Vol. 168, Issue 2 | September 11 – September 25, 2019 | City College of San Francisco | Since 1935 | FREE
Students Unite Against Border Detention
Protestors rally outside of ICE headquarters in San Francisco on August 29. Photo by Peg Hunter / Special to the Guardsman.
By Diana Guzman dianaanaid.gf@gmail.com
City College students are protesting the detainment of children at the United States-Mexico border, as part of the Bay Area Coalition to Close the Camps (BACCC). Hundreds of children are being kept in a migrant detention center in Texas after being separated from their families and held in what the coalition believes to be deplorable conditions. On their Twitter page, the coalition describes itself as “a network of organizations to disarm ICE” and believes they can use their right to assembly to persuade ICE’s contracted firms, like data analyst company Palintir, from being complicit in the border detention and deportation. In a July 22 statement, they said, “We refuse to stay complicit as the tech giant responsible for the intelligence apparatus used to track, terrorize, deport, and imprison migrants, refugees at our border and their families, continues
operations in our backyard. We are calling on all who are they will ever see their parents again. And of course, we opposed to the repression of migrants and refugees and have to mention that people have died in detention because the existence of concentration camps to join our coalition.” of Border Patrol's inhumane policies,” said Hidalgo. City College student Mica Jarmolowsky-Schneider has The ANSWER Coalition alongside the BACCC are been working alongside the BACCC for several months and currently working on putting together a public demonstration attributes their involvement to being pro-prison abolition. on Sept. 16 with an end goal of securing amnesty and full “I think the child detention centers are so heartbreaking and rights for all immigrants, closing the border camps and horrible. And we want those closed. We also want all the abolishing ICE. concentration camps closed,” said Jarmolowsky-Schneider. “The key right now is to continue building solidarity for The group held an emergency mobilization at the Palantir immigrants and all oppressed people. To build education building in Palo Alto on August 16, accusing the company and action around these issues, so people can truly of providing “the technology ICE used to steal 680 people understand what is going on, and start working to undo during the largest single-state immigration enforcement the racist, capitalist system that is at the root of all this action in US history last week.” The raid itself took place suffering,” said Hidalgo. on August 7 and was focused on detaining workers from Over 500 children from Buena Vista Horace Mann seven food plants throughout central Mississippi. Community School will lead the march to City Hall. There In early 2017 the American Immigration Council will also be families, faith-based groups, activists, and union requested a document from the Homeland Security members attending the march. Investigations Unit and, through the Freedom of Information The “Free the Children” protest and march on Act, a document which explained the relationship between September 16 will begin with a rally on 24th and Mission ICE and Palintir was revealed. St. at 11 a.m. After the rally, the march will initiate around In a May 2019 article in Slate magazine by April 12 p.m., actions and delegations will start at 3 p.m., and the Glazer, the links between Palantir and ICE are portrayed: day will conclude with a 6 p.m. celebration back at 24th “ICM is a system built by Palantir, funded initially by a $41 and Mission St. million contract with ICE in 2014. With the ICM system, The BACCC can be contacted at (415) 206-0577 and immigration agents are provided access to intelligence meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the ANSWER office from the Drug Enforcement Agency, the FBI, and other at 2969 Mission St. The group also encourages anyone law enforcement agencies, in addition to information like interested to check out the Sept. 16 event’s Facebook page, a subject’s criminal record and work history.” A Day Without Immigrants SF. The South Texas Family Residential Center is a substantial immigration building in the United States in which ICE detains children with very little access to medical care or basic care needs. Erika Hidalgo, a member of the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition and member of the BACCC, believes activists should focus on bringing attention to President Trump’s inhumane treatment of immigrants. “Holding cells are packed with two or three times the amount of people they were designed to hold, to the point where people can't even lie down. Children are facing the trauma that will last a lifetime, and for thousands of them, the Protestors rally outside of ICE headquarters in San Francisco on August 29. Photo question is still up in the air if by Peg Hunter / Special to the Guardsman.
All-Gender Restroom Rollout Continues Despite Vandalism By Tyler Breisacher tbreisac@mail.ccsf.edu
An all-gender restroom in Cloud Hall was vandalized shortly before the start of fall classes, continuing a pattern that has plagued City College, as some restrooms are converted to all-gender restrooms. Fake binary restroom signs were placed over the all-gender signs on the third floor of Cloud Hall. The signs were first noticed on August 15, in between the summer and fall sessions. City College is nearing completion of its plan to make all-gender restrooms available throughout its campuses. While there hasn’t been significant property damage, this sort of vandalism is still a serious issue according to Jennifer Carlin, chair of the behavioral sciences department, who said incidents like this should be taken seriously because “they’re hateful incidents and they have a deep impact on people in the community.” This is part of a string of similar incidents that have occurred as more all-gender restrooms are added, including one in which a “W” was written on the wall outside an all-gender restroom that was previously designated as a
women’s restroom, as the Guardsman reported in March. Konrad, a nonbinary City College student, was upset by the ongoing vandalism: “I don’t take this stuff super personally for myself as a nonbinary person, but it does enrage me that it’s going to hurt so many other nonbinary people or nonconforming people. That’s really irritating to me.” Sgt. Tiffany Green said the campus police have not received any reports of vandalism related to all-gender restrooms, since January 2019. She noted that nearly all officers have gone through a transgender sensitivity training, provided by the US Justice Department, as part of the department’s compliance with a new California law which requiring police departments’ basic training to include trainings related to sexual orientation and gender identity. However, anthropology professor Natalie Cox says an increased police presence isn’t necessarily the best way to combat the vandalism. Trying to fight vandalism with increased surveillance “is not a solution so much as a problem in and of itself,” she said. All-Gender continued on page 7 Illustration by Chiara Di Martino
2 | NEWS
Associated Students Executive Council Prepares for Special Elections at Centers By Lisa Martin lisamartin.562@gmail.com
The Associated Students (AS) Executive Council is supposed to represent the entirety of City College’s student population with members from every campus’s individual Associated Students Councils meeting to weigh in on district-wide decisions and advocate for student needs. However, this semester many centers have no Associated Students Councils at all due to a lack of applicants in the Spring semester. This has prompted the AS Executive Council to host a series of “town halls” encouraging students at centers to run for council positions in September’s special election. The AS Executive Council has 17 total student positions and, of those, only five are currently filled. So far the council has been putting its best effort towards organizing a special election to reform center councils and trying to drum up
