Viewpoints Vol. 99 Issue 9 March 11, 2021

viewpoints R

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s the power of using your voice.”

-Michelle Obama

I

V

E

R

S

I

D

E

C

I

T

Y

C

O

L L

E

G

E

VOL. 99, NO. 9 MARCH 11,

2021

An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving as the voice of the students since 1922.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @RCCVIEWPOINTS

District aims to reopen in fall 2021 Anticipates complete return to in-person instruction ERIK GALICIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Riverside Community College District is anticipating the complete reopening of its campuses this fall.

According to Dariush Haghighat, Riverside City College vice president of the Faculty Association, Plan A is to return to in-person instruction as it was pre-pandemic: face-to-face

WHAT’S INSIDE

:

instruction at 80% and online instruction at 20%. If pandemic trends continue as they have in recent weeks and vaccination rates continue to climb, oncampus operations are expected to reach 100% this fall.

“Full capacity,” Haghighat said. “The cafeteria, your student services, everything will be back on campus and the district.”

The plans will play out based on the reality on the ground, he added, and on the say of the county, state and Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention.

If the state does not approve a complete reopening, for instance, the district would aim for Plan B: whatever mix of online and in-person instruction is allowed.

Should the pandemic experience another drastic backslide, Plan C would keep instruction mostly online.

The Faculty Association and district have been drafting memorandums of understanding that address specific safety measures deemed essential to

executing a complete return to campus. The memorandums were sent to the association’s and district’s legal counsel to ensure their legality and adherence to CDC guidelines. Haghighat said he expects the memorandums to be signed by March 12.

One of the memorandums focuses on faculty receiving both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine before the start of the

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS

7

See REOPENING on page 2

‘He exposed realities to me’ Loved ones remember man who died in custody

Organizations seek support for state amendment

LIFE

14 How businesses are doing after one year of COVID-19

EDITORIAL See FAMILY on page 9 PHOTO COURTESY OF SERAFIN SERRANO

Serafin Serrano holds his nephew Ernie “Teddy” Serrano in his lap in 1994. Ernie Serrano was 7 years old at the time.

RCC works to combat anti-Black racism Ten-point plan addresses inequities in college education JENNIPHER VASQUEZ STAFF REPORTER

A group of Riverside City College faculty took part in a professional development training with San Diego State University faculty in the summer of 2020 to participate in a 10-point plan to address racial injustice and anti-Blackness on college campuses.

The 10-point plan, created

in response to George Floyd’s killing, was introduced to RCC

by Monique Green, Guided Pathways coordinator.

Gregory Anderson, RCC president, has been overseeing the college’s Call To Action Task Force since last summer. It aims to implement the plan to address racism on campus.

“We recognize that we can do better,” Anderson said. “That society is set up in such a way to help certain groups perform better. It’s set up from a very

early age that other groups are not going to be able to perform.”

The plan includes revisiting the history of anti-Blackness, racism in campus culture, strengthening outreach to Black students and numerous other components in an effort to eliminate ongoing discrimination and improve success rates.

“We need to figure out how we can reorient our institution in ways that are going to serve the students that come to us,” Anderson said.

Point 1 of the plan aims to acknowledge the past of racism to create ways for each element of the 10-point plan to be put into action, adjustments in curriculum being a key factor.

Anderson recognized that the history of racial injustice has carried on throughout generations and that the campus is committed to improving teaching methods that cater to furthering the success See INJUSTICE on page 4

18 Unions are the key to journalisms survival

INDEX NEWS LIFE VIEWS EDITORIAL SPORTS

2 9 17 18 19

2

March 11, 2021

News

NEWS BRIEFS City Council Riverside City Council meetings will run in a hybrid format beginning March 16.

Public commenters will wait outside until they are called in to address the City Council on a microphone from the back of the chambers.

Some concilmembers and the mayor will be present inperson, while the others will continue to participate from home.

Term Ends The spring 2021 semester will end June 11.

Important Dates The last day to drop a couse with a “W” is May 14.

Outstanding balance Students that have an outstanding balance of $100 or more on May 3 will not be able to register for summer 2021 classes.

To check if you have an outstanding balance, visit the registration section on MyPortal and select “make a payment.”

Any outstanding debt over $100 will be submitted to the Chancellor’s Office Tax Offset Program.

The program has the ability through the Franchise Tax Board to seize any tax refunds, lottery winnings or unclaimed property that might be owed to the student.

Vaccinations COVID-19 vaccinations have begun in Riverside County.

They are being administered in a tiered approach and are not yet available to the general public, although those ages 65 and older are included at the top of the list.

To v i e w a v a i l a b l e appointments, visit www. rivcoph.org/COVID-19Vaccine.

If you know of events or important issues you would like to bring up to us, email the information to viewpoints.news@ gmail.com.

To receive newsletter twice a month featuring stories chosen by our editors straight in your inbox, visit our website viewpointsonline. org and type your email address into the subscription pop-up window.

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

The three Riverside Community College District campuses have operated in a mostly online format since March of 2020. The district plans a complete return to in-person instruction this fall if pandemic developments allow for it.

RCCD plans full capacity return

REOPENING from page 1 fall semester.

According to Rhonda Taube, Faculty Association president, only instructors with medical issues that warrant abstaining from vaccination and those with sincere religious objections would be exempt.

Wolde-Ab Isaac, RCCD chancellor, announced at the Board of Trustees meeting March 2 that the district is partnering with universities in the area to pressure Riverside County into making campuses vaccination sites. District nurses would be employed by vaccine providers, which in return are being asked to allocate vaccines for RCCD personnel and students.

“We have begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

“The rate of infections is dropping rapidly. By the end of the summer, it is hoped that close to 70 to 75% of the population will have been

vaccinated, thereby acquiring the required herd immunity.”

According to Haghighat, the district is considering making vaccination a requirement for students.

Paul Feist, California Community Colleges vice chancellor for Communications, said via email March 10 that any vaccination requirement pursued would be up to the individual college district, not the State Chancellor’s Office.

“He wants to make sure that our campuses are safe and that they would not be taken hostage or hijacked by individuals who are running wild with their ideologies,” Haghighat said about Isaac.

Along with the decrease in COVID-19 cases, the virtual format’s detriment to education served as a driving factor in the reopening plans.

“I think we’ve made the best of an unfortunate situation,” said

Bill Hedrick, Board of Trustees vice president. “But not everyone has bonded well with the online programs. It’s not what they bargained for and enrollment has dramatically decreased at our colleges.”

Community College enrollment has decreased across California during the pandemic.

RCCD experienced a 13% enrollment decline last semester and struggled to meet its target enrollment this spring.

Mary Figueroa, Board of Trustees president, said the loss of students will prove tough to repair. Once students drop out, she argued, it is difficult to get them to re-enroll.

