NEWS: Slutwalk photo story
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NEWS: Guardsman goes online for the summer
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CULTURE: Outside Lands Local Bands
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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 152, Issue 1
TheGuardsman.com
August 24, 2011
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San Francisco Police Department Officer, not identified by SFPD, hold crowds back as Kenneth Harding Jr. lays on the ground after being shot on July 16, 2011 in the Bayview District.
DISTRUST. TRAGEDY. REFORM. City College pushes to rebuild broken relationship between the SFPD and the Bayview District
By Joe Fitzgerald THE GUARDSMAN
When Kenneth Harding Jr. lay bleeding from a gunshot wound in the middle of the Bayview district on July 16, the last of the neighborhood’s trust in the SFPD bled out along with him. In response, City College Trustee Chris Jackson tabled the renewal of the college’s contract with the SFPD, delaying a deci-
sion on whether or not to continue to fund the police academy. “Everyone knows what happened in my neighborhood a week ago... they shot a guy and killed him,” he said at the July Board of Trustees meeting. Jackson intends to use the delay in the renewal of the contract, which puts City College in charge of disbursing the funding for the academy, to negotiate changes in it’s curriculum. “We’re
funding a new academy. So the best I can do is ask...do we have any kind of control over what they teach at the police academy?” he asked. Dr. Fred Chavaria, chair of the administration of justice department, explained to the board that the College’s role is to “approve their courses, and run their courses through our curriculum committee.” It was perfect timing - without
Dream Act comes true for California students By Brant Ozanich THE GUARDSMAN
California Governor Jerry Brown signed the California Dream Act into law July 25 after it passed both houses of the state legislature, allowing undocumented students to receive funding from private scholarships. The bill, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2012, differs from the national DREAM Act, which is a path to citizenship for undocumented graduates and veterans. “I’m committed to expanding opportunity wherever I can find it, and certainly these kinds of bills promote a goal of a more inclusive California and a more educated California,” Brown said on Monday after signing the bill.
In addition to allowing eligible students to receive private scholarships, the bill – titled AB 130 – also allows the same qualified students to receive fee waivers from California’s Community Colleges if they meet existing financial requirements. The bill, which has been celebrated as a win for the Latino community and a campaign promise for Brown, may actually be more of an ideological win than a pragmatic one. “It’s seen as a civil rights issue in the Latino community, especially for youth. The farm workers’ struggle is not necessarily seen as what it once was. This is an issue of the now, an issue of the moment, part of the Latino
agenda and part of the future,” said Jaime Regalado, Director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs. A more controversial bill, AB 131, that allows the same students to receive public state funding and financial aid is waiting for approval in the state senate. Who will it effect? While the media reaction to the bill made it seem that all undocumented students in California could receive access to private scholarships, closer inspection shows that this is not entirely the case. Under the new legislation, only students who are paying in-state tuition under AB 540 DREAM ACT: Page 3
the contract the SFPD and City College’s relationship could be put into question, giving Jackson the leverage to change policy in the police academy for years to come. His proposed reform comes in three parts: new curriculum emphasizing neighborhood relations, a neighborhood “ambassador” program to introduce new recruits to people in the community, and a local hire law requiring a portion of new officers to live
within San Francisco city limits. “This is borne out of a young man being shot in the neck. I’m damned determined to, with my little piece of authority, make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Jackson said in a phone interview. Shock and Anger By all official police and mainstream media accounts, the SFPD made no missteps during or after the shooting. POLICE: Page 2
New challenges for English dept. By Yomi Akinyemi and Ryan Kuhn THE GUARDSMAN
City College’s English department is one of many victims affected by loss of state funds. Faced with its share of class cuts and budget cuts, the department has had to cater to more students yearly while operating under a leaner structure led by department chair Jessica Brown. “My main goal is to create a more organized department – one that is more systematized so everything within it runs a lot smoother,” she said. The English department is not expecting to see any major class cuts, but the fund shortfall means the department will be unable to
CLARIVEL FONG / THE GUARDSMAN
English Department Chair, Jessica Brown
add more classes. Looking to balance its budget for the 2011 fall semester, 350 to 400 classes will be cut next year, according to the June board of ENGLISH: Page 3
2 | August 24, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
NEWS Bayview trust in SFPD fades with new generation
