The Guardsman, Vol. 173, Issue 2, City College of San Francisco by The Guardsman

The Amphitheater with two spectators lies vastly empty, Friday, Feb. 4 at City College. City College has partially reopened it's doors for some courses. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman

Volcano Erupts, Isolating the Island Nation of Tonga By Beth Lederer bethlynn2020@gmail.com Almost a month has passed since the underground volcano erupted in Tonga on Jan. 15. It left the South Pacific archipelago of 176 islands isolated and disconnected from the rest of the world. The massive eruption exploded with such fury that the sonic boom was heard all through the Tongan Islands, Fiji, New Zealand and even as far away as Alaska. The volcanic eruption caused huge tsunami waves to spread all across the Pacific Ocean, crashing and damaging three of the smaller islands in Tonga, destroying homes and even reaching the shores of the California Coast. Reuters reported that in the waves ruptured an underground fiber optic cable, which snapped about an hour after the volcanic eruption. This caused the archipelago to be left isolated and in the dark. Families abroad were also left in the dark. They had to wait anxiously, in fear and with much uncertainty with the rest of the world to find out about their loved ones in Tonga. The Bay Area has a huge Tongan community. An estimated ten of thousands of Tongans live abroad and there are an estimated 13,000 Tongans who live in San Mateo County. There was an outpouring of support with many Fundraisers for Tonga held in the Bay Area for Tongan relief.

Instructors Work Around the Unpredictability of a Partially Reopened Campus By Emily Margaretten

margarettene@gmail.com Despite a shaky start to the spring semester, City College faculty were committed to delivering in-person instruction, coming up with innovative solutions to mitigate the unpredictability of a partially reopened campus. Chancellor David Martin presented a return-to-campus update at the Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 27, stating that approximately 30% of teaching sections were scheduled to meet in-person. Many of these classes however pivoted to a hybrid model during the first few weeks

of the semester because of the Omicron surge The chancellor’s update described the safety protocols that were being used to lessen the risks of COVID-19. “In-person sections are following social distancing protocols and student vaccination records and/or proof [of negative COVID-19 status] are being verified at the entrance to the facility,” he said. Health Monitors While the chancellor’s report stated that the checking of campus passes was part of the college’s reopening plans, the logistics of who should

Volcano continues on pg 3

inspect these passes was less clear. The administration said it would assign monitors at building entrances in an agreement with AFT 2121, but in practice this has not been implemented consistently. Computer Science Instructor Craig Persiko said that staff from Admissions and Records performed this function during the first two weeks of the semester when registration was occurring on campus. Since then, he has continued to do it, a scenario that many other faculty have encountered as well. Dance Instructor Jeanette Jing Male described the process. Reopening continues on pg 2

Castro District AIDS Mural Defaced By Katherine Castillo

kcasti27@mail.ccsf.edu The Castro mural “Hope for the World Cure” honoring lives lost to AIDS was defaced with graffiti in December. Painted in 1998,“Hope for the World Cure” at Market and 15th Street, is one of the most powerful public artworks about both the chaos and the solidarity of the AIDS crisis in San Francisco and worldwide. The future of the mural is now uncertain, after being vandalized and almost completely covered in graffiti by an unknown assailant. A Landmark Disfigured In the 23 years of this mural's existence, it has never been targeted like this before, where the damages are irreparable without organized and supervised help from the community. Community members such as residents, members of local action groups, and Susan Cervantes, Founding Director of the Precita Eyes Muralists Association, said the mural is a cultural landmark that needs to be restored and protected. Cervantes estimated the cost of the reconstruction could be in the $50,000 to $60,000 range. “We are quite sad it is getting destroyed by vandalism. And it is so big now that we don’t have the resources to clean it up like we have had in the past,” Cervantes said. The pandemic also complicates the restoration process. “Because businesses are closed and no longer there, we actually don’t have resources like water, bathrooms, storage for materials, or anything like that in order to start the cleaning,” she continued. Mural Defaced continues on pg 4

Black History Month Events+

SF Indie Film Fest

Swim Meet Photo Story

pgs 3 & 4

Culture - pg 5

Sports - pg 10

2 | NEWS

Vol. 173, Issue 2 | Feb. 7 – Feb. 15 2022

Reopened continued from pg 1 “We're still waiting to be staffed with a door monitor to our building [the Wellness Center]. So, the faculty kind of have to wear two hats at once,” she said.

"... the faculty kind of have to wear two hats at once." -Jeanette Jean Male “You know, we'll wait by the locked doors in the buildings to let our students in,” Male continued. “We make sure that all the health screenings are taken care of, and then we usher them down the hallway into the proper rooms.” “It’s kind of tedious,” she added. Getting into buildings to teach classes and use their offices presented another challenge for faculty. Unlike many other campuses, City College is not equipped with electronic entry cards. It uses keys that need to be cut and distributed. Most faculty have not received keys to buildings and need to ask deans or other staff members to open doors for them. Access to buildings is especially difficult when fewer classes are running and less people are on campus. Reservoir Parking lying mostly empty Friday February 4th 2022 at City College. Feb. 4. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman

The front door to City College Library covered in signs about City College and COVID-19 Policies, Feb. 4. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman

Staff Editor-in-Chief JohnTaylor Casey Michie Wildfeuer T: @jtwildfeuer

Online Editor-in-Chief Editor JohnTaylor Wildfeuer T: @casey_michie

News Editor Annette Emily Margaretten Mullaney T: @e_margaretten

Culture Editor Culture Casey Michie Editor Julie Zigoris Opinion T: @jzigorisEditor Ava IG: @jusudra Cohen

Skeleton Crew Fewer people on campus also

means that maintenance issues are more difficult to resolve because less people notice them, report them, and are around to fix them. Art Instructor Nancy Elliot described the situation of teaching in a classroom with heating problems. When one of her colleagues plugged in a portable heater, it blew a fuse. “Being the only faculty there, she had to call retired faculty and say, ‘Can you help me out in this situation? Where's the fuse box? What's going on?’ There's just a lack of that kind of support because there's not a lot of us on campus teaching right now,” Elliot said. Support services for students, like access to the library and in-person tutoring, have been limited as well. Math instructor Sonny Mahammadzadeh summed up his impression of the college’s reopening by using a report card analogy. “Being with my students is an A plus, awesome,” he said. “The access to buildings is a D. And then student services is an F. No student services whatsoever.” Mahammadzadeh and his colleagues wrote a letter to the chancellor and board of trustees in November asking for clarity about campus reopening plans. They also requested that the administration scale up services for students and faculty to improve learning and teaching conditions. Mahammadzadeh described the response they received from the chancellor and trustees as “boilerplate.” He said they replied that they would be

working with the appropriate people to get these things going. Reopening Intentions While short on details, the chancellor’s return-to-campus update outlined an intent to reopen shared study spaces and access to the library and student union this semester. It also mentioned improved food options on campus that, until recently, was limited to the bookstore.

When

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colleagues plugged in a portable heater, it blew a fuse. This includes the reopening of the Lunch Box and Cafeteria. The Lunch Box will be open 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the Cafeteria will serve lunch Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Culinary and Management School also plans to provide food options with its student-run quick serve program. Instructor Vince Paratore said this year’s theme is “Chickens that Eat Pizza” and will feature roasted chicken with sides, homemade pizza, salads, and specialty beverages. It will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m starting Feb. 15.

The main stair case to City College with no students in view. Friday, Feb. 4. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman

Opinion Sports Editor Editor Skylar Kaiyo Funaki Wildfeuer

Layout Illustration Editors Editor Skylar Wildfeuer

Photography Editors Photographers Bob Kinoshita Onyx Hunter

Photography Illustrators Editor SkylarClayson Sarah Wildfeuer

Layout Sports Editor Editor Skylar Wildfeuer Seamus Geoghegan

Illustrators Lauren Murphy Erin Blackwell T: Social @blackwelldrawingfool Media Editor Derek Chartrand Wallace Yuchen Xiao

Janna Velasquez Max Hollinger

Yuchen Chief Copy XiaoEditor Colton Webster

T: @seamoose415

Social Media Editor Illustration Derek Chartrand Editor Wallace Max Hollinger

her

Onyx Hunter Bob Kinoshita Chief Editor Janna Copy Velasquez Colton Webster Andrew Segala

Copy Editor Tim Hill

NEWS | 3

Vol. 173, Issue 2 | Feb. 7 – Feb. 15 2022

NEWS BRIEF

City Seeks To Lesson Opioid Harm By Casey Michie cmichie1@mail.ccsf.edu As the opioid epidemic in San Francisco has prompted City Officials to declare a state of emergency and introduce new initiatives, City College continues to offer limited solutions through certificate programs and student services amid budget uncertainty. The programs at City College are more vital now than ever, as the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated drug overdoses in the United States. Provisional data from the CDC found an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the United States from April 2020 to April 2021 with over 10,000 deaths in California alone, representing a 28.5% increase from 2019-2020. These alarming rates have prompted Mayor London Breed to declare a state of emergency and introduce new initiatives such as the Street Overdose Response Team. “We know that overdose deaths are preventable and every person who dies is someone’s son, daughter, friend, or neighbor. It is urgent that we save lives by doing what we know will work best,” Mayor Breed said in a press release unveiling initiatives for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. "Vaccination records and/or proof [of negative COVID-19 status] are being verified at the entrance to the facility,” he said.

Volcano continued from pg 1 A humanitarian crisis was declared by the Prime Minister on Jan. 19. There was vast devastation to property, homes, and the water supply was contaminated with ash. Dr. David Ga’oupu Matthew Palaita, who is Associate Professor of Critical Pacific islands and Oceania Studies at the City College of San Francisco told The Guardsman “that due to remote learning in the Pandemic, our CCSF students were encouraged to support on-going community relief efforts in S.F. and the wider Bay Area.” Dr. Palaita spoke heavily about the ancient cultural practice of the ocean. “You see this practice of cultural connections and unification in times of tragedy and love. The strength of these cultural practices are drawn from an ocean archive of vast knowledge. Those connections through ocean means that as Samoans or Tongans or Tahitians or Chamorro or Belauan, and as Islanders, we are not who we are without the other.” Dr. Palaita went on to say “This ancient practice can be

complicated due to on-going colonialism’s that centers individualism over collectivity,” adding, “however there are moments you see this reflected