student interest in running for office. According to Student Chancellor Drew Min, the council’s outreach is focused on Evans Center, Mission Center, Chinatown Center and John Adams Center. At a town hall on Wednesday Sept. 4 at Evans Center, Min stressed to students “we just need the people” to get started. Once center councils have been reformed, each center’s Associated Student Council can decide when and how often they meet, change the bylaws of their councils and use their allocation of student activity money. “Without that council you can’t use that [student activity] money,” said interim Administrator of Student Activities and advisor to the AS Executive council Amy Coffey to the Evans Center students. Coffey later explained that this was to protect the money from being used without student input. At several town halls, various students expressed concern that joining their
Student Chancellor Drew Min, left, talks to students at the John Adams Center as they pick up refreshments before a town hall to discuss upcoming special elections. Sept. 4, 2019. Photo by Lisa Martin / The Guardsman
center’s council would be difficult to do on top of school work, jobs and their other commitments. At the John Adams town hall, one student asked how new students on the council were supposed to know what to do if nobody from previous years were coming back. “Whatever needs or concerns that you have, we can work on it together,” said Min, adding that there would be a training session for new council members. The town halls also gave students an opportunity to air out their concerns about their centers: a student lounge in need of a better cooling system, night time security, better equipment for classes and satellite book loan programs and resource centers so students at centers aren’t always forced to go to Ocean Campus for their needs. “We don’t want these [town halls] to be a one off event,” said Student Trustee Bryan Daley, who attended the Evans Center town hall. In the event that no students run in the special election for a center, Min said that as Student Chancellor and chair of the AS Executive Council, he would try to coordinate with students to find out what support the student government can give them at the centers. To run for the student council at the centers, students must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher, be enrolled in five units at City College and at least one class at the center where they are running for student council and be in good academic standing. Applications must be turned in by noon on Friday Sept. 13. You can find and submit applications online at https://www.ccsf.edu/en/studentservices/student-activities/elections.html Special elections will be held from Sept. 24 - Sept. 25 and students will be able to vote online.
Budget Cuts Create Bigger Problems in Resource Centers By Anshi Aucar aaucar@mail.ccsf.edu
Over the past few weeks, many campus resource centers have found themselves without available classified staff to supervise student workers which has caused the centers to limit their hours for student availability. Resource centers offer student support including tutoring services, book vouchers, clipper cards as well as academic guidance. Yet, the centers have found themselves not as available as they have been in the past years and are facing the enforcement of policies that haven’t been previously enforced. Michael Sloan, a Veterans Resource Center (VRC) patron, believes that the administration is trying to crack down on loopholes students have used in the past which is causing the school to lose more money instead of saving it to fund classes. Cody Stephenson, president of the VRC said, “The administration came in fall two days before school started and they decided they were taking back control which is okay. But there was no transition period. We went from providing resources from 7a.m. to 6p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays 10a.m. to 6p.m. to being drastically changed from 9a.m. to 2p.m. We have worked our way back up to our resources.”
Staff Editor-in-Chief Lisa Martin
News Editor Claudia Drdul
Many faculty have seen this current term as a more difficult time for resource centers to provide the same quality service as they have provided during previous terms. The Latino Service Network (LSN) that has provided book loans as well as a computer lab for students to do their homework and print out their school work has also been deeply affected by these changes. The center’s counselors have had to step in and share the workload of a previous classified staff member who managed the LSN lab and provided assistance to students who came into the program as well. Anastasia Fiandaca, an LSN counselor, expressed her frustration with the lack of personnel in the center: “We definitely need a clerical person to help us out. I think there is going to be a very big negative impact on our students.” City College student Gonzalo Perez was frustrated when he attempted to obtain a bookloan from the LSN: “It was annoying, they called us and said it was ready and we went there and no one was there. Then we left and came back later and still no one was there. The third time they said they couldn’t find our books and had us fill out another application.” To meet the concerns The resource centers will hold a meeting on September 9 to speak about their frustrations with these new administrative changes.
Culture Editor Matheus Maynard
Opinion Editor Andy Damián-Correa Photo Editor Amal Ben Ghanem
Sport Editor Alec White Copy Editors Antoinette Barton Tyler Breisacher
Designer Director Chiara Di Martino Online Editor Fran Smith
Vol. 168, Issue 2 | September 11 – September 25, 2019
BRIEFS
City College Bids Adieu to Old Policies and Welcomes New By Jennifer Yin jyin@csu.edu
The month of August was home to two Board of Trustees meetings that granted students and staff alike greater clarity on the future of City College As reported in the last issue of the Guardsman, a new Free City MOU was approved by the board, which ensures the City of San Francisco will be providing funds to the college’s Free City program for the next ten years. In addition to the Free City vote, the board also voted to approve a seven-year facilities master plan which would modernize Ocean Campus and assist in future projects, including the installation of temporary portables, affordable housing for students and faculty, and the reconstruction of Cloud Hall. The total projected cost of the master plan would amount to $57 million. During the August 22 board meeting, concerned faculty and students mentioned a lack of transparency from the administration, regarding the reduction of educational counselors, class sections, and workforce programs during public comment. According to the Fall 2019 Enrollment Management report, approximately 128 credit and 29 noncredit classes were reduced. Reduction in courses include some English 1A and 1AS sections, Aircraft Maintenance, Conversational Chinese and Travel and Tourism. Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Tom Boegel, attributed the cancellations to under enrollment, class time changes, a lack of available instructors, sequencing errors and an incompletion of class preparation. However, several professors including Ron Richardson do not believe under enrollment is the cause of classes being cut. Richardson gave testimony to having 15 to 20 students in his English 1A class while his colleague, who was not named, had 50 students trying to enroll in their course. Another issue that was present in public comments was the administration's push for course enrollment to reach a maximum capacity of 45 students. Tamina Haugh, a part-time interdisciplinary studies and English teacher, believes City College should make class sizes smaller not larger as to allocate more time to each given student. However, Chancellor Mark Rocha believes that his new sequencing plan and budget education of department chairs will resolve many of these issues for the Fall 2020 semester. In addition to Rocha’s plan, City College is in the process of staffing classes that are to be added in the middle of this semester.
