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BEYOND the PLAYBOOK Former Harvester point gaurd, distinguished alumnus teaches excellence on and off the court See page 10 ➤
Harvesters move up to second place as winning streak continues See page 11 ➤ Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Volume 51, Issue 7
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Wednesday, December 4, 2019
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Lawsuit delays bond funds for district projects By SKYE SEIPP Editor in Chief @seippetc
An election lawsuit by an Eastfield criminal justice student has impeded the Dallas County Community College District from cashing in on the $1.1 billion bond election it won by a 71 percent margin on May 4. Kirk Launius, the former Dallas County sheriff GOP candidate filed the contest June 13. His profile on the website Linkedin said he has attended Eastfield from 2011-2019. The lawsuit includes an 18-page petition and nearly 4,500 pages of documents to back up Launius’ claim of voter discrepancy during the election. Launius declined to comment to The Et Cetera while the case is in litigation. Chancellor Joe May said last week that he is not worried about the contest overruling the election, citing the margin of victory as being too large. “It’s frivolous,” May said. “While there may even be some merit in some of the things they point out for the county, it’s not enough to impact the overall passage of the bond. But it’s definitely going to delay us.”
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DCCCD Chancellor Joe May.
While the lawsuit is holding the district back from selling the bonds, May said the district is still moving forward with some of the projects by paying with available funds.
Plans to expand El Centro’s west campus and Cedar Valley’s heating, air conditioning and ventilation lab as well as construction of a science building at North Lake will continue despite not having the bond money. May said the district will pay itself back after cashing the bonds. Following a Nov. 14 D Magazine article about the lawsuit, May sent an email to district employees saying the lawsuit isn’t questioning the integrity of the bond, but on voting irregularities within the county during the election. “While I am disappointed that this lawsuit will slow the progress on some of our larger projects, such as the downtown hub and the new El Centro campus, I am encouraged to know that the majority of the voters, business and community leaders in Dallas County support our efforts,” May said in the email. The suit says that during voting, “a plethora of computer tabulation irregularities, mistakes, illegalities and obstructions were witnessed by official watchers.” The petition calls for a revote, sighting two scenarios where the voter discrepancies being wrongly counted would cause the vote to be overturned. The three affidavits by watchers brought up
various problems including the lack of a judge presiding over the Central Counting Station, seating issues for watchers and accusations of seperate Counting Station set up in another room. Launius’ petition asks for $100,000 in damages and for the vote to be considered null and that a new election take place. History professor Matt Hinckley said it’s disappointing that the district is going to be slowed down in moving forward with the bonds. “We need these resources so we can meet the needs of our community and of our students,” he said. “It’s just beyond frustrating that something like this would slow that down.” Hinckley said buildings like F, A and parts of C are in dire straits, and this issue will only stop the construction of new buildings to replace them. These buildings sit on a man-made hill from when the college was built and currently face stability issues. “Our college alone has desperate need for new facilities just so we can keep doing what we’re doing now, much less handle the influx of additional students with additional needs that we’re going to have in the next 50 years,” Hinckley said.
Digital readers plan to be available for students next fall By HARRIET RAMOS Staff Writer @TheEtCetera
The Dallas County Community College District will make digital readers available for students next fall as the district prepares to include textbooks with the price of tuition. Executive Vice Chancellor Justin Lonon said in an email that the district is still negotiating the details for the readers and doesn’t know if there will be a cost involved. “The intent would be to provide to all [students], but with some limitations,” he said. “They may come at a reduced cost for students. … [It] is the intent that other sources can cover the costs. I just can’t say absolutely until we finish negotiations.” The announcement comes following the district’s deal with the Follett bookstore in October to include class learning materials in the price of tuition for an additional charge of $20 per credit hour. As part of the deal, students will be given a digital access code for their textbooks, unless that class does not have a digital version of the book. In that case, they will be given a print version.
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The digital readers are to help students who do not have a way to access the electronic textbooks. The district hopes that by raising tuition to include learning materials, students will be better prepared to complete their program of study. However, there have been concerns
about how the move to primarily digital course materials will affect those who do not have regular access to the internet. While Dallas is a major city, there is a significant digital divide. The Dallas Morning News reported in August that 42 percent of Dallas
homes do not have broadband subscriptions. In a Nov. 25 meeting with student journalists from across the district, Chancellor Joe May mentioned adding digital readers and upgrading technology on all campuses as possible solutions. “It does no good if we provide you with material, and everything is digital, and you don’t have a way to use it,” he said. The district has been considering different types of digital readers, and May said a final decision would be made in the spring. Lonon said the campus technology enhancements have already started, including increased wi-fi capabilities in dead zones and security updates. There are also plans to extend campus library hours so students can access the internet there. Cale Turner, a dual-credit student studying commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning at Eastfield, sees drawbacks with switching to more digital content. “It’s just going to give kids incentive to not read the whole chapter,” he said. “They’ll glean as little information as they [can] just skimming
through.” Tracie Pinkett, a medical assistant program student, has internet at home but prefers print textbooks for her classes. She said there is a big difference between reading from a book and reading off a screen. “I’m old school,” she said. “I have to touch it.” Pinkett said she will keep paying for print textbooks out of pocket even after the district makes the switch to e-books. “You can always go back to [print textbooks],” she said. “Once the time has elapsed, if you buy the [e-book] for six months or just for that particular semester, it’s gone.” May said there will be print versions of the e-books available for an extra charge, but there are no details yet about those costs. Another option is for students to print out the textbooks themselves. “It depends on your style and what you like,” May said. “We know now that a lot of students prefer the digital over others, but if you don’t, that’s fine. We’ll have a way to manage that. … The bottom line is, we’re looking at how to provide the highest quality education at the lowest possible total cost to students.”
