The Guardsman, Vol. 163, Issue 3. City College of San Francisco by The Guardsman

Vol. 163, Issue 3 | February 22, - March 8 , 2017 | City College of San Francisco | Since 1935 | FREE

College students across the city are affected from Trump's Muslim ban By Gardenia Zuniga gzuniga@theguardsman.com

The morning of Friday Jan. 27, President Donald J. Trump outraged the world when he signed an “executive order,” banning Muslims from seven different countries to enter the United States.

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Muslim ban continued on page 4

City College language center struggles to keep doors open for students By Nigel Flores nflores@theguardsman.com

By Rachel Quinio rquinio@theguardsman.com San Francisco is the first city in the nation to challenge President Donald Trump’s “unconstitutional” executive order on Jan. 31. President Trump signed an executive order six days prior stating sanctuary cities who don’t cooperate with federal deportation agents will lose federal funding. City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed the case and claimed President Trump is in violation of the 10th Amendment. The lawsuit read, "In blatant disregard of the law, the President of the United States seeks to coerce local authorities into abandoning what are known as 'Sanctuary City' laws and policies. This strikes at the heart of established principles of federalism.” The lawsuit could result to human and financial implications

There is an estimated 30,000 undocumented immigrants within San Francisco totalling 3.7 percent of the overall population. The unwavering compliance with President Trump’s future immigration mandates could mean substantial mass deportations. This would affect students and their families that have been granted amnesty through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). “We are gonna deal with DACA with heart,” President Trump said at a news conference on Feb. 13. “I find it very, very hard doing what the law says exactly to do. And you know the law’s rough. I’m not talking about new laws. I’m talking the existing law is very rough. It’s very, very rough.” President Trump acknowledged the subject matter was difficult to him because in some cases within DACA you can find

“gang members” and “drug members” while most “have some absolutely incredible kids, I would say mostly… it’s a very, very tough subject.” President Trump, however, carried a different much stronger tone while on the campaign trail. Last year in August, President Trump said in an immigration policy speech that undocumented immigrants had one road to citizenship: “to return home and apply for re-entry like everybody else under the rules of the new legal immigration system that I have outlined,” he the pledged to “break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration.” President Trump’s present stance is unclear and the future of DACA students is just as

ambiguous. In a meeting on Jan. 20, the Board of Governors unanimously approved a resolution supporting the continuation of DACA stating, “the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and the state Chancellor’s Office will vigorously advocate at every level of government to protect our students and our system’s values.” The other issue the city faces is that of finance. San Francisco collects $1.2 billion annually in federal funds which is approximately 13 percent of its $9.6 billion budget. If the city is found to be in violation of the Executive Order this could create fiscal scarcity leading to necessary rebudgeting and reallocation of funds. San Francisco’s District 7 Supervisor Norman Yee does not seem too City vs Trump continued on page 5

Late night armed robbery in MUB bathroom

City College has retained one of the last language centers in the state but despite a growth in attendance the Language Center on campus may have to close and transition its services elsewhere following the Spring 2017 semester. Language center continued on page 5

'Agents of Change’ film highlights evolution of Black History Month By Adina J. Pernell apernell@theguardsman.com

City College LCD vandal strikes twice in a week By Kyle Roque kroque@theguardsman.com

During the week of Jan. 29 someone attempted to steal two LCD projectors in the Multi-Use Building (MUB) on campus, successfully procuring one and only tampering with the other. LCD vandal continued on page 3

By Bethaney Lee

NEWS ALERT

blee@theguardsman.com

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City College journalism student, Victor Tence, was robbed at gunpoint in the campus bathroom located in the Multi-Use Building (MUB) on Feb. 15, 2017 at 9:18 p.m. In a crime alert issued by campus Chief of Police, Andre Barnes, he said the victim “went inside the bathroom located on the north side of the building,” and was then followed “by two hispanic suspects.” Chief Barnes report details that “one of the suspects partially pulled out a black handgun to show the victim, at the same time a box cutter fell out of his pocket.” It is unclear whether the suspects fled on foot or by vehicle but descriptions of each suspect were given. Barnes report included that suspect one was described as a five foot six inch tall Hispanic male between 20 and 30 years of age weighing about 160 pounds and with both brown hair and eyes. The second suspect is described in a similar fashion but notes a distinctive purple colored scar on his right side face cheek and was described as being slightly older than suspect one. Tence was stripped of his backpack, cellular phone and wallet. As a display of solidarity a “GoFundMe” account was created that can be accessed via The Guardsman website for those who would like to donate towards the replacement of his belongings.

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March. 8, 2017

Calendar of Events

Women's History Month

Lower Level Student Union, Ocean Campus

Feb. 1 - April 11

Events put on by City College’s Women’s Studies Department celebrate Women's History Month.

For more information and event details, call (415) 452-5825. For accommodations, call (415) 452-5481 48 hours in advance.

Infrared Images of Yosemite

Feb. 15 - March 18 Photography Student Gallery, Visual Arts 160

A series of infrared landscapes shot in Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley by photographer Tom Risser is on display in Gallery Obscura. The reception is on Tuesday, Feb. 25, from 5-7:30 p.m.

Support for International Students Begins Wednesday, Feb. 22 @ 1-2 p.m.

The Student Health Center will be offering a new support group for International Students as well as any students needing assistance in dealing with the President’s travel ban. Students can enroll at the Health Center, Room 155 or call (415)239-3110.

Islamophobia in 2017: What Can We Do? Tuesday, Feb. 21 @ 11-12:30 p.m.

Staff Editor-in-Chief Bethaney Lee News Editor Linda Brommage

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Do you have any City College events that you would like included in The Guardsman calendar? Send event information to info@theguardsman.com

“Islamophobia in 2017: What Can We Do?” is an educational opportunity relevant to current events as well as City College students and our communities. The event with Amer Ahmed, Ed.D., aims to help participants dispel myths, correct misinformation, take action and connect current struggles with historical struggles for justice and equity.

Tenth Annual Laugh for Lives Comedy Show Friday, Feb. 24, 8-10 p.m. Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco

The tenth annual Laugh for Lives Comedy Show, presented by Douglas Ho, will take place from at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Featuring MC Jinare, as well as stand up performances by Amir K, Irene Tu, KT Tatara, and Atsuko Okatsuko, the fundraiser aims to find matching donors for Asians, South Asians, Asian Pacific Islanders, as well as African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans with Leukemia or other blood cancers. All proceeds go to the Asian American Donor Program (AADP), a nonprofit organization, working to increase the availability of potential stem cell donors for patients with life threatening diseases

curable with a stem cell transplant.

