Etera
Eastfield College
Voting starts in six days. Get ready with our election guide. See pages 5-7 ➤ Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Volume 52, Issue 2
On the Front Lines
Eastfield student and West African immigrant gives back as a Covid Nurse See Page 3 ➤
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Wednesday, October 7, 2020
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The Et Cetera
Looney-Evans remembered as student advocate By JORDAN LACKEY Opinion Editor @JordanEtc
LaConna Looney-Evans, Senior Academic Adviser, will be remembered for her straightforward attitude, her love for the Dallas Cowboys and her unwavering fight for better conditions for students and coworkers. She died on Aug. 31 after an extended battle with cancer. She was 51. Looney-Evans was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer last fall, but she didn’t stop working until she contracted COVID-19 in June. She survived the virus, only to have cancer take her life a short time later. She began her advising career at Eastfield in January 1996. Duane Evans, Senior Academic Adviser and friend of Looney-Evans for more than 20 years, said the advising office won’t be the same without her. He will miss her infectious laugh. “I’m going to miss my friend,” Evans said. “So many times [she made me laugh]. … I have a new appreciation for life. I have a new appreciation for waking up every day.” The death of Looney-Evans hit
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHARON COOK
LaConna Looney-Evans died of cancer on Aug. 31. She was 51.
him especially hard for multiple reasons. Not just because he lost a dear friend but also because of his own battles with thyroid and prostate cancer since 2013. Evans is currently in complete remission, but upon receiving the news of the passing of Looney-Evans he was still waiting for his results. The day he found out about her death he went into a period of self-reflection. “I couldn’t do anything for the
rest of the day,” Evans said. “That day I must have walked 3.5, almost 4 miles, just trying to clear my head. … I started worrying about [her family]. I started worrying about me. Thinking, ‘how long am I going to be here?’” Evans said it hasn’t hit him yet. He keeps catching himself expecting to see her at the office when everyone is allowed to return to campus. Evans said he reached out to her two sons. “I’m going to try and keep in touch with the boys. They’re going to miss her motherly wisdom. … She was the rock that held the family together. She was all about family.” Brynndah Hicks-Turnbo, program retention coordinator, said Looney-Evans was “always celebrating,” and remembered how she would go above and beyond to acknowledge someone’s achievements or milestones. “[Advising] had these lavish breakfasts,” she said. “It would look like a restaurant in [the advising department break room]. And she was behind that. They celebrated everyone’s birthdays. … Getting your master’s, getting married, getting engaged, having a baby. She was that person to the advising team.”
However, Hicks-Turnbo said the students were always Looney-Evans’ top priority. “She was about the students,” Hicks-Turnbo said. “She pretty much stayed in that lane, that’s where she was comfortable. … It was about student contact.” Brooke Ryan, senior manager of advising, worked alongside LooneyEvans since 2017. Ryan said LooneyEvans was never afraid to speak her mind and fight for students and fellow advisers. She would act as the lightning rod that channeled the thoughts of a room and would say what everyone else was thinking but too afraid to say. “She was an advocate for us,” Ryan said. “Not just for the students, but for the staff too. It was like she just found a way to really advocate for everybody that she touched.” After Looney-Evans was diagnosed with cancer, she wanted to leave an even more significant mark on those around her. According to Ryan, Looney-Evans continued to work for so long because she knew what she meant to the Eastfield community. “It was just something that was so natural to her,” Ryan said. “I think if
she would have pulled out any sooner or taken off any sooner, it wouldn’t have felt right to her. … I hope I’m able to leave that sort of imprint on somebody.” After her death, the advising office was able to raise $750 for the Looney-Evans family on top of commissioning two memorial plaques in her honor. One went to her family and the other will be displayed in the advising office next to a professionally framed photo of her. Looney-Evans’ funeral was held on Sept. 5 at Eternal Rest Funeral Home with more than 80 people in attendance. Eastfield President Eddie Tealer wrote a proclamation that was read aloud by Timothy McDuffie, Eastfield director of completion and transfer, who also sang at the service. Looney-Evans is survived by her husband, Tommy Evans; sons LeTrenton and LeDarion Evans; Mother, Betty Looney; brothers, Marcus, Cedric and Marquis Looney and Calvin, Melvin and Montrelle Clark; sisters, CaSandra Looney and Bonita, Renita and Sylvia Clark; 14 grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives.
IncludED mishaps leave some students without materials By HARRIET RAMOS Editor in Chief @HarrietRamosETC
The first eight-week session of the semester is more than half over, and not all students have received their class materials. Dallas College’s IncludED program, which combines learning materials with the cost of tuition, was implemented at all campuses this fall. The goal was to make sure students had all their materials on the first day of class. Vice President of Academic Affairs Greg Morris, IncludED coordinator, said as of the second week, 97% of students had received their materials, but there were issues with science and art supply kits reaching students on time. Morris said there were various factors at play, but COVID-19 was definitely part of the problem. “Every university across the nation has also had to go completely online like we have,” he said. “A lot of these universities turn to these vendors to provide kits and supplies … and I think in general it just overwhelmed the system.”
