THE PIONEER Covering the East Bay community since 1961
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THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
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Spring 2017 Issue 4
The battle for Berkeley Pioneer updates on America's president
SEE OPINION PAGE 2
What happened? On Tuesday President Donald Trump spoke to attendees at the Snap-on Inc. tool manufacturer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he signed an executive order linked to his “Buy American, Hire American” motto.
LOST CAT REVEALS PHONY PET DETECTIVE INDUSTRY
SEE SPANISH PAGE 7
DIRTY BIRD LOUNGE REOPENS IN DOWNTOWN
SEE FEATURES PAGE 8
IMMIGRANTS DEFINE THEIR AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
PHOTO BY MATHEW WEBER/THE PIONEER
Attendees of the Patriot's Day Free Speech Rally in Berkeley on Saturday react to crowd control devices used by law enforcement at the event. Loud noises and clouds of smoke were reported by several attendees of the rally.
Rally results in violent outbursts in East Bay By Mathew Weber CONTRIBUTOR
SEE SPORTS PAGE 12
TRACK TEAMS COMPETE IN FINAL REGULAR SEASON MEET
Meiklejohn Hall building still recovering after flood By Kali Persall MANAGING EDITOR The basement of Meiklejohn Hall is open and fully functional again, following a sewage backup that flooded the first floor last Monday and Tuesday. Classes resumed and the elevator was reopened last Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. after the building was drained of water and the affected area sanitized, confirmed East Bay’s Interim Associate Vice President of University Communications and Public Information Officer Jesse Cantley. Several portable dehumidifiers continue to drain water into large black containers that are being stacked outside of the building. Cantley confirmed that there were 600 gallons of water in the elevator pit alone, which prompted its closure. Facilities Management was unable to confirm exactly how much water was removed from the floor at the time of publication. According to Cantley, the Facilities Management department believes the flooding was caused by “inappropriately flushed items.” Donna Placzek-Savage, Director of Environmental Health & Safety at East Bay said she will head an investigation into the incident. There were no updates to confirm at the time of publication.
Downtown Berkeley erupted in chaos last Saturday at MLK Jr. Civic Center Park, less than half a mile from the UC Berkeley campus where students once fought to defend free speech in the 1960’s. The Liberty Revival Alliance organized a “Patriot's Day Free Speech Rally” on Saturday that was to feature Lauren Southern and other young
Conservatives prominent on social media. to address “the importance of safeguarding the first amendment for all Americans,” they said in a video released on their YouTube page. The Alliance is an ad hoc group organized by activist Rich Black, who was reportedly an organizer of a previous Alt-Right rally on March 4 in Berkeley, which also devolved into violence. Similar to the March 4 event, the original intent of Saturday’s gathering became lost in the crowd. You have probably seen the headlines — violence, arrests, weapons, and mayhem — but the real story of the “Battle for Berkeley” goes beyond the headlines. Here’s my story. The YG & Nipsey Hussle song
It started when a sound system on the back of an Antifa — Anti-Fascism — bicycle played the song “Fuck Donald Trump” by YG & Nipsey Hussle next to the park. Applause and cheers erupted from the clearly left-wing side of the park, as the crowd converged to rally around their newfound anthem. The ring-wing members of the crowd, identified by their red “Make America Great Again” hats, pushed up against orange barriers erected along the park perimeter and matched the intensity of counter-demonstrators. Air horns blared from both sides of the crowd as megaphones sung out to the rhythmic sounds of news helicopters
SEE RALLY PAGE 11
Bar re-opens in downtown Hayward Dirty Bird flies from South to North By Tishauna Carrell STAFF WRITER Originally located on Mission Blvd. between Industrial Boulevard and Tennyson Road in South Hayward, The Dirty Bird Lounge’s dimly lit neon lights were barely visible from the street. The dark atmosphere inside boasted a long red bar top, pool tables, and a small courtyard out back. After nearly a decade in business there, the Dirty Bird closed down in late December, and is being torn down to make room for condos. This provided an opportunity for owner Aric Yeverino to rebrand with a larger space, which opened in early March. The outside appearance of the new Dirty Bird is modern. The inside features two televisions and cozy booths, which create a comfortable ambiance. Yeverino who is a fan of architecture and design, re-vamped a walk in tunnel with Ryan Francis, who he describes as his “Handy man”, that is located past the lobby and leads to the Lounge & Restaurant. This time, it is now illuminated with light bulbs around it which allows customers to see the bar and two TV’s straight
According to multiple senior officials and the White House Office of the Press Secretary, the executive order is set up in two parts, ‘Buy American’ and ‘Hire American.’ “‘Buy American’ refers to a set of procurement laws about how goods and manufactured products are obtained and how they’re used in federal projects or federally funded projects,” according to multiple senior officials. “And ‘Hire American’ generally refers to the body of law and policy concerning how our immigration, visa and guest worker programs are operated to ensure proper protections for American workers.” Trump gave a speech to attendees that included employees, students, community members and politicians, according to The White House. “We’re sending a powerful signal to the world,” Trump said during his speech on Tuesday. “We’re going to defend our workers, protect our jobs and finally put America first.” While specific details on potential regulations surrounding hiring and buying procedures for American companies were not immediately addressed by Trump, he assured the crowd that changes would come for businesses who rely on other countries for employees and goods. “We are about to take bold new steps on my pledge to buy American and hire American,” Trump said during his speech on Tuesday. According to multiple statements from Trump, he plans to create more jobs in the country through things like this executive order and his infrastructure bill that he says will earmark $1 trillion for the projects. Despite his plan to increase spending on roads, utilities and other facilities, Trump was criticized in March after he released an outline that would potentially cut or eliminate current infrastructure programs. White House Budget Director Nick Mulvaney told reporters in March that Trump was seeking to eliminate “insufficient programs” and that money would later be put into “more efficient infrastructure programs” later on; however, at the time of publication those details had not yet been released.
By Louis LaVenture Editor-in-Chief
#PIONEERNEWS
PHOTO BY KEDAR DUTT/THE PIONEER
A view of the newly opened Dirty Bird Lounge earlier this month. The bar relocated from South Hayward on Mission Boulevard to North Hayward on B Street and officially reopened in Early March. ahead. Reaching the end of the tunnel, you are welcomed with tall brick walls and options to sit in booths or tables that are spread throughout the room.
