charge,” said Radio, Television and Film Professor Lauren Wagner, who was meeting with a student in her office in the library building during the incident.

Some professors who were holding classes during the time that the bomb threat was issued had to evacuate their classes from the library said that they faced some difficulties.

Mathematics Professor Lora Stewart said she was about to head over to the library to teach her math class when she found out about the

bomb threat and evacuation from her students and had to quickly find an alternative place to have class.

“I said ‘No, we’re still going to have class. I just have to figure out where,” said Stewart.

Stewart said she was going to have class outside with her students, but her student instructor suggested they use one of the portables on campus that are used for tutoring.

After finding the key, Stewart and her students were able to use the portable to hold class.

Stewart said that they were having a review session that day for a test that was coming up, and that it was urgent that all the students were able to have class to do so.

However, not all students were, Stewart said.

“A lot of the students didn’t come to class because they had gotten an email [about the bomb threat],” Stewart said.

The initial alert issued for the threat also caused confusion for some students.

The message sent out to students via text message read, “CRC EMERGENCY: Police report a bomb threat on campus in the Library Building. Stay away from the area until further notice. Other

Missy Amaya | The Connection

Concerned students watch and wait as the Community Emergency Response Team members guard the library during the bomb threat on March 29. The library was closed for three hours during the investigation.

parts of campus still open.”

While the text message did indicate that the threat was specific to the area of the library building, some students and faculty were unsure of the severity of the situation and chose to cancel or miss class.

“I was getting ready to head out to campus when I got the message,” said Joshua Saetern, a 20-year-old biological sciences major.

“The very moment I got it, I said ‘nope’ and turned off my car and went back inside the house,” Saetern said.

Aden Trawick, 22, a liberal arts major, said he had class in the Learning Resource Center

next to the library and figured it was too close, so he went off campus and waited.

“I wasn’t going to go to class until any further notice,” he said.

Some faculty who cancelled class due to the bomb threat were concerned whether they would be penalized by having to take time off from sick or vacation days.

Faculty Union President Jason Newman said, however, that teachers would not be penalized for time missed.

“The faculty union met with the president of the college and discussed the issue and reached an agreement

that faculty who did cancel their classes outside of the library would not receive a pay deduction or have to file an absence report,” said Newman.

“Ultimately, the safety of students is a personal decision that faculty need to make,” Newman said.

“However, faculty need to also listen to the alert system that is being used by the campus which provided directives about safety to every member on campus.”

Newman also said that faculty members should contact their dean first before cancelling class if possible.

Modern children need more time in nature, author says

By Kristine Yabumoto kyabumoto.connect@gmail.com The author of “Last Child in the Woods,” Richard Louv came to Cosumnes River College on April 14 and discussed some topics related to his book.

The recital hall was nearly full. Many students also had his book with them for the event and book signing afterwards.

Louv was interviewed by nutrition major Nick Kopp, and elaborated on his book.

Following his interview, Louv answered some questions from the crowd.

“Last Child in the Woods” was published in 2005 and has been picked up as an interdepartmental study book by the CRC English department.

The book deals with the issue of the divide between nature and children, which Louv refers to as nature-deficit.

Shawn Feuerstein | The Connection

Author Richard Louv discusses modern takes on technology, childhood and nature with Nick Kopp on April 4.

Louv wanted to make sure the audience knew he is not against technology, but he is “pro balance.”

Education and the need for educators to provide students with more time outside in nature rather than replacing it with time in front of screens is a big deal to Louv.

“I think for every dollar spent on technology in education, another should be spent, at least, on real world - particularly nature,” Louv said.

Louv has created something he calls the ‘New Nature Movement,’ a social movement to promote the importance of nature in a child’s

life and also a way to change the way technology is being placed into children’s lives in schools. “[The] education system doesn’t invite us to meetings.

It’s the technology industry at work. They have iPads and computers in schools. They don’t talk about going out-

side,” said Louv. “In more and more schools districts, recess has either been cancelled or cut back radically. When we know from the research that going outside raises test scores.”

Louv also wanted the audience to know that there is no right way to grow up and that everyone’s experience is going to be different.

“I came to nature through the woods,” said Louv.

“I grew up in Kansas City on the suburban edge. I could walk out my backdoor, through the yard, to the edge into the cornfield behind our house and on into the woods that seemed to go on forever.”

“Those woods entered my heart and even though the bulldozers finally came, those woods are still in my heart,” Louv said. “And I go to those woods sometimes and I find something bigger there than the problems I see on CNN.”

Page 3

thecrcconnection.com

‘Our Life Stories’ to teach finding humor in memoirs

By Justin Cordero jcordero.connect@gmail.com The “Our Life Stories” event on campus will gather the writers and published authors to celebrate and learn more about writing self-reflective autobiographies and family memoirs, on Saturday at 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the recital hall.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the event, the focus this year will be centered on applying humor into a writer’s autobiography or memoir.

Joining the festivities will be a Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist, a short story writer and a comedienne.

“I think this is a really good way to see how learning can take place outside of the classroom and why anyone would engage in a professional activity like this,” said Heather Hutcheson, an English professor at Cosumnes River College.

Hutcheson is one of the main coordinators of this event and is working in tandem with the City of Sacramento’s Hart Senior Center as the CRC representative.

According to the Our Life Stories event website, the conference is designed to promote the art and the importance of writing memoirs and autobiographies. The conference will be at a more accessible cost in order to

target a wider general audience.

To commemorate this year, 2016 Pulitzer Prize winner and associate editor at The Sacramento Bee, Jack Ohman will be attending the event as a guest speaker, joining alongside him will be published author James Cagney and actor/playwright Allison Page.

This year’s theme will be “humor” and how it can be applied when writing an autobiography or memoir in order to find the lighter moments in someone’s life, or to reinterpret something in a comedic way.

