The Guardsman, Vol. 151, Issue 3. City College of San Francisco

Year of the Rabbit Hundreds of thousands gather to celebrate the Lunar New Year at Chinatown parade: Page 8 – 9 Ezra Ekman / The Guardsman

C I T Y C O L L E G E O F S A N F R A N C I S C O ’ S N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 3 5

Volume 151, Issue 3

TheGuardsman.com

February 23, 2011

Oakland holds hearing on police violence OPD, but SFPD and police departments all across California.”

Davis’ son, Raheim Brown of The People’s Hearing on Rac- Alameda, was shot to death on ism and Police Violence, a two-day Jan. 22 by Oakland Unified School event for the families and friends District police officers. He was 20 of those killed by police officers years old. to tell their stories to a panel of Organizers brought in the jurists, was held Feb. 19 and 20 jurists, who were mainly attorat Edna Brewer Middle School in neys, so a record of their testimoOakland. nies about police violence could be The testimonies, which high- created and shared with the United lighted mistrust and anger toward Nations and other international law enforcement, in part stemmed judicial bodies. from Oscar Grant’s 2009 killing Jurists

by BART police. People giving testimony noted what they saw as Civil rights attorney John BurBay Area police officers’ system- ris, who is representing Oscar atic targeting of non-white youth, Grant’s family in a $50 million particularly black men. wrongful death suit against BART, “This is not just about my son,” served as a jurist at the hearing. said Lori Davis, whose son was He said the official response to recently killed by police. “This is unjustified police shootings is as about everyone whose children are predictable as it is despicable.

Police Violence: Page 4 getting murdered, not just by the

By Greg Zeman The guardsman

Ramsey El-Qare / The Guardsman

Grant family friend Jack Bryson recounts details on Feb. 19 from Oscar Grant’s shooting during the Hearing on Racism and Police Violence at Edna Brewer Middle School in Oakland.

Freedom through Facebook

“I like to see how many people are in the group or attending the event.

If a Facebook event had like two people for a political demo, then I might take pause.”

Miles Bainbridge, a computer science major at City College who volunteered for progressive candidate Rafael Mandelman’s campaign for San Francisco Supervisor last year, said that early on, the Mandelman campaign brought in

lized to its full potential yet. toires to spread their messages.

“It will be great when we in the Laura Wells, an Oakland resident, U.S. start to use social networking became aware of social media last Political activists and organiz- tools properly,” he said. year while running as a gubernatoers are discovering social media Politicians at varying levels rial candidate for the Green Party. platforms like Facebook and have also included these net“A Facebook page for an event Twitter have potential far beyond working tools in their reper- gives it some validity,” she said. recording the minutia of a person’s life in 140 characters or less.

Kenya Lewis of KUSF recognized the major role that Facebook !"#$%&'()*+,%-'#%()$*)#%".-*/*0-%1'(%")()2+(30$2%.4#"-#5%-'#%6".#7((8%9":#% played in the radio station’s Feb. 1 -'"-%'#$9#5%09"48%-'#%94(-#0-0, Recent events '"0%7#.(+#%"%)"-*()"$%'#4(; protest at San Francisco City Hall. )*+,"#$%$!"#$%&'!8$59%4,,-)!4$!),4!9+!$77&6&*5!

“Facebook is the primary tool :,0)&4,!7$-!$++$)&4&$%!5,*(,-!;$#*',(!25<*-*(,& Wael Ghonim we’ve used to get organized,” 789+!QUVSK!&%!231+4 )./0!=-,*4,)!>*6,0$$?!+*3,!(,(&6*4,(!4$!*!

Lewis said. “In a one-month 1$9%3!231+4&*%!:#$),!0,*4&%3!(,*4#!01!+$5&6,! :;.<*=>8+ period between January and Feb6*9),)!*!%*4&$%*5!$94-*3, <*6#,5$-F)!(,3-,,K! ruary we have over 1.3 million 6$'+94,-!,%3&%,,-&%3K! )*+,"%12"#$%%!@%4&A3$8,-%',%4!+-$4,)4)!*%%$9%6,(! =*-&$!W%&8,-)&41K!DSSX.! page views and more than 7,200 $%!>*6,0$$?!7$-!B*%C!DE!*4!=*&-$F)!G*#-&-!HI9*-, ;<@K!@',-&6*%!W%&8,-)&41! friends on the Save KUSF page. )*+,"#1!J93,!6-$:()!&%!)4-,,4)!6*55!7$-!6#*%3,K! &%!=*&-$K!DSSY Facebook has been our primary 6$%4&%9,!7$-!(*1)K!)+-,*(!4$!$4#,-!6&4&,)!&%!231+4 '*9449!J,5(!'*%*3,',%4! avenue to raise money for FCC )*+,"#-!!"#$%&'!(&)*++,*-).!#,!&)!),&/,(!01!231+4&*%! +$)&4&$%)!*4!4:$!5,*(&%3! lawyers and just let people know +$5&6,!4#,!%&3#4!0,7$-,!4#,!5*-3,)4!+-$4,)4!!4$!(*4, @-*0&6A5*%39*3,!:,0)&4,)!

0,7$-,!T$&%&%3!"$$35,!&%! what’s what.”

345,"%!"$$35,!*)?)!7$-!4#,!+905&6F)!

DSSV!*)!'*-?,4&%3!

Frank Lara of the Act Now to #,5+!&%!7&%(&%3!"#$%&' '*%*3,-!7$-!;&((5,!2*)4!

End War and Stop Racism Coali*%(!Z$-4#!@7-&6*.!-,5$6*4,)!

345,"-!L,5,*),(!01!+$5&6,.!3&8,)!,'$4&$%*5!GM! tion attended recent pro-Egyptian4$![90*&!&%!DSQS &%4,-8&,:!*0$94!#&)!$-(,*5!4#*4!6*+4&8*4,)!4#,!%*4&$%! democracy rallies in San Francisco.

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345,"6!@((-,)),)!#93,!6#,,-&%3!6-$:(!*4!G*#-&-! @',-&6*%!#,!',4!$%5&%,.!

“Facebook is becoming an orgaHI9*-,.!)*1)!NO,!:$%F4!3&8,!9+P!!

4#,1!#*8,!4:$!6#&5(-,% nizing tool for our critical work ;$-,!4#*%!QRSKSSS!+,$+5,!#*8,!T$&%,(!*!>*6,0$$?!+*3,! now that the youth are becoming %$'&%*4&%3!"#$%&'!*)!4#,!)+$?,)'*%!$7!4#,!9+-&)&%3 H$9-6,\!@5!B*/,,-*K!@]K!L,94,-)K!O*55!H4C! B$9-%*5K!Z,:!^$-?!G&',)K!>*6,0$$? more involved,” Lara said.

"-*+#&6\!B9(1!G-,&05,K!_,,!J954,%3 !"#$%%"&'( But Lara doesn’t think online Shashank Bengali and Hannah Allam / McClatchy Washington Bureau / MCT social networking has been utiBy Tony LeTigre The guardsman

The face of Egypt’s protests

a social media consultant to help them strategize.

“We had several thousand people on our Facebook page and used it to organize volunteers as well as to let supporters know where events were going to take place,” Bainbridge said. “In the past it was word of mouth, calling people one at a time. Social media platforms are a way more efficient way of organizing, since you can send one message and reach everyone at once.”

Mandelman’s consultant, Eric Harr, an award-winning CBS anchor and founder and CEO of Resonate Social Media, is one of many canny entrepreneurs who have adapted their skills to jump through the window of opportunity afforded by technological advances.

“People have been waiting for this for thousands of years,” Harr said. “First the church controlled the message, then the printing press controlled it, now the people control their own message, for the first time, in an unprecedented way.”

Still, not everyone has embraced social media, and the generation gap is often evident.

Steve Kessler, a Berkeley resident and Berkeley Labor Commission member who is in his early 60s, Social activism: Page 4

News

2 | February 23, 2011 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com

News

The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | February 23, 2011 | 3

Money woes pass from state to City College Board hopes for local tax funding

City College student stabbed and killed near Ocean campus Police seek person of interest in case

Parcel measure could aid budget

By Essie Harris The guardsman

photos courtesy of city currents

(L-R) Former Chancellor Phillip Day Jr., Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities James Blomquist and Associate Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Stephen Herman all face charges for the misappropriation of City College funds.

Past administrators await trial

By Matthew Gomez The guardsman

The preliminary hearing of former City College Chancellor Phillip Day Jr. and former Associate Vice Chancellors James Blomquist and Stephen Herman is set for March 9.

Current state Attorney General Kamala Harris charged the former City College administrators in 2009 with allegedly making illegal campaign contributions and the misuse of public funds. At the time, Harris was district attorney of San Francisco.

The issue arose after the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Day, Blomquist and Herman had been diverting public funds to campaigns that supported City College ballot measures.

“I really hope that these charges are cleared,” said Helen Dilworth, a City College music instructor SFPD Police released this sketch of a person of interest in who helped distribute a letter of connection to Victor Zheng’s slaying. support for the administrators from ment Officer Rachele Hakes con- City College teachers and staff.

By Emily Daly & Joe Fitzgerald The guardsman firmed that Zheng was enrolled at City College.

There have been recent The San Francisco Police instances of burglaries and Department is investigating the domestic violence in the area, case of City College student Victor but nothing that seems related to Zheng, 16, who was killed Feb. 7 the incident so far, Sgt. Michael near Ocean campus at the intersec- Andraychak said.

By Catherine Lee tion of Ocean and Capitol avenues.

“It is unexpected, I would have The guardsman According to an SFPD media to say,” Andraychak said. “You release, Zheng was walking with a can never predict where something friend on Holloway Avenue when a like this is going to happen, espeman approached them and punched cially in a city like this.”