“We’re losing a generation,” she said. “If we don’t help them now, chances are we won’t be able to help them again.”

A district email sent March 2 initially announced RCCD’s plans to reopen in the fall, but few details were outlined. This prompted some

faculty to respond with concerns about safety requirements and the perceived quick pace of reopening.

Haghighat reiterated that any safety required in the fall will follow CDC recommendations.

“I don’t think we can convince anybody who doesn’t want to be convinced,” he said. “There is a line where our freedom of choice runs into our duties and responsibilities as public employees. The district has the right of assignment.”

Haghighat noted that the district has diligently followed the guidance of health experts throughout the pandemic, pointing to its quick transition to online instruction last March for the sake of safety.

“We don’t believe the district is going to be reckless and endanger people’s lives,” he said.

The RCCD Safe Return Task Force is expected to announce updates at the Board of Trustees meeting March 16.

March 11, 2021

News

3

Ward 3 mail-in election set for June 8

UC Riverside graduate aims for retention of students JESSICA LOPEZ STAFF REPORTER

A community organizer out of UC Riverside, Aram Ayan was inspired to run for city council by what he called a disconnect between the university and its surrounding residents.

Drawing from his experiences as a former student, Ayan argued that the city has underutilized UC Riverside as an engine for social, and economic mobility and lacks college graduate retention.

“We don’t have an advocate that speaks to student issues, to postgraduate issues,” Ayan said.

“We don’t have someone that’s securing the kind of resources and support systems necessary to actually retain college graduates in the area.”

He emphasized his urgency to address the current health

and economic crises. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Ayan said he has seen its heavy impacts firsthand in the Riverside Mutual Aid Network.

The network, co-founded by Ayan and fellow college graduate John Stefan, stemmed from wanting to help college students who have been struggling to find essential resources since the abrupt closure of campuses.

The network also aids vulnerable communities in the area.

“Since we’ve launched, we’ve raised nearly $15,000,” Ayan said.

Ninety-nine percent of its funding comes from direct community members donating small amounts of money at a time, Ayan added.

Through the support of a grassroots movement, Ayan is now focused on better serving residents, tackling issues most

important to those in the area.

He plans to make vaccines more accessible.

“I’m talking about reducing the amount of lines that we have by opening more locations, doing mobile vaccination clinics and reaching out to communities that traditionally don’t have access or transportation,” he said.

R i v e r s i d e ’s u n s h e l t e r e d population, one of its most vulnerable, is also at the forefront of Ayan’s plans. He has worked with Riverside’s Homeless Care Network to address issues collaboratively.

“There’s a lot more room for getting bigger initiatives off the ground,” Ayan said. “Bringing all of these stakeholders together from these various organizations and providing leadership, and backing as well to ensure that we’re addressing homelessness as a whole united community.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARAM AYAN

Former RCC student wants more inclusion of residents SIGIFREDO MACIAS STAFF REPORTER

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSE ANTONIO HUERTA

Jose Antonio Huerta was raised in the East Side.

The Ward 2 native also attended Riverside City College.

He believes this sets him apart from his opponents. Growing up in the area allowed him to see what things have changed in the city and what things have not. He witnessed the pressures of gangs, drugs and violence.

“These aren’t just issues to me,” Huerta said. “I actually know the families and people whose problems we solve. We have the same problems we did 10-plus years ago.”

He argued City Hall masks R i v e r s i d e ’s c o n c e r n s w i t h gentrification rather than investing in the people.’

Huerta said his biggest fear in running for Riverside City Council is that society seems to measure a city’s progress in terms of economic success, gentrification and by how many Riverside residents can be uplifted.

“I want the people I grew up with to share in our city’s success, not just feel like they can no longer live here,” he said. “I want to ensure Riversiders are a part of every decision.”

Huerta also said being an RCC student had a significant impact on him because of the challenges he went through.

The entrepreneurship program, changed his life forever, he said.

As Riverside continues to deal with strong winds, fires and hotter temperatures than usual, Huerta said he will aim to fight the climate crisis as Ward 2 City Council member.

More green jobs is the key, he argued, and that the city should leverage itself in a way that attracts more green companies, ultimately pushing Riverside to being a center for green companies.

“But it’s going to take a new generation of leaders to bring these issues to the forefront of our city’s policy priorities,” Huerta said.

Huerta said being an educator, coach and a Riverside native are his motives for running for election.

He said he does not want to use the city council as a stepping stone, but to help people in Riverside and for it to continue to prosper.

Huerta also plans to invest in youth sports, arts and mentorship programs.

“I am one example of what can happen if we continue to invest local, in our Riverside youth,” he said on a Facebook post.

City staffer plans to redirect resources to East Side JESSICA LOPEZ STAFF REPORTER

As a former legislative representative for Ward 3 council member Andy Melendrez, Clarissa Cervantes has worked with residents in the UC Riverside area for years.

Cervantes met directly with neighborhood groups every month.

She has worked with R i v e r s i d e ’s P u b l i c Wo r k s Department, addressing traffic in the city and other constituents’ needs.

She said she would follow up with people over several months, allowing for open communication in the community.

“The fascinating part for me was when one of the members said, ‘I don’t know my neighbors and that really upsets me,”

Cervantes said. “And so someone said we should have a ‘meet your neighbors’ event.”

City staff came out to introduce themselves to the neighborhood people, she added.

“It was just transformative,” she said.

Cervantes lists housing as a main concern of Ward 2 residents.

She argued accessible housing for families and students directly relates to how COVID-19 has impacted many residents.

She said it is at the forefront of her plans.

“I take it very seriously,” Cervantes said. “It is something that is impacting our most vulnerable and at risk communities.”

She has also represented thousands of nurses and other medical professionals in Riverside County as a union organizer.

“I’m honored that I’ve actually

been endorsed by over 900 registered nurses and healthcare professionals at Riverside Community Hospital,” she said.

Cervantes said she will work to make sure that the City of Riverside is fought for in terms of funding, to make sure that residents have the proper care and all the right types of equipment.

Cervantes also said she would strive for inclusivity, equity and transparency in the city government.

She plans to do this by redirecting services to the East Side, providing the same distribution of services in overlooked communities as in their more affluent counterparts.

“My door will always be open,” she said. “We can make sure that people feel like they belong to the conversation, that their opinions matter, that we need them.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF COURTNEY LINDEBERG

4

News

March 11, 2021

Proposal aims to provide opportunity for immigrants Biden plan prioritizes DACA students, farm workers, TPS recipients JULIO RODRIGUEZ STAFF REPORTER

P r e s i d e n t J o e B i d e n ’s election has brought new hope to this country’s immigrant communities after years of former President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric.