Older people have more trust in the police, Jackson says, because they’re from a different The SFPD’s official recount of the event is era, when police actually lived in the commuclear on these points: Kenneth Harding was nities they served. “Then it was Mr. Johnson aboard a T train when police asked for his from around the corner, not just officer Johnproof of transit. He immediately ran, drew son. The officer had to come back and live a weapon and fired at the officers. At some there. They felt there was a real buy-in,” he point in the firefight Harding shot himself in said. the neck, committing suicide before the police The aging-out of police support is why he could land a single shot. His gun fell far from believes his proposal to re-connect cops with his body and was stolen by a bystander. The the community is now more important than gun was later recovered. ever. Jackson questions part of the account. Will Jackson’s changes work? “...there is no recording of the shell shot from In an interview after the meeting, Chief his own gun to his neck,” he said, adamant Suhr agreed with most of the criticisms behind about the possibility of the police being the Jackson’s proposed reforms but seemed skeptiones who killed Harding. cal they could all actually work. Trust from the Bayview area then must be “We [the SFPD] actually had a local hire at an all time low, because no matter what facts policy in place in the 80’s,” he said. “It was they release, one thing is clear: few struck down around then because it there believe the cops. was ruled unconstitutional.” He said Police Chief Greg Suhr’s Bayview “My legislation won’t give back this that instead The City could look into community meeting at the Bayview young man’s life... I hate writing ways to add incentives for cops to Opera House was packed with over legislation of things people should have live within San Francisco. 200 shouting people, packed shoulHe cocked his head and winced in their hearts to do.” der to shoulder and yelling over one - Trustee Chris Jackson when told about the idea of more another like commuters on the 38 hours for social sensitivity training. Geary. borhood some years back. “We already have, I think, some of the high“The people that know me know that I’ll The first woman whose door they knocked est percentages of social sensitivity training for hear you,” Suhr pleaded, who could barely be on jumped back when she saw them, because any police in the country,” he claimed. heard himself. “usually when the police come to your house Jackson felt that current classes were too Every time the Chief tried to speak the it’s because someone you know has been shot.” broad, and his research led him to think that crowd swelled to cut him off. “What about But when he explained they were there just to more targeted neighborhood relations trainprofiling?” shouted a young looking man, say hi, “she opened up and we just started talk- ing would be better time spent. Hearing this, “Who killed my damn son, who murdered ing.” Suhr seemed surprised and agreed that it him?” screamed a woman whose voice gave Standing behind his podium the Chief would be something worth pursuing. out as she screamed it. smiled and replied, “I believe police-work is Trustee Jackson intends on bringing his Through it all the Chief didn’t flinch, never all about relationships. The time to introduce proposals to the next Board of Trustees meetchanging his expression: intense concentrayourself is not in a crisis.” ing on August 25, just a day after this paper’s tion, striving to hear the different concerns in It was some time after the sun went down first publication. He says he will continue a room full of loud, palpable anger. behind Suhr’s back that a woman named to refine his ideas for the academy with the Chris Jackson cited the Bayview Opera Naima Smith stood at the podium to make an board, and they will vote to give City College House fiasco as a perfect example of why the observation that highlighted the main differ- Chancellor Don Griffin the power to negotiate police need to re-acquaint themselves with the ence between the two community meetings. them with the police. city they serve. “He had to leave the meeting “Where are the young people?” she When asked if he was proud of the new with ten officers shielding him. He was fearing demanded of the room. Heads turned and ideas he’s bringing to the force, Jackson replied for his safety. He was Bayview commander for looked around as people realized that in fact, “I have to say I’m not proud of it, because this ten years, and they have so little trust for him.” most of the people in the room appeared to be is something that shouldn’t have happened. One thing was for sure, Jackson said, “this at least in their early forties. Easily half of the My legislation wont give back this young man’s never would have happened in any other audience was obviously elderly. life... I hate writing legislation of things people neighborhood in San Francisco.” “We have to engage them!” she finished. should have in their hearts to do.” The Police Chief’s friends in Bayview The room, which applauded most of the “I would like to congratulate Chief Suhr on speakers, became suddenly silent. his promotion, he has always been here for us email:jfitzgerald@theguardsman.com POLICE: from the front page
Editor-in-Chief Joe Fitzgerald Production Design Becca Hoekstra Matthew Fung News Editor Saidy Lauer Sports Editor Ryan Kuhn Photo Editor Clarivel Fong Online Editor Atticus Morris Opinion Editor Brant Ozanich Multimedia Editor Brian Rinker Copy Chief Erin Conger Staff Writers Joe Fitzgerald Becca Hoekstra Ryan Kuhn Atticus Morris Catherine Lee Yomi Akinyemi Brant Ozanich Brian Rinker Staff Photographers Clarivel Fong Beth LaBerge Multimedia Brian Rinker Kate Blaine-LaTerre Gary Jay Saidy Lauer Staff Support Alex Emslie Dorothy Mak Faculty Adviser Juan Gonzales
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and we wish him well,” Reverend Walker said from the podium, giving a bow of his head as he spoke. The second community meeting was held at the Southeast Facilities Commission just past Silver Avenue and was a far cry from the rage at the Opera House. For one, the high-ceiling room was half empty: there were 22 heads in the room, not counting the seven commissioners and six uniformed officers in attendance. Secondly, almost every person that stood at the podium to air concerns to the Chief had something glowing to say about the police in the neighborhood and Suhr in particular. Reverend Walker is an African-American man who, though older, stood with visible strength, recounted a story about bringing a new Bayview police captain around the neigh-
First transgender dean; College gets fee reduction By Becca Hoekstra
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The Board gathers at the Gough Street campus on July 28 for their monthly meeting.