The City College department Zheng without provocation. Zheng A memorial was set up for those of psychological services has been called the police on his cellphone who knew Zheng at the corner of forced to decrease the hours of and pursued the man to the corner Capitol and De Montfort avenues. therapy it offers to students. of Ocean and Capitol avenues, Zheng’s parents have also set up a “In the past, when we had more where the man stabbed him in the name placard for him at the Gold staff hours, it was typical for us upper body at 10:45 p.m..

Mountain Monastery in China- to see a student for 45 to 50 minZheng was taken to San Fran- town for acquaintances to pay their utes,” said Lori Wong, a licensed cisco General Hospital and died respects before the funeral. clinical social worker who works from his injuries an hour later.

Zheng’s family is accepting part-time on campus. “However, The man fled in a new, black, donations from various local high at peak times now, we must often two-door Honda with chrome schools to help pay for his funeral reduce the length of sessions to rims. SFPD is calling the man a and burial. accommodate as many students person of interest in the case.

Zheng was also a student at as we can.”

The media release described Balboa High School. Balboa PrinPsychological services employs him as an 18- to 19-year-old cipal Kevin Kerr knew Victor and seven part-time therapists who Asian male, 5 feet 10 to 5 feet described him as a bright student, provide individual and group 11 inches tall, 160 to 180 pounds, if one who needed some encour- counseling. Their availability to with dark hair, dark eyes, and pos- agement. students ranges from one mornsibly a mole on his upper right “Victor was very intelligent,” ing to a maximum of four days cheek. He was wearing a black Kerr said. He recalled that the per week. hooded sweatshirt, baggy blue school pushed Zheng not to quit Donna O’Rourke, the recepjeans, and black tennis shoes. his honors biology class. tionist, is the only full-time staff A sketch was also released, “The whole school is grieving,” member. and police are strongly urging Kerr said.

“Students come in or call and anyone with information leading indicate what they have available to his whereabouts to contact the Email: from Monday to Friday. Then I department. need to align their schedule to a edaly@theguardsman.com City College Police Depart- jfitzgerald@theguardsman.com counselor,” O’Rourke said.

“The error was corrected as soon as it was pointed out.”

The letter stated that the funds were repaid and the administrators saw no personal benefit or gains.

For their actions, Day and Herman face a maximum of nine years and Blomquist a maximum of three years in prison.

The hearing was initially set for Feb. 15, but prosecutor Evan Ackiron was dealing with another case.

It was rescheduled to March 9 and will be held at the San Francisco Hall of Justice at 2:00 p.m.

“There hasn’t been a ton of movement,” said Erica Derryck, a spokeswoman for current San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón.

At the preliminary hearing, any necessary motions will be filed and questions about the charges will be addressed. The judge will also determine admissible evidence, and decide if any matters can be dropped, Derryck said.

In the City College Board of Trustees self-evaluation, an anonymous comment stated that

“issues of mistrust” arose between the board and the college community after the three administrators were charged.

Current board President John Rizzo was a member of the board when the allegations were brought up.

“We did what was proper. We conducted an independent investigation,” Rizzo said. “That’s completely required. We have an accountability to the college.”

He said the board is in no way affiliated with the case, and that City College trustees are concerned with more pressing matters.

“That’s in the past,” Rizzo said.

“We no longer have anything to do with it.”

For all The Guardsman’s coverage of the charges against Day, Herman and Blomquist, visit TheGuardsman.com/CityCollege3.

Email: mgomez@theguardsman.com

Psych service hours shrinking

High demand, fewer staff strain the department Sometimes it takes as long as two days to find an appointment that fits for the student and the therapist, she said.

“Psychological services would be enhanced with increased staff hours, furthering our ability to provide more direct services, classroom presentations and outreach, faculty consultations and to continue our training program for future mental health professionals,” Wong said.

The program previously had seven interns who were training to become therapists and now only has three.

The semester health fee of $17, paid by everyone who takes credit classes at City College, allows students to utilize psychological services, as well as nursing services, Wong said.

Therapists also facilitate weekly support groups on how to build healthy relationships, overcome anxiety and self-consciousness, teach successful communication skills and provide tools to improve mood and stop procrastinating.

Other support groups, like the test anxiety workshop, which is offered on the first or second Mon-

day of each month, are single sessions of two hours.

Student Beatriz Orellana discovered the procrastination workshop through campus fliers and was anticipating a good experience at her second group session at the Health Center.

“I was in a support group before in a different place and it helped,” she said.

The spring semester weekly support groups began during the first week of February. Students who want to join them should call the department to ask about open seats.

Licensed clinical social worker Sam Edwards facilitates the procrastination support group and the self-consciousness workshop.

“Students who join these groups seem to get a lot out of it,” Edwards said. It is still possible to join these groups until the middle of this month.

Email: clee@theguardsman.com

Trustee Steve Ngo addresses feedback at the Jan. 24 City College Board of Trustees meeting. Ngo said the college budget, which was discussed later in the meeting, should not be balanced on the backs of students.

Bryce Aldofson / The Guardsman

Best case scenario looks bad

Cuts up to $900 million from community colleges

By Tony LeTigre The guardsman

Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget for the 201112 fiscal year includes a $400 million reduction in funding for the state’s community colleges, which could grow as high as $900 million if four tax measures Brown proposed don’t make it onto the June ballot, or fail with voters.

In the worst-case scenario, the combined impact of budget cuts and cost increases specifically on City College could approach the $40 million mark, Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance Peter Goldstein said.

All of this comes on top of the approximately $18 million that City College lost in last year’s budget crunch.

Darlene Alioto, chair of the social sciences department, sees the latest budget cuts as part of a crippling assault on higher education as a whole.

“The University of California and the state universities are now becoming private institutions, when they were the jewel of our public education system,” Alioto said. “Now they’re getting pushed back to us, the community colleges. And now we’re just going to shut the door on all of them.”

City College Board of Trustees President John Rizzo said the tax measures proposed by Governor Brown must be passed by the legislature before even making it to the June ballot, which will require a two-thirds majority.

“To pass it, the Democrats need some Republicans to agree. Otherwise they’ll have to pull off some parliamentary procedures,” Rizzo said.

Chris Jackson, vice president of the board, said the faculty is helping to shoulder the increasing burden caused by overcrowded classes and shrinking budgets.

“City College instructors are volunteering to take on more work for no more money,” Jackson said.

“You’ll notice it on the first day of class, when instead of 30 students in class, you’ll see 40 or 50. Teachers aren’t even getting cost of living increases at this

point. They’re saying ‘education is not a privilege, it’s a right.’”

Jackson said the cuts will impact City College not just in the form of further cuts in classes, but also in reductions to student support services and categorical programs such as the Educational Opportunity Program and the Second Chance Program.

“Governor Brown is cutting 50 percent from those programs, on top of 50 percent last year,” Jackson said. “We value those services and programs, but budget cuts like these stop us from investing in our community.”

At the same time that City College faces further severe budget cuts, enrollment continues to increase and the college has chosen to reinstate summer school at 80 percent of its former size.

Measures to deal with the budget cuts include the possibility of a parcel tax on the November ballot, as well as a major voter registration drive. City College is also seeking an increase in funding from the Foundation of City College of San Francisco, as well as private donations, and “other creative solutions as well,” Jackson said.

Rizzo said the board is also asking the city for help, though normally the city actually charges the college.

“One of the strengths of City College is unity,” said Bob Davis, interim dean of liberal arts. “When we’re all working together on a campaign, we throw around a lot of weight, influence and intelligence. There are special interest groups who are only involved in their own narrow issue, and some of those are now realizing that they need to get involved in the greater good, too.”

Jackson admitted that the current outlook is grim, but wanted to stay as positive as possible.

“We always have to hope for a better tomorrow, and a better environment where investing in higher education is more of a priority,” Jackson said.

“Because the reality is that, right now, it’s just not.”

Email: aletigre@theguardsman.com

As California continues through a three-year recession, funds for City College are decreasing substantially, and as a result, administrators must decide how the school will cater to the ever-changing budget.

“Everything is on the table,” City College Trustee Steve Ngo said. “The board and the college will have to re-look where we are distributing our funds. Money will never come back and we have to accept that as a norm.”

City College is facing the largest funding cuts in the history of the San Francisco Community College system. There has been a 26 percent decrease to administration, the hiring process has been frozen and salaries have been cut up to six percent.

So far, the state of California has reduced City College’s budget by $9 million, and Gov. Brown has proposed additional cuts that could amount to more than $20 million. The board is working to find ways to avoid these possible funding reductions.

“It is vital to make sure this budget is not being balanced on the backs of students,” Ngo said.

“We have a duty and responsibility to make use of our time on this board to help shape the lives of 100,000 students.”

The board approved a $50,000 fund to conduct a public opinion poll that will assess the support and opposition for a potential parcel tax on the June ballot. If the parcel tax is not approved City College will experience a $20 million shortfall.

“The core of City College is the educational programs that serve the students,” Chancellor Don Griffin said. “The government is asking us to re-evaluate that core and eliminate some of our priorities, such as arts and PE, but City College is not linear. We are not ready to compromise those priorities so we must go to a local level for funding.”

Whether or not the proposition passes in June, next year’s budget will require severe changes. The 2011-12 school year’s projected budget deficit will amount to somewhere between $17.5 million and $35 million, according to City College’s annual financial report.

“We are being smart about our cuts, but we must retool our college to be better equipped for students in the future,” Ngo said. “It’s time to rethink where our money is going and do business in a way that will have the least impact possible to deliver educational goals.”

Email: eharris@theguardsman.com

Free tax prep on campus

By Kwame Opoku-Duku The guardsman

City College is offering free state and federal tax services

by IRS trained and certified tax preparers for students and their families with incomes of less than $49,000 until April 18.

Students can access these services at Ocean, Mission, Southeast and Evans campuses, which feature Chinese and Spanish bilingual speakers to assist taxpayers with limited English-speaking skills.

Students can also request a screening to see if they are eligible

for food stamps, health insurance, child care assistance, and other benefits. In addition, financial counseling and opening of bank accounts and prepaid debit cards are available.

