The Guardsman, Vol. 172, Issue 8, City College of San Francisco

Vol. 172, Issue 8 | Nov. 29 – Dec. 8, 2021 | City College of San Francisco | Since 1935 | FREE | www.theguardsman.com

Sunrise Gathering Continues Tradition of Native Activism on Alcatraz Island

By Julie Zigoris jzigoris@mail.ccsf.edu @jzigoris The International Indian Treaty Council held its 43rd annual sunrise gathering ceremony on Alcatraz island on Thanksgiving, taking back a day that many in the Native community remember as a slaughter.

“Thanksgiving marks a genocide,” said Andrea Carmen (Yaqui), executive director of the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC). “The day after 700 Pequot were killed by British and Dutch mercenaries in 1673, the Massachusetts Bay Colony governor declared a day of Thanksgiving,” Carmen said.

Katarina Ruiz (Yaqui), who came from Monterey to attend the gathering, agreed. “It’s an honor to be around relatives on this day that celebrates a genocide,” Ruiz said on the early morning ferry ride to Alcatraz, when stars still peppered the sky.

"Thanksgiving marks

By Onyx Hunter onyxhunter@gmail.com

Dawn breaks over demonstrators gathered on Alcatraz Island on Nov. 20. Photo by Julie Zigoris/The Guardsman.

Rams Close Perfect 13-0 Season with Win Against Riverside

a genocide..."

“The sunrise gatherings are our continued prayer — prayers for visibility and for a narrative shift about what Thanksgiving means,” said Morning Star Gali (Pit River Nation), the California tribal and community liaison for the IITC. “It’s why we do all this,” she said.

Morning Star Gali was named after the sunrise gathering, and she has been organizing the Alcatraz assembly since 2008. She started bringing her own children when they were very young, “on cradleboards and in baskets,” she said. When Gali started attending the Alcatraz ceremonies as a young girl it was a group of around 30, but the gatherings have evolved to number over 5,000.

Vendors crowded the sidewalk along the Embarcadero in front of Pier 33 on Thanksgiving in the early morning, selling incense, sage, and Alcatraz continues on pg 6

Union Petitions to Remove Associate Vice Chancellor

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1021 has distributed a petition of no confidence against the current City College Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Technology Officer Ellen Rayz, with support from American Federation of Teachers (AFT) 2121.

The petition, dated Sept. 21, urges the board of trustees and chancellor “to take appropriate action immediately” against Rayz, and outlines a list of 17 allegations of “anti-union behavior," abusing power, incompetence, and poor leadership skills, that they find concerning for the welfare of the IT department, the “security of our confidential data,” and “the greater good of the entire College community.”

Specific allegations include that Rayz “mandates subordinates to delete emails of potential evidence,” “willfully ignores established SFCCD protocols, practices, and labor contracts, as well as not “cares more about making herself look

The petition ... outlines a list of 17 allegations

The Rams won their Dec. 11 game against Riverside City College 22-19, making them the 2021 CCCAA champions. The victory marks 13 straight wins for the team, a perfect season, and followed similarly stunning performances against American River College and City College of San Mateo.

City College entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed in Northern California and just one of two teams in the state without a loss. Their status as the top-seed in the conference earned them the homefield advantage in their two playoff games thus far.

good than getting the actual job done,” and “does not understand or know how to create, read, or adhere to a budget.”

AFT has stated that it “has received reports that Rayz has tried to undermine union power by hiring unrepresented workers instead of SEIU members, and that her treatment of classified staff in IT has been unacceptable.”

The Administrators Association Executive Council (AAEC) released a statement disagreeing with what they called SEIU 1021’s “continuing practice of soliciting members

Perfect Season continues on pg 10

Recall continues on pg 3

Football Story goes here. One small but good picture.

QB Jack Newman scans the field. Rams closed out their season with a 13-0 streak Photo by Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.

By Kaiyo Funaki and Angela Greco

2 | NEWS

Vol. 172, Issue 8 | Nov. 29 – Dec. 8 2021

A College In Recovery Seeks Commitments From Its Chancellor

By JohnTaylor Wildfeuer jt.wildfeuer@gmail.com

Chancellor David Martin said he sees City College as “the bridge that connects our students to their dreams, whatever their dreams may be.”

As the college has seen ten years of chancellors dropping

Chancellor of Finance, in which he served from 2015 to the middle of 2017, overlapped with similarly significant financial hurdles for the institution.

At that time the college was grappling with correcting audit findings and safeguarding its accreditation.

Recounting his intentions

Services, but who is also referred to as City College’s CFO. Since that time the college has faced ongoing deficits and financial strain as it prepares to transition to a new California State Funding Formula, which, according to the Multi-Year Budget Plan, is expected to go into effect when the college’s

that higher education employees do,” Chancellor Martin said, and added, “It's where I developed a passion for the work.”

It is also where he met his wife, Theresa. “She was a faculty member here in the counseling department,” Martin recalled, “and then when I transitioned down to Monterey, she

Martin to commit to greater administrative accountability, and to write an Op-Ed in the San Francisco Chronicle by February 2022 “highlighting [City College] as the main provider of jobs training and lifelong learning in our city.”

Vice President of Administrative Services at

Chancellor David Martin, whose four-year term began on Nov. 1, returns to serve City College several years after his leaving his role as its CFO in 2017. Photo courtesy of Emily Trinh.

out or losing good standing, it will be a dramatic change of pace to transfer to a four-year Chancellor.

Describing Martin’s return to the college in this new role, Public Information Officer Rosie Zepeda said, ”People have been lining up out the door to welcome him back.”