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Most campus construction nearing completion By JUAN QUEVEDO HERNANDEZ Reporter @TheEtcetera
Construction projects across campus are inching to their completion dates, while the proposed coffee shop in the library has yet to secure a vendor. The projects include new labs for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math division, the coffee shop at the intersection of L and F buildings, portable buildings in Parking Lot 6 and the mechatronics lab in L Building. Work in the S Building is funded by the $4.5 million Hispanic Serving Institute STEM grant that was awarded four years ago. Director of the STEM Academic & Student Success Center Paula Guidry said it has also given students the opportunity to gain field research experience by traveling and provided new equipment for some of the labs. The equipment includes a Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, a Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, and an Atomic Absorption. A Nuclear Magnetic Resonance will be added in the future. Four new STEM labs will be built, three at the main campus and one at the Pleasant Grove campus. The main campus is getting a new chemistry lab in S-212, a physics and geology lab in C-317, and a computer information technology lab in L-313. The new chemistry lab requires plumbing and air handling work to support the large size of the lab. The construction has led to the first
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A construction crew member works outside of L Building on Nov. 26.
floor of the S Building being blocked off and any labs located on that floor. The chemistry lab is expected to be completed by Jan. 21, according to Guidry. “We’re working with our contractor as best as possible to meet that schedule,” Guidry said. It was originally reported by The Et Cetera in Nov. 2016 that construction for the chemistry lab would be completed in spring 2018. The physics and geology lab do not have a
set date yet, but Guidry is pushing for some time in the spring semester. Construction in the CIT lab is complete. Computer and equipment are being purchased for the lab, and the only things missing are data lines, Guidry said. The coffee shop expected to be in the library has not begun construction and a vendor has yet to be chosen for it. The design is 100 percent complete, how-
ever, according to Facilities Director Michael Brantley. Yet one of the things he thinks should be emphasized is the small size of what he calls a “coffee bar.” “The coffee shop is really a bar,” he said. “It’s not like Subway where you go sit down... It’s not this big space. ... It’s only about 370 square feet. ... It’s really a small footprint.” Brantley said he was worried because some people have voiced concern about the space that would be taken from tutoring services. “We anticipate if a tutoring need is necessary, we won’t do something where it causes that to be a problem,” Brantley said. “If it does, we will fix it. We’re not going to say, take a space and say, ‘well, there it is.’” Permitting problems with the city — which have interfered with construction of the portable in parking lot 6 — have been dealt with. Construction should be complete during the first eight weeks of spring, Brantley said. Power is already up in the building, but two more classrooms are being added and an administrative office. The portables are essentially to help with getting people somewhere to go if remodeling needs to be done in another part of the building. “[Since] programs are expanding, we need a place to go,” Brantley said. He said the construction in the L Building for the mechatronics program is 85 percent complete, also adding that the furniture is already here. “It took a long time to get to where we are,” Brantley said. “But we’re there.”
Military service offers immigrants path to citizenship By HARRIET RAMOS Staff Writer @TheEtCetera
Pedro Navagonzalez thought he was an all-American kid. He grew up in Anaheim, California, during the 1970s and ’80s, was a Boy Scout and loved to play baseball and football. At 18 years old, his illusion came to an end. Navagonzalez was looking forward to a trip with friends to Tijuana, Mexico. When he asked his mother for his birth certificate, the only document required for travel to Mexico in those days, she told him “No, mijo, you cannot go.” Navagonzalez began to argue. “Come on, I’m 18,” he responded. “I can go, right?” “You cannot go because you cannot come back,” his mother told him. “You’re not a citizen.”
Navagonzalez’s parents had brought him to the United States from Guadalajara, Mexico when he was 5, and he had always thought of himself as an American. It took 13 years for him to realize he was an undocumented immigrant. “It was heartbreaking,” he said. Navagonzalez’s dream to join the Marine Corps would have died then if he hadn’t received unexpected help from the White House. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan granted amnesty to nearly 3 million unauthorized immigrants by signing the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Navagonzalez became a permanent legal resident of the United States, and his new status qualified him for military service. At 19, he became a Marine. Navagonzalez was one of three speakers at Eastfield’s Common Book Event “From Immigrant to Service Member” on Nov. 18. He, along
with Marine recruiter Sgt. Arturo Ibañez and former Department of Defense member Trong Phan, spoke to a group of 20 Eastfield students and employees about the benefits of military service. While his enlistment gave him certain privileges, Navagonzalez soon realized that his status as a permanent resident was not enough for him to advance within the Marine Corps. Many positions required security clearance that was only available to U.S. citizens. After serving in the Gulf War, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Somalia, Navagonzalez got another break. President Bill Clinton offered expedited citizenship to members of the armed forces. “The greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life is become a U.S. citizen, and … to serve this great nation as a United States Marine,” he said. The military can provide a path-
way to citizenship for those who serve. But Ibañez explained how it also facilitates the immigration process for undocumented parents and spouses of service members through the parole-in-place program. Typically, when someone enters the United States without authorization, they have to leave the country for a certain period of time in order to qualify for permanent legal status. This process can take years. “What the parole-in-place program does is [allow you to] stay in the country while you get your residency,” Ibañez said. “You don’t have to leave at all, and you’re able to be with your family.” The military also gave Phan a chance to finish his education. A refugee from Vietnam, Phan escaped from the war-torn country by boat. He arrived in the United States in 1980 and worked a variety of different jobs to put himself through
college. His English was poor, and his grades suffered, but he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He began a career with the Department of Defense after graduation, but he wanted more education. The Department of Defense agreed to pay for his schooling as long as he worked for them full-time. He completed four master’s degrees and a doctorate in applied management and decision science. He said his decision to continue studying was influenced by something his mother had told him in Vietnam. “I remember my mom had told me, ‘when you get [to the United States], this great country provides opportunity, not just freedom,’” he said she told him. “‘Set the goal high. You will get there.’”