Milestone decisions occurred at the City College Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, July 28, as well as important developments in the budget crisis. The following is a roundup of events from the meeting. Students Pull Together for Reduced Fees President of the Board John Rizzo and Chancellor Don Q. Griffin have been negotiating for the city of San Francisco to ease up on the taxes and fees it charges City College. “Our campaign to get the city to ease up on fees has resulted in $250,000 in fee reductions for the coming year,” Rizzo said through email. He believes the fee reductions are largely due to the voices of students, he said. Around 2,000 students are believed to have sent emails or cards to the San Francisco Board of Representatives with their thoughts and pleas for reductions.
“I don’t think it would have happened without the students making their voices heard,” Rizzo said. Transgender Dean Ordained The Board also appointed one of the first transgender deans in the world, according to the school. Ms. Bob Davis is the new Dean of the Castro Campus and School of Liberal Arts. Her proposed appointment drew a crowd of supporting co-workers, friends, and students to vouch for her. The room erupted in cheers and applause after the official ruling. “We are part of a movement, and that movement is human rights,” said Trustee Lawrence Wong after Ms. Davis’s new position was confirmed. “This is important because of her longtime trailblazing role in education. I think that’s the significance of it more than any personal affinity - recognition of the field itself. She certainly deserves the credit,” Rizzo said. email:bhoekstra@theguardsman.com
News
“Dream Act” not for everyone
The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com | August 24, 2011 | 3
3,600 students enrolled under AB 540, according to the CSU chancellor’s office. This group, which makes up less than one percent of the CSU 412,000 strong student body, will now have access to the roughly $25.7 million in private scholarships given out per year to CSU students. UC officials estimate their system has only 642 students out of 235,000, or one fifth of a percent, under AB 540. California Community Colleges, by far the largest of the three systems, has a whole 34,000 students HECTOR AMEZCUA / MCT enrolled under AB Senator Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, 540, making up one shown in the State Capitol in Sacramento, California on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009. and a quarter percent of the 2.7 million student body. will be eligible for the funding. As a whole, the three systems AB 540, passed in 2002, is a law have 38,242 students eligible that allows illegal or undocuunder the new California Dream mented students who graduated Act, meaning that slightly over high school after attending at one percent of the total 3.3 million least three years in the state to pay students will be affected. in-state tuition at colleges. For now, undocumented “A student … who is exempt students who are not eligible can from paying nonresident tuition still find scholarships that do not under the provision described require social security numbers above would be eligible to receive or resident status. a scholarship derived from nonCity College students can find state funds received, for the more information about scholarpurpose of scholarships, by the ships and the DREAM act at: segment at which he or she is a http://www.ccsf.edu/Servicstudent,” the bill reads, meaning es/Latino_Services_Network/ that any student eligible under E4FCScholarships.doc AB 540 to pay resident tuition can also receive private, state approved funding and scholarships. email:bozanich@theguardsman.com The CSU system has about DREAM ACT: from the front page
Mayoral candidates on City College issues City Attorney Dennis Herrera
By Valerie Demicheva THE GUARDSMAN
San Francisco’s 2011 Mayoral race is a crowded one this year, with many major candidates on the ballot. The Guardsman will be interviewing a new candidate each issue in order to get to the heart of issues concerning you, our City College readers. Meet Dennis Herrera. Elected San Francisco’s first Latino City Attorney in 2001, he has since worked on both local and national issues involving same-sex marriage, abortion and health care. Mr. Herrera lives in the Dogpatch neighborhood with his wife Anne and their nine-yearold son. V: What fields do you believe will best prepare students for a secure future? D: I say study whatever you’re passionate about. We can’t be overly reliant on one particular industry; blue collar is important too. We can’t just rely on tech. I believe health care and health care research is very valuable, especially when we consider our diverse and aging population. V: In what ways is City College of San Francisco important to San Francisco’s economy? D: I absolutely believe that City College is vital to San Francisco’s economy. We may never be able to compete with other major cities when it comes to price, but we offer many attractive qualities that are unique to San Francisco. We are home to a highly trained and educated workforce that is unparalleled in many other major cities. By highlighting our
CLARIVEL FONG / THE GUARDSMAN
San Francisco City’s District Attorney and mayoral candidate, Dennis Herrera, spoke to the Guardsman about his campaign for this coming November election on Aug. 11, 2011 in San Francisco.