F o r Va n e s s a M o r e n o , program director for “Consejo de Federaciones Mexicanas,” an immigration advocacy organization, a new administration meant she could breathe easy. Being a beneficiary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Moreno knew the White House would no longer pursue policies against this country’s immigrant communities. “ Wi t h t h e e l e c t i o n o f President Biden, there was a sense of relief knowing that we would not have to deal with all of the stress and uncertainty of the previous administration,” she said. “He campaigned on a promise of proposing a law that would create a pathway to citizenship.”

Biden sent to Congress his first signature legislation Jan. 20, aiming to address what he calls “this country’s broken immigration system.” If passed, the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 would create a pathway to citizenship for almost 11 million undocumented immigrants.

The new legislation proposes to initially grant all undocumented immigrants who qualify a five-year temporary status, after which they would be allowed to apply for lawful permanent residency.

Immediate priority would be

granted to DACA beneficiaries, those currently under Temporary Protected Status and agricultural workers. People who qualify under these categories would only have to wait three years before applying for lawful permanent residency.

“This act supports our communities and does not exclude anyone,” Moreno said.

“But as activists and people who support this law, we must stay vigilant and continue to advocate for the passage of this law because it’s going to be a fight.”

Biden’s proposal has drawn growing opposition from high-ranking Republicans and conservatives alike. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, argued that such a law would give too much to people currently here with no lawful status.

“There are many issues I think we can work cooperatively with President-elect Biden,” Rubio said in an Associated Press interview before Biden took office. “But a blanket amnesty for people who are here unlawfully isn’t going to be one of them.”

Democrats have previously attempted to pass legislation that could mitigate the immigration issues of this country. President Barack Obama signed DACA in 2012.

There has been much fluctuation in the immigrant population in the last few decades. From 1990 to 2007, the immigrant population grew from 3.5 million to 12.2 million.

As recently as 2017, the number decreased by about 2 million, but there has been a substantial rise in immigrants from Central America and Asia.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE | CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG

President Joe Biden’s proposed immigration bill aims to provide a path to citizenship for nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants. If passed, the law would prioritize DACA recipients.

College implements plan to combat anti-Black racism on campus INJUSTICE from page 1 of all students, not just a selected few.

“We have to examine our curriculum,” Anderson said.

“Are we teaching things in a way that nurtures the needs of our students and recognizes our students as fully functioning, fully capacitated, full potential?

Or are we doing it in a way that continues to favor a certain group that’s always been successful?”

The plan addresses advancing the separation of student success data to reveal hidden patterns of racial inequalities, in addition to revisions of curriculum.

Data reveals the considerable discrepancy between African American students compared to all other students in terms of retention and enrollment rates, Black student to faculty ratio, Black student achievements and involvement in high impact programs.

Oliver Thompson, an RCC criminal justice instructor, said he has witnessed various forms

of disparities within the higher education system throughout his career. He said he hopes the younger generation will continue to address discrimination and generate improvement in areas that have yet to see significant progress.

“At RCC, African Americans have been at the bottom of all data charts for right at 20 years,” Thompson said. “Resilience, success, retention, UC acceptance, etcetera.”

Thompson is hopeful that the plan will broaden the resources available to students.

“We have to think in greater terms of accessibility,” he said.

“If they don’t have adequate smart devices, let’s see what we can do in that area. If there’s not enough food, if there’s not appropriate housing, whatever the case may be.”

He said constant evaluation of the resources offered is essential to improve the representation of students within those programs while increasing their efficiency, cost wise and effective student

utilization.

“Those resources need to be equitably spread across the board,” Thompson said. “We’re dealing with the whole person, not just a part of the student.”

Point 7 of the plan is to establish a Black resource center.

The Call To Action Task Force has already implemented The Umoja Project on campus as part of that resolution.

S h a r o n Wa l k e r, U m o j a educational adviser, actively works with students in the program to ensure they all have equal access to resources.

“I work closely with the students, I know their struggles and I know where they need help so I am able to share that with the campus,” Walker said.

“The campus is now acting on that, so they’re listening to what we’re saying and they’re also implementing strategies to help remove those barriers.”

Walker acknowledged the significant financial need amongst students due to lack of work and other pandemic hardships, but

said Umoja works to ensure those students are being provided with the assistance as needed.

RCC student DJanaee Brooks is one of the students benefiting from Umoja’s support.

“They’ve helped me a lot with my mental health, supplies if I ever need them,” Brooks said.

“Each week they’re offering students something to help get through school and any day-today problems.”

She said her experience on campus has only improved since she began attending RCC and appreciates how welcoming and supportive the campus is to African American students.

“When we’ve dealt with situations as far as police brutality, like the George Floyd incident, RCC has been supportive and gave us the comfort to know that they are there for us,” Brooks said. “They do a good job at showing their concerns for us and we’re not ever turned away at RCC.” Camille Bruce, another Umoja beneficiary, also voiced

her appreciation for the effort to provide emotional support when incidents of police brutality have occurred.

Bruce said the campus sent emails providing resources for mental and emotional health during those difficult moments and sees that the 10-point plan implementations have only improved the support for Black students.

She shared similar views to Walker, seeing the need for student voices to be acknowledged in order to create greater change and further advance opportunities available to African American students.

“The student voice really needs to be heard and we have to look back and correct things that weren’t being done right and be aware of it, and make the change.” Walker said. “At the end of the day, we want to do what’s right for our students.

And if we say we truly want to do that, then we need to really truly listen to the students and their needs.”

March 11, 2021

5

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Rows of orange trees across the UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection show the initial signs of the incurable Huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The orange trees ranged from unaffected to compromised. Local farmers are frustrated as they have wasted time and resources caring for the trees and cannot yield any profits from this.

Citrus plague affects farmers Asian Citrus Psyllid cripples local agriculture JACOB QUEZADA ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR

Quarantine, infection, social distancing and disease have become an all too common part of our lexicon.

Measures to take a hold of viral infections have shaped our lifestyle and industry. For Southern California citrus growers and essential agricultural workers, quarantine protocols for the infectious bacterial disease Huanglongbing (HLB) antedates COVID-19.

The incurable citrus disease that manifests in the form of citrus greening, bitterness of fruit and all around malignancy has devastated Florida’s citrus industry and threatened Southern California’s provenance of orange.

“The state of California has really taken a preventative approach regarding HLB,” said Monique Rivera. “In terms

of how things are differently managed between Florida and California, the amount of insecticides applied in Florida, no grower in California could afford that. The overhead is way too high.”

Rivera is an entomologist from UC Riverside. She completed her post doctoral fellowship in Florida and has seen the great lengths farmers and scientists alike have gone to isolate the spread of the principal vector of HLB, the Asian Citrus Psyllid.