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Group spotlights homelessness among students By LINDSEY CRAFT Reporter @TheEtCetera
In an effort to inform the Eastfield community on homelessness, student Mayra Fierro led an interactive discussion at the Day of Action: Housing Insecurity event on Nov. 15. Fierro leads the Cereal and Civil Rights group in Deep Ellum. Cereal was initially intended for advocates, activists and organizers, but is now open to all. Meeting the first Saturday of the month Cereal attendees gather to have their favorite cereal, watch old fashioned cartoons and cover topics such as consent, immigration, intersectionality and LGBTQ pride. Fierro has experience helping homeless youth and has been homeless before. Although she still struggles financially, her past drives her to help the homeless youth community in any way she can. “They are poor, we are poor, I am poor,” Fierro said interconnecting herself with housing insecure students as she opened the discussion on homeless youth in the Dallas County Community College District. Members of the group sat at a round table to discuss how individuals become homeless, what challenges they face and how to help. Throughout the discussion members wrote their thoughts down on one large note pad as different topics, such as the various categories of homelessness, arose. By the time the two-hour discussion was over the note pad was full. When the question “what comes to mind when everyone thinks about homeless people?” was asked, the
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Mayra Fierro, in the grey hoodie, offers a blanket to a man during a homeless youth search in February. She spoke at the Day of Action: Housing Insecurity event on Nov. 15. Fierro is a student at Eastfield and has been homeless before.
answers varied. Some associated homelessness with substance abuse, and others thought that being homeless meant living outside. This isn’t always accurate. Fierro said the reasons for being homeless include job loss, mental health issues, addiction and natural disasters. Other forms of homelessness include living in a car, couch surfing
and long extended stays at motels. According to the Urban Institute, homeless youth prefer to hang out in public settings like bus depots, fast food restaurants or malls. The Housing Choice Voucher Program assists low income families, the elderly and the disabled to afford housing in the private market. Homeless youth struggle to obtain housing vouchers, and when they do, the housing facilities that accept
them are poorly maintained. “Disabled people who were on top floors of housing facilities were unable to come down for days and sometimes weeks because of elevators not working,” Fierro said. “And as soon as they were able to get out, they had nowhere else to go because their vouchers weren’t accepted.” Aside from the general homeless youth population the group spoke out about the personal conflicts their own students face. Danae Bass, program coordinator for the Center of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity said many homeless students will come to talk to her. “It’s hard because we don’t have a dorm,” she said. “Many times I’ll try using other connections, but a lot of the shelters are not close to here and we have a big transportation issue. I have some students now who are living in their cars, and I’m trying to find ways to make it at least more comfortable, because we can’t change that for them right now.” Bass runs the Honeycomb Cupboard as well as the mobile food pantry on campus. Both offer a variety of foods and toiletries to students in need. She hopes to expand the pantry, but limited space is an issue. “We have lots of big dreams that we’re not going to give up on, but right now with space issues that is all that we can have,” she said. Once there is extra space for the pantry Bass plans on adding refrigerated foods and opening a clothing closet. Other plans inclue opening a mobile food pantry at the Pleasant Grove location, as well as expanding food pantry hours, has also been in
the works. Bass often sends service-learning students to Sharing Life Community Outreach, which offers students clothes, food, home goods and free financial classes. While these steps address some needs of housing insecure students, additional suggestions included increasing student volunteers, having professors offer extra credit to students who attend these events and speaking up about the topic at hand. Attending college coordinator Chris Schlarb suggests the DCCCD community volunteer at shelters and advocate to politicians and college administrators for additional funding. “I learned how a lot of systems of oppression such as food insecurity, healthcare expenses and lack of childcare intertwine with housing insecurity,” Schlarb said. “Making it extremely difficult to become financially secure.” Schlarb said students will certainly see more events on social justice topics like housing and food insecurity from the Center of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity. According to Schlarb, the next Day of Action event on food insecurity is set for Feb. 26. To wrap up the discussion, Fierro spoke out about needing more people to come together to help each other rather than consistently relying on shelters and organizations for help. “I think that we need a much broader community response,” Fierro said. “And it’s not going to be made up of agencies. It’s going to be actual individuals who care, because that’s who makes a difference.”
LULAC returns to Eastfield with renewed involvement By MANUEL CRUZ Reporter @TheEtCetera
After an extended hiatus, the League of United Latin American Citizens has returned to Eastfield to promote the needs of the Hispanic community. With the help of Professors Kat RegueroVandeventer and Tiffany Nacoste and president Blanca Alvarado, LULAC was restored. The organization provides a platform for voices to be heard and support for students. Eastfield’s student population is 49% Latino. LULAC provides a community for Latino student activism and participation. “It’s a surprising number of DACA students we have here,” said Reguero-Vandeventer of
young adults who were brought to the United States as children and protected from deportation by an Obama Administration immigration policy. “Basically it’s a lot of your classmates that are scared that one day they’re going to be picked up and sent back to the country they came from that they had no decision in coming”. For 90 years LULAC has been the largest and oldest Hispanic organization in the United States. LULAC strives to improve the economic condition, education, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through programs based in minority communities. The organization involves itself primarily with Hispanic groups. Reguero-Vandeventer and Nacoste said that
although the organization is primarily Latino students, it’s open to anyone. While the organization is not new to the campus, it was inactive for two years due to the lack of student involvement. Until president Blanca Alvarado has rejuvenated the group. Alvarado said that as a first-generation child of immigrant parents, she felt compelled to raise awareness of what is taking place within the Latino community. “I am happy I can be a part of something that can bring so much awareness to what is going on as well as providing a safe zone for our students on campus,” she said. LULAC offers scholarships, educational programming, jobs skills training and other services. Members also promote Hispanic culture
and advocate for the Hispanic community. “LULAC can add to that level of success, but it will also remind you of where you came from and who you are,” Reguero-Vandeventer said. Sandra Caraveo, national programs manager for LULAC, started off as an intern when she was in college and moved up within the organization. “Many people think the idea of success is leaving your culture and community behind and in a sense gentrifying yourself,” she said. “But LULAC teaches you that you can be successful and return to your community and fix what is wrong. Improving your own life doesn’t mean you have to forget who you are.” People interested in joining can email Reguero-Vandeventer or visit the club page on the Eastfield app for more information.