Tickets for the Laugh for Lives Comedy Show are $25 in advance and $35 at the door. Tickets for the comedy show and after party MC Jinare are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Purchase your tickets at www.aadp.org/LFL17. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Immigrant Youth in the Silicon Valley Tuesday, Feb. 28, 3 p.m. (Rm.TBD)

One of California’s most passionate advocates for undocumented youth, UCLA Labor Studies Prof. Kent Wong, will speak about the work of the UCLA Dream Resource Center with focus on the publication “Immigrant Youth in the Silicon Valley”(V.I.D.A). V.I.D.A highlights the economic disparities immigrants face in California including the immense barriers to access education

Accreditation Celebration at City College Friday, March 3, 3:30-6 p.m. Ocean Campus Cafeteria

City College is ready to celebrate their accreditation reaffirmation with a campus wide event. All students are invited. More announcements related to a citywide celebration will be released later this spring.

Culture Editor John Ortilla

Sports Editor Robert Jalon

Lead Copy Editor Diane Carter

Online Editor Gardenia Zuniga

Opinion Editor Nancy Chan

Photo Editor Gabriela Reni

Design Director Karen Sanchez

Staff Writers Adina Pernell Patrick Cochran Kyle Roque

Diana Chuong Julia Fuller Laurie Maemura Nigel Flores Rachel Quinio Advertising Manager Cara Stucker

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March 8, 2017

News Briefs City College celebrates Women’s History Month

In 1981 a national celebration was proclaimed to begin the week beginning March 7, 1982 called “Women’s History Week." This was the origin of Women’s History Month and tribute to the generations of women whose commitment and work has been invaluable to society. Congress designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month" in 1987 petition by the National Women’s History Project. Between 1988 and 1994 Congress worked to proclaim March of each year to be Women’s History Month. Since 1995 American presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” To honor Women’s History Month City College has many activities available for its students. These activities were made possible by the College as well as co-sponsors including the Department of Women’s Studies, Project SURVIVE, Women’s Resource Center, Interdisciplinary Studies, LGBT Studies, Diversity Collaborative and by the $5 Student Activity Fee. -Elena Stuart

Enrollment diversity at City College is soaring

The enrollment at City College is becoming evermore diverse according to the latest data release by Co-Chair of the Enrollment Management Committee and Coordinator with the Retail Management Program, Carole K. Meagher. As of the 2017 Spring semester City College has 17,116 students enrolled that identify as another race other than the 5,476 known White students who have enrolled, the data provided by Meagher adding that 373 students either declined to say or didn’t know. While Asian students held the majority of Meagher’s enrollment data at 6,866, Latino students stood in second at 5,775 or 25.1 percent of City College enrollment and African American students coming in fourth at 1,662 enrolled students. In an email issued by the Department Chair of Latin American and Latino Studies, Edgar Luis Torres said in regards to Latino enrollment that, “the Spring 2017 percentages are in. 25.1 percent! We made it. Two consecutive semesters.” During the spring of 2016 City College had 24.8 percent of Latino students enrolled but broke the 25 percent mark during the fall of 2017 and continues to hold its enrollment numbers in spring of 2017. Meagher’s chart didn’t just express the numbers for Latino enrollment but also reflected growing enrollment for American Indian and Alaskan Native students, which 58 City College students identify as. - Bethaney Lee

San Francisco laughs to save Leukemia patients

On Feb. 24, 2017 The Laugh for Lives Comedy Show will be held at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The proceeds of this fundraiser, which aims to find matching donors for multi-ethnic individuals with Leukemia or other blood cancers, will go to the Asian American Donor Program (AADP). The AADP is a 27 y.o. community-based nonprofit organization based in Alameda, CA. Dedicated to increase availability of possible stem cell donors for patients with life threatening diseases the AADP focuses on conducting outreach and donor registration drives among diverse communities. The oldest nonprofit of its kind works to create an awareness of the shortage of ethnic marrow donors and the importance of joining the registry. For more information about the AADP as well as upcoming marrow drives call 1-800-593-6667 or visit www.aadp. org.

Compton College under new management

Compton College’s Board of Trustees is taking over the reigns of Compton College for the first time in ten years. In an official statement released by California Federation of Teachers (CFT) President, Joshua Pechthalt, he said “the state Chancellor, the Department of Finance, and governor agree that the school has made tremendous progress addressing the problems the school faced more than ten years ago.” Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) had given a 2026 date before Compton College would ever see full restoration of their accreditation however with the board of trustees taking over the timeline has been adjusted to 2020. Leaving the college another three years with accreditation. “While these are positive steps forward, Compton College a historically Black college, will have gone more than a decade without accreditation,” Pechthalt added in his statement that “it’s time Compton College is fully accredited and complete authority for the school returned to the community.” The CFT represents 120,000 faculty and school employees in both public and private schools and colleges and is the statewide affiliate of The American Federation of Teachers which provides additional information at www.cft.org. -Bethaney Lee

SFMTA’s Vision Zero plan may improve road conditions across the city San Francisco has the worst road conditions in the nation SF Weekly reported on Jan. 23, 2017. The article “Crash City: S.F. Officially Has the Worst Streets” by Nuala Sawyer claims San Francisco to have the worst “road surfaces for any city in the nation with a population of more than 500,000 people.” Sawyer provides data that claims 71 percent of San Francisco and Oakland streets are in poor condition. According to Sawyer, most Oakland and San Francisco drivers yearly car repair costs an average of $978 which may be due to the city’s lack of road repair. Although at a relatively slow pace, the city is implementing the program to bring San Francisco streets up to the national average. In conjunction with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) took up the Vision Zero policy. For more information on Vision Zero visit visionzerosf. org. -Elena Stuart

Journalist removed from public court hearing

East Bay Express journalist, Darwin BondGraham, expressed on “Seven Days The East Bay News Blog,” that he was removed from a public, federal immigration court hearing in San Francisco for being a reporter on Feb. 16, 2017. BondGraham added: “And it wasn't the judge who wanted me to leave. It was the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attorney.” BondGraham said he walked into Courtroom 18 inside the 100 Montgomery Street offices of the Department of Homeland Security where he planned to observe cases. After being asked by Judge Joren Lyons if BondGraham was there for a particular case said “i’m here to observe.” The ICE attorney that BondGraham identifies as Michael Alster then asked the judge for a delay. "I want to take care of this situation with this gentleman first," he said while walking BondGraham out of the courtroom. The Executive Office of Immigration Review that is responsible for handling deportation hearings are usually open to the public. Only in the case of minor children, filing a sealed protective order, judge discretion or after having a party submit a motion for a closed hearing would the courtroom not be made available to the public and press. -Bethaney Lee