Solving for Solvency The Chancellor, who has a background as a Certified Public Accountant, may be uniquely qualified to address some of the institution's long-term financial duress.

Martin’s previous role as City College’s Chief Financial Officer and Associate Vice

at the time, Chancellor Martin recalls “initially coming to San Francisco to really be a part of reimagining the budgeting process.”

This necessarily involved correcting items in the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges’ (ACCJC) audit findings, a role that involved, Martin says, “Working specifically on items, or areas of improvement to put in corrective action measures to make those weaknesses become strengths.”

After his departure to Monterey Peninsula College in 2017, Martin was succeeded by John al-Amin who was hired with the title Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administrative

Staff

“hold harmless” status ends in 2023.

Until then the college will receive “the total apportionment amount they received in 2017‑18 adjusted for [Cost of Living Adjustment] each year of the period,” according to a State Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee report.

City College is in one of 32 districts currently under the “hold harmless” due to disruptions resulting from the pandemic.

Familial Ties “Coming from the CPA world, City College of San Francisco was my door into higher education and the work

came with me.”

Returning to City College is therefore a sort of homecoming for them, and Martin has been rekindling relationships with colleagues, as well as developing new ones.

One of his primary interests in taking the role was, the Chancellor said, “To reconnect and to work alongside the individuals that I had built relationships with in the past,” adding that another was to build onto that “new bridges and new connections.”

Accounting and Accountability Faculty Union AFT2121 is circulating a photo petition aimed at persuading Chancellor

Monterey Peninsula College said in a comment on The Guardsman’s previous coverage of the Chancellor, “I hope that San Francisco City College welcomes Dr Martin back as he is a leader who can help the college through the difficulties it faces,” adding “I have personally witnessed his leadership abilities.”

In the face of these challenges, and many more that the college faces, Chancellor Martin’s tone is earnest and energetic.“It's an opportunity to come back to the place where it all started for me,” the Chancellor said, “I just could not be more excited and more thrilled to be here.”

News Editor Annette Mullaney

Sports Editor Kaiyo Funaki

Illustration Editor Skylar Wildfeuer

Photographers Onyx Hunter

Photography Editor Skylar Wildfeuer

T: @jtwildfeuer

Culture Editor Casey Michie

Layout Editor Skylar Wildfeuer

Illustrators Erin Blackwell

Max Hollinger

Chief Copy Editor Colton Webster

Online Editor JohnTaylor Wildfeuer

Opinion Editor Ava Cohen

Social Media Editor Derek Chartrand Wallace

Editor-in-Chief JohnTaylor Wildfeuer

T: @blackwelldrawingfool

Bob Kinoshita

Yuchen Xiao

Janna Velasquez

Copy Editor Tim Hill

NEWS | 3

Vol. 170, Issue 8 | Nov. 29 - Dec. 8, 2021

In-Person Instruction to Increase Provisionally in the Spring offers things you can only get on campus while leaving out negatives like commutes and recorded lectures.

“I like this hybrid mode. It's nice to go to the dance studios with the big mirrors but it's also nice to be online for my night "CCSF In Person Classes: Percentages." Illustration by Skylar Wildfeuer/The Guardsman

By Denali Norton

dnorto10@mail.ccsf.edu Students at City College faced very different experiences this past semester, with some programs returning to some in-person instruction.

While the college remained mostly online in Fall 2020, about 20% of courses on the course schedule were in-person. For Spring 2022, currently 25% of offered courses will be in-person.

Students and staff want different delivery methods next semester. Some teachers have expressed the importance and enjoyment of in person classes for hands-on learning and to simply be with other people.

Communication Studies instructor Nathan Lawless Steele, who taught completely in person this semester, said, “I would love to see more student services and face to face classes.”

Some students enjoy the current hybrid mode that

"I like this hybrid mode." classes because it's difficult to commute to City College,” said student Sherry Wang.

In fall 2020, the nursing department was one of the first to go back to in-person instruction for labs and clinic hours.

Students still attend all lectures over Zoom and social distance while in labs.

Even the minimal online learning and social distancing still has had an effect on students. Nursing students take the same classes together for all four semesters, which usually results in a tight knit group. Since smaller groups are required for in person meetings, it has been difficult for students to get to know those not in their group.

“I don’t want to say the students aren’t as close as a cohort but it’s not the same comradery as a big group which I’m used to seeing,” said nursing department chair Joyce Coffey.

Online classes have also created new challenges for teachers as they find the best ways to reach remotely. Coffey said, “I've enjoyed the challenge of teaching online; it's kept me on my toes as I find the best ways to keep students engaged.”

Engagement is something students have noticed as a double edged sword. Many love the convenience of watching record lectures later though they simultaneously miss the collaboration that would happen in a classroom or zoom call.

“Finding the motivation and time to get work done at home is challenging, It would definitely

"It's not the same camradery." be less difficult on campus” Student Francesca Bavaro said.

Steele has noticed more of interest and stronger relationships being formed by his in person students since returning back.. More students have been staying after class to talk and the work the students have been sharing has been emotional and real.

Many students and teachers alike have felt frustrations about still mostly being shut down compared to other schools in the area. Bavaro said, “being at home has felt really isolating.”

Illustration by Erin Blackwell/The Guardsman. @blackwelldrawingfool

Recall continued from pg 1 to support a petition, as a means to determine the fate of an Administrator,” noting that there “are established grievance and complaint procedures to address personnel matters” the union should be using instead.

Moreover, AAEC says that such petitions have a “chilling effect” on administrations which “instills a fear of who

might be next should one make an unpopular decision.” They instead urge the board and chancellor to “rebuke this practice of circumventing established grievance procedures and reject this pattern of public crucifying any employee.