The sites are open Monday through Friday with daytime and evening hours through April 18.

Call 415-391-7427 for an appointment or for more information.

Walk-ins are welcome.

The program is sponsored by Single Stop USA, United Way and the City College Financial Aid Office.

Email: kopokuduku@theguardsman.com

C i t y Co l l eg e Pro j e c t e d Bu dg e t G a p fo r 2011 – 12 Email: kopokuduku@theguardsman.com

In Millions of Dollars

Best Case

Worst Case

Loss of State Funds

– $9.092

– $28.218

Expiring Compensation Reductions

– $4.250

– $4.250

Increased costs

– $6.000

– $7.000

Modest Increases in Sales (Tax, Lotto, Etc)

+ $1.000

+ $0.000

Total Budget Gap

– $18.342

- $39.468

News

4 | February 23, 2011 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com

Electric cars join CarShare fleet

By Emily Daly The guardsman

One of City CarShare’s new electric cars charges up at the Green Vehicle Showcase at Civic Center Plaza.

Ezra ekman / The guardsman

Students who want to reduce their impact on the environment but dread the bus will soon have a cleaner, greener option for getting to class.

The Bay Area nonprofit City CarShare is introducing a new car sharing program for electric vehicles called “eFleet,” said Anita Daley, City CarShare’s outreach director. The organization’s use of electric vehicles, or EVs, is due to begin in the late spring.

In the beginning phase of the program, City CarShare will purchase 29 of the cars for public use. According to City CarShare’s October press release, the vehicles would spare the environment 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide emission in the first two years of the program.

“We constantly strive to provide vehicles that have a reduced carbon impact, and EVs are a good way to do that,” Daley said.

“This new technology works, is easy to use and is here to stay.

As a result, we can all decrease our collective carbon impact on the environment.”

Daley said the eFleet program is meant to reduce the carbon impact on the environment

by educating the public about electric vehicles and making them more quickly and widely accepted.

“If you recharge using a renewable resource such as wind, hydro or solar, the EV can be considered completely emission free,” said Mike Harrigan, City CarShare’s eFleet program manager.

The eFleet project is funded largely by a $1.7 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The commission wanted to sponsor pilot programs by organizations working on greener forms of transportation, MTC Program Coordinator Brenda Dix said.

Organizations were required to be sponsored by a public agency in order to submit grant proposals.

City CarShare’s sponsor was the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, Dix said. Additional grants were given to other Bay Area private and nonprofit organizations such as Better Place, a program that installs electric batteries in San Francisco and San Jose taxis.

Daley said she believes the public will embrace the technology of electric cars, which could mean a big improvement to California’s air quality. The state’s population has an average of 1.8 cars per household, the highest figure in the country, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management

District website.

“We know that more than half of emissions in the Bay Area are coming from driving,” said Ralph Borrmann, a public information officer from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. He said the use of EVs would make the air cleaner and reduce pollution.

It is hard to predict how many people would soon switch to electric cars, Borrmann said, but it was considered radical when hybrid cars were introduced a decade ago, and it’s now normal to see these types of cars on the road.

Although the car sharing program is normally limited to those older than 21, the company has partnerships with colleges, including City College, that provide cars to students over the age of 18. Discounts are available for both City College students and faculty.

City College student Elena Sanchez said she thought the program was a good solution for students who use public transit and either can’t afford a car or don’t want to take on the responsibility of owning one. However, she said it would be hard to convince students who currently have cars, such as herself, to give them up.

Hearing attempts to unify Bay Area organizations fighting brutality

cers in 2007, said that her son was not a suspect in any crime and that his initial stop by the Oakland Police Department was racially motivated.

“They don’t like black people as a whole, which is why they live in the lily-white suburbs, but they come to Oakland to police the black community,” she said.

“Speaking as one 53-year-old white lady, I will never trust the police ever again. I will never call them for any reason again. I hate them and hold them responsible for my son’s death.”

King, like all of the surviving family who testified, said that she was deeply unsatisfied by what she sees as a half-hearted response of the justice system to killings by police.

“The man who murdered my event, but very few will actually son continues to work for the attend. So when I really want to police department,” she said. motivate people to attend, I call or Movement make personal contact with people individually.”

The hearing was also an attempt Harr said the recent uprising to unify the movement’s various in Egypt prevailed despite the concerns, including the implemenMubarak regime disrupted Inter- tation of “gang injunctions,” with net access in an attempt to prevent the public outrage over the string organizing via social media, but of killings leading up to, and folto no avail. lowing, Grant’s death.

“What you saw was the Egyp“Gang injunction is a nice tian government completely word for ethnic cleansing — it’s a underestimating the power of the euphemism,” said Manuel LaFonpeople to use social media tools taine, an organizer with All of Us to organize,” Harr said. “How can or None, a group that advocates you really stop people from com- for ex-convict rights. “Inside the municating? If you shut Facebook prison system, there is no transpardown, there’s Twitter. Shut Twit- ency, no accountability.” ter down and there’s YouTube. It’s Liz Derias of the Malcolm X like trying to hold back a tsunami Grassroots Movement said she with your hand.” believes the judicial system and Catherine Lee contributed to this report. law enforcement agencies are a “legacy of black enslavement” Email: aletigre@theguardsman.com geared toward the repression of

being profiled.

“Whenever there’s a police Civil rights attorney and jurist shooting, there’s two things you’re Dan Siegel said legislators and going to hear — the excuse for the police oversight committees’ inacshooting and the demonization of tion in response to repeated killthe victim,” he said, adding that ings amounts to an endorsement official responses to police killings of those killings. are invariably lies.

“My belief is that these police A recurring theme of the hear- officers are doing what they’re ing, and core assertion of the supposed to do,” he said. “That’s movement, is that the killings in why they get immunity.” question are not isolated incidents Testimony but expressions of a violent, racist police culture that values the Cathy King, the mother of supposed benefits of racial profil- Gary King Jr., 20, who was beaten, ing over the negative, sometimes repeatedly shot with a stun gun lethal, impact on the communities then fatally shot by Oakland offi-

heard about the pro-Egyptian democracy rallies from the KPFA community radio coverage of events.

“I’m a troglodyte. I don’t use or follow Facebook or Twitter,” Kessler said. “I should learn them but I’m concerned about privacy, especially on Facebook.” Michelle Schudel, a San Francisco resident and activist who attended the Feb. 11 pro-Egyptian rally in the Civic Center, still uses phone calls, emails and text messages to organize and promote events, in addition to Facebook and other online networking portals.

“I announce events by posting them as status updates on my Facebook page, or with bigger events, by creating a page for the event and inviting my Facebook friends,” Schudel said. “Most of my Facebook friends will ‘like’ an

‘Semester of Justice’ at City

Speakers discuss LGBT equality and the future of Prop 8

By Frank Ladra The guardsman

frank ladra / The guardsman

Executive Director of Colman Advocates for Children and Youth NTanya Lee speaks about the racial-economic justice movement on Feb. 10 to attendees of the first “Semester of Justice” speech.

The first installment of a threepart speaker series called “Semester of Justice” was held for an audience of hundreds of students and faculty on Feb. 10 from 1 to 2 p.m. in the lower level of the City College Student Union.

Kate Kendell, executive director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, along with NTanya Lee, executive director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth spoke at the event, titled “Are all civil rights created equal?

LGBT rights and unifying civil rights struggles.”

As the meeting commenced, Kendell posed the questions, “What is justice? How is it achieved?” She praised the fact that LGBT equality has seen “lightening speed” progress since she moved to California from Utah to start work with the center 15 years ago.

She recalled accounts of LGBT persons across the nation who had lost their jobs or were beaten or attacked due to their sexual orientation.

“Marriage was nowhere on the radar,” Kendell said. “Domestic partnership schemes were nonexistent. Gay parents could not adopt and had no custody rights. Overall, there was a universal stigma and shame at being gay.”

Kendell said more than 3000 gay/straight alliances exist in

today’s educational systems. No of us,” Kendell said. longer is it permissible to deny Second speaker NTanya Lee custody of a child on the basis of said her organization is one sexual orientation and most For- focused around the racial ecotune 500 companies have domestic nomic justice movement. partnership protections. But most Throughout her career, Lee, importantly, Kendell said, gay and who is black, said she has felt lesbian visibility is up. backlash from whites who are While the Defense of Marriage angry about decisions like Prop. 8 Act is still in effect, gays continue and blame people of color for the to have no federal marriage pro- outcome. She said families of color tection. Kendell said much of the are concerned with gay rights, but country is still vastly homophobic, more importantly, they are conand that gaining legal marriage cerned with quality of life issues, equality cannot change everyone’s such as lack of quality education. hearts and minds.

Lee agrees that there needs to Citing instances of homopho- be a broader progressive agenda bia and misunderstanding, Kend- that unifies all organizations and ell referred to Supreme Court case communities of those discrimiRomer v. Evans, where Justice nated against. She encourages Antonin Scalia inferred that gays an “inclusive model” that unifies and lesbians have plenty of politi- groups by combining common cal protections and power and do issues, like racial justice, economic justice and gay rights. not need any more.

Kendell suggests LGBT activLee also sees the need for more ists make visibility a top priority. autonomy and visibility in leaderShe says the nation’s stereotype for ship roles in gay rights organizaa “gay person” often refers to an tions. affluent white person living in an During a question and answer urban area. Yet, statistics show the session after the speech, Kendell highest concentration of lesbian discussed the current status of moms is in Oakland, and Texas Prop. 8. has the highest concentration of She said if the law is defeated Latina lesbians. in the Supreme Court, it will be an Kendell believes measures like issue of constitutionality because Proposition 8, which made same- it eliminated a right of a minority sex marriage illegal in Califor- by the majority. nia, are successfully tackled by Kendell does not believe the unifying gay organizations with court will rule on a federal level various other minority groups and that forces all states to recognize elevating people of color to lead- gay marriage, though.