- Elena Stuart Staff Illustrators Hanna Chen Elena Stuart Quip Johnson Photographers Isela Vazquez

Alma Ayala Faculty Adviser Juan Gonzales

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LCD vandal continued from page 1

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Illustration by Hanna Chen

On Tuesday, Jan. 31 faculty reported that the LCD projector in MUB Room 188 had been tampered with finding that the projector image pointed down at the floor when turned on. The report noted the projector was working fine the previous Thursday and “it appears as if someone had tried to steal it, and was unsuccessful.” An email generated to the faculty help desk described the event said instructor Dana Galloway “reported that the projector in her classroom had been tampered with.” The email added that: “BMS cannot supply our projector carts to the Multi-Use Building.” The day following the discovery of the damaged projector, the projector next door in MUB Room 180 was reported missing. It was disconnected from the security cable which was left intact and hanging from the ceiling. On Feb. 2 another

email was issued to the help desk that said the “projector is gone. Security cable is still there, hanging from ceiling. This time the thief succeeded.” This is not the first theft on campus or the first theft from the MUB, though it is the first successful heist of a projector from the MUB. The MUB has cameras and a security alarm which is set once the building is closed. Campus police also does routine walk-throughs of the building. A c c o rd i n g to Sergeant Tiffany Green with campus police, no one has been caught at this time though they are “attempting to follow up with the director of the department to determine if the thefts are related and for any further information regarding who may possibly be responsible for stealing the projectors.”

(415) 239-3446 Mailing Address

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

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March 8, 2017

Illustration by Quip Johnson

Muslim Ban continued from page 1 “At first I couldn't believe it but as I followed the news I realized- yes it’s serious and it's happening,”Academy of Art University student Payam Jafari said. Jafari was one of the many students who was caught up in the muslim ban and stuck in Iran when it all began Iran was one of the seven countries in which many students come from to study in San Francisco through the various colleges like City College, San Francisco State University (SFSU) and Academy of Art University. The news broke out worldwide causing people to flood the major city airports and began protest

at international gates. Protesters, Muslims and lawyers gathered together to show support to those who were refused access and couldn't make it back to the U.S. Most students from City College and SFSU were not in Jafari's situation since the semester had started a few weeks before but for those students at other schools in San Francisco such as Academy of Art University, school began a week after Trump's executive order. Just like Jafari many people from the seven affected countries were stuck in a situation where they did not know if they would be able to come back and continue their life in the states once the 90 day ban was released. The moment the ban took effect the U.S. cancelled the visas of

more than 60,000 foreigners of the seven countries including Jafari's own- Iran. Homeland security also confirmed that the ban included green card and dual citizenship holders in the ban. “It was a bad feeling,” Jafari said. “San Francisco has been my home for last three years. I planned to do serious career stuff and all of a sudden I go home to my country to visit my family and realize, I cannot come back.” Many people among those 60,000 were students, doctors and professors who needed to urgently get back to the country to continue their duties. Many visa holders from the seven banned countries who were on their way when the executive order happened were detained by

and created a temporary stall for the culinary class. Most City College students have continued about their day throughout the area, ordering food, studying and minding their own business completely unaware of the drastically changed working conditions in the back for the culinary students and cafeteria workers. Prateek S. who works in the cafeteria said they’ve had to do to produce their everyday cafeteria foods for the students when “there’s no gas to cook on or stove tops, so we have been using the baking functions of the oven and electrically cooking the food.“ Students and staff have been very confused about current maintenance issues or unaware of them whatsoever. Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities, Linda da Silva, shed some light on the situation of where to process your ground and room issues for faster maintenance turn around: “We have developed a website where you can submit your issues that you view or are

dealing with, and depending on the urgency and damage- have a team that can almost immediately be sent.” When asked about the resolutions being provided to the recent campus heating and maintenance problems Silva said, “the board has recently approved the contract for fixing the gas lines issue by bringing in private contractors. We are also going to receive outside funding by previous propositions passed and supported.” Silva issued an email to faculty with drone footage capturing the full scale of the construction zone which weaves behind the Statler Wing and the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) building. “We do the very best we can with the lean staffing we have,” Silva said in an email addressed to concerned faculty members, “and with our very old buildings and systems that fail increasingly often. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our Ocean Campus community on these aged building system failures.”

Heating problems around campus cause large construction effort By Julia Fuller

jfuller@theguardsman.com

It’s quiet in the back of the culinary area of the Statler Wing at City College. There’s caution tape and dirt everywhere since the pipes and future gas lines have been dug up for repair and restoration, prepped for the independent maintenance contractors to come and solve the heating problems in the Creative Arts Building, Visual Arts Building and Creative Arts Extension Building. In the past couple of weeks there was a discovered leak in the area, contractors and Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) worked frantically to figure out the problem and provide a solution. This has caused the connected building where the Culinary Arts Department resides to be temporarily put out of their ovens and stove tops for certain cooking forms. Everything has been cooked on electric stove tops and microwaves, slowing down food production in busy feeding times

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immigration officers who immediately stopped them from entering U.S. ground. On Feb. 3, Federal Judge James L. Robart issued a ruling that blocked Trump's “executive order” to ban entry from anyone who came from those seven countries. Meaning everyone, including refugees escaping the cold wars of Syria are welcomed to come to the U.S. for a better life and freedom. Trumps ban did not last the 90 days as promised which raised a lot of outrage across the nation and around the world. Many people were affected in those eight days however once the ban was blocked, families were brought back together and students like Jafari can now finish their educational journey in the U.S.

“When I saw all the protest here in the United States at the airports,that hit me in my heart. It touched me because I saw American people fighting for others rights,” Jafari said as he described the feeling when he saw the news of the multiple protests in America. Jafari returned to San Francisco on Feb. 5 and said that it only took him ten minutes of questioning when coming across homeland security. He is now back at Academy of Art University to continue his last years competing his Master’s in Motion Picture in which he will graduate as a director and continue his American dream to start filming his movie upon graduation.

Photo By Julia Fuller/The Guardsman Gas lines have been dug up and removed behind the Statler Wing of City College Ocean Campus on Feb. 13, 2017

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March 8, 2017

City vs Trump continued from page 1

"Sanctuary Cities" is a term that describes places, like San Francisco, whose populous limits how local law enforcement and federal immigration agents cooperate with eachother. The united states count with at least five states and 633 counties are considered sanctuary cities, according to an article published by The New York Times entitled "What are Sanctuary Cities?"

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Mayor Ed Lee in a statement Jan. 31 called the Executive Order “misguided” saying that the order in fact “makes our cities less safe.” The Executive Order hinders the relationship between civilians and the law enforcement which is congruent with claims made in the legal suit, “when witnesses and crime victims will not talk to the police, law enforcement suffers and the entire community is less safe.” Mayor Lee said, “We need strong cities to continue to push our nation forward… San Francisco is a city that fights for what is right.” San Francisco has been a “Sanctuary City” since 1989.