The spread of the Asian Citrus Psyllid has placed many local businesses that the county agricultural commissioner has deemed within a five mile radius of detection of the vector in quarantine.

“We’ve been in the quarantine area for four years,” said Van Brandon.

Brandon owns and operates the Parkview Nursery in Canyon Crest directly adjacent to the UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection.

“The California Department of Food and Agriculture inspectors have not come around since they made me destroy about $5,000 worth of citrus,” he said.

“It has affected business. I have to send customers other places when I could be selling citrus.”

With the citrus industry being such a vital business, Brandon said he understands the department is doing what it can.

“But it seems kind of silly I can’t sell citrus, but a nursery four miles away can,” he said.

Due to quarantine and attempts to slow the spread of the Asian Citrus Psyllid, Brandon said he has no clue when he will be able to sell citrus again. The Food and Agriculture Department has responded to his inquiry about when he would be able to sell citrus again, telling him ‘not in the foreseeable future.’

“It’s not abundantly clear it will go the same way as it did in Florida,” Rivera said. “We will continue on until we figure out if it’s going to look the same as it did in Florida.”

MATHEW ACOSTA | VIEWPOINTS

UC Riverside clock tower looks over the affected orange groves.

6

March 11, 2021

News

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Volunteers unload a truck packed with food and water for a giveaway at a UC Riverside parking lot Feb. 27. The truck’s arrival added to the abundance of donations for families.

Civil rights group hosts food drive UC Riverside giveaway honors Black history, Muhammad Ali TIMOTHY LEWIS STAFF REPORTER

Cars lined the UC Riverside campus parking lot with orange traffic cones and motorcycle police directing families to the loading station.

Volunteers packed two large bags filled with chicken, rice, fresh produce, canned goods and water for families in need.

This drive-thru food giveaway was orchestrated by the Council on American-Islamic Relations - Greater Los Angeles, a branch of one of the nation’s largest American Muslim civil right’s organizations, and local partners Sahaba Initiative and UC Riverside on Feb. 27.

The day of service was meant to show the organization’s support for the Black community, as well as to celebrate Black history, by honoring a noble figure who was a highly respected athlete and activist for justice — “The People’s Champion,” boxer Muhammad Ali. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth,” the famed athlete once remarked.

CAIR California has served nearly 1 million Muslims within the state.

Shaheen Nassar, a CAIR representative and policy and advocacy coordinator, was there to manage and assist with the event.

He spoke with the crowd of volunteers, introduced partnering

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Student volunteers load bags packed with food into trunks as vehicles make their way through the food giveaway. Families were given up to two bags filled with chicken, rice, fresh produce and more. organizers and thanked everyone for their support.

“You guys could’ve been at home, you could’ve been watching TV, but you’re here with us and we thank you,” Nassar said.

Nassar also thanked the UC Riverside Muslim Student Association for suggesting the idea to host a food drive for their local community.

The Sahaba Initiative, a local food bank dedicated to social service, was founded in 2010 by Riverside and San Bernardino youth.

Within a short period of time, they have managed to branch out to help a wider range of individuals through development and partnership with other nonprofit organizations.

G e n a r o Wa h e e d , t h e

initiative’s founding senior project director, shared the original effort to meet the dietary needs of the immediate Muslim community soon expanded to include everyone within the local vicinity.

Long-standing relations with partnering organizations have allowed the initiative to obtain its own property, in which they have provided a food bank

open to those who are in need.

Waheed said the group’s aim is to provide enough food to feed 2,000 families a month — an ambitious but possible goal in the acting project director’s eyes.

Members of the Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC), an organization whose board Waheed also serves on, were also present.

Sesley Lewis, Basic Needs senior manager, also assisted with the food giveaway at UC Riverside.

She thanked everyone present for their social justice work and time.

Lewis also said that it was “unfortunate that people had to come to a drive-thru to receive these resources.”

Gaby Plascencia, City Councilwoman representing Ward 5, thanked organizers and volunteers for their efforts before leaving to pass out gift cards at a nearby grocery store.

Community members loaded bags full of food into trunks in a systematic and socially distanced fashion.

Personal protective equipment was also supplied, along with pandemic safety information, including where people can be vaccinated.

Volunteers at the Muhammad Ali Food-Drive ranged from the elderly to young college students from surrounding schools.

If you wish to contribute to the Sahaba Iniaitive’s food bank, visit sahabainitiative.org.

March 11, 2021

News

7

Anti-slavery amendment seeks support Riverside Board of Supervisors forced to pull bill from agenda CHEETARA PIRY NEWS EDITOR This story first ran in Black voice News.

Proposed state legislation aiming to strip underlying vestiges of slavery from the California Constitution has received an overwhelming amount of criticism from a number of Riverside County residents.

As it stands, the California Constitution prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude “except to punish crime.”

Assemblymember S y d n e y K a m l a g e r, D - L o s Angeles, introduced Assembly Constitutional Amendment 3 (ACA 3) on Jan. 17. If passed, the amendment would prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude without exception.

All of Us or None and Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC), organizations that serve formerly incarcerated people, are sponsoring the initiative and have partnered with their Riverside local chapter, Starting Over Inc., and Supervisor V. Manuel Perez to set the initiative in motion with the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

Avalon Edwards, policy fellow for Starting Over Inc. said the intention of bringing this to local municipalities is to symbolize support from the county by saying “yes, we want to abolish all vestiges of slavery from the California State Constitution, we support this,” so once it goes up for a vote in the legislature they can say the entire state of California supports this.

However, Perez’ proposed resolution was pulled from the agenda twice this month for further research due to aggressive community backlash. When first introduced as agenda item 3.33 on Feb. 1, over 130 public comments swarmed in opposition.

The opposing comments came in a seemingly copy-andpaste format asking the Board to “vote no on agenda item 3.33 or remove it from the agenda.”

Perez said these comments may have been led by an organized effort, however he is unsure about who may be behind it.

“The reason why I say that is because the majority of those folks who called or wrote made the same statement,” he said.

“When you see that, it is usually from an organized entity.”

An admitted member of the East Valley Republican Women Federated, who wishes to remain anonymous, submitted a comment Feb. 2 that stated: “I live in Riverside County and ask the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to either vote no on agenda item 3.33 or delete it from the agenda.”

She later denied knowing the item was related to the resolution and insisted her comment was related to mail-in voting fraud.

“I belong to the Republican Womens’ group in Riverside County,” she stated via email.

“I was asking that HR1 be voted down. I checked with two different people at Riverside and this bill is about elections.”

But her comment was identical to several others, many of which included added sentences that clarified opposition to the resolution.