uniquely capable workforce, we can attract new businesses to our city. I believe San Francisco has unique comparative advantages for attracting the smartest people, the best innovators, the fastestgrowing businesses and the best jobs if we put our minds to removing barriers and promoting our strengths. As Mayor, I look forward to working with City College to continue giving our students the tools they need to succeed in a 21st century economy, including language skills and workforce training. V: In Fiscal Year 2011–12, The Board of Supervisors created the City College Select Committee in order to provide direct services that support open and participatory government. How will this Committee will be useful? D: I support open government and would support any effective tool that can help break down the walls between City government
and the community. I believe that the City College Select Committee can be a useful tool to help facilitate dialogue on important issues to both the City and City College, if its used properly and taken seriously. V: Will you miss your post as City Attorney? D: Certainly, there’s no more rewarding job as a lawyer, but there’s also no job that prepares you more substantially and politically for mayor. V: What does your family think about your campaign? D: My wife and I had to have a long talk about it and decide to do it together. She and my son are so supportive, I couldn’t ask for anything more. email: vdemicheva@theguardsman.com
New efforts to improve core education KALW live radio show looks for City College student guests ENGLISH: from front page
trustees meeting. Brown has been a full-time professor at City College since 1997 and with more responsibility becoming department chair, the stress of it is not far behind. “My first year was pretty chaotic...there was just so much stuff to figure out,” Brown said. “But then I said to myself, the only way to succeed is to have a personal mission statement and set goals for the department.” “Resolve and evolve” was the motto she came up with, believing one of the keys going forward for the department is to rethink the curriculum to establish a modus operandi that addresses some of the English department’s core problems. As she tries to move the department forward, the absence of a reading and writing center is just one of the major challenges Brown is attempting to tackle. “The Chancellor has looked into a proposal that would include a centralized reading and writing lab,” Brown said. According to a study from the nonprofit group Campaign for College Opportunity, about 70 percent of degree-seeking students at community colleges across the state drop out. The department has since revised the curriculum which is now based on a proposal designed by the Basic Skills Initiative back in 2009 called YO! (Year One) First Year Experience. The program will focus its efforts on primarily African-American and Latino/a students. “This too is now going to be institutionalized and will not rely on grant funding,” Brown said. “The idea is to provide all incoming freshmen
with a core curriculum of English, Math, and College Success as required first year courses in order to provide the foundation for success.” Recent figures also show that 90 percent of students testing into City College basic skills courses possess a seventh to ninth grade reading level, according to assessment data. There is hope for now. A $515,000 grant given by Microsoft in June, allowed City College, SFUSD and the city of San Francisco to help launch the “Bridge to Success” program. “Bridge to Success” focuses on closing the graduation gap in San Francisco public schools that exists particularly among the low-income minority population. In the first year of the three-year pilot course, the accelerated program had a 98 percent retention rate for freshmen. The aim of the program is to make high school students college-ready by aligning a cohesive curriculum between SFUSD high schools and post-secondary institutions. Currently, only 27 percent of current ninth graders in San Francisco will receive a postsecondary degree, and for African American, Latino and Pacific Islander students, the figure is 10 percent. “The goal of the accelerated program, using well researched, pedagogical methods is to provide students with a core – a learning community which prepares the students and ensures they graduate on time and are well equipped at City College and after they leave this college.” Brown said. “My number one mission for the department is to make sure the department provides students with courses they will need to succeed.”
email:yakinyemi@theguardsman.com
By Becca Hoekstra THE GUARDSMAN
CCSF’s Mission campus will be the host for the upcoming “KALW Day” celebrating the local radio station’s 70th anniversary. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has decreed that Sept. 8 will be the official “KALW Day”, and there will be a community celebration from 9 to 11 a.m. All are welcome to participate, and refreshments and food will be provided. There will also be a live broadcast of one of KALW’s programs. “Your Call”, a call-in radio show hosted by Rose Aguilar, will discuss the differences community colleges have made and the challenges they face. “We want KALW’s presence on the campus to benefit CCSF and to give students and faculty the opportunity to connect with the station in ways that could continue beyond the day itself,” KALW’s general manager Matt Martin said.
KATHERINE GELARDI / THE GUARDSMAN
KALW Bay Area Public Radio Broadcast Station
Any student interested in going on the radio to discuss their experiences at CCSF and the impact community colleges have made should contact Becca Hoekstra at bhoekstra@ theguardsman.com.. email:bhoekstra@theguardsman.com
News
4 | August 24, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
San Francisco
SlutWalk
Above: A San Francisco Slutwalk supporter expresses how she doesn’t want violence due to her way of dressing by writing, ‘I want none of your violence’ on her body on Aug. 6th, 2011. Top and Left: A few hundred San Francisco residents marched down Dolores St in support of the SlutWalk on Aug. 6, 2011 in the Mission Disctrict of San Francisco, California. Right: Lidiya Korotko of San Francisco shows her support with a large sign. “I am here for women’s rights,” says Korotko. “To be us. Beautiful, pretty us.”