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alarmed by funding threats from President Trump. Supervisor Yee said, “The budget cuts Trump hopes to implement would affect the people on a national level, not necessarily just the city of San Francisco. These cuts would affect programs such as Medicare and Medicaid ”San Francisco receives its federal aid in the form of reimbursements. The city could cut services now or continue spending knowing the looming potential of having to make even more severe cuts to deal with the surplus spending. The city is presented with a “Hobson’s choice.”

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City College language center located in the fourth floor of the Rosenberg Library.

Photo by Gabriela Reni/ The Guardsman

Language center continued from page 1 The Language Center is located in the Rosenberg Library and provides supplemental foreign language instruction for students participating in such courses. The foreign language department offers courses in nine different languages, including American sign language. City College boasts significantly more language offerings, as well as more courses for those languages than those of neighboring Bay Area community colleges. Interim Foreign Language Department Dean, Lillian Marrujo-Duck, argues that the services in the Language Center can “happen in other places.”

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These services include online labs and foreign language placement testing. “We need to transition some services in the Language Center so it is not a complete closure,” Marrujo-Duck said. Conversations about the Language Center began over the summer and spilled into the Fall semester, however Language Center coordinator Verónia Feliu said that there was no indication that this “extreme measure” was in the midst. Late last year Feliu announced in an open letter that the center may be forced to close its doors following a Dec. 12 meeting in

Marrujo-Duck’s office which was also attended by foreign language Chair Carol Reitan. “No explanation or rationale was provided for such a drastic and unannounced decision,” Feliu said in the open letter. Faculty in the department did notice a six percent dip in enrollment following the Spring 2016 semester, however attendance in the Language Center increased five percent. Feliu believes there is a way to generate apportionment through non-credit positive attendance and equity funding as most other learning centers around campus do. Feliu also pointed to the development of the Language Partner

Terve Pozdravljeni Program which is a collaboration between the Language Center and the International Students Office. The program which is geared through conversation, connects domestic students with native speakers of the languages they are studying. The program was implemented last semester and has expanded from three target languages to all languages offered through the department and now has more than thirty international student participants. “We believe any effort to retain and boost enrollment should not only be respected but strongly supported,” Feliu said. The Language Center suffered a 20 percent budget cut prior to this semester and Marrujo-Duck pointed to the need to preserve funds. By closing the Language Center the department would be saving 1.200 of the 2.00 FTEF that is allotted to the Language Center. “Concerns have grown about making sure we use our resources well and when we're cutting classes it also means we need to look at what we can shift around to save students,” Marrujo Duck said. The interim dean could not say that those funds would go back to the foreign language department directly. “What my impression is right now is that we have duplicate resources for things and the college as a whole is short on resources,” Marrujo-Duck said. Feliu compares the situation

to that of City College’s battle with the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) to retain accreditation in the sense that the college was given an opportunity to make improvements before the closure. The Language Center coordinator recently proposed a resolution to the Academic Senate at City College which passed unanimously, to force conversations between the administration and Senate regarding the center. Most critically it allows Feliu to implement more improvements to the center in the meantime. “Top down decisions like this one in which none of the affected constituents has been consulted, which are made without exploring other alternatives and ignoring all of its devastating consequences, only contributes to an atmosphere of distrust, animosity and confrontation,” Feliu said. Marrujo-Duck expressed that she wouldn’t define the situation as a “closure,” and that changes are necessary to meet the needs of students. “Right now at the college we are going through a lot of change. We’ve been through years of the accreditation crisis. Change is hard and some of the changes probably feel very sudden and dramatic because not everyone has been involved in all the conversations. So it's understandably upsetting,” Marrujo-Duck said.

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22–March 8, 2017

Bob Marley Tribute confirms reggae is alive in San Francisco's Mission District

Illustration by Elena Stuart

By Laurie Maemura

lmaemura@theguardsman.com

North Bay’s Sol Horizon and San Francisco’s Native Elements performed a live tribute show to honor the music legacy of Bob Marley at the Elbo Room in the vibrant Mission District on Feb. 3. “Marley believed that music could change and inspire people. By composing music that was not only entertaining, but had deeply political and spiritual messages,” City College music professor Larry Ferrera said, “much of Marley’s music was influenced by the political and cultural issues of Jamaica.

And through his music, he was able to spread his political and spiritual belief to a worldwide audience.” On the second floor of the Elbo Room, members of Native Elements sang and danced as the crowd of reggae lovers yelled and clapped their hands in the heady, fog infused room. The ambience was everything to be expected from one of Marley’s concerts from before he passed. People admired his prominence, and his stress free lifestyle, and was known as “the king of reggae music” by his global followers. Sol Horizon, one of the bands paying homage to

Marley on the stage, energetically pleased the crowd with an eclectic performance fusion of progressive roots reggae, funk rock, dub, and world beats. Michael Litwin, the front man vocalist, kept the Marley vibes alive by quoting influential statements such as, “run for cover, Reggae take over,” and “long live spirit, and music.” Litwin’s powerful voice touched the crowd as they sang along to Bob Marley’s “Concrete Jungle.” Widely grinning, Litwin’s last words were, “doesn’t it feel good to sing Bob Marley?” Ferrera said that while listening to Marley, he feels

an important, universal message is delivered: “Love and peace represent the keys to happiness and brotherhood.” He concluded that Reggae was still very much alive. The lead singer of Native Elements, Jose Pangan, expressed himself with positive messages and true life stories in his music performed during the Bob Marley Tribute. One song after another, the positive vibrations flowed. Silver disco balls twirled in circles above and bright yellow and orange lights that bounced from the mirrors. Close by, red lanterns dangled, while blue lasers

beamed on closed eyes and smiling faces. There was something about the cultural vibe in the Mission District of San Francisco that assembled the most unlikely congregation to indulge in the memory of Marley’s legacy. As the night progressed, the young and older aged crowds merged together creating dramatically diverse groups of individuals. The celebration of life and legacy of Bob Marley sent the audience an important message through the beat of the drums: “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

Photos by Laurie Maemura/ The Guardsman Left: Standing behind his Sol Horizon band members, bass guitarist Aron Parks looks ahead. Right: Lead guitarist Clayton “Bobo Itone” Hunt of Sol Horizon stares into the flood of people.

