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Students can’t utilize genderneutral bathrooms Issue 3 Spring 2019 Student voice of CRC since 1970
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April 11, 2019
>>News
Gender-neutral bathrooms are inaccessible By Alexandra Trigg atrigg.connect@gmail.com Since the implementation of the California’s Equal Restroom Access Act in 2017, many places of business, government agencies and public areas are required to switch their single-user restrooms signages to gender-neutral. Anthropology Professor Anastasia Panagakos, who has been teaching at Cosumnes River College since 2007, said the campus needs to be more conscious of it’s transgender and LGBTQ population in terms of accessible restroom facilities. “The campus has 22 single-user restrooms,” said Panagakos. “Five of them are in the Southeast Office Complex but two are for faculty members, so that leaves three which are accessible to students.” The student friendly all-gender restrooms are in the Veterinary Technology building, the Learning Resource Center and the Southeast Office Complex, according to the campus map on CRC’s webpage. Alejandro Anguiano, a
Alexandra Trigg | The Connection
Most of the gender-neutral bathrooms that are located on campus can only be accessed by staff and faculty.
sociology major and Student Ambassador for the Student Life and Leadership Center, said the student-accessible unisex bathrooms are difficult to reach because they are spaced out on campus. “How many students know where the faculty building is located?” asked Anguiano. “They are always locked I have to run around campus to find one that’s open for me to use.” Additionally, Architecture Professor Jason Ellis said all the new construction on
campus must have at least one single-user gender-neutral bathroom in the building, as most new California community colleges are required to do. Amber Arnold, a 30-yearold management major, said there’s no need for unisex bathrooms because multi-purpose restrooms exist. Unisex restrooms are made to be used as family bathrooms and they solve many problems that are being faced today, according to an
article by CNN. Mack Hickman, a 25-year-old political science major, said he believes it’s a person’s right to adopt to whichever bathroom that suits them, especially if it helps them to feel comfortable concerning their gender and self. A 2017 study published by The National Center for Biotechnology Information stated that transgender, cisgender and non-gender conforming students experience distress when going into
gender-assigned restrooms because of unwarranted judgement and harassment. Trystan Simpson, an 18-year-old animation major, said they have experienced being policed by women for using the ladies restroom because of their identity. “I wish I could explain that I am non-binary to the people that are quick to judge me,” said Simpson. Rejecting transgender people from using public restrooms does not ensure anyone privacy, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality. Cayla Lagousis, a 25-year-old biology major, said the restroom accessibility problem coincides with society’s misunderstanding of diversity in people’s identities. “I would like a better environment for the next batch of students who are like me and don’t feel comfortable or safe with the way they are treated,” said Lagousis. “As a student who uses the gender-neutral bathrooms regularly, I would appreciate more in number and in frequency on campus.”
Honor Society emphasizes ‘abilities’ in disabilities By Lilianna Ordaz lordaz.connect@gmail.com The Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society held a student panel on April 3 about, seeing the ability in every disability. The event was held in the WINN Center and was lead by five students from DAPHS. The honor society club is for high-achieving college students who have disabilities to come together to support one another. Students kicked off the event by describing their interactions with people on and off campus. “Having severe mental illness, people automatically assume I’m crazy,” said Sacramento City College community studies major Beverly Way. Way has suffered from severe mental illness for most of her life and throughout the event described what it was like having that on her record. “And regardless of her academic background “there was still discrimination,” continued Way. At one point Way said she was even 5150.
A 5150 is the California law code for a temporary, involuntary psychiatric commitment of individuals who present a danger to themselves or others due to signs of mental illness. “People usually think because [I’m] tiny it shows there’s some sort of disability,” said nineteen-year-old communications major Sahl Kazi. “But as soon as people hear me talk they say ‘oh she’s fine.’” The panelists also spoke about how people may act a certain way when interacting with them, and sometimes those people don’t realize how that affects those with disabilities. “Interactions with people vary,” said 27-yearold radio, television, video and film major Vidak Grubac. “But if you get nervous I get nervous instantly.” However, 29-year-old social work major Amy Nakatuska said her disability has taught her to be more sensitive. Kazi acknowledged that there is “always a reoccuring theme of immediate prejudice.”
The students on the panel also informed the audience that not all disabilities can physically be seen. “Most people that look at me don’t think I’m disabled,” said 20-year-old neurology, biology, and physiological behavior major Michal Borton. Panelists agreed that they see everything differently through their disabilities, and for that reason they “are trying to extend DAPHS to to other campuses with the help of Disability Support Programs & Services,” said Way “We want people to know that people with disabilities can work through them,” Way said. “It’s a matter of taking those deficits and creating something positive.” The panelist also agreed that this was an important learning event to be held on campus. Events like this sometimes result in a “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” event, said Grubac. “Don’t let what you learned today stay in this room,” Grubac said.
