The Guardsman, Vol 164, Issue 7. City College of San Francisco

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Vol. 164, Issue 7 | Nov. 22– Dec. 6, 2017 | City College of San Francisco | Since 1935 | FREE

Airbnb office staff rally to save contractor workers By Victor Tence victortence@gmail.com

In a move to continue their expansion, the San Francisco offices of Airbnb ended their contract with the Flagship Food Group, effectively terminating the positions of 94 contract kitchen workers on Nov. 2, some of which were City College alumni. Backlash from the entire department, with critical support from the Airbnb office staff, forced a renegotiation with the new food service company Bon Appetit, winning the contractors guaranteed positions and maintained wages. The bustle and kinetic energy of the Airbnb cafeteria kitchens, manned by a crew of over 200, ground to a halt shortly after receiving an email calling for an “important and mandatory meeting for the entire SF food team.” The workers were divided; the 94 contractors were sent to a separate conference room on the ground floor where they were abruptly informed their positions with the company were terminated. “People were frustrated, sad and confused,” said Mike Ibe, a full time cook at Airbnb. Aggravating the situation further, the contractors, who primarily speak Spanish were not provided a translator during the meeting. When this was pointed out by their co-workers, the meeting organizers expressed sympathy, however, they pushed forward, asking those who spoke English and Spanish to “relay it amongst themselves.” “They were asking us to play telephone with something so

important,” said Jennifer La, a contractor and City College alumnus. At this meeting, the contractors were informed of the company's transition of food service groups and the termination of their jobs. They were invited to reapply for their positions without the guarantee of a job which the full-time kitchen staff received. The news was devastating in both content and delivery. Reeling from the meeting, the contractors left the conference room confused and upset, Ibe recalls “there were people crying.” With the open air kitchen, a central fixture in the new Airbnb office, it did not take long for their office staff to notice the disruption. Messages of outrage and solidarity for the contractors flooded the inboxes of the Airbnb founders. The following day, a Gofundme page to support the contracted workers was created by Jake Silver, an IT support specialist. On the website, Silver reaches out to his co-workers, “today our food team needs us and we have the ability to help.” Within five days it raised $25,000 and now sits just over $31,000. Donating staff left messages of gratitude and anger. “This is an unbelievable and devastating loss to our company and our culture. I can’t count the times that I proudly told friends, family and visitors about Airbnb’s food program. The way this was handled by

leadership was shameful and cruel,” wrote Benjamin Wilkins, a design technology lead at Airbnb. The staff also began adorning the hallways with handwritten notes and illustrations of sympathy and support for the contractors. One note reads, “You are the heart & soul of Airbnb! Thanks for always being a host.” By Nov. 6, the founders of Airbnb held emergency meetings with the kitchen crew and the rest of the office staff to address the backlash. They announced all contractors would be guaranteed a job with Bon Appetit. Within days they would also secure an agreement to maintain all hourly wages. When asked about the correlation between the employee outcry and the renegotiation with Bon Appetit, Airbnb refused to comment. Despite securing their jobs and wages right before entering the holiday season, the handling of this transition has left many of kitchen staff with a bad taste. Bernadette Ramos, a City College alumnus and lead baker at Airbnb compares returning to the kitchen like seeing someone from a recent breakup. “It’s hard to come back 100 percent...and to care.”

The Airbnb office staff decorate their hallways on Nov. 8, 2017 with handwritten notes and illustrations of support and gratitude for the cafeteria kitchen staff that were adversely affected by the transition. Photo courtesy of Bernadette Ramos.

City College students blossom under pressure By Michael Toren michael.toren@gmail.com

SPORTS

Rams secure victory On page 7

City College students captured first and sixth place in a student floral design competition in Carlsbad this month, competing among 15 students representing California community colleges and universities. Armando de Loera Mejia, who won first place at the CaliFlora 2017 competition, and Munkyung Jung, who took home sixth place, entered the contest together not realizing they would be competing against each other. “We thought we were going to work as a team,” Mejia said. “But when we got there, we realized we misunderstood.” The competition table was setup with separate places for each of them. “At that time we knew it was an individual competition,” Mejia said, adding that it was stressful to compete individually after practicing together for weeks as a team. However, he was up to the challenge. “I’ve been in competition before, so I know how to work under pressure,” he said. Mejia previously placed eighth at an American Institute of Floral Designers competition in 2016, and won first place at another in July. His first place finish this month was his third time competing and the second time in a row

he took home the top prize. Jung won first place at a local competition in September hosted by United Wholesale Flowers in San Jose, but this was her first time competing in a state-wide event. She found a flyer for the competition and encouraged Mejia to register with her as a team. They submitted their applications just in time, the day of the deadline. Mejia and Jung practiced together for three weeks leading up to the event, working on four different designs, each of which took four to six hours. They went to the flower market on Brannan Street together twice a week to buy supplies. “It was a lot of time,” Mejia said. “We wanted to figure out the techniques we were going to use.” The competition consisted of two parts. For the first, a theme was announced months in advance, and students were given 45 minutes to complete their entry using materials they brought with them. However, when Jung discovered she wouldn’t be working as a team with Mejia, her design plans had to be scrapped. “We had been working on the design for three weeks and I had to come up with a new design in 45 minutes,” she said. It was only 10 minutes before the start of the competition that she learned she would be working alone. She hadn’t brought her container of tools or flowers with her and had to scramble at the last

Floristry continued on page 3


2 | NEWS

Vol. 164, Issue 7 | Nov. 22– Dec. 6, 2017

Floristry continued from page 1 minute to assemble everything. “It was a lot of pressure,” she said. In the second part of the competition, each student was given an identical set of previously unknown materials and informed of the theme only five minutes before the competition began. Jung enjoyed the second half more, she said, because she was on equal footing with everyone again. Three judges scored entries based on factors such as design mechanics and creativity, said Ann Quinn, executive vice president of the California State Floral Association. The association has been running CaliFlora for more

than 40 years, but the student competition has only been around for about 10 years, she said. Mejia said he’s proud to have won, but he doesn’t react as others might, with jumping and screaming. “I think it has to do with the cultural viewpoint I have. I feel happy, but it’s on the inside…I was grateful more than happy,” he said. “I’m competitive, and I worked so hard — really, really hard — and once I won, it made me happy. But also relief that my work paid off.” Mejia said he’s also proud of Jung. “Your first competition is really difficult,” he said. “She did

Armando de Loera Mejia (left), and Munkyung Jung (right). Photo courtesy of Armando de Loera Mejia.

well, I think. She is known for being fast. In the competition, she did three designs in 45 minutes.” When they were practicing together, Mejia said they got used to communicating succinctly and thinks they would have done well as a team. Despite being unexpectedly forced to compete against each other, he said there were no hard feelings, and they both plan to attend the next American Institute of Floral Designers’ competition in Washington, D.C. this summer. Mejia became interested in flowers when he was working as an event planner. “When I used to work with brides, I didn’t have any ideas for flowers, so I decided to go back to City College.” In his first semester in the Environmental Horticulture and Floristry Department he met instructor Jenny Tabarracci, who became his mentor. It was Tabarracci who invited him to participate in his first competition in 2016. “She saw something in me,” he said. “He’s been one of our star students,” Tabarracci said. “When he came in, he had so much raw talent. He just needed guidance to learn how to work with his medium.” “I’m so proud of him,” she said. “All of his hard work has paid off.”