Lise Swenson’s final film “Saltwater” uses own life experiences By John Ortilla jortilla@theguardsman.com

The 19th San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF IndieFest) hosted a Lise Swenson tribute to premiere her final film prior to her passing in the spring of 2016. The reception was attended by more than 200 people and SF IndieFest posthumously honored

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her the SF IndieFest Vanguard award on Feb. 9 at the Roxie Theater. “The reception is a celebration of her life and to honor her memory,” Chris Metzler said. Adding that the vanguard award recognizes the work Swenson has done in filmmaking and her works in the media arts scene in the Bay Area.

Swenson lived in the Potrero Hill and Mission Districts and was a professor at City College. She helped co-found Artists Television Access and cultivated and inspired many accomplished filmmakers in the Bay Area film community. Swenson’s feature world premiere “Saltwater,” is a multilayer reflection of her life’s experiences and an exploration

of life through the influences of themes of illness, estranged relathe ecological nightmare of the tionships, self-revelation and Salton Sea. difficult decisions. “Saltwater” is about Jenny Throughout the film, scenes who searches for her grandmoth- switch between flashbacks and the er’s wedding dress in Salton Sea. present. Without much being said In the midst of her search Jenny about Jenny’s past, the flashbacks finds reconciliation, self-discovery clearly show the relations of Jenny and beauty beyond her dark family with her family. The focal history. The film highlights several Swenson continued on page 7

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March 8 2017

Swenson continued from page 6 point of the story was to of the multi-speed affair she lived search for the dress but the ques- in while in the city. tion begins to shift away from it as “Swenson used her own life Jenny’s history is revealed. experiences especially things that The film was shot in San were happening in her life and Francisco but for the most part her film was also influenced by the film takes place in the Salton the history of the Salton Sea,” Sea. The sea was shown as a disas- said Amy Covell during the Q&A ter made by mankind. Jenny takes session after the film. photos of abandoned buildings Although the film was produced and the town’s community, and the at a low budget, producer Henry photo is shown into view close up Mauldin said the cast and crew just as Jenny would see the natural poured in hours of labor and love beauty of the deserted town. into the film. Despite venturing forth into the “It took a long time to complete devastation of the neglected town the film but this is what Lise would she reconnected with her aunt of wanted,” said Jesse Spencer who and uncovered her forgotten past. was the driving force behind the Confronting her past made her editing and completion of the film. appreciate what she had instead

World premiere of "Saltwater" ready to screen in front of hundreds of audience members.

Guests line up for Lise Swenson's tribute and world premiere of "Saltwater" in front of Roxie Theater in the mission district.

Photo by Alma Ayala/ The Guardsman

"Saltwater" film poster Photo by Alma Ayala/ The Guardsman

SF STATE EXTENDED LEARNING

Graduate Sooner. Take upper-division Open University classes before transferring. Find out how. cel.sfsu.edu/ccsf

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March 8 2017

Spring play: a Shakespearean gender bender that reflects City College's unique campus community By Elena Stuart

estuart@theguardsman.com

“One-two-three-one-twothree,” echoed the backstage hallway of the Diego Rivera Theater. Following the rhythmic sound of feet moving along with the count toward a flight of stairs and through a heavy black door, one comes upon the auditorium. Sitting close to the stage, Director John Wilk is observing choreographer Rachel Nip teaching the actors a dance for the opening scene to Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” premiering at City College in early March. Throughout his career Wilk directed over 50 plays, 35 of them at City College. In this “gender bender

comedy”, circumstances force a shipwrecked protagonist to disguise herself as a boy who becomes the page to a duke. Much confusion over who is who and who is what, as well as a hilarious love triangle, ensues. Men were dancing with men, women with women, and women with men during the rehearsal. The director described the diversity and inclusiveness at City College. “We have people from incredible places,” Wilk said, "you look at the class and think oh my God, this is an amazing place." Most of the actors in “Twelfth Night” are current or former students. “We now offer a certificate and an Associate Degree in theater,” Wilk added.

The plot permits breaking through the constructs of gender and racial identities to investigate the fluidity of human emotions and the pendulum of sexuality, an aspect that Wilk intends to explore to its fullest. “Nothing is as it appears,” Wilk said when describing the play’s theme. “I have women playing men, men playing women and then women playing women playing men.” In front of the director, the stage was filled with actors working hard on their dance choreography. A few hours before rehearsal began one could observe a different kind of effort involved in producing a play. The scenic construction crew, responsible for building the set,

Photo by Isela Vazquez/ The Guardsman Actors in the Spring play line-up for choreography with Rachel Nip.

drilled and hammered feverishly to assemble walls and add stairs. Wilk, who has a Ph.D. in theater and a Master in Fine Arts in scenic design, designed the set for “Twelfth Night” to have stairs going in all directions. “Like an Escher,” he explained. Photo by Isela Vazquez/ The Guardsman Cast and crew lock hands on stage after rehearsing scenes for Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”

The set, and Wilk’s approach to “Twelfth Night” itself, is a brain teaser. "The play is written, ‘in a country that didn't exist, in a land that never was’," Wilk said, “characters get separated and get back together again.” The play opens March 3 at 7:30 p.m. Additional showtimes are available on March 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11. General admission cost is $15 and students, seniors and Theater Bay Area (TBA) members pay $10. Reservations are not required but tickets are also available online at www.brownpapertickets.com.

City College celebrates Chinese New Year By Kyle Roque

kroque@theguardsman.com

The City College Chinatown/ North Beach campus was transformed into a makeshift Chinese New Year street fair to celebrate the year of the rooster on Feb. 10. With over 200 people in attendance, it was the first Chinese New Year celebration held at the Chinatown/North Beach campus in the four years they have been at their 808 Geary St. location.

“Celebrate our culture, but to share it with everyone.”

China Town/ North Beach Student Council President Karmen Xu

The event started at 11 a.m. with a traditional lion dance, followed by a tai chi demonstration by English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor Rod Yee, and concluded with a reception where guests could play games, win prizes and participate in events that celebrate Chinese culture. Fanny Law is another ESL instructor at the campus and spoke of personal sentiment when asked what Chinese New Year meant to her. Law said she grew up in Hong Kong where Chinese New Year was a large event that was really felt by the community. She said it was a time when families came together with many people returning home to celebrate and enjoy the festival with their loved ones. The campus’ ceilings and pillars were adorned with paper

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lanterns and a large paper dragon lined the banister of the staircase leading to the second floor. Traditional Chinese music played throughout the reception as guests dashed around the lobby looking for strips of paper with riddles attached to the lanterns. If students solved the riddles, they would win a prize. The booths were surrounded with people eager to fold origami animals or have couplets written for them in Chinese calligraphy. Various legends and stories pertaining to the origins of Chinese New Year or the Spring festival were discussed, though they vary and it isn't clear when the festival began to be originally celebrated. Family, food, and fireworks are three staples of Chinese New Year. To this day members of the family will all come home and have a large reunion dinner with dishes that symbolize togetherness, prosperity and abundance- such as whole chicken and fish. As tradition bestows, midnight is when everyone sets off fireworks and rings in the new year. The next morning children usually receive red envelopes containing money from their elders. Law said the event was an opportunity to “bring together her City College family” and to “remind them of home.” It is also the first event held by the campus’ student council, most of whom are from China. The Chinatown/North Beach Student Council President, Karmen Xu, said that this event was an opportunity to not only “celebrate our culture, but to share it with everyone.”