Morris said another challenge has been students’ mailing addresses not being up to date. Morris said at some point this fall it will be mandatory for students to change or update their addresses in eConnect. Art professor David Willburn said a small number of students in his studio art classes are still missing kits, and some who did receive their kits only received a portion of their supplies. Willburn said about a week before the semester started administration raised the caps on some of the art classes by five to 10 students. “These students were added at the last minute,” he said. “Apparently that wasn’t communicated to the bookstore immediately, and so it kind of set these students up for, not failure, but it certainly did not set them up for success from the very first day of class.” Biology professor Brie Day said a number of her students were still without kits. One student recently received a kit that didn’t contain a microscope: something Day’s students need to complete their lab projects. The kit was from the wrong company. Day said she believes the issue could be resolved if faculty members could communicate directly with the vendors instead of having to
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go through a department liaison. She said there are more middlemen involved now, and that is slowing down the process. “The vendor’s not working directly with the faculty anymore, and so when problems arise, at best there’s a delay before they get fixed,” she said. “But a lot of times it’s very hard to get them fixed because you’re having to send mes-
sages through different levels.” Willburn and Day said they are improvising to help students complete their coursework. Willburn said some of his students have art supplies left over from previous classes and he is trying to suggest materials they might already have at home. “I got lucky that I’ve got a few pretty scrappy students,” he said. “They just want to work, and so they’re not going to wait for their stuff. They’re just going to find what they have and get busy working.” Day said she has told her students to focus on the lecture part of the course, hoping that will buy enough time for the lab kits to arrive. She said some professors have created virtual labs, but she feels her students need the kind of experience they will only get by doing the lab exercises themselves. Morris said he understands the delay in materials is frustrating for faculty who just want to see their students succeed. “Even though I would rate the program as an overwhelming success, we still have a lot of areas of improvement,” Morris said. “I’m hopeful we’ll get better as it relates to the COVID piece, but we’re committed to working through these issues.”
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Wednesday, October 7, 2020
‘The only thing I can do is pray’
COVID-19 nurse, Eastfield student, immigrant gives back to the community By JORDAN LACKEY @JordanEtc Opinion Editor
In 2014 Bruno Kouame flew nearly six thousand miles from the Ivory Coast in West Africa to the United States. He landed with his wife, the clothes on his back and $15 in his pocket. “In Africa, of course we have some jobs,” he said. “We have some opportunities. But not as much as we have in America. America is giving more opportunities to people for them to succeed.” Kouame is now a licensed practical nurse in the COVID-19 unit of the Traymore Nursing Center in Dallas and is working to become a registered nurse through Eastfield’s RN program. Once he was licensed and started working that allowed for his wife, Koffi, to attend an LVN program of her own. She now works at Presbyterian Village North retirement center. In Kouame’s home country, $1 is equal to almost 560 African Financial Community francs. On top of caring for his two children in the U.S., Daniel, 3, and Ruth, 1, he’s also been able to almost singlehandedly support seven people with regular money transfers back home that allow several of his family members to go to school without having to work. Kouame is determined to give back for all he’s been able to accomplish in such a short period of time. “When somebody helps you, tomorrow, do the same thing for them,” Kouame said. Before making their journey, Kouame found an online community of West African immigrants that help support newcomers to the United States. Kouame and Koffi now open their door to other immigrants they’ve never met and have helped five different families transition to American life. “In Africa, we live in community,” Koffi said. “You can help somebody you don’t know. Take that person into your house, feed that person, that person uses your water, your electricity, … and you become like family.” Kouame and Koffi lived in separate homes for the first six months because Kouame worked two jobs, one as a dishwasher and the other as a night stocker for a grocery store in Dallas. Koffi lived in Fort Worth and worked as a hair braider. They only saw each other once or twice a month. “Every day when I’d wake up in the morning, I’d call him,” Koffi said. “To achieve a goal, we have to make sacrifices. So, we also sacrificed [our time together] to be able to pay our bills.” Within three months, Kouame decided it was time to go to school and work for a better life for his family. Even though he’d worked in journalism and
CHANTILETTE FRANKLIN/THE ET CETERA
Bruno Kouame stands in front of the Traymore Nursing Center in Dallas, where he works as a nurse in the COVID-19 unit.
as a high school English teacher in his home country, Kouame had to start his academic journey from scratch. He quit his job as a dishwasher and enrolled in a licensed practical nurse program and began what he would soon discover to be a rigorous schedule. Kouame would work from 4 p.m. to midnight as a Walmart night stocker, then go to class from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. He didn’t have Wi-Fi access, so he’d park outside of a friend’s house in the middle of the night after work to complete his homework assignments and often wouldn’t go to sleep till past 3 a.m. Sometimes he had to complete assignments
in the Walmart bathroom just so he could have internet access. “It was very difficult,” Kouame said. “When I’d see the police coming, immediately I’d leave the place because I didn’t want them to come and see me in front of somebody’s house and say, ‘what are you doing here at one o’clock in the morning?’” Koffi remembers how exhausted her husband was during those months. She had concerns, but she knew it would all be worth it. “It wasn’t easy,” she said. “At the time I was pregnant and working and we had to support each other. I had to tell him, ‘You have to be strong,’ because to achieve a goal you have to make a lot of sacrifices.”
Kouame is determined to use his position as a licensed practical nurse to help anyone he can. Both he and his wife agree that their current career choice requires empathy and passion. “We started this field because it’s like a calling,” Koffi said. “Because this field, if you don’t do it with your heart you cannot do it.” Kouame said he prays for every resident and patient he sees and this mentality spreads into almost every aspect of his life. Even working in a COVID-19 unit, he maintains an ungrudging attitude. “This is very scary, and we can be very angry for this situation, angry because you don’t see the country taking action,” he said. “But for me, I am a Christian. The only thing I can do is pray for the country, pray for my residents, pray for the patient, and even to pray for … the president.” During the month of March, one patient brought COVID-19 to his facility and it quickly spread. Shortly after, Traymore Nursing Center had to devote an entire unit to COVID-19 infected residents. At its worst, almost 30 people were infected at the same time. Two patients died, but Kouame maintains that these deaths were due to underlying health issues that were present before the patients were infected. Kouame said it took a while, but things are finally calming down and as of Sept. 24 there were only seven patients in the unit. Kouame is humbled by his success but says that he has no intention of stopping his growth anytime soon. He plans to take his education all the way and become a doctor. He said after becoming a doctor, he plans on continuing to work in the United States so he can give back to the country that gave him so many opportunities. “This is a way I can give back to my county,” he said. “My desire is to go back 10 or 15 years later and help my community to have those opportunities. … I always prefer for this country to be very strong because they’ve really helped me. But what can I do for my country? That’s why I [considered], for example, [going] into politics. And why not? Maybe [in the future] I can work as a minister for medicine to help my community have good insurance and good health coverage.” Between raising a family in the U.S., helping immigrant strangers and supporting his loved ones back home, Kouame doesn’t bat an eyelash. He simply sees it as the Christian thing to do. “When you give back, all doors will always be open to you,” Kouame said. “If you keep everything for yourself, then tomorrow nobody will help you. Even God will not help you.”