The email address of Joy Miedecke, East Valley Republican Women Federated president, can be found at the bottom of another comment that shared the same copy-and-paste format, submitted

by Patt Quigg. It read: “My request (of) the Board of Supervisors either vote no on agenda item 3.33 or remove it from today’s agenda. This is unconstitutional!”

Miedecke declined to comment on the organization’s involvement and neither confirmed nor denied whether the organization had misinformed some of their members about the agenda item being about mail-in fraud.

Commenters in opposition speculated the item would remove current prison work and rehabilitative programs. They also said it lacked legal analysis and would put criminals back on the streets.

“This is a play to not keep criminals in jail by changing words around to make people think it is actually slavery that you would want abolished,” Terry Woods, another opposing commentator said.

Perez reiterated the resolution will not put criminals on the street. The ultimate goal, he said, is to amend the loophole that allows for “slavery through involuntary servitude” to be used or allowed for punishment of crime. Perez is referencing the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution.

According to the University of Cincinnati Law Review, the 13th Amendment is commonly referred to as a “slavery loophole” that permits prison labor to be utilized as “slave labor.”

“This is not to open the system of criminals,” he said. “It has to do with antiquated language that I believe is still racist.”

The Oxford English Dictionary defines servitude as the state of being a slave or completely subject to someone more powerful.

Bill Young, Riverside Sheriffs’ Association president, said he was unsure if this resolution would remove current prison operations.

“As currently written, it is uncertain if this proposed amendment will affect prison work requirements and/or

ERIK GALICIA | VIEWPOINTS

Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez is spearheading the initiative within the county to support a bill that would remove involuntary servitude as the legal basis for any prison work program. community service programs,” he said in an email.

According to Young, prison programs allow inmates to build skills they can utilize upon release, thereby reducing r e c i d i v i s m . O ff e n d e r s i n community programs receive the benefit of freedom and provide something of value to the community, he added.

Joanna Theleone, policy manager for LSPC, implores those who support rehabilitation to divest from the prison industrial complex, and make a concerted effort in investing toward mental health and holistic wrap-around care.

She declared, although rehabilitation is necessary, the focus should stay on removing involuntary servitude (slavery) as the legal basis for any program.

“Slavery has nothing to do with rehabilitation and has everything to do with economy,” she said. “You’re convicting people and subjecting them to involuntary servitude to work for pennies to the dollar—removing them from their personal economies where their fiscal impact and support are no longer present. This is detrimental to the families then left behind.”

Theolene argued, there is no benefit to prison workforce programs for the purpose of rehabilitation, only to those profiteering from the forced labor, pointing to a recent case in Alameda County.

Aramark, a private for-profit company that sells food prepared by prisoners, allegedly forced pre-trial detainees — including detainees awaiting immigration proceedings at Santa Rita Jail— into involuntary servitude. The company is being sued by over 100 inmates who were put to mandatory work under threat of punitive measures by their jailers,

all of whom were not being paid, according to the lawsuit.

Inmates allege they were threatened with solitary confinement, lengthier jail sentences and meals kept from them if they refused to work.

The contract between Aramark and Alameda County permits prison labor to be used for the profit of a private company without compensation to the worker, which the lawsuit argues is a violation of state and federal law.

I n a n N P R i n t e r v i e w, Dominique Morgan, a formerly incarcerated activist, shared his experience being homeless as a young man. He said he was imprisoned for engaging in what he called “survival crimes,” such as stealing cars to sleep in and writing checks for food and clothes.

While incarcerated, Morgan said he would make $2.25 for more than 12 hours of work.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons reports that inmates earn 12 cents per hour for their work assignments.

“There are incarcerated people in Nebraska who work at the governor’s mansion — literally cleaning the governor’s mansion,” Morgan shared in the interview.

Nebraska, Colorado and Utah have since passed similar legislation removing references of slavery from their state constitutions at the end of last year with high support from their constituents.

“Considering our diversity and values, there is no reason California should not join states such as Utah, Colorado and Nebraska in amending the state constitution to remove this clause,” Helen Regan, one of the few Riverside County residents who supported the resolution said

in her comment Feb. 9.

Kyle Sweeney, another supporter, wrote that slavery was not abolished, but merely nationalized.

“We steal labor and freedom from our people,” he said. “We uphold the roots of this practice with disproportionate arrests and sentencing of our Black, Hispanic and Indidgenous community members. We build our institutions on stolen labor and call ourselves great.”

The Board of Supervisors decided Mar. 9 to remove it from the agenda for the third time in order to further revise the resolution’s approach because of the opposition’s full force during public comment.

You may submit a public comment by email to cob@ rivco.org.

If you are calling, visit www. rivcocob.org and click “request to speak.”

You may also choose to leave a comment.

You can also weigh in on Twitter, Facebook and/or Instagram.

Kevin Jeffries District 1 Twitter: @SupJeffries

Karen Spiegel Twitter: @SupKarenSpiegel

Chuck Washington Twitter: @SupWashington

V. Manuel Perez Twitter: @SupVMPerez

Jeff Hewitt Twitter: @SupervisorHewitt

March 11, 2020

Life

9

Family remembers Ernie Serrano Death in police custody sparks reflection on life ERIK GALICIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Er nie Ser rano died like countless others have in police custody.

He stopped breathing Dec. 15 in a Rubidoux Stater Bros. after a lengthy struggle with Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies. But to the Serrano Family, he was more than the man who gasped his final breaths at 33 years old on a market checkout counter.

Ernie was a published poet who spoke out against injustice.

The Serranos said he touched every household he stepped foot in. He was like a son to his aunts and uncles, and like a brother to his cousins.

He was born on July 13, 1987 to Teodoro Serrano and Maria Lowrie, a young Los Angeles couple who the Serranos described as madly in love. But Teodoro, at just 19 years old, was murdered during Lowrie’s pregnancy.

Teodoro’s youngest sister Sandra Serrano was 8 years old when Ernie was born. But even as a child, she said her maternal instinct was sparked by her nephew’s arrival.

“I thought about all the love and patience my brother had with me growing up and how I wanted to provide the same for his son,” she said. “A couple of days later he came home from the hospital with his mom. I remember holding him and he was just so tiny.”

Ernie’s formative years were unstable. He bounced around between his mother, aunts and uncles. Sandra played both the role of his mother and big sister.

Her daughter Natalia Serrano looked up to Ernie as her older brother.

Shortly before Ernie’s death, the three lit the fire pit in Sandra’s backyard, drinking homemade micheladas and chatting as they always had: playfully but with honesty.

They stayed up late, Ernie telling Sandra which of her exboyfriends he liked and didn’t like. They didn’t take the jokes to heart. It was how they bonded.

“That was our relationship,” Sandra said. “We were just so honest and upfront with each other, and we always knew it came with love. That’s something I’ll never be able to experience with another person.”