By Brian Rinker THE GUARDSMAN
On the steps of Dolores Park a sizable crowd gathered Saturday August 6 for San Francisco’s first SlutWalk, a demonstration protesting sexual violence towards women. SlutWalk is a series of recent protests that have sprung up in major cities around the world. It is a movement that attempts to dispel the age-old myth that a rape victim is somehow responsible for being raped based on the outfit she is wearing. The word “slut” is a derogatory word used against women and the SlutWalkers are
attempting to reclaim and redeem the word. However the specific purposes of the rallies are to encourage women to be empowered by their sexuality not ashamed of it. “The SlutWalk is about being positive about your choice of sex,” said Sophia, 26, of San Francisco, “and no choice is wrong.” Ginger Murray, a SlutWalk organizer and SF Weekly columnist, said that rape is not about what you’re wearing or how many people you have sex with. Rape is the absence of consent—period. The demonstration began at Dolores Park with feminists, organizers and rape victims speaking, and was followed by the protest-
ing of a few hundred scantily dressed women and some men chanting while marching up 18th street and gathering near the Castro Muni Station. The SlutWalk movement began in response to the remarks made by a Toronto police officer during a safety forum at York University. Constable Michael Sanguinetti said, “Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order to not be victimized.” email: brinker@theguardsman.com
PHOTOS BY CLARIVEL FONG / THE GUARDSMAN
Above: An emotional Evelin Ramirez, logistics coordinator of SlutWalk San Francisco, thanks the crowd for their support and expresses her gratitude toward her fellow event organizers. Left: Editor of Whore! magazine, Ginger Murray, hosts the speaker portion of SlutWalk San Francisco.
News
The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com | August 24, 2011 | 5
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The Guardsman 2011 summer session first in paper’s 75+ year history By JOE A . W. F I T Z GERALD T H E GUA R D SM AN Ju s t b e c au s e th e s chool to ok a b re a k , do e s n’ t m e a n the new s t a ke s a b r e a th er. S o th i s s u m m er, nei ther d id we . T h e Gu a r d s m a n l au nche d i t’s f i r s t e ver s u m m er p ro g ram i n ove r 75 ye a r s o f p ub l i sh i n g from Ci t y Co l le g e. Un l i ke the tra d it ion a l s em e s ter, T h e G u a rd sm a n wa s n’t o f fer e d a s a c la ss. T he s t a f f of th e p ap er w a s enti rely vo l u n t eer b a s e d , f r om the on li ne e d i t o r dow n to th e s t a ff pho to gra ph e r s . T h e p ap er a l s o we nt enti rely
d i g i t a l for the s u m me r. T he web on ly fo r m a t s ti r re d u p cr e a t ive w ay s of c over i n g n e ws . T he Gu a rd sm a n i n v i t e s you to t ake a lo ok a t ou r br oa d a n d deep d i g i t a l offe r i n g s , u p d a t e d d a i ly. T h i s h a nd y g u ide w i l l g ive you a s am pli n g of wh a t we h ave to offer a t T heGu a r d s m a n .com
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YouTube The Guardsman On line is the YouTube and Internet branch of The Guardsman paper. We have web video interviews with politicians like Senator Nancy Pelosi and mayoral candidate David Chiu, as well as video coverage of events like SlutWalk and the Johannes Mehserle protes t. The Guardsman produced over thir ty web videos during the pas t year, and were even featured on the Wall Street Journal’s San Francisco aggregate site. www.youtube.com/ TheGuardsmanOn line.
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PHOTOS BY BECCA HOEKSTRA / THE GUARDSMAN
6 | August 24, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
CULTURE
Bay Artists tUnE yArDs, Ty Segall, Tamaryn, Wye Oak some of best at Outside Lands By Atticus Morris THE GUARDSMAN
Attending a music festival is usually like having hors d’oeuvres at some upscale soirée: you get a little of everything, without having your appetite fully satiated. And so it went with the fourth annual Outside Lands Festival, Aug. 12-14. This year the festivities were extended back to the original three days, having been pared down to two in 2010. Headliners, which included Muse, Arcade Fire, MGMT and The Shins, among others, generally delivered the goods as expected – particularly New Mexico art/folk/world music outfit Beirut, who played an amazing set as the sun went down on the final day; and the epic 90- minute performance from Montreal’s Arcade Fire, which closed out the festival. One of the many pleasant surprises of the weekend was how well the local talent held up against all the national and international acts. Bay Area artists playing on the side stage were some of the best performances of the entire festival. Among the most memorable: Ty Segall When it comes to rock music, there’s an undeniable “San Francisco sound” that has emerged over the past few years. It’s a noisy garage band kind of thing with a general emphasis on function over form and attitude over technical ability. Ty Segall stands out as probably the noisiest and garage-y-est of the lot. The sheer energy and volume of this kid’s songs are impressive enough on his recordings, but in a live setting he’s nothing short of astonishing.