Armando de Loera Mejia’s winning floral design, “Fantasy Rising Star.” Photo courtesy of Armando de Loera Mejia.

Students mingle at Multicultural Day hosted at CCSF By Otto Pippenger opippenger@theguardsman.com

Despite brooding stormclouds that forced a last minute relocation, the Multicultural Day hosted by Associated Students attracted some 70 students at Smith Hall on Nov. 10. There were some dozen displays from cultural groups that included everything from the Latino Services Network and the Gender Diversity Project, to religious groups like Beta Israel and the Muslim Student Association

and even two recruiters from the Navy squeezed between the Women’s Center and student DJ Adam Fogle. The lead organizer from Associated Students, Vice President of Cultural Affairs, Melissa Hendrick, grinned broadly as she pointed out the disparate groups represented. “This is my first time doing Multicultural Day and we may do it every semester from now on! The location change was a shame but if we make a difference for 50 people that’s a huge success

from my point of view. The whole point is to spread love through City College and to educate people,” Hendrick said. The Muslim Student Association displayed a number of pamphlets explaining various questions people might have about basic elements of faith, such as Sharia or the Five Pillars of Islam, while a lovely Quran was open on their tabletop. The Chinese Cultural Club presented a banner covered in bold Chinese calligraphy and invited passersby to try traditional

Associated Students’ pavillion at Multicultural Day in Smith Hall at Ocean Campus Nov 10, 2017. Photo by Otto Pippenger/The Guardsman

Staff

Editor-in-Chief Bethaney Lee News Editor Quip Johnson

Culture Editor Adina Pernell Opinion Editor Otto Pippenger Sports Editor Patrick Cochran

Photo Editor Julia Fuller Lead Copy Editor Victor Tence Design Director Karen Sanchez

interlocking wooden puzzles. A representative from the Gender Diversity Project who introduced himself only as “Leroy” gave a speech about the need for gender neutral restrooms on campus followed by other individuals speaking on topics such as growing up black in Alabama. The student group “The Jazz Heats” punctuated the event with a Bob Fosse routine, and Dj Adam Fogle played a lively selection throughout as students slipped free cucumber water and coffee.

After a slow start, by the end of the event students of all sorts were engaged in knots of lively conversation with laughter throughout. While it is impossible to know just what each individual gleaned from the event, smiles graced the faces of nearly all as they left Smith Hall. “So much hate is just ignorance...in the end we need to live together,” Hendrick said.

The display of City College’s Gender Diversity Project at the Multicultural Day organized by Associated Students at City College’s Ocean Campus in Smith Hall on Nov. 10 2017. Photo by Otto Pippenger/ The Guardsman

Online Editor Laurie Maemura Staff Writers Barbara Muniz Kyle Rogue Sarah Berjan

Advertising Manager Diane Carter Social Media Editor Liliana Sanchez

Sta Bra Elen Pho Ott Sar


NEWS | 3

Vol. 164, Issue 7 | Nov. 22 – Dec. 6, 2017

Surrounded by some of San Francisco’s most iconic landmarks Fort Mason inspires City College students with its amazing scenery. Photo by Elena Stuart/The Guardsman

Historic Fort Mason seeks repairs Two of the utmost basic but crucial code standards are outlined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Field Act. Recently, City College structural engineers found the building's original plans. The findings were a great discovery as they could potentially cut enormous costs to the originally

By Jenny G. Shao

Special to The Guardsman

For safety sake, every building in California is legally mandated to meet or be brought up-to code, especially if publicly funded, federally owned and intended to serve or is open to the public. Fort Mason Campus is no exception.

Spring 2018 Classes Start January 16

JOUR 19: Contemporary News Media 35826

MWF

9:10 – 10:00 a.m.

MUB 188

Gonzales

JOUR 21: News Writing and Reporting 35827

MWF

10:10 – 11:00 a.m

Gonzales

MUB 170

JOUR 22: Feature Writing 35828

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6:30 – 9:20 p.m.

Mission / Rm 217

Rochmis

JOUR 25: Editorial Management

35830 M W F 12:10 – 1:00 p.m.

Gonzales

BNGL 615

JOUR 29: Magazine Editing & Production 31449 M 35832

6:30 – 8:20 p.m.

Mission / Rm 217

Lifland

JOUR 31: Internship Experience Hours Arranged

BNGL 615

Gonzales

JOUR 36: Advanced Reporting 37835

W

34104

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6:30 – 9:20 p.m.

MUB 280

Gonzales

JOUR 37: Intro to Photojournalism

Staff Illustrators Brandon Whiting Elena Stuart Photographers Otto Pippenger Sarah Berjan

6:30 – 9:20 p.m.