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Major focuses on race and gender By Mason White mawhite.connect@gmail.com A developing program related to social justice is coming to campus soon, and it has many new academic opportunities to offer students. This program will give students the opportunity to study historically marginalized groups. Students who take these courses will cover topics such as race, gender, class and sexuality. “Students will attend to social justice concerns by evaluating how race, ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality all operate in our lives, both inside and outside academia,” said English Professor Jose Alfaro. Under the program, there is a major with a focus on race and ethnicity as well as a focus on women, gender and LGBTQ. Both Alfaro and Abraham said students who choose to pursue these majors will be taking courses like history, literature, sociology, early childhood development, humanities and Spanish. “We believe that offering these programs at CRC will benefit students and faculty in many ways,” said English Professor Lisa Abraham. “They will also provide for students another route to transfer and offer faculty opportunities to work intersectionally.” Philosophy Professor Rick Schubert said college education can be more than just a stepping stone to a career, it can potentially change our understanding of each other and the roles we play in bettering the world. “Social justice studies in general and under its umbrella, the study of ethics in particular, addresses that potential in a very direct and meaningful way,” Schubert said. Alfaro said they plan to get these majors off the ground soon, with hopes of getting new courses in the fall course catalog. Professors are still working on how these majors will fit in with Pathways, the new guidance program being implemented at CRC. These majors however, will be transferable to certain programs at four-year universities. “Because this major will allow folks entry into various specialized fields, we are considering developing different pathways that cater to what students want to specialize in,” said Alfaro. These new courses are grabbing some students interest already. “I think they definitely sound like some interesting courses,” said Julian Ruvalcaba, a 21-year-old business administration major. “Those topics are important and also fun to talk about, and it brings much needed awareness to those subjects.” Alfaro noted that students who pursue this major will come to see a “new perspective and vision” of their possible future careers. These new majors will open new opportunities to work with other colleges in the Los Rios Community College District and “possibly offer ways to become involved in the community beyond the classroom,” Abraham said. “Students taking these courses will focus on how each individual is affected by political, social and historical decisions,” Alfaro said. “None of our bodies are outside of politics: Institutions are making decisions about are bodies and our flesh in the everyday and many of us have grown up navigating ways to resist those decisions.”
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Panelists talk about stereotypes By Alexandra Trigg atrigg.connect@gmail.com Asian Pacific American Heritage Week started off with a panel discussion workshop on “The Model- Minority Myth in Education,” which took place on Monday in the Winn Center 150. Student Success and Support Program Specialist Jennifer Nishizaki-Ngo spoke about her research on the socially-constructed idea that Asian Americans are naturally gifted scholars that also have success in the workforce. The idea that Asians are the model minorities has been passed down from their history in America. “In American history, Asians were perceived as forever foreigners,” said Nishizaki-Ngo. “There was a fear that new immigrants were a threat to white society.” Students like Abigayle Neria, a 19-year-old peer mentor and psychology major, said that she felt ashamed for not getting into a university right out of high school because it was expected of her based on her ethnicity. “Most Asian students are seen as having over a 4.0 GPA because they take AP and honors classes,” said Neria. “I
didn’t see myself as academically strong because I finished high school with a 2.8 GPA and always got the comments of ‘aren’t you Asian?’” Amongst the group was John Lee, a student personnel assistant, who said that the pressure from their culture comes from the community wanting the fame, money and honor from their children doing well. “You can be shamed for fitting or not fitting the stereotype of becoming that doctor, engineer or lawyer that you’re expected to be,” said Lee. “When I was at UC Berkeley studying sociology my mother insisted I switch to computer science because there’s a lot more money in that field.” Furthermore, 18-year-old computer science major Christopher Keokot said the model
“You can be shamed for fitting or not fitting the stereotype of becoming that doctor, engineer or lawyer that you’re expected to be.” —John Lee
Student Personnel Assistant
minority myth has misrepresented the diversity of Asian ethnicities by synchronizing them all into one group or grouping them with “whites and Caucasians” as a majority instead of the minority. “Academic statistics shows that Asians are not even considered people of color and this creates an idea that they are superior professionally and academically to others,” said Nishizaki-Ngo. Equity Counselor Paolo Soriano said that more people need to be educated about the significant damage that the model minority structure creates between other Asians and against other people of color. “This idea has been a deep rooted issue throughout our history,” said Soriano. “We are essentially being used as a tool to create wedges between racial dynamics by being separated as above everyone else.” Because Cosumnes River College does not have an Asian and Pacific Islander Club for students to connect, Nishizaki-Ngo said that API students who fall in the subcategories and are in need of guidance pertaining to their studies and solace are encouraged to reach out to herself, Lee, Neria and Soriano.
Blynn Beltran | The Connection
API student panelists spoke about the “model minority” myth and how it affects them in their day-to-day lives.
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April 11, 2019
Victim shaming plays a role in rape culture on college campuses By Summer Lomendehe slomendehe.connect@gmail.com Because April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, conversations about sexual assault are taking place on college campuses. Emily Zavala-Aguilar, the Women Escaping A Violent Environment Confidential Advocate, said rape culture has become prevalent among college students. “Rape culture is when you live in a society where violence and sexual violence is normalized,” Zavala-Aguilar said. A 2014 survey conducted by the Office on Violence Against Women and the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that one in four young women will be sexually assaulted while they’re in college. “It’s a horrible thing,” said Nicole Hanes, a 42-year-old psychology major. “It’s unfortunately very accurate.” Zavala-Aguilar said there are a lot of influences that make college-aged women vulnerable, one of which being party culture. A 2017 study published by Building Healthy Academic Communities Journal stated that women who were sexually assaulted but did not self-identify as victims of sexual as-
sault said that people do not report their assaults because of rape culture. “The most prevalent theme in unacknowledged victims’ responses is overwhelming centered on themes inherent in rape culture, including societal messages that normalize sexual assault and fear of being doubted,” the study stated. “Victim blaming is totally relevant when you talk about rape culture,” Zavala-Aguilar said. Zavala-Aguilar said victim blaming involves asking for facts that do not pertain to the assault, such as asking what a survivor was wearing. “I think it’s disgusting,” Hanes said. “Obviously it’s victim shaming, but there’s no reason for it. It’s like saying that it’s okay to beat someone up because they were saying something mean.” Peace Agbonba, a 19-year-old general science major, said it’s not okay for people to blame survivors for their assault. “We have the right and freedom to dress the way we want to dress,” said Agbonba. “That shouldn’t give people the right to assault you.” Zavala-Aguilar said there are negative effects of victim blaming on survivors. “There’s no question that is why
Lucy Vang | The Connection
To support survivors of sexual assault on National Denim Day, wear denim on April 24.