“What humor allows us to

do in terms of confronting grief is really powerful.”

— Heather Hutcheson

CRC English professor

Despite the theme’s lighter tone, Hutcheson said that “humor” can also bring new meaning to past experiences.

“I think it’s edgier than what we’ve had in the past,” Hutcheson said. “What humor allows us to do in terms of confronting grief is really powerful.”

One of the special guests in attendance is Jack Ohman, a political cartoonist who uses his skills to analyze today’s current political situation in order to provide his satirical comics.

Hutcheson said his ability to find humor in these scenarios is important.

“This is a politically charged environment right now,” Hutcheson said.

“This would be a good way to see how we deal with tragic, difficult, depressing and demoralizing political issues in a humorous way to kind of put our arms around them,” Hutchenson said.

The event will also focus more on allowing attendees to learn and discover more unique ways to retrospectively look into a person’s past and glean new information or inspiration from these events to write more.

It will also allow writers from different age groups to interact and share their stories and skills to help discover new ideas from different perspectives.

“Attendees will take away new ideas for creative projects, strategies for creating, connections and resources,” said Kerstin Feindert, an English professor who has attended and presented at the event in previous years.

Feindert has also said that the conference attendees are always open and friendly whether they are new or old and are willing to help others in their

creative processes.

Because of this, the idea of writing a memoir or autobiography doesn’t just have to be for the older generation, college students can take away a lot of tips and inspiration through learning these methods as well.

“You can write a memoir or a story about your life at any stage,” said professor Emmanuel Sigauke, who teaches creative writing and English at CRC. “What if you had a grandmother or grandfather who wants to tell their story? You might come and get the sort of ‘how-to’ skills to be able to do that,” Sigauke said.

The event aims to help attendees improve their writing skills and ensure that they have the tools to write about themselves and others.

“It really shows us the power of celebrating what we have and sharing it with other people to make a difference,” Hutcheson said.

“So even if we think it’s vain to write our own story, what we’re looking at is the potential to reach out and connect with other people,” Hutcheson said.

Online registration for “Our Life Stories” ends on Friday, April 21 by going to ourlifestories.org. Preregistration is required. There will be no onsite registration.

ESL students share culture through their names

By Kristi Doan kdoan.connect@gmail.com As part of of Asian-Pacific American Heritage week, held earlier this month, English as a Second Language instructor Trang Abeid hosted a student panel on April 5 for students to discuss the meaning of their cultural names.

All of the students present wrote an essay that described experiences and challenges they’ve faced.

“Every one of us has a little bit of story to share about our name because it makes us who we are today,” said Daniel Danielyan, 22, an engineering major. “Maybe for others your name doesn’t mean anything, but it’s for you, it’s a special name. Nobody should be shy about what their name is.”

The problem that Danielyan, who emigrated from Armenia, faced culture shock of women allowed to have a man’s name in America.

Danielyan said that, in his culture, his name is pronounced like the name Danielle.

Danielyan said that he discovered this when he first

started college during a class roll call.

Speakers approached the podium to share memorable experiences. For most speakers, a smile brightened up their faces as a sign of relief.

“I was so nervous,” said Hitomi Kitamura, 29, a physical therapy and kinesiology major. “This happens pretty often here [in America]. My name makes introduction[s] difficult.”

Kitamura had contemplated whether or not she should adopt an American name so introductions would be easier, but after discovering the meaning of her name, Abeid said Abeid decided to scrapped the idea.

“The meaning of my name [is] completely different in English from the meaning in Japanese,” Kitamura said. “In Japanese it is more meaningful and encourages me to live out the name, [which means] benevolent and beautiful.”

Abeid said she could relate with her students’ thoughts and feelings about their names.

Abeid said that she is first generation Vietnamese-American and was gifted the name

Kristi Doan | The Connection

ESL students and Professor Trang Abeid at the Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week Student Panel: The Meaning Behind a Name on April 5 as part of APAH week events.

Trang, which means serious and intelligent.

“People told me to change my name because it was hard to pronounce,” said Abeid.

“It does stand out,” Abeid said. “But sometimes not in a positive way.”

Abeid mentioned the prejudice faced as an Asian-American with a non-Western name.

“I have been judged by name,” Abeid said. “Because they assume you don’t speak English very well and that

you don’t write or study very well.”

Abeid said she believes ESL has a really negative stigma, and she said that she wants her students to recognize after giving their speech that “ESL students can produce something publishable.”

Some of the students are timid in class due to the fear of not being understood because they speak broken English, said Abeid.

“It’s very hard for students

to understand that there isn’t only one answer, or method” to achieve this “perfect essay,” Abeid said.

Abeid said that she had confidence in her students’ ability to progress and surpass feeling ashamed or embarrassed in their fluency.

“When I put my name on the board, it allows me to help the students see that no matter what background [they come from], they could be standing in the same place,” Abeid said.

Page 4

April 20, 2017

Speaker explores culture of lost Sacramento Japantown

By Jannah Khalil jkhalil.connect@gmail.com

Cosumnes River College adjunct History Professor Kevin Wildie held an exhibit on April 7 about the lost Japantown of Sacramento as a part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Week.

Wildie, who wrote a book about the subject, presented a slideshow presentation of the lost Japantown and discussed the history going through the town before World War II, during the internment of Japanese Americans and their struggles after the war was over.

“I think the fact that we live in this community, and especially with the history of Japantown, nobody knows about it because it had been physically erased from the city’s landscape,” said Wildie. “If you go down to Fourth Street now, you see nothing but corporate high rises and public buildings and parking lots.”

The presentation began with Wildie showing where the Japantown would have been today, outlining on the map where Japantown was located; not far from the Capitol building was about six blocks of businesses and homes belonging to Sacramento’s Japanese-American population.