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Campus group helps students recover together By JORDAN LACKEY Staff Writer @TheEtCetera
Temperance Miller achieved clarity 23 years ago when a coworker approached her as she was dry-heaving into an office trash can after a night of heavy drinking. “You don’t have to do this,” he told her. “It scared the hell out of me,” she said. “Because I couldn’t drink enough to get drunk. I couldn’t get the buzz. I couldn’t get that sense of ease and comfort that they always talk about, but I sure as hell had the hangover.” Miller said she realized before the age of 13 that she didn’t drink like most people do. The more she drank, the more she wanted, and it only got worse after years of alcohol abuse. She said she didn’t want to die the way her father did, malnourished and starved, so that a full stomach wouldn’t get in the way of a decent buzz. She said something clicked that hung-over morning. She’s been sober since Nov. 19 1996. She’s now a substance abuse counseling major and a member of Students in Recovery. Every Thursday, a small conference room located within the library becomes a sanctuary for Eastfield students recovering from drugs, alcohol or any other affliction. In room L-207 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., the Human Services Club hosts a weekly peer re-
ANTHONY LAZON/THE ET CETERA
Temperance Miller has been sober 23 years and regularly attends the peer recovery meetings on Thursdays in L-207.
covery meeting, which can’t be found on any other campus in the Dallas County Community College District. Attendance can range from
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a small handful of students to upwards of 12 or more from week to week. The smell of complimentary fresh coffee, cookies and donuts permeates the dimly lit room. Tears fall on the wooden table as a grieving student shares the pain of a recent loss. Later, a fist hits the arm of a chair as another student voices the frustration of a stressful test. Then the philosophies of anger and acceptance are debated as the words “I’m looking for a little inspiration” seem to echo and resonate within the room. Depression, anxiety and mental illness are common topics of conversation. Students dealing with any problem are encouraged to share their stories and feel fellowship from a room of supportive people that may not be otherwise present in their lives. Daniel Ramirez, professor of social work and substance abuse counseling and adviser for the Human Services Club, played a huge role in helping get these meetings established in 2016, but he said this has been a student-run and founded program all along. He hopes this will serve as inspiration for the other campuses within the Dallas County Community College District. Ramirez wants students to know these meetings aren’t strictly devoted to drug and alcohol recovery. They’re for anyone looking to change a behavior or habit of any kind. Everyone is
welcome, and he said no topic is taboo. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “You could have never done drugs, and you can go into that group and find that you’re probably dealing with something similar.” Another influential person in the recent growth of the peer recovery meetings is Alan Elson, president of the Human Services Club and a substance abuse counseling major. Elson wasn’t there for the founding of Students in Recovery, but the peer recovery meetings are what inspired him to take an active role in the Human Services Club. “It’s inspiring to see that someone can just sit down and pour their heart out,” he said. “And then in the course of doing that, come to the realization that they knew the answer all along.” With 23 years of sobriety under her belt, Miller still struggles with her mental health and depression. Once, after receiving a ketamine transfusion, she compared the attempts to reorganize her mind to the likes of “trying to unscramble an egg.” Miller encourages every first-timer to come back because she knows exactly how much can be on the line for someone in the depths of recovery. “This disease wants me dead, whether or not I drink or use,” she said. “I will self-destruct if left to my own devices. That is the nature of my disease.”
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Holiday breaks are a time to relax, stuff your face and chill with some Netflix. With the recent addition of Disney+ to our streaming services selection, the viewing possibilities are endless and nostalgic. If you’re looking for something fresh (or old) to binge over the break, here’s a list of some new releases, classics and holiday movies and shows that you can find on one of the big four streaming service sites. — Hunter Garza
Hulu: Dollface Hulu’s latest original series stars Kat Dennings as Jules, a young woman recovering from a breakup who must relearn what it means to be a friend to other women. The show also features Brenda Song from “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” and Shay Mitchell from “Pretty Little Liars.” Ladies, if you need a good show to watch and sip wine with your besties, this is it.
Hulu: Broad City With the holidays approaching, most of us are heading back home to face family members asking us questions like “how’s school?”, “when are you graduating?” or “when will you get married or have kids.” This is the show that always makes me feel OK with where I’m at in life even if I’m moving at a slower pace than others around me. Throw in some of Abbi and Ilana’s crazy antics and it’s couch potato bliss.
Hulu: Daddy’s Home 2 This film always gets me pumped for the holidays and perfectly shows how complicated family relationships can be. Plus, anything starring Will Ferrell is a winner and when you throw in a singing John Cena it makes for a heartwarming comedic end to a hectic day with family.
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Break-time
Feast your eyes t
Amazon: Kitchen Nightmares If you’re anything like me and try to steer clear of the kitchen until it’s time to load your plate, then this is the show for you. Gordon Ramsay will make you feel as if you attempted to help him cook in the kitchen with the way he belittles the food and the people making it. Why get yelled at by mom and granny when you can watch Gordon roast strangers all while never leaving the couch.
Amazon: The Report This one is quite different from the rest, but I like a little variety. Adam Driver plays a Senate staffer, Daniel Jones, who uncovers shocking secrets while investigating the CIA’s post 9/11 detention and interrogation program. It’s the perfect escape for when you need a little drama and excitement during the lulls of free time.
Amazon: Jingle All the Way Howard Langston, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, tries to get his son the hottest toy of the holiday season, TurboMan. However, every store is sold out and he must travel all over town to try and beat all the other parents who waited until the last minute. Langston tries everything, except for buying the toy early, from attempting to win the toy at a radio station to buying a counterfeit TurboMan. The ultimate tale of the chaos that our parents probably endured to get us our perfect Christmas present; and showing us that the season is all about being grateful.
