Multi-Use Building Rebranded in Honor of Harry Britt
By John R. Adkins jradproduction@gmail.com
The City College community will not forget the life and contributions of former San Francisco Supervisor and activist Harry Britt.
On the morning of Feb. 14, employees of Integrated Sign Installations pried the gold letters from the building at 55 Frida Kahlo Way, discarding the former title of Multi-Use Building, and effectively renaming the structure to Harry Britt Building.
The Harry Britt Building, formerly MUB, is most noted for being the meeting place of Trustees. As the work of local politicians is so intricately tied to the politics of City College, so is Britt’s legacy tied
to the many Trustees who championed his values on the college’s oversight board.
On Dec. 7, 2023, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the proposal to rename the City College building in honor of the former supervisor. Discussions about the renaming began shortly after Britt’s passing on June 24, 2020.
Nearly five years later, that idea has finally been realized. Former Chancellor David Martin said in 2023 that this was the college’s first opportunity to implement its process of renaming a building. However, this aligns with City College’s tradition of honoring artists, civil rights activists and members of the LGBTQ community. In 2018, the City College community voted to rename Phelan Avenue after bisexual Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
City College is also the historic home of the first queer studies department in the United States.
Britt was committed to carrying on the legacy of his predecessor and mentor, former supervisor Harvey Milk. Like Milk, Britt mentored countless activists and LGBTQ people running for public office, among them were members of the Board of Trustees and the greater City College community.
Former Supervisor Tom Amiano and former Trustee Tim Wolfred, both close to Britt, proposed renaming a City College building before former Trustees Shannell Williams, Tom Temprano and Alex Randolph—all members of the LGBTQ community—introduced the resolution to begin the process on July 30, 2020.
Colossal Olmec Head Finds New Life Beside City College STEAM Building
By John R. Adkins jradproduction@gmail.com
After traveling 2,500 miles up from Veracruz, Mexico, El Rey still had one last journey to make. Only this time, the move was across the street.
On Friday, Feb. 21, the 9-foot-high, 14-ton replica of the ancient Olmec head was relocated to a small concrete pad to the left of the new STEAM building. There, it is featured more prominently for the campus community and can be
easily admired by the passing traffic on Frida Kahlo Way. Its new home was also selected due to its close proximity to where the Diego Rivera mural will be relocated.
The giant Olmec head, “El Rey,” was carved by renowned Mexican sculptor Maestro Ignacio Perez Solano. It is a reproduction of the original piece unearthed in San Lorenzo, Mexico, also known as San Lorenzo #1. Archeologists have speculated that the ancient Olmec head represents one of their rulers, hence the name El Rey,
which translates to “the King.”
For the last 20 years, El Rey has lived on a concrete collar in a courtyard outside the old Diego River Theatre, between the Creative Arts Building and Judson Avenue.
The Great Migration
It was 6 a.m. on Valentine’s Day when Atthowe Fine Art Services—a company
“Bracing for Impact”: Students and Faculty Prepare for Impending Trump Policies
By Kyra Young kyrajyoung@gmail.com
Faculty and students at City College are taking action to educate, organize and prepare for President Donald Trump’s policies being enforced across the United States that threaten immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities.
On Jan. 23, the Board of Trustees adopted a resolution supporting undocumented and LGBTQ+ students at City College. Later in their discussion, Trustee Susan Solomon proposed an amendment to the resolution, calling for the chancellor’s assembly of a working group that included representatives from the groups working directly with the affected students, as well as the students themselves.
Involved parties would include CityDREAM, the Queer Resource Center, Women’s Resource Center, Women’s Gender Studies, LGBT Studies, Family Resource Center and DSPS.
“We needed some actual teeth and action in that resolution,” said Mary Bravewoman, president of the local teacher’s union AFT 2121, who stressed concern for Maria Rodriguez and Leticia Silva of CityDream during her president’s report at the Jan. 23 meeting. Both Rodriguez and Silva were absent from the meeting as they were driving fearful students home in response to a rumor of a federal immigration enforcement agent stepping onto a Muni bus and approaching a middle school student that afternoon.
Cynthia Herrera Araúz, secretary of the Associated Students Council at Mission Campus, was in the CityDREAM office the day a student claimed to have seen the federal agents on the bus and returned in visible distress. “The student ran in here crying, she was so scared,” Araúz recalled.
The mayor’s office and federal officials were able to conduct a review and later confirmed there was no federal immigration enforcement action on a Muni bus that day.
The Participatory Governance Council came together for a meeting on Feb. 6. When Interim Chancellor Mitch Bailey came forward for the Chancellor’s report, he acknowledged the exhaustion and stress of the past two weeks, but emphasized his focus on “this little corner of the world,” and added that his focus would remain on said corner until his last day at the college.
“I’m calling an advisory group together to advise me on how we continue to respond to, support and communicate with our broader community, particularly our undocumented students and our transgender students,” said Bailey. “I don’t want the conversation to get lost, as there are other populations who are under attack.”
In response to a question about the privatization of spaces, Bailey mentioned a need for the proper language to formulate a “time, place and manner” policy at City College.
The Cal State University system states the policy is a set of standards that allow for a university to “maintain an environment where its operations and work can be safely conducted without disruption in accordance with the highest standards of institutional integrity, and with recognition of the rights, privileges and responsibilities of university community members and members of the public.”
Olmec continued on page 3
Multi-Use Building continued on page 2
Harry Britt (June 8, 1938–June 24, 2020) served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1978, when Harvey Milk was assassinated, until 1993.
Photo Illustration by John Adkins. Reference from photograph by Janet Fries.