The town was a “city within a city,” said Wildie as he discussed all the different establishments that the Japanese-Americans had built.

They had a variety of shops selling food, clothing, furniture and some establishments that provided lodging, said Wildie.

They also had a bank and church-

es for all different religions in the town, such as Baptist or Buddhist churches, Wildie said.

In 1942, however, following the attack of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese-Americans of Sacramento had to leave their town and all their belongings behind as they were forced into internment camps, Wildie said.

After the order for internment was issued, Japanese-Americans held “evacuation sales,” Wildie said.

These shops had massive discounts on their products, as they understood they could not take any of it with them.

People sold their personal belongings, including beds and furniture, for money instead, Wildie said.

When Japanese-Americans were able to return in the 1950s, their town was not as it once was.

Having sold all their belongings, their shops were closed down and their homes were no longer theirs, said Wildie.

The Sacramento Japanese cultural community, however, was not completely lost, Wildie said.

“The community came back together after the war,” said Wildie.

“Sacramento’s Japantown began to be rebuilt.”

They continued their lives with what they had, creating organizations and leagues to preserve their culture and brought back important events such as the Obon Festival, said Wildie.

But the Japanese-Americans of Sacramento were again forced to leave their town and homes with the coming of the Sacramento Capitol Mall Redevelopment Project.

Come to the CRC Journalism Department Open House for a student panel Q&A session with current journalism students and The Connection staff, learn more about CRC's journalism program and help yourself to refreshments!

Justin Cordero | The Connection

History Professor Kevin Wildie on April 20 covers the history of Sacramento’s lost Japanese settlement, which was located in the center of the modern Sacramento Capitol Mall.

“What’s unique about the Japanese-American experience in Sacramento is that they didn’t experience just one forced evacuation,” Wildie said. “They experienced two forced evacuations.”

Wildie said that the Sacramento Capitol Mall Redevelopment Project took the land of the Japanese-Americans, that was the location of their Japantown, and used it as part of the project to build a mall.

Wildie ended the presentation by showing the map of where Japantown would have been today and outlining where the Sacramento Capitol Mall Redevelopment Project was.

The Sacramento Japantown was right in the middle of it and, with the project going forward, was lost.

Based on the presentation, students attending said they found it to be informative.

“It was interesting. I learned things I didn’t know about,” said Sean Mitchell, a 19-year-old business major.

Other students said that they appreciated getting to know more about Sacramento.

“I think it’s really important to know the history of where you come from,” said 19-year-old Kaitlyn Mendonsa, an undeclared major.

Page 5

thecrcconnection.com

>>Features

Satirical poverty hurts the impoverished

By Ashley Navarro anavarro.connect@gmail.com

Missy Amaya | The Connection The ever-increasing advancement of technology has made streaming music on multiple devices simple and user friendly.

Music apps offer more methods to pay and play

By Kristine Yabumoto kyabumoto.connect@gmail.com Music is a necessity; to work out, to drive to work, to get through hard times. It’s rare that someone doesn’t have an Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora or SoundCloud account. But which platform is the best?

Apple Music was created in June of 2015 and has taken off ever since. Verto Index, a website that rates top performers and stickiness of apps, games, websites and devices, shows in last month’s index that Apple Music had 36.9 million smartphone users, towering over Pandora with 26.4 million, Spotify with 19.1 million and SoundCloud with 15.4 million smartphone users.

Apple Music makes it easy to find new music, curated playlists, music videos and top charts. It includes a special ‘For You’ section that puts together playlists for your taste, with labels like ‘My New Music Mix’ and ‘My Favorites Mix.’ There is also a new playlist that appears for each day of the week. Apple Music is ad free and there isn’t a limit to how many songs you can skip on radio stations for a monthly payment of $9.99 per month for the individual membership .

A tradeoff is that it is harder to access Apple Music on a PC. Many also don’t like that there is a limit to underground artist’s music on Apple Music compared to a platform like SoundCloud. Nevertheless, Apple Music is one of the best options for what you get. It’s an unlimited library of music with ways to connect with your favorite artists.

Spotify Music is similar to Apple Music in style and price, with a home button displaying music you might like and music to ‘start your weekend off right!’ It has popular playlists, charts, popular podcasts, Spotify Original Video Series, New Releases and music for your mood. There is a browse section providing charts, new releases, videos, podcasts, discover music and concerts coming to your area It also includes a section labeled ‘genres & moods’ and goes more in depth in comparison to the home section of the app. There is a conve-

nient search button to make it easy to find music. The radio button gives recommendations for radio stations, as well as genre stations.

There is a ‘Your Library’ section that shows your playlists, stations, songs, albums, artists and podcasts & videos. There is also an option to find friends and share music with them. The bad part about having Spotify is that there are continuous ads and limits to how many skips you have unless you upgrade for $9.99 a month ($4.99/mo student membership, $14.99/mo premium).

Pandora strays away from the style of Spotify and Apple Music. The focus of Pandora has always been radios stations. There are thousands of radio stations to choose from, and they can be artist, genre or track based. There is also a place where you can get local concert dates.

There is a feed button to get notifications from people you follow. A profile button provides a place that shows you your likes, bookmarks, who you’re following and who is following you.

If you upgrade for $4.99 per month (Pandora Premium is $9.99/mo if you use their website or Google Play and $12.99 with iTunes), you can create personal stations, get unlimited skips and replays, get higher quality audio and three offline stations. If you don’t upgrade, you deal with the bulk of ads and limit to skips.

SoundCloud is another platform that is set up differently. SoundCloud has a wide variety of underground and upcoming artists. Many popular musicians also have accounts and release new music on SoundCloud.