“That is a battle set for a differership positions.

“We need to partner with other ent time and place,” she said. organizations and make sure to provide an inclusive message that the gay rights struggle is a civil rights struggle encompassing all

Email: fladra@theguardsman.com

Task Force proposes new tactics to combat hep C

By Brian Rinker The guardsman

Wireless networking lends valuable organizing power Social activism: From the front page

The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | February 23, 2011 | 5

Email: edaly@theguardsman.com

Community unleashes frustration over police violence

Police Violence: From the front page

News

Ramsey El-Qare / The Guardsman

Lori Davis shows a childhood picture of her son, Raheim Brown, during the Hearing on Racism and Police Violence on Feb. 19. Brown was 20 years old when he was killed by Oakland Unified School District police on Jan. 22.

minority communities and the perpetuation of white supremacy.

“It’s our fear that more young people will fall at the hands of the police,” Derias said. “I truly believe in community and people being organized where they can police their own neighborhood.”

The event was sponsored by a coalition of community advocacy groups, including the Malcolm

X Grassroots Movement and the Arab Resource and Organizing Center.

Email: email@theguardsman.com

A safe injection site for intravenous drug users has attracted more attention than other, possibly more important recommendations released last month in a report by the San Francisco Hepatitis C Task Force in an effort to curtail the epidemic of the virus.

The injection center would be safe place where users could go and inject whatever they wished in a legally, medically-monitored and city-funded environment.

“The safe injection site is a sub, sub, sub recommendation,” said Hepatitis C Task Force member and City College health educator Robin Roth. She was diagnosed with hepatitis C, but went through treatment and is now cured.

The two main recommendations, she added, are electing a public health coordinator and creating a public health community planning committee.

The issue on whether San Francisco should implement a safe injection site became public on Jan. 24 when the task force released a report urging city officials to begin taking the necessary measures to combat the spread of hepatitis C. Roth said one line in the 50 page report was dedicated to the safe injection site. However, once the San Francisco Chronicle and

the Associated Press picked up on the line, everything was blown out of proportion, she said.

“But the task force certainly stands behind a safe injection site,” Roth said. “We think it’s a great idea. Prevention is always the best way to treat disease and is also more cost effective than treatment.”

The San Francisco Department of Public Health recognizes chronic hepatitis C as a significant burden to the people of San Francisco and the disease still remains a “silent epidemic,” but the department believes there are many recommendations in the hepatitis C report that are more important than a new injection center.

The DPH will convene a working group to review, prioritize and implement selected task force recommendations. The working group will include task force representation and will be a multi-year commitment, according to Director of Health Barbra Garcia and health officer Tomás J. Aragón.

San Francisco has an estimated 12,000 people infected with the disease. Within the U.S., one out of 50 people have hepatitis C, the report said. Hepatitis C is a bloodborne disease, meaning it is only transmitted through blood-toblood contact.

“It affects everyone in San Francisco,” Roth said. “Ask someone about hep C, and if they don’t have it, they know someone who does.”

Isaac Jackson, senior peer counselor at the San Francisco Drug Users’ Union outside the union office. The union believes proposed safe injection clinics would help to curb the spread of hepatitis C in the city’s drug using population. “You don’t want to get hep C,” Jackson said. “It makes your liver die.”

bryce adolphson / The guardsman

Yet hepatitis C testing isn’t readily available, perhaps because of the stigma of being associated with intravenous drug users. The lack of symptoms also contributes to why most people don’t seek testing, Roth said.

“I have students with hepatitis C in every one of my classes,” Roth said. “But the scariest part is there are way more people who have it that don’t know it.”

However, intravenous drug users are still the most at-risk: 90 percent over the age of 30 have contracted the disease, according to the report.

“Hep C disproportionately affects drug users and is probably why there isn’t enough money put towards it,” said Alexandra

transmission of hepatitis C. The site would also prevent abscesses and overdoses, Roth said.

“The safe injection site is not about making it easier to obtain drugs, but to see the humanity of drug addicts and help them into treatment,” she said.

The injection center would be a safe place for homeless drug users and would help rid the streets of used needles, said Issac Jackson of the drug users’ union. He is a peer counselor and also identifies as a drug user.

“It can be an entry point for treatment,” he said.

Goldman, coordinator for the San Francisco Drug Users’ Union. The union is a member-based organization that provides a voice for drug users who are often characterized as uncaring about their communities.

“I think the safe injection site is a wonderful idea,” Goldman said.

The union has wanted safe injection site for some time now and also would like to decriminalize all drugs.

Hepatitis C is spread through shared drug paraphernalia such as needles, cottons, cookers and tourniquets. The safe injection site would not provide drugs to clients, but would provide clean equipment and monitor the injection process, which would help prevent the

Email: brinker@theguardsman.com

Opinions

6 | February 23, 2011 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com

OPINIONS

By Gary Jay In the wake of the financial collapse of 2008, the Federal Reserve Bank has been in the spotlight over allegations of unlawfully handing out taxpayer money to mega-corporations.

The Bank, which is supposed to monitor U.S. currency, has been rapidly losing credibility upon refusing to confirm to Congress what they’ve done with trillions of taxpayer dollars.

The recent confrontations have gotten so heated, Congress is now taking measures to audit the Bank, after many years of neglecting their monetary responsibilities granted in Article One, section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, which include the power to coin and regulate money without a central bank.

The Bank last year was forced to disclose a windfall of documents as a response to the overwhelming pressure by both Congress and Freedom of Information Act requests from the media.

Although the Bank tried to retain its secrecy through its notion of “independence,” criticism of them being more secretive than the CIA forced them to open up more of their books.

The disclosers revealed a series of transactions the Bank made with corporations without congressional authorization, as well as assets they bought up during the

2008 financial crisis.

The Bank bought toxic assets from Lehman Brothers, Bear Sterns, J.P. Morgan and other mega-corporations that were dumped for quick profits.

According to then-Congressman Alan Grayson, who lost his bid for re-election in 2010, the Bank called the assets they had bought up “notional value.”

“When you can make money, when you can create it, when you can just make it appear, everything is notional,” Grayson said to the House of Representatives on May 6, 2010. “That’s all there is.”

The most significant “notional value” was Maiden Lane LLC, which is a series of hotels and houses the Bank bought and labeled “mortgage-backed securities.”

Among them were the Red Roof Inn hotel chain and houses from undisclosed locations.

Grayson also revealed that there was no true oversight of the Federal Reserve when upon his questioning, the Bank’s Inspector General Elizabeth Coleman couldn’t account for $2 trillion that went missing.

The video in which he exposes the Bank’s lack of accountability has been seen on YouTube over 4 million times on the congressman’s channel.

Last year, Rep. Ron Paul almost got a full audit of the Federal Reserve with HR 1207.

Although it passed the House

Read Gary Jay’s complete analysis of the Federal Reserve on The Guardsman Blog: “Outside the Margins” – TheGuardsman. com/blog The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco at 101 Market St.

Gracie Malley / The Guardsman

Reader feedback: Letters to the editor Diagnostic Medical Imaging, or radiation therapist. I’m excited to see how this will impact the proGuardsman.com/radiology). As gram as well as how many people a student trying to apply for the will actually ask about the DMI radiation therapy program, I have program and the radiation therapy to say I was rather impressed that program. this particular news made front As always, excellent job and page on your paper. looking forward to many more Most students I know, includ- issues! ing friends, have no idea what my major is, let alone know the dif- Devoted reader, ference between an X-ray tech, Lynne Evangelista

Thanks for radiology article Editor, Not only am I a huge fan of The Guardsman, but it’s the only newspaper that I look forward to and make an effort to look out for when I get to City College.

I wanted to comment on your recent article about CCSF’s radiology department coming in second in the U.S. (Jan. 26 issue, TheDrew Sheneman / MCT

may be hurt and some damage may be caused, but a driver blowing that stop can create much greater injury and damage. And me both as a fellow cyclist and as contrary to what Ladra maintains, a driver.

I don’t see “automobile drivers …

However, drivers also regularly regularly receiving citations [for speed, fail to signal turns, blow crosswalk violations].” Many new through stop signs, etc. ALL user cyclists in SF are young and may groups break laws in this city, and still feel invincible. I’d personally police presence and more enforce- rather have them running stops on ment is needed as well as greater their bikes than in cars. I hope that awareness by all road user groups all road users can remind themof safety issues. However, singling selves that the rules of the road are cyclists out for blame is common there so that ALL of us can share because almost all adults are the road safely. In the meantime, drivers and pedestrians, but many stop singling cyclists out. fewer are cyclists.

If cyclists run a stop sign, they Jana Zanetto

‘Stop singling out cyclists’ Editor, While I agree with Frank Ladra that all road users should obey traffic rules to minimize safety issues, I disagree with him singling cyclists out to preach to (Jan. 27 issue, TheGuardsman. com/bicycle).

He writes “despite the [bike] lane improvements, unnecessary accidents continue to occur regularly” and then insinuates that cyclists are largely to blame for these. I agree that there are cyclists who disregard stop signs and break other traffic rules, which concerns

The Guardsman encourages feedback from our readers. We will publish printable letters as soon as our publication schedule allows.

Guidelines for letters: Letters must be signed with first and last name. The Guardsman reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and content. Most letters should be less than 200 words, although longer letters are sometimes printed. All letters, regardless of length, are available TheGuardsman.com.

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Opinions Editor

Omri Petitte Culture Editor

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Atticus Morris Multimedia Editor

Kay Recede Photo Editors

Frank Ladra Ramsey El-Qare Chief Copy Editor

Erin Conger Events Editor

Estela Fuentes Copy Editors

Complex censorship

China, ranked 168th by Reporters Without Borders in terms of press freedom, is a leading example of how to make censorship effective in the technological era.