in community work or more expansively how Pacific Islands students work together to change their schools and classroom curriculum.” This same concept of ocean unity can be witnessed in San Francisco and around the Bay Area as Pacific Island Organizations and other communities pull together to support the Tongan relief effort. A fundraiser was held in San Francisco, called The Help For Tonga Fundraiser on Jan. 29. The fundraiser was a collaborative effort between seven

nonprofits and companies ALL IN SF, All My Uso’s, Atlas, District Six, The City Eats, Samoan Community Development Center, and South Pac). Christine Mauia from All My Uso’s stated that Raul Lopez from ALL IN SF took the lead in coordinating the Help For Tonga fundraiser, a one day drop-off

event that was a collaborative effort between many agencies and held at District Six. Those who dropped off supplies were welcome to stay and enjoy the music and food. Mauia said the diversity of San Francisco was shown through the collaboration of different racial groups who all came together in the relief effort to support the devastation in Tonga. SF Enterprise, a shipping company out of Oakland, whose owners are of South Pacific descent, donated their ship to send supplies to Tonga. Mauia said the event had around 200 people who stopped by to donate products. Help For Tonga requested water, non-perishable food, medical supplies, cleaning supplies, hygiene products for men and women, baby supplies, batteries, and flashlights be donated. All these supplies are being shipped to the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO). For this fundraiser, two to three containers were filled. A container’s measurement is 20 ft. by 40 ft. Mauia said “it was so inspiring to see all the agencies come together to show support and rally together for one cause to support the Tongan community”. Mauia likes to always end off with the saying “What you make happen for others God will make happen for you."

Sarah Clayson/The Guardsman.

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4 | CULTURE

Vol. 173, Issue 2 | Feb. 7 – Feb. 15 2022

Arts Departments at City College Impacted by Omicron Variant By Lilla Batson lbatson@mail.ccsf.edu Just as the world begins to think we can finally move past the COVID-19 pandemic, another new variant of the virus reminds us that it’s not going anywhere. Students at City College who participate in the arts have had to adapt more than the average student in regards to online learning, and despite hopes that we would find ourselves back in class this semester, the Omicron variant has delayed this once again. Maintaining Composure The Omicron variant is the latest and most dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States. Scientists have found that this variant differs from previous ones such as the Delta, due to its milder symptoms. It’s level of contagion has also changed - the Omicron is more easily spread from person to person, and can also infect people who are vaccinated. The defenses developed to fight Omicron have not changed, despite the ever-mutating virus we are learning to adapt to, and evidence shows that wearing masks, social distancing, and getting your vaccines are the best ways to keep Omicron at bay. A Staggered Return While each person at City College has had their own share of difficulties with adapting to the latest COVID variant and the restrictions it brings, there are certain departments, such as

Max Hollinger/The Guardsman

Music, that have had to reconstruct the way they orchestrate their entire program. Music Department Chair Madeline Mueller stated that while solo practices such as guitar, voice, and panio are more easily done through online learning, the true struggle is with ensembles, which is a group of musicians who perform together. She also stated that one of the main components of music is live performance. Mueller noted the experience of hearing musicians play together live is incomparable. “After 4 months of no live performances, the first time back and hearing the live music, I said wow!”

Painted in 1998, the mural “Hope for the World Cure," was defaced with graffiti last Dec. Feb. 4. Katherine Castillo/The Guardsman.

Mueller also saw positive impacts from the pandemic, however. ”I don’t want to let go of the silver lining that I’ve learned through having to adapt to COVID-19. I’m hoping that we keep online learning as we return to school in the fall. I don’t want to give up the ability to use remote teaching,” she said. Mueller longs for live classes but also has some hesitation. “While I can’t wait to get back to in-person classes, it has to be safe.” “I value what we’ve learned in music and technology, but I do miss the live sound,” she said.“I hope we get the best of both worlds, eventually.”

Chair of the Arts Department Stepanie Robison has had a very different experience with Omicron. “This has not affected our department. Classes scheduled to happen face-to-face have all been happening unaffected - fingers crossed that this continues,” she said. City College is in stage 1 of the CCSF Campus Reopening Plan, which states that CCSF is open to “all employees and a limited number of students for services and instructional support, but not public, or non-essential public events.” COVID-19 precautions will continue to be implemented while City College moves into Stage 2 of the reopening plan.

Mural Defaced continued from pg 1

can later proceed with a restoration agreement along with the property owner to start repairing the mural. “Supervisor Mandenmal is in contact with the property management trying to reach the property owner so that we can get full support from them and start the restoration,” said Cervantes. “We also have a lot of people from the community who are wanting to invest in the project, but they need to know the owner supports the restoration before going forward,” Cervantes said. The residents also want the Supervisor and the City to do something to protect the homeless encampment located just beneath the mural. “We don’t want the City to just remove them from there, but to actually find a solution for their needs,” she said. Restoration work would have to wait until after those who are camped out are moved to an alternate location or housed in shelter. Precita Eyes Muralists Association is not actively collecting any money until they get full owner permission. However, Cervantes mentioned people can donate directly to their website and put in the memo the money is for the restoration of the mural. They can also make direct contributions by check or by calling the Association and processing a credit card.