The old location had no formal food menu, but the new Dirty Bird Lounge &
SEE BAR PAGE 3
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2 OPINION
THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
THE PIONEER
I lost my mind when my cat left Pet psychic more valuable than pet detective
EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Louis LaVenture louis.laventure@csueastbay.edu
MANAGING EDITOR
Kali Persall
kali.persall@csueastbay.edu
ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
By Samerah Begzad
Casey Peuser
CONTRIBUTOR
casey.peuser@csueastbay.edu
Our indoor family cat Simba, a Tabby mix, had been with us for 13 years when he went missing on March 10. We noticed he was missing in the morning and assumed he escaped from the balcony of our Union City townhouse — where his litter box is — because there were two cats that always meowed to him from a small flowery lawn below our balcony. Because he’s an indoor cat, his jumping skills are not great, so getting back up to our home would have been impossible. Everyone in our family was devastated and sad. For days, we went on searches around the neighborhood, but could not find him and found no clues. My family gave up — all that searching makes you tired and sad — but I’ve continued searching anyway. Three weeks later, I hired a so-called “pet detective” named Jackie for $400 from her business named “The Social Pet” that I found on Yelp. She had bad Yelp reviews, but I still wanted to give her a shot because I love my cat and missed him dearly. Right when I met her, I got negative energy and bad vibes. Before the search, she already gave hints that she wasn’t going to find my cat. She gave common sense information that anyone would already know: she said I should put up fliers, and visit the Tri-City Animal Shelter and the Hayward Animal Shelter, all things I had already done. Jackie took me all around Union City with her dog, whom she trained herself to be a scent dog, and said my cat had been here and there, based on the dog’s alleged scent. She was only in our townhouse area — Contempo, where I live for a little amount of time — which confused me because indoor cats strictly stay close to their owner’s house, even if it’s a few blocks or a street down. But this lady took me to parts of Union City that I have never seen. She ended up being a scam and a fraud and she didn’t find my cat. I felt taken advantage of because I was vulnerable and she knows that people like me are desperate to find their missing pets. When my time with her was done, I cried from disappointment and asked her if we could keep searching. She said she would charge me another $400 for another four hours. I told her I was a student and don’t have much money but in the end she wasn’t willing to work with me and showed no sympathy towards my situation. So my search for Simba continued on my own. A nonprofit called Missing Pet Partnership, founded by Kat Albercht this year, plans to launch a membership program that will include a set of national standards for the evaluation, training, and certification of missing animal response search dogs. This won’t stop pet detective scammers for setting up shop, but it will create a national listing of professionals and volunteers whose search dogs have passed a rigorous training and
SPANISH EDITOR
Daisy Ortiz daisy.ortiz@csueastbay.edu
STAFF WRITERS
Marissa Marshall marissa.marshall@csueastbay.edu
Tishauna Carrell tishauna.carrell@csueastbay.edu
ILLUSTRATOR
Dina Arakcheyeva dina.arakcheyeva@csueastbay.edu
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Kedar Dutt kedar.dutt@csueastbay.edu
Evelyn Tijero evelyn.tijero@csueastbay.edu
EDITORIAL PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Marina Swanson marina.swanson@csueastbay.edu
FACULTY ADVISOR
Gary Moskowitz ILLUSTRATION BY DINA ARAKCHEYEVA/THE PIONEER
testing process for people like me to choose from. There are currently only three pet detectives in California with trained search dogs, and they are all in Southern California; however, Missing Pet Partnership hopes to develop training programs in the Bay Area, according to Albercht. The partnership recently launched a program called “Mission Reunite” to train animal shelter staff and volunteers in how to develop lost pet recovery programs and how to coach pet owners in how to find their missing dogs and cats. They’ve held these trainings so far in San Jose, Phoenix, and at the end of this month will host a training in Contra Costa County. California requires a private investigator’s license in order to search for lost pets, so there’s a good chance the pet detective I hired is actually in violation of California State Law, Albercht said. After what happened with the pet detective I was emotionally, mentally, and physically tired from searching for my missing pet. I hired a pet psychic named Hilary Renaissance from Calmpet, who I found on Google.
She charged me $100 to give me clues and hints over the phone of where my cat was. She communicated with him and let me know what kind of area he’s by, what kind of person’s backyard he was in, and why he was scared to come home. For three days I followed her clues and hints and went to the townhouses across the street because those were the ones she described. And on April 14, 2017, I found my cat Simba. He had lost so much weight and was starving. He was sitting there scared and lost meowing in between the fences of the backyard that the pet psychic had explained to me. My mind was blown when I found my cat. Everything the pet psychic said was true. I had to jump inside to get in between the fences to get him. Once I did, he started purring. I took him to the pet hospital to get him checked and everything was okay except he was malnutritioned. But now he’s home safe and sound.
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NEWS 3
THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017
THE PIONEER Bar From Page 1 Restaurant will now serve Argentinian dishes. Javier Sandes is the main chef of the new location and the owner of “Javi’s Cooking” catering services. “[Just] To try something different,” said Yeverino, “It’s something you haven't seen in Hayward.” Yeverino plans to open up a cafe in the lobby that will offer Latin-based drinks and hot coffee with beans originating from Cuba and Argentina. Starbucks, Eko Coffee Bar and Tea House, and Peet’s Coffee also have locations in Downtown Hayward, As a five-year Hayward resident, I noticed that I’ve recently become more involved with the downtown scene, attending the farmers market some Saturdays and going to Eko Coffee Bar and Tea Shop to do my homework. With Dirty Bird being a CSUEB shuttle away, I now have an excuse to spend my Friday nights with my friends. From March 14 to 18, Hayward residents were asked to take part of a fiveday interactive workshop called Design Charrette, created by the City of Hayward as an effort to elicit community feedback on what they would like to see
in Hayward. The event had over 90 participants including City Council, Task Force, Business Owners, Planning Commission and residents according to the City of Hayward website. “Downtown is where things happen,” said Kim Huggett, President and CEO at the Hayward Chamber of Commerce. “If you have people downtown it stimulates the economy. Shopping, going out to eat, banking and entertainment.” The opening of the new Dirty Bird comes at a time when Hayward aims to increase jobs, housing and make transportation more accessible downtown, according to city officials. “The development goals for downtown are to increase the number of residents and resident serving businesses that can open and operate successfully.” According to Public Information Officer for the City of Hayward, Chuck Finnie. “The transportation goals for the area are to make it more conducive to being a destination and a more walkable residential and commercial district.” Yevenerio stated that he was not allowed by the City of Hayward to not have a pool table in effort to have it not appear as a night club. Huggett said that the overall goal of downtown is to make it family friendly but also at night suitable for adults, where they can enjoy bars and live music at night at places like the Bistro on B street.