If all China did was cut off their people’s access to the Internet completely, they wouldn’t succeed for long. The U.S. military actually has the technical means to reverse widespread Internet loss, according to a recent Wired report.

But China employs much stealthier

Supervisor’s proposal is presumptuous

and surgical means of silencing its citizens.

Benevolently titling its practice the “Golden Shield Project,” the Chinese government blocks specific Internet sites and videos through major web portals like Google, YouTube, Yahoo, Facebook and Twitter. The government arrests citizens who become too loud or too revolutionary and imprisons and persecutes the journalists in China who want to expose these policies to the world.

Ironically, China even blocked Internet access to reports on the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings themselves, according to a Council of Foreign Relations report.

This combination of technical savvy and atmosphere of fear is impossible for any one military weapon to overcome.

Iran and china

Park where the town is overrun by homeless people. The fire chief of South Park suggests giving all San Francisco Supervisor the homeless designer sleeping Scott Wiener wants to change the bags and makeovers saying, “At redemption value of recyclables least that way they’d be pleasant from cash to food vouchers. to look at.”

He hopes this will reduce Offering food vouchers instead the number of complaints about of cash won’t change the appearunkempt people that congregate ance of those who recycle. If a with shopping carts at redemption person does choose to spend their centers as well as “give lower- hard-earned redemption money income people what they need.” on drugs or alcohol, they’ll simply While food is a top priority for sell the food vouchers. any human being, plenty of people Wiener is also making the who collect recyclables use that assumption that anyone who money for hygiene items, cloth- recycles is homeless and huning and hotel rooms in lieu of full gry. There are countless people shelters or other necessities. with homes and full refrigerators There’s no sure way to know that recycle simply because they what a person digging through are earth-conscious and want to recycling bins or trash cans is redeem the California refund going to do with the redemption value for the containers they purmoney. chase.

Wiener is known for working Mandating what people can on other issues such as fighting for spend their money on is presumpgay marriage rights and his desire tuous, to say the least. If this proto keep San Francisco’s nightlife posal gains support, we should all vibrant. It’s upsetting to hear that fear the day when our tax returns his time and influence would be or lottery winnings come in the spent on an issue that is simply a form of vouchers. symptom of a much larger problem.

Wiener’s proposal is reminis- Email: cent of a 2007 episode of South email@theguardsman.com The guardsman

Don Clyde Liska Koenig Atticus Morris

Don Wright / MCT

Cash not vouchers should stay the recycling norm

By Jen Houghton

Alex Emslie Kwame Opoku-Duku

The guardsman

A man in Tunisia lit himself on fire, and a revolution was born.

An ancient form of protest, selfimmolation struck an even bigger impact in our technological age.

The call for revolution spread across Twitter and Facebook at the speed of a runaway computer virus from North Africa to the Middle East and beyond.

A few short weeks later, dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was toppled in Tunisia.

The Tunisian’s success ignited Egypt. Realizing he had a rebellion on his hands, President Hosni Mubarak moved quickly to hit the kill switch on Egypt’s cell phones and Internet.

The Internet itself was not the subject of the Egyptian’s revolt — the rising cost of food, lack of jobs for the educated and working class and severe corruption in their government is a short list of their many grievances. The Internet was a necessary tool in their cause.

After a short time, Mubarak bowed to international pressure and restored communications for the country, and through patience and peaceful protest the Egyptians succeeded in ousting the corrupt dictator.

Among the worst of Mubarak’s many missteps was the blatant censorship of his people. He made digital martyrs of all Egyptians and crystallized the world’s attention on his nation.

Managing Editor

News Editor

By Joe Fitzgerald

with 320 co-sponsors, the Senate threw it out, demonstrating the kind of influence the Bank still has in Congress.

Now the head of the U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology, Paul is now in the process of opening more of the Bank’s books on their recent activities.

This past month the committee has had a few hearings with Federal Reserve officials over job losses, its partnership with Wall Street and its involvement in the manipulation of recent commodity prices, such as copper.

The Federal Reserve is not a government agency but a private bank created on Jekyll Island, Ga. in 1910. Congress entrusted this bank with monitoring the dollar through the passage of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913.

Since its passage, the bank has devalued the dollar by 90 percent through bank notations, derivatives and manipulations.

Those combined with the suspension of the gold and silver standards have been the underlying cause of why food and commodities prices have been rapidly rising.

Email: gjay@theguardsman.com

The Guardsman

Dictators target the power of the Internet

The Fed’s books must be opened The guardsman

The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | February 23, 2011 | 7

Iran, under President Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, spreads antiU.S. and anti-reform propaganda on a near daily basis. Almost all of their tactics are ripped from China’s playbook.

Like China, Iran has been censoring its people and journalists through imprisonment and intimidation for years. A powder keg of oppression, governmental abuse of power and a strong economic downturn have long been pushing

Iranians to their limits.

It should come as no surprise, then, that the downfall of Ben Ali and Mubarak have emboldened them — uprisings and mass unrest have reignited in Iran.

Staff Writers

Emily Daly Amarah Enkil Joe Fitzgerald Estela Fuentes Matthew Gomez Essie Harris Peter Hernandez Gary Jay Catherine Lee Tony LeTigre Brant Ozanich Brian Rinker April Wood

join the fight

The U.S. and other countries in the world have many technical and military means to combat censorship in Iran.

The U.S. government itself has aircraft that can temporarily restore Internet use to entire countries. Diplomatic pressure can also give an oppressive regime a final push out the door. As citizens, we can contribute as well. Proxy Internet servers in the U.S. can be used to allow Iranian citizens to access sites blocked by the government. Additionally, “ghost” Twitter accounts that claim to be in Iran, but in reality are elsewhere in the world, can be setup to overload government censors.

We shouldn’t abandon the Iranians in their fight or send them hollow words. As allies to all people fighting for freedom, the international community needs to empower their nation with one of the most formidable weapons of any era — the freedom of speech.

Email: jfitzgerald@theguardsman.com

Photographers

Ezra Ekman Clarivel Fong Donald Hamilton Gracie Malley Jessica North Broadus Parker Multimedia

Joe Fitzgerald Gary Jay Tony LeTigre Atticus Morris Brian Rinker Faculty Adviser

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Culture

8 | February 23, 2011 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com

CULTURE

The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | February 23, 2011 | 9

Thousands Party in the streets for Chinese new year

By Clarivel Fong The guardsman

Known as the largest lunar new year’s celebration outside of Asia, the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade once again wowed the crowds on Feb. 19 with its beautiful floats and entertaining displays of talent.

Even with the inclement weather, hundreds of thousands of people, including performers and participants attended the parade. People bundled up with warm jackets and hats to endure the cold weather and enjoy the festivities. No rain could stop the celebration.

Children as well as adults were awed by the display of firecrackers, dancers, band members and performers passing through downtown San Francisco and into Chinatown.

More than two dozen floats flowed past the crowd, including cars that escorted San Francisco political figures Mayor Ed Lee, Supervisor Malia Cohen (District 10), Treasurer Jose Cisneros and District Attorney George Gascón, to name a few.

The Golden Dragon, which was more than 200 feet long and was carried by a group of 100 people, closed the event. The lights casting colors and shadows around the dragon gave it a majestic glow.

Above: Lion dancers celebrate the Year of the Rabbit at Union Square during the Chinese New Year Parade.

EZRA Ekman / The guardsman

Left: Float riders wave from the International School of the Peninsula’s rabbit-adorned float as it cruises down Market St. in the Lunar New Year celebration.

Email: cfong@theguardsman.com CLARIVEL FONG / The guardsman

San Francisco welcomes the year of the rabbit

Gracie Malley / The guardsman

Above: A young girl watches the Chinese New Year Parade pass by on Post St.

A group of 100 people carried the 200-foot-long Golden Dragon whose bright, neon glow formed the finale to the Chinese New Year Parade.

Left: Parade participants twirl radiant flags as they march along Geary St. toward China Town in the Lunar New Year celebration.

CLARIVEL FONG / The guardsman

broadus parker / The guardsman

Culture

10 | February 23, 2011 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com

College showcases African American history with talks and exhibits

By Emily Daly The guardsman

City College is recognizing African American History Month with a series of lectures on this year’s theme, “African-Americans and the Civil War.” Presentations on the topic began Feb. 10 at three City College campuses, with additional lectures scheduled for Feb. 22 to 24. In addition, the Rosenberg Library is featuring a civil rights archive exhibit.

Underground Railroad

Guy Washington of the National Park Service presented the Feb. 10 slide show on the Underground Railroad in California.

Washington, a former peace corps member who served two years in Sierra Leone, Africa, started by noting that the origins of African American History Month date back to 1926 when historian Carter Woodson devoted himself to preserving his people’s history and organizing a week-long celebration in February. Fifty years later, President Gerald Ford extended that week to a whole month.

The slide show went over notable participants in the Underground Railroad, such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas and Rev. Jeremiah Sanderson.

“It’s a metaphor — it’s not BART, not the subway,” Washington said in regard to the railroad.

The audience laughed.

He explained that the antislavery movement was divided into two groups — those who believed change could be made through political laws, and those who believed moral law was more important and wouldn’t wait for politics. Participants in the Underground Railroad were part of the second group.

Some of the Underground Railroad’s most important history took place near San Francisco. Many southern slaves who traveled through California during the gold rush were freed by antislavery judges and sheriffs, and many slaves were able to buy their freedom by mining gold, Washington said.

Mary Ellen Pleasant, the head of the Underground Railroad in California, has a memorial plaque dedicated to her on the sidewalk at the corner of Octavia and Bush streets.“Slavery is not over yet,” Washington said at the end of the lecture. He explained that as many as 25 million people are currently enslaved in sweat shops and the sex industry.

“Why do we study this?” he asked. “Because we face it in our lives. It is our issue, and the issue of future generations.”