reporting is so low,” Zavala-Aguilar said. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos introduced new rules under Title IX, which is the 1972 law that banned discrimination based on sex in educational programs receiving federal funding. “Under the new rules, schools would be required to hold live hearings and would no longer rely on a so-called single investigator model that has become common at colleges,” according to a November article published by The New York Times. Agbonba said college students should be taught and have a better understanding about issues such as sexual violence and rape culture, since she said they have the power to fight for the rights of others. National Denim Day, where Zavala-Aguilar said people can wear denim jeans to show support for survivors of sexual assault, will be held on April 24
across the country. Zavala-Aguilar said her role as the WEAVE Confidential Advocate is a “step forward” in providing resources for students and countering rape culture on college campuses. While Zavala-Aguilar said students should volunteer for programs like WEAVE, she ultimately said they should actively be destigmatizing sexual assault. “Create a space in your community where it’s a safe space for survivors to talk about what they’re going through,” Zavala-Aguilar said. The WEAVE Confidential Advocate is available for those who do not wish to report a crime of sexual violence but want confidential help, according to a webpage on the school website. To contact the Confidential Advocate, call 916-568-3011 or email weave@ losrios.edu.
SAVE THE DATE
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Louder than wolves
Fashion for a cause
National denim day
Policy advocacy day
2019mshfashion4acause.eventbrite.com
crc.losrios.edu/culture/calendar
facebook.com/events/541058869721890
facebook.com/events/279714276068203
The third annual fashion show will be put together by Macy’s Downtown Commons and My Sister’s House, an organization aiming to eliminate domestic violence in Asian and Pacific Islander communities. The show will be hosted on April 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will benefit people who have been experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
Wear denim jeans on April 24 to show support for survivors of sexual assault and violence. As part of other events that are related to sexual violence that are happening on campus, the campus will be holding also be holding a healing circle on April 25 from 12 to 1 p.m. in WIN-106. Check out the school calendar for more relevant events on campus.
The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence will be holding a rally at the California State Capitol on April 24 at 10 a.m. They hope to raise awareness of sexual assault, be allies to survivors and rally in support of increased investments to prevent sexual and domestic violence in California.
The voices of filmmakers, performance artists and assault survivors will be heard in ‘Louder Than Wolves,” which will showcase performances of aerialist arts, slam poetry, dance, stand-up comedy and more in an event designed to bring awareness to sexual assault. All of the proceeds from the event, which will be on April 27 from 8 p.m., will benefit My Sister’s House.
$35
to $75
minimum donation of $10
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Extended testing is needed, students with disabilities say By Michaela Graves mgraves.connect@gmail.com Disability Support Programs and Services offers services for students with disabilities. Keith Ellis, the student personal assistant for DSPS, said the program provides reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. “The eligibility for DSPS is for students to provide a verified disability documentation,” Ellis said. “The documents we accept include a physical exam or a 504 plan.” Students with disabilities utilize the extended testing time provided that the student service has to offer. Suzie Goodenough, a 53-year old behavioral science major, said DSPS has benefited her learning challenges tremendously. “DSPS has benefited me with testing accommodations that help me have a quite non distracting environment,” Goodenough said. “The time
to complete my exams work better for my learning style.” Termar Moore, a 21-year-old aviation major, said he has has been part of DSPS since he enrolled CRC in fall 2016. He said DSPS has provided him with countless resources to help him succeed in the classroom. Peter Greene states in his article that extended test and accommodations made by college programs may be affected as an effect of the college scheme scandal. Fifty families, some including celebrities like Felicity Huffman (“Desperate Housewives”) and Lori Loughlin (“Full House”), are facing possible charges when evidence revealed in March that these families were apart of a college admissions scheme. Federal prosecutors said these families that involved either cheated on standardized tests or bribed colleges coaches and school officials to getting their children into these highly respected school.
Both Moore and Goodenough are not happy with the possibility of test times being reduced. “The time component plays a significant role in my success in the classroom,” Moore said. “If my allotted time got cut, I probably would not have enough time to finish the entire exam and therefore would struggle academically.” Goodenough also said extended testing is important to her. “The time component for me is especially important because I have ex-
“The time component plays a significant role in my success in the classroom. If my alloted time got cut, I probably would not have enough time to finish the entire exam.” —Termar Moore Aviation major, 21
treme test anxiety,” said Goodenough. “I have in the past broken out in hives, thrown up and passed out. I would have anxiety issues and wouldn’t be able complete the exams so passing the class would be impossible for me.” Ellis said he has feels troubled about the actions families took to get their children into college and how it could affect students with actual disability. “I feel very upset and angry because they exploited a vulnerable population and raises the question if they really have disability,” said Ellis said. Ellis said that luckily, a scandal like that could never happen on campus. He said that documentation is verification of disability and it can be hard to forge these documents. Ultimately, Ellis said DSPS still takes all the necessary actions and provides the necessary tools for students with disability to succeed in their educational career.
April 11, 2019
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>>Features
Med-tech students take on 7.5 unit class By Alexandra Trigg atrigg.connect@gmail.com The Emergency Medical Technology program at Cosumnes River College provides students with the skills and expertise to practice for certification as an Emergency Medical Technician in California. As a pre-employment requirement, students must complete over 200 hours of state minimum lecture, lab, and clinical work in order to become a certified EMT. Emergency Medical Services Professor Matthew McHugh said that because the class is structured at 7.5 units, he recommends students not to take other classes because of the extensive training that is required in class. “There are six shifts on an ambulance and in an emergency room which totals 60 hours on top of classwork,” said McHugh. Manuel Alvarez, a 24-year-old fire technology major, said the class has provided the basic fundamentals needed in building a foundation for him to carry on to further programs. Twenty-two-year-old biology major Moriah Guidry, who plans on continuing her education in the medical field as a physician, said the instructors integrate their experiences into the program which gives students a real world approach to their studies. “I’m planning on going into medical school after I graduate and I need thousands of healthcare hours before I apply,” said Guidry. “I was expecting the class to be hard but it has helped me to become a critical thinker to any emergency situation that will need my attention.” McHugh said once the students have completed all program requirements, they’ll be able to apply for available positions at various healthcare facilities and fire departments.