Time has certainly faded the vibrancy of the mural, but the level of damage that occurred in late December exceeded any other episode of vandalism in the almost 23 years since its creation in 1998. "This is a very large mural that tells a story. There's so much history here crammed in," said neighbor Dennis Richards in an interview for KTVU FOX 2 on December 27, 2021. Joshua Slovkovits, a former neighbor, said the homeless encampment has been there for years, but after the pandemic it became almost untenable to walk around that corner. “It is sad that the mural has ceased to be a priority for the neighbors for its enormous trajectory and support to the community, but at this time we are more concerned about our safety and that they be transferred to a safe and dignified place,” said Slovkovits. 17 artists from the Heart Heals who suffered from AIDS collaborated and designed the mural along with the Precita Eyes Muralists Association, which is in charge of handling the mural’s restoration. “District Supervisor Rafael Mandenmal is very interested in recovering the corner where the mural is,'' Cervantes said. They would need to first contact the property manager so they

CULTURE | 5

Vol. 173, Issue 2 | Feb. 7 – Feb. 15 2022

SF Indie Fest Returns to the Roxie 3,000 people over a four-day span in January 1999 despite being primarily financed by Ross’ credit cards. A year later, SF Indie grew to 4,200 attendees. In 2019, that number had ballooned to more than 20,000. In an age of Netflix and binge watching, Ross believes film festivals attract viewers interested in discovering new movies and genres instead of simply choosing to watch algorithmic recommendations at home. “Yes, the festival helps them by selecting things that are going to fit what we think our audience is looking for,” he said. “But beyond that, it’s on them to go explore the program and see what looks appealing and take chances.”

By Justin Mazzola justin.mazzola@gmail.com The late French filmmaker Francois Truffaut said, “Film lovers are sick people.” As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third year, organizers of a local independent film festival are ensuring this year’s event is accessible to both the healthy and the sick. The 24th annual SF Indie Festival returned to the Mission’s historic Roxie Theater on Feb. 3, with films screening daily through Feb. 13. After switching to a fully remote event last year, SF Indie is offering a hybrid experience in which fans can stream films from home or return to the traditional big-screen experience. Not all movies have a happy ending, but fans of the Roxie are glad to be back after the pandemic forced many theaters to close temporarily. Jeffrey Nash, who appears in one of the festival’s short films, admitted it was his first time participating in SF Indie. “I love this theater,” the star of Mimesis said while standing outside the Roxie. “I've been here for old movies and cult films and stuff like that.”

Off-Screen Obstacles SF Indie received roughly 800 submissions this year, of which Ross and his team of curators whittled down to about 26 features and 48 short films. The pandemic led to fewer entries, but over the years the festivals have received an influx of submissions as technology made movie-making more accessible to non-professionals. “You're not shooting on film, editing is easy — you can make a movie for a couple hundred bucks,” Ross said.

Curtain Call This year’s return to the classic cinema experience brought joy to many moviegoers, like two characters reuniting at the end of a romantic comedy. But the origin story of SF Indie is driven by grit, more closely resembling Die Hard than Love Hard. In 1998, IndieFest founder and director Jeff Ross was intent on finding a vehicle to show his friend’s independent film. It had recently been featured at a prestigious independent film festival, yet Ross couldn’t find a San Francisco theater to show it. He’d also been producing shows for DJs and bands, and wanted to

SF Indie Fest includes 26 features and 42 shorts from 10 countries, 20 will be shown at the iconic Roxie Theater in the Mission District. Feb. 7. Janna Velasquez/The Guardsman

try his hand at putting together a film-centered event. Like any protagonist intent on seeing his goal to fruition, he took action. “I thought … a band lineup is no different than a film lineup … so I promoted it the same way,” Ross said. Years before the advent of Facebook and Twitter, Ross scrambled to spread the word about a new film festival. Tap-

ping into his experiences as a club promoter, he posted flyers on telephone poles and left club cards at video stores and coffee shops, doing everything he could to drum up interest in his event. “It was very street-level marketing, which doesn’t really exist anymore,” he said minutes after helping stragglers find empty seats to a sold-out Monday show. The inaugural event attracted

That's what tennis is all about. Despite SF Indie’s transformation to cope with the coronavirus, the festival will never be the same. Ross admitted the past couple years have resulted in fewer people attending live events. “While we are also showing films online, fewer people are tuning in to those … as we

have to compete in that space with everything on Hulu, Netflix, HBO, et cetera,” Ross said in an email. “It's harder to get folks' attention.” But like any great movie villain, COVID-19 hasn’t been all bad. By adding online options for fans, SF Indie now includes viewers from the East Coast, Europe and other parts of the world. Ross said the streaming option will be a permanent change to the event.

“And it’s nice to be able to go out for a thing.” It has also given fans a new appreciation for the annual event. Tony, an Oakland resident who did not give his last name, said it feels good to be back at the cinema despite the current Omicron surge. “It’s nice to (see movies) on a big screen … [P]ictures look different, it sounds different … so it’s nice to see how things are intended (to be seen),” he said. “And it’s nice to be able to go out for a thing.” Throughout the years, SF Indie’s nonprofit organization, IndieFest, has added more festivals to the calendar, including the San Francisco Documentary Festival (DocFest); San Francisco Independent Short Film Festival (IndieShorts); and the genre film festival spotlighting horror, fantasy and science fiction (Another Hole in the Head). IndieFest’s latest addition to the calendar focuses on environmental films (Green Film Festival). Those interested in attending this year’s event can purchase a variety of tickets here, which includes options for theater screenings and streaming online.