PHOTOS BY KEDAR DUTT/THE PIONEER
The old site of The Dirty Bird Lounge on Mission Boulevard in South Hayward. The new bar is downtown on B Street.
Bill to lower student debt passes in state senate By Kali Persall MANAGING EDITOR A bill titled SB16 that would lower the amount of money private loan collectors can garnish from student wages passed in the state senate on Monday, according to a news release from the office of California Sen. Bob Wieckowski, a democrat
from Fremont. The bill will lower the private loan garnishment cap from its current 25 percent to 15 percent of a student’s wages to match the federal cap, according to the office of the senator. It will also achieve parity between several other aspects of the federal and private student loan processes. Federal loan lenders offer students several repayment options
that make it easier to make payments on time, including the right to receive a 30day notice before wages are garnished, the ability to request and inspect copies of loan documents, request a hearing, argue against garnishment and negotiate a repayment plan with the loan creditor, according to Wieckowski. Private student loans do not offer any of these options and lenders aren’t
required to offer different repayment options, according to Wieckowski. The bill will change these aspects of the private student loan process to mirror the federal one. Wieckowski spoke to students, faculty and staff about the bill at Cal State East Bay’s Hayward campus on Jan. 25. According to Wieckowski, student loan debt numbers $1.3 trillion nationwide, beating out auto loan debt
at $1.1 trillion and credit card debt at $750 billion. The bill was first introduced on Dec. 5, 2016. It will now head to the state Assembly and lawmakers will have until Sept. 15 to present the bill to Gov. Jerry Brown for final approval. Brown will have until Oct. 15 to approve the bill which, if passed, will go into effect on Jan. 1 2018.
4 OPINION
THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
THE PIONEER
Pepsi responds to criticism, pulls commercial By Gabriel Rubio CONTRIBUTOR Supermodel and reality star Kendall Jenner recently partnered with Pepsi to expand on the company's campaign “Live for now,” which encourages consumers to capture the excitement of the moment. The new commercial aired April 4 and depicted Jenner offering a can of Pepsi as a peace offering during a protest. The new campaign suggests that the power of Pepsi will mend opposing sides and create peace. But the excitement surrounding the commercial missed the mark for audience members. In the commercial, Jenner stops participating in a fashion photoshoot to join rebellious protesters in the streets. As Jenner pulls off her blonde wig and wipes away her lipstick, she pushes through the crowd to walk toward the line of police officers where she hands over a can of Pepsi as a peace offering. After taking a sip, the officer smiles back at his peers on the defending line, and protesters begin to cheer at the sight of peace amongst opposing sides. Unfortunately for Pepsi, the company missed the mark by insulting civil rights leaders, expressing white privilege, and also undermining the struggle of protest. The commercial insinuates that a can of Pepsi will resolve serious and unjust social issues. The ridiculous claim that a soda can simply end such powerful struggle is insensitive. The commercial received a firestorm of criticism from outraged viewers on social media. Twitter users expressed that the commercial was tone deaf, disrespectful, disregarded, and tasteless. The commercial disrespects the struggle that many people had to go through in order to receive civil justice by using powerful concepts that do not acknowledge the truth behind protesting. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter Bernice King posted a picture of her father a day after the debut of the commercial via twitter and sarcastically said, “I wish daddy knew the power of Pepsi.” The advertisement undermines
PHOTO COURTESY OF PEPSI
Martin Luther King Jr.'s struggle with police for the fight of civil rights. Pepsi pulled the commercial just two days after its debut following a public apology onTwitter on April 5. “Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize.” They also publicly apologized for putting reality star Kendall Jenner in a unfortunate position. All of this happened on the heels of celebrations and remembrances of the legacy of Cesar Chavez on March 31 and the death of Martin Luther King Jr., on
April 4. These are significant days that remind Americans of the legacy of civil rights leaders, both known for struggling to gain civil rights through protest in American history. Chavez was an American union labor leader and civil rights activist who organized farmworkers in the United States with the first strike against grape growers in California. Chavez’s nonviolent methods of boycotts, marches, and hunger strikes went against legal barriers that tried to prevent these protest methods. Through the conflict and struggle, Chavez was able to advance raises and improve conditions for farm workers.
The Pepsi commerical downgrades the harsh battle the Chavez faced during the time of protest as a minority leader. The commercial alludes to the idea that people of color do not have the privilege to challenge the power of authority within social protest, which is false. Martin Luther King Jr. lead many nonviolent protests for civil rights in America, and was arrested multiple times during his fight for equality and dealt with conflicts with police. In 1955 he took leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott where Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat and moving to the back of the bus for a white
man. The crucial battle between police and regulations of boycotting lasted about a year till Nov. 13 1956, when the Supreme Court declared that segregation on busses was unconstitutional. King went through intense and challenging times fighting for equality in America but the Pepsi commerical does not demonstrate the true reality of protest and undermines King's efforts. The backlash against the commercial shows that consumers are sensitive to content that advertisers are creating and will use their voices to express their opinions about controversial topics; the voices of the people actually do matter.
employees can report it immediately by calling PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000. “During tax season, scammers email messages with false tax refund documents. At PG&E, safety and security is our top priority, and we want to ensure our customers know how to recognize a legitimate PG&E contact. Awareness is the best defense, so we are asking our customers to stay alert and contact us if anything seems suspicious,” said Daina Charland-Sulaver, senior manager of PG&E’s Mission division.