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@TheEtCetera
meet the candidates: SAMPLE BALLOT
When to vote
Early Voting Dallas County polls are open Tuesday, Oct. 13 through Friday, Oct. 30. Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 1-6 p.m.
U.S. Senator
Democrat Mary “MJ” Hegar is challenging incumbent John Cornyn for the seat in the U.S. Senate where he has served since 2002. Texas has not had a Democratic senator since 1988. Libertarian and Green party candidates are also in the race.
John Cornyn (I) Republican johncornyn.com
Mary “MJ” Hegar Democrat mjfortexas.com
Kerry McKennon Libertarian mckennon2020.com
David B. Collins Green dbcgreentx.net
State Representative, District 108
Morgan Meyer (I) Republican morganmeyerfortexas.com
Joanna Cattanach Democrat joannafortexas.com
Dallas College Board of Trustees
Dallas College Board of Trustees members William Wesley Jameson (District 5) and Diana Flores (District 6) are up for reelection. Board members serve six-year terms and are elected by the constituents of their districts.
Ed Rankin, Libertarian (L) voteedrankin.com
Eastfield journalism instructor Joanna Cattanach is running against Morgan Meyer for the second time after losing to him by 220 votes in 2018. Meyer has been in office since 2015. National Democratic groups
recently invested $1 million in digital advertising to support House candidates including Cattanach in hopes of flipping the House from red to blue. Republicans have had the majority since 2001.
Where to vote
Dallas County voters can cast their ballots at any voting center in the county including all Dallas College campuses and three centers. Eastfield Campus Early Voting: S Building, Room S100/101 Election Day: C Building lobby 3737 Motley Drive, Mesquite Dallas College Pleasant Grove Center Community Rooms 108/109 802 S. Buckner Blvd., Dallas
Place 6
Place 5
Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
For precinct locations, sample ballots and other information, visit your county’s voter website. Wesley Jameson (I) wesleyjameson.com
Other Races
U.S. Representative, District 5 Lance Gooden, Republican (I) lancegooden.com Carolyn Salter, Democrat salterforcongress.com Kevin A. Hale, Libertarian givecongresshale.nationbuilder.com U.S. Representative, District 30 Tre Pennie, Republican pennieforcongress.com Eddie Bernice Johnson, Democrat (I) ebjcampaign.com Eric Williams, Independent ericwilliams2020.com U.S. Representative, District 32 Genevieve Collins, Republican gcforcongress.com Colin Allred, Democrat (I) colinallred.com Christy Mowrey, Libertarian christymowrey.com Jason Sigmon, Independent jasonsigmon.com Chief Justice, Texas Supreme Court Nathan Hecht, Republican (I) justicenathanhecht.com Amy Clark Meachum, Democrat amymeachum.com Mark Ash, Libertarian facebook: markashfortexassupremecourt
Dinesh Mali No website found
Cliff Boyd boyd4dccc5.com
State Representative, District 107 Samuel Smith, Republican samuelsmithfortexas.org Victoria Neave, Democrat (I) victoriafortexas.com State Representative, District 113 Will Douglas, Republican willdouglasfortexas.com Rhetta Andrews Bowers, Democrat (I) rhettabowers.com Sheriff Chad Prda, Republican prda4dheriff.com Marian Brown, Democrat (I) marianbrownforsheriff.com Dallas County Commissioner Precinct 1 Patrick Harden, Republican harden4dcc.com Theresa Daniel, Democrat (I) commissionerdaniel.com Precinct 3 S.T. Russell, Republican strussell.com John Wiley Price, Democrat (I) johnwileyprice.com Andrew Jewell, Libertarian voteforandrewjewell.com (I) indicates incumbent
Angela Enciso voteangelaenciso.com
Diana Flores (I) dianaflores.org
Third-Party Presidential Candidates Jo Jorgensen Libertarian Business consultant and college instructor, age 63 Lives in: Clemson, South Carolina Education: bachelor’s from Baylor; master’s from SMU; doctorate from Clemson Experience: Ran for U.S. House and for vice president; worked for IBM; part owner and president of Digitech Did you know: Jokes that being Libertarian is fate since she was born in Libertyville, Illinois. Website: jo20.com
Howie Hawkins Green Retired teamster for UPS, age 67 Lives in: Syracuse, New York Education: Attended Dartmouth Experience: U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, 1972-1978; co-founder of the Green Party in 1993; candidate in 23 elections. Did you know: Has been politically active since he was 12 years old and calls himself a lifelong, full-time activist. Website: howiehawkins.us Read about Trump and Biden on pages 6-7. Visit our online voters guide at eastfieldnews.com for more on all the candidates.