Mission / Rm 217

Peter Wong Faculty Adviser Juan Gonzales Designers Zaruhi Avagyan Melinda Walters

Lifland

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theguardsman.com ccsfjournalism.com Twitter and Instagram @theguardsman #CCSFjournalism

estimated $15 million price tag for building, it must withstand natural seismic upgrades. hazards of which FEMA defines as, Today the Fort Mason “earthquake, flood, and wind.” It Campus predominantly functions includes information on hurricane as the Arts and Cultural Center. and tornado shelters as well. According to the College website The Field Act is similar it’s located on the first and second according to Dr. Whalen who said floors of Building B. Although the it, “is a slightly higher bar to crust campus' major focus is art: ceram- for seismic instructional sites.” A ics, sculpture, painting, drawing piece of legislation passed in the and printmaking programs are 1930s, she explained, “the loses also offered. Dr. Kristan Whalen that we would have in a seismic is Dean of the School of Fine, event at schools are a societal loss Applied, and Communication Arts that no one's willing to bare, that said the upper floor also serves as our children...and it does apply to Spring a youth hostel. 2018 our community colleges...because Classes Start Prior to City College’s resi- they have more solid construction... 16 served a often become resource centers dency,January the building completely different purpose. when there is an earthquake.” According to public records and Drawing on the 1989 Loma Dr. Whalen, Fort Mason was Prieta earthquake, she illustrated historically a Embarkation Center how schools like Marina Middle for the United As an SchoolNews often Media became resource JOURStates 19:Army. Contemporary Embarkation Center during World centers during disasters because Gonzales – 10:00 a.m. MUB 188 M Wwas F 9:10 35826 War II, the land in part, filled they held up well. in over water and 21: technically and Seismically retrofitting JOUR NewssitsWriting Reporting M W F 10:10 – 11:00 a.m often on federal entails using reinforced 35827 property. MUB 170 Gonzales Fort Mason has lasted over masonry. Although not an archiJOUR 22: Feature Writing a century and is now heavily tect or engineer, Dr. Whalen Mission / Rm 217 Rochmis 6:30 – 9:20 p.m. T overdue worn 35828 and long for safety explains the basics of masonry upgrades. Some of those safety entails the use of bricks. The JOUR 25: Editorial Management problems interare layeredGonzales together with 35830include M W Fshearing, 12:10 – 1:00 p.m. bricks BNGL 615 connected walkways between cement. Given the amount of Editing & Production buildingsJOUR that need29: to beMagazine reinforced people regularly on and around the and liquefaction. Dr. Whalen states Fort Mason, she said it’s a matter Lifland wherein 6:30 – 8:20 p.m. M those 31449 facility upgrades would have ofMission / Rm 217 being “conservative” to meet FEMA and the Field Act the structure can withstand, “the JOUR 31: Internship Experience standards. worse case scenario if there is a 35832 Hours Arranged BNGL 615 Gonzales Building Codes, as defined by seismic event.” JOUR 36: Advanced g FEMA, “are sets of regulations Reportin To seismically retrofit a W 6:30 – 9:20 p.m. 37835 MUB 170 engineersGonzales governing the design, construction, building, need to know alteration and maintenance of about Fort Mason's structure JOUR 37: Photojournalism structures. They specify theIntro mini- toincluding what lies underneath its W Mission / Rm 217 Liflandthis would 6:30 – 9:20 p.m. mum 34104 requirements to adequately foundation. Knowing safeguard the health, safety and also aid in acquiring accurate cost welfare of building occupants.” estimates. To adequately safeguard a In attempt to learn, Dr. Whalen Facebook /theguardsman YouTube theguardsmanonline

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said City College engineers and cost estimators asked for “As-Built” drawings. Unfortunately, even after months of digging, none were found. Down the line, someone found a map hidden in the National Archives. The map provided the best renderings of the building. Dr. Whalen explained how it gave a more promising picture of what was underneath Building B- solid cement pilings. In light of the new findings, a lot of costly unknowns have been reduced. Dr. Whalen explains how the information could potentially lower the cost from excavation alone. “Now that we don't have to remediate the concern over liquefaction and how much does it take off the price tag but they're working hard to figure that out,” Whalen said. Despite the discovery of the maps, recalculating estimates and exact plans for renovation have yet to be determined. “We're still in the early stages of talking about who’s going to pay for what with Fort Mason,” Whalen said. She also highlighted that aside from seismic upgrades, ideas for cosmetic renovation like installing large windows for outsiders to see inside, are one the table. She states it would make “the place feel more alive, more animated and that would be good for us too because it would give more interest in the classes.” However, restructuring the windows contend with rules for historic preservation. Because of the unclear plans and prohibitions, no contractors have even been hired and a cost has not yet been agreed upon.

50 Phelan Ave, Box V-67 San Francisco, CA 94112 Bungalow 615


4 | CULTURE

Vol. 164, Issue 7 | Nov. 22 – Dec. 6, 2017

AKA Pisspiggranddad

Marxist political activist Brace Belden's By Otto Pippenger opippenger@theguardsman.com

While covering the Bernie Sander’s speech at City College in late September, I noticed a familiar face wearing a hammer-and-sickle sweater. I found myself face to face with Brace Belden, the 27 year old San Franciscan and former City College student who reached widespread notoriety on twitter as Pisspiggranddad by posting photos and commentary during his 6 months fighting as a volunteer in The Democratic Federation of Northern Syria against ISIS and others in the Syrian Civil War with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units or YPG. An avowed Marxist-Leninist, Belden has been banned from Twitter but has not stopped his political activities here in San Francisco where he fights for tenant’s rights, safe injection sites, and other socialist issues through his involvement in the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Democratic Socialists of America, among other groups. To date he has been covered in The New York Times, Washington Post, Rolling Stone Magazine, and Chapo Trap House amongst other publications. Belden sat with me for an interview later that week, an edited partial transcript of which follows, to discuss his time in Syria, media attention, City College, and his political beliefs.

OP- Did you have a political or public-relations goal when tweeting, or was it purely personal? BB- In terms of having twitter, that’s cause I was bored I'd get the internet about once a month [in Syria] it was sort of a way to connect with the outside world, at least before I learned Kurdish. Op- How good is your Kurdish? BB- Pretty good- I can have conversations in it. Its villager Kurdish, not academic Kurdish. I can make myself understood. Op- Back to the beginningwhen did you become a marxist? BB- Well I am a MarxistLeninist. Before that, I was like, ‘of the left’ without a super-coherent set of things. I knew what the different strains of things were but I wasn’t committed. I was more just young. I became a marxist around 2010, which extended itself into Marxism-Leninism, its theory and practice. Op- Are you in favor of full democratization of the economy? BB- Yes, though ‘democracy’ is a word I stumble upon. I- I believe more specifically in the dictatorship of the proletariat. OP- So do you believe that the masses in America today are capable of becoming Marxist? That American values- democracy, fairness, lead into or are compatible

with some version of socialism? BB- Well. That’s assuming those are American values. OP- How much did your perspective change when you went abroad? BB- So Syria is probably one of the most mis-reported countries in history. Media would have you believe that it is this noble struggle of like, the White Helmets (volunteers in the Syria Civil Defence forces) adjacent like moderate rebel groups who love the Democratic party and wanna put Obamacare in Aleppo. OP- On the issue of volunteerism. You’ve been getting a lot of flack as an alleged “whiteboy adventurist” how did you feel you and the other Americans and westerners were received by the Kurdish people? BB- There were foreign fighters in the ranks of certain unnamed Kurdish groups since the 80’s. No one said a word about it when I was there. By its very nature Communism or to be a communist is to be an internationalist. So there's plenty of valid criticisms, but I think ‘white boy’ and to be sure, white boys have done their fair share of damage in the Middle East... OP- So you feel you’ve done your part? You wouldn’t consider going back?