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Multi-Use Building Rebranded in Honor of Harry Britt
“What is most meaningful to me about this opportunity is that it will ensure that future students, staff and visitors to City College have the opportunity to learn a little bit about a person who many of us on this board have had the privilege of getting to actually know while he was here, and while he was out there advocating for us as candidates or other progressive causes,” Temprano said.
Britt also encouraged Wolfred to run for a seat on the City College board. Wolfred went on to serve for 14 years as the first openly gay City College Trustee.
Mayor Diane Feinstein appointed Britt to the Board of Supervisors following the assassination of Harvey Milk in 1978. Britt was then elected to the Board of Supervisors four times before serving as its president from 1989 to 1991. During his congressional run in 1987, Britt narrowly lost to Nancy Pelosi.
During his time on the Board of Supervisors, he championed progressive causes in San Francisco, including rent control and increased civilian oversight of the police department.
He also worked to build upon the alliance between gay and labor communities that his predecessor, Harvey Milk, had started.
“For the legions of those he helped and inspired, this naming is a welcome tribute. As committed as he was to carry through with Harvey Milk’s legacy, he often confessed his first love was classroom teaching,” Ammiano said.
As an educator, he worked to make college degrees more attainable for those who felt alienated by traditional education paths.
The resolution put forward by the board stated that “Britt’s actions and activism embodied a persistent and courageous dedication to our union values and wishes to uphold for ourselves, our students, and the City College of San Francisco community.”
Both the Harvey Milk Club, initially founded by Britt, and AFT2121 came out in support of the resolution.
The college’s press release from 2023 stated that it plans to “commemorate the life and work of Harry Britt in a meaningful way so that students, staff and visitors can learn more about his contributions to San Francisco and the larger LGBTQIA and progressive movements.”
“The greatest opportunity in this is not just naming a building after Harry, but about using that as a tool to teach about the work he did… and what he stood for,” Temprano said. “He advocated for the folks who are students, the people in SF who need champions, and who need institutions like City College.”
“Bracing for Impact”: Students and Faculty Prepare for Impending Trump Policies
At a recent Department Chairs’ Council Meeting, questions arose over what a “sanctuary college” means and what that can and cannot do for students. It was made clear that ICE could potentially come onto campus, but could not step into classrooms without a warrant. The warrant would have to be presented to the Chancellor.
While the administration has continued to navigate the circumstances, a small taskforce of faculty and students have formed to address current concerns with the guidance of those on the ground and directly impacted, like CityDREAM and the Queer Resource Center. No members of the Board are currently involved.
“I think we, as teachers, cannot wait for anybody,” said Labor and Community Studies Department Chair James Tracy, who helped organize the taskforce. “City Dream and QRC are fantastic—they’re the frontlines of this response. They deserve all the kudos, attention and support.”
Tracy, who helped organize a fundraiser for undocumented students and CityDREAM at El Rio in January, mentioned collaborating
with the SF Labor Council to hold a “Know Your Rights” solidarity event at Mission Center on Mar. 15. The event will be open to the public and have interpreters for multiple languages.
“Good teachers develop very specific relationships with their students, and we grow to care about them quite a bit,” Tracy said. “We’re gonna do what we’ve gotta do, we’re going to push back given the resources we have, and hopefully do it in an inviting way where people say ‘Oh, that’s great, now I’m gonna step up.’”
Tracy emphasized the importance of his role as an educator in Labor and Community Studies to connect students to the “direct, historical parallels” of current events, the history of people’s resistance in the U.S., and the development of skills necessary to organize and participate in resistance.
“People are so stressed with what’s going on right now—and I’m not a hippie at all, but I’m trying to teach people how to hold onto their light, and not having it squashed out of you all the time in the face of everything,” said Tracy. “And that’s organizing, working in community and breaking down isolation.”
Community Feedback Shapes the Selection of Future Vice Chancellor
By Qi Mai qmai10@mail.ccsf.edu
AsCity College searches for a new Vice Chancellor for Academic and Institutional Affairs, the administration provided an opportunity for community feedback.
The candidates for the position are Dr. Zahi Atallah, Dr. Deonne Kunkel, Dr. Bradley Lane, and Mr. David Yee. Evaluation forms for each candidate were to be completed and turned in by Wednesday, Feb.12.
Each candidate participated in a brief listening session. At the beginning of each session, they presented their background and experience, followed by a moderated question-and-answer session, with questions submitted in advance by campus constituent groups.
The candidates discussed college administration, affairs, development, long-term planning, the use of AI in teaching, and President Trump’s policies as they relate to the college.
Their presentations offered comprehensive and insightful analyses, and the overall feedback was positive.
During the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Institutional Affairs Forum, some faculty, staff and students attended in person and completed the evaluation forms. Others participated by watching the recorded sessions online. The feedback from the City College community is essential in selecting the next Vice Chancellor for Academic and Institutional Affairs.
The Guardsman conducted an additional in-person survey to gather more responses. Students from around Ocean Campus were invited to read the candidates’ professional bios before scoring the candidates.
In the Guardsman survey, some staff and students provided their feedback. After reviewing the candidates’ bios, Computer Science students Zwe Min Khant and Thet Paing Htoo, Economics major Kyaw Zinc Hein and Communications major Ariana Espinal, commented that Dr. Bradley Lane stands out due to his achievements in community-building, strong communication, and leadership skills, which they believe set him apart from the other candidates.
However, some students expressed a lack of interest in the forum. A few students also mentioned that they believe Dr. Zahi Atallah and Dr. Deonne Kunkel could help City College improve and become even better.