Dallas County dallascountyvotes.org Rockwall County rockwallvotes.com Kaufman County kaufmancounty.net/elections Collin County collincountytx.gov/elections Ellis County co.ellis.tx.us/629/ Upcoming-Elections
Virtual events
Voting 101 Tuesday, Oct. 20, noon-1 p.m. Learn about polling locations, what’s on the ballot, what ID to bring and more. Election Day Watch Party Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7-9 p.m. Watch the returns with government instructors who will explain the results. Deliberative Dialogue Thursday, Nov. 12, 10-11:30 a.m. Discuss the election results. All events are on Microsoft Teams: tinyurl.com/SLCEFall. Contact 4SLCE@dcccd.edu for more info.
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Entering the home stretch
Biden, Trump begin final sprint in race to the White House By HARRIET RAMOS Editor in Chief @HarrietRamosETC
President Donald Trump announced on Oct. 2 he had tested positive for COVID-19, upending the presidential election now less than a month away. Sean Conley, Trump’s physician, said on Saturday night the president has improved since his transfer to Walter Reed Hospital the previous day, but he was “not yet out of the woods.” Trump is being treated for fluctuating oxygen levels, and on Saturday he was given dexamethasone, a steroid used to prevent the immune system overreaction that is responsible for many COVID-19 deaths. Trump’s diagnosis is the latest in the series of unexpected events that have defined 2020. COVID-19, demands for racial justice after the police killing of George Floyd and the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sept. 18 have set the stage for a presidential election like no other. At the time of her death, Ginsburg was the leading liberal voice on the Supreme Court. On Sept. 26 Trump nominated conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett as her replacement. Even though the Republican controlled Senate refused to consider Barack Obama’s appointment of Merrick Garland in 2016, insisting on waiting until the next president took office, they have said they will move swiftly to confirm Barrett. Over the past few days three Republican senators have tested positive for COVID-19, but the Senate Judiciary Committee is moving ahead with plans for the confirmation and has set Barrett’s first hearing for Oct. 12-15. After the Sept. 29 debate, where Trump told Democratic nominee Joe Biden “there’s nothing smart about you,” and Biden called Trump “the worst president America has ever had,” a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed Biden with a 14-point lead nationwide over Trump.
A recent poll by Texas Politics Project shows Trump leads Biden by four points in Texas, a state that hasn’t voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976. In 2016 Trump took Texas by 9 points and Mitt Romney won by 16 points four years earlier. Noel Larusso, a substance abuse counseling major, said he voted for Trump in 2016, but this year he doesn’t like either of the options. “We have a president who [has] done some things for our country, [but] he’s a compulsive liar,” Larusso said. “And then Creepy Uncle Joe Biden is no better. He was in politics for over 50 years and he didn’t do anything, so that just makes me doubt that he’ll do anything as president. … It’s very disheartening.” Larusso said he will vote in the Nov. 3 general election because he believes all Americans should exercise that right, but he’s still undecided which candidate he’ll vote for. Larusso served in the Army from 1993-2000. He said he loves this country, but in today’s political climate people automatically think if you’re a patriot you’re also a Trump supporter. “You can’t voice your opinion anymore,” he said. “Somebody’s going to get so … hurt that they’re going to want to come after you and they’re going to want to do you harm as a result of it.” Dolores Huerta, labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers Association, said at the Sept. 17 Dallas College Virtual Voter Registration Rally that our nation is in a critical time and we need to fight for our democracy. “If we don’t vote, we’re saying to all of those people that are against immigration, that are for discrimination — we give them the right to decide what is going to happen to us,” she said. Another issue voters are facing in this election is safety at the polls due to COVID-19. Some states have laws that allow for mail-in voting for virtually everyone, but Texas does not. Texas mail-in voters
must be at least 65 years of age or have a disability to vote by mail. Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has opposed efforts to expand mail-in voting. On Oct. 1 Abbott limited the number of mail-in ballot drop-off locations to one per county, citing concerns over election security. Barbara Larkin with the League of Women Voters of Dallas said one thing Texas has done to make voting more accessible during the pandemic is expand the time allotted for early voting by one week. Counties have also moved polling locations to larger areas so there will be more room to social distance. “They’ve got plexiglass, they’ve got hand sanitizer, they’ve got bleach wipes,” Larkin said. “They’ve added a lot of processes to make it COVID safe to vote at the polls.” Early voting runs from Oct. 13-30. All Dallas College campuses are polling locations and will be open for early voting. Trump has repeatedly said his administration has done a “phenomenal job” getting COVID-19 under control, and points to the money that has been spent in researching a vaccine. “We’re weeks away from a vaccine,” Trump said at the Sept. 29 debate. “We’re doing therapeutics already. Fewer people are dying when they get sick … We’ve done a great job.” The United States has had over 7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 200,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Biden, who had to deal with the H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009 as vice president under Barack Obama, said he doesn’t think a vaccine will be available that soon. He believes the focus should be providing money for businesses so they can stay open and for schools so they can keep students and teachers safe. “You should … bring together the Democrats and Republicans and fund what needs to be done now to save lives,” Biden told Trump at the debate.
