The Guardsman, Vol. 171, Issue 4, City College of San Francisco by The Guardsman

COVID CREATIVES

AMAZON UNION

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Page 7

LESSONS FROM TENNIS

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By Annette Mullaney

annette.mullaney@gmail.com

After hours of emotional public comment and, at times, testy debate among City College trustees and administrators that lasted until 2 a.m. the Board of Trustees voted 5-2 to ap‐ prove sending notices of potential layoffs to 160 full-time fac‐ ulty at their Feb. 25 meeting. Over 300 people attended the meeting, where the board also voted unanimously to approve sending non-renewal of contract notices to 35 administrators at and below dean level. The layoffs, if implemented, would represent a loss of nearly 30% of City College’s 541 full-time teaching staff and 74% of its administrators, part of the five-year budget plan passed by the board in November. Actual layoffs will not be determined until May 15. “This is the worst case scenario,” said Deputy Chancellor Dianna Gonzales. Layoffs could be mitigated by negotiations for con‐ cessions from the faculty union AFT 2121, retirements, and additional funding, though Gonzales said that the latter wasn’t likely. “We are absolutely committed to doing what is necessary to get creative and to lobby for additional funding but that bailout is not right around the corner,” Gonzales said, adding, “the biggest portion of it is going to be our interactions with AFT.” The average department would lose a third of its full-time instructors. The English as a Second Language (ESL) program, which has had its offerings slashed in recent years, would lose 19 instructors, the most of any department, amounting to 27% of its full-time faculty. Philippines Studies, Fashion, and Women & Gender Stud‐ ies would each lose their respective departments’ lone full-time instructor, and Aircraft Maintenance Technology would lose all three. These departments will still be offering courses next year, albeit fewer. Some departments won’t lose any full time instructors, though this does not mean they are spared from cuts. According to AFT 2121 President Malaika Finkelstein in her report to the board, Disabled Students Program and Services (DSPS) “is facing a 40% cut … but the document [of layoffs] you’re look‐ ing at tonight doesn’t list DSPS at all, because our department is mostly part-timers.” She added, “this document is only one part of the devastating plan to shrink our college.” Layoffs of part-time faculty do not need board approval. In fact, almost all part-timers in a department need to be laid off before full-timers, with exceptions for differing qualifications and scheduling. The Initial Instructional Budget for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters, distributed in a Feb. 8 memo, reveals the larger cuts. Though further adjustments may be made, the budget represents a decrease of 27% in full-time equivalent faculty (FTEF), a standardized measure of teaching workload that corresponds to the amount of courses and other services offered, as compared with Fall ‘19 and Spring ‘20, the latest years for which data is publicly available. Under this plan, the school’s noncredit division, almost a fifth of all FTEF in 2019-20, would be cut by 42%, and forcredit by 23%. Four programs, all noncredit, would be cut to zero FTEF, including Licensed Vocational Nursing and Health Education. These reductions to zero appear to contradict the repeated promise by Chancellor Rajen Vurdien that no programs will be eliminated. Department Chair Council President Darlene Alioto was one of several instructors who pointed to programs they believed will be eliminated, saying that LGBT Studies will lose their associates and transfer degrees. Gonzales said the administration will address the apparent disconnect at a special board meeting March 11 with a presen‐ tation about programmatic impact.

Number of potential full-time faculty layoff notices and percent of totaI full-timers impacted by department. Actual layoffs will be determined May 15. Infographics by Annette Mullaney/The Guardsman

Reductions by department in full-time equivalent faculty (FTEF) according to 2021-22 Initial Instructional Budget compared to 2019-20. Infographics by Annette Mullaney/The Guardsman

Part of the disconnect may stem from faculty and others’ professed lack of access to the data administrators say underlie these decisions, a contentious issue during the Feb. 25 board meeting. Academic Senate President Simon Hanson read a unanimous resolution from that body calling for the public release of financial and enroll‐ ment planning data used in deliberations. Several trustees asked to see more information providing context for the layoffs they were voting on. Student Trustee Vick Van Chung made a motion to table the vote until Vice Chan‐ cellor of Academic Affairs Tom Boegel brought data to indicate increased productivity after the cuts, which failed. Asked about the requests for data, Gonzales said the board meeting “wasn’t the forum to really have that pre‐ sented - that’s what the [March 11] Thursday meeting is about.” Prior to the vote, administrators stressed the direness of the college’s financial situation. “Your option is either

we begin to take steps to balance the budget or we put ourselves in a position for a state takeover,” said Vice Chancellor of Finances and Administration John alAmin. “The conversations that led to this resolution were incomplete and flawed,” said Chung. “If the administra‐ tion worked on this since November, why are we only seeing it now? Why are we being cornered into a position where we have to make a decision tonight?” The measure passed, with freshmen trustees Aliya Chisti and Alan Wong voting no, in addition to Chung’s advisory vote against. “We simply just don’t have the data,” Chung said. In a March 3 press release, Vurdien said, “These are difficult times and we look forward to continue working collaboratively with all of our stakeholders to successfully implement the 5-year budget plan to insure the long-term financial sustainability of the college.”

Vol. 171, Issue 4 | Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

By Shayna Gee

sgee23@mail.ccsf.edu

The Performing Art & Education Center (PAEC), which will be the new Diego Rivera Theater at City College encountered yet another delay of the project. For more than 30 years, City College has delayed the project includ‐ ing its pause during the accreditation crisis in 2012. In May 2020, San Francisco passed Proposition A to fund the theater through an $845 million state bond measure, an increase from its initial proposal of $800 million. As of October 2019, more than $12 million had been spent on the project design. However, the project came to halt. In November 2020, the college terminated the project contract with McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., a Missouri corporation that had been working on the project. In two February Board of Trustees meetings, board members stated their disappointment in the delay of the project and the need to rebid the design build to prospective contractors. The reasons behind the termination of the project contract remain unclear. Interim Chancellor Rajen Vurdien stated that there are litigation issues that cannot be publicly discussed regarding the reason for the termination.