Patrick Hall, Storeroom Manager in the Engineering and Technology Department, offered a particularly positive evaluation.“David Yee is the only candidate that I am truly impressed with. His answers were perfect, and his understanding of CCSF’s history and policies was clear. His past honors demonstrate that he is not only capable, but also a man of integrity. We need honest, straightforward, and committed leadership to move CCSF forward,” Hall said. It was widely agreed that offering three ways to participate—attending in person, listening to the recorded sessions online, and taking the survey on-site— was an excellent approach for gathering feedback from the community.
Courtesy of the Labor & Community Studies Department
The north face of the Harry Britt Building. (Isabelle Salvadori/The Guardsman)
From left to right: Dr. Deonne Kunkel, Mr. David Yee
From left to right: Dr. Zahi Atallah, Dr. Bradley Lane Courtesy of CCSF Student Affairs Division
Colossal Olmec Head Finds New Life Beside City College STEAM Building
that works for the San Francisco Arts Commission —arrived on City College’s Ocean campus to begin wrap ping the stone sculpture in protective pads. Riggers from Atthowe would proceed to spend hours preparing El Rey to be harnessed into a crane and lifted onto a flatbed truck.
Atthowe’s project manager, David Martin, said he had been thinking about relocating the Olmec head for the last two years, waiting for the right time to do so.
“A lot of this comes down to our experience, but stone has its own formal properties, so we work with a lot of engineers to collect all that information before we move something like this,” Martin said.
Jasmine Kaw, project manager in the Facilities Department, confirmed that the Olmec head would remain under wraps for the next week while strapped to the truck in the City College Police Department parking lot. There, it would at least have some security.
The following Tuesday, Atthowe returned to bore a five-inch hole in the bottom of the head to fit a post that could then pin the sculpture onto its new pedestal beside the STEAM building.
“A lot of things could go wrong in an operation like this. We thought we could be here all night, but it actually went really smoothly,” said Benaiah Seilen, a former City College student and member of the rigging crew for Atthowe.
One week later, on Feb. 21, Atthowe completed the move with a drive across the street and another hoist with the crane before leaving it for conservators to ensure the integrity of the art was maintained throughout the move.
Atthowe Fine Art Services, an employee-owned co-op, worked in conjunction with Sheedy Crane Company for both the relocation and installation of El Rey back in 2004. Atthowe was also responsible for relocating the Diego Rivera Mural and has played an integral part in the Bay Area fine arts community since the 70s.
Head Rigger Esteban Granados said that great care was taken to prevent impressions in the sculpture caused by the weight of the stone rubbing against the harness.
“This is what we’ve been doing since forever. I mean, these guys could move the Bay Bridge, but when it comes to art, it’s important that everyone understands the touch is different, the approach, the experience, the knowledge, all of that,” Granados said.
A Gift for City College
The piece was given to the college in 2004 by thenVeracruz Governor Miguel Alemán Velazco. It was unveiled at City College on October 3, 2004, and both “il Maestro” Solano and Governor Velazco attended the event. After El Rey was settled into its new home, Solan sharpened his chisels and etched his name and the dedication to City College into the backside of the Mexican basalt.
Harry S. Parker III, former director of the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums, traveled to Veracruz, Mexico in 2004 with the desire to borrow an original Olmec head to be displayed somewhere in the city.
“The new De Young museum was going to be his swan song,” explained Will Maynez, who had personally picked up Solano from the airport back in ’04. “The Governor of Veracruz offered Parker a replica of one of their Olmec heads, who then extended the offer to City College.” Maynez is a Diego Rivera mural historian and taught physics at City College for 33 years.
The Olmecs were an ancient civilization that occupied Mexico thousands of years ago. Throughout the twentieth century, a series of colossal heads with distinct facial features were excavated from Mexico, and they remain the most prominent archeological evidence of the Olmecs.
City College Police Officer Donald Ortega was there to witness when El Rey was first unveiled on City College grounds.
“I’ve read about the Olmec culture, a lot of them were carpenters, but to actually have an Olmec head at City College, I thought Wow, thats pretty incredible,” Ortega said.
The Olmec were an ancient civilization in Mexico that thrived from around 1200–400 BCE. They were one of the first major civilizations in the region, and are considered the "mother culture" of many later cultures, including the Maya and Aztecs.
Left, Sheedy crew members secure the Olmec Head onto the bed of the loading truck. Feb. 14, 2025 (John Adkins/The Guardsman)
Benaiah Seilen, left, and Alperen Toksoz, right, an art handling crew member, take a moment against the loading truck with the secured Olmec Head. Feb. 14, 2025 (John Adkins/The Guardsman)
A worker cements the Olmec head to the base of its new location in front of the STEAM building at Ocean Campus. Feb. 21 2025 (Franchon Smith/The Guardsman)
El Rey looks outs from its new location beside the STEAM building on Ocean Campus. Feb. 24 2025.
(Isabelle Salvadori/ The Guardsman)
Lunar New Year:
look
Small Office, Big Impact: The Link Center’s Role in Public Health
By Qi Mai qmai10@mail.ccsf.edu
The Link Center at the City College Department of Community and Public Health is a peer-run resource center. It offers several training programs, including Addiction and Recovery Counseling, Community Health Worker, Community Mental Health and Healthcare Interpreting. Despite its small size, the center has a high visit rate. Between Jan. 13 and Feb. 11 of this semester alone, 170 students visited 322 times for various forms of support. Over the course of an academic year, approximately 500 students will visit the center 2,000 times.
A Legacy of Support and Growth
Francisco Department of Public Health has invested $100,000 annually into the City College community and Public Health Department to establish and sustain the center.