Election guide research by: Saru Adhikari, Isaac Alvarez, Imad Arrar, Bri'anna Bloomer, Bryan Gomez, Juan Hernandez, Daniel Mascorro, Megan Ogembo, Karen Perez, Kayla Pineda, Jasmine Rodgers, Jennifer Romero, Camille Schuh, Amanda Smith, Hector Tarango, Al'darius Thompson
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Donald Trump Republican
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Joe Biden Democrat
President Age 74, lives in Washington, D.C. Education: bachelor’s from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania Experience: real estate developer; president and chairman of The Trump Organization for 46 years; elected president in 2016 Did you know?:Trump has 27 TV and movie acting credits to his name including “Sex and the City,” “The Nanny” and “Home Alone 2.” Website: donaldjtrump.com
Former vice president Age 77, lives in Wilmington, Delaware Education: bachelor’s from the University of Delaware; law degree from Syracuse Experience: public defender; county council member; senator 1972-2009; U.S. vice president, 2009-2017 Did you know?: Biden struggled with a stuttering problem growing up and didn’t move past it until he got into law school. Website: joebiden.com
COVID-19: Established a Coronavirus Task Force to oversee the spread and containment of the virus but has disagreed with its recommendations. Says a vaccine will soon be available. Criminal and social justice: Is a staunch supporter of the police and has called the recent protests “really domestic terror.” Education: Supports school choice. Environment: Signed the Affordable Clean Energy plan, which reduces carbon emissions but does not limit on power plant emissions. Withdrew from the Parris Climate Accord, saying it was unfair to the U.S. Immigration: Plans to complete a wall on America’s southern border. Opposes sanctuary cities and has proposed a plan that will create a system of immigration eligibility based on a person’s merits.
COVID-19: Has promised to spend however much it takes to meet the country’s public health needs. Criminal and social justice: Supports criminal justice reform but not “defunding the police.” Proposes expanding economic opportunities for Black Americans and businesses to combat racism. Education: Wants to raise teacher pay. Proposes making public colleges and universities tuition-free for all families with incomes below $125,000. Environment: Vows to rejoin Paris Climate Accord. Calls for the U.S. to achieve a 100% clean energy economy and reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050. Immigration: Plans to immediately reverse the Trump Administration’s policies regarding asylum and the separation of parents and children at the border.
Life &Arts The Et Cetera
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eastfieldnews.com
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Librarian reflects on 45-year career at Eastfield
PHOTO COURTESY OF KARLA GREER
Q& A
Karla Greer, executive dean of library services, first came to Eastfield as a student in 1975 and started working as a library assistant. In an interview with Et Cetera Editor in Chief Harriet Ramos, Greer shared her memories of Eastfield’s early days and the changes she has seen over the past 45 years.
Q A
How many years have you worked for Eastfield?
I always tell everybody that I was 3 years old when I started here. I started here in 1975, but I [wasn’t working full-time], and my years really don’t count until 1983.
Q A
So, tell me about your first years here at Eastfield.
It was a little different, and of course I was very young. I am ... a first-generation student here. ... Eastfield was smaller. Smaller in terms of enrollment, smaller in terms of buildings. North building didn’t exist. The K, the T, and the W building didn’t exist, so it was a little smaller. But it was scary, you know, coming out of a high school [and] having parents that did not go to college. It was a little scary, but it was good. I didn’t have an interest in libraries and working in libraries, but I wanted to work and so the library was the
CHANTILETTE FRANKLIN/THE ET CETERA
first or second place where I came in and said “Hey, as a student, as an employee, what would I do?” So they hired me, and I started working here and decided I really liked it.
Q A
What was it that drew you to stay?
I liked the work. It was very intriguing. And we did a lot of reference. A lot of students would come ask questions and we would have to go find the answers. I think part of being a librarian is having a great deal of curiosity, almost to the point of being nosy. And so, when students would come in and ask questions, it would also help me educate myself.
Q A
What’s been the biggest challenge that you’ve had in working here?
We all go through periods of change, no matter what we do. Sometimes they’re major, sometimes they’re not. I think some of those changes—changes in technology, changes in the way we do business in terms of moving from print to moving to electronic tools and data—that’s been a challenge because it’s not simply buying a computer and hooking it up, right? You have to work with different platforms. When there’s a change in leadership [at the college], each leader has a different idea, and sometimes that can be challenging.
Q
What helped you persist through the changes?
Above, Karla Greer in the Eastfield library office in 1994. Greer began working in the library as a student in the 1970s and is now the executive dean of library services.
A
I know this sounds very trite, but the students. Because it doesn’t matter how stressed I get, the students walking in here and getting what they need is what makes me happy.
Q A
So, being a librarian, what’s your favorite book?
That’s a loaded question. I don’t think I have a favorite. I don’t read much these days. I have in the past, but I don’t have a favorite because there’s such a variety. I love true crime. ... The Harry Potter series brings a lot of joy, but I also like the old Steinbeck books. The old classics are always still really intriguing and still highly readable and pleasurable.
Q A
If you could give one piece of advice to Eastfield students who are just starting their studies, what would that be?
Take advantage of every resource you have available to you. Take advantage of all the services there are here. Be persistent. I know that it’s difficult, and when you look at the road ahead, you can’t see the end. There’s a struggle. And I guarantee you, every single semester you’re going to get worn out. Every single semester you’re going to wonder if it’s worth it. In the long run, it is worth it. Hang in there, and just work through every single semester. Take every course that you can manage during that time, and you will benefit. And you will graduate. Editor’s note: This interview was edited for style and brevity. Read the full Q&A online at eastfieldnews.com.
LIFE&ARTS
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eastfieldnews.com
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
MOVIE REVIEW
‘Cuties’ not problematic enough to warrant removal By HECTOR TARANGO Contributor @TheEtCetera
“Cuties” is a complicated film that has come under fire for sexualizing minors to the point of being compared to child pornography. At its core, the film is about the role social media and the internet play in the development and growth of a preadolescent girl. It is in the execution where the film fails. The film follows an 11-year old protagonist, Amy, as she tries to fit in to her new life in Paris. Amy comes from a Muslim background and has recently discovered her father is taking a second wife, which adds an extra layer of depth and motivation to her character. Amy is expected to be obedient and follow the norms set for women in her culture. When we are introduced to Angelica, one of Amy’s schoolmates who is part of a dance group, Amy is fascinated by Angelica's flamboyant attitude and her group of friends. Amy becomes associated with them by attending their dance practice and practicing the routine on her own. There is an image online describing a scene of the film where there is “female breast nudity of a minor.” This scene does not exist, at least not how it is described. Amy and Angelica are watching the routines of other dance groups, and during one of those videos an adult actress happens to flash her breast at the screen. The vast spread of misinformation gave the film an unforgivable reputation, with many condemning the film without having seen it in its entirety. People called out the film for sexualizing minors, promoting a film for pedophiles and releasing child pornography. All resulting in the hashtag “Cancel Netflix.” Following this scene, Amy continues to watch videos of different dance routines and stumbles upon a video of exotic dancers. When there is a fight between Angelica and Yasmine, another member of the dance group, a spot opens up, and Amy wants to fill it.