Mexican art exhibition delivers an emotional ride with works on paper

By Rainbow Ho

By Catherine Lee

contributing writer

The guardsman

Larry D. Moore / MCT

Dorthea Evans, lead custodian and member of the Committee on Political Education at City College, studies a portion of the African American history exhibit on display at the Rosenberg Library, Feb. 14,2011.

Buffalo Soldiers

nation’s democracy would not be as powerful.

Frederik Penn, also from the Upcoming National Park Service, gave the Feb. 15 lecture “Buffalo Soldiers, Milton Bowens will give the From the Presidio to the National Feb. 23 lecture, “Cultural LegParks.” acy of the Civil War.” Stan Yogi More than 100,000 Buffalo Sol- and Elaine Elinson will lead diers fought in the Civil War. This the Feb. 24 reading and discuswas the name Native Americans sion of their book, “Wherever gave to black soldiers because of There’s a Fight,” detailing the their tenacity in battle, Penn said. contributions of runaway slaves, Penn’s lecture went over the suffragists and immigrants reconstruction of the country after in California. the Civil War, suggesting that if The Rosenberg Library is hostthe Buffalo Soldiers had been sent ing an exhibit curated by Nancy to the South to enforce the poli- Simon from the Labor Archives cies of the reconstruction, America and Research Center and the could be a very different place archives at the San Francisco Histhan it is today. Buffalo Soldiers tory Center until April 15. Titled were instead sent west to pacify “Occupation! Economic Justice as Native Americans, who were fight- a Civil Right in San Francisco,” ing for their own rights. the exhibit features a collection Penn stressed that if it were of photographs by Phiz Mezey, as not for the struggles of African well as a time line of major civil Americans, America would be rights events in San Francisco. far away from its ideals of justice, The exhibit focuses on 1963 liberty and equality, and the and 1964, when many civil rights

By Matthew Gomez The guardsman

Jessica NOrth / THE GUARDSMAN

The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | February 23, 2011 | 11

‘Tiger mom’ stirs angry controversy with child rearing book

GRACiE MALLEY / THE GUARDSMAN

demonstrations began in San Francisco at places such as Mel’s Diner, the Sheraton Palace Hotel and car dealerships on Van Ness Avenue.

The protesters were challenging the discriminatory hiring practices of these businesses.

Over 220 demonstrators were arrested during an April 1964 protest at the Weissman Lincoln Mercury Dealership at 1301 Van Ness Ave., the most people arrested in a non-southern civil rights rally.

“If we did not look at or study African American history, we would not be fully aware of our rights as citizens,” Penn said.

“Thanks to the hard work, cooperation and sacrifices of so many African Americans and progressive white citizens, America today is closer to realizing the promise of the Declaration of Independence.”

Email: edaly@theguardsman.com

Artifacts from ancient Mexican culture displayed at de Young

The Olmec statue outside the Ocean campus Diego Rivera Theater was offered to City College in 2004.

Culture

Outside the Diego Rivera Theatre is a statue of a head that is linked to some of the oldest inhabitants of the Americas — the Olmec, an ancient civilization that lived in what is now Mexico.

The statue was offered to City College in 2004 by then-director of the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco Harry Parker III. The museum received two of the colossal head statues from Veracruz, Mexico and decided to donate one to a local school.

The statue is a copy of the one displayed at the museum and was carved by Maestro Ignacio Perez Solano, who was granted permission by the governor of Veracruz to make such replicas.

“They really do look like human portraiture,” said Edgar Torres, chair of Latin American and Latino Studies at City College. “I hope that we keep adding more pieces that reflect dif-

ferent artistic traditions throughout the Americas.”

Reigning from 1400 to 400 B.C., the Olmec left behind relics and clues that tie them to multiple parts of Mexico, but their existence is mostly a mystery to archaeologists.

Kathleen Berrin, curator of a new Olmec exhibit at the de Young Museum, has collected 150 Olmec pieces that will hopefully help to answer some questions. The exhibit, Olmec: Colossal Masterworks of Ancient Mexico, will run from Feb. 19 to May 8 at the de Young Museum.

“There are many things we do not know about the Olmec,” Berrin said. “But we know they were a beautiful civilization.”

The Olmec left behind no written record of their existence, only the statues and artifacts that are still being discovered by archaeologists today.

The exhibit took three years to put together, said John Buchanan Jr., the current director of the Fine Arts Museum. The pieces came

from 12 museums throughout Mexico and the collections of a few museums in the United States.

So far, 17 colossal head statues like the one at City College have been discovered. They were carved using no metals, and can weigh as much as 25 tons. Over half of them were discovered in San Lorenzo, Mexico, which is 40 miles from the source of the basalt rock from which they’re carved.

“It’s most commonly thought they represent rulers,” Berrin said.

“It requires a very, very powerful leader to make this all happen.”

The pieces being displayed in the exhibit came primarily from museums throughout Mexico. This is the first time they have all been brought together in this way, and it will probably be the last.

“After this you’ll have to go to Mexico and go to 12 different museums,” Berrin said.

Email: mgomez@theguardsman.com

All eyes are on Amy Chua, Yale law professor and “Tiger Mom,” as her latest book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” has stirred up controversy.

A memoir about her Chinese parenting methods, the book made its way to the top of the best-sellers list. Little did she know that her work would inspire a wave of criticism.

Shortly after an excerpt was published on the Wall Street Journal’s website, the site was flooded with thousands of disapproving comments from outraged readers for the severe parenting method described in the book.

Chua’s tactics detailed in the book include threatening to burn her youngest daughter’s stuffed animals, prohibiting sleepovers and play dates and rejecting her daughters’ work if it is less than perfect — whether it be a birthday card or a math test.

Readers should keep in mind that Chua’s memoir is a narrative that carries a fistful of satire.

Although born in the U.S., Chua was raised by her parents in what she calls the traditional Chinese way. To raise her two daughters, Sophia and Lulu, she employed her parents’ style, which has been summed up by the media as strict, harsh and over-demanding.

Minh-Hoa Ta, interim dean of instruction and former director of the Asian Pacific American Student Success program at City College, believes that Chua’s story is simply one of the cases that the media has chosen to single out.

“I believe that there are many other parents raising their kids in a similar way, but most Chinese parents nowadays do not go to extremes,” Ta said.

Many expressed distaste for the Chinese parenting theory, which may be due to readers being only partially informed. As an AsianAmerican with years of experience counseling Asian-American students at City College, Ta said that most of the students that she meets at City College are brought up in ways that differ from Chua’s.

“The American media tends to generalize and label the Chinese,” Ta said. “In movies, women are mainly depicted as dragon ladies, and now Chinese mothers are viewed as tiger moms.”

According to Ta, the media focuses on negative elements of individual cases to gain attention, without providing the full picture.

“Not all Chinese are like that,” she said.

Numerous factors account for variations in parenting methods, such as educational backgrounds, social and religious influences and regional differences. For instance, China’s one-child policy may cause parents to devote more effort and time to nurturing children.

Amy Chua, author of the controversial best-seller “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.”

“There are many cases where parents in other countries raise their children like Amy Chua, not just Chinese,” Ta said.

Ta believes it is unfair for the media to portray Chinese parents as overly demanding, because more subtle facets of their parenting are not highlighted.

Many Chinese-American children are brought up in environments where they are wellrespected, protected and encouraged by parents with reasonable expectations. Chua’s case is one that happens to be in the spotlight, but is certainly not one that best represents the parenting style of the entire Chinese population.

“This is only one woman’s story – it does not represent the whole Chinese-American story,” Ta said.

In a recent interview with People Magazine, Chua admitted to a transformation in her attitude towards her daughters by allowing them more freedom.

With the ongoing debate, perhaps it is best not to generalize.

Different families have various ways of nurturing their children.

Or, as Chua puts it, “There are many ways of raising great kids.”

Email: email@theguardsman.com

“México: Política y Poética — Modern and Contemporary Works on Paper and Animations,” a new exhibit of conceptual art by living artists, had an opening attended by hundreds on Feb. 17 at the SF State Fine Arts Gallery.

The small but powerful exhibit reveals a new generation’s ability to “turn trauma and social unrest into jarring, ironic imagery,” the exhibition’s narrative said.

The gallery manager of SF State Fine Arts Gallery and exhibit co-curator Sharon Bliss described the genesis of the show and curatorial themes at the opening.

The works were selected using the guideline “works on paper.” One of the curators, Julio Cesar Morales, also had the idea that animation should be included because it often begins as a work on paper.

Bliss and co-curators Mark Johnson and Morales submitted their proposal, received funding and began dealing with galleries in Mexico City. By talking to local artists, they were introduced to a private entity called the Fundación/Colección Jumex, which maintains a large collection of contemporary art that it loans to other galleries.

Colección Jumex contributed a third of the exhibition’s pieces.

“In Mexico City, everything we looked at had overwhelming social commentary and political themes,” Bliss said.

Morales, a working artist and Tijuana native, advocated for a political focus. Those themes are prevalent in the majority of the works, although the socio-political idea may be less apparent because it’s conceptual art.

Kelsey Rudd and Christine Adams, graduate students in the SF State museum studies program, jointly held the positions of project manager and operation manager for the exhibition.

Rudd described how the wall text that accompanies the art is particularly helpful at describing the social context of the works on display.

Students at the SF State Fine Arts Gallery view a collection of paintings made from embalming fluids from a Mexico City morgue.

The wall texts — written by SF State art history students — illuminate, embellish and clarify the pieces.

“It’s really an art form itself,” Rudd said.

Rudd’s favorite piece is “Papeles/Papers” by Teresa Margolles, a long wall of 100 sheets of paper.

The approximately 27-inch by 20-inch sheets are washes of reddish and brown swirls and texture that attracted many patrons.

Each sheet of ‘Papeles/Papers’ has been dipped in the post-autopsy fluids of corpses from one of Mexico City’s morgues, according to the wall text.

The individual papers are like conceptual portraits of a different person – unique in their death and in their saturation on paper.