Alexandra Trigg|The Connection
Students in the EMT program learn an airway skill called cricoid pressure, which helps with endotracheal intubation to try and minimalize the chances of regurgitation.
“I was expecting the class to be hard but it has helped me to become a critical thinker to any emergency situation that will need my attention.” — Moriah Guidry
Biology Major, 22
“When the students finish the course and pass national testing they become certified and can enter the workforce in less than two months,” said McHugh. “By the end of the course, students will have the opportunity and access to hundreds of available jobs.” Twenty-one-year-old
EMT student Lydia Estrada said she appreciates McHugh for the time and energy that he dedicates to his students by making sure they understand everything so they are confident when they are actively demonstrating the skills they’ve learned. Students who have a passion for emergency medicine are encouraged by McHugh to start enrolling by end of May because they do not offer classes during the summer. McHugh said that the EMT course starts the third week of August and is on Tuesday and Thursday from noon until 4:35 p.m. or at night from 5 p.m. until 9:35 p.m. There are also Wednesday classes in the term.
Alexandra Trigg |The Connection
A student checks for pulse to assess for proper care when giving oxygen for respiratory distress.
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Paw-fect stress relief ‘Relax and Paws’ brings therapy dogs to campus By Michaela Graves mgraves.connect@gmail.com
Mason White | The Connection
Therapy dogs were on campus March 3 to assist students and faculty.
Warm balls of fluff were sprawled out on the quad, offering support to students who were swimming under the wave of stress on March 3. Therapy dogs from different breeds, including Golden Retrievers and Saint Bernards, came with their owners to help relieve stress from students and staff during midterms and the approaching finals season. Abigayle Neria, a peer mentor and the organizer of the event, said the purpose of this event was to give Cosumnes River College the experience of having therapy dogs on campus. “This is the first time CRC has hosted ‘Relax and Paws,’” said Neria. “Our sister schools have hosted this event many times as well as other CSU and UC campuses.
We are going to try hold more of these events.” The dogs come from an organization called Lend a Heart, where trained dogs go to events and places in the community to provide happiness and love for people in need of it. Lend a Heart volunteers began providing animal-assisted therapy in 1987, when bringing your pets into private places wasn’t as commonly accepted as it is today, according to the Lend a Heart online website. Therapy dog owner Erin Fong and her furry partner Biscuit have been a part of the program for six months and enjoy coming to community events. “We love coming to these events,” said Fong. “Biscuit loves the students and the people. When I put on his red collar he gets super excited and knows we are going to a
community event.” “This was very relaxing,” said Adriana McDonald, a 21-year-old dance major. “It takes my mind off homework for 30 minutes and I get to meet new people and play with the dogs.” Shani Zuberi, a 21-yearold film and digital production major, said she liked the event. Zuberi said even though she was expecting little puppies at the event, she enjoyed herself while she was there. “I wish the dogs were smaller but they were beautiful and fun to be around,” Zuberi said. “ I would love for them to come back on camps to calm us down for busy times in our lives.” Neria said the Peer Mentors Committee plans to have a ’Relax and Paws’ events on campus again for a future semester due to popular demand.
Bus serves as a musical learning experience for kids and young adults By Blynn Beltran bbeltran.connect@gmail.com
Accessible and innovative. These two words best describes The Music Bus that is going around the Elk Grove area and teaching young kids about music. The Music Bus was originally founded in Arizona by Patti Graetz and is outfitted with instruments, studio headphones and funky carpets to boot. She parted ways with The Music Bus, and NewSongs School of Music Owner Michael Hemsworth purchased the bus to incorporate the concept to his music school in Elk Grove. The Music Bus classes are limited to eight students and teaches piano and ukulele. The bus can be found on Babson Drive on Mondays, Wilton on Wednesdays, Laguna on Fridays, and Sheldon and Galt on Thursdays. “We have set locations that we es-
tablish beforehand and we let everybody know,” NewSong Instructor Jason Elmore said. “People in the area can sign up for those lessons.” Elmore, a Cosumnes River College alumni, acts as the driver and instructor of The Music Bus. Alongside Elmore is NewSongs Instructor Juan Gonzales, who is another CRC alumni. “Parents have a lot on their plate,” Gonzales said. “This way, parents don’t have to go out of their way or move stuff around for their kids to take lessons.” Gonzales graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor’s degree in music. After getting his degree, Gonzales said he talked to Hemsworth about helping with the buses. “Luckily, I came right as he was getting these buses, so I came at the perfect time,” Gonzales said. “Immediately, Hemsworth said ‘let’s try do this,’ so we got the buses and started doing demo classes.”
Blynn Beltran |The Connection
CRC alumni Juan Gonzales teaches a student how to play the piano. The student, like the others, are girl scouts from the Laguna Service Unit.
Gonzales and Elmore said that the program’s main demographic are elementary students and young adults. “There are a few adult partakers in the lessons but not a lot when there’s Disney characters on the wall,” Elmore said. CRC’s music department recently developed a partnership between NewSong School of Music and developed a
work study program to progress toward an independent music instructor certificate. CRC Music Professor Kurt Erikson, who helped develop the partnership, said he believes that The Music Bus will eventually cater towards older students. “It’s a brilliant idea and I think that it will continue to change and evolve,” said Erikson.