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
People have called for Netflix to remove the movie “Cuties,” from its streaming platform due to claims the film sexualizes minors.
She convinces Angelica by showing that she has learned the routine and also presenting the new moves she has learned from the video of the exotic dancers. It is important to note that Amy is the one responsible for sexualizing the dance routine, and she proceeds to teach the other girls the sexually suggestive moves. This is where Amy’s character begins to take a downward spiral as she begins to disobey her mother and greataunt. From this moment forward, Amy is presented with a new attitude and new persona. During a scuffle with another group of girls, someone pulls Amy’s pants down, revealing she still wears childish underwear. The school views Amy and her friends as a group of children when they want to be viewed as mature. To garner attention and to act more mature, Amy takes a picture of her private area and posts it online. The rest of the girls disapprove of Amy’s stunt and kick Amy out of the dance
group. Then they reconcile with the former group member Yasmine and prepare to participate in the dance competition. In an act of desperation, Amy pushes Yasmine into a river so she can take her place in the contest and in the process ditch the second wedding of her father. The dance scene during the competition is responsible for the massive outrage online. The routine is sexually suggestive, and the camera work has too many close ups on the girls and their private areas. The clip making the rounds on social media omits a few key shots. One in particular is of a mother in the audience covering her daughter’s eyes, and the other is Amy realizing what she is doing and bursting into tears. The ending of the film seems flat, but it still brought home the point that Amy prefers to return to the simplicity of being a child instead of trying so hard to fit in. The film also depicts Amy’s transition to
womanhood, but that part of the story seems to take a backseat along with the unresolved family issues brought on by her father’s second marriage. The film deserves some praise for being able to bring some issues to light, even if it’s through public outrage. It shows the rabbit hole that roaming the internet can lead to. On the other hand, the film raises concerns in regard to the producers. Netflix and its advertising team did a horrible job of promoting the film by releasing a sexualized poster depicting Amy and the group in suggestive positions. There are multiple scenes throughout the film that cross a line and seem unnecessary. There is a scene in particular with a guard who Amy twerks for—this scene requires more context to fully understand it— nonetheless, it is not a good look for the film. At another point the girls have a conversation about rape. The film should not be removed from Netflix, but it does need a strong parental and trigger warning. “Cuties” should be viewed solely by mature audiences and especially parents. The film is not absolved from criticism, but it’s through its blunders that it raises awareness. We live in a modern world where every type of information and content is at the tip of our fingers. We live in a world where social media has become an immense part of our lives and where a social reputation has become vastly important for adolescents. “365 Days” is an erotic film which is available to anyone with a Netflix account. Cardi B and Meg Thee Stallion’s “WAP” has been viewed 14 million times, and one wonders what percentage of these viewers are young girls. Children are exploited for reality shows and beauty pageants, and young girls are already doing sexually suggestive dances in dance competitions and cheerleading. This film could have taken a different route, but instead it crosses the line and highlighted a big issue that requires our attention. Let’s just hope it’s not an issue we forget about in less than a week.
Scream while you stream these horror movies
The best way to get in a festive spirit for Halloween is with your favorite horror movies. Each one of these movies has a great storyline and is guaranteed to keep you up at night! —Compiled by Daniel Mascorro ‘The Orphan’ No. 3 on my list is “The Orphan,” written by David Leslie Johnson. This 2009 film has the whole package you would want to see in a horror movie: a creepy story inspired by true events, violence and a plot twist. The best scene is the ending, which puts all the pieces together and leaves you with chills because of the information disclosed
about the orphan. You can watch “The Orphan” on Prime Video, but I should warn you not to watch it by yourself. ‘Hereditary’ No. 2 on my list is “Hereditary”. The movie was written and directed by Ari Aster and came out in theaters in 2018. This movie has a creepy story and visual effects that make it seem even scarier. This movie is also a slow burner, and you will need to watch it a few times to pick up on some hidden clues you might have missed the first time around. The best scene in the movie is when the two children go out for a drive and something unexpected
happens to one of them. If you want to watch “Hereditary” you can watch it on Prime Video. It is best to watch it at night. ‘Halloween’ A list of Halloween horror movies wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the 2018 film “Halloween.” This movie is number one on my list. It has a hair-raising storyline and is packed with action. The best scene is when Michael Myers returns to his hometown on Halloween night and gets straight to work. “Halloween” is available on Prime Video. I recommend watching the other movies in the series first so you can get the full story. You don’t have to watch these movies in a specific order. Just be prepared to get scared!