The back of Diego Rivera's “Pan American Unity” mural, located in the lobby of the Diego Rivera Theater at Ocean Campus, is marked in preparation for its removal and eventual exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) in 2022. (Photo by Carmen Marin/The Guardsman)

Handicap entrance of the Diego Rivera Theater at Ocean Campus shown stripped of its original façade in preparation for the reconstruction that is set to officially begin in 2023. (Photo by Tobin Jones/The Guardsman)

Madeline Mueller, who has been a design-build user on this project for 17 years, gave public comment at the February Board Facilities Master Plan and Oversight Committee meeting. “As a member of the committee … I thought we were working just fine with this group,” she said. “I don’t know what’s convenient about separating at this point.” There will be a public statement on the separation agreement when the board confirms legal matters. In addition, the board authorized the use of the “design-build” method of construction, meaning that a single contractor will oversee both design and construction. Vurdien laid out the schedule, stating that the board should be able to identify a new design-build team before the end of June and that the process should proceed quickly because a new team would already have more than half of the design completed. As of February 2021, the approved maximum square footage of the theater is 77,025 square feet, with plans to include Diego Rivera’s Pan Amer‐ ican Unity mural in the main entry lobby, an auditorium with a minimum of 600 seats, stage and technical areas such as dressing rooms and a green room, a 150-seat studio theater, a 100-seat combined choral/recital room, broadcast room, and more. The theater would provide a modern space for the theater arts and music students to perform and practice. Parts of the theater could be open to the

Staff Editors-in-Chief Eleni Balakrishnan Alexa Bautista News Editor John Taylor Wildfeuer

Culture Editor Hannah Asuncion Opinion Editor Tim Hill Sports Editor Kaiyo Funaki

The front of City College's Diego Rivera Theater, closed off for reconstruction, with the "El Rey" Olmec head reproduction still untouched. Cleaning out the inside of the theater has begun, with new approval this past February of the reconstruction plans. (Photo by Carmen Marin/The Guardsman)

community for events, which the college hopes would generate income. Additionally, the mural would be publicly displayed in the new theater lobby which allows for full exposure and viewing experience compared to its former building loca‐ tion. The mural remains a vital historic treasure to City College and San Francisco. In partnership with the San Francisco Mu‐ seum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the historic mural is scheduled for temporary relocation to the museum's temporary Diego Rivera exhibition from 2022 to 2023. After its museum exhibition, the mural is to be returned to City College. “There are a couple options here,” Vurdien said in the February Board of Trustees meeting. The project can be built in stages beginning with the mural area first. “Almost all builders have in‐ dicated that was not a problem.” Vurdien explained that if the lobby isn’t

constructed by the time the mural is to be re‐ turned, SFMOMA can decide to keep the mural for an extended time. “And in the worst case situation?” Trustee Davila asked in the meeting. For a lofty fee, the mural can go into storage, “at a rate of $55,000 to $70,000 a month,” Vurdien replied. If on schedule, the design plans are expected to be ready to submit to the Division of State Ar‐ chitect (DSA) by summer 2022. Chancellor Vur‐ dien expects a “hold up” with the DSA where, “currently they are taking 12 to 18 months to get projects approved.” If the plan goes as is, construction on the Diego Rivera Theater should be able to begin in the fall of 2023 and would be open for “class, recitals, and theater productions in the spring se‐ mester of 2026,” Vurdien said.

Photo Editor Carmen Marin Copy Editors Tobin Jones Sadie Peckens Design Director Manon Cadenaule

Shayna Gee Casey Michie Samya Brohmi

Social Media Editor Annette Mullaney Staff Writers Colton Webster Ava Cohen Angela Greco Garrett Leahy

Illustrators Daina Medveder Koziot Erin Blackwell

Serena Sacharoff Photographer Melvin Wong

Vol. 171, Issue 4 | Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

BRIEF By Casey Michie

cmichie1@mail.ccsf.edu

A rise in recent violence against the Asian American com‐ munity in the Bay Area has prompted action from both com‐ munity members and organiza‐ tions determined to quell the rise of xenophobic hate. These attacks point to a dis‐ turbing trend of anti-Asian senti‐ ment that has fueled attacks across the region. Stop AAPI Hate, an initiative created to col‐ lect data and respond to these acts of hate, reported 2,808 ac‐ counts of anti-Asian violence across the country between March and December of 2020, with more than 700 of these cases reported in the Bay Area. These numbers signal a startling rise of attacks since the begin‐ ning of the pandemic. This rise of violence can in some parts be attributed to racist rhetoric employed by politicians throughout the pandemic. Rhetoric such as then-president Trump’s use of the phrase “China Virus” to describe the disease COVID-19, has embold‐ ened hateful sentiment and wors‐ ened tensions of systematic racism. These brazen attacks and acts of violence have so far left one man dead. On Jan. 28, Vicha Ratanapakdee, 84, was on a morning walk in the Anza Vista neighborhood of San Francisco when an attacker shoved him to the pavement. Mr. Ratanapakdee succumbed to his injuries two days later at San Francisco General Hospital. Whether this attack was racially motivated has not been officially determined. Sliman Nawabi, the public defender for Mr. Ratanapakdee’s attacker, stated that there is “absolutely zero evidence that Mr. Ratana‐ pakdee’s ethnicity and age was a motivating factor in being assaulted.” Still Mr. Ratanapakdee’s at‐ tack is one of many that has hurt the Asian American community in recent weeks. Other attacks across the region include acts of physical assault, verbal harass‐ ment, shunning, discrimination, robbery and vandalism towards community members and businesses. “We are outraged by the disturbing incidents we’ve seen this past week where Asian American elders have been attacked in the San Francisco Bay Area. These violent assaults have a devastating impact on our community as they are part of an alarming rise in anti-Asian American hate during the Faculty Advisor Juan Gonzales