Ernie’s relationship with each Serrano was special.

To Nat alia , he was t he annoying older brother she traded wisecracks with. She also called him her artistic inspiration.

His pain bled profusely from his pen. Through his writing, he communicated the struggles of growing up without a father and the inequities he perceived in the world. He wrote socially

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE JUSTICEFORERNESERRANO INSTAGRAM PAGE

Ernie “Teddy” Serrano is remembered as an artist, a son to his aunts and uncles, and a brother to his cousins. He wrote poetry and dreamed of one day becoming a rapper. Serrano was 33 years old. conscious bars, dreaming of one day making it as a rapper.

His dream was not for fame and fortune but for the ability to address social issues on a large platform, Natalia said.

Accord i ng to h is u ncle Serafin Serrano, Ernie dreamed of alleviating suffering.

S e r a f i n r e c a l le d E r n ie st udying Aztec and Mayan history, focusing on the smallpox epidemic created by European settlers during the Americas’ invasion.

He challenged the establishment even as a gradeschool child, turning in an essay entitled “Christopher Columbus was a Savage.”

Natalia turned to Ernie for help in writing poetry when she was in sixth grade. She didn’t know how to release her creativity, but she knew Ernie did.

“He gave me a creative key,” Natalia said. “He told me, ‘Every word doesn’t have to rhyme. It comes from your heart.’ That was something really big. I didn’t realize it at the moment.”

Natalia became immersed in writing as a teenager and began drawing as an adult. Ernie told her how proud he was of her paintings and drawings shortly before he died.

“I told him, ‘You were the one who taught me how to be creative,’” she said. “That was such an amazing gift that he gave me. All my other family members who have passed away,

they were artists. I feel like that was him passing it to me.”

Air Force Staff Sgt. Alina Serrano, Serafin’s daughter, received the same gift from Er nie. Seraf in raised them together when Alina was in elementary school and Ernie was in middle school. Having five sisters, Ernie was the brother she never had.

They spent their time watching “The Simpsons” and “South Park,” and movies about aliens. He enjoyed discussing ext rater rest r ial conspi racy theories with Alina, as he did with Natalia. She would take his action figures to pair up with her Barbie dolls, often getting on his last nerve, she said.

But Alina’s best memories of Er n ie a re mu sical. She recalled listening to Immortal Technique’s “Dancing with the Devil” for the first time with Ernie, a moment that is imprinted in her memory.

Ernie didn’t playfully tease Alina like he would his other cousins. Although he would do everything in his power to make her smile, she said he mentored her more seriously.

Alina described herself as being a loud and expressive child who was perceived as weird by her peers. Ernie taught her there was nothing wrong with that.

“He reminded me that it’s OK to be yourself,” she said. “He taught me that the world isn’t black and white. He introduced me into questioning the world.

He exposed realities to me.”

Serafin’s relationship with Ernie was significantly different from the rest of the Serranos.

Ernie’s father Teodoro was not just Serafin’s older brother, but also played the role of his mother and father. Teodoro’s murder sent a young Serafin on a destructive path, ultimately landing him a five-year incarceration.

Ernie visited him during that time, and they continued seeing each other when Serafin was released. By the time he was able to take his nephew in, Serafin had channeled Teodoro in order to provide the same warmth and safety Teodoro had once given him.

“His father is right here,” Serafin said, sitting in the Corona graveyard that allows him a place of peace and reflection. “This is his father.”

He tried his best, but the situation was not easy. Although created from immense love between his parents, Serafin said Ernie was also born to the shattering grief his mother experienced after Teodoro’s murder.

The Serranos talked about Teodoro often, telling Ernie how beloved his father was and how he had inherited that adoration.

Serafin and Sandra referred to Ernie as what they had left on this Earth of their loving older brother. Still, Ernie felt a disconnect.

Alina, stationed in Hawaii, said her physical distance has

allowed her to tune out from expressing her grief, partially.

She felt as if she grieved for Ernie before, when she realized his struggles were overtaking him. She expressed regret, though the circumstances were out of her control.

“I wish ou r family was capable of providing more,” Alina said, tears creeping down her cheeks. “Our family did the best they could. But being passed around, he took that in and felt like ‘no one wants me.’”

One of Ernie’s poems was entitled “Nomad,” a description Serafin said fits his nephew well.

He did not only shift between households but between light and dark. As an adult, his battle with meth resulted in periodic jail stints and drifting in the streets.

As a father figure, Serafin had to make the difficult decision of denying Ernie entry into his home from time to time. The last time Ernie was released, he showed up at Serafin’s door with the healthy glow often seen in a hopeful, recently released man.

He remembered the love he saw in Ernie’s eyes.

But Ernie was released to a family in strife, Serafin said, and relapse came shortly after.

No amount of meth or alcohol was enough to soothe the pain and trauma that gripped his nephew’s heart.

Still, Ernie was a gentle man, he added.

“I know violence,” Serafin said. “He came from a lineage of violence, but he himself was not violent. Aside from the typical playbook of resisting arrest he must have on his record, I know his temperament. It was not a violent one, rather, a very forgiving one.”

The Serranos have spent the months since Ernie’s death rallying for justice. Serafin, though, has refrained from verbally attacking the police in honor of Ernie’s heart-oriented temperament. “ I’m c o m m it t e d t o d o whatever I can to love, nurture, support, encourage and cultivate ot her lov i ng i nd iv idu als,” he said. “So if they go into law enforcement, they have the spiritual and mechanical wherewithal to treat people with dignity.”

The Serranos are focussed on highlighting the importance of difficult conversations about mental health and how people cope with their pain. The removal of the stigma, they said, is long overdue.

To the Serranos, justice for Ernie will go far beyond a court decision facing the deputies that responded to the call Dec. 15.

They have met with other families of victims of police violence. They have been there for each other.

To them, it will be a lifelong fight.

10

Yosemite National Park The elusive Firefall returns to the valley ANGEL PEÑA

PHOTO EDITOR

After my first failed attempt at capturing “Firefall,” I spent an entire year contemplating on how I would pull this shot off.

Fast forward one year and I found myself there again, ready to settle the score.

Nestled between the Sierra Nevadas lies Yosemite Valley, a valley known for its majestic waterfalls, unforgettable landscapes and towering rock faces.

Mixed with the roaring waters of Bridalveil Fall and massive granite faces of El Capitan and Half Dome lies a phenomenon that only occurs for two weeks every year.

“Firefall” occurs in the last two weeks of Feburary during the final few minutes of golden hour, when the sun hits Horsetail Fall at a specific angle that produces what looks like a flow of lava coming off the back end of El Capitan.

Thousands of photographers flock to Yosemite every year in hopes of capturing a glimpse of the spectacle. However, due to COVID-19, only a few hundred were able to enter the park this year.