PG&E employees always carry their identification and are always willing to show it to you. Remember that if you have an appointment with PG&E, you will receive an automated call within 48 hours prior to a scheduled visit, or a personal call from a PG&E gas service representative prior to a scheduled visit. PG&E’s Credit Department will not ask for personal information or a credit card number over the phone. If you have concerns about the legitimacy of a phone call about a past due bill, a service request or a request for personal information, hang up and call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000. Be cautious if you receive an unexpected email that claims to be from PG&E. Do not click on any links or provide any personal information, and call
1-800-PGE-5000 instead. “Online scammers are getting more and more sophisticated every day. From phishing emails to fake postings on social media, cyber-criminals are constantly finding new ways to separate us from our personal information. At PG&E, we’re asking our customers to practice good cyber-awareness and to call us directly if they receive any suspicious online communications claiming to be from PG&E,” said Charland-Sulaver.
Letter to the editor By Tamar Sarkissian CORPORATE RELATIONS, PG&E Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) warns its customers to protect themselves, their families and businesses by increasing their awareness of potential online and in-person scams. An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the Bay Area. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the nation’s leading credit rating agencies, scammers take advantage of tax season to trick Californians into giving up their personal and financial information. The IRS saw an approximate 400 percent surge in
phishing and malware incidents in the 2016 tax season. Here in California, recent scams have involved imposters posing as PG&E employees, including: In-person scammers pretending to be PG&E utility workers and going door-to-door in PG&E’s service territory in order to gain entry to homes. Email scammers sending “phishing” emails to PG&E customers, asking them to make a payment online. Phone scammers posing as PG&E customer service representatives and asking for payment information over the phone. In all cases, PG&E actively works with law enforcement to help stop any scam impacting customers. Anyone who has received a call, email or visit from imposters claiming to be PG&E
Stop Scammers in Their Tracks PG&E offers the following tips to help protect customers from scams: Always ask for identification before allowing anyone claiming to be a PG&E representative inside your home.
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About PG&E Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTING FEDERAL CRIMES (for 29 years)?/COMPLETE ISBN: 978-1-945563-86-7 by Leland Yoshitsu available on iTunes • Kindle • nook • ($2.99) lelandyoshitsu.com • @lelandyoshitsu
HATE CRIMES
Against Asian-Americans Today, it is important for the Public to know that our US Federal Government has secretly STOLEN, DESTROYED, AND ENSLAVED our FREEDOM, LIBERTY, EQUALITY, AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY by secretly NOT ENFORCING AND NOT DEFENDING our 14th Amendment (to provide all its citizens “equal protection of the laws” against Crime and Racism) as NBC continues to secretly maintain and enjoy Their UNCIVILIZED ‘RACIST GRIP OF CRIME AND TERROR AGAINST THEIR KIDNAPPED AND TORTURED’ Asian-American Hostages who still seek TRUTH AND JUSTICE after being severely punished and confined by the US Federal Government (for 29 years) for being the ‘INNOCENT VICTIMS’ of Federal Crimes by NBC.
President Trump should STOP these FEDERAL CRIMES
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6 SPORTS
THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
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Westbrook deserves to be most valuable player By Marissa Marshall STAFF WRITER 42 triple doubles, 82 games, one player: Russell Westbrook. The Los Angeles native made NBA history with those numbers, and did it with ease. Westbrook averaged a triple-double with 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game for the 2016-2017 NBA season. He is only the second person in NBA history to accomplish this, along with the legendary Oscar Robinson who last did it in the 1962-1963 season. As if that wasn’t enough, Westbrook broke the record for the most triple-doubles in a single season with 42 and also claimed the league’s scoring title. Can we say most valuable player? Westbrook acquires every attribute of what an MPV embodies; he does it all. He’s unselfish, runner-up in assist leader’s, and he smothers players on defense. He generally gets the job done by any means. Yet an abundance of NBA fans and critics believe the Houston Rockets’ shooting guard, James Harden, should win the award instead of Westbrook. It makes sense. They have a lot in common numbers wise; and at one point both of these guys were on the same team from 2009 to 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden has turned himself into an offensive force to be reckoned with throughout his career as he’s averaged 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 11.2 assists per game this season and led his team to a third-place finish in the Western Conference with a record of 55-27 overall.
ILLUSTRATION BY DINA ARAKCHEYEVA/THE PIONEER
Granted those are great numbers but they don’t compare to what Westbrook is doing. He lost one of the top three players in the league and former
teammate Kevin Durant but he took on the leadership role and has carried the Thunder to the playoffs as the sixth seed with an overall record of 47-35.
The record is not as pretty as Harden’s with the Rockets — nor is being the sixth seed — but losing Durant left a huge hole in his team that he has filled
almost seamlessly. Durant moved on to a team with players like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green in Golden State, where he has a much easier role to fulfill than he did in Oklahoma. Harden is on a squad with players who contribute much more than Westbrook’s teammates. Harden has shooting guard Eric Gordon who is averaging 16.2 points and power forward Ryan Anderson who is averaging 13.6 points and 4.6 rebounds. Newly added shooting guard Lou Williams averages 14.9 points per game while shooting guard Trevor Ariza has put up 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. It’s safe to say, Harden has much more help than Westbrook. Harden has help across the floor and board, especially when it comes to shooters, while Westbrook does not. Westbrook has just one other solid scorer in Victor Oladipo who averages 15.9 points and 4.3 rebounds, and they have a strong center in Enes Kanter, but it is not what Harden has. You need help across the board; James has that luxury, Russ does not. Westbrook is literally carrying the thunder on his back and is doing so at a high level. This is why he is the most valuable player. Without him, his team would not even be a playoff contender. The Thunder cannot win without Westbrook, they barely win games with him averaging a triple-double. Houston can survive without Harden with the amount of scorers and big men they have, but without Westbrook the Thunder would be terrible When you factor in all of these reasons, it is clear that Westbrook is a force. He is a leader, he is a game changer and he is the MVP.