Indie Fest Staff Film Review

Anxiety-Proof: The Mothership Takes A Light Approach to Heavier Subjects By Emma Cummings ecummin3@mail.ccsf.edu If you’re curious about SF Indie, Anxiety-Proof: The Mothership is a wonderful six-minute entry into the festival’s selection of short films. Maybe it’s because my friend unexpectedly impregnated a Hinge date during the pandemic, but I really enjoyed this film about a superhero who learns a past Tinder fling is carrying his unborn child. Protagonist Captain Anxiety comes across as a calmer, less chatty Deadpool as he fights villains and his conflicted emotions about becoming a father. The cinematography includes pleasing views of the Golden Gate Bridge and hilariously low-budget special effects. In fact, the only thing “special” about them is how woefully bad they are.

The film feels like the Lonely Island guys wrote an episode of Girls, or a director’s cut of Knight Rider with more female anatomy and less chest hair. Creator and star Rick T. Wilson packs the six-minute film with subtle comedy. Why does the protagonist have a bloody tissue hanging out of his nostril? Was it from the battle he’d just completed, or was his anxiety causing him to pick his nose until it bled? And when Amanda frontloads her pregnancy reveal by saying, “It’s been eating at me,” is that intentional comedy? The next time you’re feeling anxious about all the comedy options on Netflix, try streaming SF Indie instead for a quick laugh. Anxiety-Proof: The Mothership won’t let you down.

Have a Nice Life by Prashanth Kamalakanthan

Anxiety Proof: The Mothership by Rick T. Morrison

The Sleeping Negro by Skinner Meyers

6 | CULTURE

Vol. 173, Issue 2 | Feb. 7 – Feb. 15 2022

An Iconic Comedy Festival Adapts To The New Normal

Sarah Clayson/The Guardsman

By David Sharma dsharma4@mail.ccsf.edu Since the start of the pandemic, many comedians, comedy clubs, and festivals have had to shut down. Comedy has always been there during challenging times, but SketchFest has been a San Francisco tradition since 2002. Though it started out local, it has garnered national recognition and draws many comedians and comedy-lovers in. Unlike most ideas of comedy, not only is this an outlet to express stand-up comedy, but also improvisation and other theatrical numbers that incorporate different aspects of comedy. The success of SketchFest is all due to the three founders: Janette Varney, David Owen, and Cole Stratton. Cole Stratton is the co-host of the very popular comedy podcast, “Pop My Culture”, and has appeared on several television shows. Janet Varney is an Emmy-nominated actress who has starred in many comedy specials. David Owen has produced many festivals and is great at creating a fantastic setlist. All three founders have roots that connect closely to

San Francisco. They began their careers at San Francisco State University, working together in a comedy group. They discovered that not only did they have a knack for performing standup, but also an appreciation for watching and showcasing other talent as well. SF Sketchfest was born out of an idea to showcase Bay Area Comedy talent. In 2002, the SketchFest showcased six Bay Area comedy groups: The Fresh Robots, Kasper Hauser, The Meehan Brothers, Please Leave the Bronx, Totally False People and White Noise Theater. The first performance was at the Shelton Theater in San Francisco, CA. SF Sketchfest started in 2002 at The Shelton theater, with only 80 seats. The first festival was such a success that by 2003 they had to move into a few larger venues, such as the Brava Theater, to accommodate the growing crowd. Only after a couple years, SketchFest would be showcased at several venues in the San Francisco Bay Area - drawing in acts and admirers from all over. As SketchFest Grew, so did the lineup and kinds of comedy

being showcased. Though the festival started as a way to showcase many stand-up acts, it quickly became an outlet for improvisational theater and many other branches of humor. Sketch comedy, film and television reunions and tribute acts, and physical comedy performers all were a part of the festival.

"The greatest comedians know how to think on their feet." In 2011, SketchFest celebrated their 10th anniversary. Utilizing nearly a dozen venues in the Bay Area, it was filled with several acts which embodied the thrill and excitement of SketchFest. With an Airplane! tribute act, several famous standup comedians, the original cast of SNL, with Neil Patrick Harris, and the 10th Anniversary show was a true testament to how important and larger-than-life this event has become. Unfortunately with the pandemic still growing, a new

festival has been postponed. “The safety of our artists, staff and audiences is our No. 1 priority,” writes Stratton, Owen, and Varney in a joint statement. The 20th anniversary of the festival has been postponed until Jan 20th - Feb 5, 2023. Tickets are now available and the added wait will likely add to the excitement. One comedian who was expected to return to the nowpostponed Sketchfest is Annette Mullaney. Mullaney, who is also a former student at City College of San Francisco, got into comedy reluctantly. “A friend who was pursuing comedy in LA and encouraged me to do it and I was like nah”. With enough encouragement, and as a New Years Resolution, Mullaney finally caved into the idea of trying out comedy. She attended an open mic and, as she described it, “ate shit”. Never a quitter, Mullaney described her reason for continuing stand-up even after a rocky start; “I should be able to do it okay at least once." Mullaney had performed at Sketcheft in 2019 and described the experience as being “sick”. “Sold out shows, audiences are hyped, you get to meet a lot of cool people. People are coming into town to see and be in the show. I was bummed that the shows got canceled... It’s cool to see performers from sketchfest go on to do bigger things: on television, different shows.” During the pandemic, Mullaney opted for zoom shows, along with outdoor showcases. “Stand-up is interactive. On zoom, you ask a question and everyone is silent!” The comedy scene in SF, according to Mullaney, is terrific: you don’t have to pay to perform, buy a drink to get in, and often are able to find an open mic to attend.