A limited capacity of 700 people a day forced visitors to acquire a day pass in order to enter. Guests had to wake up early when the passes were announced to secure one. They sold out in a matter of minutes and it would be a week before more were issued.

Those who were able to get one were treated to a virtually empty park and prime viewing locations for “Firefall.” Many arrived days in advance to scout out their own locations and prepare.

Photographers claimed their spots hours before sunset, set up their equipment and prepared their minds for the long wait.

I wallowed in disappointment last year after missing the shot and blaming mother nature for thwarting my plans. At least I had

learned the layout of the park and, most importantly, I knew that I needed to prepare.

I upgraded my equipment, researched prime locations and acquired the knowledge I lacked in my previous attempt.

Finally, the time had come.

I scored a park permit and was ready for the six hour drive north.

The long road trip would not be in vain this time.

We posted up in a primitive camp. Bearing the below freezing nights in a rickety wooden structure covered by a canvas tarp sparked in me the determination to land this shot. The scene was set.

I walked a combined 11 miles the next two days just to find the perfect angle — a trek that left me exsusted and in pain. I set my gear down, looked up and zeroed in on the location I’d been searching for.

I trudged over to the location, set up my equipment and waited six more hours. Photographers gathered as each hour passed, patiently waiting for the

“Firefall.”

After all the waiting, the golden hour kicked off.

It seemed like the freezing temperatures and exhausting hikes were about to become worth it.

This could’ve had a fairy tale ending, however, mother nature had an ace up her sleeve.

At the last minute, clouds rolled in and covered up all the sunlight. A familiar feeling of disappointment and frustration set in, and I only had one more day to get the shot.

That night in my tent was the worst. My thoughts and the rain beating on the canvas roof kept me up.

“Tomorrow is a new day and another opportunity to get what I came for,” I kept telling myself.

Morning came and immediately the pressure was on. I hopped in my car and headed for the same spot that I had claimed the day before. I was ready.

Both my cameras were set

up with different focal lengths as I was trying to maximize my angles.

Most of the day it had been sunny with not a cloud in sight.

But a thick cloud cover rolled in a few hours before “Firefall,” snuffing out any amount of hope I had left. I stayed put just in case.

I noticed shimmers of light seeping through the trees as I leaned on a fallen pine.

“Could it be,” I thought to myself.

I stood up and had my shutter at the ready.

The sun broke through the clouds like a scene out of a movie, revealing an everflowing stream of lava coming down the cliff side. It happened: “Firefall” had begun.

I had only five to 10 minutes to capture the shot before the light faded. I fired off as many shots as I could, making sure I didn’t miss a thing.

As I looked back at my photos, a sense of relief and euphoria went over me. I had done it, I finally captured “Firefall.”

ANGEL PEÑA | VIEWPOINTS

FireFall occurs every year during the last two weeks of February. On the back side of El Capitan flows Horsetail fall, which is the vessel for this phenomenon.

Man

March 11, 2021

11

ANGEL PEÑA | VIEWPOINTS

ny photographers scout their preferred location days before the event begins and enter the park at 5:30 a.m., when it opens to ensure that they get their desired location.

12

March 11, 2021

Life

PHOTO COURTESY OF DOMAINE JAVIER

Domaine Javier holds seven degrees and is the first transgender woman to be named Riverside City College’s Homecoming queen, and to be featured on the Food Network.

Despite the struggles, ‘she persisted’ RCC alum Domaine Javier discusses college, career LEO CABRAL

MANAGING EDITOR

Domaine Javier is a writer, actress, nurse and transgender icon, but most importantly, she is a regular human being, “just with extra sparkles.”

Javier, 28, was crowned Homecoming queen at Riverside City College in 2010, earned a total of seven degrees and became a registered nurse. She has starred on MTV’s “True Life” and participated in Season 20 of “Worst Cooks in America” on the Food Network, where she also stars in “Dirty Dishes.”

While attending RCC, Javier focused on performing arts in addition to nursing. She would attend a lecture in the morning, a clinical internship at a nearby hospital in the afternoon and head to “Rent” rehearsals right after.

She was active in the Sexuality and Gender Acceptance Club, the International Club and the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honors Society.

“People thought I was crazy,” she said. “I always say that I just like keeping both sides of my brain active.”

Javier is proud to say she is a self-made woman. She would take the time to fill out every scholarship she could to get

herself through school. She has scored her own auditions and worked hard her whole life to get to where she is. She plans to continue until she is satisfied.

“Did I mention I was an overachiever,” Javier asked in jest.

Although she has forged her path to success with sheer determination, the accolades did not come without their challenges.

Javier experienced bullying at a young age for authentically being herself and outwardly presenting as her gender. She faced discrimination when Cal Baptist University expelled her on the grounds of “fraud” when she checked “female” for her gender.

So, Javier is no stranger to anxiety and burnout, something some LGBTQ+ students can often relate to when it concerns identity, self-esteem and navigating a fast-paced, heteronormative and patriarchal society.

“

“College life is tough to begin with,” she said. “But it’s significantly tougher for trans people. We’re constantly having to prove ourselves and our identities to a world that somehow finds its way to invalidate our existence. It can be very exhausting.”

Despite setbacks, Javier persisted and found ways to thrive around them, with an emphasis on self-care to keep her going.

Some advice she has for transgender students is that “getting a bad grade isn’t the end of the world.” It provides an opportunity to learn from mistakes and grow because they do not define a person’s identity or worth.

She also said stress and anxiety are “facts of life” but “they should never become the way of life.” Additionally, she advised finding a creative outlet, allies, knowing your limits and spreading love and kindness.

Her career end goals include winning an Oscar, getting a star on the Hollywood walk of Fame and marrying Chris Evans — although, one more accolade from RCC would be nice for now.

“Give me the RCC Alumni of the Year Award,” she said.

“That’d be nice.”

What would really make Javier happy, though, would be to play a superhero and do fight scenes in either a Marvel or DC production, especially with the lack of trans representation in the superhero genre.

The last time Javier was asked about her next steps in her career, she was sure her time on the Food Network was over, but she has been surprised before so she is putting her faith in herself, her fans and the process.

“So this time, I’m just going to shut my mouth and hope for the best,” she said.

Q: Your IMDB says you hold seven college degrees. Can you tell me a little bit about

With every bad experience definitely comes a learning

”

experience, so instead of dwelling on the negatives, try to achieve some good thoughts around the experience.

- Domaine Javier

your educational background and how that has shaped your professional career?

As a 28 year-old Taurus millennial who shares her birthday with Duke Ellington, Daniel Day-Lewis, Crystal Hefner and Emperor Hirohito, that pretty much tells you my core personalities. One of which is that I am a natural-born overachiever.