The Guardsman has reached out to both Rosie Zepeda and Ellen Rayz to receive comment on the petition, as well we have corresponded with a member of

Service Employees International Union 1021 Jennie SmithCamejo who has been helping arrange an interview.

Rayz has been an employee of City College since at least Oct. 22nd of 2020, and before her tenure at City College, Rayz was Executive Director of IT Services at San Francisco State University.

Huge Housing Development Cuts Student Parking In Half

By Gene Thompson

offstage@earthlink.net Developer AvalonBay/Bridge has successfully jumped through all the hoops, and after gathering community input at its October 16 open house, is revving up the bulldozers to transform the Balboa Reservoir parking lot adjacent to City College into an enormous housing development.

If students and teachers return to campus in the fall semester of 2022 half of their parking lot may be gone.

AvalonBay/Bridges Reservoir Project’s website boasts it will create 1,100 new households, “at least half of whom will qualify for affordable/workforce housing.” Nora Collins, development director of AvalonBay Communities, confirmed that 150 units would also be earmarked as “educator housing.”

"AvalonBay/Bridges Can't Follow The Law Without A Crystal Ball."

Illustration by Skylar Wildfeuer/ The Guardsman

Traffic Concerns The developers promise the 17 acre community will include four acres of open public space, including a playground and community garden.

But questions about traffic congestion and the affordability of the units have left many wondering why San Francisco sold the land at a discount to create a development some feel will cause more problems than it solves.

Student Christine Hanson worries traffic and parking woes will force more students to abandon the college. “I think it’s gonna limit enrollment. I think it’s gonna make it hard. If you have 40 minutes to get from work to class and you still have to run up the stairs and be sitting in a chair…. It’s so congested!”

Another student, Alvin Ja, agreed. “The elimination of 1,000-plus student parking spaces in the Lower Reservoir due to the project will have the real-world consequence of discouraging attendance at City College.”

Kittelson & Associates, contracted to analyze the development’s impact on parking and traffic, determined that during peak use of the reservoir for parking, the development would result in a net shortfall of 239 parking spaces. The firm suggests that the overflow

vehicles be parked in the surrounding neighborhood.

Kittelson further notes that increased traffic congestion could be mitigated by improving traffic signal timing.

Collins adds that AvalonBay “has agreed to park the 239 [vehicles] on our site, not in the surrounding neighborhood.”

Affordability Ambivalence In addition to parking and traffic concerns, some fear that the College community will be priced out of the housing.

According to Collins, “This is a 50% affordable project, and that is required by law. That’s our development agreement.”

But in the opinion of retired ESL professor Allan Fisher, who was president of the teachers’ union, AFT 2121, from 2000-2004, “What they call ‘affordable’ will not be affordable to most of our students and staff.”

The definition of affordable housing is determined by the city government and not the developer. When asked how much affordable units would cost to rent, Collins declined, citing that rents depend on variables like median income that change over time.

“I don’t know exactly what the rents are going to be tomorrow,” she said. “I’m not a fortune teller.”

The dual issues of affordability and transportation problems have led many to wonder whose interests were primary when the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (PUC) sold the 17 acre lot to AvalonBay/Bridge in 2020 for $11.4 million, far below the market price. Looking at a project that they feel increases traffic problems and in their view will not be truly affordable these critics ask what could motivate the city to give the developer such favorable terms in selling the land.

“11.4 million in San Francisco is nothing for a huge property like that,” Fisher said.

“What’s going on behind the scenes? Maybe there’s some corruption here.”

Emphasis On Affordability City College Trustee Thea Selby, who recently launched her campaign for state assembly, voted to approve a 2020 easement enabling the Balboa Reservoir Project. When asked her opinion about selling 17 acres of San Francisco land for $11.4 million she repeatedly sidestepped with non-sequiturs, including twice answering, “It’s not our land.”

Selby supports the increase in housing. “What I care about,” Selby said, “is that we build housing quickly, efficiently, effectively; that we have a high amount of affordability.”

4 | CULTURE

Free City College is a Model for the Nation

By Robert Holzman iruizenr@mail.ccsf.edu National free community college was cut out of Biden’s final spending bill, but we can look to the City College of San Francisco’s Free City program and its strengths and weaknesses to show how it can be done.

San Francisco’s 'Free City’ program is the first of its kind to offer free community college to all residents, with additional funds available for those who qualify. The program was designed to make higher education more accessible to a broader range of the community while boosting CCSF’s enrollment, which has steadily declined in recent years.

California has offered free tuition to qualified, lowincome students for more than three decades, but the process to receive those funds can be confusing and cumbersome for students and their families. There are additional barriers that keep some students from receiving this aid, such as the need to be recent a high school graduate or class load minimums.

Free City, however, offers free tuition across the board to ensure all residents have the same opportunity.

Studies conducted by the Upton Institute for Employment Research and the University of Tennessee show that the clear messaging of ‘free tuition’ can increase enrollment for some who might not otherwise attend.

During the 2017-2018 school year, the program’s first year, Free City aided over 24,000 students and total enrollment grew by 22.3% . In a survey by the City College Oversight Committee, more than 50% of Free City enrollees stated that they would not currently be in college without the program. “I would not have attended were it not for Free City,” the report quoted from an unnamed student. . “This program has literally changed my life!”

Enrollment at CCSF fell roughly 39% over the past decade. Many point to chronic financial and managerial issues and the accreditation crisis from 2012-2017, during which the school’s accreditation was under threat, as major causes.

The Covid-19 pandemic further caused a precipitous decline. . The drop in enrollment has also caused the college to lose millions of dollars in state funding.