BB- Uh no, I wouldn’t right now, mainly because of American involvement. I’m glad I left when I did. OP- Let’s talk a little about San Francisco- you grew up here? BB- San Francisco baby, love it. I was born here, lived here for like four or five years. My family moved to the North Bay, moved back here when I was seventeen. And have never left for more than six months at a time! OP- And I met you at the Bernie Sanders rally of course. How do you feel about his politics? BB- Ooh yeah. Well social democracy is worse than capitalism- arguably. Because social democracy seeks to fool the workers into thinking they’re doing something proactive when in actuality what it's doing is propping up the teetering stool of capitalism. OP- What are you doing in your political work around here? BB- What we’re doing is trying to form a coalition outside the Democratic Party. Outside like regular progressive circles even. And it's been very successful so far. I am trying to get socialist policies passed. I think that’s the only effective thing we can do here. OP- What about safe injection sites? BB- That is something I was talking to the DSA (Democratic

Socialists of America) about. As part of their health care policy. The safe injection thing didn’t pass last time, so we’re attempting it locally. And there’s no reasonable opposition to it. OP- Coming off of Twitter, are trying to capitalize on your notoriety or trying to cool it down? BB- Trying to cool it down. Because if I capitalize on it, first of all, that’s some cornball sh*t to do. Second of all, I don’t want to be seen as personally profiting in any way off the fuckin’ Syrian Civil War. Thirdly, I don’t want to have to become a spokesman for something. OP- Because you’ve been involved in bands like WarKrime, and Wild Thing, would you say you were attracted to publicity? BB- There could be some truth to that. Especially with WarKrime (Belden’s former hardcore band), we were trying to be sort of provocative. But yeah, I’m sure there’s some truth to that. But, maybe this is me sublimating my worst impulses. OP- Have you had a hard time reconciling yourself to ambition, while committing to politics, through organizing, altruism? BB- It depends on what you mean, because if I did capitalize on this it wouldn’t be altruistic, it would only be egotistic.

Q & A OP- Did you have complaints with the Rolling Stone Article, and the media's portrayal of your political convictions? BB- It was so weird. And the whole thing just made me seem like this unhinged weirdo. And then in the Washington Post, this lady I met right after operations interviewed me and this other guy. And they just made it seem like ‘these guys don’t even know how they ended up here!’ So this woman’s thing had me as ‘the GAMER who’s dad wanted him to work at a bank but he was TOO LAZY and he just ENDED UP in SYRIA!’ It took me so long to figure out-- it took me like a year of planning to do it. Saving money. I knew all the different groups. People are always like ‘did you not know anything about the YPG?’ I know a lot about Kurdish politics. It’s always been a very inaccurate portrayal of me. OP- What readings make up the background of your politics? BB- Well I’ve gotten through all the major texts. Everything major by Lenin. OP- Anything by Mao? BB- Yeah! Yeah. I’ve got the Little Red Book, I’ve got an expanded version of the Little Red Book (laughs).

Brace Belden in The Haight on August 28, 2017. Photo by Otto Pippenger/ The Guardsman .


CULTURE | 5

Vol. 164, Issue 7 | Nov. 22 – Dec. 6, 2017

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

Moving Image Festival set to go By Barbara Muniz bmuniz1@mail.ccsf.edu

City College of San Francisco’s Cinema Department and the Broadcast Electronic Media Arts (BEMA) presents the 7th Festival of the Moving Image (FMI) on Nov. 30, in the Roxie Theater. The maximum length of each short film is five minutes - a stark difference from the amount of time it takes to put together a whole film project from scratch. “We’ve been working since the beginning of the semester,” said Jason Halprin a professor from the City College cinema department, who teaches film and video production classes on the Ocean Campus . The judges for this year’s FMI, include Halprin himself, former department chair Lidia Szaiko, whose work was featured on the PBS documentary film series “Independent Lens” and current faculty John Carlson, who has worked on countless film projects and has two Emmy awards under his belt. The event has the support of faculty advisors professor Misha Antonich from BEMA and professor Denah Johnston, who, along with Halprin, will be hosting the festival. Halprin’s dedication to the Festival of the Moving Image

demonstrates his level of his commitment and his zeal for the art of creating films. “Both the students who have submitted and the faculty working on this year’s FMI are excited as we get down to the real work. Submissions are closed, and [the] final selections are being made right now, with the line-up slated to be announced early next week,” said Halprin. Halprin’s sentiments echo those of Antonich, who emphasizes the importance of such event for students. “The FMI festival is a great chance for both BEMA and Cine students to meet, network and appreciate the hard work they do, in both departments,” Antonich said He went on to point out that “the vast majority of our students hold down jobs and some have families to attend to which makes such an opportunity to focus on creativity and fun all the more valuable.” Halprin, who has taken part in many festivals over the years, enjoys seeing the expectation that the big screen can bring, “I think it’s exciting to see your work on the big screen in a theater like the Roxie. For most of our students, it’s also an opportunity to share the hard work they’ve put into their films with friends and family from

outside the CCSF community,” he said. This year’s FMI will feature films of all genres, including comedy, documentary, experimental pieces and music videos that will cover the nearly 140 minutes of screen time. Many months of work went into producing this year’s FMI. The people who gather in front of the historical Roxie theater on Nov. 30, will help support the student filmmakers. Halprin feels that the Roxie has been a “beacon of unwavering independence, originality and integrity since 1909.” The first FMI was first conceptualized in 2011, by then film professor Lise Swenson, who decided to put together a project where students could hone their skills with hands on experience in the craft of filmmaking. On the day of the screening a $500 scholarship will be awarded to one student. Antonich has taken part in this festival for a few years and enjoys the result that it brings to all involved, “ The past 7 years of the festival have been an enrichment for the students across both departments as well as for the departments themselves,”said Antonich. The FMI will show 70 entries with two separate screen times

2017 FMI - Illustration by Angie Amaro de Boeck at 7:00 P.M. and 9:15 P.M. To apply, the short films must have been made for a City College BEMA or Cinema class. FMI is co-sponsored by the BEMA and Cinema departments. The Strong

Workforce Program and the Roxie theater were paramount in making last year’s FMI event successful. It should be exciting to see what’s in store for this year.