ESL instructor Fanny Law creates a Chinese couplet during City College’s Chinese New Year celebration.

Photo by CHNB Student Council

A group of children performing the traditional lion dance at City College’s(Photo by CHNB Student Council) Chinese New Year celebration.

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March 8 2017

'Agents of Change’ film highlights Evolution of Black History Month By Adina J.Pernell apernell@theguardsman.com

In honor of African American History Month a screening of the ground breaking documentary “Agents of Change” was shown to a standing room only audience at the City College Rosenberg library. “Agents of Change” combines photographs, live footage, interviews and personal accounts to create a picture of the 1968 strike at San Francisco State University (SFSU) that raged for over four months and resulted in nearly 600 arrests. It was these events that led to an armed standoff between African American students and white students at Cornell University. The event was hosted by City College African American Studies Department Chair, Aliyah DunnSalahuddin and Juanita Tamayo Lott, who in her own words “worked in Washington D.C. most of her career, was at the U.S. Commission On Civil Rights,” is the author of several books and whose personal accounts of the SFSU strikes are also featured in the film. The film is co-produced and directed by Abby Ginzberg who has worked on numerous award winning documentaries and Frank R. Dawson who is a producer, writer and founding partner of NuHouse Media Group. Ginzberg and Dawson capture the change of a nation within the film. “Agents of Change” showed a first hand account of the integration process of blacks, Hispanics and other minorities into allwhite colleges and universities, and chronicles how Black Student Unions became a force for radical change in race relations. The strikes were the result of demands to the administration to establish a curriculum that reflected the cultural viewpoints and identities of African American students on campus and to hire more people of color in faculty positions. The film highlights the culmination of events that led to a rash of protests and riots and police violence that raged on campuses all over the United States. The subsequent turmoil ended in SFSU, the first college to establish an African American studies program in the nation and a decision which was later echoed

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at Cornell University and many other colleges across the country. In a discussion after the screening, Lott drew parallels between the SFSU strikes in “Agents of Change” the four students who went on hunger strike to successfully save SFSU’s underfunded College of Ethnic Studies in May of 2016. When Carter G. Woodson an African American historian founded Black History Week in 1926 he had no idea that it would go on to become Black History Month in 1976. With issues of race and equality still alive and well, the growing sentiment is that African American History Month is needed more than ever and that it needs to grow with the times. “I feel like in 2017 people respect the tradition of Black History Month and what it represents,” Dunn-Salahuddin said, but that it needed to evolve “to meet the needs of a new generation.” “It’s relevant but do we care?” English major Najma Douglas said about African American History Month. She felt that “the ones in community that hold the power are not using that power to help the community.” More and more students are taking matters into their own hands and getting proactive. Which according to Tarik Farrar, former department chair of the African American studies department at City College, is a positive step towards change. He felt that the new generation of activists had “learned

By Diana Chuong dchuong@theguardsman.com

something from the struggle” and has “a capacity to lead and change the world infinitely greater than people of the generation that I come from.” Dunn-Salahuddin wants to implement what she calls “hashtag Black history 365” where the African American studies department has a year long program of events that “crosses departmental lines”. Ultimately she wanted to “teach from a social historical perspective,”\ emphasizing “that black history is more than just a laundry list of names” and that “millions of nameless people were equally as courageous and contributed just as much” as famous ones. “I didn't know anything before I enrolled at City College,” said sociology major Jeremiah Rushing. “I can understand why things are the way they are today especially when you can look back and see what's already been written.” Without ethnic studies programs Rushing felt that we wouldn't “be able to teach people their history and the tools they need to control their own [future].” Woodson believed that African American history was not only about the larger than life figures like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman but also the everyday men and women who fought for freedom. More than 80 years later his idea still holds truth.

Starting fall 2017 music professor Matthew Creer along with the broadcasting and computer-science department, will start offering City College students a new program that combines computer coding and melody production along with two certificates students can obtain at the end of the program. The certificates that are being processed by the curriculum committee are “Music Technology” and “Computers and Science.” Creer said that each certificate caters differently depending on what the student is looking for. Music technology will get you entry level work in a technical field. It doesn’t necessarily have to be coding, but rather work as a technician for electronic instruments or setting up bands. Electronic Dance Music (EDM) has made its way to being one of the top mainstream genres. However, the roots of EDM dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Music department chair Madeline Mueller said the classical traditions of electronic music go back to the 1930s. The main electronic instrument was the theremin which projected a high pitched, eerie sound. From then the expansion of electronic music instruments increased. One of the most popular devices was the moog synthesizer. It generates electric signals that are converted to sound through instrument amplifiers and loudspeakers or headphones. “There were these studios in America,most of them in the Bay Area- were solid. Yes New York had stuff but I think California was where all the action for tape music was” Mueller said. Electronic courses were first offered at City College in 1972. Mueller’s husband, Jerry, was the first instructor for the United State’s first electronic course offered at a community college. “We had a dean who was interested in the state of the art equipment and he asked me to find somebody in the engineering department who can build electronic kinds of instruments such as synthesizers, mogues, buccas,” Mueller said. “Because I taught 20th century music, he said I would be in charge of teaching literature and have someone from engineering build the equipment.” Unfortunately, there was no one in engineering who wanted to take on the job. Mueller then suggested having her husband take the reigns on the course since he’s both a composer that works with electronics and computer language. The school hired him in the disciplinary department. The classes first started off in Mueller’s basement. They had all the right equipment in their basement to teach students how to work on the synthesizers, tapes, loops (splice). After a year into the course, the administration wanted to formally move it out of

the disciplinary department to the music department. It was a course well invested. Some of the pioneers of electronic music were former students of Mueller. Artists such as Patrick Cowley, Blaine Reininger, Tuxedomoon and Steven Brown all came from the City College’s music lab. Now, the departments that are designing these certificates will be a stepping stone for students aiming for something bigger. “I am most especially excited for the ‘Computer and Music’ certificate in particular,” Creer said. His reason being that The Bay Area is the focal point for technology. “There are jobs and internships out there, we’re in the heart of it! We are talking with the people of Dolby Sound. There’s also a local software company called Cycling ‘74 and of course there are jobs at Apple, Google, and Spotify,” he said. Creer said digital sound companies all across the Bay Area are going to want to have somebody who understands digital audio and someone who understands the aesthetics of music. They encourage their employees in their creative endeavor. “At the heart of all of this, there’s a fundamental knowledge of how music works, how the technology works and how those go together and then you can go in all these different directions,” Creer added. He believes focusing on techniques is important for students to come up with their own creative approach. It’s the students who come up with their own styles and hone the elements of what goes into making a sound. “Once that skill is achieved, they can then understand how a particular waveform could affect the musical piece and combining that with other components is going to get them so much more out of their own music,” said Creer.