In the course of an hour he probably blew through 15 or 16 songs, never letting up on the intensity. Segall’s latest album “Goodbye Bread,” released in June, draws on the entirety of a long DIY musical tradition spanning from ‘60s surf rock through late ‘70s - early ‘80s punk to ‘90s grunge, without ever sounding derivative or contrived. It’s rock in its purest most genuine incarnation, and demonstrates forcefully that after more than half a century the genre has enduring relevance. Tamaryn Tamaryn were another local band who blew some minds on Friday afternoon. Their hauntingly beautiful guitar-heavy mix of murky atmosphere and ethereal melody, anchored by vocalist Tamaryn’s hypnotic croon, transferred unbelievably well in the cold and foggy “summer” weather. The weather heightened every aspect of the band’s sound – the inherent enveloping quality of the music became a blurry sea of noise: wave after wave of guitar washed over the audience, and Tamaryn’s other-worldly vocals spread out across the ambiance like fog across the city. When producer and guitarist Rex John Shelverton expertly bent his chords it had a profoundly hallucinatory effect, like he was bending reality. Tamaryn’s debut full-length “The Waves,” released near the end of 2010, was one of the year’s best records. A shimmering masterpiece of pristine melody and gauzy layers of noise stretched over humming bedrock of guitar fuzz, that recalls the heyday of ‘90s shoegazer rock.
MICHAEL CONTI / MCT
Erykah Badu performs at the Outside Lands Music and Art Festival in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Friday, Aug. 12, 2011.
Tune-Yards Oakland’s Merrill Garbus is a New England transplant who records and performs under the name tUnE-yArDs, making music that defies simple categorization. Her songs are sonic experiments – amalgams of folk, pop, free jazz and electronic music. Her live show – as captivating as it was stunningly original – consisted of her literally “building” the songs in front of the audience. In lieu of an actual drummer, were a snare drum and a floor tom, which she used to bang out rhythms. She would capture and loop the performances using guitar pedals, layering in tambourine and other percussive elements as needed. Her voice she manipulated in a similar manner, singing and looping wordless melodies at varying pitches into oddly beautiful harmonic structures. Once she had this framework constructed, she was free to play her ukulele and sing using the full range of her voice, and the range of Garbus’ voice, which she uses as an instrument, simply has to be heard to be understood. Her full-length debut “W H O K I L L” was released back in April and is sure to make plenty of “best of ” lists by the end of the year. It’s a powerful statement of uncompromising artistic integrity. Wye Oak Although Wye Oak isn’t from the Bay Area, it seems obligatory that they be added to this list. The Baltimore duo have been recording as Wye Oak since 2008. They gave a stellar performance Sunday afternoon, despite lackluster attendance and the clear physical discomfort of vocalist and guitarist Jenn Wassner, who was apparently unfamiliar with San Francisco summer weather. Executing their signature fusion of indie rock, melancholic pop and electronic bliss flawlessly, they left the small but devoted audience mesmerized. Their latest album “Civilian”, released by Merge Records in March, is their most sprawlingly ambitious offering to date and among this year’s best releases so far. It’s an incredibly dynamic record, which runs the gamut from acoustic guitars and sweet vocals to cacophonous crescendos of percussion and feedback (sometimes managing to do so in the course of a song). This is an act not to be slept on. So after three days of music, it can be said that this was a thoroughly satisfying return to form from an event that had dipped a little bit in quality last year. Can’t wait to see what next year will bring. email: amorris@theguardsman.com
A magic carpet ride through the arts: free performing arts festival has it all
BETH LABERGE/THE GUARDSMAN
An audience enjoys Brazil in the Gardens, a program of the free outdoor performance series sponsored by the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, Aug. 20, 2011 in San Francisco.