In 2019, after an initial twoyear pilot period, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to extend Free City for another ten years with a budget of $15 to $16.4 million annually. The legislation also called for greater oversight of program operations

and agreed-upon accountability metrics.

After the popularity of Free City and other free-tuition programs across the country, President Biden made nationwide free community college part of his platform.

Unfortunately, the program didn’t make it into the final spending bill, but Biden assured his supporters that free community college remains a top agenda item. At a CNN town hall, he said, “I’m not going to give up on community colleges as long as I'm president.”

The Free City program has not been without its growing pains. Over its first two years, the program went close to $5 million over budget and a recent audit found a $1.5 million

College Access & Success (TICAS).

In a study on improving community college completion rates, the Brookings Institute pointed to the need to address certain structural and motivational barriers that students encounter. The study describes the benefits of a more personalized education for students, the need to move away from the “cafeteria style” that many community colleges currently offer, and how students can be more successful with specific goals and an understanding of how their schoolwork is meaningful to their lives. “They need to both see the destination and the path to get there,” study author Elizabeth Mann Levesque wrote.

"Free City Timeline." Illustration by Skylar Wildfeuer/The Guardsman

discrepancy in billing that the college must return to the city.

According to the audit, the billing discrepancies stemmed from the college billing funds outside the scope of its agreement and not properly reporting those funds to the city. This included money for IT support, computer equipment and administrative salaries and benefits.

The college says they are taking the recommended steps, including continuing regular oversight meetings, coordinating better with the city and defining eligible administrative expenses, to avoid future disagreements.

The same audit ultimately determined that “the program is sustainable for the foreseeable future” and Free City “in its current form is set up to maximize access to program funds and education”.

Free tuition programs help many students get their foot in the door but there is room for improvement for retaining and graduating those students. Only about 16% of students who attend California community colleges earn a degree, certificate or successfully transfer out within four years, with Black and Latino students being disproportionately affected.

There is “a lot of need in California and completion issues,” according to Jessica Thompson, Associate Vice President at The Institute for

In order to properly measure the success of Free City, CCSF and the city need to decide what its objectives are. According to the 2017-2018 Free City report, the oversight committee recommended the program create specific goals and ways to measure them, so that there are clear objectives to strive for. CCSF’s Media Relations Director, Rosie Zepeda said that the Free City program is continuing its work on establishing those goals and measures. A new oversight committee report is due in early 2022.

Vol. 172, Issue 8 | Nov. 29 - Dec. 8, 2021

CalFresh Outreach Expands

By Ivan Ruiz Enriquez iruizenr@mail.ccsf.edu Aided by federal expansions of food aid to students, City College of San Francisco has responded to growing food insecurity by increasing staff and outreach for its CalFresh program.

Food insecurity among students in San Francisco grew during the pandemic and continues to be a cause for concern.

In August 2020, a federal pandemic bill expanded eligibility for college students nationwide, regardless of units taken or parents’ income. As long as the applicant can prove they are an enrolled college student they're eligible to obtain food via CalFresh, expanding these benefits to thousands of students who did not previously qualify.

For this reason, in Fall 2020, City College added staff such as enlistment workers, and increased outreach in order to help students enroll and get familiar with eligibility procedures.

The decision to allocate additional support from CalFresh for students came at a pivotal time, as pantries, such as the Rams Food Market and Food Shelves on CCSF campus, had been forced to remain closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The closure of CCSF food pantry, which provided groceries to students on-campus,left many students who depended on this service wondering how they were going to survive.

Sophomore Amber Pineda said, “I used the food pantries when they were available as they were lifesavers.”

In response to the mandated closures, CCSF’s Rams Food Market opted to run a contactless program that grants applicant students Safeway food cards as an alternative to the market pantry. This service is in tandem with CalFresh, with both programs publicized

together in order to maximize services for food-insecure students.

Pineda added, “These services are so crucial to us underprivileged students to keep us enrolled and keep us going, as we don't know when our next meal will be coming from.”

CalFresh is a federally funded program that provides a monthly set allowance awarded to individuals who need assistance obtaining food. Previously known as EBT/SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), the program was rebranded as CalFresh in 2008 and it exists nationwide, albeit under different names depending on the state.

The expansion of CalFresh eligibility has greatly benefited college students, who are one of the lowest wage earning groups in the workforce.

Pineda said of the program, “I no longer feel like I have to debate if I am going to use my money this week for gas, or for my textbooks, or my school supplies, or if I am going to use it to buy dinner.”

CCSF has launched a number of events, including virtual workshops in order to help spread awareness of the CalFresh program. Social media has also been a valuable tool conveying this information to as many students as possible.

Neyda Lopez said, “I would just encourage anyone who has any type of challenges accessing food, to reach out, apply, and to take advantage of this support.”

Allowances, which are based on applicant's household size and income, were temporarily increased during the pandemic. Instead of providing a range of benefits, any approved CalFresh beneficiary receives the maximum available amount of $200 a month. CCSF students also receive an additional $100 Safeway food card.

Student Katherine Castillo said, “the CalFresh benefits are better now than they were before the pandemic.”

She added, “Before in the Rams Food Market, they offered just a few selections of fruits and vegetables and not exactly what you needed. The EBT and gift card combination is a way better option.”

The CalFresh program does not affect a student’s financial aid application nor will it affect their tax paperwork. It merely acts as a supplemental form of aid in order to get students access to food.

The CCSF CalFresh program outreach workers are available for virtual contact, Monday through Friday during normal business hours, at the Rams Food Market and Food Shelves page.