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Noticias, Arte y Cultura
JUEVES 20 DE ABRIL DE 2017
www.thepioneeronline.com
Primavera 2017 Volumen 4
Un bar abre de nuevo en el centro de Hayward Por Tishauna Carrell
ESCRITORA DEL PERSONAL
Traducción por Daisy Ortiz EDITORA DEL ESPANOL
Originalmente localizado sobre Mission Blvd. entre Industrial Blvd. y Tennyson Road en el sur de Hayward, las luces neón con poca luz del Dirty Bird Lounge apenas son visibles desde la calle. La oscura atmósfera dentro del bar resaltaba una barra roja, mesas de billar y un patio chico hasta atrás. El Dirty Bird cerró a fines de diciembre después de casi una década allí y está siendo derribado para construir condominios. Esto creó una oportunidad para que el dueño Aric Yeverino se mudara a un lugar más grande que abrió a principios de marzo. La apariencia exterior del nuevo Dirty Bird es muy moderna. Por dentro tiene dos televisiones y cómodas cabinas cuales crean un ambiente acogedor. Yeverino quien es fanático de la arquitectura y el diseño, remodeló un túnel el cual está pasando el lobby y conecta el lounge con el restaurante junto con Ryan Francis a quien describe como su albanil. Esta vez está decorado con focos todo alrededor lo cual permite que los clientes puedan ver la barra y las dos teles en frente. Llegando al final del túnel, eres bienvenido a un lugar espacioso con un muro alto hecho de tabiques y opciones de sentarse en mesas o cabinas que están dispersas por todo el cuarto.
El viejo establecimiento no tenia ningun menu de comida formal pero el nuevo Dirty Bird Lounge y restaurante ahora servirá platillos argentinos. Javier Sandes es el cocinero principal de la nueva localización y dueño del servicio de abastecimiento “Javi’s Cooking”. “[Solo] Para intentar algo diferente,” dijo Yeverino, “Es algo que no has visto en Hayward.” Yeverino planea en abrir un café en el lobby que servirá bebidas Latinas y café hecho con granos de café originarios de Cuba y Argentina. Starbucks, Eko cafe bar, Tea House y Peet's café también se encuentran en el centro de Hayward. Como residente de Hayward por 5 años he notado que recientemente me he involucrado más con el centro de Hayward, voy al mercado de agricultores que se lleva acabo cada sabado y tambien voy seguido a hacer mi tarea al Eko Café y Tea Shop. Ahora tengo una excusa para salir con mis amigos los viernes en las noches ya que el Dirty Bird queda a tan solo un corto viaje por autobús. Desde el 14 al 18 de marzo, los residentes de Hayward fueron requeridos a participar en un taller interactivo llamado Design Charrette, creado por la ciudad de Hayward con el objetivo de permitir que la comunidad comentara sobre sus intereses y lo que les gustaría ver en Hayward. El evento tuvo más de 90 participantes incluyendo el ayuntamiento, la fuerza especial, dueños de negocios, la comision de planificacion y residentes según el sitio web de la ciudad de Hayward. “El centro de la ciudad es donde todo ocurre” dijo presidente y director ejecutivo de la cámara
FOTO POR KEDAR DUTT/THE PIONEER
de comercio Kim Huggett, “Si tienes personas en el centro estimula la economía. La gente puede ir de compras, disfrutar de la gastronomía, ir al banco y entretenimiento.” La apertura del nuevo Dirty Bird llega al mismo tiempo que Hayward intenta incrementar trabajos, alojamiento y tener transportación más accesible al centro según oficiales de la ciudad. “El objetivo de desarrollo para el centro de la ciudad deberá aumentar el número de residentes y residentes que abran negocios y operen exitosamente.” según el oficial de información pública de
la ciudad de Hayward, Chuck Finnie. “El objetivo de transportación para la área es que sea más fácil conducir de un punto a otro y crear un distrito residencial y comercial pedestre.” Yevenerio dijo que la ciudad no le permitió tener una mesa de billar para no aparentar un club nocturno. Huggett dijo que el objetivo general del centro era hacerlo un lugar familiar pero también sutil para adultos en la noche en donde puedan disfrutar de bares y música en vivo en la noche como el Bistro ubicado sobre B street.
Los Raiders se van de Oakland pero no de mi vida Por Bryon Pointer CONTRIBUIDOR
Traducción por Daisy Ortiz EDITORA DEL ESPANOL
El noviembre pasado, decidí añadirme a la tradición familiar de hacerme un tatuaje de los Oakland Raiders. Y debo decir, a pesar de todos los tatuajes de raiders que tienen mis familiares, el mio es unico. En vez del asaltante tradicional con las dos espadas cruzadas arriba, lo reemplace con una calavera de pirata con dos espadas cruzadas por debajo. Delineando el raider está la famosa cita del anterior dueño Al Davis “Compromiso a la excelencia”. El amor que mi familia le tiene a los raiders es literalmente permanente. Llevamos el símbolo de los raiders a cualquier lugar que vamos, en diferentes formas y tamaños. Nos da una sensación de autoridad al equipo y la ciudad de Oakland. Los tatuajes de mi familia son permanente sin embargo la base del equipo en Oakland no. Con un voto arrollador de 31-1, dueños de la NFL decidieron el mes pasado que la franquicia de los Raiders oficialmente se mudarian a Las Vegas. Es triste decir que los Raiders ya no serán el símbolo de Oakland. “La oportunidad de construir un estadio de primera clase en la capital del entretenimiento del mundo es una oportunidad que nos dará la habilidad de alcanzar la grandeza”. Mark Davis, el dueño principal de la franquicia de los Raiders dijo en una conferencia de prensa el 27 de marzo. ¿Pero dónde deja esto la cultura y unidad de Oakland? Siempre hemos sido fanáticos leales, devotos y resistentes. A pesar de los intercambios tontos, pésima selección de prospectos y las malas decisiones, la nación de los Raiders ha estado presente y orgullosos de su equipo. El equipo ha hecho gran progreso esta última temporada. Tuvieron un récord victorioso por primera vez desde el 2002 y terminaron la temporada 12-4. Los Raiders estaban de regreso a su tiempo de gloria con nuevo talento y joven. Justo cuando
comenzábamos a triunfar la NFL nos lo quitó todos y es muy lamentable y decepcionante. Los Raiders son tan gran parte de nuestra identidad como lo es la ropa que portamos, la forma en que hablamos y hasta la forma en que nos presentamos. El inconfundible color negro mantiene un valor y significado para nuestra familia, nuestra ciudad y su historia. Todo esto a la vez puede parecer irrelevante porque los Raiders ya no representarán a Oakland. Mi familia y yo hemos sido y siempre seremos grandes creyentes del mantra “Compromiso a la excelencia”. Vivimos por ello. Nos esforzamos por grandeza con todo lo que hacemos. Los Raiders nos comprobaron lo que en realidad es la perseverancia empezando con la escuela, al trabajo y la familia. Aunque el equipo sigue aquí por el momento, pareciera que ya se hubiesen ido. Como si un pedacito del reino y la cultura fuera arrancado de los ciudadanos. Para algunos, los Raiders solo son un equipo de fútbol americano pero para mi y mi familia los Oakland Raiders representan mucho más. Representan la lucha contra la adversidad. Nuestros tatuajes son un recordatorio constante de quien somos y de lo que significa ser un Raider. Para mi especialmente, el equipo conjura la adversidad que enfrentan las personas de color aquí en la área de la bahía. Desde el acoso policial y violencia a la pobreza y el desempleo, los Raiders imponen el símbolo de enfrentarse y luchar el poder. ¿Que le queda a la ciudad sin esa luz de esperanza que son los Raiders? Pero como un fanático real, apoyaremos al equipo aunque esté en Las Vegas por lo más difícil que parezca. Estaremos del lado de nuestro equipo y haremos mucho ruido. Durante esta última temporada en Oakland y más allá, animaremos y estaremos a un lado de los Raiders. Quien sabe, tal vez sorprendan al mundo y logren otra victoria en el Gran Tazón. Todo parece posible con agente libre nativo del área running back Marshawn Lynch apareciendo últimamente alrededor de las prácticas de los Raiders. Tal vez aún haya esperanzas para los Oakland Raiders. Mi tatuaje de los Oakland Raiders tal vez pierda color, mi equipo se puede descarriar pero mi amor por los Raiders permanecerá por siempre.