Sketchfest has been a foundation for the comedy scene in SF, and many of the comedians you’ll find performing in the “bar on a Tuesday night” are also the ones that will soon be on the lineup at

"I should be able to do it okay at least once." Sketchfest. For twenty years SF Sketchfest has not only stood the test of time, but also grown and flourished into something which people from all over the world come to see. It not only showcases well-known comedians, but gives a space for up and coming talent as well. Even through a pandemic, Sketchfest has remained and is currently preparing for a 20th anniversary. The greatest comedians know how to think on their feet. From hecklers and now to COVID, the show will continue to go on.

OPINION | 7

Vol. 173, Issue 2 | Feb. 7 – Feb. 15 2022

Remembering The Courageous Work of Mamie Till By Beth Lederer bethlynn2020@gmail.com Editor's note: I want to caution that this article describes the modern and historic acts of American violence and injustice as necessary context for Mamie Till's labor of love. Why is a mother’s love so profound? Why is the brutal murder of Mamie Till’s only child, Emmett, so far reaching that it still resonates in the American consciousness today? 1955 Mamie Till turned her sorrow for the unconscionable murder of her beloved fourteenyear old son, Emmett Till, into cries for justice. The year was 1955, her cries penetrated deep into the human soul, the soul of a nation and helped galvanize the emerging Civil Rights Movement. Can her cries for justice still be heard echoing today-56 years later?

mass media (newspapers, magazines,TV, NAACP and public speaking) about the most horrible mutilation of a human child. A mother's grief can be so powerful as to help galvanize a historic Civil Rights Movement. Mamie Till was that powerful grieving mother who changed history. To her comfort, Mamie Till had the unwithering support from the NAACP and her community. Mamie Till, could not and should never have had to grieve alone. Her pain, grief and loss penetrated so deep after seeing Emmett’s mutilated body. Mamie Till took it upon herself to make the historic decision that would change the course of history. Her grief reverberated and was so raw penetrating the depths of the evil’s of the Jim Crow South. She would not stop speaking about the murder and she would do everything in her power to try to bring those two

Maintaining Our Faculties

a tragic loss for our nation and a fight for Civil Rights. Mami’s pain was so deep, her love so strong and her fight so vigorous. 2020 I am a mother too. I am a white mother, Mamie Till is a black mother. As a white mom we can never one-hundred percent feel the depth or the pain that black moms have experienced, though we can sympathize so much with Mamie Till and other black moms who lost their black son’s to grave injustices. A mother has so much love for their child, no matter of color, and why should any pain be any different? How much has really changed when it comes to Civil Rights? Our nation has so much further to go, though there was some racial reckoning and humanity which was shown when so many whites joined their black brothers and sisters in

Cost of Labor: Negotiations Adjusted By Skylar Wildfeuer skylar.wildfeuer@gmail.com Last year, under threat of a mass firing, instructors and AFT2121 negotiated with Chancellor Verdein for instructors to take a reduction in pay in exchange for keeping all faculty employed and thereby balanced the extremely precarious city college budget. Instructors took reductions in pay of up to 11% in a year where the cost of living in California increased by 2-3%. In public comment at the Feb. 10 Board of Trustees meeting, instructor Harry Bernstein asked for clarity about the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) that is used by the state of California every year to direct wage increases. He noted that 5% of that section of the budget has been “Immediately earmarked for other expenditures.”

There will be a breaking point.

"Say Their Names," mural by Nick Sirotich at the Madrone Art Bar was part of the Paint The Void Project and has since moved. Photo by Kathy Drasky, courtesy of the Divisadero Corridor. July 20, 2020.

Can the strength of a mother’s love and her pain so deep bring about change that is transformative? To all these questions, my answer is yes. Mamie Till had all odds stacked against her in 1955, Mamie was a young black womanwho fiercely spoke out about the gruesome lynching of her son, Emett. The murderhappened in Money, Mississippi in the Jim Crow South, during the years of segregation. Mamie found the strength and courage to show the nation the almost unrecognizable body of her son. The coffin was opened for the body to be viewed at the funeral. Mamie asked for the country to grieve with her so the nation knew what “those white men did to her son”. Mamie turned this unconscionable killing of her only child into national headlines and demanded the nation to be a witness to this atrocity. The nation was informed through

horrible white men to justice (Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam). Trial The trial was exhausting and physically took a lot out of Mamie. The Southern Way of life was so restrictive compared to her comfortable middle class life in Chicago. It was difficult to witness the backwards laws and thinking of the South, the twelve panel all white male jury and the mainly white courtroom onlookers who made her feel painfully uncomfortable. Mamie wanted to believe with all her heart, there would be justice for Emmett Till. She worked tirelessly and never stopped fighting for her son. Emmett’s death woke up the world; it was a rallying cry to Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and countless others fighting in the Civil Rights Movement. Mamie turned the tragic lynching of her beloved son both into