CULTURE | 5

Vol. 172, Issue 8 | Nov. 29 – Dec. 8 2021

Over 50 Attend SFSU’s Discussion of Protest Film “Agents of Change”

By DaphneYoung dyoung9@mail.ccsf.edu

“Participating in that event that day had a huge impact on me,” said Co-Director Abby Ginzberg.

On Wednesday night, Dec. 1, San Francisco State University hosted a virtual screening of the student protest documentary film, Agents of Change.

56 students and guests from SFUSD and City College of San Francisco attended the online screening, and had a chance to hear from the directors of the film, along with one of the frontline participants, Dr. Ramona Tascoe.

Tascoe attended SFSU back in 1967-68, and took part in the student protests which helped bring about the college’s Ethnic Studies Department.

“Agents of Change” is a riveting historical documentary about two separate protests that took place on college campuses, on opposite sides of the country during a pivotal year, 1968.

The film begins with the 5-month long student protests at San Francisco State University.

Then, it transitions to the East Coast, to tell the story of another historic protest that happened at the Ivy League school, Cornell University.

Activist Vision

Change Agents Filmmakers, Frank Dawson and Abby Ginzberg, were students at Cornell University then, and they bring two unique vantage points to the April 23, 1968 student takeover of Willard Straight Hall, at Cornell.

Dawson, a native New Yorker, was inside the building when the small group of Black students responded to a cross burning the night before, and took over the student union.

“We all ended up at a building that we commondereed as our headquarters, during the night,” said Dawson. “It was parents' weekend, and so in the morning, we woke our parents up, asked them to leave and told them we were taking over the building,” he said, adding,.

“They left, and then we locked the doors.”

What transpired next was historic. A group of white students, who supported their effort, marched around the student union and protested on behalf of the Black students.

Co-Director, Abby Ginzberg, was a sophomore at the time and she was one of those students protesting outside the building.

“Being on the outside at Cornell, is why we wanted to make the movie because the story had been so misrepresented in the press,” said Ginzberg.

“The level of empowerment of being a part of a group protest made you think you could change the world. The film is better because it’s a joint perspective from students on both sides of this historic event.”

The award-winning documentary, “Agents of Change,” is

Demonstrators show support for the establishment of a Colleg of Ethnic Studies at SFSU in 1968. Photo courtesy of University Archives, J.Paul Leonard Library/San Francisco State University

A protestor at San Francisco State holds a sign that reads "Power to the People Support the Strike" in 1968. Photo courtesy of University Archives, J.Paul Leonard Library/San Francisco State University

presented in a mix of nostalgic black and white film footage and photos, along with modern day interviews, photos, and video in color.

Plus, the soundtrack reads like a who’s- who from classic music hits of the 1960s. From James Brown to Jimi Hendrix, the soundtrack takes viewers back down memory lane.

“There are 12 original songs in the film, and that cost a lot of money. But, music is a character in this film,” said Dawson.

The narration is also a driving force in the film. Actor/ activist Danny Glover, along with author Alice Walker, and a

whole host of real-life “Agents of Change,” like Dr. Ramona

"But, we chose to bring our own culture into these schools and not assimilate."

Tascoe, of UCSF, lend their voices to help tell the story about

what happened on both of these college campuses, to help bring diversity to traditional white college campuses.

“In the late 1960’s colleges all across the country were dealing with opening up the doors to admit more students of color,” said Tascoe. “And, we were expected to assimilate. But, we chose to bring our own culture into these schools and NOT assimilate.”

The character’s in the film were students during the civil rights, black power, and antiVietnam war movements. It was a pivotal time in American history.

“It speaks to the choices I made in my life. We were young and we were making decisions based on our own strategies,” said Ginzberg, who recalled,.

“Both the people inside and outside that building have led lives to commit to activism and it helped put us on to our paths in life. We were influenced permanently,” said Ginzberg.

According to Ginzberg “Putting yourself on the line for the principles you believe, is an important lifelong lesson. I learned a lot and those lessons have guided me throughout my career. I’m glad people didn’t just leave me in the library,” adding,. “I saw that something needed to happen, and I participated.”

During the Q&A Session, after the screening on Wednesday night, City College Journalism Chairman Juan Gonzales, who served as a moderator for the event, also told viewers how the student protests at SFSU during that era impacted him.

“One of the students in the movement asked me what I was going to do with my skills, for the community,” said Gonzales.

“But, before that moment, I hadn’t thought about what I could do.”

Gonzales said it was an eye opening experience for him. During that time, he was a student reporter at SFSU. He later went on to become the publisher of El Tecolote, an award-winning Spanish community newspaper, created in the Mission District.

The screening was an opportunity for modern day college students to view the film and ask their questions directly to some of those who took part in historic events on college campuses back in the 1960’s.

“This film is a great way to show young people that many of the race issues back then are still relevant today,” said co-director Dawson. “Some 50 years later, many of the same demands are re-surfacing at college campus protests today.”

The 66 minute film, “Agents of Change,” examines the untold story of racial conditions on college campuses across the nation in the 1960’s, that led to many student protests.

“This film has also given us an opportunity to go all around the country to college campuses and talk to young people about the experiences we had,” said Dawson. “And, it’s so important that we continue this battle that was started back then, because the battle hasn’t been won, yet.”

“Agents of Change,” is now streaming on Vimeo for $9.99.

And, it’s well worth every cent.

6 | CULTURE

Vol. 172, Issue 8 | Nov. 29 - Dec. 8, 2021

Alcatraz continued from pg 1 beaded jewelry. People gathered from across the Bay Area and the country in the darkness, boarding ferries that ran from 4:15 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. to Alcatraz.