Additional funding comes from organizations such as Lab-Aids and the Department of Education’s Work-Study program. Andrew Ciscel, a former student and current counselor, is very familiar with Link Center’s history.
With a mission to promote public health knowledge, foster professional communication and enhance skills through hands-on experience, the Link Center has become an essential space for students. The availability of reliable funding has helped it develop into a welcoming place for study and professional practice.
A Cozy Space for Learning and Connection
Located in Harry Britt Building 301, the Link Center may be small—only about 12 square feet—but it is a warm and inviting space. The west and south walls are made of large glass panel windows with natural light and offer stunning views. To the west lies a green expanse and the variety of homes that characterize the city; to the south, the bustling bus terminal for routes 8 and 49 and the ascending Harold Avenue, creating a sense of movement and energy.
Inside, the office is thoughtfully arranged with two small study areas featuring large tables, a clean computer station and additional amenities. Students benefit from free printing, snacks, safe sex and menstrual products, and HIV information.
between 3 and 4 p.m. when many students arrive from their classes, turning the space into a hub of activity.
A Hub for Academic and Professional Growth
The Link Center is more than a study space. It’s a resource hub where students can get help with common academic challenges. With the assistance of Link Center staff, potential roadblocks such as navigating Canvas, communicating with professors, or conducting outreach can all be overcome.
Senior peer worker Angelica Garciacano, who has worked at the center for the last year, enjoys supporting fellow students. One memorable experience was assisting a senior student in accessing Canvas. Garciacano spent an hour helping her set up an email functions. time and energy. refined her Community to transfer to Registered efited from has provided improved his These experiences concepts like dents to take in mutual learning
in the 1990s, the San
The Link Center has a history spanning more than 30 years. Since the
Peer support workers and experienced counselors are always available to assist. The center is particularly lively
Moving dents to engage related to health environment resources for diverse individuals. and services student population. While fostering ment and a how even a properly funded,
The vibrant, acrobatic dragons symbolize great power, auspiciousness and dignity. During the parade's rhythmically move the long puppets to ward off evil spirits. Feb. 15, 2025 (Kyra Young/The Guardsman)
A couple watches fireworks above the intersection of Grant Avenue and Washington Street at the Lunar New Year parade. Feb. 15, 2025 (Patrick Perkins/The Guardsman)
Friends
back at the Zodiac Wall, an iconic mural set up in Jack Kerouac Alley for the Lunar New Year. The mural, consisting of over 1,100 red envelopes, has been annually set up by the hands of Nancy Yu Law and her family for over a decade. Feb. 15, 2025 (Kyra Young/The Guardsman)
A duo on a bicycle orbit a sparkler fountain during the Lunar New Year (Patrick Perkins/The Guardsman)
Andrew Ciscel welcomes all students to come to the Link Center. Feb. 11, 2025 (Qi Mai/TheGuardsman)
The Link Center, located in room 301 of the Harry Britt building (formerly the MUB), provides students with a great space for academic and professional growth. Feb. 11, 2025 (Qi Mai/The Guardsman)
Year: 2025
Health Knowledge
email account and guiding her through the platform’s The center’s staff regularly helps students save energy. Through these experiences, Garciacano has professional communication skills and earned her Community Health Worker certificate. She is now preparing to a state university in the fall.
Registered nursing student Andrew Marzan has also benhis time at the center. Helping fellow students provided him with valuable hands-on experience that has his communication skills and healthcare knowledge. experiences have even helped him grasp complex course like health interpreting. He encourages more stutake advantage of the center’s resources and engage learning and support.
A Resource Hub for Student Empowerment
Moving forward, the Link Center aims to empower stuengage in hands-on learning and community action health issues. It strives to provide a supportive environment for study, connection with peers and access to for projects that benefit justice-involved and genderindividuals. The center continues to expand its facilities to better serve the diverse needs of the City College population. fostering student success, professional developsense of community, the Link Center exemplifies small space in the college, when well utilized and funded, can have a big impact.
San Francisco’s Chinese New Year parade rings in the Year of the Snake with the largest Lunar New Year celebration outside of Asia.
stretched as far as the eye could see down
Community
MON 3
Degree Works (In-Person)
Attend a workshop to learn how to track academic progress and plan your educational goals, lunch will be provided.
1:00 p.m–2:00 p.m. | MUB 361
RSVP Online: https://tinyurl.com/DWInPerson
THU 6
Degree Works (Virtual)
Attend a workshop presented by the Completion Center to learn how to track academic progress and plan your educational goals.
6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
RSVP Online: https://tinyurl.com/DWVirtual
WED 12
aaNhPI Student achievement Program
The Career Readiness Series presents Resume Writing.
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. | Cloud 363
RSVP Online: bit.ly/SP25AANHPICRS
March Events Calendar
WED 12
Equity Talks Presents: lasana hotep Part 2
Join Lasana Hotep in the discussion about dismantling stigmas of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action, refreshments will be provided.
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. | MUB 140 RSVP Online: bit.ly/eeoequitytalks
THU 13
aaNhPI Mental health Series Join the Film Screening and Panel in-person and virtually for Almost Home.
12:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. | MUB 140
RSVP Online: bit.ly/AANHPISP25
TUE 18
Degree Works (In-Person)
Attend a workshop to learn how to track academic progress and plan your educational goals, lunch will be provided.
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. | MUB 361
RSVP Online: https://tinyurl.com/DWInPerson
FRI 21
Degree Works (Virtual)
Attend a workshop presented by the Completion Center to learn how to track academic progress and plan your educational goals.