by Catherine Lee THE GUARDSMAN
Bring a picnic, bring a sweater, bring your mother or bring your nephews or go solo to the best free cultural festival in San Francisco to see emerging and established artists in an intimate, relaxed setting. The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is a six-month arts and culture festival with free weekly performances hosted in the cultural heart of downtown San Francisco. Performances range from jazz to opera, from circus acts to literary readings, from comical to historical. For a recent Saturday concert, Valda Saunders brought her son, Christian Harris, and her mother, Hattie Minter, who was visiting from Alabama, to see the Marcus Shelby Orchestra perform a jazz set inspired by Martin Luther King. Saunders said she had enjoyed the festival’s Thursday lunchtime concerts and coming out to see a Saturday show with a big picnic and the family was even easier. Seven-year-old Harris said he “liked the whole thing.” Minter was especially pleased because by strange coincidence, she had met Marcus Shelby in Alabama when she was working with Reverend King’s congregation. “My daughter didn’t mention whose performance we were attending, so I was surprised to find it was Marcus,” said Minter. Creating new traditions The 11-year-old festival has one of the longer festival seasons with events presented from May through October. About 90 to 110 performances scheduled each season. Some artists and organizations have appeared multiple years in a row, creating new traditions for the summer. Favorites include AfroSolo’s Jazz in the
Gardens, Circus Bella, LitQuake and Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Balinese performing artists who always sell out their tickets in paid venues. More voices are added to the mix every year, giving a platform for the next generation of writers and artists. “Really wonderful is the Tuesday series of Youth Speaks, youth poetry slam team and young poets, which is new this year,” said Marshall Lamm, the festival’s publicity spokesman. Commitment to local arts The festival’s director, Linda Lucero, is a native San Franciscan with deep roots in the Bay Area art community. As a graduate of City College and San Francisco State, she speaks affectionately about the connection between community and the arts in the Bay Area. “Eighty percent of the artists (performing at the festival) are local to the Bay Area,” she said. The ultimate proof of the artist connection and accessibility is the welcome policy for emerging artists on on the festival website: “The festival accepts unsolicited materials from artists. We are always interested in hearing from artists …especially those creating new work or site-specific theater or dance.” Details If you go, the calendar is subject to change: Visit them at YBGF.org, shows go May through October. Dress in layers – the festival area has been sunny and hot, but summer in San Francisco can be cold. It’s okay to bring a low chair and your own food and drinks; if it’s been foggy, the lawn may be soggy. Free admission, and no reservations are required. email: clee@theguardsman.com
Culture
The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com | August 24, 2011 | 7
Shatner makes a movie only real Trekkies could love By Becca Hoekstra THE GUARDSMAN
Set your phasers to nerdgasm. William Shatner has written, directed and produced a documentary called “The Captains,” where he interviews the actors who commanded starships in the “Star Trek” franchise. (Did I say franchise? I meant saga.) “The Captains” premiered at the end of July at Comic-Con and on EpixHD, a subscription movie streaming service. It currently holds the number one spot on EpixHD.com’s top 12 (really... 12). You can sign up for a free two-week trial to check it out. With Shatner cheesiness... and... typical stylized... voice-over, he attempts to discover what the Star Trek experience meant to the fans, the other actors and to himself. The whole project seems self-indulgent, with Shatner spending more time talking about himself than any other actor - but, well, it is his movie. Despite that, the film is sure to be a hit with Trekkies of every enthusiasm level, with each actor’s face that appears on-screen likely to draw a high-pitched fangirlish scream of recognition. Shatner interviews all the captains who followed him, from Sir Patrick Stewart of “The Next Generation” to Chris Pine from the successful 2009 movie reboot, speckled with appearances from actors such as Jonathan Frakes (“Star Trek: TNG”) and Christopher Plummer (“Star Trek VI”). Kate Mulgrew (“Voyager”) articulates about playing the only female captain, Scott Bakula (“Enterprise”) offers analysis and thoughts on family and Chris Pine shows
up for arm wrestling. The direction and editing aren’t great: captains are introduced stepby-step down the chronological ranks, but then the film loses most of its cohesiveness. Scattered interviews are peppered with clips from the TV series and movies and the Las Vegas Star Trek Convention. Many of the interviews fail to portray valuable core content, with Shatner opting instead for more side babble and superfluous conversation. The tacky elevator jazz soundtrack doesn’t fit at all, sounding more like Brooks’ thought pattern than anything else. Then there’s the dragging scenes of self discovery, as Shatner milks it by monologuing on a bridge overlooking a river in slow motion. With ducks. Apparently it wasn’t until this LOUIS A RAYNOR / COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES film that he came to appreciate the The original Captain Kirk William Shatner arm wrestles Chris Pine, the new incarnation impact of “Star Trek” in his life – of the character, promoting the Star Trek documentary “The Captains” outside of Parathough how he missed out on that mount Sutdios in L.A. before is anyone’s guess. Even with his esteemed Shakespear- most devoted can learn something new Some of the film’s lowest ean work, he says with a huge, sweet smile about the beloved series. But there really moments come from Avery Brooks (“Deep that he is “absolutely fine” being most well isn’t any value in encouraging non-fans to Space 9”) falling apart – even Shatner said known for his work on “TNG” (cue nerdy sit through this documentary. was “out there” – quite the contrast to the butterflies). All the talented actors sacrificed signifno-nonsense captain he portrayed. He The similarities between captains is icant time and work to lead audiences on mumbles incoherently while responding to striking. They all have theater backgrounds, explorations