Staff Writers Anshi Aucar Tyler Breisacher Rachel Berning Matthew Cardoza
Abraham Davis Meyer Gorelick Caoilinn Goss Diana Guzman Jennifer Yin
NEWS | 3
Vol. 168, Issue 2 | September 11 – September 25, 2019
BRIEFS
City College Mourns the Loss of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies Chair Tannis Reinhertz By Matheus Maynard mmaynardfrank@aol.com
Tannis Reinhatz passed away at the age of 57 after a long term battle with cancer. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Reinhertz graduated from City College’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies (CAHS) Department in 1985. She then attended St. Mary’s college where she earned her Bachelor's degree in management and finally went on to graduate from San Francisco State University with a Masters degree in Adult Education. After graduation, Reinhertz excelled as sous-chef, maitre d’, wine buyer and General Manager at various fine restaurants in the Bay Area over the next 20 years. She returned to City College’s CAHS department to teach in 1993 and then in 2009 she became the department’s chair until her retirement earlier this year. Passionate about equity and diversity, Reinhertz made sure that her life’s work would be to make the culinary profession more inclusive. One of Reinhertz’s most moving contributions was an article penned in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2017 highlighting the gentrification of San Francisco and the intersection of race and class. Her colleague and chair of the Social Sciences Department, Darlene Alioto said, “Tannis was a wonderful colleague and a dear friend. She was chair of the Hospitality program for many years and her graduates can be found as chefs throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area. She will be greatly missed.” Reinhertz received an acknowledgment for “excellence as a distinguished educator” in a publication entitled Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Tannis Reinhertz will be greatly missed by her relatives, friends, colleagues, and students. She has left a legacy of integrity, resilience, and perseverance upon our community.
Water Damage and Mildew Close Rooms in Visual Arts Building By Caoilinn Goss
Buildings & Grounds assigned funding for repairs to the Superintendent Jimmy Kirk Student Health Center. cgoss2@mail.ccsf.edu confirmed that the rooms remain The meeting minutes state, Long term water damage closed. Asebedo declined to “The Student Health Center water in Ocean Campus’ Visual Arts speculate as to when or if the intrusion is an ongoing situation. Building resulted in a health and rooms will reopen, stating that The solution is to excavate in the safety concern that caused the decision would ultimately be old childcare area and perform closure of two faculty offices at made by the Facilities Committee, waterproofing and provide the beginning of the Fall Semester. chaired by Dr. Rueben Smith. proper drainage to solve the The leak began in mid-March Water damage has affected foundation issue.” 2019 in first floor rooms 104 and other buildings on Ocean At the time of the meeting, the 105, according to Art Department Campus as well. At the March Committee had solicited proposals Chair Anna Asebedo. She 18, 2019 meeting of the Facilities from various companies. explained that a large amount Committee discussed plans and of water leaked from the heating system over several months which created a build-up of moisture and humidity that resulted in unsafe levels of mildew. Asebedo, with the help of several members of the Arts Department faculty and student aid, removed damaged materials from the rooms before the fall semester began. The displaced faculty — Asebedo estimated ten to twelve instructors — were not provided with temporary office spaces and they are currently sharing a space in the remaining Arts Department offices. Notices adorn the doorway of Visual Arts 104. Sept. 4, 2019. Photo by Amal Ben Ghanem / The Guardsman
Mac Labs Left In A Lurch with No Mac IT Specialist By Meyer Gorelick msggorelick@gmail.com
The June retirements of two Mac specialists from City College’s IT department have left various academic chairs feeling concerned about the availability of necessary support to run their departments. The departure of Michael Moore and Paula Yee have contributed to the 30 percent decrease in IT department personnel strength, and a new Mac specialist seems to be low on the HR approved hiring list compared to other positions, despite frequent inquiries made from Art department chairs. Academic Computing Manager James Hall says that the IT department is spread thin and in the process of replacing some of those lost to both the college’s own Supplemental Early Retirement Program as well as more lucrative opportunities working as IT technicians for private companies. “We all already have our own work. We’re not the best at [Mac] work. We can’t wait for new hires. That usually takes about six months or longer. We hope that we can keep up until we get those people,” said Hall. On top of high employee turnover rates, the IT department is required to use the San Francisco County hiring process which has more obstacles than the lessregulated processes in the private sector. City College has contracted out the leadership of the IT department to Tom Danford of CampusWorks, Inc. and are
Illustrator Kristina Hines Chiara Di Martino Lisa Martin Jennifer Yin
Photographers Saroya Mackey Fran Smith
Faculty Adviser Juan Gonzales
currently in discussion about hiring contract IT specialists computers” said Johnston. that don’t specialize in Mac, according to Hall. When asked for comment Tom Danford, Interim “There are things that are optional, but IT isn’t,” said Associate Vice Chancellor of Information Technology, said Sheila McFarland, Broadcast Electronic Media Arts “We will be hiring additional IT staff for Mac support, and Department Chair. “We can’t run our program without finding the right people takes time. In the interim, we have the correct hardware and software, and we can’t run the existing IT staff who are PC specialists and who are training hardware and software without the people to support it.” to provide Mac support. That will be a big help right away.” Other department chairs are concerned that troubleshooting problems will fall on their shoulders: “This is something I’ve been inquiring about since April” said Cinema Department Chair Denah Johnston. The City College IT department typically tries to limit who has access to administrative rights to those within their department so that changes aren’t made by extra users, which is something Hall considers best practice. However, Johnston is concerned that departments relying on Mac labs will be expected to resolve IT issues outside their expertise without the necessary administrative codes. The struggle for Mac support comes amydst City College’s reduction of department budgets which left the Cinema Department with a 50 percent decrease in funds. “The budget reflects the administration’s priorities. They knew that Mac IT people were leaving, and they can’t say that we didn’t ask them for a plan to address their absence. We are a CTE (career and technical education) program, and we need someone with the expertise to support our Illustration by Lisa Martin