COVID-19 pandemic.” A spokesman from the Stop AAPI Hate noted regarding the attacks. And while the Bay Area appears to be the epicenter of the current crisis, the rise of hate crimes perpetrated against the Asian American community has risen sharply across the nation as well. Ac‐ cording to data from the New York Police Department, hate crimes against the Asian American community have risen 1,200% in the last year. This troubling data has prompted action from gov‐ ernment, community mem‐ bers and organizations. In‐ creased policing and commu‐ nity-led foot patrols have been employed in both San Francisco and Oakland as legislators across the nation work on solutions to keep communities safe. Cynthia Choi, cofounder of Stop AAPI Hate, notes that the legislative an‐ swer to the rise in hate shouldn’t be accomplished by

more policing. “You can’t po‐ lice people out of already held prejudices. We need to invest in community-based programs, public education, mental health services as well as intervention and preven‐ tion initiatives,” Choi said. And while legislation is a key piece of the solution, ac‐ tion from members of the community is just as impor‐ tant. “The Stop” AAPI Hate website offers resources and tools to report instances of hate witnessed by the general public. Choi notes that one of the most important ways an individual can get involved is to not be silent; “What hurts the most is when people say or do nothing.” Other organizations such as “the Chinese” For Affirma‐ tive Action (CAA) offer a wide array of tools and informa‐ tion for those interested in supporting the community. The organization notes that they serve to strengthen the community by offering “di‐ rect services, leadership

development, and civic en‐ gagement programs that nur‐ ture and harness the ability of community members to par‐ ticipate fully in civic life.” In this way, both Stop AAPI Hate and CAA emphasize so‐ lutions that revolve around community outreach and en‐ gagement from individuals. “Every generation must choose if they will accept things the way they are, or de‐ cide that enough is enough and make a statement that what is happening is wrong,” Choi said. “These topics [of hate] are important to talk about. We must ask ourselves: What is going to create trans‐ formative change?” Students at City College interested in taking action to quell the recent violence, can visit the CCSF Asian Ameri‐ can Studies Facebook page. The page is a resource with both updates and informa‐ tion on opportunities to get involved to create a safer community for all.

Allocation of Federal Pandemic Relief Funds Remains Unclear By Loretta Bonifacio datubonifacio@gmail.com

In a recent budget report, Vice Chan‐ cellor John al-Amin clarified that federal relief from the Higher Education Emer‐ gency Relief Fund (HEERF) must be spent exclusively on college services im‐ pacted by COVID-19-and all before the package expires in May. At a Feb. 25 Board of Trustees meet‐ ing, al-Amin listed resources and services that could be funded, including emer‐ gency financial aid grants, laptops and tablets for students and teachers, non-tu‐ ition revenue loss, improved campus inter‐ net, and online instruction support train‐ ing for faculty and staff. Federal guidelines prohibit City Col‐ lege from using the funds for reimburse‐ ments, tuition discounts, replacing lost revenue from reduced enrollment, hiring more instructors, or increasing campus hours of operation. In late March, al-Amin is expected to present a final expenditures plan to the board. Since April 2020, City College has received emergency funds totaling $25.7 million. The federal government supplied approximately $23.3 million to the college from the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Eco‐ nomic Security (CARES) Act passed in March 2020. The initial HEERF package was es‐ tablished through the CARES Act and awarded $7 million to the college. Later, $16.2 million was given when the Coron‐ avirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act provided new HEERF II funding in December 2020. The discussion over the use of funds has been extensive. The Rebuild City Col‐ lege campaign, organized in part by Eng‐ lish instructor Stephanie MacAller, im‐ plores administrators to invest a minimum of $7 million back into student aid. Rebuild City College aims to fulfill the needs of BIPOC (Black; Indigenous; Peo‐ ple of Color) students, reclaim the budget, preserve jobs, and stabilize the college’s operations for future generations. MacAller says this can only be achieved if a “student-, faculty-, staffdriven, detailed and realistic HEERF budget” is created immediately. Connect with MacAller and the Rebuild City College campaign at RebuildCityCollege@gmail.com. Send funding suggestions to Vice Chancellor John al-Amin at jalamin@ccsf.edu. The next BoT meeting is scheduled for March 25.

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Vol. 171, Issue 4 | Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

By Garrett Leahy

garretteleahy@gmail.com

After recent cuts announced Friday Feb. 26 by the Board of Trustees, registered nursing faculty say that the move brings the department ever closer to losing their status as an approved program by the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). This approval status of City College’s RN program, also sometimes internally referred to as the program’s accredita‐ tion, is incredibly important, as it is this status which allows students of the program to become registered nurses al‐ lowed to practice in California. Students in, and graduating from, programs not approved by the BRN cannot work as registered nurses in California hospitals. “You can’t function unless you’re approved,” said Mau‐ reen Noonan, a full-time instructor in City College’s regis‐ tered nursing program. “We can’t be open if we’re not approved.” If the Board of Nursing finds that City College’s regis‐ tered nursing program is in non-compliance with the re‐ quirements around remaining an approved program, City College’s RN program could have its approval revoked, or be put “on warning”, with its approval to be revoked a year thereafter if substantive changes to bring the program back into compliance have not occurred. While there are no layoffs slated for the registered nurs‐ ing program — all four Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) layoffs will be issued to full-time faculty in the Licensed Vocational Nursing program — the layoffs could result in the perma‐ nent loss of coveted clinical positions in San Francisco hos‐ pitals currently held by City College, according to Noonan. “If our program size is reduced it is highly unlikely that this will be temporary,” said Noonan during the Feb. 25 Board of Trustees meeting. “We have a long-standing rela‐ tionship with the hospitals in the city, and we have been able to secure clinical placements in San Francisco despite the highly competitive environment. If we give up any of these sites, they will be immediately filled by other programs and we will not be able to get them back in the future,” said Noonan. The loss of these clinical programs could affect the College’s nursing program’s BRN-approved status, because, according to the BRN’s regulations for nursing schools un‐ der CCR Section 1424, RN programs must “have sufficient resources, including faculty, library, staff and support ser‐ vices, physical space and equipment, including technology,