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March 8, 2017

CCSF Tarot General Forecast By Adina Pernell

By Elena Stuart

apernell@theguardsman.com

Adina Pernell is a reiki master, energy worker, crystal healer, massage therapist and student of the esoteric. Adina uses “The Druid Animal Oracle” tarot deck created by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, which features original illustrations by Bill Worthington. Working with animal energy is about tapping into the universal force of nature and all that Mother Earth creates in the animal kingdom. Chances are, you’ve used colloquialisms like “wise as an owl” or “sharp as a hawk”; using the archetypal energy of the animal world helps produce a clearer picture of possible life paths to take. Overall Mood of the Campus - February 22-March 8: The Otter Represents: Joy, Help, Playfulness

estuart@theguardsman.com

Almost everyone Googles their name. Most find a display of information that tends to be nothing out of the ordinary while others run into slanderous posts. These individuals face off against tech giants like Google for the right to be forgotten. “I feel violated...each time I go on Google,” a New York student shared with New York Post journalist Julia Marsh in the article “Revenge porn victim wants US to adopt ‘right to be forgotten’ law” published in January 2016. This student was suing Google and other search engines after her ex-boyfriend posted pornographic footage of her without her consent. Illustration by Elena Stuart

When the otter presents itself in a reading, it is a sure sign that you have been taking things in your life too seriously, or overworking yourself to the point of exhaustion. An ‘all-work-andno-play’ approach to your life has prevailed for so long that you are forgetting all the things that could be a source of immense joy. If you have been pushing yourself too hard in your work and academic pursuits, you may need to take a chill pill for a moment to re-evaluate if all this extra effort is getting you anywhere or if you are merely grinding your gears. Take a relaxing weekend, treat yourself to a laughout-loud comedy, or indulge in something you rarely get the chance to do but enjoy a lot. Please remember that life can be fun!

Daydream a little: The Hind Represents: Subtlety, Gracefulness, Femininity You might feel the need to look beyond the obvious daily grind and find a side of yourself that is more soft and dreamy. Meditation, spirituality or simply time spent in quiet contemplation could seem really attractive to you right now. There may be an urge to withdraw from the social scene and become a bit of an introvert. Getting a little lost in your own thoughts and imagination holds a lot of appeal right now. If you are feeling so inclined, go with that mood. From this mental exploration may come inspiration and a wealth of ideas that will fuel projects of self improvement or put extra creative energy into school assignments which could in turn elevate them from ordinary to extraordinary.

Advice: The Fox (Reversed) Represents: Cunning, Diplomacy, Wildness At this time of deep thoughts you might feel more vulnerable to being misunderstood or hurt. In fact unchecked you could become somewhat paranoid about your own or other's intentions. Now might be the time for you to keep your own council and lie low for awhile. If any disagreements come up it might be best to agree to disagree than get entangled in a major conflict or argument. Take this time to live your own personal truth and be the example by showing rather than telling. Coming from such a strong place of self-awareness and confidence there will be no need to try and win or get the last word in. In dealing with teachers, colleagues and fellow students, tread carefully and be gentle as everyone’s emotions seem to be heightened right now. Illustrations by Quip Johnson

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Digital defamation is a lasting global dilemma

The right to be forgotten refers to a European court ruling from May 2014, which holds search engines accountable for handling personal data. On the contrary, in the United States a provision of the Communication Decency Act makes search engines not liable for search results. Google has no obligation to adjust its search algorithms to protect the privacy of nonpublic individuals. Since the right to be forgotten was enacted in Europe, word spread about Google being forced to delete unfavorable data from its search results anytime a private person made a request. According to information provided by European Digital Rights (EDRi), in “Google’s forgetful approach to the ‘right to be forgotten’” published in December 2016, nothing is deleted or removed from Google’s index under the ruling.

Google merely de-links individuals’ names from search results and does not interfere with historical records.

People who ask search engines to remove links to inaccurate, inadequate or irrelevant personal information are judged on a case-by-case assessment. Balanced against other fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and of the press, the ruling is not in conflict with freedom of speech. Other countries appear to be moving in the same direction. As of February 2017, First Post reported on two lawsuits in India in which private individuals proved search engine results of them counted as defamation. The ruling went in their favor. Around this time last year on Feb. 27, 2016, The Japan Times detailed a judicial ruling against a plaintiff who wanted search results connecting him to child prostitution removed. The recent court decision may be the baseline to a nationwide discussion about the right to be forgotten. Nonetheless according to EDRi, Google does not believe in the extra-territorial effect of national laws. This attitude contradicts Google’s extra-territorial application of American copyright law. Their failure to place value in their users’ well being and social good obstructs digital innovation and creates distrust. With the recent rise of fake news, the public is already wary of internet content. Simultaneously, knowledge of government surveillance increases paranoia. We, all of us, fear digital defamation. The aftermath of the pornographic postings may crush the revenge porn victim’s dream of becoming a child psychologist, Marsh reports. “Yahoo declined to comment” while “Google and Bing did not return messages seeking comment,” the New York student’s attorney, Ryanne Konan said. Any of us may encounter this student’s fate. Private citizens deserve the right to privacy. We must spread the word and demand for the adoption of the right to be forgotten in the United States. Until that day, victims of cyber defamation must sue the search engines or move to Europe in order to be forgotten.

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March 8, 2017

Rams Clinch Home Court in Playoffs with 7956 win over Foothill

Adrian Rico #15 jumps to block Foothill pass.