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What are YOU serving up this holiday? Let us know on Twitter @TheEtCetera
binge-time
this winter break
Netflix: The Irishman One of the most anticipated Netflix original’s of the year by acclaimed director Martin Scorsese, this film even had a theatrical release before making its way to the platform on Nov. 27. In this 3-and-a-half-hour crime drama, hit man Frank Sheeran, played by De Niro, looks back at the secrets he kept as a loyal member of the Bufalino crime family. It’s perfect for when you’ve had much too much food and need a good rest while letting that turkey digest.
Netflix: The Office By far my favorite show of all time. I need to watch something else already. However, the holidays make me want to specifically watch every Christmas episode on a loop. I mean how else will people know that all of my Christmas presents can and should be “The Office” related or understand all the references only a true fan would know?
Netflix: Klaus The new animated Christmas movie by Netflix is perfect to bring out the kid in all of us. A simple act of kindness always sparks another, even in a frozen, faraway place. When the town of Smeerensburg gets a new postman, Jesper, who befriends a reclusive toymaker named Klaus, and together their gifts melt an age-old feud and deliver a sleigh full of holiday traditions. This film gives a new spin on a typical Christmas story about friendship, love and the spirit of Christmas.
Disney+: Lizzie McGuire With the reboot of Lizzie scheduled sometime in 2020, submerge yourself in the nostalgia of our younger years. If you’re missing the days of Ethan Craft, outfits we can’t believe we wore and cameos from Aaron Carter, then this is perfect for you. Also, what better way to get pumped for her return?
Disney+: The Mandalorian The first live-action Star Wars series available on Disney+ is set about five years after the fall of the Empire, before the rise of the First Order. “The Mandalorian” is an exploration of a new era in the “Star Wars” universe. While there are some tattered remains of Imperial rule, the focus of this story is far from where we left off in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The race of people from the planet Mandalore, first conceptualized as a group of white-armored “supercommandos.” Plus, you get to see what looks like a baby Yoda, and that is the cutest gift that keeps on giving.
Disney+: Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas This is a Christmas-themed, three-part film tied together with narration by former “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammer, that gets everyone in the holiday spirit with the help of some beloved characters. The first part, “Donald Duck: Stuck on Christmas”, is essentially a retelling of “Groundhog Day,” with Huey, Dewey and Louie, Donald’s nephews and Scrooge McDuck’s grandnephews, reliving Christmas on a loop. Next is “A Very Goofy Christmas,” in which Goofy tries to overcome his son, Max’s, skepticism about Santa Claus. After posing as Santa and blowing the whole lie then mistaking a robber for the real Santa, Goofy loses faith himself and it is then Max’s duty to restore his father’s beliefs. Finally, “Mickey & Minnie’s Gift Of The Magi” recreates the classic tale of Christmas selflessness. Mickey wants to get Minnie a gold chain for her watch and Minnie wants to get him a case for his harmonica. They both work to try to buy these things for each other and ultimately end up selling both the watch and the harmonica to buy the other’s present. It’s a story that proves that it really is the thought that counts.
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Garcia sails through life helping other people From being a medic in the United States Navy, to assisting students in their writing, developmental English professor John Garcia has been helping people throughout his life. He sat down with reporter Anahi Torres to discuss more about his journeys from the high seas to Harvard University.
Q A
What was your military experience like?
You never think about the bad times in the military. The difficult times. The time that you could get killed. There were trainings on ships that were burning or in rooms with gas masks where you couldn’t breathe. Then there was the tour with the Marines as a medic since Marines get their medics from the Navy.
Q A
What did you do as a medic?
I was trained to work in emergency rooms in a hospital, out in the field or in a hospital ward (orthopedics). As a medic, you take care of all the wounded because you have all the supplies and also carry a weapon. As a medic with the Marines, you are labeled with a red cross on your helmet, but the enemy sees you as the best target. If they kill you, you cannot help the rest of the group or company of men you are assigned to in the field of battle.
Q A
Did you see people get killed?
Yes. It gave me nightmares sometimes. You just learn how to get over it. You don’t have much time to dwell on what you saw or what is going on.
Q A
ANAHI TORRES/THE ET CETERA
Why did you decide to join the Navy?
I was in the sixth grade and I had a cousin in the military, so I wanted to be like him. ... [My] grandma did not like the military. She said it was too dangerous to be in the military. After high school, I was ready to go to the military. Vietnam was ending, so this was a good time to go serve my country. Instead of taking the chance and getting drafted into the Army, I chose to join the Navy and get schooling while in the military. I had friends who got drafted and went to Vietnam to fight. The letters that they were writing back home were very scary because they saw lots of killing. And the Navy is where my cousin had served. He got to travel to many places. Six years later, I got discharged on a Friday, drove back to New Mexico from Virginia, got home that next Monday night, and then I started school the very next day with an English class at 8 that next morning. My sister had registered me for college before I got discharged from the military. I later was given credit for 35 credits from the education I received in the military. This was equal to three semesters, which then gave me the ability to end up with two bachelor’s degrees.
Q A
What were the degrees in?
The first bachelor of arts degree in bilingual elementary education (teaching kindergarten through sixth grade) and the other one was a B.A. degree in history and government to teach secondary education (middle school or high school).
Q A
What was the first time you experienced something like that?
The first one, the guy had an anchor roll over his body. The anchor weighed close to a ton. He was covered with blood, and I ended up covered as well as we tried to revive him. It did not help. I took a bunch of showers because I felt sticky from the blood. I took five showers that night and used a brush but still felt sticky. I could not get over that sticky feeling, which was not really there. It took a while to get used to this, even though I think it was more in my mind than reality. In a few days, I saw the next wounded body and had to get used to it and help him.
Q A
Q A
How old were you when that happened? I was 19 going on 20. I was like you guys in school. When you are in the military, they don’t care about age. They don’t care about personal concerns. You are there to do your job. What benefits did you get from the military?
I went in as a boy and I came back as a man. ... You come out with a larger sense of responsibility, discipline and maturity. ... You come back and you have goals, and you’re grown. When I left, I was partying. When I came back, I was in college and working to get into a career. I never left school once I came back. I got the degrees and kept going to school even though I went through the tragedy of my brother getting murdered and my uncle and my grandma dying while I was in school.