Illustration by Daina Medveder Koziot/The Guardsman. Instagram: @dmkoziot

to achieve the program's objective”, and on-site clinical practice is critical to becoming a registered nurse. This latest blow comes on top of another issue which threatens the RN program’s BRN-approved status: a longtime shortage of full-time faculty within City College’s registered nursing department. This may, in the eyes of the Board, constitute understaffing in the department, which could place City College’s registered nursing pro‐ gram in non-compliance with the BRN’s regulations for approval, according to Giusto. Currently, the department has eight full-time faculty out of the thirteen full-timers needed to remain in good standing with the BRN. There are currently three vacan‐ cies for full-time instructors in medical-surgical, one in pediatrics, and one in maternal-infant, according to De‐ bra Giusto, Interim Director of the Registered Nursing Department at City College. The issue, according to Giusto, is largely in part be‐ cause of the high salaries registered nurses command in the Bay Area, making those positions often more lucrative than working at the college, particularly due to the high cost of living in the Bay Area. Furthermore, most of the department is part-timers, with 30 part-time faculty compared to the RN depart‐ ment’s eight full-time faculty, and part-timers can be more readily laid off by the college’s administration, as they do not require pink-slips and therefore cannot contest their layoffs. There has been a high demand for nurses for years now, due to the aging population in the U.S, and COVID19 has only heightened the issue, as the need for nurses is made clearer than ever before in the midst of the deadly pandemic. “Nurses have been the bravest heroes throughout this pandemic … yet you will approve cutting nursing classes and eliminating nursing faculty, which will lead to a loss of accreditation for this program … we may be eliminat‐ ing a highly-regarded program by seeing that it doesn’t have sufficient faculty to meet its accreditation,” said Dar‐ lene Alioto, president of the Department Chair Council, during the Feb. 25 Board of Trustees meeting. Given that nursing is a high-paying job, particularly in Northern California, and does not suffer as acutely from economic recessions as other jobs, accreditation loss could deal an extra hard blow to low-income or otherwise disadvantaged students, who rely on City College’s accessible nursing program to attain stable, high-paying careers. For now, Giusto said that they are contin‐ uing to work with the administration to in‐ crease staffing within the registered nursing program to bring the number of full-time faculty within acceptable levels per the BRN’s regulations. “We are working, currently, with the ad‐ ministration on these full-time positions, and we want to be in compliance and they want us to be in compliance too. We don’t ever want [losing approval] to happen,” said Giusto. Rosie Zepeda, Director of Media at City College of San Francisco said in an email that the BRN-approved status of City Col‐ lege’s registered nursing program is not in danger, calling notions otherwise a “rumor”. “I want to state the fact that our Nursing Program is not losing its accreditation and how damaging it is to the program if we do not dispel these rumors. That program is in good standing,” said Zepeda. Indeed, for now, it is not on notice. The Board of Nursing has not said that City Col‐ lege’s accreditation is at risk, but the Board has not yet reviewed the College’s registered nursing program, which is set to occur next in Spring 2022. The Board of Registered Nursing was asked whether City College’s registered nursing program is at-risk of losing its BRNapproved status if its non-compliance with BRN regulations persists, and has yet to re‐ spond as of press time.

BRIEF

City College Ups Financial Oversight with Monthly Budget Updates By Annette Mullaney amullan4@mail.ccsf.edu

City College is on track to hit its $5.6 million budget deficit target for the current academic year, though 12 of 30 line items are trending above target spending, according to Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration John al-Amin’s monthly budget update to the Board of Trustees on Feb. 25. Trustee Alan Wong said that the new monthly budget updates “will help demonstrate how serious we are as a college to bring the budget back on track, and also make sure the public is able to transparently see where we are.” City College has a history of financial mismanagement. In January 2019, an internal audit found that the college was overpaying some faculty, and underpaying others, by up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Later, the board passed a balanced budget in September, only for then-Chancellor Mark Rocha to announce a $13 million deficit in November. These, and other instances of untracked overspending, led to requests for an auditor by the Academic Senate, the Full-Time Caucus, and board members. Internal Auditor and Controller David James reported at the board’s Feb. 11 budget and audit meeting that he had completed his first audit of administrator salaries and benefits. James also reported that he had finished a special investigation with recommendations. However, the report’s topic and results have not been made public. James’ next tasks include a review of consultant costs, including how those expenditures are monitored, and an audit of faculty salaries and benefits. Contractor costs is one of the line items trending above targets.

Vol. 171, Issue 4 | Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

By Colton Webster

cwebster1963@gmail.com

Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC), is hosting events via Zoom to celebrate Women’s History Month with an em‐ phasis on “honoring BIPOC lives and history.” One of the featured events was the March 3 screening of the awardwinning film “Misfits,” the directorial and writing effort of Ciani Rey Walker. To date, “Misfits” has received several accolades in‐ cluding Best College Short from the Denton Black Film Festival, the Kathy Reichgerdt Inspiration Award from the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, and Program‐ mers Choice from the Film Pittsburgh festival. “Misfits” is Walker’s third directorial effort after her films “Silence” and “Dear Rose.” Walker grew up in the affluent Playa Del Rey neighbor‐ hood of Los Angeles, an experience that influenced her filmmaking, particularly the characters saying, “There's the quote unquote stereotypical black person but that’s not representative of us at all.” “It’s given me a lot of perspective in just the African American diaspora in its entirety. I think that, especially in the media, Black people are just portrayed in one way. You know, [as] athletes or just overly ghetto,” Walker said. “I think that growing up here and interacting with actual Black people and seeing that we’re all so different.” Her film “Misfits” portrays two sisters who learn their friend kidnapped a police officer on the night Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated. “The two sisters and lead‐ ers of the Black Panther Party must set aside their differ‐ ences to navigate one of the most turbulent nights in his‐ tory,” the SRJC website said. After viewing, “Misfits’” writing, acting, imagery, and filming are all top notch. Although it’s a short, it seems like there is so much more to explore with the characters that were presented in the film’s near 20-minute run time. The film oozes 1960s flavor from the costumes to the dialect. It features references to Black Panther history like the pea‐ cock chair from Huey P. Newton’s famous photograph. Walker said she is developing a mini series out of the short with the hopes of it being picked up. Walker said that her main inspirations for the film “are the historical figures [that the film is based around],” such as renowned activist and scholar Angela Davis, and Black Panther Party founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. She added that she had researched the subject for six months prior to writing the first draft. Although the film is inspired by actual events Walker joked, “Everything in the movie is fictitious! Do not sue me, anyone!” Walker said that she “got lucky” by shooting the film prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. “I shot two weeks before the world ended,” she said. “I have scenes with 20