the Black Lives Matter protests during the summer of 2020 to protest the unjust and brutal killing of George Floyd by convicted police officer Derek Chauvin. Mr Chauvin kneeled on Mr. Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds sucking every precious breath out of him. This senseless murder bought back for so many the pain of Mamie Till and her fight for justice for Emmett Till. The collective pain and strength of the black mother is felt for all these grave injustices. My heart is connected to Mamie’s fight, feeling the pain of having her only child taken away from her, the injustices of the Mississippi law and the fate of White Supremacy that never seems to die. Mamie’s fight for a little bit of humanity, her warrior strength and her undying love for Emmett really moved me to want to continue Mamie Till’s fight to make our country a more equal and just place for all.

The very purpose of that fund is to compensate faculty, and our faculty are operating at a deficit due to their agreement with the prior administration under Chancellor Vurdien. If the allocation of funds were differing materially from a prior agreement and diverting additional funds from faculty wages, the Board of Trustees would be obligated to meet with faculty to discuss within sixty days. However, as Vice Chancellor Al-Amin explained, additional funding cannot be committed to faculty pay, even through the annual COLA, because the college is still operating in a “structural deficit.” Until that financial problem is solved, the administration seems to believe there is very little that can be done to restore the instructor pay sacrificed last year.

“Any anticipated revenue,” al-Amin says, “will go towards mitigating some of our ongoing fixed costs.” This includes replenishing the mandatory 5% reserve, which the college’s external auditors say has only been brought up from 1% to just over 2% over this last year of concession and austerity. The report from our external auditors which was shared at the Feb. 10 Board of Trustees Meeting explains that this is a significant improvement over previous years. The current Chancellor was not party to the deal with the faculty to take pay cuts to keep their coworkers employed and contributing to the college. I do not think Chancellor Martin had anything to do with the unexplained disappearance of huge quantities of the college's funding that led to our current financial state in his prior role, either. I also do not believe that anyone on the Board of Trustees wants to gut the college, they want it to be thriving and powerful. But my eye is fixed on faculty because they are personally shouldering the financial burden of the college's dire straits in a way that I think and hope the other parties are not. If this administration is going to move toward firing faculty anyway, it is my opinion that they ought to then back pay faculty for the months they spent sacrificing financially, only to have the threat of staff cuts return less than a year later. I do not think that is possible, I do think it would be right. I also do not believe that it is possible for faculty to shoulder the financial burden of other people's decisions forever. There will be a breaking point, and at that point, there will no longer be a college. Vice Chancellor Al-Amin did add that his office will work with the state to attempt to find partial funding for part time faculty

8 | COMMUNITY

Advertisement by s JohnTaylor Wildfeuer and Max Hollinger//The Guardsman,

Vol. 173, Issue 2 | Feb. 7 – Feb. 15 2022

SPORTS | 9

Vol. 173, Issue 2 | Feb. 7 – Feb. 15 2022

Cultivating Charisma:

New Ram’s Tennis Coach Works to Empower Recent Recruits By Seamus Geoghegan geogheganspg@gmail.com After their Monday practice, the team discussed their upcoming events for the week while sharing homemade chocolate chip cookies under the baking sun. This is just one example of team moments that head coach Mary Graber is looking to foster, after returning to the team and replacing former head coach Kelly Hickey who took up a role on Mercy high school’s tennis team in Burlingame. Graber has been with the college for 32 years, 15 of those spent coaching the Rams side. Coming from an assistant coaching role at Berkeley after her playing career, Graber has tried to use the experiences she’s had from her playing days to create the best environment for her players. “I think tennis should be enjoyed. I mean, you're here to play and have fun with your fellow classmates and teammates, and you're here to enjoy your passion,” Graber said. “Yes, we're here to learn and yes, we're here to improve, but if you're not enjoying what you're doing, and feeling good about yourself … that's what my motto is, 'Feel good.'”

"That's what my motto is, 'Feel good.'" David Swanson has been an assistant with the tennis team ever since he took Graber’s class at City College. “I was interested in how really skillful coaches do things,” Swanson said. “When I took Mary’s class, I thought ‘Oh wow.’” Through teaching her courses at City College, Graber has recruited most of her team. With only 3 players returning from previous years, Graber has had to rebuild the Women’s Tennis team from scratch. Strength in Diversity “We have every age [on the team], we have every background,” Graber said, adding “It’s representative of the city that we play in and tennis should be. That's what tennis is all about. It's not just meant for a certain class of background people.” Graber is out on the court from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. daily, giving her players the freedom to practice on days that they don’t have other commitments.

CCSF Women’s tennis team Head Coach Mary Graber, in black, gives instructions to team players during a practice at the Ocean Campus. Graber returns this 2022 season to coach the team after more than 15 years. Feb. 7 Karem Rodriguez/The Guardsman.