The home button shows music from people you’re following, including new releases from artists. The search section recommends music based on songs you’ve liked. There is also suggested stations, SoundCloud charts and charts by genre.

The profile section, like Pandora, shows your liked tracks, playlists and albums and stations. It also lists your recently played artists, albums and songs. SoundCloud is free, but if you upgrade to SoundCloud Go, it’s $4.99 per month . If you upgrade, you can enjoy offline listening and no ads.

Remember the good ol’ days when people lacked actual homes and furniture so they used stuff like crates and burlap to create some kind of structure to help them out along the way of pursuing the “American Dream?” Ah, the Great Depression. What a time.

With each old trend going into hiding, another one appears. For quite some time, there has been a trending lifestyle that is actually a mockery of living in poverty.

There are two sides to the trending phenomenon.

One that chooses to live a lifestyle similar to poverty, let’s call them the “new-age simple folk.” It's the tiny houses and pickled food without the lack of money just to subtly say “screw you!” to capitalism (all while feeding it).

The other that rejects the material poverty but chooses to turn poverty into an art form, let’s call them “dada’s rejects.” It's the decrepit car with a splash of glitter and a more vocal “screw you.”

Either side is an attempt to reject gentrification while gentrifying, and the most confusing part of it is that it is all a choice.

People are choosing to have nothing and glamorize trash as an aesthetic.

The “new-age simple folk” have delved into the world of simplicity while finding solace in material objects that might make them seem poor. That handcrafted coffee table from Arizona with wood imported from the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake was actually a few grand, but it looks simple right?

It has become trendy for coffee shops and bars to be styled with wooden crates and edison lights that seem

to be celebrating the charm of the Great Depression.

The Great Depression was literally depressing, yet the style is somehow appealing. Man, if the “new-age simple folk” lived through it, there could have been some great coffee shops in those tent cities.

“Dada’s rejects” get off on seeing anything that could be trash and turn it into art.

Newer pop-up art shows are saturated with a collection of dumpster-diving remnants that have been painted over and plastered onto the ceiling.

This art form lacks any actual depth as it recycles trash, adds some millennial pizzaz with a some pretentious quote, and it is perceived as mind blowing.

See a penny, pick it up, cover it in glitter, attach it to a string and bam! You have a statement necklace that somehow represents the decline of currency and the irony of capitalism in some obscure way.

It’s a world where anything can be turned into some type of rebellious outcry when it is really a privileged joke.

This pretentious trend is offensive to people who don’t have a choice. Not only is it mocking those without a choice, it doesn’t reflect anything productive.

If this generation is so progressive, then why don’t we move on from trying to find the appeal in the haute version of trailer parks and using any attempt to glamorize trash just to label it edgy.

This is of course just a trend, but it’s incredibly pretentious, and sooner or later this will be yet another one that will diminish and rise again after Generation Alpha considers it a worthy transition from loop earrings.

April 20, 2017

Page 6

‘13 Reasons Why’ projects the effects of bullying Netflix’s latest original series “13 Reasons Why” opens up the painful yet necessary discussion about bullying and teen suicide, but leaves some critics wary of the potential harm of the graphic portrayals of abuse and suicide within the series.

The series is an adaptation of Jay Asher’s 2007 novel “Thirteen Reasons Why,” and follows high school student Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) after he receives a box of cassette tapes from his once peer and crush Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) explaining why she killed herself.

Each of the 13 cassette tapes reveals one person whom Hannah blames for her death and explains how their

actions contributed to her suicide.

The series is dominated by developments in the present after Hannah’s suicide and flashbacks which are paired with Hannah’s commentary on the tapes, revealing the abuse which ultimately led to her death.

When adapting a novel into a movie or series, there is always the risk of having to condense the contents at the expense of character development and the inclusion of important scenes.

This was not true in adapting “Thirteen Reasons Why.” In the book, Clay listens to all of the tapes in one night, but in the series, it takes him more than a week to finish them.

This presents the opportunity for more interactions with him and the other characters, mak-

HAWK APPROVED

What are you currently binge watching?

By Shannon Rusche srusche.connect@gmail.com

Compiled by Kristi Doan We’ve covered trending topics and new entertainment. Now we’d like to share student and staff member’s media favorites. If you have anything you would like to ask in the next issue then tweet us @CRCconnection.

ing them more relatable and realistic.

The series does an excellent job of conveying the overall message that bullying happens and it happens often, a message better conveyed in the series than in the novel. It exposes the difficulties of being a teenager in high school and the lasting psychological and emotional effects of bullying and abuse.

The graphic scenes depicting abuse and Hannah’s suicide leave many critics worried about the impacts on impressionable viewers, but these scenes do not detract from the overall message.

They are actually integral in conveying the theme that suicide is a painful and difficult thing to experience, and that it should never be an option. It presents the audience

@CRCconnection

Score out of five stars For more reviews, visit thecrcconnection.com or follow the Connection on Twitter @CRCconnection

@CRCconnection

What are you currently binge watching?

Nikki Lee, 18, Psychology

@CRCconnection

with an opportunity to recognize and discuss the reality of bullying.

While many elements utilized in the series were successful in their own right, some aspects of the series were less successful.

Some scenes are made overly dramatic and cliche, such as Clay’s hallucinations of a bloody Hannah, which occur periodically after her suicide.

The prevalent banter and sarcasm inserted to add to the entertainment aspect of the series is sometimes used inappropriately during high tension and emotional scenes.

If you are squeamish or sensitive to graphic depictions of suicide, this is not the show for you. But if you want to watch a well-made and enlightening series, give “13 Reasons Why” a try.

Julieanna Wallinger, 24, News Editor

13 Reasons Why gives an insight about bullying in high school.

@CRCconnection

The Great British Bake Off is really positive and interesting.

