THE PIONEER Covering the East Bay community since 1961
California State University, East Bay
News, Art, & Culture for the East Bay
THURSDAY MAY 21, 2015
www.thepioneeronline.com
#BlackLivesMatter More than just a hashtag
SEE OPINION PAGE 2
NFL LETS AIR OUT OF PATRIOTS
SEE NEWS PAGE 5
BERKELEY INSTALLS DONATION BOXES FOR HOMELESS
SEE OPINION PAGE 8
#IMNOTCRAZY
SEE NEWS PAGE 10
READINESS SUMMITS AT MOUNT EDEN HIGH SCHOOL
COPY EDITOR
PHOTOS BY KRIS STEWART AND KRISTIANA FEDERE/THE PIONEER
Top: Onyx Organizating Committee co-chair Cat Brooks and mother of Alan Blueford, Jeralynn Blueford comfort mother of James Rivera, Dionne Smith Downs. Bottom Left: Oscar Grant’s mother Wanda Johnson speaks on behalf of the Oscar Grant Foundation. ficulties prior to the start of the conference, panel chair and communications graduate student Ryan Wallace managed to gracefully keep the flow going by gently reminding speakers of time constraints. Participants in the masters of communication program and members of GCS are responsible for putting together programs that are based in communica-
U.S. Cuban relations on the mend Editors note: Jesse Castro, Tishauna Carrell, Leandra Galloway, Sophia Karkazis and XiaoMeng Wu contributed to this report.
By Andréa Duprée
Whether it was a punishment, or a mundane chore, it can easily be assumed that most people with a childhood have been faced with the daunting task of cleaning a room that was so overwhelmingly messy or unorganized they did not know where to begin. Most parents would say, “Pick a corner and start there.” #BlackLivesMatter has taken the nation by storm. Sprung out from the mess of social injustice, in order to dissect this movement and understand it’s meaning you have to pick a spot in history and start there. On Friday afternoon at Cal State East Bay’s Hayward campus, the communications department, organized by the Graduate Communication Society, CSUEB and the Master of Arts in Communication department, held a day long event consisting of various panels to discuss different aspects of the social phenomenon, #BlackLivesMatter. For a matter so integral to civil rights and social justice in the 21st century, discussion seems like a great corner to begin. #BlackLivesMatter is not just a popular hashtag on social media. It is such a broad, revolutionary movement in today’s society; it can be hard to pinpoint where to start. According to blacklivesmatter.com the movement was started after the 2012 acquittal of George Zimmerman, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin’s killer. This movement symbolizes the rebellion of the black community against a criminal justice system that continues dehumanize and devalue the lives of people of color. Despite running behind schedule for most of the event, due to technical dif-
Spring 2015 Issue 8
tion theory and research. Graduate student Sarah Ostrom said the event took a year to put together. Even with careful planning the keynote speaker, Dr. Andreana Clay was asked to step in on short notice. Three separate panels of graduate students made up the majority of the conference. Panelists presented their research paper on topics that stem from
As the U.S. and Cuba negotiate the renewal of diplomatic relations and mutual interests, Cubans in the Bay Area are expressing their hopes and concerns for future travel, and business. “It’s a positive thing, it’s a good thing,” said co-founder of the Bay Area Cuba Community Alliance Felix Ernesto Torres Chaviano. The 44-year-old Cuban national has been in the United States for ten years. He said he feels the efforts can potentially influence other parts of the world. “It’s an important moment for all the planet,” he commented. The BACCA is a non-profit organization operated from the home of Chaviano and Nina Basker, in Fairfax. They provide humanitarian assistance for isolated communities in southeastern Cuba. Cuba and the U.S. are expected to name ambassadors to each other’s countries later this month, Cuban President Raul Castro said according to Fox News Latino. The two countries broke off relations in 1961. Negotiations are also underway to first remove Cuba from the U.S.’s State Sponsored Terrorism list and dismantle the trade embargo placed by the United States. Cuba has been placed on the terrorism list for more than 30 years. Other countries include Iran, Sudan and Syria. There are two million Cuban Americans in the United States, according to the Pew Research. Unlike Chaviano, they include those whose family fled from Cuba due to Castro’s revolutionary period and others who say they suffered under the regime for
SEE CUBA PAGE 7
SEE BLACK LIVES PAGE 4
Bicyclists rope rodeo in Downtown Hayward By Louis LaVenture SPORTS AND CAMPUS EDITOR When you hear the word rodeo, bicycles aren’t the first thing that come to mind. The City of Hayward and bicycle shop Cyclepath Hayward teamed up to create the first ever bike rodeo in downtown on Saturday. All events were free and included a vintage bike show, bike valet, obstacle course, skills competition, bike repair as well as a trick riding and racing competition. The day kicked off with a bike ride in the downtown loop with City Councilmen Greg Jones and Francisco Zermeno. Ben Schweng, Cyclepath Hayward bike shop owner and one of the rodeo organizers was hopeful that this event would create some bicycle awareness in the fairly new loop downtown and the dangers bicyclists and pedestrians commonly face when they navigate the area. “Bicyclists have been avoiding the loop in many cases,” Schweng said. “We want to educate and inform bike riders as well as motorists on the new area. Downtown should be thriving with people not avoided because of logistics.” The Downtown Business Improvement Area, the Hayward Chamber of Commerce and the Hayward Rotary Club also sponsored the inaugural event that included food booths, live music and several prize giveaways. Although many complaints against the loop have been made by groups and citizens that claim it has done more harm than good. Some believe that events like the bike rodeo will increase awareness and promote visiting to the area.
PHOTOS BY TAM DUONG JR./THE PIONEER
“This is an event to showcase how Downtown Hayward is a great family destination,” Kim Huggett said, President of the Hayward Chamber of Commerce. “The fact that so many organizations are participating demonstrates that it
will be a true community-wide event.” The East Bay bicycle club led rides from Burbank Elementary School and Cannery Park to the event, which was centered at B Street and Main Street.
SEE BIKE RODEO PAGE 11
Left: Josh Boothby, a BMX rider sponsored by Red Bull, hops over an obstacle during Hayward’s first bike rodeo on Saturday. Top: Hayward resident Joseph Montes fixes his bike on Saturday in Downtown Hayward. Non-profit organization Turning Wheels for kids provided 10 mechanics to make repairs and tuneups at the bike rodeo. Bottom: Mitch Polzack and The Royal Deuces perform in front of the The Book Shop on B Street during the bike rodeo in Downtown Hayward on Saturday.