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Program emphasizes on healthy lifestyles By Mason White mawhite.connect@gmail.com Three professors on campus have created a certificate program that has a deep focus on plant-based, sustainable agricultural science as it relates to the environment and the health of the human body. The Department of Nutrition and the Department of Horticulture worked together to bring to campus the “Plant-Based Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture Program,” which would educate students in more than just the science behind this subject, but also how to be hands-on with it. Nutrition Professor and Department Chair Dana Wassmer said she is very proud of the unique PBNSA program that she and Nutrition Professor Timaree Hagenburger have brought to Cosumnes River College. It takes three required courses to complete the program: NUTRI 303, the Plant-Based Nutrition class, NUTRI 331, the Plant-Based Food Principles and Preparation class, and HORT 313, the Sustainable Agriculture class. After earning a certificate in the program, students will be knowledgeable in the health benefits behind an entirely plant-based diet, including
how it can help treat and prevent chronic diseases, what it can do for the environment and how to actually bring farm-to-fork home with them, according to the program’s website. Hagenburger keeps the attention of her class with her energy, mid-class stretches, humor and a fun approach to teaching using a class project called “plant-based leaders and rockstars.” Students pick from a list by a person who has made an impact on the plant-based community, and Hagenburger said they love it because they find people who they didn’t know were completely plant-based such as celebrity movie stars, professional athletes, doctors, chefs and humanitarians. Chanelle McCreary, a 19-year-old business major, said she had a great time in Hagenburger’s nutrition class but did have some difficult times shying away from bad habits. “I still was able to overcome them and change certain aspects of my own diet.” Hagenburger noted that even though Sacramento is the farm-tofork capital, people are still missing pieces of plant-based nutrition. “We decided that if we were going to do something that it had to be hands-on to start out, so we wanted students to have the skills to be able
to know what plant-based nutrition is all about, which plants are the most nutritious, all the science behind it, how to cook them and how to grow them,” Hagenburger said. CRC has an on-campus garden that Horticulture Professor David Andrews tends to and uses to teach his students in his sustainable agriculture class. “This nutrition field together with David Andrew’s sustainable agriculture field continues to grow quickly to meet the needs of a severely broken system falling apart,” said Kip Baumann, 46, a former CRC student who completed the certificate program in Fall 2018. Baumann said he became interested in health research after his
“I actually had a great time with the plant-based program, even though there were some difficult times trying to pull away from everyday habits.” —Chanelle McCreary
19, business major
daughter was born in 2009 and was diagnosed a few weeks later with biliary atresia, a life-threatening liver disease. He said going plant-based has allowed his daughter to thrive while dealing with this progressive disease. “Everyday we make multiple decisions about what we eat, and those decisions have an impact on our bodies well-being, the environment, and the animals that inhabit it,” Hagenburger said. “It’s your fork, but it’s our planet.” Hagenburger said her students are telling her about how the program has changed their outlook on what they eat and how the program has changed them. “They are absolutely life-changing and best taken when young so you can set you and your family’s health trajectory straight before acquiring the SAD (Standard American Diet) diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia, etc,” Baumann said. Overall, McCreary recommends taking Hagenburger’s class because “it will help with allowing you to reevaluate yourself and your habits to become more of a healthier person with better aspects to change your diet.”
‘Shrill’ provokes unapologetic entertainment for all viewers By Alexandra Trigg atrigg.connect@gmail.com
Courtesy Photo
Executive producers Lorne Michaels and Elizabeth Banks pull together a loose adaptation on Hulu of Lindy West’s memoir “Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman.” The comedy series follows the life of Annie Easton, played by Aidy Bryant (“Saturday Night Live”), as a full-figured young woman who is unimpressed with the life she’s leading and desires to make a change in all aspects of her life except the pounds. I had watchful optimism when going through the first episode. I was first bombarded with explicitly raunchy language being thrown around so carefree. The show also doesn’t reserve the notion of what “fat” people go through on a daily basis: They are overweight
because they don’t exercise, it’s a choice to be chubby, and that their friends and family who condemn their outward appearance are just giving them constructive criticism from the heart. The first episode also left me perturbed because I didn’t initially see Annie as the confidently unapologetic writer that Lindy is when she penned her memoir “Shrill.” What I saw was an uncomfortable and unsure woman basically being walked all over by everyone; her boss that demeans her in the office, her less than stellar pseudo-boyfriend that is more insensible than he is cruel, and even insensitivity of patrons at her local coffee shop. She is very apologetic about her appearance to the point that she says, “Maybe if I was just sweet enough, and nice enough, and
easy-going enough, with any guy, that that would be enough for someone.” Although it is tough to see Annie have such inglorious experiences, they are still very comical. Annie finally has an epiphany when she makes a controversial and personal choice. The viewers start to see Annie embrace a part of herself that is an unapologetic persona that her boss affectionately calls it, towards end of episode one. All this translates to is her coming to value her self-worth. As I binged through the series, the episodes got better and better and I was drawn in to each character’s story because they all were relatable. Viewers get to witness the not so saintly actions of this clever, provocative, and humorous woman which makes for great television.