OPINION
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Wednesday, October 7, 2020
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Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor in Chief Harriet Ramos Graphics Editor Mattheau Faught Opinion Editor Jordan Lackey Photo Editor Chantilette Franklin Production Manager Skye Seipp Senior Photographer Rory Moore Cartoonist Jesus Madrid Photographer Marlenne Hernandez Staff Writer Sazoun Grayer Reporter Jasmine Rodgers Contributors Deirdre Holmes Bryan Gomez Hector Tarango Daniel Mascorro Jenny Romero Megan Ogembo Al’darius Thompson Camille Schuh
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School resource officers should be replaced
School resource officers are the law enforcement officers responsible for keeping schools and students safe and preventing crimes from happening on school campuses. More often than not, they create more issues than they solve. The implementation of zero-tolerance policies and school resource officers contribute to the school-toprison pipeline, the trend in which students in heavily populated and underfunded schools are severely punished or arrested at school and placed into the juvenile justice system. This increases their chances of ending up in the hands of the judicial system as adults. Black and Latino students have been proven to be more likely arrested by an SRO than their white classmates, according to the Justice Policy Institute. Do you really still feel safe with
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the implementation of SROs in your kids’ or siblings’ schools? Isn’t one of the goals in most schools to create a safe learning environment? For many Black and Latino students the presence of law enforcement in their schools creates an environment that is filled with unease and intimidation. I can wholeheartedly say from experience that having an officer watching my every move made me feel paranoid, not safer, even though I was doing nothing wrong. Apart from being the main contributors to the school-to-prison pipeline, SROs and zero-tolerance
policies have been shown to increase the suspension rates in school which then increases the dropout rate. It has been proven that students who have been suspended in the past are more likely to drop out then students who have not, so if the presence of SROs and zero tolerance policies affect the suspension rate, then they directly affect the dropout rate as well. Lastly, when a student is arrested in school for whatever they may have done, they will face some pretty big roadblocks in their future. When they apply to college, for example, they will be asked about their past criminal record. If the college still chooses to accept them they will have a hard time obtaining financial aid. It is completely unfair for a young adult’s life to be so limited because of a small mistake (which often did not
even warrant an arrest) they made when they were in high school or even middle school. I personally believe that SROs have no business being in schools because they create an intimidating and hypervigilant environment which affects the student’s ability to learn. They also put many students on a fast track to prison. I believe a more effective strategy for a safer learning environment would be to take some of the police funding and put it toward hiring counselors and mental health professionals and implementing programs like positive behavioral interventions. We should also implement restorative justice which rewards positive behavior instead of severely punishing bad behavior. — Bryan Gomez is a contributor and journalism major
Research should determine if you’re pro-choice If you ask what abortion is, one person will say it’s the ending of an unwanted pregnancy. Another will say it is murder. Some say women’s rights require it; others say it is unconstitutional. I personally believe that life begins at fertilization. From that point a new organism is created with its own unique DNA. I believe it would be wrong to exterminate that life. You may wonder where you stand on this issue and what affects the upcoming presidential election will have on abortion rights. A 2020 Gallup poll showed 48% of Americans say they are in favor of abortion, while 46% say they are not. Another 44% believe abortion is morally acceptable and 47% say it is morally wrong. There are multiple arguments for both sides, and they are worth looking into. Arguments for abortion include “My body, my choice.” Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, said “No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her own body.” Another common argument states the unborn is a clump of cells or a blob of tissue and not a human being. On the other side, the online Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries defines the word pregnant as “(of a woman or female animal) having a baby or young animal developing inside her/its body.” This reinforces the idea that a baby, not just a blob of tissue, lives inside the pregnant mother. You may be surprised to learn the original feminists, who included the famous Susan B.
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Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, would not have agreed with the feminists of today on abortion. Stanton said, “when we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit.” After you decide where you stand on abortion, it is important you take into consideration Donald Trump’s and Joe Biden’s views on this issue before you vote. Trump was the first president to ever attend the March for Life rally. He said at the 2016 Republican National Convention, “Tonight we proudly declare that all children born and unborn have a God-given right to life.” He also tweeted last year, “...I am strongly pro-life, with the three exceptions – rape, incest and protecting the life of the mother.” Statistically most abortions are done out of convenience, and sadly many times a woman is pressured by her parents or partner to get the abortion. Trump has also supported the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which sought
to provide protection for babies who survive abortions and penalize doctors who do otherwise. The act failed, but on Sept. 25 he signed an executive order guaranteeing babies who survive abortion procedures the same medical care any other infant would receive. Trump has also said he would appoint judges who oppose abortion, and this has been seen most recently through his appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Barrett is a Catholic mother of seven children and a former law professor. Joe Biden is on the pro-choice side currently, but during his 47 years as a politician he has gone back and forth on his abortion stand. In a 1974 interview with the Washingtonian, Biden said, “I don’t like the Supreme Court decision on abortion. I think it went too far.” Fast-forward to last year, Biden’s view flipped to “(Roe vs. Wade) ...should be the law.” Biden’s recent voting record has been in line with today’s extreme pro-abortion views. Whatever your views are now, research both sides with an open mind. You don’t have to blindly go along with what seems to be the popular opinion. The future of abortion and the future of generations to come depends, at least in part, on YOU. Do your own research and decide where you stand. — Deirdre Holmes is a contributor and early college high school student
OPINION
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The Et Cetera
eastfieldnews.com
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
OUR VIEW
Trump’s time is up; vote for Biden to kick him out
Due to his progressive polices on immigration, higher education and LGBTQ equality we believe former Vice President, Joe Biden, is the best candidate to lead the country. Whereas Biden was not our first choice, we feel that he is the best option when compared to a man who clearly doesn’t have the American people’s best interest at heart. Donald Trump has done almost everything a president shouldn’t do, including racist travel bans, derogatory statements about immigrants, climate change denial, an endless barrage of Russian brownnosing and encouraging scientific misinformation with recommendations of bleach injections while turning a mask into a political statement We refuse, in good conscience, to stand behind a so-called “leader” who has spent the past three years pandering to the wealthy and licking the metaphorical boot heel of his base following. This base, when established in 2015 could have originally been seen as victims of fear mongering and misinformation. Now, toward the end of Trump’s embarrassing first term, it is plain to see that their ignorance is willful and that their fear has turned to hate. We simply cannot condone this. It’s important to make clear that not all Trump supporters are bigots, but the case has definitely been established that racism from the presidency is not a deal breaker either, and complicit silence makes them just as guilty as any tiki-torch
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waving neo-Nazi in Charlottesville ever was. When asked to condemn white supremacy during Tuesday’s presidential debate, Trump was given an opportunity to admonish his statements of calling far-right fanatics “very fine people.”