By Samya Brohmi sbrohmi@gmail.com

Illustration by Serena Sacharoff/The Guardsman

characters that wouldn’t have been possible if we had done it during COVID times.” Filming started on Valen‐ tine’s Day in 2020 and was shot over two consecutive weekends. Currently Walker is working on the set of HBO’s “Euphoria” season 2 as a COVID-19 compliance officer. “I’m trying to learn as much as I can about filmmaking and the process. I’m interested in TV so I wanted to join a high profile TV show that would allow me to explore and really take in what it really takes to make a TV show,” Walker said. In addition Walker said she will be mentored by Lalou Dammond, one half of Lalou & Joaquin, this August at

The Bay Area’s music scene has become more dependent than ever on the internet to connect with audiences, as the possibility of live shows continues to be postponed. The situation has also given local artists the opportunity to redefine what success means to them. Four artists who are City College alumni give us their perspectives on evolving their creative styles and sustaining community through collaboration in a pandemic.

tephanie Woodford is a musician and singer based in San Francisco. Her musical style spans jazz, pop, rhythm and blues, and soul. She is an accomplished pianist, ukulele player, and singer/songwriter. Woodford attended City College from 2016 to 2020 to further her music education, graduating with an Associates of Art in Music. This January, she released an EP, “Acoustic Revelations,” available on all streaming platforms. How has your daily creative practice changed during the pandemic?

Stephanie Woodford takes a stroll out to Japantown and plays some ukulele. Woodford is part of a musical trio, along with her boyfriend and another member. San Francisco, CA. March 2, 2021. (Photo by Melvin Wong/The Guardsman)

Biscuit Filmworks. Lalou & Joaquin are the creators of well known television spots for brands including Nike and McDonald’s. “Misfits” is currently being shown at events and isn’t yet available for streaming. However, Walker said, “It’s going to be out for anyone to watch in October,” granted that the film is accepted into the student academy awards. Otherwise, “it might be available very quickly!” SRJC will be hosting Zoom events throughout March, see the following link below for more information: https:/ /events.santarosa.edu/womens-history-month.

Stephanie Woodford: “My music and practicing has changed a lot during this pandemic. I have had to find other ways to be creative with my music, like learning a new instru‐ ment (ukulele), writing new songs, creating more music, and busking.” Have you collaborated with any artists in the past year? How difficult was the process?

Stephanie Woodford: “I collaborated with some visual artists on my latest EP, as well as my boyfriend who is also a musician. I have also worked with CCSF Collective on a few projects. It is harder to collab through the internet but we make it work.” How has being a City College student shaped your experience as an artist? Stephanie Woodford: “Being at CCSF has definitely taught me a lot. I had my ups and downs and all my experiences gave me things I needed to learn — both positive and negative. I def learned musical skills I use now.” What is the best way for readers to find and support your work? Stephanie Woodford: “To support me you can follow my Instagram @stephanielwoodford, and/or my Facebook: @stephkeys46. Readers can also follow me on Tiktok @stephldubs and YouTube as Stephanie Woodford to see my covers!”

Vol. 171, Issue 4 I Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

Ahmed Elsayed visits his old workplace at the Zeum in San Francisco. Elsayed’s music encourages the listener to always “be their best selves.” San Francisco, CA. March 2, 2021.(Photo by Melvin Wong/The Guardsman)

A Reynaldo Novicio, also known as Mister Rey, holds up his Roland SP-404SX music sampler, known famously as the premier tool for creating lo-fi beats. A key aspect in his creative process, Novicio stresses the importance of visually seeing the sounds as waves on the screen. San Francisco, CA. Feb. 27, 2021. (Photo by Melvin Wong/The Guardsman)

ister Rey is a producer, beat maker based in San Francisco. Born in the Philippines, he immigrated to San Francisco at age 12 and considers the city to be his home. Mister Rey originally attended City College in 2003. He then returned in 2011 and graduated with an Associate of Arts in Sociology in 2013. His eclectic sound pulls influence from a diverse array of genres that he defines as hip-hop, open format, and experimental electronic soundscape. In the past five years, Mister Rey has had the op‐ portunity to work on and contribute to the 2017 album “NativeImmigrant,” a collaboration with San Fran‐ cisco-based MC Ro3lay, as well as doing production on Ruby Ibarra’s 2017 “Circa 91 album” , Rocky G’s 2020 album, “Filipinos in Space” and Bambu’s 2020 EP, “Sharpest Tool in the Shed” EP (2020). He pro‐ duced his own third beat tape, “wonders mysticism,” that dropped in late 2020. In early 2020, he was awarded a San Francisco Arts Commission grant to support his FriscopinX Chronicles Project, set to launch this upcoming June. How has your daily creative practice changed during the pandemic? Mister Rey: “I can honestly say that I’ve been more productive since the pandemic. My creative practice and process have been more of a spirit guide for me, to be centered, transmute, and document the pandemic.” Have you collaborated with any artists in the past year? How difficult was the process? Mister Rey: “As mentioned earlier, I was able to collaborate with artists the past year and blessed to complete and offer it to the world. In the beginning, the process needed some troubleshooting. However, due to the nature of the genre, and type of music I make— digital and technology became my friends.” How has being a City College student shaped your experience as an artist? Mister Rey: “What I can say, CCSF for me contains so much gift and magic. I always admire the do-ityourself, independent spirit of the folks I crossed paths with creatively at CCSF — so that is a huge encour‐ agement for me.” What is the best way for readers to find and support your work? Mister Rey: https:/misterrey.bandcamp.com/