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>>Opinion
Who is considered an Politicians need to realize Instagram Influencer? their rhetoric is influential By Lucy Vang lvang.connect@gmail.com
Recently I’ve been getting the question “how did you grow your followers so quickly?” The first answer that always come out of my mouth is “I don’t worry about how many followers I have, I just simply share what I love to do with the rest of the world.” Nowadays, it is very easy for people to gain followers on Instagram simply through a video or picture that goes viral. People with a following can often call themselves “influencers,” but the question is, what are you influencing? As a social media influencer myself, it’s concerning that people with no passion or purpose are gaining attention from others, often times in which are negative attention. To be a social media influencer is to be passionate enough about a particular subject that you are willing to share with the world. You can have 500,000 followers on Instagram, but if you don’t have a purpose beyond getting the likes and comments then you are not an influencer. Over the last year of
growing on Instagram, I’ve come across a number of people on social media whom I don’t even know that were willing to pay me to “shout them out” so they can gain followers. It disgusted me because these people only cared about gaining followers and do not realize the hard work it actually takes to get noticed. Behind every piece of content that is posted by an influencer, there is a number of precautions that must be taken. We have to let our followers know if our post is sponsored, we make sure to voice our own opinions through the captions, and most importantly, we make sure that our posts are of professional quality. “Influencers” who only look to gain likes and comments often make themselves vulnerable to the public and do not think of the pros and cons when it comes to posting content. Dedicated influencers actually care about what their followers have to say and connect with them as much as possible. My point is, if you’re going to call yourself a social media influencer, have purpose behind your content.
to people across the globe By Halimeh Edais hedais.connect@gmail.com
A gunman shot and killed 49 people and injured dozens more in a New Zealand mosque. Many things were said about this man; he has his own history of anti-Islamic rhetoric and has posted videos of his hate speech on the internet. Can the words we say affect people and turn into real life violence? As a Muslim, listening to these kinds of tragedies that happen in our community honestly saddens and scares me. However, it’s even worse when you hear politicians condoning this barbaric behavior and hatred. Fraser Anning, a senator in Australia, lost affiliation with parties in 2018 when he used the phrase “Final Solution,” a phrase used by Hitler during the Holocaust, in parliament, urging a ban on Muslim migration, according to the BBC. “The real cause of bloodshed on New Zea-
land streets today is the immigration program that allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place,” Anning said in a statement released on March 15. How does that statement affect the general public? It makes racists feel empowered, like what happened in that mosque shooting. People in positions of power like Anning make it seem okay for citizens to take it upon themselves to eradicate groups of people from the community, and this doesn’t just happen in foreign governments. In 2018, when prominent Democrats were being sent mail bombs, the man responsible was fueled by political rage, echoing the rhetoric of President Donald Trump, according to The New York Times. You can say that President Trump didn’t tell anyone to go out and commit a crime, but you cannot deny his influence towards those who were responsible. This is dangerous, not only for the one group but the
entire community. Look at the comments on YouTube videos and news articles on the internet. Racist and Islamophobic slurs have made their home in the comment section. However, with all this hate speech coming from our elected leaders, there is also a flooding of support coming through from other politicians. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Senator Elizabeth Warren are just two of many other politicians who have expressed their support and well wishes for the victims and their families in New Zealand. These politicians bring hope to the people being targeted by hateful comments by the people in positions of power. Hopefully, things will change. There are good people, good leaders working for the people, we just have to utilize our voting rights and maybe we can bring in a generation that doesn’t have to be terrified of getting shot when going to their place of worship.
EDITORIAL
Mueller report means more than what we think
A redacted version of the Mueller report is expected to be released mid-April and many are wondering what can be expected from the report. In the report, almost every Trump scandal since the 2016 presidential election can be expected to be mentioned, from his children and other campaign officials’ meetings with Russians on Trump properties, as well as answers regarding why Trump terminated his National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.Why does this even matter? Robert Mueller is a law-
yer who is in charge of the report and will be turning over his findings to United States Attorney General William Barr. Barr has made it clear that he has a top priority of releasing the report first to the public, as opposed to Congress. Usually, such a report would require a court order to release any information from a grand jury, which is controversial in itself because the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure states that information is meant to be kept private unless rare exceptions
are made. While Trump has prided himself that there was “no collusion,” that doesn’t necessarily mean he was correct in saying that the Mueller investigation was a witch-hunt. Throughout this whole investigation, many of Trump’s officials have been investigated by federal officials, and lying to them is considered a crime. Five of Trump’s officials: Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulos, Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, have all been apprehended by Mueller’s team during his investigation.
They all lied to investigators about their relationships and communication with Russian contacts. While the investigation process may seem slow-moving, there has been progress. Slowly but surely, Mueller has been unraveling parts of Trump’s campaign schemes, and there is still more to come. Trump himself has also tried to intervene in the investigation. Let’s not forget when Trump urged, at the time, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation James Comey to drop the investigation into Flynn.
And when Comey refused to, Trump fired him. While we may never see Trump as a sitting president be indicted, the fact that the Mueller investigation hasn’t stopped and doesn’t plan to stop is somewhat reassuring. And regardless of your political views, there have been indictments made towards members of Trump’s campaign and more info will be released in the upcoming redacted report. That means Americans will have the chance to make their own conclusions based
on facts and findings.
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Why does birth tourism only exist for whites? By Mason White mwhite.connect@gmail.com A Florida firm named “Miami Mama” organizes a legal way for Russians to come give birth in the U.S., yet for other ethnic groups it’s not so easy. It’s called “birth-tourism,” and this is why it’s not okay. In August 1492, Christopher Columbus left Europe in search of a new world for a better life. He found land that was occupied however and didn’t have established borders, land that white men would come to control who would bring other ethnic groups to, land they founded called America. Over 500 years later, the people who still possess a strong influence in
controlling birthright citizenship in the U.S. are allowing for a clear and easy path for those of their own color, while from a foreign land, to come here and have children that will be granted automatic citizenship, but for minority groups it’s not that simple. In the last decade, so-called “birth-tourism” has skyrocketed, especially in Florida, with many of the mothers to be coming from Russia. And many are staying at Trump properties, according to a 2018 NBC News report. Miami Mama was raided by the FBI in June 2018 and an employee was arrested and convicted of making false statements in filling out passport applications for these “birth-tourists,” according to the report.