What are you listening to?

What are you listening to?

Julieanna Wallinger, 24, News Editor

Nikki Lee, 18, Psychology

Beyoncé and Russ. Russ is relatable and Beyoncé is empowering.

I’m going to see The 1975. Their sound is nostalgic and energetic.

#StreamingNow: Ambition Edition

The spring semester is swiftly coming to a close, and motivation is nowhere to be found. Deadlines and finals are approaching, so slacking is not an option.

Here are a few films to develop that instant determination.

Compiled by Kristi Doan

“The Pursuit of Happyness”

“Hidden Figures”

“Legally Blonde”

A single father who struggles with financial security that leads them to being homeless. Despite having the odds against him, he refuses to give up on creating a better life for him and his son. Amazon. Netflix. Youtube.

A true story of three intelligent and inspiring African-American women at NASA who serve as the brains behind NASA’s biggest accomplishments.

These women prove how ludicrous discrimination is. Youtube.

The most popular girl in a sorority was labeled by her now ex-boyfriend as a stereotypical blonde. She gets into Harvard and proves she’s more than just a pretty face who just loves pink.

Amazon. Youtube.

“Life of Pi” A teen from Pondicherry is the only human survivor after a shipwreck. Follow him on his journey of exploring issues of spiritually and practicality all while stranded at sea with a tiger.

Amazon. Youtube.

thecrcconnection.com

Page 7

EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION EARTH APPRECIATION

Courtesy Photo

Ideas:

-Cleanup around your area Sacramento River American River Folsom Lake Discovery Park (post-flood cleanup) Spot trash in your city? Pick it up!

-Make it a goal: One Day of the Week, Be Eco-friendly Go without using your electricity Use as little water as you can Do not use automotive transportation Make a zero-waste dinner

Tips:

- Stick to biodegradable or reusable options - Switch to energy-efficient lights in your home - Cut down on paper waste - Buy only what you need - Buy local - Do research on local farms; are they REALLY the most eco-friendly option?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

April 20, 2017

Page 8

>>Opinion

HAWK TALK Compiled by Missy Amaya & Kaelyn Blizzard

How do you feel Donald Trump is doing so far in his presidency?

Michael Sterk 19, archaeology

Zahrah Haggen 18, business finance

“For what’s been given to him, he’s doing surprisingly well, though he could have handled some things better lately.”

“I don’t think it’s going well, especially with Syria. I feel that we’re probably going to be doomed within a year’s time.“

Kimberly Ramos 18, theater arts

David White 30, business

“He’s alienating a large part of the country. He promotes hate and he’s just making more problems for the country itself.”

“He’s a clown. I hope this won’t lead towards WWIII. How did we all get here? There’s no way that someone like Trump was supposed to become President.”

The Connection Conversation

EDITORIAL

An involved citizen is our best weapon against instability The United States became directly involved in Syria for the first time in six years with a missile strike earlier this month.

A deadly chemical attack on Syrian civilians prompted President Donald Trump’s approval for use of force. Trump sent a clear message to the world with 59 missiles in a couple of minutes: the United States will no longer stand by and let atrocities be committed without repercussions.

The U.S.’s relationship with other countries is uncertain and unpredictable. Russia, once Trump’s ally during his campaign, now seems to be shady and untrustworthy. Our relationship with China is contingent on how we regard Taiwan and North Korea - an unsteady gauge for an administration that can’t agree on a foreign policy.

But these ever-changing relationships are why it’s more important than ever to be a global citizen.

Being a global citizen means educating yourself on domestic and foreign affairs, understanding how such large-scale issues relate to you and then taking action to support the causes you believe in.

Students should recognize that these large-scale issues impact their community.

“Nonresident aliens” make up one percent of Cosumnes River College students, according to a 2016 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System report.

With a student body of approximately 15,000 students, this means 150 students are considered nonresident aliens and come from nations other than the U.S. So how can an individual tackle such huge problems?

We can contribute whatever we can to our cause, whether it’s time, money, physical items or skills. Anyone has the ability to change the status quo. Any action, no matter how small, can make a difference.

Dedicate 15 minutes a day to write a letter to your legislators.

Donate $2 a month to your favorite nonprofit (that’s a grand total of $24 a year). Meet others in your community and tell their stories through art, such as videos, photos or written pieces.

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, juggling academics, work and personal responsibilities, but because of the opportunities our education presents us and because we can make an impact on our community, we must keep our eyes open to what’s happening around us and how that influences our community.

CRC students must be global citizens because our campus reflects a global community.

Dedicate your resources, regardless of the amount, to better the world around you by investing in a greater cause.

“After going to the river recently to relax during spring break, I came across an assortment of homework, beer and redbull scattered in the sand, sitting idle near a tree far from where most people would be. The image of the notes, lecture print outs and assignments abandoned and surrounded by the empty beer cans spoke to me as an image of the struggle that most students face; it speaks of what the common student must feel when the pressure is coming down heavy, but there is limited time to make things right. And as I stood there, hovering over this midnight story buried in the sand, I felt a heaviness in my chest; a heaviness that can only be felt by a fellow student who has spent countless nights trying to catch up, trying to make everything work out, and trying to tell herself that she’s going to be okay.”

- Kaelyn Blizzard Opinions Editor

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America’s so-called inclusive melting pot is lacking some vital ingredients

By Kristi Doan kdoan.connect@gmail.com I never really understood what it meant to look or be “too Asian,” but I spent my entire life avoiding that epithet.

Vietnamese was my first language, and my dad took pride in me retaining it as I was struggling to be bilingual in my English as a second language classes.

Not only was I struggling verbally, I was struggling socially. I was bullied for being the stereotypical “fresh-off-the-boat” girl.