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4 | CULTURE
Vol. 168, Issue 2 | September 11 – September 25, 2019
San Franciscan Whale Statue Ready to Be Properly Restored After 15 Years of Waiting
"The Whales" by Robert Howard was created for the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939. Photo courtesy of Matthew Cardoza
By Matthew Cardoza Collaborator
For centuries, America and other nations have partaken in World’s Fairs to showcase cultural milestones and new technology. While the most famous exhibition was in New York City, a World’s fair event called the Golden Gate International Exposition took place in San Francisco on Feb. 18, 1939. While the main draw was the introduction of the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge, there were other pieces showcased from artists and architects both local and from all over the world. One notable piece amongst the many displayed was a statue known as ‘The Whales’, by artist Robert Boardman Howard. The statue owned by the San Francisco Arts Commission was placed in a dirt lot obstructed from public view. As time went on, the statue lacked appropriate care, being held together with wrappings. The statue was also found next to rusting metal, old wood, and even a
dead possum at one point. While it doesn’t According to Dr. Lass, talks for the along the steps leading to the front of the look damaged externally, it has suffered statue have occurred since before her time science building were made. This concept internal damage due to it being an indoor as Works of Art committee chair. “On the never really went anywhere, and currently statue that has been outdoors for so long. Whale Statue, we mainly focus on provid- placed along the steps is the statue known As discussions of possible locations went on ing estimates and reports consulted with the as “Saint Francis of the Guns” created by over the years the statue has continued to commission on planning and placement. It Italian sculptor Beniamino Bufano, loaned sit in plain sight weathering away, even on has been very slow progress.” through the Arts Commission. its 80th anniversary this year. Many San Franciscans who grew up The new location for the statue The statue was purchased by the San around the statue remember it fondly. In the has been greatly discussed for around 20 Francisco Arts Commission in 2004 once Facebook group San Francisco Remembered, years. In addition to City College, there the Steinhart Aquarium went through much- many commenters expressed their memories were plans to place the statue at the San needed renovations and was combined of the statue on a post comparing side by Francisco Zoo and at Treasure Island, all with the newer Academy of Sciences build- side of what it looked like at the Golden of which didn’t go past the discussion ing. The Arts Commission now owning Gate International Exposition, to a more stage. Now the statue is slated to be placed the statue decided to relocate the statue recent photo taken in 2016. Many expressed in front of the City College pool, according to Ocean Campus, in conjunction with its their memories with uploaded photos of to Alison Cummings. partnership with City College. themselves and their families at the statue. Cummings is the senior registrar of the As the statue sat in the fenced-off lot, Commenters like Gregory Thomas Arts Commission, who manages an assortpayments were being made by City College gave examples of times they had near the ment of historical pieces of art including to the Arts Commission consecutively from statue when they went on field trips as chil- the statue. Cummings gave insights on why 2016 to as recently as 2018 through the ARG dren, Thomas said: “Under those whales, exactly the statue has been outside for so (Architectural Resources Group). A few I’d eat the sack lunch my mom brought long, saying: “Interior storage is a chalobtained receipts from the Arts Commission with us from home. I’d take breaks from lenge for this piece. My understanding is show that ARG Conservation services were eating to run and chase pigeons around that City College of San Francisco and the paying an average of $5,000 per month for the courtyard and wind my way around Arts Commission moved the statue from the a few years towards restoring the monu- the trees and bushes that were at the court- Academy of Sciences to a crane company ment, the payments now going towards yard’s edges as I looked for the mother bear before moving it to its current spot”. its current refurbishment. and penguin statues.” Cummings stressed that the placement Working in conjunction with the Arts Other commenters expressed their of the statue in its current location was Commission on the Whale Statue is the dissatisfaction with this situation. One of always meant to be temporary, but since Works of Art Committee. This committee the commenters, Leslie Tereck, said what a it was moved with no concrete plan, things is led by the department chair and anthro- lot of the replies to the photo were saying, fell apart and the statue has remained pology professor Dr. Barbara Lass. They which was: “The sculpture should be in a there. She overall had a positive outlook on share the desire with the Arts Commission place where people can see it again. I don’t the future of the statue, saying that in 24 to return the statue to its former glory, but know why it isn’t at the aquarium or in some months it will be at the front of the pool its role in this matter is only advisory, as they other public place.” exterior near the sign. In the meantime, she do not own the statue. Documents obtained through the will be working with the conservatory team, Arts Commission showed that the project masons, and stone conservators to restore it has been in limbo for a long while, with to its former glory and give it the appearance many conversations held between the that Robert Howard intended it to have. Arts Commission and City College staff If Cummings prediction truly comes to over the years on the possible return of fruition, then the Whale Statue will once the whale statue and where it should be again be prominent in San Franciscan permanently placed. culture, and will finally get the attention The first archived initiative to return the it deserves. statue to its former glory was in May of 2008, where schematics of a possible placement
"The Whales" by Robert Howard, circa 2016. Photo courtesy of Matthew Cardoza
"The Whales" by Robert Howard, circa 2018. Photo by Lisa Martin
Vol. 168, Issue 2 | September 11 – September 25, 2019
CULTURE | 5
Political Themes Meet Paper Making in The Visual Art Building Gallery By Abraham Davis abrahamdfrankfurter@gmail.com