“They’re mothers, they've got jobs, they've got conflicts with labs or whatever,” Graber said. “I love the fact that there's more of a commitment this year, that certain players will say they're going to be here and they're here … I'm working with those people that want to be here.” Rallying Selena Santiago-Cruz is one of 15 players listed on the roster for this season, but also one of the few players to return to the team which hasn’t played since 2020. “I took a beginners course because I didn't know anything about tennis … so I didn't join the team until 2020,” Santiago-Cruz said. “By that time COVID already came, so the rest of the season was pretty much dismissed.” Under both former coach Hickey and coach Graber, Santiago-Cruz has been able to improve and learn the game. “One of the most important parts for me [is that] I like to see my progress, and I like to advance, and I like to challenge myself,” Santiago-Cruz said. “Even if I

“I feel like all those practices that I go to [are] pretty fun,” Santiago-Cruz said. “The time just goes by so fast, our team this year is amazing.” “I think it's definitely a very cool experience, especially at the college level,” Swanson said. “All of our team members are enjoying the sport, enjoying the camaraderie, and building a bond with each other which I think is very important.” After their game versus American River was postponed, the team headed into their first game since the 2020 season versus Monterey Peninsula with the Rams being the traveling side. Despite the Lobos being the homeside, the Rams persevered and beat Monterey 7-2, marking their first win since their 2020 season. “I think our team this year is really amazing. Just how well we're pulling through together,” Santiago-Cruz said. “I really can't wait to see just how much we set these courts on fire.” The Rams’ next game will be away at Foothill college, Tuesday Feb. 15th.

“I really can't wait to see just how much we set these courts on fire." know my opponent might be overpowering me, I'm still gonna try.” Graber has worked around the differing skill levels of players on the team, molding each practice based on the needs of players who attend. “I try to make us work out according to those players that come,” Graber said. “We have an emphasis of the day, what we’re trying to work on … Friday they could not hit a serve on the court so we started with serving today.” Court Camaraderie

Coach Mary Graber returns this season as the Women’s tennis team Head Coach. Feb. 7 Karem Rodriguez/The Guardsman

“A really good coach gets a whole variety of different skill levels and different backgrounds,” Swanson said. “It's difficult to coach everybody on the team, but she does the best she can. And in my opinion, she does a great job.” Due to the warm environment that Graber has created, the team has been able to bond and enjoy playing tennis like she intended.

Coach Graber prepares to pass during a practice on the court at Ocean Campus. Feb. 7 Karem Rodriguez/The Guardsman

10 | SPORTS

Vol. 173, Issue 2 | Feb. 7 – Feb. 15 2022

Men’s Baseball Is Back in Season for 2022

Darren Leung, left, warming up with Raymond Redmond, right, at Fairmont Field during a practice. Pacifica, California. Feb. 2. David Chin/The Guardsman. By David Chin dchin20@mail.ccsf.edu Baseball is back in season at city college with the Rams returning to the field after choosing to not participate during the 2021 season due to safety precautions during the pandemic. The team is mostly made up of freshmen, and having skipped the 2021 season there is only room to grow for these young and promising ballplayers. The team faces lots of obstacles like waning interest among players, as there are multiple accounts of players leaving the team and having a generally young team. Rams baseball is off to a shaky start after losing their first five games with. Three of their five losses so far coming from one-run-deficits and the performance of a few key leaders on the team shines through the thickness of their losses. Infielder Jackson Wood has had a particularly hot start to the 2022 season with an astounding on-basepercentage of .545, meaning he reaches a base out of more than half of his at-bats. The team’s overall on-base percentage is respectable at .350, with the team averaging about five runs per game. The offensive numbers are all fair and for a team full of freshmen, that is very promising.

Where the team seems to be struggling is their defensive numbers, with the team earned-run average sitting at a high 6.38 meaning the team allows about six runs per nine innings played. It is still very early in the season and

“This team has great character. They love each other. They play hard for each other.” -Mendoza this number could go down because of how early it is in the season and as players get better with more and more practices are underway. There’s only a small sample size for the statistics of this team currently and with more practices and leadership within the team, they’re expected to make a big jump in defensive and offensive production. Head Coach Mario Mendoza leads the team in practices and games with the focus to, “get better every game.” “We have a lot of work to do … we’re young,

we’re all freshmen, challenges with the field situation.” Mendoza said. “We have [more] obstacles than other teams but we’re working hard and getting better every day and I like the improvement we’ve been having.” The team as a whole has a great sense of comradery as they are there playing for each other and competing for each other. “This team has great character. They love each other. They play hard for each other.” Mendoza said. Sophomore outfielder Darren Leung chimed in on the strength this team shares with one another: “We’re trying to help each other and make good decisions for each other,” Leung said. “One of our struggles has been a general lack of players. Part of that is that a lot of people have been quitting. It’s not gonna stop us from trying to take W’s from other teams.” It’s easy to see where this team may fall short, but it’s more than made up for in promise and ambition within the team. Young players are at the forefront of play and It’s an uphill climb for them as they become more and more familiar with the college baseball scene. It’s easy to see that there’s a lot of promise in this team in the eyes of Mendoza and one can expect great things to come.

City College Women's Swim Team Dive Into Feb. 4 Meet By Andrew Segala andrewa.segala@hotmail.com

A Swimmer of City College Women's Swim team prepares to take her mark for her relay event at the Wellness Center swimming pool, Friday Feb 4. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman.

City College Swim meet participants dive into pool to start off their relay at the Wellness Center swimming pool, Friday Feb. 4. Andrew Segala/The Guardsman.