Q A
You had a rough childhood?
Yeah, like everybody else. They might not go through the same tragedy, but everybody has struggles. Sometimes you don’t have money to go with your friend. You feel really bad and you’re depressed and you stay home. That could be rough to a young person. I have niece in college who’s six hours away from home and that’s rough to her. I kept telling her, “I was your age when I went into the military. You’re going to be homesick, and as soon you settle down the first thing that comes to mind is ‘What am I doing here? Why did I come so far?’ That’s what I did in the military that first night. ‘What am I doing here?’ I thought. But then you get used to it. You settle down.
Q A
Can you talk about going to Harvard after that?
I got two degrees. One is a masters and one was for a reading specialist. My first break there was to go back to funerals for my grandma and my uncle. One died at night. The other died the next morning. We buried them during Christmas. I didn’t have money to fly back, but I had a professor that paid my way.
Q A
No professor does that.
I know. Why do you think I do things for students? She said, “You don’t have to pay me back,” and I said, “Oh no, that’s wasn’t how I raised. I appreciate it, but the only way I will accept it is if you let me pay you into two or three months.” And I did.
Q A
Do you still communicate with her?
She already passed away. She was so good as my adviser. Her name was Dr. Jeanne Chall, and she was a world expert in reading education.
Q A Q A
How many jobs did you have while you were at Harvard? In two years at Harvard, I had up to six part-time jobs. Was it hard working and studying?
They prepare you in the military. Sometimes I used to work in the emergency room from 7 to 3, and if someone was sick or did not show up, then you need to do another shift. You could not say, “I can’t do the shift.”
Q A
Why did you decide to teach reading and writing at Eastfield? It’s always been my passion. It’s never been about the money.
opinion Etera Award-winning member of: • Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • Texas Community College Journalism Association • Associated Collegiate Press • College Media Association
Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor in Chief Skye Seipp Creative Director Anthony Lazon Graphics Editor Erik Krouskop
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The views expressed on the opinion pages and other opinion pieces and cartoons in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Et Cetera, Eastfield College or the Dallas County Community College District. The Et Cetera is published by a student staff. Each member of the college community is entitled to one free copy of The Et Cetera. First Amendment Right Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Letters to the Editor Letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number. Letters will be edited for profanity and vulgarity, Associated Press style, grammar, libel and space when needed. The content will remain that of the author. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.
ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO BY ANTHONY LAZON
9 eastfieldnews.com
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
OUR VIEW
Education key to creating the future As the staggering 2010s come to an end, it’s going to be up to students like us to begin the patchwork. Over the past decade many of us have grown out of adolescence and emerged to find a world under siege. From corporations running politics, to environmental dismay in the name of capitalism and issues of discrimination running rampant, it’s easy to cower behind pessimism. But anyone can do that. It’s obvious work needs to be done, and if you want to live a world where everyone, no matter their race, gender or religion, has equal opportunity, it will require a basic level of understanding among all parties.
The first step is getting an education, and within the Dallas County Community College District you’ll find one of the cheapest tuition rates in the nation — third lowest, according to Chancellor Joe May. There’s a catch, though. You have to finish. Community college students seem to drop the ball when it comes to that part. From fall 2011 to June 2017, 47 percent of two-year students dropped out of college, according to a study by National Student Clearinghouse. End the cycle. Education is called “the great equalizer” for a reason. It offers
a chance to become a prominent member of society and pursue the life you wish to live. If you’re concerned or think your actions won’t make a difference, just look at Greta Thunberg. This 16-year old is actively trying to change the world and has made headlines doing it. She’s not the only young person doing this either. Students all over the country have recently protested issues like gun violence and climate change. Quit just double-tapping your way to social change and start actively getting involved. Once you get that piece of paper, the learning can’t stop.
In order for democracy to thrive, it takes a knowledgeable populace. It doesn’t mean you have to become an overly paranoid news junkie, but being aware of the issues in your city, country and world is imperative. Right now many of you have access to more information than any other human in history. Don’t just waste your time marveling at the latest trends. No one person can change everything, but you can adjust your life. Don’t make it another New Year’s resolution that gets abandoned by Jan. 31. The world may not have that long.
New rallying cry in age-old clash of generations OK, boomer. We get it. You’re grumpy and old and we’re walking around changing the status quo. We’re living our best lives without feeling the need to put down the younger generations. We aren’t perfect either, but enough is enough. We’re tired of constantly being referred to as “kids these days,” and now we’re biting back. Not with anger or shouting, but with two simple words: OK, boomer. The phrase rose to viral fame this fall after a video on the social-media platform TikTok showed an older man going on a rant about millennials and gen Z-ers having “Peter Pan syndrome” because “they don’t ever want to grow up.” The other person in the video, either a millennial or Generation Z-er, responded by writing “OK, boomer,” on a piece of paper. “I like [OK, boomer] because it gives us a way to kind of stick it back to the older generations who always belittle us millennials,” 26-year-old biology major Darius Carr said. The video resulted in thousands of teens and young adults adopting the phrase. It’s used as a response to the older generation when they are condescending toward millennials, Gen X and things that matter to them. Baby boomers, better known as boomers, are those who were born between the years 1944-1964, Generation X is 1965-1980, millennials are 19811996 and Generation Z is 1997 to current. While giving a speech on climate change, 25-year-old New Zealand legislator Chlöe Swarbrick went viral after being heckled by an older lawmaker and responding with, OK, boomer.” While some boomers have embraced it, others have taken major offense to the phrase.