“Ching-chong” they called me, as I had a thick accent to go with my melon hair cut, china bangs and narrow framed eyeglasses.

I was opposed to being friends with other Asians; the bullies drove me into thinking there was something wrong with my race. I did not want to be identified with “the rejects.”

This experience traumatized me. The words of my bullies taunted me and lead me into stripping my cultural identity to completely adopt this American culture.

Growing up, I told my parents to speak only English at home as this would give an illusion that we were American. I was constantly dissatisfied because I was not even remotely close to being or looking Caucasian.

Although I was born and raised in America, to this day, I still have people asking me “where are you from?” Some seem to believe Kristi is not my real name and have the audacity to ask me “what is it really?”

There are people who may believe America is progressive when it comes to diversity, but I completely disagree. The media has become more vocal with inclusion, especially with celebrities who associate themselves as people of color who made it big in an industry that normally promotes Caucasians as bankable stars.

What these stars fail to reveal that they are not, in fact, 100 percent their color background. While it is still an achievement to have any person of color held to the same, equal standing of a white individual, there is still so much more work to be done to be able to recognize the talents of those who are completely of color.

I grew up making my mom feel terrible for not marrying a white man. I was irritated every day as I looked in the mirror, disgusted by the fact I would always be degraded by society if I acted or looked an ounce of Asian.

After reading a Pacific Standard magazine article by Ellen Lee, “Why Are Asian Americans Missing From Our Textbooks?” I was stunned. I never noticed this fact.

“My identity [was] shaped by years of never reading, seeing, hearing, or learning about people who looked like me or had a similar background as me,” Lee said.

If Asian Americans were covered, it was covered from a Eurocentric point of view. Challenges and injustices faced were quickly glossed over.

Lee mentioned that these stories matter as they are a part of the nation’s history. She gave the example of some Americans believing that “the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War

II was necessary as a model for today’s terrorism threats,” but “overlook the fact that it was an unjust imprisonment of more than 120,000 innocent Americans because of their ancestry.”

A 2015 study conducted by the Association of Psychological Science found, “students of color are more engaged and earn better grades when they see themselves in their studies.”

“I was irritated every day as I looked in the mirror, disgusted by the fact I would always be degreaded by society if I acted or looked an ounce of Asian.”

When another group becomes a subject of an insensitive joke, an uproar in the press arises as a massive public expresses their outrage.

This becomes immortalized as a tally of how they were wronged.

For Asian Americans, racial discrimination against them is a short-lived hot topic. For example, Steve Harvey’s remark on Asian men being undesired, Gigi Hadid and Miley Cyrus’s mockery of ‘Asian eyes,’ and Chris Rock and Jimmy Kimmel’s inconsiderate jokes about Asian Americans while hosting the Oscars.

Why do people believe if a product is made in China or an Asian country that it’s a poor quality product? Is that a reflection of how society feels about Asians?

Asian Americans are unheard. Asian Americans are the silent majority.

The battle towards equal and fair rights isn’t a fad

By Jannah Khalil jkhalil.connect@gmail.com

Courtesy photo

Do you have an idea for a story or image that you’d like to see in the Cosumens River Connection? Email in your submission to kblizzard.connect@gmail.com

Scan this QR code with your smart phone to submit a letter to the editor.

A Pepsi ad that was released on Tuesday starring Kendall Jenner and a few “colorful” extras has striked massive controversy and is an excellent example of what is wrong with advertising today.

The ad depicts several diverse individuals doing their respective activities when a crowd of “protesters” passes by them. The ad progresses as Jenner moves through the laughing, dancing crowd, in what that looks more like a parade than a protest, and heads to the front of a police blockage, ending the endeavor by giving an officer a Pepsi.

The ad’s biggest fault, among many, is that it does not seem to have any regard for what protests and social justice really are.

The daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr., Bernice King, said it best when she tweeted a picture of her father being pushed back by police during a protest with the caption, “If only Daddy would have known about the power of #Pepsi.”

That is what advertisers fail to understand: protests and the fight for social justice is not a trend. They are not something millennials are doing because it’s what’s popular or because they think it makes them cool.

It’s about a fight. It’s about going against what we believe is wrong and standing up for what we believe is right. It’s about the kids in Ferguson getting pepper-sprayed, and people camping out against the Dakota Access Pipeline getting hosed down with freezing water in already freezing weather. It’s about Martin Luther King Jr. and the continual efforts of countless people who were part of the Civil Rights Movement getting beaten and jailed. It’s about the millions of people who marched miles all over the world for women. It’s about the people who fought back when immigrants were denied access to a country built by immigrants.

The fight for civil and social justice that has spanned over years and generations is all of that and more, but what it’s not is a party.

What it’s not, is fun. What it’s not, is something that should be given the face of an upper-class white woman giving a soft drink to an authority figure and being credited with saving the world. Advertisers have no right to take the struggle for justice from millions of people and turn it into a profit-based movement to appeal to consumers.

The ad was eventually pulled, and Pepsi released a statement saying they apologize that their message of unity had “missed the mark.”

Hitting the mark is a lot easier when you know what it looks like, Pepsi.

Page 10

April 20, 2017

>>Sports

Student athlete tests new waters for academics

By Steven Bryla sbryla.connect@gmail.com As the spring semester comes to a close, sophomore swimmer Sara Krajnovic, a 19-year-old biochemistry major, is ending her competitive swimming career.

Athletes at the community college level are given two years of athletic eligibility to compete in a sport.

Student athletes must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA and take a minimum of 12 academic units. Krajnovic is one of 63 spring student athletes at CRC, according to the Cosumnes River College Hawks athletics website.

The pool is Krajnovic’s second home and she said she is going to miss it.

“I’m going to miss competing because I am a competitive person,” said Krajnovic. “I love the atmosphere of a meet.”