“It’s my favorite because it has such unexpected impact. It’s so beautiful and so painful,” Rudd said.

Adams’ favorite piece in the show, “Cinturón de Violencia” by Moris, is a black and white vinyl appliqué of a street grid on the wall, with six watercolor paintings mounted as color callouts of urban places like bridges and concrete soccer fields.

The paintings document sites where great violence has occurred, the wall text said.

Adams hopes that connections with other galleries in the city and in the world are stimulated by the show. The show is already travelling to Sweden’s Nordic Watercolor Museum at the end of March, and it will potentially continue elsewhere, she said.

Rudd and Adams are excited about SF State’s collaboration with other cultural centers in San Francisco this current conceptual art exhibition has fostered.

Between the exhibit at SF State, the Olmec show at the de Young Museum and a video exhibition at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, momentum is growing around the theme of Mexican art.

This artistic energy is funneling toward the idea of a new Mexican Museum in San Francisco, Rudd said.

Email: clee@theguardsman.com

matt lambert / THE GUARDSMAN

Culture

12 | February 23, 2011 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com

Bookworm battle at Elbo room

Culture

The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | February 23, 2011 | 13

Instructor immortalized in Mission

HELP WANTED

‘Literary

Death Match’ brings literature readings to bars

By Isaiah Kramer The guardsman

An evening of parodying, dueling, judging, joking, drinking and orating Voltaire with a mouthful of marshmallows entertained the near-capacity crowd who attended the Literary Death Match at Elbo Room Feb. 11.

The San Francisco literature scene is epic, diverse and creative to boot. A typical reading, especially one held at a bar, subverts the quiet library style in favor of a more raucous, comedic showcase of prose.

“It’s more fun this way — there are drinks and you can swear,” author Jennifer Solow said.

Literary Death Match, on its 37th episode, started in San Francisco four years ago. It has since been transplanted to 27 cities worldwide including New York, Paris and London.

The evening’s guest cohost Will Franken, a performance artist who was called “the best alternative to psychedelic drugs” by the San Francisco Bay Guardian, amplified the humor element with his multiple character impersonations.

Contestants were judged on literary merit, performance and intangibles — a sort of miscellany category.

“I look at acting, expression, movement and even their costume,” performance judge April Sinclair said.

Jeff Bouvier read first after the hosts finished an American Idol parody sketch and introduced the judges.

Bouvier rhymed in his satirical rap about male chauvinism, winning the first round over Solow who regaled the audience with a love story about a dominatrix and a corporate executive.

In round two, John Scott gave a diatribe about freedom of choice,

N A T I O N A L

raising his voice as he ridiculed Mill Valley housewives. Scott was defeated by Monica Nolan who read an excerpt from her erotica novel “Bobby Blanchard, Lesbian Gym Teacher.”

In the final showdown, Nolan and Bouvier sparred in a game called “mushmouth”. The hosts donned plastic gloves and inserted marshmallows into the contestants’ mouths every 20 seconds as the they read passages from Candide and other Voltaire works. Whoever read the most lines won.

Authors competed in the death match for prestige, supremacy and a plastic crown. But perhaps compete isn’t the operative verb.

As Nolan, winner of the death match, said upon being crowned and receiving a $25 Green Apple gift card, “Why, oh why did I get so competitive just for this?”

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Gonzales, founding editor of El Tecolote, was chosen by former Horace Mann student Jose Perez.

Perez, who has since returned City College Journalism to Mexico, had an interest in workDepartment Chair Juan Gonzales ing at El Tecolote,Horace Mann is depicted in a mural on the exte- teacher Gail Eigl said. rior wall of Horace Mann Middle “He also liked that Juan was School. Gonzales can be found bilingual,” she said. second from the left, top row. The The people in the mural were yet-to-be completed mural, done in picked by students, who then partnership with the San Francisco traced the faces onto the wall. StuMuseum of Modern Art, honors dents painted the mural with help community heroes. from by teachers and volunteers.

By Matt Lambert The guardsman

More!

Part-time work that works for students!

BayAreaHelpers.org

Email: email@theguardsman.com

Sports

Calendar for February 23 – March 08

Personal Assistants

“We hope to have the mural done by the end of the school year. We just have to add names and finish the borders,” Eigl said.

Horace Mann Middle School is located at 3351 23rd St. in the Mission district.

Campus Events

Community Events

Thur

Fri

Sat

sun

Mon

tues

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25

26

27

28

01

9th Annual Celebrity Crab Cracking Festival Union Square 12 – 3 p.m.

Free Fair Trade Fashion Night Urban Bazaar 1371 9th Ave 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Free

Lindy in the Park Beginning Swing Dancing class Golden Gate Park, (South sidewalk of John F. Kennedy Drive, by the de Young Museum 12-12:30 p.m.

Free Noise Pop Culture Club & Pop ‘n’ Shop Public Works 161 Erie St 12 p.m.

Free

Author Event: Elaine Elinson and Stan Yogi discuss their book: Wherever There’s A Fight.

Ocean Campus Rosenberg Library, Room 304 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Free Men’s Baseball vs.

Gavilan College Fairmont Field 1 p.m.

Poet Lorna Dee Cervantes Cloud Hall Rm 266 1 – 2 p.m.

Free Women’s Swim Meet College of San Mateo 1700 W. Hillsdale Boulevard, San Mateo 2 p.m.

Women’s Tennis vs Foothill College Ocean Campus 2 p.m.

African American history month event at Ocean Campus Amphitheater weather permitting, Student union if weather is bad.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Author Event: Hot: Living Through the Next 50 Years on Earth The Booksmith 1644 Haight St. 7:30 p.m.

Free

Last day to apply for an Associate Arts or Science Degree and an Award of Achievement or Certificate of Accomplishment.

Burmese Cooking Class Marina Middle School 3500 Fillmore St. 6:30 p.m. $55-65

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(L-R) Alia Volz gets comments from the crowned Monica Nolan during a Feb. 11 Literary Death Match competition at Elbo Room in San Francisco.

The Cultural Legacy of the Civil War: Lecture and Arts presentation By Milton Bowens Downtown Campus Room 821 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Free Womyn of Color Gathering Ocean Campus Student Union Building 12:30 – 3 p.m.

Free

© 2010 National University 8916

National University,

8 0 0 . N AT. U N I V

Juan Gonzales, City College journalism department chair, is featured in a mural on the side of Horace Mann Middle School. Gonzales is second from left, on the top row.

23

Finish School YOUR Way!

At

matt lambert / THE GUARDSMAN

Ezra Ekman / THE GUARDSMAN

Email: ikramer@theguardsman.com

Tutors Babysitters Dog Walkers Nannies Pet Sitters Senior Help

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Wed

thur

fri

sat

sun

Mon

tues

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

Documentary Film: Foul Water Fiery Serpent UCSF Mission Bay Genentech Auditorium 600 16th Street 4 – 5:30 p.m.

Free Artist Reception: Falsely Accused “Terrorist” Hasan Elahi Intersection 5M 925 Mission St 7 – 9 p.m.

Free

Men’s Baseball game vs College of San Mateo 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd San Mateo 2 p.m.

Women’s Softball game vs College of San Mateo 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd San Mateo 3 p.m.

Women’s Swim Meet Chabot College 25555 Hesperian Blvd Hayward 2 p.m.

12th Annual Bay Area Seed Swap Ecology Center 2530 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley 7 – 9 p.m.

Free if you bring food & seeds to share.

San Francisco Green Film Festival Embarcadero Center Cinema 1 Embarcadero Ctr 12 – 11 p.m. $12.50 per film Breathed... Unsaid...

Opening Reception Presented by SOMArts 934 Brannan St 6 – 9 p.m.

Free

Franz Liszt Organ Recital Grace Cathedral 1100 California St 4 p.m.

Free Entire Golden Gate Park Hike starts at McClaren Lodge Golden Gate Park Access road 10 a.m.

Free

Author Event: Growing a Farmer: How I Learned to Live Off the Land Ominvore Books on Food 3885A Cesar Chavez 6 – 7 p.m.

Free Architecture Lecture Series Presents: Mona El Khafif California College of the Arts, Timken Lecture Hall 1111 8th St 7-9 p.m.

Free

Men’s Baseball game vs DeAnza College 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd Cupertino 2 p.m.

Women’s Softball game vs Foothill College Fairmont Field 1 p.m.

Women’s Tennis vs DeAnza College Ocean Campus 2 p.m.

Classifieds Calling all writers and artists: Please send Forum Magazine

your best stories, poems, non-fiction pieces, and artwork and be a part of the Bay Area’s thriving literary community. Please include a quick bio, state your connection to City College, and label your work by genre. Images must be at least 300 dpi. Hard copy submissions can be dropped off/sent to J. Brych at Batmale 564.

Deadline is February 28.

Classified Ads 50 cents per word. $5 minimum for commercial advertisers. City College students, staff and faculty qualify for one free classified per semester. Multiple ads not accepted. Must show current student ID. Commercial ads not accepted from students. Acceptance of ads at the discretion of The Guardsman.

Article Submissions To submit tips on stories contact: Editor in Chief (415) 239-3446 Fax: (415) 239-3884 editor@theguardsman.com

Sports

SPOrtS

donald hamilton / the guardSman

teammates lift sophomore guard daryl Cooper to ceremoniously cut the net after winning the Coast Conference title at the Wellness Center on Feb. 18.

cOnFerence chamPiOnS

City College wins their seventh consecutive Coast Conference title and receives the No. 1 seed in the Northern California playoffs 50 years — win a state champion- have the state championship slip ship. through their fingers when they After defeating Chabot College lost to Saddleback College in the As one chapter ends in City on Feb. 12, the Rams were well on title game.

College men’s basketball 2011 their way as they clinched another Head coach Justin Labagh season, a new one begins.

Coast Conference title, propel- thinks this team has the tools to Having won seven straight con- ling them as the No. 1 seed in the bring home a championship. ference championships and reach- Northern California playoffs.