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
RSVP Online: https://tinyurl.com/DWVirtual
Dragon Dance, dancers will
Music filled the air as performers serenaded the Community Street Fair. Feb. 15, 2025 (Kyra Young/The Guardsman)
The vibrant head of a dragon puppet waits to be paraded by members of Yau Kung Moon Martial Arts School in San Francisco. Feb. 15, 2025 (Kyra Young/The Guardsman)
Nathan Hua, a second year City College design student, holds his 2025 Year of the Snake design on a crewneck for Evan & Josh, his family's business promoting Chinese Asian culture. Feb. 15, 2025 (Kyra Young/The Guardsman)
Crowds
Grant Avenue for the
Street Fair. Gold banners hanging throughout the neighborhood celebrated Mayor Daniel Lurie, who would serve as honorary grand marshal of the parade alongside Chinese American actress Joan Chen. Feb. 15, 2025 (Kyra Young/The Guardsman) parade. Feb. 15, 2025
San Jose-based Experimental Rock Group ‘Xiu Xiu’ Drops Latest Album
By Heron Lundeen heronlundeen@gmail.com
In September 2024, San Jose experimental rock band Xiu Xiu released their fourteenth studio album, “13-inch Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips.” Xiu Xiu’s 2002 album “Knife Play” was my introduction to the band. I had never heard another artist convey emotions ranging from despair to devotion through vocals the way Xiu Xiu did. I became obsessed with the album when I was sixteen, and songs like “Suha” and “Homunculus” resonated a little too much with me.
Since “Knife Play,” each of Xiu Xiu’s fourteen albums has created a new sound and narrative, and “13-inch Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips” isn’t anywhere close to “Knife Play” in terms of storytelling. It’s a new sound entirely, different from any of the subsequent albums released since 2002, and the sound that it creates is varied and fascinating.
Xiu Xiu is the project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jamie Stewart. The band has undergone many iterations since its formation in 2002. Although it was formed out of Stewart’s previous band, Ten in the Swear Jar, Stewart has been the only consistent member since the band’s inception.
Stewart, vocalist and instrumentalist Angela Seo and percussionist David Kendrick are Xiu Xiu’s current members. Kendrick’s first appearance with the band was the 2023 release “Ignore Grief.” In “13-inch Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips,” Kendrick’s presence as a percussionist creates a sound closer to rock than most of their previous work, especially in songs like “Maestro One Chord” and “T.D.F.T.W.”
Track 1: “Arp Omni” is an unnerving song about devotion that opens the album. Jamie Stewart’s unique and piercing voice beautifully carries the chorus:
“I have done almost nothing right
My entire adult life
But having dared to touch the fire with you
Breaks the chain of my being nothing, too”
The range of 13-inch can be seen in the transition from “Arp Omni” to track two: “Maestro One Chord.” The slow strings of track one transform into sirens with David Kendrick’s percussion at the beginning of track two. Changing the tone from restrained to unreserved and
13" is the fourteenth studio album by American experimental band "Xiu Xiu." Released on September 27, 2024, by Polyvinyl. Available at XiuXiu.Bandcamp.com
liberated. This is reflected in the refrain of the track, where Jamie Stewart repeats: “Curious and unafraid, Curious and unafraid”
I love the progression of 13-inch and how multifaceted the album is. I recommend it as an introduction to Xiu Xiu for new listeners. It beautifully shows the extent of Xiu Xiu’s creative talent and ability to imagine worlds within songs.
All Eyes on Kendrick: Sports Fans, Trump and America Alike
By Emily Thorsen ethorsen@mail.ccsf.edu
“This is the great American game,” yelled Uncle Sam, played by actor Samuel L. Jackson. Uncle Sam proceeded to introduce rap musician Kendrick Lamar as the Halftime Show performer for the 2025 Super Bowl.
Since Sunday’s performance, the rhetorical choices made by the artist have been both celebrated and criticized. With 133.5 million viewers, this was the most-watched Halftime Show of all time. Prominent amongst them was President Donald Trump, making him the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl.
The camera pans back to show the field arranged in a tic-tac-toe formation, representing not only Lamar’s life but also our political lives as Americans. This can be construed as Americans not feeling progress under a two-party political system, or how marginalized groups feel the government is working against their best interests.
If you are familiar with Lamar before watching this performance, you know he incorporates his own life experiences
as a black man growing up on the rough streets of Compton, California. His solo performance, compared to 2022, when he shared the stage alongside Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, and Eminem, shows his progression as an artist of the people during such a tumultuous time in history.
Throughout the show, the camera pans between Kendrick performing songs such as “Squabble Up” and “Man in the Garden” off his newest album, “GNX,” and Uncle Sam satirically commenting on the performance. Uncle Sam interjects, “No, no, no, no! Too loud, too reckless—too ghetto!” “Squabble Up” references Lamar’s unapologetic music style when it comes to critiques by the industry and by white people who will never understand what it means to live as a black person in America.
Lamar incorporated an all-black dance ensemble dressed in red, white and blue to convey how America was built on the backs of immigrants and descendants of enslaved Africans forcibly brought across the Atlantic in chains. Together with Lamar, the dancers formed an American flag complete with Black Power fists, symbolizing the legacy of the Black Panther Party and its support of Black communities nationwide
when the government fell short.
Kendrick Lamar was joined by musical collaborator SZA to perform joint songs such as “Luther” and “All The Stars.” At one point, the camera pans to Serena Williams crip walking on stage—a dance move created by the Los Angeles street gang the Crips. Williams also happens to be an ex-girlfriend of fellow rap artist Drake.
Tensions between Lamar and Drake have grown since the release of various diss tracks, such as “Not Like Us,” which won Kendrick five Grammy awards. However, Drake was not the only one to be directly called out during this historic Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.