President Donald Trump has not been shy when it comes to expressing his beliefs about this issue, saying explicitly that the U.S. needs to end naturalized birthright citizenship altogether citing “anchor babies” coming through the Mexican border, but is silent on Russian mothers-to-be trying to do the same thing. It’s no question that President Trump takes issue with immigration and so called “anchor babies” coming from from America’s southern border, but at the same time he appears to turn a blind eye towards people of white nationality who wish to create a potential American future for their children by establishing U.S. birthright citizenship for them. These seemingly unequal nuanc-
es at such a superior level are very dangerous. It sets a precedent for, and a quiet acceptance, of inequality on a national scale. Furthermore the President’s harsh rhetoric on people of color but so silent on those that aren’t, amplifies this danger. The U.S. Constitution states that all people born on U.S. soil are naturalized citizens. But certain leaders with high power are trying to hinder that right for minority groups, while allowing it for others. While that is special treatment for some, it’s harsh inequality for others, and it’s not in line with America’s true values.
MLB can do more to produce African-American players By Tairiq Marshall tmarshall.connect@gmail.com Major league baseball is one of the most renowned professional sports in America and is an integral part of modern U.S. history. The sport has been given the nickname “America’s Pastime” due to the prominence that it possesses. The MLB has gained popularity not only throughout the U.S. but globally as well, since there are many players from different countries playing for professional ball clubs today. Whether someone is watching the sport for the very first time, a huge fan of their respective hometown team or a young aspiring big leaguer, there is nothing like watching the ball get driven into the upper deck seats or hearing the crowd’s reaction to a shortstop’s jump throw across the diamond. All of these reasons are exactly why it is so disheartening to say that the game of baseball does, in fact, have imperfections. The MLB has been fortunate enough to produce a number of talented players from countries outside of the U.S. However, the number of African Americans in the sport has continued to plummet. The percentage of African Americans in pro baseball was at an all time low of 7.1 percent at the start of the 2017 season, according to USA Today’s study. The annual study shows that although the numbers have increased from the 7.1 percent to 7.8 percent at
the start of the 2018 season, the percentage of African Americans in the game is still substantially lower from what it used to be. Starting with Jackie Robinson, who integrated professional baseball in 1947 and paved the way for many African Americans to play the sport, there have been several ball players who have been foundational pieces in the league such as Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. and Tony Gwynn to name a few. Mookie Betts, the three-time Gold Glove award winning right fielder for the Boston Red Sox, is a reason why it is imperative that the MLB continues to make a strong push towards increasing these numbers. Betts, who is one of the select few of African Americans on the Red Sox 25-man roster, just recently won the American League’s Most Valuable Player award for his exceptional 2018 season. Programs operated by the MLB such as Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities show that the league is proactively looking to increase the percentage of African Americans in the sport as its purpose is to ultimately encourage participation. But the instruction isn’t always there and more of the focus is put on academic achievement as student athletes and learning the value of teamwork. While all of that is great for African American boys and girls growing up in inner cities, travel baseball has become the only arena to receive proper instruction, and many families
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struggle to afford that teaching for their aspiring ball players. As a result, the young men pick up footballs and basketballs rather than gloves and bats. Youth athletes don’t see many ball players in the MLB who are African American like them, the same way they do in football or basketball but it is undeniable that the talent will always be there. The league has already lost Kyler Murray and Patrick Mahomes to football, just imagine if some of these prodigy athletes stayed the course. All 30 teams in the league have founded academies with new training facilities, weight rooms, playing fields and clubhouses for ballplayers in countries like the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. That would make sense given that
the game is dominated by perennial all stars from the caribbean. In addition to the million dollar academies that the league invests into caribbean countries, the instruction that the players receive in the academies is practically MLB caliber. If the MLB invested in similar academies with the same teaching in inner cities, there would be more Mookie Betts, Marcus Stroman, Aaron Judges and Tim Andersons. If the proper instruction that is provided for travel ball teams was accessible and not a financial burden for inner city families, the numbers would improve without question and the game would be much more exciting in the future. MLB owes it to the fans so let guys like Mookie Betts and Aaron Judge be the example.
thecrcconnection.com
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>>Sports
Softball team shut out against tough Delta squad Mason White
mawhite.connect@gmail.com
With an 18-9 record, the Hawks’ softball team has had a good season, but Thursday’s makeup game against the San Joaquin Delta Mustangs was one tough outing. It was sure to be a competitive matchup with the Mustangs coming in to this game with a 25-3 record. Sophomore starting pitcher Courtney Lozano stepped up to the mound ready to perform, and even though she did, the Hawks’ offense didn’t pull through. “I feel like we did pretty good, except for our bats were kind of silent,” said Lozano. “I feel like we had our bat skill and I feel like we could have easily scored.” Even though Lozano gave up a couple hits, she said she came into this game with the mindset that she had to let the Mus-
tangs hit and let her defense help her. “I feel like that was the biggest thing, was just letting them hit and letting my players work behind me,” said Lozano. “I feel like that was my biggest thing, just getting over the mental mindset that they were a really good team.” Coach Kristy Schroeder backed her pitcher by saying her team just didn’t hit the ball, had a few too many strikeouts and just couldn’t get the ball in play. “It was a tough one but I thought Courtney kept us in the game and did a good job out there,” Schroeder said. “I wanted to give Ashlee a couple innings going into the end there, but if you don’t score runs you can’t win a ballgame.” Sophomore first baseman Ashlee Kaiser said her pitcher wasn’t performing bad and that she was getting her defense the ground balls they needed but with errors
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Head Coach Kristy Schroeder high fives freshman catcher Anabelle Benfiet during a game earlier this season. The Hawks are currently fourth in the conference with a 20-13 record.
and the lack of hitting there wasn’t much else they could do. “I just think we didn’t come out to play,” Kaiser said. “We had no energy, no fire, no
fight to win the game. It was just like we got down and then we stayed there.” With only one hit and three errors, the Hawks fell to the Mustangs 8-0.