“We have a deeper team, and we ing the state’s final four teams The Rams will not travel have more leadership this season,” three out of the last five years, the through uncharted territory. Fresh- Labagh said.

Rams want to accomplish some- men from last year’s team have One leader this season has been thing they haven’t done in almost walked this road before only to point guard Daryl Cooper, who has

By Ryan Kuhn The Guardsman

Football players move on to 4-year programs

By Matthew Gomez The Guardsman

Football players entering the Rams program have two things on their mind — the game, and what comes next.

2010 Rams quarterback Steele Jantz has his sights set on the NFL. But first, he needs to finish college.

Jantz transferred to Iowa State University this semester and plans to major in English, but his goal is to play professional football.

“School is school,” Jantz said. “But everything is football.”

Athletes must maintain a 2.0 GPA to be eligible to play. But to transfer to a Divisio 1 school like Iowa State, their grades need to be as good as their stats “You can’t be great at one and lousy at the other,” assistant coach Andre Allan said.

“Work ethic in anything you do is what separates you from the next person.”

That attitude is especially important when players are being scouted. They need to be able to handle whatever pressure is brought their way.

“The pool of talent is much larger every level you step up,” Allen said.

He said there is a huge difference between

being the best player on a high school team versus a college team.

The eight-time national champion Rams also have a reputation to uphold. Head coach George Rush said scouts from across the nation come to City College to scout players.

“It’s added pressure because you know you’re being judged on your current performance,” Rush said. “Great competitors rise to the occasion.”

Sua Tuala, who will play for Idaho State, is another Ram who left his mark.

As a linebacker last season, he had 19 tackles for losses, which is a school record.

“He was definitely the most productive linebacker we’ve had here,” linebacker coach Anthony Feliciano said.

City College averages 15 Division 1 scholarships a year. Aaron Horne will be joining Jantz at Iowa Sate, and defensive back Allen Chapman will be playing for Kansas State.

Rush said he is very proud of his sophomores.

“Our players are very credible players,” Rush said. “They’re well prepared to enter the world of Division 1 football.”

Email: mgomez@theguardsman.com

an average 8.6 points and 3 assists in the last four games for the Rams.

He feels like this season isn’t about individuality, but leadership and teamwork.

“A lot of us have all played together now, so we know what is needed to get done,” Cooper said.

Cooper won a state championship in high school with Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory his senior season so he knows what it

is like being a leader on the court.

“Being a leader, you deal with a lot more pressure,” Cooper said. “I have to deal with all the emotions.”

Finishing the season with a record of 27-1 in the season and 12-0 in conference made this City College’s best season in more than five years, but Labagh the Rams have more work ahead of them.

“Everyone has to do a little extra,” he said. “Before it was about perfection, now it’s doing whatever it takes to win. We want to be the most aggressive team in the state.”

Led by Collin Chiverton and Jonathon Williams, who are both in the top five in the conference in scoring, the Rams have one of the deepest and most athletic teams in California, Labagh said.

“We have so many weapons that make us hard to guard,” he said.

Despite having only one year of basketball under his belt before joining the Rams, forward Yoan Zola has been an inside presence.

“He has been huge for us,” Cooper said.

Because they are ranked number one, City College will get home court advantage throughout the playoffs, as well as a first round bye to advance to play the winner of the 16 and 17 seed game.

One loss will send you home from the playoffs, so the Rams have to look at every opponent equally. But Labagh’s team is focused on one team in particular.

“The biggest team we have to deal with is ourselves,” Labagh said.

The Rams’ first playoff game will be against the winner of Butte College and Monterey Pennisula College on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Wellness Center. email: rkuhn@theguardsman.com

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The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | February 23, 2011 | 15

clariVel fong / the guardSman

Pitcher Luisa Saucedo (25) pitches at City College’s first home game on Feb. 21, a victorious game with an ending score of 16-13.

Rams softball gets season’s first win

By Ryan Kuhn The Guardsman

donald hamilton / the guardSman

Freshmen Guard Hallie Meneses attempts a three-point shot at the Wellness Center on Feb. 11.

rams clinch coast title and playoff spot

By Aaron Turner The Guardsman

Even on the brink of a ninegame winning streak, the City College women’s basketball team was given a wake-up call in their second to last conference game against visiting Chabot College.

In a tale of two halves, the Rams were able to overcome some sloppy play and poor defense and ultimately put away the Gladiators 64-52 Northern Feb. 11, on California Sophomore Second Round Night at the Playoff Game Wellness City College (23-5) Center. vs. Consumnes River College (15Janis 12) at the Wellness Peterson Center on Feb. 25 led the at 5 p.m.

Rams’ scoring with 17 points, and Shawnte Taylor added 15 to counter Chabot’s sophomore guards Charnay Bell and Sharae Davis’ prolific scoring, who had 18 and 13 points, respectively.

The 12-point victory was the Rams’ closest game since losing to Foothill on Jan. 5.

After a back and forth first half, which would see eight total lead changes, the Rams began the second half on a 12-2 run and never looked back. Still, it was a game that, for those donning the home jerseys, was too close for comfort.

“We needed to get back to what we do best as a team,” sophomore forward Shawnte Taylor said. “I

think we came out with not a lot of intensity at first. We should have been able to contain [Chabot] more.”

Finding their 3-point stroke and making defensive adjustments helped turn the game around for City College.

Freshman point guard Hallie Meneses, who was matched up against the fleet-footed Bell for much of the game, said the game plan changed after the first half.

“The main adjustment we made was to deny [Bell] the ball, and it seemed to work really well,” Meneses said. “We just had to keep playing hard.”

Leading all scorers in the first half with 15 points, Bell was held to only 3 points the remainder of the night.

Although the Rams will be playing at least one round of playoffs in the comfy confines of the Wellness Center, for the three sophomores, it was their final regular season home game.

“For me, this year has been so much about getting our freshmen prepared for what comes after the regular season,” Taylor said.

“Once they get to the playoffs, I think reality will set in, and I think they’ll be ready.”

After being down by eight runs after the first two innings, sophomore outfielder Megan McGuire spoke up.

“Let’s go! I want home runs from everyone,” she shouted.

City College kept the pressure on their opponent to come away with their first victory of the season, defeating Contra Costa College 16-13 on Feb. 21 after backto-back home runs in the top of the third to start an eight-run inning.

Head coach Jack McGuire was pleased with the first victory of 2011.

“It feels good. I’m glad for the players,” he said. “They have been working hard and they deserve it.”

Because of an injury to pitcher Yennifer Mendoza, sophomore pitcher Louisa Saucedo took the mound again just after she pitched

a double header against Foothill on Feb. 15.

Although she gave up 13 runs on nine hits, she never let the Comets run away with the game.

Freshman shortstop Rae Walsworth led the Rams with two big home runs and four RBIs. She knows how important it is to out-hit her opponent.

“Our team counts on our offense so much, so it was great that I hit those two home runs,” Walsworth said.

Other notable performances for the Rams were Megan and Shawn McGuire who combined for four RBIs. Saucedo also finished with three hits and two RBIs. In the top of the fourth inning, Contra Costa regained the lead with three runs on a double but City College’s players know how important it is to keep their spirits up.

N A T I O N A L

“It’s very important to keep our motivation up because we have a tendency to drop it,” Walsworth said. “We have to work on being mentally tough.”

The Rams kept chipping away at the lead until the bottom of the sixth inning, where Megan McGuire drove in Walsworth and Patrice Bryant with a single up the middle.

Although she feels the team is moving in the right direction with a victory in their first home game, Walsworth says there is a long way to go in the season.

“We still have a lot to work on, but if we come together as a team we have potential,” she said.

The next game for City College will be against Ohlone College on the road in Fremont. First pitch is at 3 p.m.

Email: rkuhn@theguardsman.com

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© 2010 National University 8916

14 | February 23, 2011 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com

At

National University,

we know you can’t sit in class all day or lock yourself in a library – you’ve got work, family, and friends. You’re transferring because you want to finish your degree and move on into a new career. National University makes that

>> Streamlined admissions >> No enrollment fee >> Flexible scheduling >> Unique one-course-per-month format >> Scholarship programs

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Sports

16 | February 23, 2011 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com

clariVel fong / the guardSman

A Rams butterflier takes first place in the 100-yard race at a home meet against Laney College on Feb. 18.

City swims to victory

By Amarah Enkil The Guardsman

clariVel fong / the guardSman

rams’ andrea Waters, who took third place in the 1,000-yard freestyle race, averaged about 44 seconds per lap.

The City College women’s swim team went up against Laney College at the Wellness Center for their second pre-season meet of the season on Feb 18., and the swimmers had an opportunity to strengthen technique.

With four returning swimmers this semester, two from local high schools and the rest from east and south bay, City College defeated Laney College 142-56.

Coach Phong Pham, who is working his way through his third year at City College, said he expected captains Cathryn Gibson

and Alyssa Stember to do well.

And well they did.

The meet began with a 200yard medley relay with Gibson, Stember, Tangni Nietschmann and Sarah Woods. The team of four came in first at 2:06.59.

Next came the 1,000-yard freestyle as four swimmers leaped into the pool embarking on the 20-lap long event.

Keeping a steady and rhythmic pace, the women swam lap after lap as their teammates were seated at the end of each lane.

Rams’ Andrea Waters came in third place at 14:31.48 averaging about 44 seconds per lap.

In the 200-yard and 50-yard

Freestyle, Gibson won her second event and came in first with the final time of 2:11.32 for the fourlap freestyle. Stember also came in first again with 27.69 seconds in the one-lap.

She finished the meet with three first place finishes along with teammate Gibson who also finished with three victories including the 500-yard freestyle.

The next meet the Rams will participate in will be on Feb. 25 where the women will travel down I-280 against College of San Mateo and Foothill at San Mateo.

The meet will start at 2 p.m.

Email: aenkil@theguardsman.com

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