She said that she has planned to focus on academics as she transfers to University of California at Davis this fall. She said she will focus on her biochemistry major at UCD because it will take up a lot of her time, and she wouldn’t want to become academically ineligible if she was doing athletics

as well as her regular schooling.

“Swimming is something I’ve always done, so I decided I wanted to do it in college,” said Krajnovic.

Krajnovic holds school records in the early swim program’s record books. She is the current leader in the 50, 100 and 200 meter breast-stroke events along with a shared 200 medley relay team record.

“The breaststroke is my favorite because it requires a little more technique than the others,” Krajnovic said.

“I have a small advantage of being shorter for the breaststroke because of the shorter sequences.”

With the swim team traveling to events outside of the area, Krajnovic said it’s better for her to get a lot of her homework done on the long trips.

She said that with her three-hour daily practices for swim, school and work, she would generally push homework until the weekend if she was able to.

Krajnovic said swim Head Coach Liz Abrams was her main support system.

She said that her support system came from the emails and recommendation letters that Abrams sent. She

Steven Bryla | The Connection

Swimmer Sara Krajnovic holds the breast-stroke record for the 50, 100 and 200 meter races.

was always there to listen about anything, including things not related to her swim performance.

“Last year I didn’t have a hard time balancing my time like I am this year,” Krajnovic said.

She said even though she won’t be

competing anymore, she learned that pain is temporary, whether it is in the pool or in our everyday life.

“If you just wait a bit and push through it, you’ll eventually get through it and learn from your experience,” Krajnovic said.

Grand slam puts Hawks softball in league of their own

By Andrew Maestas amaestas.connect@gmail.com The Cosumnes River College Hawks softball team took care of Modesto College at home on April 11, defeating them 7-6.

Modesto took an early lead in the top of the first inning when their infielder Megan McCormick grounded out to second base, allowing Modesto’s Haylie Prater to score a run.

They managed to maintain their lead until the bottom of the fifth.

“The first couple of innings were a little rough, but I feel once we relaxed and got our bats going again we were back in it,” said sophomore left fielder Lindsay Lambert.

“They’re [Modesto] a good team, and they gave us a run for our money,” she said.

Sophomore pitcher Chelsea Martinez put the Hawks on the scoreboard when she hit a bases-clearing grand slam to center field.

“The grand slam really helped the team relax and

play better,” said Martinez. “I was excited. I love hitting, and it’s just great when you get a home run and grand slam making the lead bigger.”

The Hawks added two runs when Lambert homered a fly ball to left field, increasing the lead to five at the end of the fifth.

This was Lambert’s first home run for this season.

At the top of the sixth inning, Modesto came back to tie the score, adding five runs of their own.

“They kept scoring runs and coming back, but I felt like we were coming with the win no matter what because our bats were coming back,” said Lambert.

In the bottom of the sixth, sophomore catcher Courtney Beatty hit a double to left field with a line drive.

Sophomore second baseman Alex Scardina scored on a run from second base, securing the win for the Hawks after freshman pitcher Ashleigh Berg closed the door.

“We have a very talented team and I think a lot of times,

Jared Lee | The Connection

Sophomore first baseman Chelsea Martinez gets a single on a bunt in the bottom of the fourth against Modesto.

they’re beating themselves at the plate,” said head coach Kristy Schroeder. “So reminding them, ‘hey this is your

plan, it doesn’t matter if you miss just two pitches, look for the next pitch and hope you got it this time.’”

The Hawks next home game is a doubleheader on April 22 at 12 p.m. against American River College.

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Baseball walks off with a sweep of FLC Falcons During the bottom of the fifth inning, the bases became loaded for the Hawks and Morley stole home which tied the game 5-5.

In the bottom of the sixth inning however, The Cosumnes River College baseball team the Hawks took the lead 6-5 after Brett Bloomwon against Folsom Lake College 9-8 on Saturday after an up and down game that allowed field scored. With two outs and the bases loaded, designated hitter Jordan Estes walked, them to sweep the three game series.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Hawks which allowed Rockefeller to score increasing took the lead after first baseman Trevor Ray hit the score to 7-5.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Falcons a grounder to FLC’s shortstop who missed the ball and allowed Ray to take first. Shortstop tied the game 7-7.

The next few innings ended quick with a Brett Bloomfield proceeded to hit to centerfield double play by CRC in the top of the ninth. allowing Ray to take third as he took first base.

The inning became interesting when left Misfortune struck in the top of the 10th when fielder Brian Morley hit a foul ball and Ray Brooks Day over threw to first base instead of stole home as Bloomfield stole second base. tagging a player out at third and the Falcons With two balls and two strikes, Morley hit a took the lead 8-7.

During the bottom of the 10th inning, FLC homerun giving the Hawks a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second inning, catch- walked Rockefeller. Morley cracked the ball to centerfield and er Francisco Prado tripled which alhit a pop fly to cenlowed Rockefeller terfield which was to tie the game caught by FLC. 8-8.

With one out, Ray Folsom Lake bunted and doucalled time when bled after an overright fielder Jorthrow to first base. dan Yu was up to Bloomfield singled bat. They walked after a hit to right Yu and walked field and Ray was Day, which loadsafe at third. First ed the bases. With baseman Billy Treat up to bat, he Rockefeller gave faked a bunt and the Falcons their then hit an RBI second out after Alicia Ilaga | The Connection which allowed a hit to right field Outfielder Brian Morley scores winning run after Treat singles. Morley to score was caught, but 9-8 and win the Ray stole home series. which gave the Hawks a 4-0 lead.