The island has a deep connection to the Indigenous community. A group of 89 Native Americans, led by San Francisco State University student Richard Oakes (Akwesasne Mohawk), took over the island after the federal prison there had been abandoned. Native activists and their allies on the island eventually swelled to over 400, and occupied it for 19 months from 1969-71.

Pulling up to the island under the cover of darkness for this year’s ceremony, the original graffitied words of “Indians Welcome” and “Indian Land” painted in red were visible under spotlights. Passengers filed up the ramp to the parade ground, where a large circle had assembled around a fire, with chairs in the inner ring set up for elders.

Flags for the American Indian Movement and Palestine flapped in the cold, clear night.

“In 1969 the occupiers were considered criminals and in 1971 the last group of 15 was forcibly removed from the island, but the graffiti on Alcatraz is now a featured element on the tour,” Carmen said. “It speaks to the evolution of perspective and the importance of having these events.”

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation in 2009 recognizing the significance of the occupation of Alcatraz, and Interior Secretary

Changes to the entrance of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary have been repainted and Those gathered watch as the sun rises above the bay. Nov. 20 2021. refreshed over the years. Photo by Julie Zigoris/The Guardsman.

Photo by Julie Zigoris/The Guardsman.

Protestors and members of Indiginous people groups dance and gather in solidarity and remembrance. Photo by Julie Zigoris/The Guardsman.

Rich colors, vibrant and replete with feathers, could be seen all over the island of the shuttered prison. Photo by Julie Zigoris/The Guardsman.

Bellow, illustration by Yuchen Xiao/The Guardsman.

Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) attended an event on the island to honor the occupiers on Nov. 20, 2021.

At the time of the occupation Carmen was a freshman at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a member of a “small but mighty” Native American student association. Her group was invited to Alcatraz but she decided to organize support instead, collecting supplies for weekly deliveries to the island.

“It had the effect of radicalizing and politicizing our student group,” Carmen said of the occupation. “We became activists.”

Carmen draws a link between the occupation and the creation of the International Indian Treaty Council in 1983, of which she became executive director in 1992. It also was a contributing factor to the Declaration of Indigenous Rights, according to Carmen.

The Native connection to Alcatraz reaches beyond the occupation. The first prisoners on the island were Natives opposing missionaries, and Hopis were imprisoned there for resisting the forced removal of their children to boarding schools.

The sunrise gathering ceremony offers an opportunity for the Native community across the United States and beyond to

gather. “It’s amazing how intertribal it is,” said Maggie Croft (White Earth Nation), a Bay Area writer who has attended the gathering five times in the past.

“We’re all so unique and yet there’s all these things in common,” Croft said. “We’re connected in meaningful ways — and really painful ways — but also in joyful, celebratory, amazing ways.”

Ruiz, who was attending her fourth sunrise gathering in 2021, also appreciated the opportunity

“The indigenous cause doesn’t change, it just evolves. to be immersed in an indigenous community. “We’re surrounded by white culture, so to be in this place where I’m around the music I like, the clothes I like, it’s a real honor,” she said.

The sunrise gathering on Alcatraz also embodies resilience within the Native community.

“It’s important that we gather together to give thanks for our lives, the survival and resiliency of our cultures and the spirit of resistance passed down to us by our ancestors,” Carmen said.

“The indigenous cause doesn’t change, it just evolves.

We want sovereignty of our land,

water, and food,” Ruiz said.

An unbroken chain connected the original occupiers to this year’s gathering, with Elijah Oakes, Richard Oakes’ grandson, tending the fire in the center of the circle. Desiree Harp sang “Water so deep, water so wide” as seagulls cried overhead, human and avian voices joined together. Round Valley Pomo dancers performed as well as drummers and other musicians, with breaks in between for speakers.

Last year’s sunrise gathering was not open to the public given the pandemic, but the ceremony was broadcast on radio and the IITC’s Facebook page. Many were excited to return in person to the island this year.

“We lost way too many elders to the pandemic, but people are ready to come back out to offer thanks for our continued survival,” Carmen said.

“Despite all the terrible things that have happened to us, we’ve survived.”

“98% of our population was exterminated in the California Gold Rush,” said Gali. She noted that even very educated people often don’t know about the continued Native existence and struggle, what she sees as an intentional attempt at erasure.

“Every day is a fight for our visibility,” she said.

OPINION | 7

Vol. 172, Issue 8 | Nov. 29 – Dec. 8 2021

Online Communication Is Warping Our Relationships

By Johanna Ochoa

jochoa32@mail.ccsf.edu Have you ever considered how much time we spend in social media? currently young adults between 21-25 years old spend more time in front of an electronic device during the day than the time they sleep at night.

That is one of the main problems that is affecting our physical relations.

One thing that pretty much everyone does right after waking up is checking on their smartphone, because now people feel the necessity of being connected and updated in social media.

Now days is very uncommon to know someone without an electronic device, 85% of Americans have a smartphone which its main use is communicate through social media apps.

Internet have changed the way that humans interact, since 2003 when MySpace was created we started learning how to communicate through social media. In 2004 Facebook was founded and was there when the

boom of the online communication started.

The infortune thing in all this is the way we have been using this tool, lately people spend more time staring to their phones than they do to each other. Sometimes it gets the feeling that social media removes part of human connection According to recent study from Uswitch, in 2020 people in The U.S. spent more than 3 hours daily in social media, compared with the 90 minutes that we spent in 2012.

85% of Americans have a smartphone...

For more than 15 years Facebook has been leading the internet, Americans spend 325 hours in the app a year, that is 58 min per day!

In another hand Instagram has been leading the preferences of the Millennials who are the most loyal to the app, which is where Americans spend 53 min of their day.

But the most alarming fact is in the new generation, that they "literally" were born with technology in hand. Generation Z (born in between 1996-2000s) spend an unbelievable 9 hours in front of a screen every day, that is probably even more than they spend sleeping at night.

Those data can be impressive, but we have to understand too that online schooling in this “new reality” during covid times, makes them spend more time on their devices. But even knowing that, we have to ask how much time are they spending online compare to the time they spend interacting with others?

If we think about the way that we meet people today, can be very different at it was before the social media era, now everyone has access to so many different dating apps that gives you the opportunity to meet someone, avoiding the effort to really go and talk in person for the first time. Even if you meet someone outside online world, is quite very common that people ask for your social media as a

first connection, and that pretty much happen the same day you met them.

In terms of relationships, couples now are fighting or even breaking up through social media. Some people consider that their “online life” gives them problems with their partner and create insecurities.

But no everything is bad about social media, in a good way social media has an amazing positive effect in people that is far from their love ones, because the easy connection you can have with anyone that is pretty much anywhere in the world; Plus, the benefits technology gave us to do research, to learn online, to buy, trade, work and so many more.

Technology have improved our lives incredibly in so many different ways, and it will continue growing, we just have to be more aware of the time we spend in social media, and keep a track on it to make sure we are not replacing the physical connections.

We have to live more in the real world and not in the digital

world, and just take social media as a tool that help us to connect with others, but not a distraction of interacting physically with the one is in front of us.

New generations that are growing in the technology era need to be teach to use the tech as a resource to learn, grow and have fun, but not as the only way to interact. We have to encourage parents to let their kids live their emotions, and not use the device to try to make them stop crying or not just use it as a help of distraction, because we will be sending the wrong message to these little ones.

While it is true that online communication has not completely replaced physical or direct communication, but it is possible that in the near future it will be more predominant, if we continue with the habits that we currently have.

We are still in time to turn to see these problems, and rather than see it as “something normal," we have to realize that it can affect us significantly in the long term.

Spikes in Violence May Mean San Francisco Not So Golden After All

By Katherine Castillo

kcasti27@mail.ccsf.edu There is not a day in the city without a violent action happening. Many San Francisco residents claimed that the city was simply not like this twentyfive years ago, but even the most recent residents have expressed to feel unsafe walking its streets.

The deplorable situation in San

Francisco does not seem to have an immediate solution, meanwhile, residents are beginning to doubt whether the policies that have been taken in recent years have been the result of the current and scary reality of San Francisco, and how long it might take to recover the city from the ruins.

The daily scary scenario the residents of this impressive

Illustration by Erin Blackwell/The Guardsman. @blackwelldrawingfool

city have been living in since the beginning of the pandemic is only a small part of what could become an imminent and unimaginable reality for the upcoming years, if the social and economic policies weren’t to change. The hard measures during the pandemic, like the very long quarantine and lockdown that directly affected many small companies almost put the city in checkmate, and consequently have aroused annoyance in those citizens who feel that their requests as residents have not been heard.

In addition, the hopelessness and disappointment towards political leaders is a sentiment that had only grown exponentially for a year now. Feeling ignored, cheated, and not heard by the officers is a common thought within San Francisco residents.

In January of 2020 the former San Francisco mayoral candidate Richie Greenberg began to organize the petition to recall the San Francisco District Attorney, Chesa Boudin, who started to serve the city on January 9, 2020. “In 2020, violent crime, home invasions, rampant and unchecked drug dealing and business property theft have turned our city upside down” Greenberg’s petition states. And just until August 8th, 2021 the city had 16,770 cases of larceny theft according to the official numbers of the San Francisco Police Department. It is not a secret for anyone who lives in the city that breaking into cars is the new day-to-day activity with no major consequences, but instead, an annoying and

repetitive action for those who park in the streets. Paying so much in taxes, living in one of the most expensive cities of the US, even sometimes in the most prestigious neighborhoods, will not secure your belongings, nor your life.

a man with a huge meat cutting knife got on the Muni...

Feeling insecure and wanting to escape the city does not seem to be a difficult feeling to find among the citizens of San Francisco, while even some people love the city unconditionally and blindly, the deterioration is visibly notorious. The Muni rides for example, stopped being a moment of reflection and archaeological enjoyment

to become a moment of tension and wakefulness during the duration of their trip, since now has become the new place to be harassed by those that are under drug effects.

Last week, while many were commuting to work on a Saturday at 8:00, a man with a huge meat cutting knife got on the Muni 49 Van Ness/Mission route causing inexplicable terror for those who were just expecting to have a normal Saturday morning. Not feeling safe even while commuting to work can not become a new normality, and we definitely should not allow ourselves to expect this to be our daily routine, full of fear and anxiety just because some politicians did not know how to manage a city during a pandemic.

"Drifting Away." Illustration by Kelly Viss. kellyviss.com

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Vol. 172, Issue 8 | Nov. 29 – Dec. 8 2021

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SPORTS | 9

Vol. 172, Issue 8 | Nov. 29 - Dec. 8, 2021

Women's Soccer Season Ends With Players Disheartened Yet Hopeful

By Seamus Geoghegan geogheganspg@gmail.com t: @seamoose415

The CCSF Rams defense sacks American River QB for a loss. Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.

Perfect Season continued from pg 10 In their first-round matchup against No. 4 American River College (6-5) on Nov. 27, City College used their stout defense to earn their second win of the year over the Beavers, 35-17.

While the point differential wasn’t as convincing as the 51-14 drubbing they put on American River during the regular season, it was a dominating win nonetheless.