Platinum selling indie pop sensations rock San Francisco By Adina J. Pernell apernell@theguardsman.com

It’s been over two years since indie pop group Sheppard’s awardwinning album “Bombs Away,” gained a spot on the American top 40 charts on the steam of their pulsing anthem-styled hit “Geronimo,” staying on the Billboard Hot 100 list for an impressive 21 weeks. Still coasting on the high note of opening for the Australian and New Zealand legs of Justin Bieber’s “Purpose” tour with EDM darling DJ Martin Garrix in March, they headlined San Francisco’s Rickshaw Stop, as the first stop in their “Edge of Night” tour on Nov. 13. The tour which is slated for only a handful of select cities is named after a single of the same name that the multi-platinum group released the on June 23. “Edge of Night” is one of three singles released this year in lieu of the band’s highly anticipated sophomore release that is set to come out in 2018. The bright, mermaid-like allure of siblings Amy Sheppard (vocals) and Emma Sheppard (bass guitar), whose wildly colored hair and clothes might have reminded you of sexier, chic versions of Rainbow Brite characters made for a striking combination. The school-boy charm of George Sheppard (vocals) who seemed a little more indie rock than pop when he shone his beaming grin at the audience, gave the trio a carefree ambience. The three offered up quite a visual statement as they performed – one akin to the the psychedelic,

paisley lights that swirled against the backdrop of their stage. Their sound was effortlessly framed by guitarist Jay Bovino, who along with Amy and George Sheppard is one of the band’s songwriters. Fellow guitarist Michael Butler and drummer Dean Gordon made up the strong musical component that completed the band. The group opened the concert with the vibrant energy their audiences have come to expect. And it was clear that they have die-hard fans here in the San Francisco bay area. “It’s good to be back!” said Amy Sheppard speaking fondly of San Francisco. “This is our home man! This is our home!” George reiterated. The first song Sheppard performed was the band’s most recent single “Coming Home,” released just days before the show on November 10. George’s powerhouse vocals really delivered a punch and the band managed to capture an infectious 80’s-esque rhythm that flowed perfectly alongside Amy’s effortless harmonies. For those who haven’t heard this song, it has a positive vibe that

would be at home on any pop music lover’s feel-good playlist; right in Sheppard’s artistic wheelhouse. On the next song, “Love Me Now,” a breezy reggae inspired song that flirted with a 90’s ska rock style that might have made Gwen Stefani proud, Amy and Emma Sheppard, jumped energetically up and down. George and Amy passed out lyrics on the sweet melody like it was Halloween candy, and the audience ate it up – hanging on every wink from the Sheppard sisters be-dazzled eyes and swaying back and forth to the beat. Despite all the fun and antics though, it was clear by this point in the show that George Sheppard was having issues with his voice. “I’m deathly ill,” George who had a flair for the dramatic, had announced just before tackling the vocals on the disco influenced “Edge of Night,” and added. “We were going to cancel the show.” He cleared his throat with determination and delivered on the band’s intention to go ahead, and then gave a decent performance of the headlining song. “I don’t believe in lip-syncing,” he announced.

Sheppard - Photo courtesy of Peter Brew-Bevan

The rest of the show he sang conservatively. “It’s always fun singing with a disease.” he joked darkly about the bug he caught and took a swig from a bottle of lemonhoney water, before singing a song appropriately titled “Choke.” Half-way through the show, it became apparent though, that no amount of bluster could get George Sheppard all the way through. Luckily, he was saved by Amy’s bell-like vocals as she sang a tender melody full of longing and romance called “Live For You,” then followed up that stellar performance with “The fizzy and light” and “Call Me Up” that featured mostly her vocals. At one point, Bovino took over background male vocals and Amy moved to the keyboard while George danced energetically to the music. Just minutes before he had congratulated the group’s opening act Hailey Knox. Raspy guffaw and all, George had the crowd in the palm of his hand. That coupled with Amy’s sunny smile of optimism and Emma’s calm stance as she strummed her bass guitar resonated with the audience.

One man repeatedly screamed “AMY! EMMA!” at the top of his lungs. Another concert-goer had come all the way from Portland, Oregon to see the band and was thrilled just to be able to shake George’s hand. Another highlight of the evening was when George bravely covered the 70’s rock band Stealers Wheel’s hit song “Stuck in the Middle With You,” to which the band added their own stamp of originality. Someone shouted, “We love you!” to the band “I love you!” George shouted back. It was hard to find fault with Sheppard’s creative drive and with an otherwise flawless execution of a classic remake. Even though towards the end of the concert it was apparent that lemon and honey could only do so much, the crowd was deeply appreciative. They performed admirably well considering. “We just flew in [from Australia] yesterday morning,” said Amy. “We’re a little worse for wear.” “But we’re doing it!” yelled George, with exuberance. The band managed to party their way through to the end as they played “Keep Me Crazy,” a song released on March 10, right around the time they conquered Bieber’s tour. When the band closed with the explosive energy of the tune that put them on the map, “Geronimo,” the crowd was more than satisfied with their efforts. And if this “Edge of Night” tour is any indication of Sheppard’s longevity, this is just the beginning for them.


6 | OPINION

Vol. 164, Issue 7 | Nov. 22 – Dec. 6, 2017

A fair living wage is a must if one is to survive By Patrick Cochran pcochran.media@gmail.com

City College announced that all student-workers would see their hourly waged bumped up from $10.74 an hour to $14.00 on Nov. 9. This increase made it so that student-workers were paid as much as everyone else making $14 minimum wage in San Francisco. It was a much needed action, and makes City College the first school nationwide to pay students the same amount as the local minimum wage. Wages at City College will now correspond to the San Francisco minimum wage, which will increase to $15 on July 1, 2018. For a college student living at home, or receiving help from their parents, $15 an hour is more than enough, but for students that support themselves, or have children/dependents, the increase won’t be nearly enough. While important, actions like this are only half-measures. We need to do a lot more if we want to start getting serious about fighting inequality. Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour sounds great, but for many people that wage is still wholly inadequate to support their daily needs. People from outside the