hmed Amer is a multidisciplinary artist based in San Francisco. He was born in Houston and spent his formative years in Cairo. Amer attended City College in 2018 as a cinema student, where he developed an inter‐ est in experimental film. His recent projects include con‐ currently writing three independent comic books: “Metal War,” a science fiction action novel, “The Coathangers,” a punk rock action mystery based on the real life band, and “Goof,” an action comedy comic based on Amer’s real life band. He is in the early stages of recording Goof ’s first album, “Killem All” with bassist Ryan Bahm and drum‐ mer Taylor Martin. How has your daily creative practice changed during the pandemic? Ahmed Amer: “The biggest change came with the new safety precautions, they affect how we as a band interact and also affect any collaborative efforts, in music, art, or comics. Not being able to play shows is definitely a drag. I miss that exchange of energy that happens between a musician and the audience — it’s irreplaceable. People may be able to turn off a live stream but they can’t turn you off at a show.” “One major hit that we suffered as a band was losing our drummer Josh Compton, due to un‐ employment and him relocating because of COVID. Other than that, I’ve actually had more time during COVID to work on projects, since I’ve had less distractions.” Have you collaborated with any artists in the past year? How difficult was the process? Ahmed Amer: “My favorite collaborations during COVID so far were: 1.‘**** That Noise’ a BLM protest show against po‐ lice brutality and racism. A collaborative effort with KXSF Radio and 6 other bands: Virgo Gabriel, Deshawn Visions, Lizard Music, Umb, Goof, and Bolero! 2. Organizing and playing a livestream fundraiser for the Honey Hive Gallery with the following artists: Josiah Inis Pocho, Rozzly, Uncle Chris, Pocket Full of Crumbs, Pork Belly, The Brankas, Dogs That Bite, Umb, Goof, Under Ego, Buzzed Light Beer. Each project took careful planning and weren’t easy to complete but thankfully we live in a time and place when the internet is easily accessible.” How has being a City College student shaped your experience as an artist? Ahmed Amer: “City College has been a huge influence on me as an artist. I met my girlfriend Lily in our experi‐ mental film class. She has been a major influence on me and introduced me to the DIY nature of being an artist, and how to make that work in your favor. I also met Goof ’s first drummer, Josh in the CINE 25 class. Goof wouldn’t be a band today if I didn’t take that class! So to say the least, it has been important and instrumental in my creative pursuits.” What is the best way for readers to find and sup‐ port your work? Ahmed Amer: “Follow me on Instagram at @ahmed.amer.elsayed and @gooftheband to get updates and info on how to support me or the artists I work with.”

Ahmed Kap Amino, or a.K.aye, takes a smoke break in his backyard and hangs out with one of his outdoor cats, Luna. Amino teaches elementary school physical education and works as a peer educator with children with special needs. San Francisco, CA. Feb. 28, 2021. (Photo by Melvin Wong/The Guardsman)

.K.aye is a MC, multi-instrumental producer, and video director/editor. A Bay Area native, he is based in San Francisco and grew up next door in Daly City. His sound ranges from alternative hip-hop to EDM. In 2015, he was invited to perform at Kearny Street Workshop’s “APAture Music Showcase” for emerging Asian Pacific American artists. a.K.aye released his latest album, “TRILLIPINO'' in late January. Previous projects in his discography include: “Koo, Kalm, Kollective,” “The Age is Soulquarius,'' and “AiRSiGNS,” all available on Bandcamp. How has your daily creative practice changed during the pandemic? a.K.aye: “During the pandemic it gave me more time for self reflection and working on music. Before that I was juggling multiple jobs and didn’t really have the time or energy to make beats or write any verses in entirety. The isolation just gave me the opportunity to go back into creativity. Sometimes, I would stream with friends and either spin some music or freestyle. And I even put a few videos through Instagram that I call ‘Covid Creations,’ where I talk about social issues. Aside from that, been able to find recipes for cooking and even do video editing for the school I work at. Early 2020, I was put onto theHou5e label created by my homies .Vo., *$.O.A.R* and T-Venom who started out recently.” Have you collaborated with any artists in the past year? How difficult was the process? a.K.aye: “A majority of artists in “TRILLIPINO” that I collaborated with were long time friends. A few songs I recorded at Noah Frank’s studio. One of the songs I recorded was the track ‘Diggle,’ where he played the trumpet on the bridge of the song to give the jazz-influenced song more depth. My frequent collaborators were Taboos of Society (.Vo. and *$.O.A.R*) and we knocked out songs like ‘Sapiosexual,’ ‘Due Diligence,’ and ‘Serotonin’ (who had Venom lay the drums). The dancehall banger ‘Señorita’ was another one where I had my long time friend John Ibarra on the hook and bridge and high school friend, Lito, on one of the verses.” “The way the song came out felt immaculate, especially when *$.O.A.R* come through on the last verse. The Bay Area sounds of ‘Ohlone’ was a track co-produced by TVenom and Pase One. And even the song ‘Last Slice’ featured Brown Lotus by finding a song that was fitting to his style after trying to collaborate for a long time. The album was a long time in the making but being in shelter in place helped out a lot. The overall challenge was just staying motivated and I was determined to showcase my ranges.” How has being a City College student shaped your experience as an artist? a.K.aye: “It influenced me a whole lot. I used to run with a group back at City called P.E.A.C.E. back in 2011 and they threw events where I would perform at. Even through one of the resources at school, it helped me land an internship with the Bay Area Video Coalition where I got to learn working in film.” What is the best way for readers to find and support your work? a.K.aye: “Follow me @alsoknownasakaye and check out the album ‘TRILLIPINO’ on all streaming platforms.”