The Cheap $eats: Getting the call right is just wrong “I just want to see them get the call that brought up the issue of players right,” said every sports personality, and fans incessant need for calls to be anywhere, over the last decade or so. perfect and consistent. If they aren’t, This phrase may be the most over- they throw tantrums, blame officials used and irritating cliche in sports to- and begin to call for the dreaded exday and it’s destroying the viewing panded instant replay. experience for fans of major sports There is nothing wrong with geteverywhere. ting calls right and the practical realThis obsession with perfection is a ity that replay can help overturn an disease spreading its way across egregious missed call is a wonderful the sports landscape, robthing. bing teams who win of There is something their glory and leaving wrong with living in a losing teams wallowfantasy world in which ing in self-pity and every call can and excuses about how should be correct, and they got robbed. if only it was correct, The NCAA people could just fobasketball National cus on the purity of the Championship Game, game and not the blown the NFC Championship calls. game, the Golden State There is two problems Warriors against the Minwith this fallacious reasonBy Max Connor nesota Timberwolves on mconnor.connect@gmail.com ing. One is that it is literalMarch 29 and the San ly impossible to get all the Francisco Giants opening day game calls right. Sometimes no matter how this year are just a few recent games slow or close you look at a play, it is The Connection Cosumnes River College 8401 Center Parkway Sacramento, CA 95823 Telephone: (916) 691-7471 www.thecrcconnection.com connection.crc@gmail.com Facebook.com/crcconnection Twitter: @CRCconnection Instagram: @CRCconnection
not possible to see what the right call should be. The second is that in many cases, slowing down the replay often opens up the decision to an area that goes against the spirit of the game. Think of a guy stealing second base who clearly beats the tag but maybe had a split second where his hands are past the base and he is getting up so he loses contact with the base by a millimeter for a split second while the tag is still being applied. The argument over these very close calls is a type of brain numbing nonsense that can be seen in all major sports today, as the viewer watches a replay over and over and over, only to have the color analyst tell them that the call should be overturned and then it’s not. People continue to complain and continue to not only see missed calls but have their outrage reinforced by every radio and television pundit across the country. Apparently, these people are in-
capable of enjoying and talking about the game itself and have to fulfill their obligation to today’s fake outrage culture by talking about how a missed call cost a team the game and how if only we used technology, we could get the calls right and then we wouldn’t have this problem. While there is no metric to back this up, it seems clear that in a time when sports use more replay to get more calls correct than ever, there is more complaining about missed calls than ever. There is a maddening lack of acceptance of the fact that sometimes calls are going to be wrong and it’s part of the human sports experience to overcome them. This does not come from some misguided notion about the beauty of the “human element.” This is simply about the reality that it is not always possible to “get the call right.” The pursuit of this ideal is killing viewing experiences and the conversations about the games after they are over.
Editor in Chief: Summer Lomendehe News Editor: Summer Lomendehe Features Editor: Kellie Bevins Sports Editor: Max Connor Opinion Editor: Lilianna Ordaz Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati
The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published 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
Staff: Blynn Beltran, Halimeh Edais, Michaela Graves, Tairiq Marshall, Roger Mitchell, Jayson Price, Alexandra Trigg, Lucy Vang, Mason White
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.
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April 11, 2019
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Sophomore right fielder Burle Dixon leads the Hawks in most major offensive categories and is helping to keep them afloat in the highly competitive Big 8 Conference at 8-7. Dixon possesses a unique blend of speed and power and is posting an OPS of 1.034. His best attribute however, may be how good a teammate he is, said his Head Coach Don Mico.
Hawks outfielder gaining interest from Division I scouts By Tairiq Marshall tmarshall.connect@gmail.com All season long, the Hawks’ leadoff hitter has been a catalyst at the top of the lineup for his team with excellent power at the plate, speed on the basepaths and pure athleticism in the outfield. The five-tool right fielder, Burle Dixon, has caught the attention of several Division I scouts in his sophomore season while hitting .340 with 13 extra base hits, 28 RBI’s, 19 stolen bases and 18 walks in 28 games. “At the plate, I just try to swing at pitches that I can drive into the gaps,” Dixon said. “I usually hunt the fastball and try to put a good swing on it.” Along with his early dominance at the plate, Dixon has given other teams trouble with his ability to produce runs while on base. With 19 stolen bases and 31 runs scored, Dixon’s success can be attributed to his aggressiveness on the basepaths. “Whenever I get on base, I try to run early and often,” Dixon said. “I know I can run so when I take off, I like my chances of being safe.” Although he has been a standout offen-
Burle Dixon 2019 Statistics Games played: Average: On base average: Slugging percentage: RBI: Runs: Stolen bases: Hits: Walks: Doubles: Triples: Home runs:
28 .340 .481 .553 28 31 19 35 18 7 3 3
sively for the Hawks, Dixon said he takes pride in being a multifaceted player. “I don’t want to be a guy who is known for just hitting,” Dixon said. “I think it’s important that I am being great on offense, defense and as a teammate.” Dixon’s play on the field is undeniable, but Head Coach Don Mico said what sets him apart this year is how great of a teammate he has been. “Everyone here has to be a good teammate,” said Mico. “Burle has been that and I hope he has the opportunity to play at the next level.”
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Dixon has continued to show the same type of play in college that he showed at Sheldon High School, where he led the Delta League in hits and stolen bases during his senior year.
Mico said he ensures his players are being the best teammates that they can be and he’s proud of Dixon for being that example. Mico and several teammates said they consider Dixon a great leader for the team both on and off the field. “Burle leads by example whether that’s in the classroom or in the batting cages,”
said freshman infielder Essex Brown. “He’s always working.” Dixon said he credits his success on the field to his parents, who introduced him to the sport when he was four years old. “My parents have had the biggest influence on me,” Dixon said. “They always made sure I was working hard so I give them all the credit.”