to the final frontier, “boldly questions with jazz riffs on a piano, as if he’s and many had disastrous family situations going where no man has gone before.” But on some kind of hallucinogenic flashback. resulting from the 16-hour (or more) do those rooms full of adoring, screamThe most rewarding interviews are workdays required for the show. Shatner, ing fans dressed in red, yellow and blue Stewart’s, with the classy, cultured actor Stewart and Bakula all divorced as a conseuniforms make it all worth it? It certainly providing real emotional depth and insight quence. Most importantly, all expressed seems so. For where would a ship be withsurrounding his career. His casting itself gratitude, pride and honor at being given a out her captains? is apparently an act of Trek miracles, as neither he nor creator Gene Roddenberry chance to play the role of captain. All Trekkers and Trekkies should defireally wanted him on the show. nitely give this one a watch, as even the email:bhoekstra@theguardsman.com
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8 | August 24, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
SPORTS
Soccer rings in new season with new field By Ryan Kuhn THE GUARDSMAN
Since the athletic department has included soccer as an intercollegiate sport to City College, the soccer programs have never been able to play on campus. Finally, their dreams have come true. After years of planning, a brand new turf field was completed behind Batmale Hall, just in time for the 2011 men’s and women’s soccer seasons. “The college has never had a soccer facility since it opened. They have been traveling all over the place, and it’s not free,” said former men’s athletic director and current head football coach Gorge Rush, who was in charge of planning. “The parks charge a lot of money to use their fields.” Last year the men’s soccer team was forced to play home games at Fairmont School in Pacifica, about seven miles south of the Ocean campus. Just steps from the Wellness Center, the new field will save the college $9,000 per season in field costs , athletic department head Dan Hayes said. Adam Lucarelli, who has coached men’s soccer for the last 15 years, has played on eight different home fields since coming to City College. He calls the new field his “field of dreams.” “We are the only team in our conference that doesn’t have
their own field,” Lucarelli said. “We tried to turn those hardships into something positive but I was envious.” Besides saving the athletic department money, the new field will also give the players and coaches the tools they need to succeed this season and in the years to come. “We have two of the premier soccer programs in Northern California, with both making the playoffs, and I think it gives us BETH LABERGE / THE GUARDSMAN a big advantage recruiting,” Rush The main campus’s new soccer field is ready for some serious playtime for the upcoming mens’s and women’s seasaid. “It gives son, August 19, 2011 in San Francisco. percolation in mind. also branched out to partner with gym and new football field but us a facility that The company has completLick-Wilmerding High School, it has been the soccer programs makes the college experience ed many projects with the San who currently has interscholastic that have been highlighted so far more pleasurable to our students.” Francisco and Oakland school boys and girls soccer and lacrosse. in 2011. City College was not alone in districts, and also worked on a “They gave the college $3.75 Women’s coach Gabe Saucedo organizing this project. wide range of public infrastrucmillion for rights to use the field agrees. AGS, a San Francisco-based “We have done a lot to make architecture and engineering tures including the new terminal and that gave us the financial at San Francisco’s International werewithal to be able to build the our programs more attractive,” he firm, designed and constructAirport, AGS deputy manager field, ” Rush said. said. “And this completes it.” ed the field. With an emphaJinni Bartolome said. In the last three years, City sis on sustainability, the firm Because soccer season is only College athletics has been designed the field with issues like email: rkuhn@theguardsman.com during fall semester, the college upgrading its facilities with a new water runoff and efficient soil
Follow @guardsmansports
on Twitter for live in-game updates! BETH LABERGE / THE GUARDSMAN
Coach Gabe Saucedo addresses the women’s soccer team on the new field August 19, 2011 in San Francisco.
Rams face new challenges in 2011 By Ryan Kuhn THE GUARDSMAN
Women’s soccer steps onto their brand new soccer field for the 2011 season as they call themselves the Coast Conference champions from one year ago. But their coach, Gabe Saucedo, looks at this season differently, saying that this is a new year. “We haven’t done anything this year,” Saucedo said, as he watches his team during their first 11 versus 11 inter-squad scrimmage. “Right now, that conference championship is up for grabs and I’m not looking at it as if we are defending anything. If you think about defending something then you are on your heels.” Last year, the Rams turned their program completely around as they finished 17-2-4, more than tripling the amount of wins from 2009. Although they lost in the second round of the playoffs to Fresno City College, Saucedo learned a lot about his team from last season. “I think the most important thing that I learned last year was team chemistry can take you a long
way,” he said. “We played against some teams that were more skilled than us at a lot of positions but our chemistry was so good, we cared so much about each other that it mades us play really hard.” The Rams not only flourished with chemistry but also had nine players last year nominated for the All-Coast Conference team. Key returning players include now sophomore Tera Piserchio who led the team with 18 goals and Alex Montano who was second on the team with 11 goals. With a new recruiting class, the program also introduces two new assistant coaches. Saucedo said both Ivan Bandov and Chris King bring experience, enthusiasm, good soccer knowledge to the program. City College has their first game on Aug. 25 as they will face Div II San Francisco State in a scrimmage at 3:30 p.m. The Gators won their conference last year and Saucedo is up for the challenge. “We are really excited about playing SF State,” he said. “They are going to be fast and physical by moving the ball well but it will give us a good indicator on where we are as a team.” email: rkuhn@theguardsman.com