Vol. 171, Issue 4 | Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

By Ava Cohen avaocohen@gmail.com

An Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, AL, could become the first unionized Amazon workspace in the U.S. where 5,800 ballots were sent out to the union-eligible workers with the help of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Unions. Amazon has a strict policy ensuring that workers spend as little time as possible off task through their Time Off Task (TOT) system, where they monitor workers constantly using cameras that are placed all over their warehouses. Some workers have even had to resort to urinating in bottles, in order to not “waste time” walking across the warehouse to use the restroom, in fear of losing their jobs. Furthermore, Amazon warehouses’ serious injury rate grows yearly, and they had a serious injury rate of 7.7% in 2019, which is nearly double the industry standard recorded from 2018. Another Amazon warehouse in Delaware voted against a union in 2014, where Amazon reportedly used scare tactics to pressure employees not to organize, threatening that they’d lose their jobs. Amazon hired lawyers at this Alabama warehouse to persuade workers not to vote and to make it harder to unionize, sent out ballots urging employees to vote no, and have implemented a new mailbox for workers to cast their votes right by the entrance and exit. Workers have re‐ ported that this feels like a tactic for Amazon to watch and pressure them into voting against the union. Amazon warehouses across the U.S. have a population of 26.5% Black/African American workers and 22.8% His‐ panic/Latinx workers, according to the company’s website. This means that Amazon’s cruelty and disregard for the health and safety of its employees are disproportionately

affecting BIPOC. It’s so deliciously ironic how neoliberal and Democratic culture calls for Black Lives Matter signs in windows and yet many of those same people continue to pay for their Amazon Prime membership, a company that directly benefits off the exploitation of Black and Brown people, as well as working-class people of all races. But of course, it’s all acceptable if we don’t think about where our packages are coming from, right? It is far too easy to believe Amazon’s lies, letting them trick us into thinking the spending they’re putting into safety precau‐ tions (around COVID and in general) and worker robots is because of concern for the safety of their employees when it is plainly a masquerade. The real motive has always been to speed up efficiency with a complete dis‐ missal of the safety of their workers. Although Biden recently released a statement voicing his support of the Amazon union, I just don’t find myself convinced by his monotonous tone and vacant stare. How are we supposed to believe he is supportive of liberation for Black and Brown people when he just recently dropped ‘warning’ bombs in Syria and reopened another ‘migrant facility’ for children where they will be kept in cages? Biden also recently made a deal with Democrats to narrow the unemployment eligibility for families who can receive the next $1,400 payment, meaning 7 million families will only be able to collect a partial payment. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth, how Biden is able to brush aside the needs of millions of working class families and yet claims to be pro labor. He fights for this idea of bipartisanship, but historically that means compromising to meet the satisfac‐ tion of more conservative groups, with dismissal of the

Illustration by Erin Blackwell/The Guardsman. Instagram: @blackwelldrawingfool

original goal. America as a whole, under the capitalist system we live in, requires the exploitation of some group or another to function. Biden may show his support for this individual union, but I am highly skeptical of how much he will accomplish for the working class and its intersections; for the workers who are Black and Brown, for the workers who are disabled, for the workers who are queer. He chose a vice president with a history of trans‐ phobia and criminalizing cannabis — why do we keep expecting that Biden and Harris, or frankly any other president who’s elected into our system, care about liber‐ ation for the people at all? And, as if Jeff Bezos was not rich enough (whose net worth is now $193 billion, by the way), the Federal Trade Commission announced that they would be fining Ama‐ zon $61.7 million dollars for stealing their drivers’ tips and that the settlement money would be used to reimburse those drivers. America’s capitalist system allows for evil men like Jeff Bezos to get ludicrously rich off the blood and sweat of those below him in our dominant culture's social hierarchy, and it’s infuriating. Amazon’s draconian rule over employees needs to be challenged, and so I urge each and every person who reads this to think about the abuse going on when they’re about to check out their cart on Amazon. Do you really have to buy it from there, or can you spare a quick trip to your local hardware store? The decision to not support a company like Amazon not only saves your money from going into the pocket of Jeff Bezos but also shows that you stand with workers. It shows that you don’t support the inhumane treatment they face daily and that you recognize their struggle.

Vol. 171, Issue 4 | Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

By Tim Hill uilleanner@gmail.com

Close up of the oil slicked water among the washed up kelp along Richmond's shore after the Chevron oil leak on Feb. 9. (Photo courtesy of Bay Area News Group/Dylan Bouscher)

On Feb. 9, residents of Richmond witnessed a familiar sight that, once again, sparked outrage. Looming over the city like a cruel despot, the Chevron refinery unleashed its deadly product into the bay when approximately 600 gallons of the dirt‐ iest crude oil possible spilled into its waters.The spill generated fear in residents, since the leaked oil cre‐ ates threats to their health, quality of life, and the environment around them. “The whole area smells like a gas station,” San Francisco Baykeeper Alliance Executive Director Sejal Choksi-Chugh said in an interview, “And there's the possibility of long-term, unknown dam‐ age to the Bay itself and to all the wildlife that de‐ pend on it." That wildlife includes herring and other fish species, whose spawning grounds include the sensi‐ tive eelgrass habitat around Point Molate. According to KQED, over the last 14 years, Chevron has donated over a million dollars to Re‐ publicans that continue to bow to their whims and peddle their lies and misinformation over climate change. Among those receiving the donations are Reps. Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and Devin Nunes of Visalia. They received $106,000 and $58,000 and both continue to be staunch allies of former president Donald Trump. This type of pollution is a daily reality for the people of Richmond, not to mention the wildlife. Between the explosion from last month and the presence of toxic smoke in the air from their refinery plant that was documented back in November. The environmental injustices that plague Richmond never seem to end. On Feb. 16, a Richmond City Council meeting was held to discuss the spill. Baykeeper Staff Attor‐ ney Ben Eichenberg said, “Chevron’s detection sys‐ tem failed to warn of a problem as soon as the leak started, and it’s only by luck and notification by local