By Patrick Cochran

pcochran@theguardsman.com

The Rams easily handled their opponent Foothill in a 79-56 win that clinched them home court advantage in the upcoming state playoffs. From tip-off to the finals buzzer the Rams were in control the entire game and looked like a team that could go on an extended run in the playoffs. Seven minutes into the first half and the Rams already had a 15-6 lead. From there they kept extending it. Dominating on both sides of the court the Rams were able to further their lead even more. At point they were up 41-20 and showed no signs of relenting. They went into halftime winning 44-25 with a 19 point lead. “It’s hard when you’re up on a

team by 20,” head coach Justin Labagh said. “Just to get to that point, you don’t want to let down these guys after the first half. We did what we needed to do so I am happy with it.” Foothill struggled the entire game to get past the Ram’s full court press. Head coach Labagh always runs it and it’s devastatingly effective. It tampers with the opponent’s rhythm and makes it much easier for the Rams to force turnovers, which in turn lead to easily fast break baskets. Second unit guard Armani Collins, a sophomore, proved particularly adept at pressuring the Foothill guards with the press. Midway through the first half Collins stole the ball and jetted down the court, throwing down a highlight reel worthy dunk.

Forwards Kendall McIntosh a sophmore and Michael Steadman a freshman proved valuable down low for the Rams grabbing rebounds and contesting shots on defense. The star of the game and also throughout the entire season, was without doubt sophomore guard Zach Copeland. An excellent perimeter player that can shoot but also drive to hoop and has been having an outstanding season with the Rams. Leading the team in scoring with 18.6 points per game while hitting slightly over half his shots, Copeland is the focal point of the Rams offense. Versus Foothill, Copeland has taken a variety of shots including an impressive three pointer where he was fouled hard and shoved to the ground yet was still able to

Point guard Eddie Stansberry #11 goes up for a rebound.

knock the shot down. “He does that every night,” Labagh said . “We have other guys that can hit it too but he has been the most consistent all season.” “My team gave me open looks,” Copeland said . “Some of them I was more creative on and others I just took advantage of and were easy to knock down.” Copeland has been offered Division-1 scholarships and immediately after the game a recruiter from the University of Colorado beelined his way to Copeland to have a chat. Copeland already has offers from Colorado, Illinois State and New Mexico State and has other schools looking at him as well. “Our team has gotten better going into the playoffs,” Copeland said . “I think we have a pretty good

chance.” With the win, the Rams have a 25-2 record and clinched home court advantage throughout the state playoffs meaning they won’t have to travel anywhere. “It always nice when you can stay at home,” Labagh said. According to Copeland home court has a very important benefit to the Rams. “We are used to shooting on these rims,” Copeland said “It’s in our advantage. They have a very specific feel.”

Photos by Gabriela Reni/ The Guardsman

Right: Zach Copeland #20 raises to retrieve loose ball during home court game.

The basketball goes out of bounds as Kendall McIntosh #25 observes.

Twenty point up from Foothill, Zach Copeland #20 goes for the jumpshot.

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Vol. 163, Issue 3 | Feb. 22 –March 8, 2017

H2O - two parts heart, one part obsession By Laurie Maemura and Julia Fuller lmaemura@theguardsman.com jfuller@theguardsman.com

City College held its first official swim meet of the season featuring women and men swimmers from Foothill College, Chabot College and College of San Mateo. In between events City College Women’s Swimming Coach Phong D. Pham actively cheered swimmers before they dove into the water. The life of a swimmer is not at all easy. First year swimmer Adrianna Yakab recounted the first week. “Since the season started, it was brutal.” The swimmers trained rigorously on Saturdays for

two hours in the water and in the gym with a standard set of barbell weights, pull ups and stretching.. While Yakab waited for her event, she pumped herself up. Her teammates supportively surrounded her. “We get ready, loosen it out, and get into default routine. It's second nature,” Yakab said. First year swimmer Sophia Greco explains her routine of balancing school, work and practice is rough. “I go home, get hungry, eat, do homework and sleep.” She finds that having a team helps because they are in the same boat and she is not alone. “We discuss personal goals and season goals,” Greco said smiling. Continuing sophomore swimmer Amelia Hobbs discussed her

love for the sport and team bonding. “What really keeps me going is my love for swimming. It’s a goal to work towards. We are also all in similar situations so it’s great to have a team that is just as passionate about swimming as you are.” Hobbs’ personal goal is beating her 2:10 time in the 200 Backstroke event. In order to qualify for State Championships, she said she is determined to “train hard, and focus on the little details.” For now, Hobbs hopes to attend a four year college. Being the head swim coach isn’t any easier than being a swimmer, from having to upkeep the high maintenance pool to rallying students to join the swim team, Coach Phong has quite a bit on his hands.

Serious City College swimmer in preparation mode for the 100 backstroke event.

City College SF swimmer Adrianna Yakab smiles with her teammates while they wait for their next event.

Photo by Julia Fuller/ The Guardsman

Phong’s pre-meet ritual is important because he wants the swimmers to perform well. “I like to maintain a routine, get some sort of fitness in everyday. This pool keeps me on my toes constantly trying to maintain it so it stresses me out a little.” Overall, Coach Phong is proud of the team’s development but said there is still more work to do. “We had a practice meet last week. Today the girls did great and I am proud of their technique improvement.”

Photo by Julia Fuller/The Guardsman

Team members Alika Lew-Koga and Ashley Davis discussed the 100 meter dash they had just raced. “Our motto is ‘just sprint.’ We try and keep our sprints under 30 seconds. We heard that was good,” said Lew-Koga and Davis. With spirits high and consistent improvement Coach Pham and the City College Women’s Swim Team are looking forward to a successful year of personal records and physical growth.

Sports Calendar

Basketball

Playoff Schedule to be released

Baseball

Feb. 21, 2017 Gavilan v. San Francisco 1 p.m. @ City College

March 2, 2017 Bakersfield v. San Francisco 3:30 p.m. @ City College

Feb. 25, 2017 Skyline v. San Francisco 12 p.m.@ Skyline

March 3, 2017 Mission v. San Francisco 2 p.m. @ Mission

Feb. 28, 2017 Gavilan v. San Francisco 2 p.m. @ Gavilan

March 7, 2017 Monterey v. San Francisco 2 p.m. @ City College

March 2, 2017 Monterey v. San Francisco 1 p.m. @ City College March 4, 2017 Skyline v. San Francisco 1 p.m. @ Skyline March 7, 2017 De Anza v. San Francisco 1 p.m. @ Baylands Field

Women’s Tennis

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Feb. 28, 2017 De Anza v. San Francisco 2 p.m. @ De Anza

Events

Feb. 24, 2017 Johnny Mathis Invitational @ SF State (Feb 24-25) Feb. 25, 2017 De Anza Open @ De Anza March 3, 2017 De Anza Invite 10 a.m. @ De Anza

Feb. 21, 2017 Canada v. San Francisco 2 p.m. @ Canada

March 3, 2017 Kim Duyst Invite @ Stanislaus (Mar 3-4)

Feb. 24, 2017 Cabrillo v. San Francisco 2 p.m. @ City College

March 4, 2017 Beaver Relays @ American River College

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