Hunter Garza @HunterTate Etc
The latter reaction is ironic as boomers usually refer to millennials and Gen Z as “snowflakes” or the “participation trophy generation.” OK, boomer; don’t let words hurt your feelings. This generational clash seems to be a cycle that we are doomed to repeat. “It’s not funny to me, but it’s just, it’s generational. I did the same thing but with different words,””boomer Catherine Lydon said. “We just didn’t have the internet to spread it.” The genius of this phrase is that it applies in most situations when there is a clash of young versus old. It’s essentially a giant eye roll. The simple response shows how exhausted the younger generations are with the never-ending debates with elders. “’Boomer’ is the N-word of ageism,” Bob Lonsberry, a Gen X radio host, tweeted. “And that’s the exact situation you would say, ‘OK, boomer,’ ” 19-year-old accounting major, Mikaela Pascal said in response to Lonsberry’s tweet. The thing about this sort of generational debate is that it’s not just with boomers and millennials. For ages elders have complained about the younger generations. The complaints are almost always things such as the youth are lazy, entitled and self-serving. Our elders blame us for problems as if we are
playing on the same level field as they did. Everything is more expensive now from homes to cars to even an education, and boomers shame us for going into debt for that. However, according to them, it’s our indulgence in Starbucks, avocado toast and cellphones that’s to blame. OK, boomers. “It’s an ongoing thing in society. Every generation has always talked about how great the other generations before them have been. ‘Oh wow, these kids today are the worst,” sociology professor India Stewart said. Boomers disliking millennials isn’t a one-sided issue, as millennials share the same feelings of disdain toward both boomers and Gen X-ers. Millennials are having to deal with the repercussions of choices that were made without their knowledge or consent by these earlier generations So, where does this sense of superiority stem from? It appears with every incoming generation. There is more competition for jobs, power and attention. As Homer wrote in “The Iliad,” “And so with men: As one generation comes to life, another dies away.” Baby boomers grew up in a completely different society. While older generations were able to get summer jobs to pay for college, younger generations have to take on massive debt to pay for higher education. So, yes, I’m choosing to live with my parents longer, wait to own a house or car, get married and have kids, if ever. If anyone wants to bash me for not living up to their ideals, well then to that I say: OK, boomer. —Hunter Garza is a staff writer and public relations major
Sports The Et Cetera
Dec. 4 Dec. 7 Dec. 12 Dec. 14
Basketball vs. Southwestern Christian Basketball vs. Redlands Basketball vs. Grayson Basketball vs. Fort Scott
eastfieldnews.com
6 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m.
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Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Eastfield alum inspires next generation of players By HARRIET RAMOS Staff Writer @TheEtCetera
It was the first game of 1994, and the Eastfield men’s basketball team was taking on the top-ranked NJCAA Division 1 Hutchinson Blue Dragons on their home turf in Hutchinson, Kansas. Eastfield’s eight-man team was outnumbered and outsized. Freshman Blake Flickner, barely 6 feet tall and 135 pounds, had just been called into his first college game. Almost immediately he hit a 3-pointer. The next time down the court, he hit another. Excitement built among the fans as the rookie point guard helped the outmanned Harvesters squad make headway against a national power. “Hutchinson was really, really good. [In the end] they beat us, but…we played with confidence and without fear and Coach Flickner, my dad, believed in us. That’s the way we approached every game and was what helped win the conference [later] that year,” Flickner said. Today Flickner is the head basketball coach at Dallas Baptist University. He has led the Patriots to the NCAA Division II national tournament four times and has twice been named Heartland Conference Coach of the Year. In October he was awarded the DCCCD Distinguished Alumni Award for his achievements both on and off the basketball court. “We work hard, and we try and do things with a high level of excellence and consistency, but it would be foolish to claim that it’s too much more than we’ve been blessed,” he said. Flickner’s resume includes a stint as student manager under Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams at the University of Kansas and two years as assistant coach for the Naval Academy Midshipmen. From 1998 to 2001 he was the assistant coach at Eastfield under Mark Murdock. Flickner came to DBU in 2005 to help start their basketball program. His players are known for good sportsmanship on the basketball court and a high standard of excellence in the classroom. Some of them have gone on to graduate from places like Emory Law School and Southern Methodist University. One of his students now plays professional basketball for Team Copenhagen in Denmark. “He knows his stuff, but it’s just very obvious that his priority is not winning games,” former player Armie Lewis said. “It’s making an impact on his players while they’re with him so they can go out and … make a difference.” Move Armie Lewis quote here Flickner’s faith in Christ is what fuels his coaching. “It’s huge,” he said. “It shapes everything and the way I see the world and understand what
my purpose is and how to handle adversity… It’s impossible to separate that from who I am and what we do. It’s really at the core of my identity.” Flickner’s family also plays a major role in his life. He and his wife Mary have been married for 16 years. Their three children, Isaiah, 12, Ruth, 11, and Malachi, 8, have been involved in various sports, including basketball. The family enjoys hiking and playing board games together and are members of Matthew Road Baptist Church. Flickner grew up in Garland. His father, Bob Flickner, was the head basketball coach at Eastfield for 23 years and still teaches physical education at the college. The family enjoyed basketball, but they always tried to keep it in proper perspective. Flickner’s parents placed a high value on education and instilled in him the importance of hard work, humility and balance. His father tried to get him interested in tennis or golf, but those sports were too slow for him. “I was extremely hyperactive as a child,” Flickner said. “I needed a high-energy sport, and basketball fit the bill.” He started to play organized basketball at the YMCA when he was in third grade. By the time he got to ninth grade, he was hooked. He played basketball throughout his high school years while maintaining consistently good grades. “He was always a good student,” Bob Flickner said. “He worked hard in the classroom and took pride in his grades. He had a good work
ANTHONY LAZON/THE ET CETERA
Top right, Blake Flickner, head coach for the Dallas Baptist University men’s basketball team, speaks with a reporter for the Patriot Broadcasting Network after beating Arlington Baptist University 88-57 on Nov. 23.
ethic.” Flickner graduated from Garland High School at the end of 1993, a full semester early, so he could play basketball on his father’s team at Eastfield. During his time there the Harvesters won the Metro Athletic Conference and advanced to the national tournament in New York, where they finished in seventh place. “[He was a] good teammate, good player, just a joy to have around,” Bob Flickner said. “It was neat to be able to spend time with him in that setting.” After three semesters at Eastfield, Flickner went on to get a degree in business administration from the University of Kansas in 1998 and a Master of Arts in Christian education from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2001. In 2016 he obtained a doctorate in education from DBU. In reflecting back on his college experiences, Flickner said his best times in the classroom were at Eastfield because of the interaction he had with his professors. One professor in particular who had an impact on him was history teacher Bob Sharp. said his was the because of the who “I admired his passion,” Flickner said. “He had a love for learning, history and people that was just contagious. He brought energy and he brought enthusiasm to the classroom.” Flickner said he took a history class he didn’t need just so he could be in the classroom with Sharp.