“[The] revolution about to be televised, you picked the right time for the wrong guy,” said Lamar, leaving many to speculate that the “wrong guy” America picked was the one in the audience whose name everyone knew, President Trump. The patriotic imagery that decorated the performance may well have been intended to attract the president’s and the rest of America’s attention in an attempt to “diss” the country’s choice of leader.
The Guardsman wants to hear what you think. Have something to say about the state of the world, or the state of City College? We welcome any and all community letters, however we reserve the right to not publish any submission.
By submitting a letter to The Guardsman, you agree to its potential use in a future edition. If you are a student please include your name and area of study.
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Illustration by David Thomas
Rams Basketball Team Walks Away Frustrated by Their 11-Point Lead Over De Anza College
By Brett Abel babel2@mail.ccsf.edu
Valentine’s Day is a day for “the one.”
The City College men’s basketball team is ranked No. 1 in the state. It has only one loss this season. And the Rams were hosting a team with only one win this year in the Coast-North Conference.
But, in what the Rams coaches and players described as maybe their worst game of the season, the Feb. 14 game hosting De Anza College almost turned into a Valentine’s Day massacre.
“We were lucky,” said Rams associate coach Adam D’Acquisto after the 82–71 win. “If we play anyone else in the conference like that, we lose.”
“If we play like we played tonight, we’ll only have three games left in the season,” he said after the penultimate week of games, with just two games left in the conference schedule on Feb. 19 and 21, and a post-season game upcoming.
Sophomore forward John Squire, a consistently strong player on the team, was disappointed in himself after the De Anza game. Along with his six points, he grabbed nine rebounds and had three assists and three blocks, two of which bookended two made free throws in the last 23 seconds of the game to maintain an 80–71 lead.
But his five offensive rebounds were matched by his five turnovers, which he attributed to De Anza’s zone defense.
“It was me not making the right reads,” he said. “They were daring us. I was overthinking.”
He said the games at the end of the season would be necessary to finish strong.
“For me, the next game (Feb. 19 at Chabot) is the most important to show where the team is at,” he said. “It’s a statement of where we are. I think we’re right there.”
Squire said the team needs a better mindset and more focus.
“No matter the opponent we play,” Squire said, “come in ready every game.”
“We beat a better team by 43 (on Feb. 12),” D’Acquisto said of a 109–66 win at Ohlone College. “That was as bad as it gets. (De Anza) just played harder than us. Effort level, decision making, lack of concentration was frustrating.”
The frustration peaked at 15:51 left in the second half when Rams coach Justin Labaugh was cited for a technical foul with his team, which was up 48–36. Labaugh had to leave the City College campus immediately after the game and was unavailable for comment.
While a coach taking the sacrificial technical foul is meant to inspire a better performance from a team that is not performing up to expectations, this one did not.
With 11:43 on the clock, the Lions (8–18 overall, 1–11 in conference) were within four points, down 52–48, before City College (25–1, 11–1) could reopen its lead and seal the victory.
“We have to watch this game and show them what not to do,” D’Acquisto said. He explained there’s a “fix it” button on the television in the film room, which will be pressed a lot during the re-watch.
Starting Rams sophomores Rickey Mitchell Jr., guard, and forward Antonio Pusateri had strong firsthalf performances that contributed to their final stat lines—scoring 24 and 17, with 14 and 10, respectively, in the first half.
“In the first half, we came out ready to play hot. We scored 25 points in five minutes,” Mitchell said. “At the end of the first half, we let off the gas and they came back.”
But aside from Mitchell and Pusateri, D’Acquisto called out the rest of the starters and a number of reserves after the game.
“(Sophomore forward) John (Squire), (sophomore guard) Jalen (Glenn), (sophomore guard) Jermaine (Haliburton), (freshman guard) James (Moore), (freshman forward) Vitor (Oliveria), (freshman guard) Dom (Dominic Williams)… (sophomore guard) Ray-John (Spears),” he said, “every single one of them, maybe had
their worst game of the year.”
Squire, Glenn and Haliburton, all starters, each scored six points, shooting 5–18 from the field, including 2–9 from behind the 3-point arc—both of which were made by Haliburton.
Meanwhile, four of the five Lions starters scored at least 12 points. Sophomore guard Justice Owens had 17 points, three assists and three steals. Freshman guard/ forward Theo McDowell and sophomore forward Tre Fields each had 15, and sophomore forward Sean Crowley scored 12. However, the fifth starter, freshman forward Dominic Diaz, was held scoreless.
Three other Lions were held scoreless, as was the City College freshman guard Williams, who didn’t attempt a shot, had two rebounds and an assist.
“We played down to their level; there was no killer instinct in us,” Mitchell said.
The Rams Showed the Trojans There’s No Lane into the City College Fortress
By Brett Abel babel2@mail.ccsf.edu
The City College women’s basketball team had a game that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
The Rams extended its undefeated Coast-North Conference record to 7–0 with a nearly 20-point win against Skyline College on Feb. 7.
“I’m remembering this one,” said sophomore forward Maddy Thomas.
The 57–38 home victory for City College against the Trojans was a game of firsts for Thomas and freshman forward Stephanie Salazar, both of whom came up big in the second half to put the Rams’ overall record to 15–8.
The win comes between a few weeks of varying mental challenges for the Rams.
Coach Derek Lau said the Feb. 5 game at Las Positas was tough physically and mentally. He wanted his team to relax with only one game the week after beating Skyline—a 76–39 win at Ohlone on Feb. 12—before finishing the season with games at Chabot College (17–10 overall, 8–1 in conference) and at home against the College of San Mateo (15–10, 9–3) on Feb. 19 and 21, respectively.