The Beavers actually led 10-7 after the first quarter, but the Rams scored 21 unanswered points to eliminate any momentum their opponent may have generated in the opening frame.

Holding the Line Though American River managed to get the margin within two scores late in the fourth quarter, defensive back D’Andre Greeley all but ended the game after he picked off opposing quarterback Robert Jones and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown.

The win marked the ninth instance this season in which the Rams limited their opponent to fewer than 20 points and 300 total yards on offense.

Linebackers Elias Rantissi, Sincere Jackson, and Rocky Katoanga led the defense with eight total tackles apiece, while

defensive lineman Jahvius Leui recorded 2.5 tackles for loss.

Jack Newman had another efficient day, completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receivers Roderick Gaskins Jr. and Jeffrey Weimer both caught seven passes, with the former breaking the 100-yard barrier for the first time this season and the latter going for 85 yards and touchdown.

Victory Charge The Rams then took on No. 2 San Mateo (10-2) on Dec. 4, in what was a rematch of the regular-season finale.

City College reaffirmed their status as the top team in Northern California, eking out a 20-17 defensive slugfest over their Bay Area rival. The 20 points the Rams scored was the lowest all season and was the first time they had scored fewer than 30 points.

Nonetheless, the victory demonstrated City College’s ability to win, no matter the circumstances.

The Rams and Bulldogs traded points through the first half, with the score tied at 17 apiece heading into intermission.

Nick Hill’s field goal with 5:21 in the third quarter proved to be the winning score.

San Mateo had a chance to

take the lead midway through the fourth quarter, driving into Rams territory. However, Greeley came up big again with an interception, his ninth of the season.

From there, City College simply ran out the clock to ice the game.

Newman threw an uncharacteristic two interceptions, the first time this year he was picked off more than once. However, it is a testament to his ability to protect the ball, as he has now thrown just five interceptions to 36 touchdowns.

Weimer was once again Newman’s favorite target, going off for 154 yards and touchdown on seven receptions. Weimer’s 56-yard score in the first quarter was his 17th this season and kept his 12-game touchdown streak alive.

On defense, linebacker Frederick Thompkins led the way with nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Defensive lineman Harold Brooks also had an outstanding afternoon, logging six total tackles, a sack, and one tackle for loss.

In the state championship, City College traveled to Mt. San Antonio College’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut to play Riverside (10-2), the defending state champions. The Rams finished with a stunning 22-19 victory taking with them the state title an unbroken win streak.

WR Roderik Gaskins Jr. eludes a defender for a gain. Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.

The Rams Women’s soccer season comes to a disheartening end after a loss at Hartnell College ended the team’s playoff run.

The side had a dominant season, going through their regular-season games with a fifteen to four record and conceding only ten goals.

“If you put it into perspective, it was a great year,” Coach Jeff Wilson said. “If you look at everything that we accomplished, the amount of goals we scored, how little we gave up, I would say it was very successful.”

Coach Wilson came away from the season with the Coast Conference South Coach of the Year award, an award decided by coaches in their respective conference.

“I think anytime you get an award like that as a coach, it really comes down to the players that you have,” Wilson said.

“So I would, I would give more credit to them. The way I view it is I steer the ship, and they determine the destination.”

you know, we wanted to play it safe. And I think that was a big mistake the first time we played them because we gave them just a lot of time.” Forward Leslie Murillo said. “We gave them a chance to come at us instead of us pressuring them.”

With the last game they had played in mind, the team went into the game versus Hartnell with a new plan.

“We put more players up to try and deny them the ability to build up and that's what we did from minute one,” Coach Wilson said, “We dominated the first half, even to the point where the opposing coach was like, ‘I can't believe it was 0-0.”

“We were both fighting really hard. I think our team did really well,” Murillo said. “There were many chances to have, two or three of our shots hit the crossbar ... It was a very, very close game.”

Despite City having more chances at goal, Hartnell pulled ahead last minute with a late goal against the flow of the game. As

We were both fighting really hard.

Heading into the playoffs, the Rams were to face Santa Rosa Junior College, a team prior to this season who had remained unbeaten to the team under Coach Wilson.

“Santa Rosa, they've always been kind of our nemesis,” Wilson said. “When you see the entire team celebrate a goal, whether it be on the bench or the field, I think really says a lot ... that's probably the fondest moment to me [this season], that game and just the joy that we played with.”

After beating their pseudorivals, the team headed into another tough playoff gameHartnell College had been one of few teams to beat them earlier in the season, and now they were to face them again in an all-ornothing showdown.

Losing to them earlier in the season was daunting but also encouraging for defender Elaina Gonzalez, as the team had taken a lot away from their loss.

“We definitely learned because the first game we just came out and we didn't come out hard. We lost two zero.

There's two goals in the first 10 minutes,” Gonzalez said. “You got to come out with your own game, otherwise you're gonna lose.”

“We were told to not pressure as much, because we just

Forward Maleah Evans and defender Alyssa Forsman. Photo by Bob Kinsoshita/The Guardsman

the game came to a close, waves of disappointment set over the Rams side.

“It wasn't a lack of effort or anything, just kind of the game of soccer can be cruel.” Coach Wilson said. “Two good teams face each other, just one put the ball in, and we didn't quite get that done.”

Now, the team is moving forward and preparing to do even better next season.

“Overall, it was just a 1-0 loss. We packed it up from there, went home, and next season here we come.” Gonzalez said.

“This is probably one of the best teams I've ever played with throughout my whole soccer career. Starting off with coach Jeff, he's one of the best coaches I've had,” Murillo said, “I love playing with the girls ... I think we're a very talented team ...

Overall, I think we had a great season.”