Sharp frequently invited students to lunch and made it a point to build relationships with them outside of the classroom. He became a mentor to Flickner. Flickner tries to tries to do the same with his players at DBU. Lewis, who played basketball at DBU from 2007 to 2012, described Flickner as “genuine.” “I have friends that have played on other teams and played at other schools for other coaches and they never have talked about their coach the way that I feel about Coach Flickner,” Lewis said. Lewis was not planning on going into law when he started at DBU, but thanks to Flickner’s constant reminders to attend class and work hard, he excelled in school. His strong GPA put him in a position to attend Emory Law School. He now works as a lawyer in Houston. Flickner encourages his players not to put basketball on a pedestal but still strive to play their very best. A dark blue banner emblazoned with white letters hangs on the left-hand side of the basketball gym at DBU. On it is the motto that Flickner wants his players to remember: Audience of One. “It doesn’t matter what the fans in the stands think, or parents or girlfriends or anybody else,” he said. “We’ve got one audience. It’s God that we play for, it’s God that we live for and … we play to glorify Him.”
SPORTS The Et Cetera
11 eastfieldnews.com
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Harvesters dominate with early winning streak By SAZOUN GRAYER Reporter @TheEtCetera
RORY MOORE/THE ET CETERA
Top, Ta’Marcus Butler pushes forward against Loyalty College on Nov. 25 in the Eastfield gym. Bottom left, Calvin Williams dunks the ball against Loyalty. Bottom right, Butler fights Loyalty Prep defenders. Eastfield won the game 108-78. The Harvesters have gone undefeated through 13 games to start the season.
The Eastfield basketball team is looking like a national powerhouse again. The Harvesters are unbeaten through 13 games, including wins over Brookhaven and Cedar Valley, and have grabbed the No. 2 spot in the latest NJCAA Division III poll. The fast start happened even though Eastfield was without starting guard Ta’Marcus Butler, who suffered a high-ankle sprain in preseason play and was out for about two weeks. With his ankle literally “swollen all the way up to his calf,” as coach Anthony Fletcher described it, the team was left without a key piece. But Butler wasn’t worried about his team’s resilience because of the depth of their roster. “They’re not going to falter,” he said. “Everybody can fill anybody’s shoes.” He was right. While Butler was sidelined, Fletcher used a trio of players in his absence. Tyrese Davis, Kyndall Miller and Xavier Benson each had two starts. Fletcher’s strategy was to use different combinations to develop his players’ confidence. “It’s early. We wanted to put different people in different situations and see how they would respond and react,” Fletcher said. “When people start, it’s a prideful thing. It’s a pretty big deal. To give multiple people [the] opportunity to be a starter and get their name called out is a pretty cool deal. I think it boosts our morale a little bit.” Butler has made a speedy recovery and has since returned to the lineup and playing well. In the seven games he has played, he is averaging 10 points, three assists and three rebounds. Eastfield has two of the top three scorers in the nation in shooting guard Calvin Williams and forward D’Angelo Smith, who have scored 244 and 243 points, respectively. Point guard Dajuan Ridgeway has also earned two tripledoubles and was named Dallas Athletic Conference Player of the Week for Nov. 10-16. Smith was named DAC Player of the Week for Nov. 17-23. The Harvesters have not only begun the season with perfection, but they’re doing it in a dominating fashion. They have beaten their opponents by more than 29 points per game and are averaging 105.5 points, besting their nation-leading 100 points per game mark from last year. They are also rebounding, distributing and shotblocking efficiently, averaging 50 rebounds, 21 assists and six blocks per game. The season has kicked off on a promising note, but Butler knows there’s always room for improvement, especially on defense. “We’ve been doing drills — help drills, defensive slides, all that,” Butler said. “We’ve been practicing every day, working on our defense.” The team looks to continue its momentum during its six December games before starting conference play in January. Despite the Harvesters’ success, Fletcher wants to keep his players focused on the task at hand and not allow them to become overly confident. “Without a doubt we can’t have a big head,” Fletcher said. “I think we do at times because of just the mentality of a young person, but that’s one thing we have to work on.”
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WRAP-UP
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
eastfieldnews.com
Madpuffy Comics By Jesus Madrid
The Et Cetera
Chickasaw field trip
ArtBrewery Comics By Jessica Martinez
SIRGIO RUVALCABA/THE ET CETERA
Members of the Chickasaw Tribe perform a dance during Eastfield’s field trip to the reservation in Oklahoma on Nov. 25. View a video story at eastfieldnews.com.
Dance & Snack
Oddball Scribbles By Eric Santos
NEWS
Briefs
Student art exhibit opens Gallery 219 will be showcasing work made by visual arts students until Dec. 6. The gallery is open 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday
Alternative deadline extended Students who want to have their work published in the 2020 Alternative literary and fine arts magazine now have until Dec. 20 to submit.
Submissions may include visual art, photography, fiction, essay, poetry and music. Visit eastfieldcollege.edu/thealternative for more information.
Dancers to perform show The Fall Dance Concert will be 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6 in the Performance Hall. The show is free and features guest artists Robert Alvarez, Claire Augustine and Nick Leos.
RORY MOORE/THE ET CETERA
The Eastfield Dance Company performed its annual Dance & Snack, a preview of the Fall Dance Concert, on Nov. 25. The concert is Dec. 5 and 6 in the Performance Hall.