Found at the lower floor of the Visual Arts Building in room 119, Ocean Campus, is internationally known papermaker and artist Michelle Wilson’s gallery: Everything Always Happens All At Once. Wilson is the latest artist to have her work displayed at City College, a tradition that has been ongoing since the 1980s. Artists have their work displayed for four weeks, allowing around three artists per semester to be displayed in the gallery. Wilson brings together different materials, ranging from paper made from bamboo and hemp to paper created from invasive plants that she harvested herself. She uses this paper to construct an array of visual art, a series of drawings and abstract sculptures. “The plants I gather manifest records of seed migration, weather patterns, soil conditions, climate change and other intersections between humanity and the natural world,” Wilson says in her artist’s statement. Every piece shares this similar theme, a balance of nature and industrialization, beauty and uncomfortability. “These concepts are accompanied by a sense of solastalgia; the disquiet or psychic distress caused by environmental change,” she continues. Wilson says the name of her gallery represents how she thinks people in her communities are feeling. “Environmental issues Portrait of a person wearing a dust mask made are social justice issues.” out of paper created by Michelle Wilson. Photo
The largest piece in the in the Visual Arts building’s gallery, a wall collage made out of paper by artist Michelle Wilson. Photo by Abraham Davis Frankfurter / The Guardsman
She told the Guardsman, “Communities I care about are being attacked on all sides, everyone is feeling overwhelmed.” Wilson’s art conveys feelings of appreciation for the nature around us and awareness that it is being threatened. City College professor Nancy Elliott, the curator of the gallery, said that these themes are part of the reason that she chose Ms. Wilson as the artist featured in her next gallery. “What is really interesting about Michelle is that she’s political,” Elliott said. “It’s sort of unexpected for someone that does paper art to have a political theme.” Elliott says the reason she enjoys having a variety of different types of contemporary artists featured in the galleries is that it allows these conversations about politics and social justice to happen in a different space than they might normally be had in. Having art centered around social justice or political issues is not new to Wilson. Her work has been displayed all over the world, from the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. to Mediatheque André Malraux in Strasbourg, France. Wilson is also one half of the political art team BOOK BOMBS along with Philadelphia print and papermaker Mary Tasillo. As BOOK BOMBS the two artists “re-contextualizes public spaces, particularly park benches, empty lots, and abandoned buildings, drawing on the history of guerrilla art, graffiti traditions, and the artist multiple.” While most of the installations in “Everything Always Happens All At Once” are from the last ten years, the largest piece is Wilson’s biggest wall collage to date. The collage is an amalgam of all her other work she chose to put in the gallery. Two of the most striking pieces are from the early 2000s. Named “Rebirth” and “Afterbirth”, respectively, these two drawings differ in that they are done in intense black pastelle and cast beautiful gloom over the corner they reside in. She says that they represent her finding empathy for what others are feeling after coming out of a state of depression. “Not that one can ever truly empathize,” she adds.
by Abraham Davis Frankfurter / The Guardsman
Contemporary Mayan Culture Celebrated in Exhibit at Library By Anshi Aucar & Caoilinn Goss aaucar@mail.ccsf.edu & cgoss2@mail.ccsf.edu
Rosenberg Library's 2nd Floor Atrium Gallery will house an exhibit for the full extent of the Fall 2019 semester entitled Why The Immigrants Come: Contemporary Maya Paintings and Textiles From Guatemala featuring a variety of contemporary Maya artists and centering on themes such as poverty, displacement, and genocide. The exhibit, containing 21 paintings, seven textiles, and a 20 minute documentary video She Is Everything: Maya Women in the Art of Pedro Rafaél González Chavajay, will be accompanied by a reception with artist Paula Nicho Cúmez, an artist whose work hangs in the Smithsonian. The reception will be held in the Rosenberg gallery at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, September 18. Curators Rita Moran and Maureen Bourbin will also host a Maya Cultural Festival at the Mission Center Library from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 21. The event will involve interactive workshops on the Maya language, border activism, and human rights movements in Guatemala and the Yucatan. The event will also feature a fashion show and traditional dance performance. Moran, an ESL instructor at City College for over a decade, has curated the
collection since 2007. “One of the most wonderful things about this is that we have a lot of participation by the Maya community in the Bay Area,” she told the Guardsman. The traditional dance performances will feature members of the vibrant Mam community living in Oakland today. “The Maya are not extinct. Most people don’t realize there are six million living Maya people who are talking their [26] different languages and living their different cultures. And many many thousands of them are emigrating to the United States pushed by the same forces that are pushing all the other Latin American immigrants.” Moran went on to say, “We want to educate people about the reasons why there’s this flood of refugees and the border.” “The United States is directly responsible for many of these problems. That’s something that a lot of Americans don’t realize,” she went on. “The impetus for all of this project is trying to support the immigrants.” The exhibit heavily features textiles due to the centuries old tradition of Maya women weaving. In an interview published on Youtube by Rita Moran, Cúmez explains of the traditional Mayan clothing, “I feel that this is my second skin.” Traditional Mayan garments, called huipil, feature patterns that are specific to the towns and regions where they are made. In
this sense, the textiles serve as a literal record and see their culture put up for the world of the Maya diaspora. Part of the intent of to admire, it supports their sense of dignity,” the collection, according to Bourbin, is to said Moran. “A person can learn a whole lot document these communities before they better if they feel respected.” disappear. The exhibit and associated events are Katrina Rahn, the faculty librarian sponsored by the English as a Second overseeing the exhibition, said “Maureen Language Department in partnership with Bourbin and Rita Moran have brought us the Latin American & Latino/a Studies a wonderful vision of sharing the Mayan Department. experience with our students in such a beauRahn said, “I was really excited to see so tiful, visual way. Even though there will be many community partners on this. Everyone difficult subject matter, this is still very much is fully engaged!” an inspiring exhibit.” The exhibit will close December 20. “When my indigenous students come
One of the paintings featured in the "Why The Immigrants Come: Contemporary Maya Paintings and Textiles From Guatemala" exhibit at Rosenberg Library. Sept. 9, 2019. Photo by Mattheus Maynard / The Guardsman
6 | OPINION
HAVE YOUR SAY BY ANDY DAMIÁN-CORREA
“HOW HAVE CLASS CUTS AFFECTED YOU?”