Instead, he refused to condemn what he surely understands is a percentage of his base supporters and told organizations like the Proud Boys to simply “stand by.” In a political climate such as this, with divisiveness and vitriol at every turn along the
way, we feel a leader should fight to keep the country together, not work diligently to rip it apart. Instead of calling for unity, Trump did the only thing he knows how to do: attack the other side. He claimed that ideologies like Antifa and the Black Lives Matter movement are the real terrorist organizations in this county. We choose to endorse Biden because he believes in equality where President Trump does not. Where Trump has been unable to form a cohesive plan on any issues relating to LGBTQ rights or higher education reform, Biden has at least been able to lay out a clear and concise plan. The only thing we’re certain of as it pertains to Trump’s policies, is the evidence we have in his actions. Actions like, attacking same-sex marriage, demonizing immigrants, hypocritical Supreme Court nominations and even exposing Secret Service members to COVID-19 for the sake of political theater. These statements and actions are not only ignorant and misinformed, but they’re also dangerous because they normalize bigotry and perpetuate the ever-growing divide in this country. We feel this is simply irresponsible. Rhetoric like this only reinforces a recent statement given from Biden on the night of the debate. “You’re the worst president America has ever had,” he said. We urge every citizen to fulfill their patriotic duty and vote Trump out of office.
Mental health should be understood, not judged Some would argue that school can affect a student’s mental health[, but for me and many others, it is our mental health that affects our education. I enjoy learning new things and have always been interested in enhancing my education, but my mental health has always suffered when I couldn’t comprehend the subject being taught. Consequently, my grades and attendance suffered. These issues made me look like a mediocre student on my transcript, which caused me to be concerned I wouldn’t get into a decent university. This worry led to me not applying at all as I felt like there was no chance of me getting admitted. When I was 14, I was diagnosed with bipolar depression, anxiety and insomnia. This caused me to act out since I didn’t want to be treated like I needed help. When I was 15 I began missing a lot of school. At first I used up all
Jenny Romero @TheEtCetera
my sick days, but once I lost track of my absences I ended up truant. Of course, my poor mental health was not considered an acceptable excuse. Being told by adults who are supposed to support and guide that I would not make it through college really took a toll on me. Without knowing my story they were quick to judge, making me feel like my feelings and struggles were invalid. In the beginning, I believed every word because I had nothing else to believe in. Undoubtedly, this was the beginning of a cycle of bad coping mechanisms that were soon the reason for the wreck I became. I started smoking every other day which soon led
to every day, I begin mixing drugs that were not prescribed to me with the ones that were, I became very disconnected to everyone around me and also self-harmed. I was 16 years old when I attempted to commit suicide for the first time. I was 17 years old when I attempted to commit suicide for the second time. In high school, I became more involved in extracurriculars and challenged myself by taking AP/ Honor classes to keep my mind occupied. At first, it helped me and led to me doing better in school. However, at the end of my sophomore year the work began to pile up and became a heavyweight on my shoulders. I started skipping classes again and eventually I stopped doing schoolwork because I kept thinking “what’s the point if I’m going to die anyway?”. My junior year was spent trying to pick up the mess, but it was also
the year of my high manic episodes. I got a good amount of work done and passed the majority of my courses. I had a few depressive episodes, but I almost forgot how it felt to deal with that situation. Senior year is the year most students begin applying to colleges, but for me it was different. Even though junior year was a decent year for my grades and mental health, I didn’t believe it was good enough for me to be admitted into a university. I spent a considerable amount of time visiting my therapist instead of going to football games, school plays or spending time with friends. At first, I was embarrassed. I didn’t want my friends or anyone to know about my therapy appointments, so I sometimes would lie about my whereabouts. I attended both one-on-one and group therapy. I didn’t feel as alone anymore. I was surrounded by people who cared enough to listen
and genuinely understand where I was coming from. I started taking medication that was prescribed to me. I got into working out and did that when I felt like hurting myself. I switched my bad coping mechanisms to healthier alternatives. Mental Illness is usually seen as a weakness, but over time I realized I shouldn’t be ashamed of it. It has helped me to build up strength and grow. I still struggle every day but I also understand myself a little more each day. Never blame yourself for things that are not in your control, and always seek out the help you need. It doesn’t make you weak. Although I did poorly in my high school years I still have the opportunity to further my education through community college and take care of myself mentally. — Jenny Romero is a contributor and journalism major
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WRAP-UP
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
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Enjoy the State Fair this year from a fair distance
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Counter clockwise from above, Big Tex is raised on Sept. 16 at the State Fair of Texas. Big Tex sports his new “Howdy, Folks” face mask that measures about 7 feet by 4 feet. Local band The Ottoman Turks jam out at the fair grounds on Oct. 3. Grace Giles gives a fair goer a bag of cotton candy On Oct. 3. The State Fair of Texas is open on weekends through October for people to drive through and get food, take a photo with Big Tex and play a few games on the Midway. The fair will be closed this Saturday for the University of Texas vs University of Oklahoma football game. Those looking to attend must reserve tickets ahead of time. Visit bigtex.com for more information.
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