Spring Career and Internship Fair GET OUT of college...
Jobs ...GET IN to a career! Thursday April 27 11AM-2PM A&E Walkway
8 FEATURES
THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
THE PIONEER
Immigrants define American living First and second generation immigrants in the United States were asked the question, "What does living in America mean to you?"
PHOTO BY MICHELLE JOHNSON/CONTRIBUTOR
Deepa Thapa Kc, Nepal, First Generation "Living in the United States means better education, better health, more opportunities. That's what it means to me."
PHOTO BY VICTORIA GROENWOLD/CONTRIBUTOR
John Groenwold, Netherlands, Second Generation "Freedom. My Father was put in a concentration camp during WWII for almost two years and was lucky to survive and be liberated by the Americans."
PHOTO BY DANIEL LARIOS/CONTRIBUTOR
Renee Reza, Mexico, Second Generation "I genuinely feel lucky to be an American, not because it gives you an easy life, but because it gives you the opportunity to make the life you want."
PHOTO BY IAN JAMES VITAGA/CONTRIBUTOR
Lori Kabamalan, Philippines, Second Generation "Living in America means to use all the opportunities that are available to me. My parents worked hard to move here from the Philippines to give me the best possible tools and opportunities. Now I am graduating with my masters in Occupational Therapy. I'll be a practicing therapist soon."
PHOTO BY DANNY HANSON-HACKETT/CONTRIBUTOR
Harolda Bangah, West Africa, Second Generation "To me, living in the U.S. means opportunity. Opportunity is very broad and very generic, but to me it means a chance to make something of yourself in a supportive environment."
PHOTO BY CHRISTINA URBINA/CONTRIBUTOR
Karim Hafez, Egypt, First Generation "It [means] a better future and better stability."
PHOTO BY ALLISON WESEMAN/CONTRIBUTOR
Johnio, Brazil, First Generation “I had dreamed of coming to the United States in 1982 but then I got my girlfriend pregnant and my dream of coming to California was over…I wish I had come when I was younger, United States is for the young.”
PHOTO BY OMAR RAMIREZ/CONTRIBUTOR
Silvia Ramirez, Mexico, First Generation “Living in the United States is the only way I would want to live life. As an immigrant, I’m greatly thankful for all the opportunities and rights presented to my family that people in other countries may not be privileged too.”
PHOTO BY DAISY ORTIZ/SPANISH EDITOR
Adolfo Ortiz, Mexico, Second Generation “Accomplishing things that otherwise I wouldn’t have in my country. Having a good family, job and the opportunity of a better future for my children.”
PHOTO BY HANNAH CHILDRESS/CONTRIBUTOR
Joanna Dablantes Paez, Mexico, Second Generation “I’ve been introduced to the word privilege when I first moved here. I never thought of myself as privileged. I am privileged by the fact that I am a US citizen. I have no worries about not going to see my parents or not scared of getting deported or not having my parents not come visit me or have them be deported. I think it’s been a really long process for me of changing, especially like my mentality and my ideas, how I see things.”
THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
THE PIONEER
FEATURES 9
Yo-yo's take over Jack London Square
PHOTOS BY LOUIS LAVENTURE/THE PIONEER
The 2017 California State YoYo Championship was held on Saturday in Jack London Square in Oakland. Participants from all over the state descended on the area to compete fo awards.