Tony Bloomfield said FLC had to make a In the top of the fourth with two outs and tough coaching decision when they walked Yu bases loaded, FLC’s infielder Justin Morris hit and Day, which put them at a potential walk to a grandslam which tied the game 4-4. The Fal- lose the game. cons scored once more in the top of the fifth inHowever, FLC walked them because ning which put them ahead 5-4. they’re two of the better guys and that tough “It was up and down all day. We got the coaching decision didn’t work out for them in lead, they hit the ball and hit the grand slam the end, said Tony Bloomfield.

“At the end of the day we’re just trying to and tied it up,” said Head Coach Tony Bloomfield. “Then we got the lead and they tied it up win every game that we play. [We’re] taking it day by day, pitch by pitch,” said Day. once more.”

By Alicia Ilaga ailaga.connect@gmail.com

Editor in Chief: Courtney Fong News Editor: Julieanna Wallinger Features Editor: Ashley Navarro Opinion Editor: Kaelyn Blizzard Copy Editor: Jared Lee Photo Editor: Stan Smith Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati

Staff: Missy Amaya, Steven Bryla, Jeannie Cordero, Justin Cordero, Kristi Doan, Shawn Feuerstein, Alicia Ilaga, Jannah Khalil, Andrew Maestas, Angela Ramos, Shannon Rusche, Kristine Yabumoto

The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 410 & 411 media production class. Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or Los Rios Community College District.

Letters to the Editor must be typed, signed and include the first and last name of the author and a phone number. They must be 200 words or less and may be edited for length, clarity or taste.

The Connection Cosumnes River College 8401 Center Parkway Sacramento, CA 95823 Telephone: (916) 691-7471 Fax: (916) 691-7181 www.thecrcconnection.com connection.crc@gmail.com

Facebook.com/crcconnection Twitter: @CRCconnection Instagram: @CRCconnection Storify.com/TheConnection #CRCcampus

Kings made right decision to move Boogie out of Sac

By Steven Bryla sbryla.connect@gmail.com It has been 60 days since the Sacramento Kings made the right move and got rid of the “cancer” in their organization when they traded Demarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans on Feb. 19.

Fans of the Sacramento Kings had mixed emotions of despair and joy at letting the best big man in the NBA go and give up their chances at a potential opportunity to claim the eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.

National media outlets called the Kings organization “dysfunctional.”

Fans who called out to have General Manager Vlade Divac fired were wrong.

Even though Cousins was the clear MVP on the Kings roster, it was time to let him go and start the slate clean with a new and improved roster of young talent.

At first glance, it seemed that the Kings didn’t receive enough back in the trade when they received three players, including rookie guard Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway, former Kings player Tyreke Evans and a first-round draft pick from New Orleans.

On the other hand, Cousins had the golden opportunity to reinvent himself and start fresh with a new team and another star around him with forward Anthony Davis.

It is still too early to say who the winner of this trade was because it is just based off of less than a third of a full season, but in the long run, the Kings will benefit from this trade the most.

Cousins’s issues on the court were noted over his six-year career in Sacramento. Cussing out players and coaches, barking at the refs after any contact was made on a play and the technical fouls added up over the years with a total of 108 in his seven-year career.

Hate or love him, Cousins’s emotions and actions on the court were scrutinized by national media outlets and everyone perceived Demarcus as a trouble maker.

Unfortunately, the media never caught sight of what Cousins meant to the community of Sacramento.

The countless acts of gratitude where he built basketball courts for certain parts of the community, helped families in need of holiday cheer and most notably took care of former Grant football player JJ Clavo’s funeral.

Cousins acted out of kindness and always wanted to remain anonymous when he did the good deeds, but someone always leaked his name to it.

Although Demarcus was a saint in the community, it didn’t change the mind of the Kings when they traded him to New Orleans right after the conclusion of the AllStar Game.

Before the trade occurred, the Kings’ record was 24-33 and they were just a game out of the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

With trade talks happening all over the league, Divac assured Sacramento that Cousins wasn’t going anywhere. Instead he said Cousins was potentially getting a maximum extension after this season worth over $200 million for a five-year deal.

The Kings blindsided Demarcus with the trade and as wrong as it sounds, it was only going to happen that way.

Even though the Kings went 8-17 since the trade, their young talent showed promise for the future.

Sacramento’s stats stayed the same after the trade with New Orleans in all categories which meant they really didn’t fall off because other players stepped up.

The young talent will prevail and just needs time to let the process work its course.

April 20, 2017

By the numbers

Page 12

A look back at the highlights of the spring season Compiled by Steven Bryla and Courtney Fong

9

games

The baseball team has the longest win streak of the Hawks’ sports teams this season. It lasted from February 19 to March 7, and was ended on March 14 by the San Joaquin Delta College Mustangs.

2

seasons

Softball made it to the regional playoffs in spring 2015 and 2016. Head Coach Kristy Schroeder said they’re hoping to continue the tradition this spring.

0.91

RBIs

ERA

244

Sophomore pitcher Thomas Galart has the highest Earned Run Average in the Big 8 Conference after 49.2 innings pitched this season.

The softball team has outscored their opponents by a total of 126 runs. They are averaging seven runs batted in per game, leading them to a third-place standing in the Big 8 Conference.

In comparison, Hawks baseball has a total of 192 RBIs, which is an average of 5.6 runs batted in per game.

172 walks

The baseball team is ranked 9th for overall walks and 2nd in conference walks. That’s an average of five walks per game. The team has a total of 451 total bases.

63 athletes

There are 63 student athletes for the 2017 spring season.

Spring sports at CRC include baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennnis and women’s swim.

Jared Lee | The Connection

3

years

The CRC women’s swim program was launched in 2015. The team currently has five athletes.

11

qualified

After competing in the Big 8 Conference earlier this month, 11 tennis players qualified for the Ojai CCCAA state tournament. There are a total of 11 official and two unofficial players on the men’s and women’s tennis team.