Editorial Cartoon by Erin Blackwell/The Guardsman. Instagram: @blackwelldrawingfool

residents that more oil wasn’t spilled and that it wasn’t a heavier fuel, which Chevron is known to transport through their pipes.” In an interview with KQED’s senior editor Ted Goldberg, a veteran of climate change coverage with a speciality in pipelines and refineries, stated, “There was a proposal last year to try to create more space between oil drilling sites and communities. And it wasn't just Republicans that stopped that bill from moving forward. There were several moderate Democrats who reporters later revealed had gotten contributions from the oil industry who voted no on that. So, you know, while California has very big goals and has invested a significant amount of re‐ sources to move away from fossil fuels, you know, it is not an easy task to be done, you know, when the oil industry needs to flex its muscles to protect itself.” Despite Richmond being across the bay and in a different county, the effects of this oil spill, and the many days with harmful air quality created by it will undoubtedly affect San Francisco residents, since it is on the other side of the water. The number of air advisory days will continue to increase, and we have only Chevron and its birth mother of capitalism to blame for it. Thankfully due to the work of groups like San Francisco Baykeepers Alliance, Idle No More, 350 Bay Area, the Sierra Club, and many other climate and labor groups, Chevron’s power and greed will continue to be resisted by activists who will hope‐ fully inspire fellow citizens to engage in the grass‐ roots organizing needed to attain tangible grassroots victories. Former Richmond mayor and City Coun‐ cil member Gayle McGlaughlin and Indigenous organizer Pennie Opal Plant are also among the many organizers who are fighting for these changes via legal and grassroots routes. Both are effective and have their place of importance, and both are needed now.

Vol. 171, Issue 4 | Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

Vol. 171 issue 4 | Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

Vol. 171, Issue 4 | Mar 10 - Mar 23, 2021

By Angela Greco a_greco511@yahoo.com

Despite having to relocate due to the pandemic, former women’s tennis strength training coach Sasha Holub Filistovich has gathered numerous life lessons to take with her, many of which she learned from an unlikely location: the tennis courts. Ever since Holub Filistovich’s arrival to the states in 2014, perseverance has been just one of her many strengths. Not only did she learn to speak English through City College’s English as a Second Lan‐ guage (ESL) courses and a handful of odd jobs, she also submerged herself in the campus community, developing a lifelong affection for tennis and fit‐ ness. When Holub Filistovich accepted head coach Kelly Hickey’s offer to join the team as a strength trainer and assistant coach in 2019, the women’s team smashed through a promising season when they went undefeated with a 10-0 record –– the best in the state. Despite discovering her love for the sport later than most other players, Holub Filistovich applied her steadfast persistence to the game and advanced quickly. By her second year on the team, she became the most improved and qualified for state. Given the amount of progress she made despite personal challenges, Hickey recognized Holub Filis‐ tovich as a great success story. “She played a vital role. She was a key to our success [during that] year,” Having her on board allowed Hickey to focus on drilling and strategy while Holub Filistovich was tuned in to their strength and speed; she would notice if they were getting to the ball a half step faster or serving harder. Because Holub Filistovich had a nat‐ ural knack for fitness balanced with a competitive streak, her commitment to drills with the girls, strength training, and helping them believe in their own bodies showed immensely on the court. Holub Filistovich applied that same level of endurance in her personal life, even off the court. She woke up at 4 a.m. every day, took clients at a gym in the Marina District between practice with the team, finished most days with dance classes, and somehow man‐ aged to even squeeze in time as a teacher’s assistant in boxercise class. “The life of Sasha was crazy,” she laughed, “but I loved everything. I knew what I was getting into. But that’s what kept me going. I had the support of my friends and family and had the drive for tha‐ t.”One of the many friends she met through City College who became like family, Anna Voloshko, reflected on Holub Filistovich’s inspiring work ethic and how it personally influenced her beyond tennis. “The actual exercises she would lead us through and the tips she gave us about fitness and health were very helpful for playing, but her contagious energy and enthusiasm made me a better overall athlete.” Although COVID-19 cut the team’s momentum short, Holub Filistovich’s legacy lives on in the his‐ tory of the team’s success. Always quick to find “the beauty in ugliness,” she draws a correlation between tennis and life, saying that there is always something to learn on and off the court. Reflecting back on her first years playing she said, “You don’t simply perfect something and you’re good to go. There’s still a lot to do, a lot to learn.”Perhaps subconsciously falling in line with this mentality, she manages to stay re‐ freshingly optimistic about her post-pandemic ad‐ justments. She and her husband bid the city farewell in late October, but she holds hope for a promising future in which she plans to eventually train clientele in her own home gym.In her new surroundings out‐ side of Dallas, Texas, temperatures have been drop‐ ping. But Holub Filistovich is thriving, taking daily walks in the cold air, weather reminiscent of her childhood in Belarus. The move has allowed her to create a new chapter in life, and reclaim being a coldweather girl at heart. “It’s going to be different in the upcoming years. It’ll be interesting to see the community and the col‐ lege ... the makeup and the landscape of the city,” Coach Hickey said. “Sasha will always be with us. She’s always part of the Rams family.”

Former City College of San Francisco tennis player, Sasha Holub, after tennis practice. She is the college's former tennis coach for the Rams. (Photo Courtesy of Coach Kelly Hickey/CCSF Women's Tennis)