10 FEATURES
THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
THE PIONEER
Open Ocean Regatta hits Bay Area Annual rowing event began in 1970 By Stephan Freitas CONTRIBUTOR At 7 a.m. in Sausalito on Sunday, the weather was sunny and winds, at just 3 miles per hour, were practically nonexistent. The rowing course was set through the San Francisco Bay and at 8:30 a.m., the air horn sounded promptly, commencing the Open Ocean Regatta for yet another year. The race consists of boats called skull boats. These boats are only as wide as a rower’s hips with a movable seat in the middle. The racers conduct the race facing backwards. They use a bicycle mirror attached to their hats or by constantly turning around to see behind them. Rowers must be constantly aware of their surroundings during the race. Rowers prepared for the race at 6:30 a.m. sharp. Muscles were warmed up on the provided rowing machines and boats were unhung from their racks. Following the necessary preparations, rowers registered themselves with the appropriate officials, and each individual rower or team picked up their boats and carried them down to the docks. The rowers had a good warm up on their way to the starting line. The start of the race took place approximately one mile off shore. It was the responsibility
of each rower to ensure an ontime arrival to their respective positions. This year marked the 41st regatta since its start in 1976 by Sausalito local Gordy Nash. The regatta was originally called the “funky boat race” when Nash was living on a houseboat in the Sausalito area and was challenged to a race by a boater name Kit Africa. At the time, Nash was working for Pete Sudder at Sudder Sails, who thought the race would be a good idea. At one point, the race included boats such as Mrs. Piggy and the ‘Wet Dream’ which was a boat shaped as a mattress with women wearing lingerie on it as others rowed it across the bay. “We’ve got my boat and we’ve got his boat and let’s not only have an event just for the two of us, let’s have it for all these funny little boats,” Nash said. It has been hosted by the Open Water Rowing Center since 1985, however Nash still plays a key role in running the event. He oversees the race starting boat and gives a few memorable speeches during the awards ceremony. About forty rowers participated in this year’s race, according to registration officials. The race was broken down into two courses this year. The Diablo course and the Strawberry course. The Diablo course was for the best of the best with a distance of 14 kilometers. For the racers who rowed for recreation, the Strawberry course provided them with 9.8 kilometers of smooth ocean and beautiful views of the bay. The Diablo course is a challenge and rowers were enthusiastic about facing
PHOTO BY STEPHAN FREITAS/CONTRIBUTOR
Attendees of the 41st annual Sausalito regatta listen to a speaker before the events began early in the morning. them full force. Facing the current of the Golden Gate Bridge, rowers paddled their way vigorously towards the turnaround point at Pt. Diablo. Single rower Scott Cahill had the best recorded time with an astonishing one hour and six minutes for the 14 km race. Participants of the Strawberry course were triumphant in their efforts as well. The rowing duo of Steve Schaffran and Brian Tucker finished with an overall time of forty six minutes. They were followed closely behind by the team
of Jackie Snyder and Sue Hooten who finished only forty six seconds behind them. After the race and the boats were put away, racers celebrated with got to celebrate with each other over a massive barbecue, Plates were full of delicious meats, potatoes, and crisp fresh salads and The rowing center also provided a great selections of beers and other assorted refreshments for the racers and volunteers to enjoy. The event was concluded with an
award ceremony. Racers who had exceptional times were presented with trophies but all racers were praised for their efforts and achievements. Even the people behind the scenes who took photos or video of the race were recognized. Though the name of the race has changed as well as the format, the enthusiasm of rowing still lives on. The next Open Water Regatta will be held on April 2018 at a date to be determined by the tides.
Memphis rapper performs in Oakland
PHOTOS BY DANIEL AZIZ/CONTRIBUTOR
Memphis, Tennessee rapper Xavier Wulf performed at Geoffrey's Inner Circle in Oakland in front of a packed house on Friday. The rapper with a slew of aliases is a former member of the Raider Klan group, also out of Memphis.
FEATURES 11
THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
THE PIONEER Rally From Page 1 above. An explosion 20 feet behind me left my ears ringing and my heart pounding. For a moment there were no shouts, no air horns - the helicopter circling above even seemed to stand still - followed quickly by screams and confusion. A man near me frantically spun his head before running to a woman, pleading through a shaky voice, “If you see anything come in, you get down, OK?! Get. Down.” His instructions were met with the crackling of a lit fuse and a thin trail of smoke falling from above. Another man leapt away as it exploded in a cloud of smoke. “I’d like us to come together, I’d like that very much” After 30 minutes of escalating tension, the crowd circled around the park to Center Street on the north side, exchanging words across the barrier as they went. “I’d like us to come together, I’d like that very much,” said an elderly man with a handlebar mustache, leaning on his cane from inside the barrier. A man singing songs and playing a guitar then fist-bumped the elderly man from across the barrier. The friendly exchanges were short lived. Antifa protesters in black masks began pulling fist-sized rocks from behind a hedgerow near the park. A woman pushed me away as I pulled my camera up for a shot. “Don’t film this, you don’t want to film this, just go,” she pleaded. The tone of her voice was more concerned than distrustful of me or my camera, and I left the area only to watch those same rocks hurled high in the air, their arrival signaled by loud gasps. “Oh shit! She just got hit in the face!” said a man standing with me on a ledge overlooking the crowd. As the clash moved up the block to the intersection of Milvia and Center, a trash bin was turned over and lit on fire. I knelt down to capture the scene. My face burned. All I could do was run. My heart raced. My eyes stung. I could barely see. A few hundred feet later, I checked my reflection in a window. I looked fine, but my skin felt like it was on fire. M80 firecrackers I was told that M80 firecrackers had been wrapped with mace powder, a plausible explanation given the instant burn I felt which persisted for a few more hours. It served as a constant reminder of just how bad things could get. Minutes later — with no police near the intersection — a smoke grenade from the Antifa side was thrown into the center of the mob. It spun in the air as it fell and filled the block with smoke. After a few moments of confusion, a mob from the right-wing side of the crowd charged through the smoke and pushed the protest to the intersection of Center and Shattuck. With the line between opposing groups now indistinct, a man slammed a woman into a wall among a mixed crowd. Bystanders quickly jumped in and separated them as another man shouted, “Let her go!” The assailant responded, “What do you mean let her go? She has a weapon!” The crowd once again split into opposing sides as confused drivers looked for a way out and pedestrians dodged the chaotic intersection. Heated words led to fists and shoves. “Keep the peace, cowards,” said a man from a megaphone, before being jumped by several demonstrators. “Get the hat!” someone shouted as the man and his megaphone disappeared in a sea of bodies as his red hat was ejected from the pile. Moments later, I heard my name called over a megaphone behind me. “Mat Weber, turn around,” the voice said, and I saw my best friend of 15 years. He described how his red San Francisco 49ers hat was taken when he was tackled in the crowd. Confused and surprised I was confused and surprised to see him, completely unaware he was there
PHOTOS BY MATHEW WEBER/THE PIONEER
The Patriot’s Day Free Speech Rally on Saturday in Berkeley, organized by the Liberty Revival Alliance had both peaceful and violent moments.
that day. That’s when it hit me: I had just watched my best friend disappear into that sea of bodies. I was so entranced with my camera, the ringing in my ears,
and my still burning face that I didn’t even recognize my best friend who had only been three feet away. After almost two hours of shouts and
sporadic fights, Berkeley Police moved into the intersection and arrested one man as a pedestrian took a selfie. The crowd then followed the police as they
grabbed a woman and retreated towards the civic center, before forming a line and forcing protesters onto the sidewalks.
12 SPORTS
THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
THE PIONEER
Track teams compete in invitational By Marissa Marshall STAFF WRITER The California State East Bay track and field teams competed in the East Bay Invitational over the weekend in their last regular season meet before the California Collegiate Athletic Association Conference Championships next month. “It has been a rough season for our team as a whole,” sophomore Aaron Jones said. “Most of our sprinters got hurt and were not able to compete this year but I feel we finished this last meet strong.” Sophomore Alberto Venegas managed to capture first place in the 800 meter race with a time of 1:55.94. He was the only athlete on the entire men’s Pioneer squad to place first in any event, which was also his personal best and the 13th best time among all CCAA runners in this event this season. Venegas’ teammate freshman Jeremy Shaw also ran a personal best in the 800, as he placed fifth with a time of
one-tenth of second from taking home a first place finish in the 200 meters, with a time of 22.07. “I felt pretty good throughout the race and I had a strong finish,” Jones said. “But I know I still need to improve the first half of the race in order to drop my time.” Starks was able to achieve her season best in the 200 meter event with a time of 26.06. Jones also placed fourth in the 400 meter dash with a time of 50.26. In the women’s 100 meters, Starks and sophomore Imani Blincoe, nearly finished at the same exact time. Starks was able to get the advantage over Blincoe by one-tenth of a second with a time of 12.83 earning her third place. Blincoe had a time of 12.84 and earned 4th place. Three Pioneers finished in very close proximity in the men’s 5000 meter run. Freshman Christian Moncada finished in eighth place with a time of 15:54.25, junior Zach Kanlong finished in ninth place at 15:54.54 and freshman Deion Molina finished in tenth place with a time of 15:59.50. Though the trio were
“It has been a rough season for our team as a whole. Most of our sprinters got hurt and were not able to compete this year, but I feel we finished this last meet strong.” —Aaron Jones, sophomore 1:57.44, earning 4 points for the team. As for the women in the 800 meters, senior Sarah Perrin ran her personal best as she managed to nab first place in the event with a time of 2:19.54. This was the women’s team only first place victory as well at the invitational. Her teammate, junior Katherine Embody, came in just behind her in second place with a time of 2:21.84. East Bay runners were solid in the 200 and 400 meter runs as a pair of sophomores, Jasmine Starks and Aaron Jones, were both able to place second in the 200. Jones was unable to top his season best in the 200 and 400 meters but was still able to make a statement. He was
all in the top half of the 28 total runners, only Moncada was able to earned a point toward the team’s overall score. “Our team has to stay healthy and make sure we do not get injured before championships,” Starks said. “It is going to be very competitive so those going to championships have to stay on top of their game by staying focused and working hard.” The Pioneer men finished the competition with a total of 28 team points and the women finished with 44. The two teams will select who they will bring to compete in the CCAA Conference Championships at Chico at University Stadium, which start on May 4 and end May 6.
Above: Members of the Cal State East Bay women’s track and field team compete with other schools at the East Bay Invitational on Saturday at Chabot College in Hayward. Right: Cal State East Bay sophomore Alberto Venegas sprints during an event at the East Bay Invitational on Saturday at Chabot College in Hayward. This was the last event or the regular season before the conference championships begin on May 4 at Chico State.
PHOTOS BY KEDAR DUTT/THE PIONEER
Silver and black leaving Oakland, not my life By Bryon Pointer CONTRIBUTOR Last November, I decided to join my family tradition of getting an Oakland Raiders tattoo and I must say, of all the different Raider tattoos my family has, mine is the most unique. Instead of the traditional Raider with the two swords crossing from the top, I replaced it with a pirate skull equipped with two swords crossing from the bottom. Outlining the Raider is the quote made famous by former owner Al Davis “commitment to excellence.” The love my family has for the Raiders is permanent, literally. We carry the Raider symbol with us everywhere we go, in different shapes and sizes. It gives us a sense of entitlement to the team and our city, Oakland. My family’s tattoos are permanent; however, the team’s homebase in Oakland is not. With a landslide 31-1 vote, NFL owners concluded last month that the Raiders franchise will officially move to Las Vegas. Sad to say, the Raiders will no longer be the face of Oakland. “The opportunity to build a world class stadium in the entertainment capital of the world is one opportunity that will give us the ability to reach that greatness,” Mark Davis, the principal owner of the Raiders franchise said
“My Oakland Raider tattoo may fade away, my team may go astray, but my love for the Raiders will forever stay.” in a press conference on March 27. But where does this leave the culture and unity of Oakland? We have always been loyal, devoted and resilient fans. Regardless of the dumb trades, the horrible draft picks and the bad decisions, Raider nation has been present and proud of its team. The team made huge progress last season. They had a winning record for the first time since 2002 and ended the season 12-4. With young and new talent added to the team, the Raiders were back in their old glory. Just when we began to succeed, the NFL took it all from us, and it is highly hurtful and disappointing. The Raiders are as much apart of our identity as the clothes we wear, the way we speak, and even the way we
PHOTO BY LOUIS LAVENTURE/THE PIONEER
uphold ourselves. The distinct black color even holds value and significance to our family, our city and its history. All of this seems almost irrelevant because the Raiders will no longer be a representation of Oakland. My family and I have been and always
will be strong believers in the “commitment to excellence” mantra. We stand by it. We strive for greatness with everything we do. From school, to work, to family the Raiders proved to us what perseverance truly is. Although they are still here for the time being, it
seems as if they’re already gone. Like a little piece of the realm and culture is being relinquished from its citizens. For some, the Raiders are just a football team, but for me and my family, the Oakland Raiders represent much more. They stand for the fight against struggle. Our tattoos are a constant reminder of who we are and what it means to be a Raider. For me specifically, the team conjures up the struggles that people of color here in the Bay Area face. From police harassment and violence to poverty and unemployment, the Raiders pose as a sign to stand and fight the power. Without that beacon of hope to represent the city and Bay Area, what does the city have left? But as true Raider fans, we will support the team, even in Las Vegas, as difficult as that may seem. We will stand by our home team and make plenty of noise when we do. Through this last season here in Oakland and beyond, we will root and cheer the Raiders on. Who knows, maybe they will surprise the world and win another Super Bowl victory. All seems possible with hometown free agent running back Marshawn Lynch creeping around the Raider practices lately. There may be hope yet for the Oakland Raiders. My Oakland Raider tattoo may fade away, my team may go astray, but my love for the Raiders will forever stay.