Bay Area probably find the San Francisco minimum wage to be high, but local residents know even $15 it is very hard to get by. San Francisco, and the surrounding counties, need to raise their minimum wage so workers actually have a chance to thrive. The nationwide Fight for $15 movement is correct in that hourly wages needed to be raised. The minimum wage has been mostly stagnant for the last couple decades while the nation’s top salary earners saw their compensation increase substantially as inequality skyrocketed in America. Fight for $15 wants the national minimum wage increased from the puny $7.25 an hour that currently exists to $15. That increase would help but I think it would be smarter to enact legislation that creates a wage formula, that can be adjusted on the state/local level as needed. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has a very nifty tool for calculating the living wage needed in every state, county, and metropolitan area in America. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, an adult living in San Francisco needs to make at least $16.13 an hour to afford basic expenses, while an adult with one child needs to make $32.90 in order

to provide the bare minimum. The current minimum wage isn’t even enough to support someone who has no children, and for a singleparent it isn’t even half what they need to make in order to support their child. A minimum wage of $25, which is about halfway between the $16.13 and $32.90, would be a good first step to lower inequality in San Francisco. That increase would certainly drive up consumer prices, but it would be a great way to to facilitate wealth distribution. Yes, we might lose the ability to buy cheap food, but we would be doing the right thing by helping the less fortunate out and giving them a chance to finally prosper. But even if we move the minimum wage up to $25 it might

not be enough for everyone. As mentioned above, a single parent in San Francisco needs to make a minimum of $32.90 an hour in order to properly support their child’s needs. For the single parents that make less than the $32.90 a subsidy should be offered so all the kid’s essential needs can be met. The best solution would be for the United State’s Congress to pass a law that creates a formula that could be applied to every state to come up with a unique minimum wage that takes into account the cost of living. A formula similar to the one MIT uses would be used to calculate the appropriate wage level for each state/local municipality. Since states often have metropolitan areas where the cost of

living is higher than compared to the rest of the state, like how the cost of living is higher in San Francisco than in the Central Valley, there should be exceptions made for those areas to have a higher minimum wage than the rest of the state. Income inequality is one of the most pressing issues facing our society and we need to get serious about fighting against it. It might be impossible to implement this plan at the national level at this moment, thanks to Donald Trump and his sycophants, but there is no reason we can’t enact this on the state and local level. Action is needed now to combat income inequality, and raising the minimum wage offers an excellent start.

Jury Duty: How it works and where it’s headed By Diane Carter carter@theguardsman.com

The framework for the modern idea of a jury trial was crafted by Henry II in England, in 1166 A.D. Henry wanted systematic governance so he could fairly decide land ownership issues, which at the time were complicated, as there were no written titles to properties. He enlisted the memory of 12 local men as a basis for determining who owned what. This was the first use of an evidentiary system to ascertain justice, championing the discovery of factual legal evidence based on inspection and direct inquiry. Thus, the modern roots of jury service was born; using local witnesses with knowledge of particular issues. Positive Benefits of Being a Juror “Jurors are asked to involve themselves in some of the most personal, sensational, and terrifying events in a community,” says Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, reporter for the Atlantic. The benefit of this community engagement, is reinforcing the stability of values that engender greater cooperation locally and nationally. Tani Cantil-Sakauye, chief justice of California, explains that “trial by jury is one of the fundamental ideas of American Democracy; serving as a juror reminds us that these ideals exist only as long as individual citizens are will to uphold them.” Nevertheless, many people put themselves and their needs before the basic tenant of civic duty and public participation in democratic processes. Often citizens complain

when they receive a summons to appear for jury duty. However, service on a jury is a guarantee that your employer cannot hold you accountable for work missed while serving as a juror. Moreover, very few people are excused from jury duty because of economic hardship, as most employers provide regular pay during jury service. Judges are also willing to postpone your jury duty for up to six months from the date of your original jury summons for reasonable cause. Students may even obtain a continuance for a period of time when they finish semester classes in certain instances. Criticism of the Process of Jury Selection Many critics say that the jury selection process tends to dumb down the quality of jurors who are eventually chosen. They claim qualified jurors are dismissed for having too much knowledge pertaining to a given case. The same group of people claim that this sifting through potential jury candidates leads to a level of “low court room discourse.” Attorneys and judges want jurors to be generalist and not experts in the content of the case they will try, expert witnesses are introduced into jury trials for this reason. The law controls for the possibility of one person swaying the other members of the jury. While this can lead to a jury without the correct amount of knowledge about complex cases and subjects, it is nevertheless the technique used to control prejudice by persons who could otherwise taint the decision

of others by presenting themselves as the expert in the deliberation process. Generally, I think that jury trial by jurors selected from a group of one’s peers may have worked in communities from which the jurors came were homogeneous and where people having similar occupations and shared perspectives. In such an environment, simpler questions of the past could be solved with better outcomes. However, in today’s multicultural and multinational society, it is often the case that there is a wide variation about how one interprets the facts given in a trial. Jury trials are in many instances more complicated, and since jurors are sole arbiters of fact, they may not have adequate background to decide some of the more complicated issues before them. In serving as sole arbiters of fact in a trial, jurors are charged to listen to evidence from both sides without prejudging. After hearing evidence, the judge reads prepared jury instructions to the jurors. Jury instructions applicable to the case are chosen by both the prosecution and defense. It is assumed that the instructions the judge reads will guide the jury deliberations in the direction favorable to a just outcome. A modern jury trial is much more complex than historic trials of the past. They deal with more complex issues of law and evidence and include recent scientific knowledge that is now part of forensic science. For this reason there are now a number of judges who want to cut the use of juries for complex trials. Supreme Court Judge, Peter McLellan of Australia claims that

some of the contemporary criminal trials are too complex for jurors to decide facts in. An example of such a case is the Melham criminal trial involving the conviction of Melham for the murder of his parents. According to McLellan conviction in the jury trial hinged on forensic scientific evidence about the levels of carbon monoxide in the blood of the victims, generally a fact that none of the jurors knew about. Thus judges are beginning to realize that complex presentation of extraordinary facts involving knowledge hardly known to most people is cause for doubting the outcome of a jury verdict. Indeed Judge McLellan said, “As trials get longer and more complicated, most people go to much greater length to avoid jury service.” As with any human endeavor, jury trials are not always perfect and juries can make mistakes. Though judges remind jurors that they must decide the case in adherence to the law applicable, rather than to what they think. Judges do have some discretion to consider a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict when either the prosecution

Illustration by Harlo Pippenger.

attorney(s) or defense attorney(s) bring such a motion. If the motion is granted, the judge will decide the case. However, the motion must be argued by counsel for both parties. The future will bring new methods of trying facts and will amend some of the more disadvantageous aspects of being a juror. How change will evolve is up to judges, attorneys, and interested public groups to decide. However, we have such a contentious social climate now, that it will take a commitment to dialog and study to improve on what we now expect jurors to sift through. The work of a juror as a sole arbiter of fact will certainly change especially where content of complex legal issues must be decided.