“The director was telling me how the Theater Arts program was going to get cut next semester, so that means less acting classes and they already cut the night time acting classes.” Ph ot
o
s
by
Sa
roya
M a c key
— Samantha Gomez, Theater Arts
“Personally they haven’t affected me much and this being my second year there’s not a big difference” — Jason Brown, Psychology
“It’s certain classes that I needed this semester and I wasn’t able to get into them, and it sucks to know if they have ten or less people that the class will just get cut.” — Delaney Bradix Lofton, Child Development and Criminal Justice
“I don’t think they affect me right now, but I definitely think they might be a issue later on when I want to take classes I really want they might not be there.” — Yared Rodriguez, Business Administration
“It’s hurt the students more than anyone because there's not as many opportunities for them to take the classes they need so that they can graduate and move on. The class cuts are prolonging students staying at City” — Kirstin Williams, Dance Coordinator
Vol. 168, Issue 2 | September 11 – September 25, 2019
Brazil’s Failed Politics Are Burning Down the Amazon By Matheus Maynard mmaynardfrank@aol.com
Recent events have stricken international politics and global concern towards the living conditions for the life of own our planet. The Amazon rainforest has been burning for almost a month, and it has also created an international diplomatic crisis between Brazil and some European countries. Brazil elected its own version of Donald Trump in their last presidential elections in 2018. Jair Bolsonaro is infamous for his hate speech, controversial ideas and outrageous statements. He is sympathetic to racism, misogyny, homophobia, and apparently against any effort to keep global warming levels at 1.5 degrees Celsius (around 35 degrees Fahrenheit). Once he stepped up into office, he reduced funding for governmental agencies and NGOs to preserve the environment and reduce deforestation. Bolsonaro is a political disaster who has proven to cause a great deal of damage in only nine months in office. Brazil is one of the greatest powers of the world and having an old-fashioned, racist, and unintelligent person as their head of state is for sure something to be concerned about. Similarly to the United States, no one could ever believe that Bolsonaro would win 2018’s presidential elections. Just like Trump’s case, he is known for unmeasured and offensive statements. By the way, ironically enough, he is a fan of Trump and adopted some of Trump’s administrative tools. For example, he tweets about everything and everyone! However, all this political game shouldn’t be putting at risk the conditions which allow life to exist on the planet. The Amazon is the largest rainforest on the planet, representing over half of the remaining rainforest. It’s rich in biodiversity beyond measure and provides multiple essential natural services to the planet. Located in South America, the Amazon forest occupies a space of more than 2.5 million square miles. It is the home to approximately more than 390 billion trees and more than 10 percent of all known species. This series of so-called wildfires has gone out of control and was only taken notice when the
Illustration by Jennifer Yin / The Guardsman
smoke traveled halfway the continent and made Brazil’s largest metropolis Sao Paulo, to turn on their lights at 3 pm in the afternoon. The fires are due to the infamous slash-and-burn farming technique allowing thousands of fires to spread out. The “Dia do Fogo” (fire day) was started by farmers to clear out land for cattle. Bolsonaro’s first act when the crisis started was to blame this on the governmental agencies and NGOs that got budget cuts as a way to retaliate the government for those cuts. Bolsonaro’s own political agenda got really clear when he initiated an international diplomatic crisis between Brazil and France. French President Emmanuel Macron called out the G7 (the group of the seven most powerful and influential countries, including the U.S.) to discuss and take action upon this environmental catastrophe on the Amazon forest among other topics. Macron tweeted in English, “Our house is burning. Literally. The Amazon rainforest — the lungs which produce 20% of our planet’s oxygen — is on fire. It is an international crisis. Members of the G7 Summit, let’s discuss this emergency first order in two days! #ActForTheAmazon”. Bolsonaro, on the edge of his maturity in his political and diplomatic game, mocked Macron’s wife on social media for her being 25 years older than Macron, and Macron commented during the G7 Summit press conference, “What can I tell you? It’s sad. It’s sad for him and for Brazilians. I think
that Brazilian women are probably ashamed to read that their president has done that.” “I think that Brazilians, a great people, are a bit ashamed of this behavior. As I have a lot of friendship and respect for the Brazilian people, I hope that they will quickly have a president who is up to the job,” said Macron. This international humiliation for Brazil’s political stance didn’t end with that. G7 came up with an emergency fund to fight the wildfires of $22 million and Bolsonaro refused the aide. The Brazilian government will accept the money if it has no restrictions on its use. There are two sides to every story. There might be a fear amongst Brazilian towards accepting help from European potencies that will reflect in the loss of Brazil’s precious rainforest to foreign exploitation. Also, the scars of colonization are still within the people of Latin America. However, this side of the story cannot be considered at all whilst our biggest rainforest is still burning. It is not about national sovereignty when what’s in the middle of the gambling table is one of our precious natural mechanisms to sustain the way of life. In 2019, we walk closer and closer to an ecological catastrophe. The future of our own survival is in the hands of old and retrograde politicians. However, we still hold the power to change the course of humanity. It’s time to change.