Thomas, the Skyline game’s leading scorer with 26 points, went 9–15 from the field, including 4–6 from behind the 3-point arc.
“I haven’t hit a 3 for, like, the whole season,” the team captain said. “I was like, ‘Thank freaking God.’”
Thomas started the game strong for the Rams against
Skyline (7–17 overall, 1–5 in conference), with a steal at half court and a drive to the hoop, and later hit a firstquarter corner 3 to set the tone for the game. She had 9 of the Rams’ 22 first-half points.
“I hit a switch in my head: initiate,” she said.
After the team’s somewhat slow start, the Rams dominated after halftime. City College was 9–12 from the free-throw line and had four steals in the second half, compared to 2–2 from the line and two steals in the first half.
Thomas scored three of her four 3-pointers in the second half.
“We had to battle mentally; this week was tough,” said coach Lau after a physical 84–34 win at Las Positas College on Feb. 5. His team was mentally strained coming into the Skyline game and had to adjust to the Trojans’ gameplay.
“They played differently last time. They put the ball in the middle of the floor and came out of the zone,” he said. “They have one shooter—we did a good job limiting her. When they drive, take away the lane.”
The Rams limited the Skyline offense to two players: starting sophomore forward Jazmynn SciancaleporeGarcia and freshman center Imaya Anderson. They were held to 12 and 9 points from off the bench, respectively. The rest of the team was almost completely stopped. The other four starters combined for 5–35 from the field, including 1–9 from the three. Meanwhile, the rest of the bench was 0–11.
City College's Vitor Oliveria, No. 25, goes for a layup against Skyline's Ta’Saan Clark, No. 23, at Brad Duggan Court in San Francisco on Feb. 7. The Rams beat the Trojans 84–61 to advance to 23–1 overall, 7–1 in the Coast-North Conference. (Brett Abel/The Guardsman)
Rams sophomore center Mason Harris, No. 23, floats past Skyline's No. 32 Aaron Fiedkin, right, and No. 1 Dio Lucido for a layup. Feb. 7, 2025 (Brett Abel/The Guardsman)
City College's Alessandra Nelson, a guard, attempts a threepointer against Skyline's Serena Mezzetta. Feb. 7, 2025 (Karim Farahat/The Guardsman)
The Trojans were able to limit some of the Rams’ leading scorers as well. Freshman guard Allie Nelson had eight points on 3–14 shooting and she was 1–6 from the three.
Ram sophomore guard Jayden Borgna was second in scoring for the team with 10 points, shooting 3–7 from the field and 4–4 for free throws.
However, a big game in the paint by Salazar, a City College freshman forward, picked up on defense where some of the offense lacked.
Salazar usually pairs under the hoop with sophomore center Malea Scobie, but Scobie broke her foot and has been getting around in a hard plastic walking boot since the 57–41
win over Chabot College on Jan. 24.
Now Salazar was up against Skyline on her own. From down low, she grabbed 11 defensive rebounds on and had three blocks. And she did all that while not committing a single foul until there was only 1:19 left in the game—her only one of the game.
“I’ve never had a game like that,” she said.
She said all she wanted to do against Skyline was grab rebounds and stay out of foul trouble and even channeled the great Michael Jordan.
“That was my motivation: just make rebounds, getting back, rebound, boxing out,” she said. “(Teammate Zakai McAlister) Z said, ‘no fouls, at all,’ and I took that personally.”
The City College Swim Team Dives into the Finish Line in the San Francisco Invitational
By Brett Abel babel2@mail.ccsf.edu
Diving headfirst into 2025, the Rams’ swimming team set a foundation for season-long team connections. In only the second meet of the year, one swimmer qualified in two post-season events.
The Rams hosted five other colleges’ women’s squads and several men’s teams at the City College natatorium on Feb. 7 and 8 for the San Francisco Invitational.
Coach Phong Pham said the meet, the team’s second since hosting four schools to open the season on Jan. 31, was a chance for his swimmers to set times and expectations for the upcoming Coast Conference schedule. The schedule has seven more meets before the conference championships in April.
“I feel good. The swimmers competed very well,” Pham said after the two-day meet. “We improved time and technique from last weekend’s meet. I think we have good potential if we stay healthy.”
There were 40 events held across the Friday and Saturday meet, alternating between women’s and men’s competitions. The Rams took first in nine, including two team relays.
Sophomore Sophia Tran won five individual events, including two 50-yard races on the first day of the competition. She also beat post-season qualifying times in her 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events, with times of 1:10.81 and 2:36.15, respectively.
“The main goal wasn’t necessarily to win, but to set our best times,” Tran said. She said Pham’s coaching helped her, especially in the 200, where pace is key in the eight-lap race.
After the meet, Tran and teammate Serawit Ezra spoke to The Guardsman together. Tran said her teammates cheering for her at the end of the pool helps.
“I look up and see your (Ezra’s) face,” Pham said. “Sometimes it helps me. Yell, and we go. With two laps to go, it motivates me. It’s motivation to keep going, keep pushing.”
And while she qualified in two events, the most exciting finish came in her 200-yard individual medley heat.
From lane five, Tran was just behind De Anza swimmer Joyce A. Lin in lane four after the start. Lin had led during the two 50-yard legs of the race—the butterfly and backstroke.
A half-body length lead after 50 yards stretched to full after 75. But Tran brought it back to half a length by
the 125-yard mark during the breaststroke leg. And by the anchor leg, the freestyle, Tran caught Lin for a sprint to the finish. Tran took the lead at the final turn and beat Lin with a time of 2:21.34 to 2:22.53.