SPORTS| 7

Vol. 164, Issue 7 | Nov. 22 – Dec. 6, 2017

Men’s soccer edge De Anza Ram’s crush Butte 3-0 in playoffs college 3-2 to advance in post-season playoff By Patrick Cochran

pcochran.media@gmail.com

By Patrick Cochran pcochran.media@gmail.com

The men’s soccer team beat De Anza College 3-2. The Rams scored the game’s first three goals but De Anza rallied late to give the Rams a scare. Forward, Alejandro Perez, scored the first goal of the game 28 minutes into the first half. Defenseman, Jesus Martinez, got the assist on the goal. Early in the second half the Rams would score two consecutive

goals. Two minutes into the second half midfielder, Adam Shadrack, scored the first goal with forward, Karan Gurung, helping out on the assist. Two minutes later and 49 minutes into the game defenseman, Angel Solis, would score with fellow defender, David Salas, getting the assist to put the Rams up 3-0. De Anza would rally late with two goals. The first came 57 minutes into the game when Shiraz Hussain scored on a back goal post.

John Bayer and Josh Varon were credited with the assist. De Anza player Sahr Mattia would score the game’s final goal when he had an unassisted goal at the 83 minute mark. The Ram’s defense stopped De Anza from tying the game and the Rams ended winning the game 3-2. Goalie, Taylor Bailey, made six saves on the eight shots against him, letting in two goals. The play next in the playoffs on.

The City College women’s soccer team started off their playoff run with a 3-0 drubbing of Butte College. Controlling the tempo of the game from the get-go, the Rams scored their first goal 23 minutes into the game. Midfielder, Angelica Gonzalez, broke through the defense for the score and fellow midfielder, Ileana Mercado, got the assist. The Ram’s defense protected the net, allowing only four shots on goal all game. Goalie, Michelle Gonzalez, saved all four.

The offense would remain quiet until the game’s last eight minutes when they suddenly came alive, scoring two goals. Gonzalez would get her second goal of the game at the 82 minute mark on an unassisted goal. Gonzalez weaved her way through the defense on her way for the score. The final goal came in the game’s last minute. After helping out on the team’s first goal, Mercado would get one of her own in the final seconds to put the game’s final score at 3-0. Forward, Sofia Jones, helped out on the assist.

Rams rout Sacramento City College 55-21 By Patrick Cochran pcochran.media@gmail.com

Unable to make the playoffs, the Rams still found a way to finish their season on a positive note. On the road to Sacramento City College in a season ending bowl game, the Rams absolutely demolished the Panthers in a 55-21 win. Quarterback, Zach Masoli, played outstanding in his final game as a Ram and from the get-go was in control. On the game opening drive, Masoli led the Rams 63 yards down the field, in eight plays and finished off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver, Kevin Fox Jr. The Panthers would respond with a touchdown of their own on the next drive when quarterback, Jayden Machado, completed a three yard touchdown pass to

receiver, Jordan Moore. The Rams countered with three straight scoring drives. Kicker, Greg Thomas, got the first score when he nailed a 36-yard field goal towards the end of the first quarter to cap off a 13 play, 64-yard drive. Isaiah Floyd got the next score when he burst through the defense into the endzone for a five yard rushing touchdown. The offense only had to drive ten yards for the score thanks to an opportune interception by defensive end, Jonathan Pohahau. Quality special teams play set up the next touchdown. Stopped on offense, the Rams were forced to punt. Punter, Louis Headley, booted the ball 34-yard downfield. Panthers receiver, Jonas McMillan, muffed the punt and Ram’s linebacker, Kobie Beltram, recovered the ball at the Sacramento 14-yard

line setting the Rams up with easy field position. Five plays later Masoli ran into the endzone on a one yard quarterback sneak to put the Rams up 24-7. Things would looks dicey for the Rams during most of the second quarter. On back-to-back drives the Panthers would score. On both of them quarterback, Jayden Machado, would find receiver, Carl Marc, open for the touchdown. The first one was a 42-yard strike and the second one went for 16-yards to put the score at 24-21 with a little over four minutes left in the first half. After the brief scare, the Rams would reestablish control of the game. On the very next drive the Rams would march 68-yard down the field in five plays and finished off the drive with a six yard rushing touchdown by Floyd. Which

put the Rams up 31-21. Masoli completed four out of four passes on the drive, including a 25-yard pass to receiver, Leroy Elliot Jr., to start it off. The Rams dominated the second half. The defense played outstanding, shutting the potent Panther offense out and made a series of big plays that set the offense up with easy field position. The Rams scored their first touchdown of the second half when Masoli found Elliot Jr. open for a 36-yard pass. After a Bejour Wilson interception, the Rams drove the ball 39-yard for a touchdown to put them up 45-21. Floyd scored his third touchdown of them game when he banged his way into the endzone on a one yard rush. The special teams unit made another outstanding play when

cornerback, Cedric McAfee, blocked a Sacramento punt giving the Rams the ball at the Panther ten yard line. Floyd scored his final touchdown of the game after he got another one yard touchdown run. Kicker, Greg Thomas, scored the game’s final points when he hit a 39-yard field goal with 7:34 left in the fourth quarter to put the Rams up 55-21. Masoli finished the game 22-36 with 295 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Floyd ran for 136 yards on 25 attempts with four touchdowns. Elliot Jr. led the team in receiving with 9 catches for 130 yards and one touchdown. With the 55-21 win the Rams finished the 2017 season 8-3.

Transfer when you’re ready No minimum units to start Wide Receiver Tyrek Allen (#88) contorts his body so he can haul in the deep ball. Allen burned past his defender and caught the football before running all the way for a touchdown. Photo by Peter Wong

Apply for spring or fall 2018. It’s simple. Our agreement with CCSF gives you flexibility ■ Financing options available ■ Scholarships up to $11,000 ■ Mid-peninsula off 101in Belmont

Lifelong confidence. “The smaller campus gave me opportunities to get involved and grow outside my comfort zone.” –Drew Safety Jamaurri Bailey (# 24) leaps into the air to block a De Anza punt, with teammate Jovon Johnson following. Photo by Peter Wong

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SPORTS | 8

Vol. 164, Issue 7 | Nov. 22– Dec. 6, 2017

Why the Rams always have Aus-some punters States many potential punters have to take classes in certain subjects, like U.S. History, so they can qualify to play Division-1 football. Since City College is barred from contacting recruits from outside of California, perspective punters have to make the initial contact with City College. Coach Nuno is instrumental to the process since he helps them navigate the difficult visa process. A former college football player at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Nuno came to America on an athletic visa from Mexico so he has first-hand experience navigating the byzantine visa process. The Rams have had this Australian connection since 2009. It started when Collins was contacted by a former teammate at Portland State who was looking to find a junior college that would enroll an Australian punter he was helping out. Since then the Rams have a series of punters from Australia that have played and moved on to Division-1 schools. Headley has a fellow compatriot on the team in Australian punter Corey Dunn. Dunn was the punter last year for the Rams, and was signed by Iowa State to play for them but was grey shirted, meaning he doesn’t enroll until spring semester. Dunn decided to stick around City College until then and practices with Headley.

By Patrick Cochran pcochran.media@gmail.com

It was fourth down and the Rams were backed up on their own third yard line with little space to maneuver. The Rams were up 30-12 against a tough American River squad and needed to hold and win the game to avoid starting the season 0-3. American River could easily block the punt and either force a safety or recover the ball and score a touchdown. The Rams snapped the ball to punter, Louis Headley, who rolled out to the right and instead of punting the ball bolted downfield. Fans in the stands went wild as Headley got the first down and more before being forced out of bounds, gaining 22-yards on the trick play and ultimately helping the Rams win their first game of the season. Fans were shocked to see a punter run so fast, but Headley isn’t your average punter. The 24-year old from Mandurah, Australia is much more athletic than most punters. Built more like a wide receiver or shooting guard in basketball, Headley is 6’4, 215 lbs. and has a lean athletic build along with the ability to punt the ball well over 60-yards downfield. A former Australian rules football player, which is a modified version of rugby that plays on an oval field instead of a square one, Headley is part of the trend of Aussie players coming over to America to punt with the hopes of making the NFL.

Headley’s Future Plans

Headley’s first game For Headley there has been a transition to get use to punting and coming to America, but he is handling it well.

“The first game I ever watched was the game I was playing in.

Louis Headley

I’ve only been here three months and I first picked up a football six months ago. But I am learning fast,” Headley said. “With rugby punts, or as you guys call them ‘pooch punts’, it is similar since you gotta get under the ball a bit, but the spiral is completely different so that's why I moved to Melvin, Australia to train for four months before I came here. I am still learning every day but hopefully I got it by the time I am in a four year college.” But even with the learning curve Headley still offers many advantages that American-style punters can’t. Australian punters offer a unique advantage since they roll out, opposed to American punters who just drop back,” Rams offensive line coach, Eduardo Nuno, explains. “The extra seconds that adds allows the punt coverage team more time to get downfield and down the ball to give the defense

City College Rams #93, punter Louis Headley practices his celebrated kick on the football field at City College’s Ocean Campus on Nov 20, 2017. Photo by Otto Pippenger/ The Guardsman.

good field position.” Having an Australian style punter has paid off big time for the Rams in recent years. In the 2015 State title game against Saddleback College Australian punter Michael Sleep-Dalton played a critical role in helping the Rams win the game 26-14. Headley on the field “In the 2015 title game Saddleback started inside their own 20-yard line nine times. It was very critical in helping us win that game,” head coach Jimmy Collins said. Since Headley can take off and run, it forces the opposing team to adapt their strategy. On two separate occasions this season Headley has taken the ball and ran instead of punting and in the process making big plays. The first was the aforementioned 22-yard run against American River, but the second time Headley did it against Santa Rosa it was even more spectacular. On a fourth and 15 on their own 21-yard line, Headley got the snap and ran towards the left. Burning past the the defenders, Headley streaked down the opposing team’s sideline before being hit out of bounds at the Santa Rosa 23-yard line, gaining 56-yards on

the trick play and electrifying the stadium in the process.

“Louis has converted two first downs this year on the ground, one real critical in the American River game where he really helped swing momentum back in our favor,”

Head Coach Jimmy Collins

Collins said. “All of our Australian punters have been very athletic since they come from that rugby background.” Since Headley can run with the ball on trick plays the opposing team has to adjust their special teams unit to account for Headley’s athleticism. Instead of running a full on punt block against the Rams, opposing teams have to leave players back to cover the edges in case Headley takes off.

The Road to America Headley decided to try out punting when someone who had watched him play Aussie rules football told him he had a big boot and should try punting. Before that Headley had been playing since he was three years old and had played semi-professional for three years in Western Australia. Headley connected with Prokick Australia, a company that helps Aussie rules players learn to punt so they can head to America to play football. Prokick Australia has helped send multiple punters to City College, many of whom moved on to play at the Division-1 level. “We have had great success with Australian punters, providing them the academic success on campus to be able to graduate and transfer to Division-1 schools,” Collins said. “All of them know each other, some of them can qualify right away to a D-1 school but for the rest of them they will call or email us and say ‘Hey I want to play for you.’ Word travels and they know City College of San Francisco is somewhere where you can get right academically and we play a good brand of football.” Since Australia has a different education system than the United

“It’s great having a mate,” Headley said. “Me and Corey work together and he has been through the same transition that I am going through now.” Headley mentions a couple things that have made the switch to punting in football hard. “In rugby the ball has more of a bladder, so for kicking there is more a sweet spot,” Headley said. “In football the sweet spot is smaller so it is harder to boot.” Another difficulty for Headley is that he has to sit on the bench most of the game. In Aussie rules football the action is constant, so keeping still for most of the game until being called upon to punt can be hard for Headley. Punting at George Rush Stadium, the Ram’s home field, can prove a challenge too. “I’ve never seen fog like this before,” Headley said. “With the wind and fog it makes it difficult but they say ‘If you can punt here you can punt anywhere.’” The change of culture however has been easy for Headley. “It was pretty easy coming over, I thought it would be difficult but it wasn’t.” Headley said. “But I think back home I was a little bit different so to be honest I like the American lifestyle more.” After the season ends Headley plans to transfer to a four-year college to play. He is optimistic about what the future holds. “It is paying off so far, I am really excited to see where the next few years take me,” Headley said. With the skill level Headley possess he has more than enough reason to be optimistic.


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