HEY RAMS! Send us your your opinion articles, tips and upcoming activities for our community calendar email Editor-in-Chief: lisamartin.562@gmail.com Deadline for next issue: 9/18/19
NEWS | 7
Vol. 168, Issue 2 | September 11 – September 25, 2019
All-Gender continued from page 1 Professors Cox and Carlin are part of an ad hoc group email, sent to City College employees on Sept. 4 by Senior of professors called the Queer and Trans Inclusion Project, Vice Chancellor of Administrative and Student Affairs, or QTIP, which has guided City College administrators to Dianna Gonzales, reminding them that defacement or make the campus more welcoming to queer and trans people. vandalism of all-gender restrooms “constitutes discrimination QTIP has worked with the administration to plan and and harassment” and “creates an unwelcoming implement the rollout of all-gender restrooms on all City environment for gender nonconforming, non-binary, and College campuses, an effort which should be completed transgender individuals.” this semester in order to comply with new laws that went Currently, the collaboration is working on having into effect in 2016 and 2017. They have also created an wayfinding signs put up near binary gender restrooms, adopt-a-bathroom program to counteract and hopefully showing anyone wanting to use an all-gender restroom prevent future hate incidents. “People who are near these where they can find one. Until those signs can be added, areas where there’s all-gender bathrooms, and who use the website of the Gender Diversity Project has a list of them frequently or walk by frequently, will keep an eye out all-gender bathrooms on the various City College campuses. for any kind of incidence of these defacements,” said Cox. QTIP has also facilitated an LGBTQ sensitivity training, For example, Ardel Haefele-Thomas, chair of the LGBT given to the deans and department chairs, including handouts studies department, has “adopted” the all-gender restrooms they could use to pass the information on to the rest of the on the second and third floors of Cloud Hall. They have faculty and staff in their departments. The training included been working to make City College more inclusive to queer general information on how to be sensitive to the trans and trans people for several years. While not currently a community, as well as information specific to City College, member of QTIP because of time constraints, they stay such as updates to the college’s computer systems, to allow involved through the adopt-a-bathroom program. “Because students to use the name they prefer to go by, rather than I’m in this building, I’ve agreed to be the person to check their legal name. and see, do we have problems happening,” they explained. Recent work on adding all-gender restrooms has been The majority of the bathrooms on Ocean Campus have driven in part by a 2016 law requiring buildings owned been adopted, but people on other campuses are encouraged or leased by the City of San Francisco with five or more to keep an eye out for incidents of defacement, or temporary restrooms to include at least one all-gender restroom, as well signs being torn down, and let Cox know at ncox@ccsf.edu as 2017 laws mandating that any single-stall restrooms be if they see anything. Vandalism can also be reported to the designated as all-gender restrooms. But the fight for them buildings and grounds department, at 415-239-3546. has been going on much longer. Haefele-Thomas recalled The adopt-a-bathroom program can be effective in assigning students a final project, about eight years ago, alerting QTIP to issues that come up, but the group also to assess restroom accessibility across the City College works to proactively establish and maintain a culture of campuses. The students took into account not just gender, awareness of queer and trans issues. but wheelchair accessibility as well. QTIP and the college administration often coordinate At that time, the Civic Center campus got an A, while on communications to faculty, staff, and students. An update many others got D’s and F’s. from the facilities department, sent by email in March, stated This is in contrast to progress in recent years, which has that permanent signage would be in place on all-gender been “very successful,” as Board of Trustees President Alex restrooms throughout campus by the end of the fall semester. Randolph put it. However, attitudes are still slow to change, The email explained that gender-specific restrooms “are only in some cases. “And it’s not just coming from students,” representative of two binary genders, and are not inclusive Haefele-Thomas said, “In fact, some of the most hateful stuff of gender nonbinary individuals.” QTIP advised them on I’ve heard, have come from my colleagues not understanding, the wording of that message, as well as recommending they ‘Why do we have to have a nonbinary bathroom here?’” resend it in August, as a reminder, or for students who didn’t The availability of all-gender restrooms is welcomed see it the first time, according to Cox. by some City College students. Ingrid Osorio, a student at They also worked with the administration on a separate City College, appreciates them because “anyone can step
in and not be ashamed or be afraid of who they prefer to be, or what they identify as.” Nonbinary or gender-nonconforming people aren’t the only ones who benefit. All-gender restrooms can also cut down on the time spent waiting to use a restroom, as Mai, another student, explained. “I actually think it’s good to have a unisex room, because for one thing, you know, the men’s room is always a shorter line. For me, it’s convenient.” In addition to keeping track of incidents reported to them through the adopt-a-bathroom program, and working with administrators to continue the rollout of all-gender restrooms, other QTIP subcommittees are working on projects such as an FAQ for faculty with questions or concerns about gender-related issues, according to Carlin.
Fall 2019 Classes Start August 19
76160
JOUR 19: Contemporary News Media TR 9:40 – 10:55 a.m. HC 207
76162
JOUR 21: News Writing and Reporting TR 11:10 – 12:55 p. HC 206 Gonzales
72111
JOUR 22: Feature Writing T 6:30 – 9:20 p.m. 1125 Valencia St./ Rm 217 Staff
76882
JOUR 24: Newspaper Laboratory MWF 12:10 – 1:00 p.m. Bungalow 615
78546
JOUR 29A: Intro Magazine Editing&Production 1125 Valencia St./ Rm 217 Lifland M 6:30 – 8:20 p.m.