Tran said the two had raced before and that as long as she could keep in the same area as Lin in the early stages of the race, she’d be able to beat her to the finish.
“I could catch her with breaststroke and free,” Tran said. “She hopefully will be out of breath, and I take over. My strength is to stay underwater.”
The two-day meet started each day with team relays, events 1 and 21, the 200-yard and 400-yard medley relays, respectively.
The other Ram swimmers to win individual events were Veronique Borges in the 200-yard butterfly and Samantha Ng, who beat Ezra for a one-two finish in the 200-yard backstroke.
Ezra and Tran swam the first two lengths of the relays, while freshman Narimane Hennouni anchored both. Sophomore Veronique Borges replaced freshman Samantha Ng on Saturday’s longer race.
The Ram’s relay team with Ng in Event 1 beat out the West Valley College squad by less than half of a second: 2:02.61 to 2:03.03.
After the meet, standing beside each other at the pool’s edge, Ezra and Tran, who swam the back and breast strokes, respectively, discussed the challenges and opportunities of the relays. Tran said the relays are “really fun,” and Ezra said the first relay is “sometimes hard.”
Hennouni said the second day started really well. The swimmer, whom teammates call “Nari,” swims the final legs of the freestyle, and she said it can be a difficult spot in the relay.
“To keep the lead, it can put more pressure on you,” Hennouni said. “With relay, you can be last at the beginning and first at the end. Some teams are strongest at the beginning, some are the opposite.”
“Nari” said she likes the team-building aspect of the relays. Like when she and her team were counting laps in their final event on Day 1—the 1650-yard freestyle. Sophomore Lan Pham was swimming the 25-yard-long laps. Sixty-six times, down and back.
“In the 1650 for Lan, we were standing there the whole 20 minutes,” Hennouni said.
Pham finished the race in third place with a time of 28 minutes and 30 seconds, eight and a half minutes behind the winner, Anna Kuskova from De Anza College.
“Swimming is an individual sport,” Hennouni said, “but team spirit is a necessity.”
Rams Keep the Eagles From Taking Flight After Loading the Bases in the Ninth-Inning
By Henry Crowell henrycrowell5@gmail.com
Clutch pitching and timely hits were significant factors in the Ram’s win against the Laney College Eagles on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
City College took the victory with a score of 4–3, raising their record to 3–3 on the season. This comes after their loss to the Eagles just three days prior with a final score of 8–5.
City College and Laney are now tied for the season at one win a piece, and it will likely stay that way, as they are not scheduled to play each other the rest of the season.
“Laney is always a big game; it’s our crosstown rival,” said coach Mario Mendoza. Freshman pitcher Elijah Heredia seemed to be feeling it when he struck out Eagles third baseman Jacob Odom to end the seventh-inning, animated as he came off the mound.
Heredia, the starting pitcher, gave the Rams seven innings of good pitching, allowing two earned runs on six hits, walked four batters, and struck out six.
“I got guys behind me making plays,” Heredia said. “It’s the easiest thing when they make a play, it fires me up every time. That’s gonna get me through a lot this year.”
Sophomore first baseman Mark Zhu hit a line drive into the right-center field gap for a double that scored two runs in the fifth-inning. “I was looking for anything over the plate, ready to drive… I think it was a changeup; first two pitches, I got a changeup and a slider,” Zhu said.
Zhu had two hits that day. The aforementioned double, as well as a single in the fourth-inning to go along with a walk and a stolen base, the latter of which resulted in him scoring. Sophomore Adrian Hernandez contributed a walk, a hit, and two stolen bases.
On the losing side, sophomore second basemen Ronald Gay Jr. had two hits in two at-bats, tagging on two walks and stealing a base. Freshmen centerfielder Mateo Valadez had a double in the 2nd inning that plated Gay, adding another RBI in the 9th inning when he reached on a fielder’s choice. Following Heredia was sophomore pitcher David Madera Jr., who got out of a jam in the ninth-inning to pick up his first save of the season. He pitched two innings and allowed one run on one hit, surrendering one walk and striking out two.
After loading the bases in the top of the ninth, Madera struck out Laney shortstop Jesus Vasquez, and was then able to get the second out on a fielder’s choice. Sophomore Casey Leavitt-Mcgee, a recent commit to Cal State Bakersfield, came up for the Eagles with the game on the line, and Madera made him
securing
Sophomore forward Madison Thomas, No. 15, scored a total of 26 points in City College's home game against Skyline. Feb. 7, 2025 (Karim Farahat/The Guardsman)
ground out to the shortstop Ray Castilo, ending the game and
the win for the Rams.
City College lost their next two games, 6–5 and 12–5, against Yuba College on Feb. 12 and Hartnell College on Feb. 15, respectively.
City College swimmer Narimane Hennouni competes in the Women 400-yard Medley Relay at the CCSF Rams Invitational Swim Meet in San Francisco. Feb. 8, 2025 (Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman)
Ray Castillo, No. 23, cheers on teammate Gary Ford as he slides into home. Oakland, Calif. Feb. 11, 2025 (Isaac Ortiz Dominguez/The Guardsman)
Pitcher Elijah Heredia, left, and catcher Abraham Duran, right, talk between innings. Oakland, Calif. Feb 11, 2025 (Isaac Ortiz Dominguez/The Guardsman)
City College swimmer Serawit Ezra competes in the Women 400-yard Medley Relay at the CCSF Rams Invitational Swim Meet in San Francisco. Feb. 8, 2025 (Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman)
City College swimmer Sophia Tran competes in the Women 400-yard Medley Relay at the CCSF Rams Invitational Swim Meet in San Francisco. Feb. 8, 2025 (Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman)