Vol. 62 Issue 5

A N A C P H A L L O F FA M E N E W S PA P E R A N AT I O N A L PA C E M A K E R AWA R D N E W S PA P E R

theswcsun.com

Classified positions left vacant

By Marissa Romero Staff Writer

S o u t h w e s t e r n C o l l e g e’s e a r l y retirement incentive program has created concerns that critical classified positions, which impact students, will remain unfulfilled for too long.

The offer went to all employees who met the criteria the district established, including age and years of service among other requirements, said Silvia Nogales, performing arts coordinator and president of the California School Employees Association (CSEA).

Nearly 70 employees — including 19 faculty members — applied for the incentive program, which is designed to save the college money over the long term. Those who accepted the early retirement plan will start their retirement on June 30.

No g a l e s s a i d t h e s e re t i re m e n t incentives happen at all community colleges and in any public sector agency.

“They offer these retirement incentives to get people at the top to retire,” Nogales said. “Becomes a cost savings for the organization. They hire newer people at lower salaries.”

Retirement incentives like this only come around every four to five years.

This is one of the higher ones at 80 percent of the base pay.

SWC Interim Vice President of Human Resources Rose DelGaudio said the college wants to be clear with the unions that the district intends to get a good understanding on which positions are truly vacant. After identifying which positions are actually needed and if funding is available to fill those positions, the college will then move forward with hiring in alignment with the unions, DelGuadio said.

Nogales said it is imperative to identify where the college operationalcritical needs are to get key positions replaced rapidly. Sometimes the district moves quickly, but some other times these positions were left empty for years impacting the operations of the college and in turn affecting the students. Classified positions include: information technology, library staff, food services staff, administrative secretaries working with the deans, clerks, custodians, mechanics, and maintenance workers among other supportive positions.

“It is always important that we work together, the union working directly with the college on a plan on how we are going to replace these positions,” Nogales said. “Our main concern is the impact that is going to have on students

Volume 62, Issue 5

May 24, 2019

$330,000 salary for VP of HR

By Sabrina Wu News Editor

Southwestern College is paying Rose DelGaudio a salary of $330,000 to work as the vice president of human resources, making her one of the highest paid community college employees in the state of California.

The governing board members unanimously approved DeGaudio’s salary at the May 14 monthly board meeting. Although the price is “hard to swallow,” SWC President Dr. Kindred Murillo said the board wanted to invest in a strong HR department.

“We have serious work to do in human resources and

(DelGaudio) is willing to stay with us for two years,” Murillo’s message to SWC staff. “While we have good people, we do not have solid processes and procedures, and we need good committed, experienced leadership.”

Governing Board Trustee Tim Nader said he does not completely agree with the high pay that DelGaudio will earn, but recognizes that it’s because she lost benefits when coming out of retirement.

“I mentioned that personally, I don’t think that an administrator should make $330,000 a year,” Nader said. “On the other hand, if I put myself in DelGaudio’s situation, we’re pulling her out of retirement and she’s going to lose her retirement earnings to come back to work for us.”

A number of SWC classified employees followed Silvia Nogales, Union President of California School Employees Association (CSEA), to the board meeting to rally against the district’s decisions. Nogales said classified employees have been trying to get financial proposals from the district to help upgrade their contracts, but were rejected due to claims of financial hardships.

“The executive team, which includes all the vice presidents and the president, gets paid very well to do their jobs,” Nogales said. “If they do them well or not, that remains to be seen. But classified professionals please see Salary pg. A3

EL REY SLAYS Karelly Vidrio/Staff

‘Oedipus el Rey’ is a Chicano translation of Sophocles’ ancient Greek drama that combines the classic tale of tragedy with the contemporary crisis of mass incarceration.

Coverage on pg. 12

please see Classified pg. A3

Three lawsuits settled after years of racial tension on campus

A 13-game win streak for the Jaguars baseball team is not enough as they narrowly miss playoffs.

Revolutionary counselor -- one of three featured for The Sun’s Spotlight series.

into the allegations was launched after Assemblywoman Shirley Weber and NAACP received the complaint.

Curry said the custodians were unable to comment on the settlement until after they retire on May 31.

The employees filed their lawsuits in 2017 and they played a role in SWC President Kindred Murillo’s decision in 2018 to order a study into race relations among campus employees. The study, led by Dr. Shaun Harper, executive director of the USC Race and Equity

Loopholes within algorithms are now causing chaos among Internet users.

Center, found SWC suffered from one of the worst anti-black problems that the authors had seen nationwide.

This problem, they said, was largely the fault of white and Latinx employees.

“In addition to being called niggers, unnecessarily confronted by campus police, and associated with animals, African-American classified employees had numerous other examples of being bullied and harassed on campus,” Harper please see Lawsuit pg. A2

@THESWCSUN

An ensemble of talented musicians comes to SWC for a night of Jazz.

locker was defaced with the word “nigger.”

• Campus police were called on one employee because he appeared as a “thief or homeless person” to another college employee.

• Monkey noises and various racial slurs were directed to custodians over their work walkie-talkies.

Streeter, Gutierrez and Curry said in 2017 they had tried numerous avenues to voice their complaints prior to signing the letter. An investigation by the college

CAMPUS

ARTS

SPORTS

Three custodians, an IT technician and a former dean have received payouts to settle years-long lawsuits in which they alleged they were victims of numerous racial attacks while working at Southwestern College, The Sun has learned.

The allegations were first outlined in a 2015 letter penned by former dean of Arts and Communication Dr.

Donna Arnold-Dudley and signed by five employees. Signers of the letter were custodians Roderick Curry, Thaao Streeter, Eric Matos and Mark Gutierrez; and PC Systems Technician Johnny Blankenship.

The allegations included: • A majority of the signers being called “nigger” by coworkers.

• A custodian’s locker was broken into and feces were placed inside.

• A picture of former President Barack Obama that hung in a custodian’s

VIEWPOINTS

By Katy Stegall Editor-in-Chief

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Design by Paola G. Labrada

NEWS

May 24, 2019 – Volume 62, Issue 5

Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: news@theswcsun.com

Both ASO slates aim to re-run in the fall

By Steven Sylvia Viewpoints Editor

Students and faculty were left with questions about the future state of the campus following the cancellation of the Associated Student Organization’s 2019 election on May 2.

Southwestern College President Dr. Kindred Murillo said she called off the elections because she and her team found toxic racial tensions had undermined the validity of the election.

“Allegations of bias, allegations of discrimination, allegations of processes in the ASO constitution not being followed,” Murillo said. “And once we substantiated those processes had not been followed, we felt that with the other allegations that we do not have confirmation on, we believed it was best to stop the elections.”

The election featured two slates of candidates: the all-Latino Team Green and the all-black Team Elite.

Dimitrius Loa, a member of Team Green running for VP of Public Relations, was accused of making degrading comments towards Team Elite for being the first all black team.

After a series of meetings, which were held between April 29 to May 2, the ASO election board voted to allow Loa continue running if he issued a public apology and facilitated a racial bias retreat.

A f t e r L o a’s p u n i s h m e n t w a s announced, members of the Black Student Union stood and said they believed a few members of Team Green attempted to incite a hate crime by making a fake Instagram post which called for the slaughter and enslavement of non-black people.

That prompted the SWC administration to launch two investigations.

The ASO controversy was the bubbling over of racial tensions that have increased on campus in recent years. In 2018, a report commissioned

by Murillo found that among 50 campuses studied, SWC suffers from some of the worst anti-black racism.

The team led by Dr. Shaun Harper, the executive director of USC’s Race and Equity Center, outlined several issues Murillo and her team have been working to change. The first wave of change began with listening sessions.

“The task force has been working with me to make some recommendations that they believe are important

Lawsuit: A myriad of investigations now settled in Gov. Board Continued from pg. A1

wrote.

Racial tensions have bubbled under the surface for decades at SWC. With a campus that has been predominantly Latinx since its opening years, black faculty and staff have felt the discrimination has long been ignored.

This feeling of neglect has since seeped into the student body.

On May 2, Murillo cancelled the Associated Student Organization’s annual election after learning about a fake Instagram post that made it appear a slate of black candidates was attempting to incite racial violence against their predominantly Latinx opponents.

The black candidate slate, known as Team Elite, denied any knowledge of the post, which called to “chop the heads off of the euro-centrist white supremacist

and we also have been working on recommendations Dr. Harper gave us and plus what we think is important,” Murillo said. “We continue to work on our hiring processes which is critical because we need to hire equity minded leaders. And that means people who are race conscious, evidence based and proactive and are out there making sure to create an inclusive environment.”

Murillo’s team has also started to implement implicit bias training throughout faculty and staff. SWC’s hiring process now requires new and current faculty to be trained in implicit bias.

Candidates from both Team Green and Team Elite said they hope to run in the fall once the results the from the investigations are revealed.

Team Elite presidential candidate Ayona Hudson said she hopes to be a voice for minority groups and to recruit more slate members over summer.

“I do plan on running for ASO presidency,” Hudson said. “My goal is for students to be able to come to Southwestern College and not have to cry about their race. I hope my voice can be for people who do not feel brave enough to come forward and bring issues to light.”

Team Green presidential candidate Christian Sanchez said he still plans to run in the fall and wants to make SWC the first EBT-accepting college in order to make the campus accessible for homeless students.

“My hopes and dreams for the future is that we stop trying to divide ourselves by race and focus on what the true spirit of Southwestern is,” Sanchez said. “It is us, it’s the students. Without the students there is no Southwestern College. Without the right focus and without the right plan, everything can deteriorate.”

Sanchez also said he wants to run with the same team, but may lose some members unless the election results are ratified.

“There are some reservations with one or two people,” Sanchez said. “In light of the events that have happened and with the chaotic situation created, they don’t feel that it would be in their best interest to run next semester. Unless the election results are ratified, then they’re willing to stay in office for the following year.”

Some faculty are still dealing with the aftermath of the election cancellation.

Biology instructor and BSU faculty mexicans of the campus,” and accused the predominantly Latinx slate, known as Team Green, of creating the post in attempt sway the election in their favor.

Prior to the Instagram post, Dimitrius Loa, a Team Green member, had been accused of making racist comments made by a Team Green member about directed toward Team Elite. Black students reacted with outrage after the ASO Election Board imposed a punishment on Loa that they felt was too lenient.

Murillo called for investigations into both the Instagram post controversy and issues relating to the Loa situation.

In addition, she said a cultural shift needs to happen to address the pain felt throughout the campus.

A decade of unrest.

In 2015, after Arnold-Dudley’s letter was made public, Former SWC President Dr. Melinda Nish wrote that the employees’ complaints were old and had already been investigated.

Former classified school employees union (CSEA) president Andre Harris

Nicholas James/Staff

PAID IN FULL — The campus recently paid out former custodial employees at Southwestern College after years of lawsuits regarding the escalating racism.

Debate team honors coach with victory

By Gamaliel Carreno Arango Staff Writer

Luis Vargas/Staff

INTO DISTRICT’S HANDS—SWC President Kindred Murillo intervenes during an ASO meeting regarding allegations of racism. She has called for two investigations.

advisor Trishana Norquist said she is disheartened by how her and Ursula Williams, the Black Alliance event coordinator, have been portrayed since defending black students on campus.

“I have a concern for my reputation at this moment,” Norquist said. “It is very unfortunate. I am being painted as a caricature of an angry black woman.

When really, I am just a concerned professor and I would do this for any student of color.”

Williams said the fear of losing her job or reputation will not deter her from standing with the truth. She also added the administration needs to take a more hands-on approach if a similar situation were to arise in future elections.

“I do feel like there should be more of a hands-on approach when

it comes to elections from the ASO administration and staff,” Williams said. “Sometimes you see smoke there is probably going to be a fire. So maybe someone in a position of authority should step in and not supercede what the students are trying to do, but guide and temperament them.”

Murillo said the administration is focused on fixing the racial climate on campus, but it will take time. Progress has been made, she said, but still feels the college is a long way from healing.

“Culture takes time,” Murillo said.

“When a culture is trusting it takes three to five years. When it’s not trusting, it takes five to seven. I do not think this was a trusting culture. So it is going to take longer. We are having open dialogue...and as long as we are doing that, we will heal this.”

received a death threat in his office in April 2015 after he wrote a letter that was published in The Sun, saying he had not experienced discrimination at SWC. Arnold-Dudley and Blankenship were put on paid administrative leave after Harris received the letter, and their college computers were removed from their offices. Numerous witnesses said Arnold-Dudley was forcibly removed from campus by college police.

Blankenship was reinstated about one month later, but Arnold-Dudley never returned. She retired in June 2015, and was the first to file a lawsuit. ArnoldDudley and Blankenship allege in their separate lawsuits that the college systematically discriminates against African-American employees and is guilty of “outrageous conduct” and unfair employment practices.

Custodians Streeter, Gutierrez and Curry filed their suit in November 2017 and alleged systemic racial discrimination that began in 2009.

The suit said SWC did not adequately train employees to prevent racism and retaliation.

A number of employees were fired or placed on administrative leave as the custodians claims were investigated.

Among them was former Director of Facilities Charlotte Zolezzi, who the custodians alleged was harassing and blackmailing them. Zolezzi said the charge was untrue.

CSEA President Silvia Nogales (who was the organization’s vice president at the time of the 2015 scandal) said contradictions of that nature were increasingly common. Nogales and Harris were their union representatives at the time of the investigation, and said in a 2017 interview she and Harris had initially believed their allegations.

“It became clear to the investigators and to us that the custodians were manipulating this investigation and were lying half the time,” she said. “They have alienated themselves by making up some of these things or changing facts to benefit them. It’s disappointing that grown adults have to go to this degree of manipulation and lying to get out of working.”

Harris agreed in a 2017 interview with

The Sun. “Do your jobs, man,” he said. “And I quote, just do your jobs.”

An eight-week investigation conducted by an outside law firm in 2015 concluded that claims made in the employee’s letter “did not rise to the level of violating anti-discrimination laws.”

They also said the college was to blame for poor management.and not acting quickly enough to address allegations.

Arnold-Dudley’s lawsuit settlement was announced at a July 2018 Governing Board meeting, where it was said she received $60,000. Little mention was made of Arnold-Dudley or the custodians again until a month later when the racial climate report was released.

The report’s aftermath.

Critics of the report have questioned its validity and said it was not thorough enough. Dates, times and names not being listed was seen as a lack of official evidence. Murillo said it was not a factfinding mission and was meant to let people’s voices be heard. Murillo said honoring the stories was more important than addressing the validity of the testimony. Incidences reported in the study were from the past, she said in a meeting with The Sun in 2018.

Some non-black faculty largely discredited it because of the widely known custodian testimony and said anti-black discrimination does not exist on campus. Of the 119 people interviewed for the study, only three of them were the custodians in question.

Murillo said while the report focused on staff, faculty and administration, its contents are a reflection of the student body as well. When it was announced Murillo cancelled the election, she sent a reminder via her “Things to Know” email to employees that said to set personal agendas aside for the students.

“As a college community, we are working hard to build a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion,” Murillo said. “I feel we are beginning to truly understand the longstanding hurt and finding ways to nurture each of our innate abilities to compassionately serve our students.”

Southwestern College’s debate coach and communications professor Graciela SaezKleriga passed away on May 7, after guiding the debate team through a successful season.

The team took home an armful of accolades after their final tournament of the season, including second place in the nation for the policy debate by a novice team. Saez-Kleriga, aided by Eric Maag and Jordan Mills, coached the team in battles against 100 colleges and universities across the country.

Debate team member Michael Berry said Saez-Kleriga taught him everything he knows about debating. He said she would stay late at night developing strategies to prepare the students. She would also open her home to the team in order to encourage the students to open their hearts to one another. She promoted teamwork, Berry said, and put effort every day into having a united and knowledgeable crew.

“She wanted us to work together,” Berry said. “She showed that through her actions, she was a caring person.”

Education was a priority for Saez-Kleriga.

She strived to create opportunities for students in need of resources or support.

Maag said Saez-Kleriga was an excellent debater and amazing coach who recreated the program when she joined. If titles between coaches were given, she would have been the

“She showed that through her actions, she was a caring person.”

-Michael Berry leader, he said. She played a momentous role in the team’s accomplishments.

“There really wasn’t anything she wasn’t good at,” Maag said. “She was a very cool person, a very good friend.”

Berry and debate partner Marnon Navarro did what Saez-Kleriga taught them to do their best and work together. Navarro said he is gratified in knowing that community colleges have a shot opposing four-year schools.

“It’s a community college going against four-years, it feels like the underdog rising up,” Navarro said. “It’s a really good feeling representing the school.”

Berry said it was an honor to be competing at the same level of prestigious institutions.

“It’s an amazing feeling being able to win against four-year colleges,” Berry said. “It’s really accelerating to be able to compete on the same level of those teams.”

Mills said debating is the matter of fully understanding a subject and commends his students for being up to the challenge.

He enjoys coaching because a new topic is deeply explored each year. Gets to learn a lot about different subjects when preparing the competitors, he said.

“I know that my job is never going to be boring,” Mills said. “I have to do a master’s thesis worth of research on a new subject every year.”

Maag talked about how students need to learn the rules of debate, the speech times and how to organize arguments. By practicing a particular topic for a year, the competitors get to revise their performances and improve for the upcoming tournaments.

“We are always researching, reading new authors,” Maag said. “The preparation never really ends, it’s an always on-going process.”

Navarro said the team is successful because of the bond they share. They were who encouraged him to put in the extra hours of studying.

Berry agreed and said their bond goes beyond the classroom. “I think having a real personal relationship with everybody is key to success,” Berry said.

With people leaving the debate team each year and students joining with distinct debate skills, the dynamic of the class changes, Maag said. He enjoys figuring out how to help students learn new things about debate even though they are at different levels.

“You can never teach it the same way twice,” Maag said. “I have brand new people sitting next to people who have been here for a year, next to people who are in their second year.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been created with the purpose to obtain a scholarship fund for Saez-Kleriga’s daughters and in that way keep her love for education alive.

NEWS

The Southwestern College Sun

May 24, 2019 — Volume 62, Issue 5

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Democratic Clubs look to reorganize after huge scandal

By Brittany Cruz-Fejeran and Jordyn Bryant Staff Writers

The San Diego-based political consulting group Grassroots Resources is working to reestablish credibility after a scandal involving young Democratic clubs in the South Bay tarnished the reputations of many local politicians, including members of the Southwestern College Governing Board.

Jesus Cardenas, the group’s founder, allegedly created illegitimate clubs to endorse candidates he supported.

Current Governing Board members Leticia Cazares and Nora Vargas said they have a relationship with Grassroots Resources but they denied any knowledge of the illegitimate clubs.

Cazares said Grassroots Resources helped her with political strategizing and campaigning.

“As someone who ran a campaign, they were a consultant for me,” she said. “I don’t know anything about campaigns so I needed support and that is the extent.”

The claims, first reported by Voice of San Diego, led to a three-month investigation of Cardenas and the clubs. Current San Diego County Democratic Central Committee Chairman Will Rodriguez-Kennedy said Grassroots Resources has always been legitimate and no evidence was found against them.

“The reality is that there are over 100-200 students associated with these clubs and they have attended a Central Committee meeting in order to prove their validity,” Rodriguez-Kennedy said. “So, it’s hard to understand the claims being made against them except for the fact that it was in a political context.”

Codi Petterson, president of the San Diego County Democrats for Environmental Action, first leveled the allegations.

A 10-page report written by Petterson February details various ways Cardenas benefitted from outdated bylaws and regulations.

He also said Grassroots Resources “denies candidates a legitimate endorsement process.”

State Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) sent the Democratic Central Committee a letter urging them to conduct an independent

Classified: Adding early retirement offers due to budgeting Continued from pg. A1

and operations of the college.”

Eric Maag, Professor of Communications and chair of the SCEA’s negotiating team, said the issue with vacant positions is far more common with classified staff than with faculty because state law requires that a college spend at least 50 percent of its budget on instruction.

Nogales said she wants to make sure that all faculty and administration colleagues understand how important the classified roles are and how much they need to be respected.

“Classified employees enjoy working with students and for students, and believe on the mission of preparing students for the future,” Nogales said.

S WC G ov e r n i n g B o a rd Vi c e President Nora Vargas said she agrees that it’s important that classified staff don’t get the short shrift.

“The classified [staff] are the heart of it,” Vargas said. “They are the first people that the students see many times and we want to make sure that there is enough staff, and that they have what they need to be able to fulfil their jobs.”

Karelly Vidrio/Staff

COME TOGETHER — Governing Board members Leticia Cazares and Nora Vargas are on their way to the governing board meeting when they are greeted by CSEA members.

investigation on the formation of these clubs.

“I cannot idly stand by witnessing the mockery of our endorsement and elective process,” Hueso wrote in his letter.

Rodriguez-Kennedy said Hueso had conflicting interests since he is running against Vargas for District 1 County Supervisor in 2020.

Vargas said conversations about bettering the community are more important than unfounded claims.

Along with accusations of club stacking, Petterson said in his report the actions Ty p i c a l l y, e a r l y r e t i r e m e n t programs do not have a significant impact on faculty departments, Maag said. Departments have enough faculty members that a couple of people retiring does not cause a huge problem, he said, adding that the college has a large supply of adjunct faculty members to cover classes on those situations.

However, DelGaudio said, a fulltime faculty member can teach a minimum of five sections, while part-time faculty can only teach three sections by law. And the 50-percent law requires that at least half the classes offered at SWC be taught by full-time faculty.

Regarding classified staff, the union recently met with SWC President Dr. Kindred Murillo to stress the importance of working collaboratively, Nogales said.

DelGaudio said the district is pleased to be able to provide the retirement incentive to qualified employees because it will help them to bridge the transition from full-time position to retiring mode.

“I’m excited for all those employees that have spent their careers here (SWC) and they get to retire from here. They have served well,” Nogales said. “They should feel proud of the work they done.”

Joshua LaPaul Williams/Staff

THE UNION’S VOICE — President of the California School Employees Association (CSEA), Silvia Nogales expresses her concerns about vacant classified position not being filled.

perpetrated by Cardenas and Grassroots Resources affects “one group of candidates disproportionally, and that is AfricanAmerican candidates.”

“Young Democratic club associates are all Latinx, and their members are exclusively or overwhelmingly Latinx,” Petterson’s report reads. “The proliferation of these clubs thus compounds the underlying relative demographic decline of the AfricanAmerican community.”

The report attributes the election losses of SWC Governing Board Seat 4 candidate Nicole Jones and District 8 Councilwoman

Vivian Moreno (D-San Diego) as evidence of Grassroots’ involvement in the election.

Cardenas found the claims of racial inequality “insulting.”

“I’m big on diversity,” Cardenas said.

“There’s this perception just because of the population that that’s the case but that’s not true.”

Rodriguez-Kennedy said new policies have been put in place to support a stricter verification process.

Clubs have to meet four times a year independently now to prevent simultaneous meetings. The club’s elected board is now

required to vote for the endorsements their respective clubs voted for, essentially acting as a mini electoral college. Chartered clubs also must be made up of 20 “unique individuals,” a slight amendment to the policy that said the requirement was 20 “members.”

Failure to meet these requirements may result in a club getting its charter revoked.

Petterson told Voice of San Diego in an April 15 article that he can only wait and see if the updated policies do anything.

“We’ll have to wait and see how the clubs adapt,” said Petterson.

Karelly Vidrio/Staff

CONCERNED AUDIENCE — CSEA classified employees protest the $330,000 salary given Vice President of Human Resources, Rose Delgaudio.

Salary: Employees rally against VP DelGaudio’s salary Continued from pg. A1

at this point have gotten very little. So while we have been negotiating with the district on a number of monetary items, we’ve been denied.”

Edmund Guerrero, chief union steward of CSEA and an instructional computer technician said the decision made at the board meeting was demoralizing for classified employees. Now that the votes have gone through, some changes will be made in how the union leadership approaches negotiations with the district.

“A majority of the classified employees are loyal to the institution, they’re here because they really love what they do,” said Guerrero. “We love the students, we want to make a difference for the students. But dealing with the administration definitely brings demoralization.”

DelGaudio said she is already working on a reorganization of the HR department. Among her first priorities is hiring a director of HR. “Up to this point we haven’t had the staffing structure that we need, and so there are plans to reorganize human

resources,” said DelGaudio. “There are also a number of business processes that need to be revamped, so those are some major operational needs to be addressed in order to create more effective and efficient systems for the district.”

Nader said he hopes that by the time DelGaudio is done, the board will no longer be hearing the same kind of complaints.

“I expect at the end of her time here, we’re gonna be able to look back and say we got our money’s worth,” Nader said. “That our classified employees in particular are going to be saying, ‘we recognize now that the district does value us.’’’

Nora Vargas, governing board vice president, also spoke out about her reasons voting yes for DelGaudio. There are many other things she would like to spend the resources on but believes that they can’t attend to it now because the college does not have a working HR department.

At the board meeting, Vargas said DelGaudio will be held accountable to make sure the students, staff, faculty, and classified workers are listened to when they go to the HR department.

“There is accountability here,” Vargas said. “We’re gonna be holding her accountable to make sure that each one of you are heard. And each one of you have somebody that you can talk to and

achieve all the things you need.”

Nogales said she speaks for the CSEA classified workers and says that they do not feel valued by the administration.

Many of the employees have been providing service for the district for numbers of years, some even for three to four decades feeling as if they have been unheard. Nogales tried to make her point to the Governing Board that they seem to put more importance on their own administrative ranks.

“For us to not get any kind of movement in regards to things that benefit us, that hurts. It really hurts,” Nogales said. “I would say a majority of all of our employees work really hard.

They are loyal, dedicated employees that come to work everyday and have stayed with the district for 40 years and to come all this way and retire with this much, I’m sorry. It’s shameful, it’s embarrassing.”

Nogales added that the union plans on continuing to push the district for what she describes as a more level playing field.

“If anything, these votes on the administrative salaries have awoken a bear in us,” she said. “We’re gonna stand up, and we’re gonna ask for what we deserve. It’s time. We’ve waited way too long and we’re not gonna give up. We’re not gonna give up until we see some salary justices, until we see the district do right by our employees.”

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May 24, 2019 — Vol. 62, Issue 5

VIEWPOINTS

The Southwestern College Sun

Editorials, Opinions and Letters to the Editor

1965

The mission of the Southwestern College Sun is to serve its campuses and their communities by providing information, insights and stimulating discussions of news, activities and topics relevant to our readers. The staff strives to produce a newspaper that is timely, accurate, fair, interesting, visual and accessible to readers. Though the “Sun” is a student publication, staff members ascribe to the ethical and moral guidelines of professional journalists.

2019

Toxic relationships have deep roots

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Katy Stegall PRODUCTION MANAGER

Marty Loftin Paola G. Labrada, assistant NEWS

Sabrina Wu, editor Jordyn Bryant, assistant CAMPUS

Mikayla Moore-Bastide, editor VIEWPOINTS

Steven Sylvia, editor ARTS

Jahaziel Valencia, editor SPORTS

Brianna Juarez, assistant PHOTOGRAPHY

The Issue: For years the college’s anti-black racism has not been properly addressed by faculty and administration.

Brittany Cruz-Fejeran, editor Marco Figueroa, assistant Karelly Vidrio, assistant SENIOR STAFF

JoseLuis Baylon STAFF WRITERS

Andrew Penalosa

Alan Baquera Gamaliel Carreno

Melissa Rivera

Arango

Marissa Romero

Siobhan Eagen

Alejo Rosete

Ramona Lopez

Sydney Stanley

Alan MonterrubioCazares

Aide Valdez

PHOTOGRAPHERS

CARTOONISTS

Joshua LaPaul

Jaime Ramirez

Williams Nicholas James Lauren Delgado Luis Vargas Advisor

David Washburn

AWARDS/HONORS Student Press Law Center National College Press Freedom Award, 2011, 2018 National Newspaper Association National College Newspaper of the Year, 2004-17 Associated Collegiate Press National College Newspaper of the Year National Newspaper Pacemaker Award, 2003-06, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012-2017 General Excellence Awards, 2001-17 Best of Show Awards, 2003-19 Columbia University Scholastic Press Association Gold Medal for Journalism Excellence, 2001-18 California Newspaper Publishers Assoc.

California College Newspaper of the Year, 2013, 2016 Student Newspaper General Excellence,

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Jaime ramirez/ staff

editorial

Justin Dottery, editor

Our Position: SWC’s leaders need to help guide the community into changing toxic racial tensions on campus.

Anti-black discrimination still plagues the college, diverse hiring is a small first step toward change Black pain has been largely ignored on campus for decades.

A vast majority of non-black individuals still believe in the idea that Southwestern College is a racism-free utopia. Each incident of racism is viewed as an isolated problem. In the last ten years, SWC has been immersed in four major crises involving anti-black discrimination.

Although historically the racial tensions were limited to faculty, staff and administration, it has now seeped into the student body.

One need to look no further than this month’s ASO election debacle to see this reality. Institutional racism has become near impossible to deny, despite some writing it off as “debateable.”

Last year SWC President Dr. Kindred Murillo contracted a team led by Dr. Shaun Harper, the executive director of USC’s Race and Equity Center, to conduct a study on the racial climate of the campus. Their study found that among the 50 other campuses surveyed, SWC had one of the worst anti-black problems. Reports of racial slurs against black employees litter the pages of Harper’s report.

And yet people still deny anti-black behavior on campus.

Ignoring or denying the black community’s pain is indicative of a more subtle and insidious pattern of behavior that has plagued the campus.

We call the South Bay a melting pot of cultures, but fail to remember that each group’s biases simmer in the pot too.

Latinx students also face discrimination.

While SWC has labeled itself a safe place for undocumented students, many face the legitimate fears of family members or themselves being assaulted, harassed or deported each time they have an encounter with law enforcement. We have a Dreamer’s Center that The Sun is enthused about, but we need to serve more than the Latinx community.

What special accommodations have been made for the black community besides clubs that they had to create themselves? The small number of black student clubs are advised by an even smaller group of dedicated faculty. Nearly every organization or club on campus serving the Latinx population has a different leader.

There needs to be an increase in black faculty representation on SWC’s campus. There are only 13 black full-time faculty members, compared to 54 who are Latinx and 122 who are white. The

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SIOBHAN EAGEN

ASO and Governing Board are both comprised of predominantly Latinx members. The sole black candidate who ran for a seat on the Governing Board received no endorsements from any of the current members and was criticized when her platform was geared towards healing the black community.

Racism is not always an overt act. It has evolved beyond segregated schools and water fountains into a disguised monster. Activist Stokely Carmichael coined the term “institutional racism” during the Civil Rights Movement.

He said racism has two distinct classifications: individual and institutional. racism.

“The first consists of overt acts by individuals, which cause death, injury or the violent destruction of property,” he said. “This type can be recorded by television cameras; it can frequently be observed in the process of commission. The second type is less overt, far more subtle, less identifiable in terms of specific individuals committing the acts. But it is no less destructive of human life.”

A lack of black instructors and elected officials reveals a flaw in the system. But, over the past decade, we also had feces being left in the lockers of black custodians; police being wrongly called on black faculty for incorrect assumptions of homelessness. Now, in 2019, we have black students on the receiving end of potential hate crimes.

The pain left from these issues needs to be genuinely heard. We commend Murillo for trying to acknowledge the core issues of the institution, but this effort needs to stretch beyond the woman in charge and members of the black community fighting desperately for their voice to be heard.

Writing off their grievances by saying there is only a four percent black population on campus is saying their lives matter less as a minority. We need to shine a light on the knowledge they have been trying to provide the community.

Southwestern College administrators need to come up with solutions to the anti-black problem instead of just “working on it.” Having listening sessions and promoting changes in hiring processes of employees is a great first step, but in order to denounce the naysayers, it needs to be heard from administration that they blatantly acknowledge the dire state of the college.

Until then, people will continue to believe the college’s anti-black problem is still “up for debate.”

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Forms of childhood attachment develop into what therapists call “core beliefs.” For some people, negative core beliefs become seemingly inescapable relationship patterns.

They are responsible for the fixed way people feel about some of the most important and basic emotional needs such as safety, one’s lovability, and interpersonal expectations.

Contrary to what many assume, it’s not just children of totally absentee parents who grow up without these needs being met.

Emotionally distant caregivers and critical caregivers are just as likely to create negative core beliefs in their children.

Tragically, these beliefs are usually the product of a child’s coping mechanisms.

Someone growing up in an emotionally cold environment must adopt the belief that they are loved and cared for out of survival.

Once that child becomes an adult – that low bar no longer serves them and actually leads them to to habitually pursue unsafe and toxic relationships since they equate romance to the love modeled at home.

These relationships are breeding grounds for traumatic and triggering experiences.

When someone with abandonment trauma has a triggering experience they are likely to unintentionally make matters worse with their highly charged emotional responses which usually fall into four categories -- “freeze, flight, fight or fawn,” according to trauma expert and psychotherapist Pete Walker.

In order to find safe and deserving love, it is important to first identify negative core beliefs and how they manifest themselves so that negative situations can be avoided. No one is to blame for the way trauma affected how their brains developed. It is important to keep in mind that someone who holds one or more negative core beliefs about themselves deserves compassion and understanding, especially from themselves. It is possible to heal and very possible to find healthy love.

There are a few major negative core beliefs that account for a majority of self-sabotaging behaviors from people with abandonment trauma. They are: abandonment, mistrust and abuse, emotional deprivation, defectiveness and failure, according to author and psychologist Michelle Skeen.

Abandonment creates the belief that the person’s support system cannot be relied on to provide emotional support, connection or safety. This person might continue to pursue relationships with partners who say they are not ready to commit, people who are moving or leaving. They might even act out of fear that their loved ones will leave and begin to suffocate them at the first sign of perceived distance. This is also called the “fawn” reaction. This person believes they will ultimately always be alone and may make themselves over accessible to their partner, clingy, or desperate to provide for them out of fear of being left.

The defectiveness core belief often accompanies the abandonment belief. People afflicted with this belief are often convinced that no one could love them if the person “truly knew them.” They believe they are inherently flawed, to blame for their abuse or neglect, devaluing of their own positive qualities. As a result, they will probably seek partners who are critical and rejecting – thus continuing to be in situations which they are victimizing themselves.

The Failure core belief is a sister of shame and is incredibly powerful. It can cause a person to feel they are underachieving professionally, academically, or in talent. They often feel humiliated and unable to “measure up” to the successes of those around them.

This is why compassion is so important to the process of identifying core beliefs and healing from them. Brene Brown, expert researcher on shame and vulnerability, says shame causes people to feel that they are incapable of change. Brown says empathy is the opposite of shame – and that shame cannot survive empathy.

Sometimes children do not receive the love and safety that they deserve. It is unfair. It is also unfair that children must clean up the wreckage left by their caregivers after they leave the home.

For people who have these core beliefs, or have adapted these behaviors it is important to recognize the underlying fact: you are a survivor. What happened to you was not okay. But before any other feelings infiltrate - be proud of yourself. These patterns and thoughts once protected you, but it is okay to let them go now as they no longer serve your growth or relationships.

Siobhan’s full article can be read online at the swcsun.com

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The Southwestern College Sun

May. 24, 2019 — Vol. 62, Issue 5

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Algorithms are ruining the Internet

By Marty Loftin A perspective

Facebook users who say the wrong thing can get “zucked.” Posts criticizing men, such as those saying “men are trash” or “men are scum” will quickly result in a temporary ban. A living person does not even have to manually report the post.

Meanwhile on Twitter, content filters that eliminate Muslim extremist propaganda from the platform are not enforced on white supremacy because some Republican politicians would also be impacted.

YouTube’s recommended algorithm for advertising other videos is radicalizing people by sending people down a far-right rabbit hole.

Big Tech has become just as problematic as Big Oil, Tabaco and other international companies with monopolistic tendencies. Internetbased companies are using algorithms to regulate their platforms but the technology i s s t i l l i n i t s i n f a n c y.

Human monitoring is still incredibly important to stop the weaponization of the Internet.

There is a push to make algorithms freely available to the public to redistribute and modify. This would be a great way to shine a light on a dark industry and democratize web spaces.

Newer algorithms capable of learning, like Google’s DeepMind neural network, have the ability to evolve over time. After Google acquired YouTube, the network was told to select YouTube videos to watch and develop its own preferences from 10 million randomly selected videos. It learned to like cat videos without any preprogramming to know what a cat was.

This technology is guaranteed to be impactful when it is fully developed, but it becomes necessary to control how machines learn, lest they turn into racists like Microsoft’s 2016 AI chatbot Tay. This chatbot made racist tweets advocating genocide after interacting with Twitter posters for 16 hours before being shut down. Online hate groups celebrated the fact they “redpilled” an AI so quickly.

Microsoft released another chatbot later that year called Zo that people could talk to via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Skype and Kik. Though

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it also said a few controversial statements early on, Microsoft kept the program running until April 2019.

As websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube (among many others) have evolved, their responsibilities have changed. In an interview with the New York Times, Neal Mohan, YouTube’s chief product officer, said the site is trying to adapt but has to be careful on how they moderate content.

“I think when people come to YouTube looking for information, it has resulted in a shift in the way that we think about the responsibility of our platform,” Mohan said. “The challenges are harder because the line is sometimes blurry between what clearly might be hate speech versus what might be political speech that we might find distasteful and disagree with.”

On Facebook, an attack is defined as “violent or dehumanizing speech, statements of inferiority, or calls for exclusion

or segregation.”

But peruse the comments on any post made by a major media news site, and you’ll likely find each of these rules being broken by multiple posters. It is not difficult to find people using dehumanizing language that incites violence against various individuals or groups.

On the flip side, innocuous statements like “men are trash” are considered hate speech according to these rules, and are often and a u t o m a t i c a l l y e n f o rc e d by a n algorithm that can detect words but not context.

Facebook can be traced back to Mark Zuckerberg’s years as a student

at Harvard, where he created “Face Smash,” as site that allowed male students to rate the attractiveness of female students.

Early adopters of Facebook as we know it now were primarily college students who used it to meet other students and network. It has since mutated into a conglomerate website serving multiple purposes, primarily news aggregation.

Facebook has become dangerous for it’s inability to meaningfully counter the spread of disinformation and remove hate groups from its site. The crass commercialism of corporate media has weakened American journalism and the numbers of local newspapers have significantly dwindled across the country. Many

people get their news from articles shared on social media, but most do not even bother to read the story themselves, just the headline.

Social media websites have grown too large and unwieldy.

2.38 billion users access Facebook every month and 7,700 employees, and the algorithms they develop, are supposed to keep them under control. But without human judgment, algorithms make mistakes.

Consider how they allow Click Farms, fake accounts and bots to inflate the supposed popularity of those content creators who can afford the boost. On YouTube, coders exploit the autoplay function by creating low-quality, extremely long children’s

videos to gain ad revenue.

Bots are a serious issue. In politics, bots can be used to manipulate public opinion and manufacture consent. They inflate the credibility of unpopular positions and candidates by giving them the illusion of public support.

Twitter admitted in January 2018 that 50,258 accounts linked to Russian troll farms (organized disinformation creators and distributors) were able to disseminate content to at least 677,775 Americans. On Facebook, Russianbacked material reached millions of people, according Colin Stretch, a lawyer for Facebook.

“Our best estimate is that approximately 126 million people may have been served one of their stories at some point during the two-year [election cycle],” said Stretch.

Initially, Zuckerberg downplayed t h e w e b s i t e’s a b i l i t y t o s p r e a d misinformation and influence and election, calling it a “pretty crazy idea.”

Later he said, “calling that crazy was dismissive and I regret it.”

Those behind Big Tech companies need to stop minimizing their responsibility to their users and work harder to protect them from disinformation and violence.

Algorithms are flawed and given their impact should be open source so people can understand and improve them publically. If websites want to prove that they are not trying to control the content people consume for their own ends, transparency is key.

In the Rakhine state of northwest M y a n m a r, Fa c e b o o k’s l a c k o f responsibility led to over 10,000 deaths more than 700,000 members of the Muslim Rohingya community to flee the country amid military crackdowns and Buddhist-Extremist violence.

Disinformation spread on Facebook, which has an effective monopoly on social media in the country.

Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the U.N. Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, said that social media was part of the problem.

“It has ... substantively contributed to the level of acrimony and dissension and conflict, if you will, within the public,” Darusman said in an interview with a reporter from Reuters.

U.N Myanmar investigator Yanghee Lee said Facebook failed to prevent the spread of hate speech on their platform. “I’m afraid that Facebook has now turned into a beast, and not what it originally intended,” said Lee. People need to be held accountable for the failures of Big Tech. Algorithms can be blamed for small mistakes, but they cannot be punished for the sins of their creators.

Videogame addiction is serious business

By Jahaziel Valencia A perspective

Gambling mechanics and predatory practices have infected videogame culture and prey upon those who are easily addicted. As gaming has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry, game publishers have developed a variety of tactics to hook players.

Strategies include using loot boxes, or throttling, in game rewards to entice players, a common practice among major publishers. Another method, employed by Actvision, a leading publisher, is matching players who have paid for micro transactions with players who haven’t in order to subtly convince them to turn from players into payers.

While most have self-control over spending habits, the gaming industry’s tactics, much like casinos, rake in billions of dollars from “whales.”

These are people who have gambling and addiction issues and have tendencies to spend thousands of dollars on a product that isn’t even worth a dime.

A “lootbox,” is a blanket term that is used to describe randomized rewards given to players for their ingame progression. Through this gameplay loop, however, games such as “Overwatch” have made it to where the only thing you can earn in game via progression is cosmetics that you can obtain through loot box. Once you reach a certain rank in game, earning loot boxes slow down to a crawl. This leads players to purchase a bundle of loot boxes to gain a greater chance to obtain rare items. With some games, the cosmetics obtained via loot boxes can be gambled on third party websites in order to obtain real world money.

According to The Gambling Commission, a British Government agency that regulates the

gaming industry, items that can be traded for real world currency is considered gambling and whoever offers the items should have a gambling license.

As more people spend thousands of dollars on loot boxes, more publishers are getting into the act. For example, when a game called “Star Wars: Battlefront II,” which released in 2017, tied game progression directly with loot boxes, it caused an uproar in the gaming community.

When a game becomes “pay to win,” the only way to progress through the game is to buy your way though it. The idea that loot boxes are merely optional additions to a game becomes invalid once you have to obtain them to get better at the game. Players who do not have time to spend hours playing the game will then purchase loot boxes to gain an advantage against other players.

According to the Young People and Gambling Report published by the British Gambling Commission in 2018, around 31 percent of children ages 11-16 have paid money to open loot boxes and 71 percent of those children ages 11-16 have not been told to stop gambling because of their age. As these children grow into young adults, they will drop thousands of dollars on games with loot boxes in order to progress.

While the U.S. and the United Kingdom have yet to crack down on this practice, Belgium has gone so far as to threaten game publishers like Electronic Arts due to their use of loot boxes in games such as “FIFA.” Belgium charged Electronic Arts with committing underage gambling, which could result in an 800,000-euro fine and up to five years in prison for the publishers.

While the U.S. as a whole has not seen the idea

of loot boxes as underage gambling, Hawaii State Representative, Chris Lee, believes otherwise.

When “Star Wars: Battlefront II” was released he called it a “Star Wars-themed online casino designed to lure kids into spending money.”

Since first fighting against loot boxes, Lee has also proposed two bills to prevent the sale of games with loot boxes to children under the age of 21.

Predatory practices in games are present and ever evolving. If the gaming industry does not selfregulate, it’s possible that the law will come to regulate it. Meaning that gaming evolve into less of a pastime for individuals and more a constant minefield of trying to avoid the next get rich quick scheme.

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Design by Marty Loftin

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May 24, 2019 — Vol. 62, Issue 5

AR-15: Mass Shooter

Innocent Blood

In 2017, 39,773 people in the US were killed by firearms. Sixty percent of those deaths were suicides.

These numbers are made worse by the sheer volume of gun violence that affects the youngest, most vulnerable among the population. Not even schools are safe.

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• According to the Am Journal of Medicine,erican 1999 and 2017, 38,942 bewteen children were killed school-aged • These deaths range by firearms. per year among ageds from 340 2,050 per year among 5-14 and • Black children accou ages 15-18. percent of overall dnt for 41 despite representing eaths, percent of school-ag only 17 e children.

The National Rifle Association has called the AR15 “the most popular rifle in America,” named after the ArmaLite weapons manufacturer.

It is a semi-automatic civilian version of the M-16 assault rifle and the NRA estimates Americans own more than 8 million of these firearms.

Not every semi-automatic rifle is technically an AR-15, though they share many features, specifically the ability to kill many people in a short period of time.

Although advertised for sport shooting, hunting and self-defense, this type of weapon has become the weapon of choice for mass shooters.

Following the deadliest mass shooting in New Zealand, the country banned all semiautomatic and military-grade firearms and their ammunition.

Following the deadliest mass shooting in the US, bump-stocks that were banned instead.

These attachments modify the firing capabilities of semi-automatic weapons effectively making them fully-automatic.

In countries not numb to gun violence, actual change is possible.

Major AR-15 involved* mass shootings

*Some involved other firearms in addition to the AR-15

Chabad of Poway Synagogue Poway, California April 27, 2019 1 Killed, 3 injured Masjid al-Noor Mosque & Linwood Islamic Center Christchurch, New Zealand March 15, 2019 50 Killed, 50 injured Tree of Life Synagogue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Oct. 27, 2018 11 killed, 7 injured

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Majory Stoneman Douglas High School Parkland, Florida Feb. 14, 2018 17 Killed, 17 injured First Baptist Church Sutherland Springs, Texas Nov. 5, 2017 26 Killed, 20 injured Harvest Music Festival Las Vegas, Nevada Oct. 1, 2017 58 Killed, hundreds injured Pulse Nightclub Orlando, Florida June 12, 2016 49 Killed, 53 injured Inland Regional Center San Bernardino, California Dec. 2, 2015 14 Killed, 22 injured

*Data on gun deaths from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention , everytownresearch.org, and the American Journal of Medicine

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The Southwestern College Sun

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May 24, 2019 — Vol. 62, Issue 5

Gun Violence has a price The deadliest weapon in the United States is money.

Millions of dollars are spent influencing politicans through campaign contributions. They in turn sponsor legislation written by lobbyists to make firearms more accessible and the industry behind them less accountable.

NRA Positions Against universal background checks Supports stand-yourground laws Against AssaultWeapons Ban

Against allowing victims of gun violence to sue weapons manufacturers Supports permitless carry Against legislation limiting concealed permits Against Child Access Prevention laws Against gun restrictions because of mental illness Against gun restrictions of those on FBI terrorist watchlist

Lobbying for gun control Millions of Dollars Spent*

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the “NRA’s point person in Congress” for suppressing scientific research on the issue.

In a 2015 interview with NPR, Dickey said that too much time had been wasted already. “All this time that we have had, we would’ve found a solution, in my opinion,” he said.

In the more than thirty years since the Dickey amendment, the Republican Party has passed the torch from one spending bill to the next.

Every year, the NRA donates millions of dollars to candidates who will work towards keeping any gun control legislation from seeing the light of day.

With some five million members as of 2018 (selfreported by the NRA), and drawing revenue of $433.9 million in 2016, the organization influences elections across the country.

Campaign contributions from the NRA are both a carrot and a stick. If politicians stay in line they get the carrot, but if they act out of turn those campaign donations are weaponized and be given to an opponent more willing to ignore gun legislation.

Originally founded by two Union Civil War veterans and a New York Times reporter in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship of northerners, the NRA supported a number of gun control reforms up until the 1930s.

But in the decades since, it has become a powerful political entity dedicated to preventing any legislation that might negatively affect the profitability of weapons manufacturers.

Until very recently, the fight for sensible gun reform seemed impossible. That began to change on Dec. 14, 2012.

That day, a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. and killed 20 children and six adult staff members.

Following Sandy Hook, more money and effort has gone into gun control legislation. Each election cycle since 2012 has seen increases of campaign contributions from gun control groups. In 2018, these groups raised $5.5 million compared to the $4.4 million spent by lobbying groups working against such legislation, according to data from opensecrets.org.

Recently, the Democratic-controlled House passed a budget that removes the Dickey amendment and sets aside $50 million split between the CDC and the National Institute of Health for firearm injury and mortality prevention research. This budget must still pass through the Senate, but it seems more likely than ever that change is possible.

Meanwhile, the NRA is in a weakened position.

Going into the next election cycle, the organization is struggling with corruption among its leadership, financial issues and a scandal involving a Russian spy.

Lobbying against gun control Millions of Dollars Spent*

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$1.6

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A landmark study in 1993 by physician and epidemiologist Arthur Kellermann confirmed the obvious: that the incidence of gun-related homicide or injury at home directly correlates with whether people keep guns in their homes.

Keeping a firearm at home for personal protection is counterproductive and the “greatest threat to the lives of household members appears to come from within,” Kellermann concluded.

The study was funded by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In response, the National Rifle Association lobbied then- U.S. Congressman Jay Dickey, R-Ark., to target CDC funding. Representative Dickey introduced a rider into an omnibusspending bill in 1996 that has stuck for over 30 years.

This provision mandated that “none of the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the [CDC] may be used to advocate or promote gun control.”

Omnibus bills combine multiple appropriation budgets into a single package so to make them require only a single vote to pass. This rider has stuck around like a parasite because it was never important enough to remove without risking the rest of the bill.

The so-called Dickey Amendment may not have explicitly outlawed the CDC from researching gun violence, but the mandate came with massive budget cuts – $2.6 million that was used to study gun violence was redirected towards the study of traumatic brain injury. This was a message not to dig into gun violence or the CDC would lose even more funding.

Soon after the 2012 mass shooting in Aurora, Colo., in which 12 people were killed and 70 injured during the midnight release of “The Dark Knight Rises,” Dickey publicly reversed his position on gun violence research. He said he regretted how the amendment functioned as an effective ban on all public health research into gun violence and for having served as

h c r a e s e R ce C n D e l C o i v n u g into evention r p d n a

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*Data on contributions by lobbyist groups provided by opensecrets.org

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May 24, 2019—Volume 62, Issue 5

GRADUATION

The Southwestern College Sun

Congratulations S 2018 Fall Graduates

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS • Katelyn Mae Abels • Graciela Lizzet Aguilar • Sky Amour Alarcon • Safa Qasim Alasady • Anna Rose B Alcantara • Jonathan Alcaraz • Richelle Rose Esquivel Alfonso • Victoria Elizabeth Allen • Andrew Nolan Bermeudez Almazan • Sakurako Alston • Eduardo Alvarez • Victor Daniel Andrade • Kevin Arce • Macarena Arceo • Selena Arizala • April Avendano • Divina Mia Lily Avila • Shannon Sandi Azocar • Kristin Trias Babadilla • Samira Abdi Babul • Evelyn Marie Balanag • Rachel Kay Balilo • Jayleen Ballesteros • Mcdarryl Banares • Rolan Diaz Bangalan • Leticia Barcenas • Vianney Barraza • Ana Gabriela Becerra • Aitiana Priscilla Bedoya • Kristina Demore Belantes • Javier Beltran • Corinna Bethany Bennett • Juan Carlos Bermudo • Ana Bernal • Laura Louise Blosser • Kateley Marie Boardman • Vanessa Bodzon • Oscar Bonilla • Kimberly Denise Brown • Carlotta Davina Calhoun • Brian Raymond Calilung • Randolph Joseph Camacho • Adrianne Christine Candelaria • Andrea Carissa Canedo • Mary Anne Capetillo-Luna • Sophia Durago Carangalan • William Tan Carino • Lidia Caro • Stephanie Castaneda • Valerie Victoria Castanon • Kassandra Castillo • Emily Paige Castillo-Yrigoyen • Andrea Castro • Karla Marina Castro • Maxine Alexis Cepeda • Destiny Esmeralda Cervantes • Angelica Erica Cesena • Sarkawt Rashid Chamsaydi • Ahluem Chang • Jose Chatham • Jaeneen Mae Ramirez Chung • Carlos Raul Cisneros • Titishia Sharie Clemons • Evangelina Contreras • Stephanie Jocelyn Cordova • Paola Cecilia Coria • Jacqueline Cornejo • Melissa Corral • Naomi Corral • Hailey Amanda Cote • Trevor Bradley Cox • Angelica Gregorio Crescines • Aissia Ynez Cruz • Rubi Cuevas Bautista • Arnold Anthony Dauz • Bertha Ramona Del Villar • Karina Delgado • Jose Maria Diaz • Zaira Michelle Diaz • Raymond Ian Dorado • Mayra Karina Enciso • Angel Estrada • Celeste Gisselle Estrada • Sammy Jose Estrada Mata • Kristina Enerva Evangelista • Brandon Roland Fernando • Jaicelle Jane Encarnacion Ferrer • Cayla Ciela Figueroa • Jose Manuel Flores • Annabella Maria Flores • Sandra Nallely Frias • Bertha Frutos • Valeria M Gallegos • Monique Arao Garcia • Samantha Barbara Garcia • Leah Garcia-Carey • Victor Eduardo Genera • Vianey Gomez-Larraguibel • Priscilla Marie Gonzales • Hugo Bernard Gonzalez • Mario Adrian Gonzalez • Cynthia Natalie Gonzalez • Cristian Gonzalez-Mejia • Victoria Hernandez Guerrero • Christian Duenas Gutierrez • Claudia Melissa Gutierrez • Diana Estefania Guzman-Monterrubio • Cristian Daniel Hanau • Jose Alejandro Hashem • Brooke Marie Heath • Cassandra Hernandez • Alexis Herrera • Laura Maritza Herrera • Francisco Miguel Higuera-Gomez • Ashley Samantha Hiner • Paul Michael Pizarro Hizon • Michael Anthony Hobbs • Sienna Beltran Huber • Zachary Andrew Hummell • Sabrina Rose Ibarra • Hyegyeong Jo • Ursula Lynn Johnson • Steven Lewis Johnston • Claudia Yaneth Juarez • Shawna Marie Karmes • Diego Julian Lara • Paulina Dj Lara • Elizabeth Ledezma • Robert John Leech • Matthew James Leksell • Monica Lizbeth Lepe • Orlando Rodrigo Leyva • Yzellah Lemus Libao • Lorena Mackenzie Limon • Roberta Hazel Logan • Stephen Lee Logsdon • Destiny Charlene Lone • Rogelio De Jesus Lopez • Tomas Antonio Lopez • Ashley Vanessa Lopez • Carolina Lopez Rivera • Carolina Andrea Lopez-Scharff • Julio Cesar Lozano Cardenas • Sara Nicole Luna • Brittany Allison Lynn • Michael Ian Malinis • Zynthia Lynn Manalansan • Kristel Anne Mercado Mangahas • Joseph Michael Martinez • Jose Alejandro Martinez • Alan Jesus Martinez • Jim Calbid Marvin • Luz Elena Medina • Oscar Eduardo Medina • Monica Michelle Mejia • Elizabeth Faith Melton • Jennifer Melissa Menjivar • Jeannette Amanda Meraz • Jesus Trinidad Mercado • Carly Yvonne Mercado • Maria Lourdes Mercado • Abigail Mina • Josely Miranda Mendoza • Viridiana Montes • Luis Fernando Moreno • Spencer K Narciso • Michael William Nauss • Eunice Navarrete • An Thuy Thuy Nguyen • Nancy Janetth Nunez • Bianca Oliva Garcia • Jamie Kristine Oram • Anais Mayra Ortiz • Ruth Sophia Ortiz • Marco Antonio Palacios • Christopher Kyle Parungao • Marc Kevin Lorenzo Payte • Gabriel Pena • Isabelle Angelica Pena • Eduardo Perez • Rosmar Perez • Juan Arnaldo Perez Chenge • Amanda Jean Phan • Sophia Gabriella Pineda • Aruna Amaranayake Pothumulle-Kankanamge • Jorge E. Poveda • Paola Eunice De Silos Priela • William Xavier Pua • Richard Quezada • Cinthia Quezada • Jocelyn Karen Ramirez • Maria Leticia Ramirez • Heather Lauren Rawolle • Carlos Real • Jazlyn Reyes • Rickye Rice • Angel Rios • Alejandra Robles • Margaret Alexa Rodriguez • Ciara Gabriela Rodriguez • Kenia Isabel Rodriguez • Demitria Lanay Rogers • Monica Elizabeth Rojas Cabrera • Jonathan Roman • Rowel Francisco Romero • Ricardo Augustine Romero • Madeleine V Salazar • Esteban Salazar-Cesena • Chelsea Maria Sanchez • Johanna Eustacia Sanchez • Jose Antonio Sanchez • Joanna Sandoval • Rocio Sandoval • America Yasmin Sandoval • Ryan James Santiago • Alyna Rene Schlachter • Karina Schonbrun • Marissa A Sena • Julia Ann Sherman • Rachel Jane Shinkle • Polett Silahua • Jocelyn Alexandra Silva • Mark Garren Aquino Sinagub • Tawyanna Smith Hamilton • Joshua Soliven • Fernando Sotelo • Alexander Cesar Soto • Sherri Lynn Steiner • Karla Suarez • Ismael Talavera • Gabriel Darwin Tan • Daniel Arturo Tapia • Araceli Tellez Munoz • Sabrina Marie Teodoro • Enrellee M Thomas • Gerardo O Torres • Ismael Toscano • Leticia Lizette Urenda • Abraham Raul Valdez • Victor David Valdovinos • Rebecca Florence Vargas • Christian Paul Varner • Abby Arahi Vasquez Waters • Omar Alejandro Velazco • Gabriela Velazquez • Madeleine Valenzuela Vicman • Dylan Sabastion Viera • Jonathan Andrew Wascher • Zamara Lashanda White • Aryn Marie Whitt • Brianna Nicole Wilson • Jeanette Ybarra Wright • John Raymond Yambao • Cristina Soledad Yanez • Ricardo Klein Yataco • Estefania Del Carmen Zamudio • Christopher Donald Zoch ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE • Jacob Elias Acosta • Fernando Aguilar • William Alarcon • Oscar Alvarez • Ariel Lindalyn • Vicente Anicete • Ernesto Arias • Francisco Arreguin Jr • Mirna Sayra Arvizu • Evan Ruben Ballesteros • Eduardo Benitez • Jan-Sheirom Navarro Borci • Kyle Zachary Brainer • Jesus Bernardo Calderon • Joseph Andrew Calilung • Wendy Michele Cardenas • Jose Luis Carrasco • Lisa Marie Casas • Lorena Maithe Casas • Brandon Eric Cave • Emilio D Cebreros • Maricarmen Cervantes • Miguel Angel Chavez • Yesenia Sandra Conde • Sydnee Rose Cruse • Veronica Cruz • Tiffani Gurene Czapinski • Evan Honree Davis • Ruben De Anda Lomeli • Joshua De La Rosa • Anthony Deguire • Abraham Delatorre • Danny Alexander Delgado • Alejandro Xavier Dilger • Karla Vanessa Dominguez • Colin Duong • Emilio Duron • Milt Ellison • Alma Equihua • Carina Elizabeth Erb • Clarisa Escobar • Kellyjoe Taunan Espenida • Stacy Renee Estrada • Apolo Combatir Estrada • Ronald Christopher Ezop • Monica Elena Fierro • Andres Bruno Figueroa • Betsy Quetzal Flores • Terrell Amar Flores • Armando Julian Flores • Elmy D Flores • Angela Renee Fortado • Brenna Lynn Frazier • Uriel Frutos • Rosa Gallardo • Jonathan Garcia • Edward Alexander Garcia • Jesus Eduardo Garcia • Amber Jae Garro • Ximena Gil • Brandon J Gill • Ray Guerrero • Alfredo Federico Guzman • Alma Virideana Guzman • Aaron Harris • Viviana Haskal Munoz • Albert Celestino Hernandez • Alan Israel Huitron • Eric Juan Jaque • Bhetsy Paola Jimenez • Maribel Juarez • Richard Andrew Kozlowski • Ashley Marie Lacy • Guadalupe Gabriela Leon • Armando Leyva • Alberto Lomeli • Brandon Lopez • Laura Michele Magers • Joann Mae Eugenio Mamuyac • Jessica Lizette Martinez • Luz Angelica Martinez • David Martinez • Thomas Gabriel Martinez • Trever James Mckenna • Sabrina Lynn Medina • Clarissa Mendez Flores • Kristianne Molina • Josue Emmanuel Munoz • Brandon Yosuf Najeeb • Quat Van Nguyen • Christopher Elias Nigh • Nicole Angela Nkwizire • Alec Sebastian Orenday • Julissa Ortiz • Evelyn Ortiz Pardo • Isaac A Pacheco • Isaia Joel Pacheco • Omar Padilla • Naville Andrea Pastrana Leon • Dane Collin Randolph • Klyden Gesultura Roca • Joshua Michael Rubidoux • Betina Ivette Rubio • Hector Gilberto Ruiz • Laiza Annette Saldana • Hector Eliazar Sanchez • Javier Ivan Sanchez • David Sanchez • Alexandria Madonna Scully • Nicolas Yuki Sharp • Branden David Solis • Khala Nicole Sovey • Elizabeth Rebecca Stolz • Noah Ezra Thompson • Christian Donald Tyson • Jessica C Urvina • Ruben B Vazquez • Jezzyda Velez • Shannon Nicole Villa • Jesus Alejandro Villanueva • Abdullah Wardak • John Harrison Webb • Charles Allen White • Christopher David Williams CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT • Gabriella Lizeth Aguirre • Zahra Mishref Alabdullah • Annabel Alvarez • Maria Fernanda Barreras Flores • Dequan Bartlett • Kristen Leticia Brians • Raquel Tec Callejo • Angelica Cardenas • Victor M Castro • Jose Alberto Chavez Perez • Renee Denise Conly • Leonardo Roberto Cuen • Michelle Diane Davenport • Siebie Davis • Bernard Dogan • Tori Helen Dunham • Abraham Duran Collado • Rasheed M Farha • Richard-Austeen Rojo Gabat • Ronald A Gezzi • Claudia Alejandra Gonzalez • Mayra Melissa Hernandez • Andres Huerta • Mark Anthony Ibarra • Abril Lopez • Edgar Malave Flores • Brian Douglas Mcmullen • Maria Isabel Medina De Sklavenitis • Monica Laura Mendoza • Travis Joseph Messick • Judith Montoya • James William Moon • Davone Dontel Osby Ward • Nicole Marie Payment • Miguel Angel Pena • Marco Antonio Raya • Blanca Nieves Rodriguez • Julieta Gaylon Ruaya • Katherine Kari Rubio • Myra Alejandra Salas • Marcos S Salazar • Ariel Salgado • Korrina Sanchez • Lucretia Sarmiento • Andres Saucedo • Janetta D. Scates • Ibrahim Serdah • Ricardo Serrano • Jasmine Apollonia Sifuentes • Richard John Slattery • Trenton Miles Stewart • Freddy Roberto Tec • Leslie Monserrat Toriz • Christopher Sebastian Trejo • Diana Laura Villa • Jarrett Mel Williams

2019 Spring Graduates

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS • Najma Mohammed Abdi • Anne Reejhin Flores Abegania • Jon Vera Claveria Acayan • Alejandra Acosta • Arely Acosta • Jessica Acosta • Jodette Francisca Acosta • Jodi Faye Adair • Jelly Mae Agapay • Chelsea Aguirre Aguayo • Gabriela Aguilar • Paulina Aguilar • Sabrina Sarai Aguilar • Ronald Kristian Aguilera • Carolina Marie Aguirre • Kassandra Celeste Aguirre • Carissa Erika Ainsworth • Alika Kamahalo Aipa • Manuel Alberto Aispuro • Ricardo Alcantar • Adriana Alcazar • Samantha Raye Nicole Algario • Miren L. Algorri • Hanan Barre Hashi Ali • Hussein Mohamed Ali • Marta Q Almaraz • Rasha Almusawi • Valentina Isabel Alonzo • Sakurako Alston • Karina Vianey Altamirano • Jennifer Yvonne Alvarado • Jose Miguel Alvarado • Mario Alvarado • Rigoberto Jr. Alvarez • Kenneth Jermaine Alvero • Fernando Daniel Amezcua • Richard Daniel Amezola • Diana Ruiz Anastacio • Diana Valeria Anguiano • Rosa Linda Anguiano • Jesselle Amancio Antes • Julia Mikhailovna Aptekman • Christian Ferds Martin Aquino • Raezel Basa Aquino • Rosario Aranda • Adelaida Marie Arce • Sylvia Paola Arce-Hurtado • Macarena Arceo • Mariana Arceo • Yessenia Arechiga • Andres Arellano • Emma Gabriela Arenivas • Iliana Minerva Arias • Alejandro Jeronimo Armendariz • Alexis Margeaux Armenta • Colleen Larae Arquines • Abraham Arredondo • Javier Elias Arreola • Mariana Jazmin Arreola • Alma Valerie Astorga • Vanessa Aleina Auditor • Ada Jazel Parcia Aujero • Cassandra Avila-Estrada • Alejandro Ayala • Carlos Francisco Ayala • Kassandra Ayala • Colleen Elizabeth Aycock • Giselle Arce Ayson • Kristen Ann Bailey • Andrew Scott Baker • Reslei Camille Soriano Balatbat • Brianna Marie Balboa • Gener Burgos Banal • La Tasha Renee Banks • Ana Gabriela Barajas • Isabel Barnachia • Jessica Paola Barrera • Viviana Xochitl Barrera • Diana Zoila Barrientos • Jorge Antonio Barriga • Sergio Gustavo Barrios • Cassandra Marie Barron • Daniel Ray Barron • Jeannette Barron • Crystal Lynn Bascon • Jamielyn Verdejo Basilio • Marlene Eliza Basurto • Sarah Mae Baucom • Tristan Luke Bauer • Michaela Jen Bayas • Rodizza Garner Baytan • Francesca Leah Liamzon Beaird • Emilse Cristina Becerra • Guillermo Beckmann • Marina Araceli Becquer • Shawn Deandre Bedgood • Aitiana Priscilla Bedoya • Kristina Demore Belantes • Lionel Orlando Beltran • Raul Benitez-Medina • Brent Augusto Bernal • Nathan Thomas Bernardo • Michael William Berry • Kathy Bezada • Mary Antoinette Pacoma Biller • Aleigha Marie Binda • Amkapg A Birdsall • Valeria Blanco • Michelle Libunao Blas • Justin Eric Bleisch • Brandi Janelle Bobo • Kyland Reese Boggess • Elise Natalia Borbon • Yvette Angelina Borjas • Michael Robert Boyd • Storm Phoenix Breed • Kristen Leticia Brians • Megan Cho Brickett • Rachel Bridges • Dereck Geovany Brito • Gabriela Brodsky • Anna Maria Brown • Cashiera Milee Brown • Kesha Sheria Brown • Quinton Diante Brown • Sidney Megan Brown • Jordyn Willis Bryant • Glenn Libarios Bucton • Chloe Marie Buehrer • Marcos Bueno • Holly Marie Bumgarner • Christopher James Burritt • Sabrina L Burton • Steven Daniel Butcher • Jacqueline Buu • Alondra Vanessa Cabantoy • Randy Cabral • Ivonne Patricia Cabrera • Cristine Loren Sumaoang Cadiente • Mirabelle Basa Calderon • Andrea Alejandra Camacho • Carina Camacho-Cuevas • Matthew Canett • Reilly-Angela Pagulong Canos • Airi Cao • Mary Anne Capetillo-Luna • Anthony Tetreault Carbonell • Jonathan Alexander Cardel • Alejandra Gabriela Cardenas • William Tan Carino • Annette Yanelli Carmona • Josue Dario Caro • Xavier Caro • Dyhana Carrasco • Melissa Carrasco • Aranelly Carrillo • Jazzmyn Lyn Casillas • Isabella Casimiro • Annie Melina Castanos • Talia Andrea Castellanos • Ivy May Lansang Castillo • Andrea Castro • Brenda Nicole Castro • Eddie Castro • Esteban B Castro • Karla Marina Castro • Nicole Castro • Sandra Castro • Sergio Castro • Alberto Catano • Brenda Isabel Cazares • Juzzete Ann Cebreros • Jocelyn Cebreros • Maria Emma Cebreros-Torres • Alejandra Cedillo • Nicole Marie Ceja • Carlos Rene Celaya • Natalie Cerezo • Yessica Lizzeth Cervantes • Maria Minerva Cervantes Acevedo • Angelica Erica Cesena • Julia Brianne Chambers • Josiah Nathaniel Charles • Jacqlyn Franchesca Chavez • Samantha Chavez • Maria Abigail Chavez Quintero • Mengge Chen • Elizabeth Ivett Chiroque • Kimberlyn Carmen Chiroque • Fabrizzio Nicoli Chowell • Adonai Chung • Jaeneen Mae Ramirez Chung • Daisy Ciru • Christine Rae Clark • Mikel Yvan Clementi • Ana Karen Coca • Alexa Joy Coles • Angel Pacheco Collins • Brianna Colmenero • James Joseph Conedy • Amy Contreras • Bricia Amairani Contreras • Mari D Contreras • Jonayacel Bernice Pasno Conui • Mariah Isabella Cooper • Alejandro Copley • Lizeth Anahi Coral Camarena • Hector Cordova Iii • Ricky Corea • Nadine Melanie Cornejo Choy • Alize Janelle Corona • Airam Aseret Corona • Carlos Felipe • Stephanie Corrado • Christina Marie Cortese • Alicia Paola Cortez Ramirez • Alexus S Cosio • Christian Eduardo Cosme • Alejandra Covarrubias • Patrick William Craven • Danielle Clara Crocker-Lange • Heather Leann Crowell • Cassandra Naomi Cruz • Gerry Anthony Cruz • Marisa Ann Marie Cruz • Eunice Urmasa Dacasin • Kayla Simone Daniels • Kandice Alexis Daniels • Arnold Anthony Dauz • Ra’sean Anthony Davie • Arantxa Cecilia Davila • Lindsey Paige Davis-Stevens • Abigail De La Torre Hinojosa • Alexandra Beatriz De Leon • Danielle Raena De Leon • Deanna Alyssa De Leon • Jonathan Christian Manzano Del Rosario • Victor Andrez Del Toro • Dennior Duag Dela Pena • Erricka Delamancha • Aryes Mark Delcastillo • Andrea Delgado • Desiree Delgado • Janely Marie Delgado • Aileen Mangosing Delosreyes • Arthur Louis Diaz • Adriana Nicole Diaz • Miguel Angel Diaz • German Rafael Diaz Mejia • Alice Katherine Dickson • Javier Diego Jacinto • Melanie Crystal Dillard • Samantha Nicole Dimaano • Erica Kathleen Dishon • Darlyn Baclig Dolopo • Diana Leticia Dominguez • Kasey Kimberly Dominguez • Selena Dominguez • Mariana Dominguez Zepeda • David Lawrence Donathan • Gianfranco Piero Dongo • Jaylenne Casey Oquendo Dotarot • Mildred Aboy Dotimas • Paola Duarte • Janelle Delacruz Ducut • Samantha Alexis Duran • Caitlin Siobhan Eagen • Angela Victoria Ebalo • Lean Paolo Pascua Ebalo • Danae Marie Edwards • Daniel Lee Egert • Rachel Dizon Elevado • Alejandro Ismael Enriquez • Stephanie Roxanna Erding • Maritza Nicole Escudero • Alliza Perez Esguerra • Evelin Esparza Garcia • Eric Ryan Espina • Cynthia Catherine Espinosa • Nicola Isabelle Espinosa • Robert Espinoza • Miguel Alejandro Esquivies • Angel Estrada • Celeste Gisselle Estrada • Ernesto Estrada • Jesus Roberto Estrada • Karen Estrada • Jose Alejandro Estrada Ibarra • Jorge Eduardo Ezquivel Salazar • Rose Celica Ramos Fajardo • Jose Antonio Farfan • Alfredo Arturo Farias • Luisa Yank Favela • Quincy Blake Ferebee • Carolina Fernandez • Karla Berenice Fernandez • Cindy Elefane Fernando • Dennis Ferreira • Claudia Guadalupe Ferrer • Josie B Fialko • Miriam Figueroa • Maria Fernanda Figueroa • Robert Anthony Figueroa • Alyssa Isabel Figueroa-Gonzales • Danae Marie Findley • Timothy Joseph Fink • Jeffrey V Fleckenstein • Alexis Gabriela Flores • Marisol Maria Flores • Paulina Yasmine Flores • Richard Flores • Yaremi Flores • Guillermo Flores-Chapa • Joshua Lee Flynn • Kenia Adly Fontaine • Karlette Fragozo • Sophia Franco • Jessica Hope Franks • Evelin C Frausto • Ruth Noemi Frausto • Sandra Nallely Frias • Lauryn Elaine Kate Gabriel • Rosa Gallardo • Aryanna Esther Galvan • Joseph Michael Galvan • Sharon Asahy Gandara • Alejandro L Garcia • Arturo Garcia • Christopher Garcia • Cassandra Beatriz Garcia • Edward Alexander Garcia • Eva Guadalupe Garcia • Francky Avalon Garcia • Gabrielle Marie Garcia • Giselle Annamaria Garcia • Jaime David Garcia • Michelle Garcia • Manuel Merced Garcia • Marla Aurora Garcia • Maya Angelica Garcia • Marlen Yadira Garcia • Melanie Garcia • Rebecca Dolores Garcia • Tiari Elcena Garcia • Valeria Garcia • Nallely Del Carmen Garcia Morales • Aimelene Lipumano Garon • Shirley Ann Garske • Nicholas Alan Gasparro • Jesell Kasandra Gastelum • Kibrom Ogbai Gebregziabher • Ximena Gil • Selena Marie Glenister • Esteban Lorenzo Godden • Alana Nicole Kikanani Godoy • Leiahna Marie Goleta-Cruz • Irish Mae Lelis Gollon • Bianca Gomez • Carlos Alberto Gomez • Christian Xavier Gomez • Fabricio Roman Gomez • Samantha Lizeth Gomez • Priscilla Marie Gonzales • Angelica Gonzalez • Cazandra Yvonne Gonzalez • Cirena Marie Gonzalez • Cindy Patricia Gonzalez • Diana Isabel Gonzalez • Diana Laura Gonzalez • Damalish Alejandra Gonzalez • Francisco Emmanuel Gonzalez • Hector Luis Gonzalez • Ivana Lizet Gonzalez • Kennia Jissel Gonzalez • Karen Arlyn Gonzalez • Michael Gonzalez • Nallely Elizabeth Gonzalez • Uslan Javier Gonzalez • Jessica Aracely Gonzalez Arroyo • Gabriela Elizabeth Gonzalez Martinez • Luis Alonso Gonzalez-Marin • Cristian Gonzalez-Mejia • Joshua Micheal Graham • Beyca Lilian Granados • Jessica Marie Grippo • Kaitlyn Marie Gritts • Diego William Grizzle • John Paul Guarnes • Aira Mariz Oira Gubat • Aaron Guerra Hernandez • Jennifer Yvonne Guerrero • Ashley Marie Guilbeau • Nathaly Guillen • Chinyere Guinyard • Joshua Earl Guivara • Amir Sayed Gull • Claudia Melissa Gutierrez • Emilie Ramona Gutierrez • Paola G. Labrada • Rigoberto Adair Gutierrez • Breanna Monique Guzman • David A Guzman • Krisia Yanin Guzman • Brett Patrick Hagey • James Alfred Hansen • Amber Marie Hard • Melissa Alexis Harmon • Jovana Carolina Haro • Jewel St. Frances Nic Haroun • Briana Azeret Hatefi • Christiane Mekayla Hearn • D’vante Vashawn Herbert • Melissa Janeth Heredia • Alberto Nicholas Hernandez • Abraham Hernandez • Amci Hernandez • Catherine Ariadna Hernandez • Cassandra Hernandez • Carlos Cesar Hernandez • Genesis Levin Hernandez • Juan Alejandro Hernandez • Kimberly Hernandez • Martin Eduardo Hernandez • Paola Hernandez • Saul M Hernandez • Alan Ulises Hernandez Aleman • Valeria Hernandez-Fuentes • Madelaine Hernandez-Levin • Victoria Herrera • Lisa K Higgins • Ashley Samantha Hiner • Paul Michael Pizarro Hizon • Nicole Lopez Hoener • Candace Briana Hopkins • Miguel Francisco Hornedo • Carmen Aileen Horta • Zoe Rhea Horta • Gabrielle Andrea Hubbard • Emily Jean Huddleston • Lenesha Shana Hudson • Abril Huerta • Jorge Alexander Huerta • Karen Esmeralda Huerta Carballo • Marco Antonio Huinquez • Marcia Cassandra Hunter • Gabriela Aramis Huracha • Coraima Alejandra Hurtado • Gisselle Shantal Hurtado • Priscilla Hurtado • Marlyn Lorraine Hwang Castro • Matthew Dylan Ibarra • Melissa Iribe • Iliana Mireia Isaia • Imani Moana Isaia • Jenelle Mari Dizon Isidro • Sala Sarah Marie Iuli-Nunez • Aaron Edward Ivanovich • Teairah D Jackson • Tyler Alexis Jacobs • Daniel Alan Jaimes • Breannon James • Eric Juan Jaque • Brianna Jaramillo • Nelly Cuevas Jasso • Jasmine Bassam Jeries • Diana Veronica Jimenez • Franco Jimenez • Nataly Jocelyn Jimenez • Hyegyeong Jo • Heather Darice Jones • Jessica Julia Jones • Brittany Len’a Jordan • Darien T Jordan • Brianna Juarez • Diana Elizabeth Juarez • Monica Ashley Juarez • Sthefania Juarez • Rhenalynn Marcelo Junio • Deddeh W Kaba • David Nathan Kalyn • Christopher Manuel Kilna • Susan Kim • Yong-Ja Kim • Samantha Michelle Kober • Iman Konja-Collins • Molley Kamara Kosso • Amie Marie Krankkala • Farah Krayem • Paulina Lagarda-Ruiz • Shenelle Lamas • Leonor Aylin Lara • Paulina Dj Lara • Agustin LaresCoronado • Jorge Alejandro Lazo • Eun Mi Lee • Jeanne Lee • Meagan Shaye Lee • Yeeun Lee • Leslie Isabella Lee Navarro • Corina Lemus Salazar • Nicholas Leon • Naomi Esther Leon • Monica Lizbeth Lepe • Micah James Letts • Timothy John Lewis • Marco Leyva • Wei Li • Monica Liang Zhang • Zayra Patricia Liera-Sanchez • Samantha Kate Lim • Lorena Mackenzie Limon • Gianpaul Lincoln • Hugo Jose Lino • Antonio Lizarraga • Alexys Lizarraga-Bautista • Alexis Gerardo Llamas • Re’onni La’vette Lockett • Destiny Charlene Lone • Ashley Vanessa Lopez • Brianna Celeste Lopez • Celeste Lopez • Fabiola Isabel Lopez • Gizelle Lopez • Joel M Lopez • Jennifer Lopez • Jesus Felipe Lopez • Juan Pablo Lopez • Laura Jeanette Lopez • Pamela Sarahi Lopez • Raul Espinoza Lopez • Rogelio Lozoya • Christian Fernando Luna • Lyandra Nicole Luna • Sara Nicole Luna • Kellie Yvana Lundor • Adrian Paul Lymburn • Sadie Gabriela Lyons • Kim Timothy Macaspac • Samantha Machado • Jaime Raul Machorro • Alberto Patricio Macias • Andrew Ulysses Macias • Emmanuel Guadalupe Macias • Xavier Carter Macias • Drake Anthony Madarang • Dustin Ryan Magallanes • Jose Magallon • Ilse Maria Magana • Maricella Sandra Magana • Abigail Samantha Magdaleno • Zynthia Lynn Manalansan • Hazel Dacanay Mangayat • Jairo Manrique • Joarid Coral Manzanet • Dafne Manzano • Sophia Marie Maple • Giovanni Marin • Neyda Lizette Marquez • Estevan Jones Marron • Kevin Scott Marshall • Ivan Marta • Valeria Martin Del Campo • Barush Martinez • Celestino Gonzales Martinez • Daniela Martinez • Gustavo Martinez • Jessica Lizette Martinez • Jennifer Ashley Martinez • Jose Alejandro Martinez • Maria Elizabeth Martinez • Michael Ethan Martinez • Noemi Julissa Martinez • Ruth Yaireth Martinez • Joshua Ray Mason • Kadijah Yvonne Mason • Luis Fernando Matos-Tovar • Cassidy Diane Matthie • Adelaide Mesias Mattson • April Genevieve Mau • Kenetta Denee Maye • Jordan Casey Mayfield • Daniel Mazin-Lugo • Juan Lu Mcguire • Shamiquil Breandra Mcknight • Destiny Elise Mclaurin • Yvonne Medel • Keren Abbie Medina • Mariela Medina • Maria Isabel Medina De Sklavenitis • Monica Michelle Mejia • Miguel Angel Mejia • Marvin Randy Mejia • Selene Del Rocio Mejia • Araceli Melchor-Garza • Abigail Josephine Mellow • Sofia Mencia • Ivonne Mendez • Nicholas M Mendez • Alexandra Mendivil • Steven Americo Mendivil • Estefania Mendoza • Esmeralda Mendoza • Nathan James Mendoza • Maura Stephanie Mendoza-Cano • Abigail Mendoza-Ornelas • Jeannette Amanda Meraz • Yesenia Denisse Meraz • Edna Iris Mercado • Jenny Elyssa Meza • Selene Meza • Vanessa Edith Meza • Roberto Michel • Milan Patrice Milkovich • Alexandra Mimbela • Olivia Miranda • Ricardo N Miranda Aguilar • Josely Miranda Mendoza • Daniel Jonathan Mireles • Nathan Umandap Mitchell • Justine Jude Gobasco • Modesto • Camilo Molina • Marisela Molina • Christian Ariel Monge • Mark A Monsanto • Edgar B Montejano • Braira Lizbeth Montellano • Vanesa Sarahi Montes • Ismael Montiel • Andrea Montoya • Jonathan Alexander Moore • Mikayla Lizabeth Moore-Bastide • Bianca Esther Mora • Janet Morales • Monique Armada Morales • Stephanie Brenda Morales Rodriguez • Emilio Morante Larios • Clarissa Moreno • Ivan Moreno • Monserrat Moreno • Margarita Doloris Moreno • Polett Moreno • Rosedaly Moreno • Sarah Beth Morfin • Andrea Christine Morroy • Bianca Isabel Munoz • Brooke S Munson • Ashley Juliet Murillo • Karen Arizbeth Murillo • Jewel Amber Murray • Trevor Stephen Myers • Amber Carmen Najera • Teresa Janae Naputi • Michelle Esmeralda Naranjo • Michael Dimalanta Naval • Araceli E Navarro • Ezekiel Navarro • Jacobo Alexis Navarro • Salvador Navarro • Monica Arlene Negrete • Gabriel Nevarez • Marco Antonio Nevarez • Diego Nicasio • Gertrude Greenlee Nixon • America Mattus Noguez • Ses Mohamed Noor • Rosa Jazmin Noriega • Vanessa Noriega • Noor Ayman Nuhaily • Joe Ben Paguio Nulud • Alexa Natalia Nunez • Carolina Ocana • Candy Yvette Ochoa • Maria Melendez Ochoa • Joel Martin Ojeda • Samantha Ojeda • Mark Olachea • Jose Maria Olazabal • Tanya Denise Olivares • Farida Rojas-Hierro Olson • Eduardo Ontiveros • Norma Leticia Ornelas • Aileen I Orozco • Jhovanny Josue Ortega • Ynez Tatiana Ortega • Imari Evelyn Ortiz • Jorge Ivan Ortiz • Veronica Christina Ortiz • Vivian Ortiz • Nicole Osawa • Carolina Osuna • William Joseph Ottinger • Kevin Antonio Ovando-Bustamante • Ron Adrian Owens • Oskar Ivan Oyoque • Cynthia Michelle Ozuna • Tess Elizabeth Pacely • Cecilia Atzin Padilla • Tovi Roy Ramos Paguio • Sofia Paipilla • Edmund Rafik Pakhlevanyan • Esteban Palencia Aguilar • Daniel Palomino • Gino Chua Pangramuyen • Nathaniel Lorenzo Parada • Antonio Hector Parker • Karina Irene Parra • Kesar Akash Patel • Ulises Javier Patino • Jonathan Jay Patterson • Isabelle Miaco Paulin • Shelley Lyn Paullin Bailey • Lizbeth Alexa Payan • Tyler Samuel Penrod • Alonso Martin Pereyda • Abraham Perez • Aaron Nicolas Perez • Bibiana Perez • Esteban Omar Perez • Erick Perez • Juan Daniel Perez • Karen Perez • Paola Alejandra Perez • Vanessa Mamaril Perez • Cindy Perez Palomera • Erica Monique Perry • Karlton Othello Perry • Kryschiana Joyce Pharr • Andrew James Phillipo • Michael Bradley Phillips • Idalys Daniela Piche • Kendrick Michael Pickens • Nancy Pineda • Mckenna Nicole Platt • Pedro Ezequiel Polanco • Clifford Popcadilla • Madisyn Josephine Powers • Jorge Luis Prado • Natalia Puentes Espinoza • Ashley Jasmin Pulido • Miriam Pulido • Alexza Noelle C Punongbayan • Brian Paul Tanglao Punzalan • Audrey Dionne Py • Crystal Ciara Quezada • Richard Quezada • Yajhaira Quijada • Matthew Abelilla Quijencio • Lisset Quinones • Arianna Karina Quinonez • Hector Orlando Quintanar • Araceli Quintero • Brandon Kai Racela • Ashley Monique Ramirez • Diana Maribel Ramirez • Estefano Ramirez • Gloria Elizabeth Ramirez • Gabriel Ramirez • Jocelyn Ramirez • Jaime Adriel Ramirez • Lander Ramirez • Gabriela Ramirez Aguirre • Alannis Ramirez Pimentel • Yolanda Ramirez-Bernal • Lizette Ramos • Ulyses Ramos • Dominique Randolph • Jhamir Depree Ransom • Seleste Larissa Rascon • Ivonne Raya • Jose Refugio Rea • Jullissa Reis • John Edward Rendon • Priscilla Inez Rendon • Angel Filiberto Resendiz • Andrea Reyes • Jazlyn Reyes • Maria Christina Reyes • Tamara Ann Reyes • Alyssa Mikaela Tempora Ricasa • Edgar Rincon • Jasmine Maria Jose Rivas • Stephanie Rivas • Tony Rodriguez Rivas • Andrea Magdalena Rivera • Ariana Viviana Rivera • Markus R Roberson • Daniel Ethan Robles • Ilse Andrea Robles • Jennifer Gabriela Robles • Raquel Robles • Saray Robles • Vanessa Robles • America L Rocha • Angel Rocha • Alexa Nicole Rodrigues • Catalina Rodrigues • Ailyn Rodriguez • Benedette Rodriguez • Ciara Gabriela Rodriguez • Christian Jordan Rodriguez • Estevan Rodriguez • Elizabeth Rodriguez • Erick E Rodriguez • Ivette Rodriguez • Jessica Marie Rodriguez • Jose Juan Rodriguez • Juan Manuel Rodriguez • Marisol Guerra Rodriguez • Michelle Fabiola Rodriguez • Melanie Nicole Rodriguez • Nadia Alicia Rodriguez • Oscar Mizael Rodriguez • Patricio Rodriguez • Priscila

The Southwestern College Sun

CLASS OF 2019

May 24, 2019—Volume 62, Issue 5

9 A9 11

SWC Class of 2019

Rodriguez • Ricardo Jesus Rodriguez • Cristian Enrique Rodriguez Garcia • Demitria Lanay Rogers • Alma Rosalie Rosas • Laisha Rosas • Kailah Lancaster Rose • Veronica Rosillo • Jessica Lynn Rossetti • Logan Thomas Rowley • Carolina Maria Rubio Ruiz • Antonio RubioPrado • Yves Ruelas • Shannika Marie Faraon Ruelos • Trinidad Ruiz • Kevin Alexis Ruiz-Garcia • Violeta Ruiz-Lopez • Erin Kathleen Ryan • Stefany Paola Saavedra Garcia • Adnan Saeed • Jose Eduardo Salazar • Manuel Alfonso Salazar • Rosanna Salazar • Oscar Alfonso Salazar • Kathia Denise Salgado • Ana Mariela Salinas • Kateriel Jimenez Sampang • Sabrina San Vicente • Angel Joseph Sanchez • Alfredo Sanchez • Claudia Verenice Sanchez • Diana Isela Sanchez • Glaivmar Josefina Sanchez • Giselle A SanChez • Heidi Jackeline Sanchez • Julissa Candace Sanchez • Javier Ivan Sanchez • Shervyn Sanchez • Yesenia Jasmin Sanchez • America Yasmin Sandoval • Gilbert Sandoval • Yaneli Sandoval • Ryan Edward Sands • Cesar Santana • Maximo Santiago • Celyn Jhoy Santos • Julyan Alexis Santos • Noelani Leialoha Sapla • Astrid Alexa Sarinana • Travis C Saunders • Joseph John Schaeffer • Karina Schonbrun • Serena Angela Schulze • Doniella Mae Florendo Sebastian • Ingrid Michelle Sedas • Deborah Lynn Serrano • Krystal Serrano • Yesenia Esmeralda Serrano • Melissa Angelica Serrato • Lesley Paulette Shavarebi • Rachel Jane Shinkle • Edgar Silva • Sierra Lynn Simanek • Andrea Simental • Kayla Virginia Smith • Andrea Fernanda Solano • Gwenn Allison Soriano • Fernando Sotelo • Francine Andrea Sotelo • Valeria Spampinato • Brooklyn Claire Spence • Victoria Mari Starr • Charles Gabriel Stephens • Ariel Nicole Stevens • Faith Christina Stevens • Monica Faye Stevens • Derek James Stillie • Charleen Rene Stipe • Erick Alvaro Stone • Brittney Mariska Stoutenburg • Brittany Breanna Stubenrauch • Hector Suchilt • Amina Muhidin Sufi • Ma. Cathrina Zablan Sumaoang • Nadya Natalia Tabarez Gonzalez • Tiffany-Anne San Andres Tacderas • Noemi Aracely Tafoya • Tapio Niilo Taina • Ismael Talavera • Kristiana Jakayla Tamayo • Lizbeth Adriana Tapia • Rosario Yrene Tapia • Asia Jai Tarango • Julia R Tavares • Richard Daniel Tec • Jessica Tello • Antonio Teon Gil • John Anthony Terrazas • Thomas Ignacio Thrift • Clarissa Sola Tipa • Brittnay Jordan Tirado • Jessica Rose Tolar • Taylor Ann Topete • Shelene Lilian Torres • Vanessa Ivone Torres • Xana Yalitl Torres Gonzalez • Isabel Torres Zepeda • Mauricio Omar Tovar • Amber Nicole Trammell • Victor Lee Trejo • Stephanie Lizeth Trejo Fierros • Anna-Mai Tuyet Trinh • Jacquelyn Reyna Trujillo • Stephanie Lee Trujillo • Elizabeth De Jesus Trujillo Murillo • Briana Michelle Tucker • Tatiana Danae Turner • Kainoa Tod Umbay • Xitlaly Mitchelle Uribe • Jessica C Urvina • Aide Gabriela Valdez • Francisco Alejandro Valdez • Yelitza C Valdez • Moises Valdivia • Raul Valdivia • Rita Roxana Valdivia • Victor David Valdovinos • Christian Valencia • Jorge Salvador Valencia • Esteban Ray Valenzuela • Alexandria Gabrielle Valino • Laurilyn Soladad Vallar-Hingada • Natalia Valle • David Fernando Valles • Sulema Sienna Valles • Cassandra Dean Van Til • Cristina Vantassel • Laura Viviana Vasquez • Melissa Beatriz Vasquez • Abby Arahi Vasquez Waters • Aime Vazquez • Deneb Vazquez • Kimberly Johanna Vazquez • Melody Vazquez • Michelle Vazquez • Andres Arturo Velasco • Eliza Jazmine Velasco • Omar Alejandro Velazco • April Abigail Velez • Allis Heidy Verduzco • Meryll May Vicman • Edith Victoria • Jessica Ivannya Victorio • Maria Onorata Vida • Karelly Vidrio • Marionne Leah Vigderovich • Emily Michelle Vignapiano • Jessica Jesenia Villalobos • Jocelyn Florencia Villalvazo • Paulina Alison Villegas • Rudolph John Villegas • Valeria Michelle Villegas • Yalitza Villela • Julian Virgen • Cesar Agusto Vizcaino • Jasmine Mai Vu • Justine Renee Waddell • Nyamal David Wal • Briana Marie Wallerstein • Ariel Irene Wallis • Treazure Ebony Majestic Warwell • Devin Maurice Washington • Jonathan David White • Aryn Marie Whitt • Daniel Joseph Wieber • Nicole L Wilcox • Brandon Lafluer • Jermain Williams • Sabrina Jocelyne Williams • Brittany Nicole Wilson • Frederic R. Blake Wilson • Azucena Wood • Autumn Nicole Woodruff • Adrianna Xibille • Cristina Soledad Yanez • Priscilla Ann Ybarra • Melanie Joan Valera Yngson • Sangmin Yoon • Michelle Juliet Ysaguirre • Arianna Zamingir • Cesar Hiram Zamora • Christian Omar Zarate • Athziri Zatarain • Joel Zavala • Jessica Zazueta • Yvette Gabriela Zendejas • Andrea Bianey Zepeda • Miriam Zuazo ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE • Alainee Ilagan Abugan • Esteban Aceves • Tyler Deondre Adderley • Kaelan Lamoste Agoncillo • Oscar Aguiar • Jennifer Ann Aguila • Oscar Aguilar • Evelyn Denisse Aguirre • Jesus Antonio Aguirre • Zahra Mishref Alabdullah • William Alarcon • Abril Stacey Alatorre • Katrina Camps Alcantara • Amber Jolene Aldridge • Velina Rebeca Alonso-Sed • Anthony Deshawn Alton • Jovanna Melina Alvarado • Nicholas Cuahtemoc Alvarado • Edith Alvarez • Juan Alberto Alvarez • Adrian Alejandro Alviar • Amber Monick Amaya Cuevas • Andrea Gabriela Amparan • Frances-Steffany Manipon Aquino • Jonathan Josue Aranda • Elijah Vallar Aranzanso • Alyssa Nicole Arce • Daniela Arciniega • Scarlett Margarita Arellano • Kevin M Arellano Esquerra • Maria Arenas • Cesar Emilio Arroyo • Nicolas Alexander Artates • Roshelle Han Yap Asoy-Daniel • Mayumi Navarra Atanacio • Carolina Elizabeth Avalos • Jesus Sebastian Aviles • Natalia Avina Ochoa • Jacob Brandon Ayala • John Joseph Ayon • Jamshid Aziz • Joseph Bryce Babauta • Faisal A Bahoo • Nathan Ball • Rolando Manuel Banaga Gonzalez • Ana Maria Barnes • Nikita Nicole Barnes • Kevin Felix Barraza • Karla Vanessa Barrios • Ruja Gabriella M Barros • Samuel Talmadge Beaty • Martha Elena Becerra • Martin Becerra • Adam Joseph Beckett • Matthew Michael Beltran • Eduardo Benitez • Leonel Jose Betanco • Daniel Luis Bimbris • Maxwell Ryan Bisbee • Robert Andrew Blackwelder • Dariel Amelia Bowie • Dominic Brant • Francisco Javier Briseno • Ashley Danielle Bruce • Gina Vivian Bruestle • Veronica Bustos Mendoza • Mohamed Ali Buul • Jacob R Byerline • Shena Unsoo Cacho • Mauricio Calles • Mauricio Camarena • Carlos Campos • Grace Jann Zulueta Caraulia • Yozelin Carballo • Brittany Nicole Carbone • Rodolfo Ignacio Cardenas • Roberto Jose Cardenas • Hector Fabian Carrillo • Lisa Marie Casas • Sandra Berenice Castaneda • Andres Castellanos • Gabriela Castillo • Obed Castillo • Lizbeth Castruita • Emilio D Cebreros • Gem Eduardo Victorio Cerezo • Jocelyn Cervantes • Maricarmen Cervantes • Mayrene Cervantes • Elizabeth Chagala Toral • Erica Leticia Chaleune • Daniel Robert Chalfa • Owen Brandon Chanthala • Jill Samantha Chapple • Norman Kin Chau • Isaac Robert Chavez • Cesar Isaiah Chavoya • Benjamin Antonio Chi Sing-Acosta • Robert Anthony Choate • Devin Marcus Cline • Daniel Cobian • Juan Carlos Cobian • Corinthia Roselani Coburn • Azucena R Coleman • Stephanie Jocelyn Cordova • Alejandro Jaime Corona • Crystal Mercedes Corona • Fernando Coronado • Adrian Cortez • Alec Johnathan Cortez • Esperanza Cortez • April Marrie Cosio • Ashley Marie Cosio • Jason Singson Cruz • Natalie Cruz • Laura Cuevas • Nicole Marie Cunningham • Alyssa Renee Daley • Nhi Yen DangLogan Randall Darby • Martin Nader Dawood • Angela De Anda • Montserrat De Dios • Gloria Linda De Jesus • Ryan Reyes Del Rosario • Maria Eunice Delos Santos • Frederick Luis Delrosario • Justin Di Stefano • Aline Antoine Diab • Birhane Warren Diarra • Antonio Diaz • Karla Diaz • Shaun Dickey • Abigayle Abugan Dizon • Maria Veronica Dominguez • Ivan Rodrigo Dominguez-Murillo • Samantha Raquel Duarte • Sadie Belle Dudley • Araceli M. Duenas • Roberto Duenaz • Jannika Alonzo Dumbrique • Annalie Delos Reyes Dungca • Jordan Anh Duong • Jenniffer Ebidag • Laura Marie Eddington • Jose Ignacio Elizalde • Francisco Elizondo • Daveon Marjea Littlefe Ellis • Brenden Francisco Embuido • Adam Christopher Ertzner • Braulio Escalera • Clarisa Escobar • Lucia Escobosa • David Esparza • Humberto Hezael Espinoza • Jeffrey Garanganao Estoy • Alejandra Estrada • Gloria Estrada • Gabriela Estrada • Jessica Estrella • Erik Favela • Aljerome Samiling Fernandez • Andres Bruno Figueroa • Blake David Flippen • Alexa Maria Flores • Alma Cristina Flores • Cynthia Flores • Michelle Araceli Flores • Nicholas Joseph Flores • Robert Cruz Flores • Terrell Amar Flores • Yajaira Lisbeth Flores • Raul Alan Fosselman • Amber Rae Fox • Alma Azalea Franco • David Salvatore Frausto • Jose Ivan Fuentes • Antonio Valenzuela Galindo • Alvaro Gallardo • Zamira Addi Galvan • Cebelle Gicale Garbo • Adrian Alexander Garcia • Amanda Zoe Garcia • Brandon Mandapat Garcia • Cynthia Garcia • Edgardo Garcia • Jaime Garcia • Jennifer Valeria Garcia • Lauren Andrea Garcia • Reuben J Garcia • Raul Garcia • Sarah Anne Garcia • Ana Carolina Garcia-Castillo • Jorge Norberto Gastelum • Richard Xavier Gaviria • Angela Michelle Gaynor • Daffodils Acebo Gerardo • Reynette Janelle Gil • Luciann Elena Gojich • Mariana Michelle Gomez • Michael Daniel Gomez • Gustavo Gonzales • David Ryan Gonzalez • Grecia T Gonzalez • Juan Carlos Gonzalez • Jessica Larissa Gonzalez • Jessica Gonzalez • Karolina Natalia Gonzalez • Kevin Sebastian Gonzalez • Lorraine Monterrosa Gonzalez • Lindzay Maegene Gonzalez • Oscar Gonzalez • Raul Oscar Gonzalez • Sergio Junior Gonzalez • Jeremy Blake Goold • Diana Aridai Grada-Ibarra • Andrew Daniel Graham • Roberto Xavier Guerrero • Mariana Guerrero Jaimes • Aaron Patrick Gutierrez • Cynthia Sionna Gutierrez • Edgar Valentin Gutierrez • Jannel Denisse Gutierrez • Ron Maclan Gutierrez • Rebecca Gutierrez • Ana Maria Gutierrez-Calderon • Andres Guzman • Brian Guzman • Enrique Guzman • Michelle Diane Hackworth • Frankie Enrique Deleon Haro •Giselle Haro • Alvin Douglas Harris • Johnathan Robert Hart • Jennifer Ann Hart • Kayleen Baylee Harvey-Imig • Crystal Lam Hayes • Lulu Megan Hermes • Jose Hernandez • Jesse Alexander Hernandez • Luis Carlos Hernandez • Lourdes Hernandez • Omar Jose Hernandez • Yesenia Hernandez • Gabriel Bryan Herrera • Laura Anne Hires • Nhat Cong Ho • Samuel Clifford Hopkins • Matthew Hoque • Keiko Erika Horita • Alejandro Hu • Janet Zheng Huang • Armando Huerta Ramirez • Alan Israel Huitron • Siria Hurtado • Jose Roberto Ibarra • Gilberg Ifarraguerri • Sabrina Rene Iniguez • Thia Amelia Jackson • Veronica M Jacobo • Mukesh Joshua Ferrer Jagdeo • Auntadiasha Brigget Jenious • Emerson Baltazar Jimenez • Lourdez AlejandraJimenez • Evelyn Jo • Hunter Johnson • Rowena Navarro Jones • Ashraf Abduallah Kadoh • Sol Belen Kairuz • Charles Kanealiionalani Kaui • Kristin Keidl • Azamat Ayratovich Khafizov • Maria Khan Mohammad • Michael Ray Kingen • James Alexander Kitchen • Kyle Grayson Knight • Kevin Robert Knox • Antigone Marie Kokeas • Katherine Kou • Kaitlyn Grace La Salle • Rechelle Laguit • Jennifer Palado Lagula • Kristen Alma Lamprecht • Ron Isaac Landagan • Joseph Manuel Lane • Sergio Rafael Lara • Kevin Gordon Larsen • Tyeisha S Lawrence • James Chi Lee • Nunia Brenda Leetham • Jesus E Leon • Joshua Adam Leon • Mason Dean Leonard • Cixiang Li • Jose Liang Zhang • Matthew Aaron Lim • Renato Ramos Linatoc • Brooke Dyanne Lira • Oscar Javier Lizarraga • Jacqueline Llamas • Rene Ivan Loaiza • Manuel Humberto Loera • Richard Martin Loera • Natalia Edith Lomeli-Cervantes • Alejandro Lomeliguzman • Brianna Lopez • Candela Abigail Lopez • Leticia Lopez • Rogelio De Jesus Lopez • Mariel Lora • Maxamillian James Loree • Skylar Tiffany Lozada • Robert Lozano • Daniella Elizabeth Luna • Lynn Hong Ly • Beverly Eileen Macias • Evelyn Lizeth Macias • Ruben Maciel • Alejandro Madrigal • Jiovani Josue Magana • Maia Dominique Magno • Cody Nicholas Maheu • Matthew Kyle Maier • Rafael Malagon • Andrew Alex Malmstead • Marvin Paule Maninang • Marlin Salim Mansour • Destiny Juliana Marin • Jocelyne Marin • Jorge Marron • Ernan Daniel Marroquin • Mark Leonard Martin • Roberto Carlos Martin • Jacqueline Amie Martineau • Alan Jesus Martinez • Andrea Guadalupe Martinez • Cynthia Martinez • Miguel Angel Martinez • Samira L Martinez • Salvador Alejandro Martinez-Mendez • Barbara Lynn Matias • Jermaine Sison Mayor • Yvette Camille Mcgee • Ian Alejandro Mcmartin • Brian Douglas Mcmullen • Stacy G Mcneeley • Carl Francis Medina • Victoria Azzahara Medina Armendariz • Miguel Angel Mellado • Laura Edith Mendez • Gabriela Mendoza • Ma Christina Sarah Fornis Mendoza • Oscar Mendoza • Deanna Monique Mercado • Eduardo Esteban Mercado • Tatiana Ailyn Merchan • Anthony Meza • Martha S Meza • Amanda Ann Millard • Melissa Guadalupe Mitchell • Hugo Alberto Mixco • Chanel Dominigue Moinat • Navraj Moktan • David Molina • Patrick Alexander Montenegro • Juan Carlos Montes • Mario Montes • Nad Yelli Alejandra Montes De Oca • Brenda Esmeralda Montiel • Alyssa Justine Mooney • Brandon Nicholas Morales • Luis Octavio Morales • Alondra Moreno • Alyssa Moreno • Daniel Mauricio Moreno • Isabel Moreno • Jessica Moreno • Ray Edward Morfin • Nathalia Areli Moriel • Gabriel Ivan Munguia • Jasmin Mariko Munoz • Marwa Tohe Najar • Loran Adil Najjar • Kacie Rae Ann Naputi • Amiel Hiram Nava Estrada • Alberto Navarro • Jonathan Navarro • Qiana Lanette Neff • Janet Marie Neri • Christopher Elias Nigh • Jayvee Lorca Novilla • Patricia Ayinkamiye Nramahanga • Carlos Omar Oceguera • Christopher Jesus Ochoa • Bryan Joseph O’connor • Jaclyn Leann O’farrell • Melissa Brisette Ojeda • Janitzia Betzave Olivas Perez • Alison Dean Olsen • Jainee Lyn Ordonio • Alec Sebastian Orenday • Atakan Orhun • Anthony Orozco • Aylin Mireya Ortiz • Raul Efren Ortiz • Donovan Ortiz Moreno • Izaura Gabriela Orueta • Melissa Osorio • Hugo Ivan Osuna • Teresita A Padilla • Ana Luisa Paez • Marco Lee Pamplin • Daniel Limbag Pantaleon • Airenna Mercedes Patron • Jackeline A Pedrin • Maria Christina Alfon Pedroso • Brandy Danielle Peimbert • Margarita Pena Jacinto • Sophia Ashley Pencak • Suzette A Perez • Javier Adrian Perez-Lara • Seth William Perrins • Andrew Joseph Peters • Julian Hans Petersen • Nicholas Bobby Phatsenhann • Armando Piche •Marisol Pina • Gerardo Pina-Fregoso • Norman Aaron Pineda • Sophia Gabriella Pineda •Guillermo Pinedo • Jan Cedrick E Plojo • Forrest Hali Poland • Carlos Alberto Ponce • Analaura Resendiz Poppert • Kelsey Denae Porambo • Naachiely Porfirio • Hector Prado • Salvador Preciado • Ashley Brianna Profeta • Celso Alejandro Quero • Sergio Andres Quero • Alain Quezada • Christopher Allen Quezada • Elizabeth Lee Quillian • Leighann Cordero Quismorio • Andres Rabago • Greg A Raby • Alina Radashkevich • Osiris Julio Rafael • Jose Alfredo Ramirez • Jose Martin Ramirez • Giovanny A. Ramos • Dino Francisco Raphael • Ricardo Israel Razcon • Dennis E Reardon • Brandon Michael Rendon • Leslie Marcela Rendon • Anthony Reyes • Jonar Requilman Reyes • Bernard Rikki Reyes • Steffe Marhe Rolls Reyes • Melissa Reynoso • Graciela Esperanza Rico • Eliana Marissa Rios • Yvonne Rivas • Alessandro Rivera • Carlos Carrillo Rivera • Cassandra Mae Celeste Rivera • Devin Alec Rivera • Enrique Daniel Rodriguez • Jose Rodriguez • Jorge Mauricio Rodriguez • Liliana Nayeli Rodriguez • Monique Cassandra Rodriguez • Kayla Nakia Rogers • Hector Andres Romero • Nathalie Romero • Raquel Romero • Braulio Mauricio Rosales • Ladislado Rueda • Hector Gilberto Ruiz • Toni Evelyn Ruvalcaba • Trevor Patrick Ryan • Teon Quandre Ryan • Ian Joseph Rysdale • Natalie Michelle Sahagun • Jennifer Rose Saldana • Noah Francis Saldana • Christopher Luistro Salinas • Alexis Michelle Sanchez • David Sanchez • Dalila Imelda Sanchez • Elissa Yasmeen Sanchez • Guadalupe Aranzasu Sanchez • Melanie Ilene Sanchez • Naomi Starlene Sanchez • Raul Sanchez • Yesenia Esmeralda Sanchez • Jesus Alberto Sandoval • Phirum Peter Sary • Elijah Stephen Savage • Roman Randall Savedra • Devan Mackenzie Schiller • Jennifer Nicole Schmidt • Jarrett Wolfegang Schmidt • Leilanie Ann Schultz • Tristan Perez Schultz • Realyn May Blanco Sediego • Olivia Victoria Serna • Claudia Serrano • Andrea D Shannon • Daniel Silva • Pedro Silva • Jennifer Smith • Kirstyn Valerie Ann Smith • Branden David Solis • Juan Solis • Silvia Solorio • Austin Alfonso Solorzano • Antonio Sosa • Megan Lindsay Sperry • Ahmad W Spesally • Kullen Drake Stanfield • Daniel David Starr • Sierra Nicole Stein • Kelly Jean Stuckey • Joseph Guardion Sumera • Tommy G Sunglao • Ian Jeffrey Swanlund • Ryan Santos Tabago • Vendellyn Joy Tubana Tagura • Mitsue Trajano Takashima • Alexander James Remotigue Tamayo • Lorena Tamayo • Hannah Isabel Tan • Juliemarr Tapia • Alexandria Gina Tarantino • Brittany Tavai • Ashley Renee Tavizon • Timothy Leng Tea • Edwilson Benito Tejada • Daniel Testa • Enrellee M Thomas • Rona Mae Tiglao • Oscar Leonel Tinajero • Michael Angelo Ting • Kevin Ton • Tucker Bailey Torano • Maryze Esguerra Torno • Hernan Torres • Jose Kristopher Torres • Jesus Rodolfo Torres • Sara Elaine Torres • Jose Christopher Toscano • Maria Christina Tremblay • Cory Alan Trudeau • Damian Trujillo • Sofia Trujillo • Vy Nhat Truong • Carlos Turrubiartes • Brielle Marie Tyseling • Abraham Aquino Udarbe • Jocelyn Charlene Uribe • Leah Louise Vacher • Jadye Nicole Valdez • Jake Tristan Lasola Valdez • Melissa Brissette Valdez • Johnny Angel Valdovino • Jennifer Valenzuela • Tanya Valenzuela • Aimee Alexa Vargas • Christian Mario Vargas • Daniel Vargas • Jacqueline Vargas • Joshua Evans Vargas • Wesley Will Varrasso • Juan Carlos Vazquez • Sergio Carlos Vazquez • Andrea Elizabeth Velazco • Andy Velazquez • Ezequiel Velazquez-Gonzalez • Allyssa Malinis Ventura • Mary Idyllise Vicman • Kenya Vidrio • Wendy Vilchis Morales • Alejandra Villa • Celeste Adriana Villa • Marisela Villagomez • Adrian Villalobos • Christian Villasenor • Hector Villasenor • Miranda Michele Villavicencio • Diego Cesar Villegas • Dao Tri Vo • Alex Minh Vu • Raymond Harry Walton • Jayana Evelyn Walz • Amy Alexis Wawryznski • Natosha Nicole Welborn • Melisa Wells • Christopher David Williams • Darryl Keith Wilson • Demyco Antonio Lamar Winston • Maigan Wright • Sandra Maria Xoxocotla • Givani Sulaik Yousif • Mariam Hana Yousif • Kevin David Yturralde • Kimberly Sujey Zamudio • Brenda E Zaragoza • Claudia Zarza • Britnney Vanessa Zavala • Cesar Adrian Zepeda • Antonio Lysander Zuniga CERTICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT • Richard Alvarado • Martha Yolanda Andrade • Skylard Whitney Paul Bishop • Nehemiah Gerry Dizon Buenaventura • Albert L Butler • Gerald Vinzon Canare • Adriana Ivette Cardoso • Diana Lizette Castaneda • Isela Ramos Castro • Valeria Contreras • Rounel Arwin Corpuz • Diana Elizabeth Corrales • Aleia Maria Aguinaldo Dela Cuadra • Paul Christian Delgadillo • Edwin W Delgado • Aaron Catolos Dimalanta • Matthew Villalon Eballar • Margarita Laura Escobar • Jonathan Estrada • Ronald Christopher Ezop • Raymond Carlos Fernandez • Lorimar Gonzales Ferrer • Luis Antonio Figueroa • Elyjah Elexzander Flores • Yaghaira Lucero Flores • Timothy Paul Halili Frando • Liliana Frausto • Kenny Robert Glimme • Anabella Gomez • Bridget Gomez-Sebastian • Alejandra Estefania Gonzalez • Javier G Gonzalez • Jose Osvaldo Gonzalez • Leticia Isabel Gonzalez • Sebastian David Gonzalez • Arol Jr Guerrero • Ryan Thomas Hamann • Thomas John Hart • Conrad Ryan Holden • Luke Francis Johnson • Adam John Kilinski • Rachel A Lapira • Leana Marie Seriosa Llavore • Guillermo Lopez Garcia • Abraham Lopez-Arce • Ana Gabriela Macias • Laura Michele Magers • Sayra Tanya Manjarrez • Edgar Ivan Medina • Kassandra Isabell Michener • Naro Miguel • Cindy Lee P Morales • Lucas Hanks Morales • Omar Alberto Muro • Pamela Adhiambo Onyango • Jose De Jesus Ortega • Gabriela Pacheco • Anthony Raul Padilla • Martha Rocio Paez • Marisa Renee Patterson • Jocelyn Guadalupe Perez • Leticia Lorena Perez-Isaac • Michael Charles Pfeifer • Tazz Michael Phillips • Viannet Prieto • Mayra Yanith Ramos Martinez • Arjay Cabling Riego • Roman Armando Rubio • Aketzali Ruiz • Mazin H Sahib • Rosy Victoria Salazar • Maritza Nadine Sanchez • Anthony Ricardo Sandoval • Leivy Jazmin Santana • Eduardo Santiago • Halley Marie Schmiz • Brittany Silva • Eduardo Silva • Angela Yimlan Tam • Salvador Tena-Lona • Justin Angel Toledo • Delia Marlett Torres • Daniel Francisco Val • Jesus Alejandro Villanueva • Colby Paul Young • Veronica Louise Zacharie • Angel Raul Zuniga

2019 Summer Graduates

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS • Ana Carolina Acosta • Damaris Gisele Aguila • Natalie Ann Aguilera • Carolina Marie Aguirre • Kassandra Celeste Aguirre • Jocelyn Alarcon • Ricardo Alcantar • Jennifer Yvonne Alvarado • Wilbert D Alvarado Carrillo • Angela Daniela Alvarez • Alexis Amaro • Amie Irridian Arias • Jessica Monique Arreola • Javier Elias Arreola • Abel Abraham Assefaw • Alma Valerie Astorga • Lachelle Ester Marie Autry • Kassandra Ayala • Matthew Eagle Ayran • Joseph Bryce Babauta • Brandi Janelle Baker • Reslei Camille Soriano Balatbat • Anastasia Adela Baldiviez • Gener Burgos Banal • La Tasha Renee Banks • Mark William Barrett • Diana Zoila Barrientos • Daulton Jeffrey Barry • Crystal Lynn Bascon • Luz Irene Becerra • Marina Araceli Becquer • Kimberly Aluzinda Beltran • Zoe Ansley Bonnett • Dereck Geovany Brito • Quinton Diante Brown • Nikyra Barbarash Brown • Brian Alberto Cabrera • Reilly-Angela Pagulong Canos • Annette Yanelli Carmona • Melissa Carrasco • Marta Patricia Carrillo • Ana E Casillas • Esteban B Castro • Diego Enrique Castro • Monserrate Guadalupe Castro • Jorge Ernesto Cervantes • Judith Del Angel Chambers • Samantha Chavez • Mengge Chen • Fabrizzio Nicoli Chowell • Dania Sophia Cisneros • Charlene Marie Coffing • Marc Anthony Combs • Ricky Corea • Helen Correa • Angelica Denisse Correia • Isamar Guadalupe Cortez • Alicia Paola Cortez Ramirez • Christian Eduardo Cosme • Rosa Azucena Cota-Valdez • Francisco Javier Cuevas • Shuo Cui • Victor Andrez Del Toro • Andrea Delgado • Dahlia Elizabeth Diaz • Javier Diego Jacinto • Oscar Ivan Dircio • Jaylenne Casey Oquendo Dotarot • Michele R Eastland • Jihad Amir Elder • Michael Castro Emperador • Mayra Karina Enciso • Cynthia Catherine Espinosa • Rosa Alexandra Estrada • Amberly Estrada Garcia • Sammy Jose Estrada Mata • Luisa Yank Favela • Jeneine Maree Felarca • Sheila Leann Fielding • Cameron Carl Fisher • Jose Jesus Flores • Erin Nikkole Flores • Joevany Flores • Genoveva Jazmin Flores-Hopkins • Loren Marcus Francia • Alina Mercedes Fuentes • Karla Galeana • Joseph Michael Galvan • Claudia Lisseth Garces • Samantha Barbara Garcia • Orlando Daniel Garcia • Victor Ezequiel Garcia Castaneda • Esteban Lorenzo Godden • Irish Mae Lelis Gollon • Jessica Michelle Gonzalez • Sofia Elena Gonzalez-Marin • Fujiko S Gordon • Chinyere Guinyard • Rebecca Gutierrez • Olivia Rose Hanke • Cameron Alex Hanson • Kristin Ann Hargrove • Melissa Alexis Harmon • Alvin Douglas Harris • Taneaquia Dajae Haynes • D’vante Vashawn Herbert • Paulina Judith Hernandez • Paola Hernandez • Alexis Herrera • Zoe Rhea Horta • Stephanie Adhara Ibarra Burgos • Aaron Edward Ivanovich • Brianna Jaramillo • Jonathan Jesus Jaramillo-Ponce • Steven Lewis Johnston • Judith Juarez • Zachary Joseph Kozlik • Orlando Lapuz • Hyeon Ji Lee • Joshua Adam Leon • Lorena Mackenzie Limon • Stephen Lee Logsdon • Jesus Felipe Lopez • Nereyda Lopez Resendiz • Adriana Lucero • Julia Diane Luna • Alma Angelica Luna • Abigail Samantha Magdaleno • Julius Pascual Manabat • Hazel Dacanay Mangayat • Florencio Miguel Marquez • Julie Ariana Martinez • Estrella Daniela Martinez • Karen Martinez • Kenneth Deion Maye • Shane Patrick Mcdonnell • Kimberly Jennyfer Mederos • Natalia April Mele • Elizabeth Faith Melton • Esmeralda Mendoza • Yesenia Denisse Meraz • Sarah Jo Miles • Duran Jamel Miller • Ricardo N Miranda Aguilar • Alyz Miranda Corral • Camilo Molina • Jonathan Alexander Moore • Krystina Renee Moreno • Clarissa Moreno • Azahir Emmanuel Najar • Zerla Cura Oca • Kyle Patrick O’Dell • Alexander Scott O’Hara • Tanya Denise Olivares • Aileen I Orozco • Carolina Osuna • Kevin Antonio Ovando-Bustamante • Emily-Ann Anglo Pacio • Bonnie Palos • Tiffany Kassandra Parga • Hannah Karen Parmentier • Shelley Lyn Paullin • Hector Hugo Pavon Ozuna • Gabriela Lizett Payan • Gabriel Pena • Erick Perez • Jeremiah Valdemar Petersen • Erica Marie Pretzer • Citlalli Patricia Ramirez • Ithalee Nayelette Ramirez • Lander Ramirez • Carla Rosio Ramirez • Cassandra Mercado Ramirez • Gloria Elizabeth Ramirez • Yolanda Ramirez-Bernal • Javin Anthony Rangel • Frank Armando Ree • Kaitlyne Cruz Reyes • Erick Salvador Reynoso • Alyssa Mikaela Tempora Ricasa • Kaytlynn Mary Richardson • Richter Mark Aquino Rimando • Tamara Rivera • Joshua Leon Roberts • Alexa Nicole Rodrigues • Eddie Rodriguez • Alan Josue Rodriguez • April Charline Rodriguez • Pablo Luis Juan Ruvalcaba Lee • Maria Catalina Rymer • Zuhra Sahak • Almira Mae Sala • Paulina Salazar • Sabrina San Vicente • Alfredo Sanchez • Rachel Maria Sanchez • Misaki Michele Sano • Daniel Santiago • Carolina Santizo • Kiara Nicole Sazon • Michelle Delgado Sheum • Polett Silahua • Leila Norey Silva • Sierra Lynn Simanek • Andrea Simental • Mark Garren Aquino Sinagub • Leonard Ricky Sizemore • Kayla M Smith • Juan Solis • Lourdes Spicer • Ariel Nicole Stevens • Trey Matthew Stevens • Mami Tagawa • Samuel Joey Tapia • Brittany Lajewel Tavai • John Anthony Terrazas • Estrella Melissa Terrones • Aiden Joshua Thomas • Yara Tiznado • Morito Tominaga • Mauricio Omar Tovar • Aileen Vizon Tran • Mayra Guadalupe Triana • Tatiana Danae Turner • Susan Mary Unoura • Brenda Veronica Valenzuela • Natalia Valle • Cassandra Dean Van Til • Cristina Vantassel • Gerardo Vazquez • Michelle Vazquez Hernandez • Geovanna Velazquez • Marionne Leah Vigderovich • Julia Marie Walton • Nicole L Wilcox • Deion Alexander Williams • Edward Joseph Winslow • Jacqueline Wood • Sabrina Wu • Richard Charles Young • Isaiah Alexander Young • Christian Omar Zarate • Ileana Lizeth Zavala ASSOCIATES OF SCIENCE •Evelyn Denisse Aguirre • Gabriella Idaly Alvarez • Christian Arreola • Araceli Athena Azar • Nathan Edward Ball • Tajanique Velani Bell • Andrew Robert Bleau • Lauren Dee Butler • Claudette Morissette Calvert • Joseph Andrew Camarena • Stephanie Castaneda • Anthony Cerda • Jocelyn Cervantes • Jesus Tadeo Chavez • David Coreas • Naomi Corral • Wendy Madrid Danforth • Karla Vanessa Dominguez • Maria Veronica Dominguez • Jacob Gauyan Ecija • Laura Marie Eddington • Nicholas Joseph Flores • Zamira Addi Galvan • Sharon Asahy Gandara • Maria De Jesus Garcia • Ana Carolina Garcia-Castillo • James Andrew Garrett • Alvin Javier Gomez • Delia Govea • Diana Aridai Grada-Ibarra • James Alfonzo Greene • Andrew William Gregorius • Johnathan Robert Hart • Paden Chase Hazuga • Bianca Paola Hernandez • Luis Carlos Hernandez • Cristal Yvette Herrera • Alyson Beatriz Hurel • Alejandro Jimenez • Sol Belen Kairuz • Kristin Claudia Keidl • Michael Ray Kingen • Gabriel Hugo Kleinick • Carmen Laborde • Itzel Lara • Brandon Lopez • Lynn Hong Ly • Donovan J Lynch • Maia Dominique Magno • James Michael Malloy • Lakiva Denise Mann • Vianka Selena Marin • Miguel Angel Martinez • Luz Angelica Martinez • Robert Anthony Mckinney • Clarissa Mendez Flores • Naro Miguel • Mildred Aracely Millan • Juan Manuel Morales • Alyssa Moreno • Ray Edward Morfin • Qiana Lanette Neff • Ivan Orozco • Davina Ortiz • Nathaniel John Peter Osuna • Gustavo Andres Osuna • Hebell Adan Perdomo • Javier Adrian Perez-Lara • Analaura Resendiz Poppert • Ashley Brianna Profeta • Uriel Reyes • Tamara Ann Reyes • Marvin Macabunga Rivada • Jarus T Robles • Melissa Rodriguez • Ruth Vianey Rodriguez Agudo • Arturo Omar Salcedo • Suganya Sankaranarayanan • Tyler Thomas Simmons • Monica Faye Stevens • Lorena Tamayo • Kevin Charles Tomasko • Matthew Peter Tosches • Christopher Sebastian Trejo • Melissa Brissette Valdez • Bibiana Valdez • Alexander John Vaughan • Brennan Alric Velasquez • Wendy Vilchis Morales • Alejandra Villa • Celeste Adriana Villa • Jesus Alejandro Villanueva • Darryl Keith Wilson CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT • Andrea Sofia Acevedo • Mayra Edith Aldrete • Richard Edward Arce • Vanessa Avila • Anthony Cerda • Isamar Guadalupe Cortez • Rita Fuentes Fuentes-Ruanova • Joselin Adriane Fuller • Maria De Jesus Garcia • Oscar Alejandro Gomez Salas • Brian Joseph Hernandez • Kristyne Michele Kakkad • Adam 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The Southwestern College Sun

May 24, 2019 – Volume 62, Issue 5

CAMPUS

Film students tour Sony Picture Studios

By Mikayla Moore-Bastide Campus Editor

Gary Bulkin and Mark Sisson take the silver-screen dreams of their students seriously – so much so that they bring them to a place where their films might be made some day.

Southwestern College Film, Television and Media Arts program is the only college that has the opportunity to go on an executive tour at Sony Entertainment Studios. Both full-time professors said they worked to get this opportunity for prospective film students so they can have a more in depth view of various careers within the film industry.

FTMA also explores communications, film analysis and even some history of the industry. The program’s main purpose is to prepare students for their actual career and it is part of SWC’s Career Education Program.

Students create their own films and present them at film festivals during their time with the CE program. This means a majority of the students can say they’ve directed a film by the time they graduate. They also gain valuable experience working on their classmate’s production.

“There’s a lot of camaraderie in our department,” Bulkin said. “It’s the same people helping each other with the films and you can see it.”

Bulkin takes 20-30 of his film students on a Career Day trip every semester to Sony Pictures and Disney Studios. It’s the most anticipated trip of the semester and a chance to show students that there is more to films than just being a director, a part of the production crews or a camera operator. This trip is meant to be educational and eye opening for prospective producers, editors, sound mixers as well.

Valentina Alonzo, who directed the film “Always With You” with fellow director Quinton Brown, has been an FTMA student for three years. Alonzo will be graduating with her Associates in FTMA and will be transferring to pursue her dream in film.

She said she saw the April 26 trip to Sony as a career building opportunity.

“You get to know more about the people that work there and just the environment itself,” Alonzo said. “It’s a very important trip for me because that’s what I want to do in the future.”

The first stop on the tour was a Q&A with four high-level executives at Sony. They were: Brittany Morrissey, Vice President of Creative Development; Jamie Stevens, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Consumer Production; John Naveria, Executive Vice President for Production; and Tracey Wadmore who is a film editor. The students had these role models all to themselves and could ask as many questions as they wanted.

Maria Fajardo, editor and cinematographer of “ The Baseball Field,” has been in FTMA for two years. She switched majors early in her college experience and said she has been grateful ever since. Fajardo said that she feels at home being apart of the program. Her favorite part of the trip was having the chance to speak to these four people about their journey throughout the industry.

“I feel like they seem unreachable,” Fajardo said. “So just being there and talking to them and them telling us how they were like us once, it’s kinda cool. It’s not that unreachable if you work for it.”

Kevin O’Connell, a sound mixer for Sony, said during a segment of the our that he became an Oscar Winner after 21 nominations over the span of his career. O’Connell worked on many movies including “Hacksaw Ridge” and “Venom.” He showed FTMA a sample of him layering the sound effects for an action scene from “Venom.”

He explained that the detail behind the sound effects were extremely tedious. O’Connell even showed the students what the scene sounded like with just the footsteps being recorded, or just the actors speaking. He also informed everyone that the sounds being used in the scenes are not actual sounds, but only sound effect. They are all made up.

To end the tour on a fun note, FTMA had the opportunity to watch “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse” in an underground mini-theater.

Both Bulkin and Sisson used their industry connections to get the executive tours. They want to ensure that his students get a full 360 view of the whole industry and what it offers. “[Bulkin and Sisson] are really good to work with.” Fajardo said. “They’re open to all ideas. There is no idea that is shut down by them. They let you explore and expand your mind.”

Robbie Elvester, co-writer/actor of “Making The Cut”, has been an FTMA student for less than a year now. He said that he has enjoyed being apart of the program, and said the professors are very helpful.

“Bulkin is very open to the whole process,” Elvester said. “If you have any questions, he’s more than happy to take you into his office and really just talk it through.”

Bulkin said he plans on adding a second trip to the class schedule.

Bulkin also wants to make the film festivals a bigger event on campus.

His ultimate goal is to have FTMA film festivals hosted in the Mayan Hall and have every seat taken in that theater.

“Our students are talented,” Bulkin said. “I know if I guide the program a certain way and give it a focus and a goal, then that could be appreciated at a higher level, and more students could be recognized.”

F T

M A LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!—(From Top to Bottom) FTMA students take a group photo at Southwestern College before leaving to Sony Pictures Studios. (Second) Kevin O’Connell, Oscar Award winning sound mixer, sampling a scene from “Venom” for FTMA demonstrating different sound effects.

(Third) FTMA students are walking under the rainbow on their way to the Columbia Pictures studios to watch “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse.” (Fourth) FTMA students take a group photo in front of the famous “Ghostbusters” car from the original film.

(Fifth) FTMA students posing with a brick from the original yellow brick road on “The Wizard of Oz.”

Photos

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MA stud

y of FT courtes

CAMPUS

Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: campus@theswcsun.com

Southwestern Spotlight Abidshakur Omar

By Jordyn Bryant and Brianna Juarez Staff Writers

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X. Counselor Abdishakur Omar is the Malcolm X of Southwestern College. He connects with students on multiple levels and gives them direction for life, not just college.

Emigrating from Somalia as a young Black Muslim was a challenge. Omar said his younger self would have never predicted how far he has come.

“I’m somebody who’s had a green card,” Omar said. “So I understand all that, I don’t see it as a disadvantage but more of an advantage to help me connect with folks from different walks of life.”

Omar said he takes a humanistic approach, towards mentoring developing minds at SWC. He wants to emphasize human connectedness as a way to establish deeper understandings with his students. In his eyes, school comes second to a person’s wellbeing, he said.

“If a person is not well in mind, body, and spirit, then the school is not going to happen,” Omar said. “I want to make sure I put a good positive vibe out there for people, so when this person gets out they can impart the same wisdom and touch in a positive manner.”

We are in an age where inner fulfillment

takes a backseat to societal pressures and extrinsic motivations, he said. To counteract this, he preaches the importance of staying grounded and pursuing passions instead of settling for a path that might not bring you joy in the future.

“The thing is you live in your dreams or you live in your parents’ dream, or your parents telling you to do one major,” Omar said. “Or you’re doing it because you think it’s the right thing to do or you enjoy it.”

Omar volunteers at Donovan State Prison in his free time.

He said helping prisoners leaves him feeling fulfilled. His work there taught him to look past the superficial aspect of a person and see their true essence.

“Some of the most caring, most intellectually smart people, are locked up in institutions,” Omar said. “Maybe it’s because of their crime, maybe it’s because of their color, or maybe it’s because of mass incarceration.”

To ensure that students at SWC don’t fall into the same systemic traps as the prisoners of Donovan, Omar advises a club called the Black Brotherhood Leadership Association (B2LA), which aims to increase the retention rates of African American males.

B2LA President Jhamir Ransom credits Omar with teaching him how to remain steadfast in the face of difficult obstacles.

“The most valuable lesson he taught me was to stay grounded and stay fearless,” Ransom said. “Since there is no other aid

Jorge Guerrero

By Alan Cazares Staff Writer

College-aged Latino males lag behind many of their peers in completing their educational goals.

Hermanos Ocelotl, a program at Southwestern College, aims to change that dynamic.

Billed as a local alternative to P U E N T E , a s t a t e - w i d e p ro g r a m dedicated to helping educationally disadvantaged students enroll in college and earn a degree, Hermanos Ocelotl is dedicated to helping Latino students at Southwestern College develop as scholars and young adults.

“We want Latino males to have other options besides PUENTE in order to learn more about their culture, how to develop themselves not only in their professionals but also as a person,” said Jorge Guerrero, who is the head coordinator of Hermanos Ocelotl.

Guerrero has a lot in common with many of the Latino students coming to community college for the first time. He was 19 when he immigrated to the U.S from Peru.

“I identify with people not understanding how the educational system works here,” Guerrero said. “My parents couldn’t help me through that process, it was different for them.”

Guerrero had to work full time to support his family while also being a part-time student.

“Financially my family wasn’t doing very well,” Guerrero said. “I had to make a tough decision.”

There are a number of reasons why Latino males struggle to finish college.

Guerrero said he believes many students want to finish but, are held back by obligations to their families and communities.

While these challenges are significant, Guerrero assures students they are not impossible to overcome, especially with the help of Hermanos Ocelotl.

The program requires students to register for a personal development or lifelong success class. These are meant to assist students by teaching how to overcome the hurdles they may face upon arriving at college.

Personal Development professor Jose Enriquez, also a former SWC student, teaches a class that is associated with the Hermanos Ocelotl program and encourages students to push themselves to overcome challenges.

“Students are already in instances where they might want to drop out, we are here to try and prevent that,” Enriquez said. “With this class, with our career process, we help you decide what you want to do.”

Enriquez identifies with many of the students on campus. He was a first-

generation college student. He said motivation and confidence are what students need in order to succeed in school.

“When you’re able to visualize yourself going somewhere educationally, that’s where the confidence taps in,” Enriquez said.

Josh Acido, 24, said Hermanos Ocelotl has had a powerful effect on his education at Southwestern College.

“It affected me because I need some of that personal development,” Acido said.

“I need those reminders of going to see your counselor, not procrastinating, and advice to stay in school.”

Acido said he hopes the Lifelong Success classes associated with Hermanos Ocelotl will be offered to first time college students and students who are struggling to be more successful in college.

“It should stay as a highly suggested class for anybody to take, all college students should have the guidance,” Acido said.

Jorge Guerrero, a counselor at SWC, has an obligation to do everything it can to help students graduate.

“As a counselor, I feel the school is making a commitment to making sure that we don’t just have students taking classes, we have students complete their goals,” Guerrero said.

Lauren Delgado/Staff

HERMANOS— Counselor Jorge Guerrero stands in front of the SWC Wellness Center, which bears Mayan glyphs resembling jaguars.

for black men on this campus, I find it very compelling that Omar decides to help me and other black male students push forward.”

Trishana Norquist, a biology instructor and member of SWC’s Black Alliance, said Omar goes above and beyond his job description.

“I feel the campus needs him because he goes outside of what the job description says,” Norquist said. “His job is working for the students, but he’s spending extra time.”

She also said, students of color experience different academic struggles than their nonwhite counterparts.

“Black Students on an economic level, on a spiritual level, on a home structure level, we go through everything,” Norquist said.

Norquist said she believes Omar is the voice for students at SWC and advocates for them until they learn to do so for themselves.

When one experiences racism, there can be a sense of “onliness” rather than loneliness. Onliness is a state of alienation experienced by members of minority groups who do not have a community to support them. The Black Alliance is meant to create a family for students to fall back on when battling racial inequality.

On a campus that has been subjected to its own share of racial inequity, counselors such as Omar are essential to bridging the racial gap that often leads many disenfranchised youth struggling at the wayside.

Omar is unafraid to challenge the established narratives set forth by institutions of higher learning. In a manner reminiscent of Malcolm X, Omar confronts racial inequity in a calm and rational way,

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May 24, 2019 – Volume 62, Issue 5

unfitting to many stereotypes.

“He does it in such an eloquent, educated way to where you can’t just look at him as an angry black man complaining,” Norquist said. “He’s unapologetically black and he’s not afraid to fight for what is right.”

The contributions made by Omar will be felt over the years to come. He provides his students with the wisdom necessary to maneuver in an unjust society.

“I know when my legacy is gone and my time is gone, that I’ve touched enough lives to replicate that [feeling], to touch other people,” he said. “And that’s the important piece.”

“I know when my legacy is gone and my time is gone, that I’ve touched enough lives to replicate that [feeling], to touch other people. And that’s the important piece.”

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Thinking Out

Loud

How do you feel about the racial tension on campus?

“I think it’s pretty diverse itself. I haven’t really even seen anything that would cause me to reason, browse, or be concerned of any tensions between any race.”

Faith Perez, 19 Undecided

“I feel like each ethnicity is represented in a good manner. I feel like we can improve but only a little” Joshua LaPaul Williams/Staff

Jesus vega, 32 aerospace Engineering

BLACK EXCELLENCE— SWC counseling advisor, Abidshakur Omar, encourages black students to keep moving forward through the hard times.

Shannon Engelhart

“I haven’t seen anything like faculty wise, but I feel like it’s more of a studentto-student thing. You’re in college you’re supposed to be getting an education, not only academically but you’re also getting that education to get out of that ignorance.”

Denise Martinez, 21 Accounting

Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Staff

AWESOME— ASL Professor, Shannon Engelhart signs “awesome” to her students during her ASL 101 lecture.

By Ramona Lopez

Staff Writer

Shannon Engelhart wanted to prove that hands could speak, so she became an American Sign Language professor.

In 2016, Southwestern College hired Engelhart as it’s first full-time ASL instructor. She has since become a staunch advocate for the deaf community and mental health awareness.

“I’m really excited about being both the first ASL and deaf full-time professor,” Engelhart said. “It’s really important that a deaf person is put in that position because it’s really our native language.”

Engelhart said when she was growing up she had to prove she could do things as a deaf person and being a woman amplified the struggle.

Before teaching, Englehart said she had a passion for improving mental health in the deaf community. She worked in mental health counseling and community service for 13 years and is a certified addiction specialist.

First hired in 2011 as a part-time instructor, Engelhart taught workshops and classes on parenting skills, coping skills, depression, anger management and emotional intelligence to members of the deaf community.

Deaf professionals encouraged Engelhart to take her career in a new direction because they saw her passion for teaching.

“I just fell in love with it because it’s my language,” Engelhart said. “It’s my culture. We as a community have a lot of pride in being deaf.”

She and former part-time ASL instructor Pauline Burcham chartered

SWC’s first ever ASL club, Hands Speak, in the 2017 fall semester. All students, fluent in ASL or not, are welcome to club meetings and events. Hand Speak President Victoria Hartwell said Engelhart is the best teacher she has ever had.

“I was really scared to start sign language,” Hartwell said. “I really thought I was going to drop the class, but Shannon is amazing and so kind.

She’s willing to make sure everyone understands what is going on before moving forward.”

Hands Speak Secretary Jennifer Peña said Engelhart’s teaching style is supportive to all.

“You think it would be difficult because of the language barrier, but it’s not,” Peña said. “She does it in a way where everybody can understand. No matter your experience or background with ASL, she puts in more than 100 percent to connect with her students and ensure they learn.”

Engelhart believes her new position can lead to new things.

“I think having a full-time professor who has expertise in this discipline will provide different ideas and constructive changes to the program to make it stronger and more effective for students to transfer to a four-year university,” she said.

Her plans include offering more levels of ASL classes and independent study courses. This enhancement could lead to online classes and a degree in ASL. “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to be a full-time faculty here at SWC,” Engelhart said. “I see a lot of great and exciting developments.”

“I can tell there are different ways to racially joke around.

My math professor has done it. His lack of context on issues made his words sound kind of racist.”

Aswald Hooker, 38 Nursing

“I take selfies smiling and my friends are like “your eyes disappeared!” or just Asian stereotypes. People think it’s funny, but when it’s towards you it’s not funny anymore. It’s like bringing bullying back.”

Jannine Espinosa, 18 Nursing

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Mikayla Moore-Bastide, editor

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May 24, 2019 — Volume 62, Issue 5

The Southwestern College Sun

ARTS

Chicano ‘Oedipus’ brings Greek tragedy to the Barrio > REVIEW

By Clarissa Esquivel Staff Writer

Astronomy. Philosophy. Architecture.

Ancient Greek culture is known for its many historical contributions to society.

But drama was their specialty, with tragedy the king of Greek theatre. An old tale of violence, murder, incest and angry gods is just as thrilling thousands of years later.

Sophocles’ tragedy, “Oedipus Rex,” has been given new life in an adaptation

by Latino playwright Luis Alfaro. His adaptation, “Oedipus El Rey” echoes the plot of the Greek play about a man cursed by fate to kill his father and commit incest with his mother.

But it replaces Greek mythology with Aztec mythology (mitos) and focuses on contemporary issues, shedding light on the high rate of racially tinged incarceration suffered by the Latino community in California.

Sandra Cortez, director and adjunct professor at Southwestern College, brings the tragedy of “Oedipus El Rey” to the stage. With the personal blessing of Alfaro himself, she has set the play in Barrio Logan.

A cry of the Aztec death whistle is heard coming from a conch shell to open the play. Doomed inmates appear on the stage bound not in chains around their legs but with Aztec dancing bells, representing how people are chained to their culture.

Oedipus Gomez (Anthony Antonisyzn) dances his way onto the stage in a style reminiscent of Aztec concheros. These traditional Aztec dancers were able to keep their culture alive by incorporating ancient ritual with Catholic imagery while under Spanish rule.

Following in the Greek tradition of a chorus, various actors play the role of the coro (chorus in Spanish) throughout the entire production. Coro members were right on cue in delivering witty and fast paced Chicano humor. They were essential to the enjoyment and structure of the story and did well in their roles as narrators.

While incarcerated, Oedipus delivers a touching and heartbreaking monologue with the help of the coro about growing up in the system and his hopes for rehabilitation.

“I never knew my mother,” Oedipus said. “She left me to a life of picking pockets, selling pot and juvenile detention.

It’s no good to dream in here. To wish for things makes you crazy. It makes you sad.

That’s why I have to leave. Sometimes you do things in here that are not really you.”

As Antonisyzn delivered this powerful speech, he made direct eye contact with the audience, making them feel as though they were a part of his story. The audience feels sympathy toward the naïve juvenile who knows only a life of institutions. He makes the audience feel as though they are jury members judging him.

In a twist of the Greek drama, instead of a king and a kingdom, grand leader Lauis (Arturo Medina) runs Barrio Logan with his queen Jacosta (Gracie Juarez). But just like the Greek drama, a prophecy warns of patricide and incest, and Lauis commands Tiresias (Benjamin Diaz) to abandon the child in Balboa Park. Tiresias cannot leave the infant to die and takes the child away from San Diego and raises Oedipus as his own, hoping to avert the fate the gods have already decided on.

Fast forward several years later, an incarcerated but optimistic Oedipus hopes for a better future. Unknowing the fate destiny has in store for him, he returns to San Diego, kills Lauis, falls in love and marries his mother. He also returns to a life of crime. His cowardice creates a wave of tragedy. Eventually the truth is revealedOedipus blinds himself and Jacosta takes her own life. The play ends with Oedipus Gomez once again going back to a life behind bars imprisoned due to desire and socio-economics.

Set design was kept very simple for this production. Only a structure resembling an Aztec kiosk, like the one located in Barrio Logan’s Chicano Park, appeared on the stage throughout the entire performance. As the scene shifted between the prison and the streets of the barrio to the bedroom, only a lavish bed was placed center underneath the kiosk to differentiate between the locations.

The minimalist set worked well with this production because the dialogue was the most important part of the play.

Costumes painted the stage with their bright hues. Aztec costumes used for the Tecolotes (owls), and mystical doubleheaded serpant, Esfinge (sphinx), were beautifully hand crafted and were the most impressive costumes in the show. At times

they even glowed in the dark, revealing hidden works of art that were only visible under the black light.

Apart from the creative incorporation of the Chichimenca indigenous dance tradition that opened the show, music was very much part of the production.

Oldies that are popular with Latinos, including, “In the Still of the Night’’ and “Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide” were played during scenes to enhance what the characters were going

through emotionally.

A m y Winehouse’s, “Will you Still Love Me To m o r r o w” w a s played was during the evocative accidental incest scene between Oedipus and Jacosta. The scene was uncomfortable to watch, but at the same time the audience’s eyes are drawn to the stage. Especially as Oedipus literally “fills spaces that were empty inside” his mother. This scene drips with dramatic irony, as the audience knows the terrible prophecy has finally bore its sinful fruit.

Some comedic moments are presented from the coro that lightens up the otherwise dark plot. A great example is when Oedipus finds himself in Chicano Park amongst the vendors, which include a lady selling tamales, a palletero (ice cream man) and an all too funny moment when actor Ronald Ellis asked audience members if they would care to purchase chicle (chewing gum).

Antoniszyn’s performance of Oedipus Gomez was surreal and believable. His

delivery was natural. However, the role did not come easy. Antoniszyn said it was a difficult role, requiring him to, “explore darker emotions.”

“As for the process, it was hard because of the violence. Breaking down the who and the why because the character of Oedipus was violent in his actions,” he said.

Medina and Diaz were astonishing in their roles as well. Playing the violent and macho Laius, Medina belted out brutal lines such as, “Let’s scare the Gods. Go to Balboa Park and hang him from a tree.

Like a chivo. Let the life drain from him.

The coyotes will do the rest.”

The light to Laius’s dark character was that of Tiresias. His lines offered hope in a time of disparity. His line, “The only thing that needs healing is the soul,” was said with such tenderness. It was no wonder he was Oedipus’s guide through life and the prison system.

One unfortunate aspect was that the advertising for “El Rey” was not more abundant. Very few flyers were seen around the college campus only a couple weeks before the show.

Like Oedipus, director Cortez worked with the theatre budget the

gods presented her with. “Oedipus El Rey” represents a segment of society that often is not depicted in theatre.

When asked what kind of an impact he hoped the audience left Mayan Hall with, actor Antoniszyn stated, “I would want the audience to leave knowing that we are the captains of our own ships.”

Karelly Vidrio/Staff

‘EL REY’ OF PLAYS - (front page) Lauis (Arturo Medina) chokes a fortuneteller known as El Sobador (NAME) while his wife Jocasta (Gracie Juarez) looks on. (r) Oedipus Gomez (Anthony Antonisyzn) laments the life that lead him to prison but has hope that his future will change. (l) Oedipus unknowingly beats his father to death fulfilling the first part of the prophecy. (above) Oedipus unknowingly embraces his mother as a lover, fulfilling the second part.

Karelly Vidrio/Staff Karelly Vidrio/Staff

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The Southwestern College Sun

May 24, 2019 — Volume 62, Issue 5

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New dance show brings student’s visions to life Jazz night > REVIEW

By Marissa Romero Staff Writer

Choreography students projected their life’s artistic visions into the production of the dance concert epic “Dancing Through Life.”

A creative repertoire of 18 dances was presented by the students under the direction of Dana Maue, Southwestern College Dance Professor and Director of “Dancing Through Life.” The chorographers projected their life inspirations through the dancer’s performances, music and stage effects with brilliant coordination making the dance concert an enjoyable showcase full of energy and emotions. “ S a f e Sp a c e” w a s a h e a r t f e l t contemporary dance combining the art of ballet and modern styles of movements. It portrayed a couple being separated by life’s circumstances through fluid and interconnected ballet movements, taking the audience into the drama of the presentation. The dancer’s faces reflected pain and sorrows accompanied by soft movements through which they tried to reach out to one another but were pushed apart. The soft alternative music by the band Jump Little Children truly complemented this expressive dance.

“Fiesta Nor teño” was a ballet folklorico piece that had many dancers on stage with their traditional norteño costumes, which included cowboy hats, cowboy boots with pointy tips and bandanas. Energy was projected across the stage with this traditional folklorico dance, which originated from northern México with influence from Texas.

Happiness beamed from the faces and movements of the dancers.

“Survival” was a remarkable and emotional contemporary dance presentation. The background included a dark blue forest, which gave a feeling of solitude and sorrow and allowed the emotions of the audience to be absorbed

into the scene. With a mix of expressive modern an d melancho lic ballet movements, the dancers transmitted sentiments of a desperate fight for survival. Soft pop music from singer songwriter Ruelle complemented the dancer’s expressions of struggle and difficulty.

“Orange Lotus,” a lyrical jazz piece that portrayed the loss of a loved one from an illness. This performance submerged the audience into the creative mind of the choreographer’s story. Dancers depicted this passage of life with their harmonious dance interpretation and through their sorrowful facial expressions. Amazingly, like the lotus, life re-emerged, bringing a new beginning of joy and happiness exceptionally represented by the dancers.

The “Finale” piece was presented with dynamic music from the band Fitz and

the Tantrums. The dancers followed the energetic pop soul beats. One by one, the dancers from each performance saluted the audience which responded with great applause during each bow.

Maue said the choreographers managed to overcome obstacles by thinking outside of the box, dancing outside their comfor t zone and connecting their pieces with real life situations in society. “[The choreographers] talents and visions came through life at stage,” Maue said. “I’m very very proud of how far they came as choreographers.”

“Dancing Through Life” was an adventurous sum of choreographies built by talented students. The perseverance, genius and professionalism of the choreographers’ work made the dance concert successfully convey their artistic visions.

brings musical flair > REVIEW

By Gamaliel Carreno Arango Staff Writer

Karelly Vidrio/Staff

Karelly Vidrio/Staff

MYRIAD OF DANCES —“Dancing Through Life” by dance professor and director Dana Maue, featured 18 dances from SWC’s choreography students.

SWC gallery hosts three generations of feminist art > REVIEW

By Andrew Penalosa Staff Writer

Doris Boris Berman’s artwork was at risk of become a fading memory after she died in 2015. However, thanks to the efforts of several people, the Southwestern College Art Gallery has become the savior of her work.

Born in Austria, Berman started off as a recording artist and received recognition for her work during the Cold War. Her music was geared towards the youth culture at the time and she signed recording contracts with big record labels like CBS Records. She eventually moved San Francisco and became a multimedia artist. During her time on the West Coast, she met Perry Vasquez, an SWC Art Instructor, who was an admirer of her work.

Overtime, they became close friends.

Following her death, Vasquez chose the Southwestern College Art Gallery as the place to show off Berman’s work.

An artist of many talents, Berman aimed to create an image of what life was like in a patriarchal society.

Through the art gallery “Games without Frontiers,” her work was put on display along with Lissa Corona and Marina Grize, two other like-minded artists.

“He had an idea of wanting to exhibit his friend’s work (Doris Boris Berman) and he had talked to me about the kind of energy that she had,” said Corona, who teaches at La Jolla Country Day School. “The determination to make a statement with her work and he felt that my work and Marina’s work would also reflect that same energy.”

“FotoAktion” by Berman are a series of photographic prints that were captured in the U.S. in 1982-1984.

These rough black-and-white prints captured the urban youth cultures of her day. Set in a barren white studio, the subjects took their photos with the bulb cable used in cameras back then.

The result was photographs that were less polished and more casual since the subject, rather than the photographer, squeezed on the cable to take the shot.

Each photo consisted of different people wearing gangster clothes and performing actions from smoking to someone wearing a gas mask with their hands placed on their hips.

“FotoAktion” was her response to

drive-by street photography that would secretly capture the photographer’s subjects. She felt this method was making people into objects and stealing moments from their life. When she took these photos, she wanted her subjects to be involved with selfexpression and interact with her by performing actions that represented their youth.

“Why” by Corona was done on a risograph print on paper and depicted a woman shaded in red sobbing and screaming by herself. It was arranged vertically in a stack of three with the same piece repeated on each photo. It represents a lot of Corona’s work about being a woman in a patriarchal society.

“I like to respond to that (Why) by showing examples of frustrated, angry, sad, and vulnerable women commemorating those emotions while finding that kind of bond or connection with people who see the work,” Corona said. “If you see someone angry or you see someone crying, my hope is that you in turn also feel something or wonder at least what has upset this person.”

In contrast to Berman and Corona, Grize’s work wasn’t on a canvas or

photograph, but was all languagebased. It including poetry like: “I think of loss greater than this to put out the small fire you left in my belly” and “See you, see me.” Grize’s art took up an entire wall, as she wanted her poetry to be taken out of context and not on an ordinary page. She wanted the viewers to see them for what they say and not to find deeper meaning within them.

When looking at them, there was an immediate sense to analyze what it meant rather than question the norm of society.

Grize described these words as something that is being described already. “Not everything is an analogy.

I think they mean exactly what they say,” said Grize, who is an independent curative director. Her work is a reflection of Berman’s art due to its ability to make people question the world they live in. Both Grize and Corona’s art are from today even though Grize is more direct with her art rather than Corona and Berman.

The paradoxes that the three artists exert in their pieces are meant to reflect their views on society and have viewers challenge their perception on what is considered the norm.

Every member of the Southwestern College jazz and guitar ensemble had a chance to shine and communicate their musical passion for one “Latin Jazz Night.”

Directed by music professor Jorge Pastrana, the concert showcased the talent that exists among the student musicians of SWC. For some, it was their last recital at SWC. Each musical piece came with an explanation from Pastrana, who provided historical context with great sense of humor. He used simple expressions to let the audience know what would come next. In a sense, Pastrana’s job was to hype the audience and smooth out the transition to prevent genre whiplash. He also made sure to name drop the performers to get their fans ready.

With “Solfege Canon No.1,” the guitar ensemble started the night with a well-rehearsed piece in which all guitars were listed in unison. “The Shallow of Your Smile” had Oskar Oyoque play a magnificent guitar solo that made the audience cheer. Both pieces brought out the beauty of the instrument.

After the guitarist’s performance and a brief intermission, the jazz group appeared on stage wearing black clothing and sitting on a bench that allowed the audience to see all 26 members of the ensemble.

The ensembles played seven songs, star ting off with a rendition of “Misirlou,” arranged by Saul Garcia, member of the ensemble.

The solos of a flutist, trombonist, pianist, guitarist and trumpetist made the audience appreciate what real jazz is. During the performance, Pastrana would tell each member when it would be their time to play a short solo. Performers would stand up, with the light and attention focused on them, and show what they brought to the night. The arrangement sounded amazing, and the instruments ,along with the musicians, had their moments.

But, trumpeters and trombonists stole the show by having energetic solos in each of the performed songs.

In the piece “Desafinado,” Tungching Yim passionately sang in Portuguese.

The audience perfectly appreciated her voice despite the strong presence of trumpets and drums.

With the song “Tristeza,” three singers came in front of the stage and accompanied the ensemble. With charming and elegant voices, they synchronized among themselves and with the group. It felt like all the presentations were leading up to “Tristeza,” a connection between all of the members was noticeable. Catchy rhythm and lyrics made the piece enjoyable. It was a fascinating display of talent and effort.

Lauren Delgado/Staff

Lauren Delgado/Staff

MULTI-MEDIA — Inter-generational feminist artwork by Doris Berman, Lissa Corona and Marina Grize are displayed together to provide viewers a deep look into the styles and mediums the artists used to express their beliefs.

LATIN JAZZ - The Spring edition of Latin Jazz night brings out the best of SWC’s jazz and guitar ensembles.

May 24, 2019 - Volume 62, Issue 5

The Southwestern College Sun

SPORTS

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Jaguar spring sports

All-Stars

Marquavian Stephens: PCAC South MVP 17.9 Points per game 6 rebounds 2 Assists Season high 37 points vs. Miramar

PCAC

Jordan Cooke: 1st team All-PCAC 10.2 points per game 7.7 rebounds 2.4 blocks per game Season high 13 rebounds vs. Cuyamaca

Nathaniel Pearson: 1st team All-PCAC 14.9 points per game 7.0 rebounds 3 assists Season high 29 points vs. Victor Valley

PCAC

MVP

Justin Dottery/Staff

Justin Dottery/Staff

Justin Dottery/Staff

Satera Bates: 16 points per game 3.6 rebounds 2.1 assists Season high 32 points vs. La Verne

Maya Robinson: 1st team All-PCAC 11.4 points per game 9.1 rebounds 2.6 assists Season high 14 rebounds three times

Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Gertrude Nixon: PCAC Pitcher of the Year 109 strikeouts 4 shutouts 1.77 earned run average 26 runs allowed First ever no-hitter in SWC softball history

Cassie Van Til: 1st team All-PCAC .436 batting average 47 runs batted in 28 runs .869 fielding percentage Pitcher of the Year

POTY

Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Russell Scoffin/ Courtesy

Lachelle Autry: State second runner-up in triple jump

3rd

Danielle Simmons: 11.9 points per game 8.9 rebounds 1.4 blocks per game Season high 22 rebounds vs. Cuesta

Erika Anders: 1st team All-PCAC .379 batting average 42 runs 24 runs batted in .910 fielding percentage 11 double plays

Russell Scoffin/ Courtesy

During the May 17 and 18 state finals, Tajanique Bell and Lachelle Autry were the only two representatives from SWC’s women track team. Together, they landed SWC in 13th place out of 49 California colleges that competed.

Tajanique Bell: 100-meter hurdles State Champion, runner-up in 400-meter hurdles

1

2nd

Joshua LaPaulWilliams/ Staff

Justin Dottery/Staff

Jorge Martinez: 1st team All-PCAC .340 batting average 34 runs 31 runs batted in 10 homeruns

Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Bryan Reyes Mendoza: 1st team All-PCAC .349 batting average 20 runs 24 runs batted in 4 homeruns

Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Irish Krishna Velentos: All-PCAC tennis player

Ricky Yoguinua: 1st team All-PCAC .295 batting average 10 runs batted in 19 runs 57 innings pitched 27 strikeouts .972 fielding percentage

Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Cullin Paisely: PCAC 100-meter champion Part of PCAC champion 400-meter relay team

Joshua Godfrey: PCAC Decathalon champion

1st Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Marvin James: Part of PCAC champion 400-meter relay team

1st Justin Dottery/Staff

1st

Justin Dottery/Staff

1st Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

Diego Sanchez: Part of PCAC champion 400-meter relay team

Isaiah Brown: Part of PCAC champion 400-meter relay team

1st

1st Justin Dottery/Staff

SPORTS

The Southwestern College Sun

May 24, 2019 — Vol.62, Iss. 5

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Not your run-of-the-mill professor

Russell Scoffin/Courtesy

ALL WOUND UP —Sophomore utility player Gertrude Nixon winding up to pitch against Saddleback College.

Nixon threw the program’s first no-hitter and was named PCAC Pitcher of the Year.

Lady Jags get first no-no No hitter added to the record books and team earns playoff berth.

Aide Valdez Staff Writer

Brianna Juarez/Staff

CONTAGIOUS FITNESS — Fitness consultant and exercise science professor Angela Chelik, who is also a track student-athlete, engages students in a fun ten-minute warm up game of “grab the ball” for a volleyball class.

Brianna Juarez Assistant Sports Editor

Angela Chelik is the first professor to be named as Southwestern College’s “Inspirational Athlete of the Year.” But to achieve that honor, she had to become a full-time student again.

There were a few obstacles for the 40-year-old Chelik, who has been an exercise science professor at SWC for the past nine years. First, she immersed herself back into the rigorous track and field lifestyle after a 25-year hiatus and took on a full course load. Her sacrifices and ambition are what overwhelmingly sold track and field head coach Tonie Campbell on her winning the accolade.

“I think she really deserves it,” Campbell said. “Because of her dedication and what she sacrificed, and the leadership exampled out there on the field.”

Chelik prides herself on having good time management and organizational skills. But what helped her the most throughout this journey was support from her husband.

“Having a support network really is helpful,” said Chelik. “He basically ran everything in our lives for the last four months.”

She said the camaraderie on the track and being an older athlete also made her feel comfortable about deciding to compete.

“I wanted to be coached by Tonie and Adam (Henderson) who are amazing instructors,” said Chelik. “I just kind of wanted to see what it would be like to fine-tune a skill later in life.”

Since Chelik did not attend base training in the fall, she suffered from injuries early on in the season. Campbell was impressed with her recovery time.

“In my opinion, she came back faster than a lot of athletes normally would,” said Campbell. “I think that’s a good testament to the way she eats and trained, as well as took care of her body.”

Chelik found her physical injuries more of a test of her mental fortitude. A pulled quadricep, took a toll on her enthusiasm for track because she was not able to train.

While injuries can have a negative effect on an athlete’s psyche, Chelik was able to use the mental frustration as a learning experience.

“That’s all bad energy,” Chelik said. “If I wanted it to heal, I needed to be more accepting of the process of letting your body do its thing.”

Chelik said being an athlete now helped her step into the shoes of a student and learn from her instructor. She now wants to become a coach.

“To see the quick changes in people’s performance and the

psychology about it and training the mind as much as the physical body, that’s what coaches do,” said Chelik. “It was so fun to just see, and learn from them.”

Campbell agreed and said her experience can have a positive effect on her as a teacher. “She’s really going to be a dynamic professor that Southwestern is blessed to have.”

Chelik’s student Francine Sotelo, 33, said she can relate to Chelik because she is also an older student. Chelik’s passion for the things she loves and her willingness to give back is inspiring, Sotelo said.

“She is a woman who knows exactly what she wants and the determination it takes to get there,” Sotelo said. “Her passion and energy shine through, she wants to be there.”

Chelik said she wants to send a message that it is never too late to set goals and challenge yourself, even later in life.

“You are in control of your destiny,” Chelik said. “If you want something, go for it, reorganize your life and make it happen.”

Justin Dottery/Staff

PUSHING THROUGH —SWC track athlete Angela Chelik, who is also an exercise science professor, pushing hard at the end of the 400-meter dash at the PCAC Finals at Cuyamaca College.

The 2019 Season for the women’s softball team has been historic. Sophomore Gertrude “Trudie” Nixon threw the team’s first-ever no-hitter in a 1-0 win over San Ana in February.

Nixon credits her incremental approach and the team she had behind her for accomplishing the feat.

“I was only thinking about it pitch to pitch, I trusted my defense because defense is huge to get the job done.”

The no-hitter was just the beginning of a great season for Nixon – she was also named conference pitcher of the year.

“I would say I am a bit surprised by earning PCAC pitcher of the year, especially given all the other fantastic pitchers in the league,” Nixon said.

“But I owe it to my teammates and defense overall for giving me the confidence to pitch each and every game.”

Winning the award was not her personal goal at the beginning of the season, but coming into it she knew she needed to make her presence known.

“Going into the season I knew I had to make a big impact, and I wanted to be a leader on this team and I think I have fulfilled that,” Nixon said. “I finished with a lower ERA this year at 1.88 compared to last year 2.77 -- I am very proud of myself.”

Nixon said her award-winning year wouldn’t have happened without her teammates.

“I owe it to my teammates and defense overall,” Nixon said. “I would not have been given this award without my teammates and coaches supports on and off the field.”

While Nixon accomplished more than she’d dreamed of, the team fell just short of their goal of a PCAC Championship, finishing third with a 13-3 conference record.

Freshman outfielder Breanna Simmons said even though the team had a lot of freshman, they came into the season ready to work.

“Even though more than half of the team were freshman, they have put forward so much effort,” Simmons said. “We all have confidence in them.”

Assistant coach Rick Whitaker mentioned that despite early struggles, the team has overcome and improved throughout the year.

“We started off a little slow, but the girls worked hard and picked it up” Whitaker said.

While they may have played well defensively this season, Simmons said they could have benefitted from starting games stronger.

“We needed to get ahead and score first,” Simmons said. “Then we can make adjustments from there.”

Though consistency was a problem for the team, they were able to qualify for the regional playoffs, winning a wildcard game vs. Ventura College.

The Jaguars went on to lose 2-1 in their opening round series vs. Cypress College.

While the season did not end the way they wanted, the team had much to celebrate.

13-game win streak snapped as Jags just miss playoffs Alan Cazares Staff Writer

Joshua LaPaul Williams/Staff

BATTER UP — Sophomore catcher Tyler Lindsay at the plate looking to score against cross-town rival San Diego City College.

The Jaguars baseball team got off to a rough start losing 11 of their first 13 games.

But they were able to recover and put themselves in position for a playoff berth by winning their final 13 games. Unfortunately, their winning streak ended when they lost a one-game playoff to L.A. Mission by a score of 7-1.

Head coach Jay Martel said the early stretch of the season prepared them for the rest of the season.

“Our schedule was pretty tough early on,” Martel said. “We’re so far south, when we travel, we travel to L.A, and L.A is the Orange Empire which is the number one conference in the state of California.”

Sophomore pitcher and infielder Jorge Martinez believes the out-of-conference schedule prepared the team for conference play. “We played tough teams,” Martinez said. “I think that prepared us and that’s why we’re doing better in conference than we did in the preseason.”

The driving force behind the team’s victories were strong outings from the bullpen and quality fielding.

Sophomore pitcher Justin Zamora believes the team’s tough practice schedule contributes to their strong defense and competitive hunger.

“We take a lot of groundballs,” Zamora said “We’ll play catch, warm up, we’ll take groundballs and

turn them into plays, and PFP’s (Pitchers Fielding Practice) before we go into hitting.”

Martel said the pitching has been a key to the team’s success.

“The difference between non-conference and conference is our pitching has been really good, a couple guys have thrown really well.” Martel said.

The Jaguars got off to a quick start, winning their first four games in conference, before losing two key series to fellow top PCAC contenders San Diego Mesa and Palomar College.

“The biggest thing we worked on — on the offensive side was to be more aggressive early in the count, trying to get fastballs to hit, try to not fall behind,” Martel said. “We have a young club, but that’s no excuse, we didn’t play very well, we haven’t hit very well.”

Reyes said the the team used the stretch-run before the playoffs to focus on decreasing mental errors and getting more confident at the plate.

“We are getting back into it mentally, focus on batting practices, seeing the ball, and timing up,” Reyes said. “Even though we are young, we might have some errors, that’s what we practice a lot on, making sure we have the routines done.”

Martel said the team had to be more aggressive at the plate to find success.

“We have to be more competitive, be more hungry,” Martel said. “If we can hit, if we can hit

with two outs, that’s huge. If we can do that in the next games we can be right there.”

Martinez said their early success went to their heads and cost them down the stretch.

“We got confident,” Martinez said. “We relaxed and thought we were going to keep on winning.

We’re struggling but now we’re fighting back.”

Zamora said the team came into their own during conference play.

“We were trying to find who we were as a team,” he said. “We didn’t really bond. We caught a wave as soon as we hit conference.”

The Jaguars showed that even with a bumpy start they could finish strong and demonstrate they were made of fight and determination.

Joshua LaPaul Williams/Staff

KNOW THE PLAY — SWC baseball team members look onto the field to study the plays of their rival team SD City College.

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Design by Marty Loftin

BACKPAGE

May 24, 2018 — Volume 62, Issue 5

Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: arts@theswcsun.com

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