78973
JOUR 29B: Intmd Magazine Editing&Production 1125 Valencia St./ Rm 217 Lifland M 6:30 – 9:20 p.m.
78974
JOUR 29C: Adv Magazine Editing&Production M 6:30 – 8:20 p.m. 1125 Valencia St./ Rm 217 Lifland
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JOUR 31: Internship Experience Hours ARR BNGL 615
76939
JOUR 37: Intro to Photojournalism W 6:30 – 9:20 p.m. 1125 Valencia St./ Rm 217 Lifland
Gonzales
Gonzales
Gonzales
View the online schedule at classes.ccsfjournalism.com
Portfolio Club Presents: Kristina Hines
ccsfportfolio.com @TINACOstudio
8 | SPORTS
Vol. 168, Issue 2 | September 11 – September 25, 2019
Photo by Matthew Paul Maes / The Guardsman
MEN’S SOCCER HAS HIGH HOPES FOR 2019 SEASON By Meyer Gorelick msggorelick@gmail.com
After falling 3-2 in the State Semifinals to Cerritos College last year, head coach Adam Lucarelli has his sights set on a championship this go-around. Through academic success, high intensity training and networking with coaches at 4-year schools, he hopes to prime this year’s team for a successful title run. Two veteran leaders, sophomore center-midfielders Alex Berumen and Gabriel Arias, provide the rams leadership, skill and experience in the center of the pitch. Lucarelli is also excited to be adding local freshmen, goalkeeper Isaac Alvarez of Mission High School and striker Christian Vasquez from South San Francisco High School, both of whom he sees contributing this year.
“Every year our goal is to win the state title,” said Lucarelli matter of factly. The program certainly has the pedigree to justify these expectations. Since taking over as head coach in 1996, Lucarelli’s teams have won nine conference championships and finished ranked nationally at least 10 times. They have been in the Final Four, competing for a State Championship three times in the past eight years. The coach has a calm charisma and magnetism about him that attracts and inspires talented players. He is a strong leader with a good sense of humor. Both current and past players speak highly of coach Lucarelli. “He makes players comfortable,” said freshman goalkeeper Alvarez. “He knows when to be funny and when to be serious.”
While the state title is the goal this season, Lucarelli’s number one priority is to get players exposure in front of four-year school coaches and get his players transferred to those schools. “I’ve found that when we do a good job of getting players the looks they need in front of college coaches, the winning takes care of itself,” said Lucarelli. The proof is in the pudding. Two players from the 2018-19 California State Semi-Finalist team transferred to Division I programs. Japanese international student Taiki Kajitani is now a USF Don, and central defender Angel Solis a Sacramento State Hornet. Several other players transferred to Division II programs. Lucarelli attributes much of the program’s success in transferring players to four-year institutions
to its strong academic reputation. 4-3 defeat at the hands of Academy Four-year coaches don’t have to of Art. There were frequent mass worry about whether or not play- substitutions, giving valuable ers they are targeting will qualify experience to players who won’t academically for their program. get much playing time when the Players and their family regular season kicks off. members share his value for educaThey pressed high out of a tion. Star sophomore Gabriel Arias traditional 4-4-2 formation. “I’m wants to transfer to San Jose State kind of a dinosaur when it comes to pursue a bachelors in engineer- to formations,” Lucarelli said, ing. Freshman criminal justice aware that he is spurning the major, Julian Perez’s number one 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 formations now goal is to get a four-year degree in vogue among top professional as well, according to his father, teams across Europe, and often Ruben Perez. After spending time adopted at lower levels. He does playing competitively in Europe, allow for fluidity though within his Mexico, and semi-professionally in structure. California, Julian has returned to The Rams started their offithe Bay Area to continue his career cial schedule strong with a season at CCSF. opening 5-1 demolition of Contra During a season opening Costa College. scrimmages the Rams have showcased this talent in a gritty 0-0 draw against San Francisco State and a
RAMS WATER POLO HOPES TO SINK COMPETITION By Rachel Berning rbernin1@mail.ccsf.edu
Women’s water polo is back in action and looking to build off of their best season in school history last year. This year’s team will be facing a lot of challenges, but with a new class of freshmen coming in, they’re hoping that the team they have built over the summer will continue their winning ways. “Last year’s team showed really good potential [after] having challenges playing defense and counterattack, but they pushed through showing off their best effort,” said Coach Phong Pham. Phong Pham has been
coaching water polo for the past five years at City College. He’s never seen a team play with so much strength and power until last season's team. The team has been working round the clock on improving their skills and self-confidence, and have shown a lot of growth in their game. During summer practice, the team members worked on their dynamics skills. Developing useful swimming techniques such as the breaststroke kick and sharpening their passing and shooting skills. Luke Ugalino is the team
manager and plays a big part of the women's water polo team. A few guys assisted the team to help out the new team members using their experience playing the sport prior to the upcoming season. Coach Pham is very impressed with the level of dedication that his players are showing thus far. Regarding this years team, Coach Pham said: “All I have to say is having the courage to come out and play a game they never played before. I consider water polo
the hardest out of all sports.” Talking with one of the water polo players Aryana Senel she said, “It’s going to be a pretty good season adapting to the new competition.” The girls are ready to get out there and watch all of their hard work pay off as they look to dominate their new conference this year. The team has been pushing themselves to be the best. From learning the basic skills to working hard every day to uplift each other and improve one another’s skills. Each team player gaining the self-confidence to show off their best efforts come game time.
Photo by Anshi Aucar/ The Guardsman