I also enjoy pats on the back and thumbs ups from people I look up to. Unfortunately, it’s a double-edged sword, because it also means that nothing is ever enough for me. There’s also this feeling that your success is being overshadowed by anxiety or a crippling fear of failure.

But nevertheless, she persisted!

Ha! So I received five associate degrees from Riverside City College, including a Fine & Applied Arts degree with a concentration in performing arts (acting and musical theatre) and an associate degree in Nursing.

Then I did an RN to MSN program at Western Governors University. Now, did I plan all of this? Not really. I just kind of kept on going until I felt like ‘I’m done.’

Q: What did you study at Riverside City College? How was your time there?

Well, like I previously

13

Life

March 11, 2021

mentioned, I straddled two completely polar opposite worlds doing nursing and performing arts at the same time. People thought I was crazy. For me, I always say that I just like keeping both sides of my brain active. There was a point when I would attend a lecture in the morning, attend a clinical internship at a nearby hospital in the afternoon and head straight to our rehearsals for “RENT” (a Broadway musical) right after.

I was also very active in extracurricular activities such as being a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS) Honors Society, the GSA, and the International Club. The latter because I felt like I had to — my DNA genetic testing and analysis determined that I’m part Filipino, Caucasian, Spanish, Pacific Islander, Native American and Chinese. Ha! So I was attending events and conferences, and putting in 100 plus hours of community service and volunteer work every semester. Ultimately, I also received an AA in Humanities, Philosophies, & Arts, an AA in Social & Behavioral Studies, and an AS in Math & Science.

Looking back, I had such an amazing time, but also I’m realizing — where the heck did all that time and energy come from?!

Q: You’ve made history a couple times, including being the first openly transgender woman to get crowned homecoming queen (at RCC) and to be featured on the Food Network, what do you consider to be some of your biggest accomplishments?

Did I mention I was an overachiever? Ha! Honestly those two are probably up there on top of the list. But in general, I’d say I’m most proud of getting to where I am right now in life without significant help and assistance from others. Like, I’m truly self-made. I sent myself to college. I worked my own way to break through the entertainment business. At one point I was sending “cold” emails to celebrities and casting directors and production companies and executives. When I’m lucky, I get to pitch screenplays to the likes of Paul Feig (“Bridesmaids,” “Freaks and Geeks”) and Participant Media (“The Help,” “Green Book”). I made virtual friends in the likes of Spike Jonze (“Her,” “Where The Wild Things Are”) and Lilly Wachowski (“The Matrix,” “Sense8”). From my very first outing (“MTV True Life”) to all my current projects — all accomplishments thus far I can only thank myself for. I built myself from the ground up and now here I am.

One of my most recent accomplishments that I’m extremely proud of is that I was able to raise a few thousand dollars for a charity that benefits the homeless population — The LA Mission — by auctioning a dinner date via Instagram. To be honest, I’m still having quite a difficulty grasping the idea that men actually want a dinner date with me, let alone shell out thousands of dollars in the middle of a pandemic. But it’s all for a

see what you ought to be doing differently. Personally, my stress from the nursing world was counterbalanced by love for the performing arts. Find a creative outlet, if you must. Be your own advocate and ask for help when you need it. There’s no shame in asking for help. If you can’t find the answer on an internet search engine, don’t hesitate to ask other people. Chances are they’re currently going through or have already went through what you’re going through.

They’ll be more than willing to assist you. Actually, if you need me, I’m just a DM away. And I’ll do my best to help.

Look for the good in everything. Seeing the good in everything is how you can have hope for the future. With every bad experience definitely comes a learning experience, so instead of dwelling on the negatives, try to achieve some good thoughts around the experience. When I went through that well-publicized nursing educational hiccup a few years back (Google is a friend), I was devastated. I honestly thought that my dreams have been shattered to pieces and that my life was over. Turns out, that was one of the best things to ever happen to me. Not only was I able to raise awareness regarding trans issues and make a difference, I also ended up getting into and graduating in one of the best nursing programs in the state — the RCC School of Nursing.

Things happen for a reason.

Lastly, learn to spread love and kindness. Kindness has a ripple effect — one small act can make a tremendous wave of hope, love, and light. Also, everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be nice to people. Always remember that each and every one of us are not without influence. Every action we take can have a significant effect on the world around us.

Learn to harness that power and transfigure it into something positively life-changing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DOMAINE JAVIER

Domaine Javier, center front, smiles as she receives special recognition on stage at the Riverside City College School of Nursing pinning ceremony in June 2015. good cause and I’m very happy that I was able to help in my own little weird way.

Q: As a multi-hyphenate, how do you juggle multiple careers at the same time? How have you been coping through the whole COVID-19 situation?

Self-care has been instrumental in keeping me sane these past few years. However, I’m not immune to burnouts, and this stems from me being a “yes” person. To a degree, that is a good thing, but at a certain point it becomes too much. It takes some learning, but I now know that no matter where I’m at in life, taking time to step back and reassess is vital — accepting that it’s good to kind of pull out and recover. When it’s too much, it’s perfectly fine to say no. Your physical, mental and emotional health comes first.

This whole pandemic has thrown us off the proverbial loop. As a nurse, I took an oath to protect and do no harm. So I was alternating between being a frontliner (especially at the height of the pandemic when all Hollywood productions were suspended) and doing film and TV work. I’m fortunate to be able to find balance between the two, but I do hope that I won’t have to in the near future, for my sanity’s sake.

Q: What else do you wish to accomplish? What are the next steps for you?

Like end goals? Win an Oscar.

A star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Marry Chris Evans. Ha! Something imminent? Give me the RCC Alumni of the Year Award. That’d be nice.

As for the next steps — listen, the last time I was asked this question, I just got eliminated from Season 20 of “Worst Cooks in America.” Back then, I thought that my Food Network journey had come to a conclusion. I was grateful for the opportunity and I was ready to move on. But the “fans” (and I use that term very lightly, because “fans” are just friends that we’ve never personally met) wanted more.

Their support was unwavering, and their passionate calls for a triumphant Food Network return ended up with me getting invited back for a second TV show:

“Dirty Dishes,” which was so fun to be a part of. So this time, I’m just going to shut my mouth and hope for the best. *wink* On a more serious note, I would absolutely love to play a superhero in a Marvel or DC film or TV show. Come on y’all, I’ll do anything. Call me. E-mail me.

Text me. Slide into my DMs. And I don’t wanna be just the office technician or emergency room nurse this time. I want to get in there and play Marvel’s “Wave.”

Or even a transgender “Human Torch.” Or DC’s “Element Woman” or “Nightmare Nurse,” or something. The closest I’ve been is being able to audition for the title role of CW’s Batwoman for the second season. We all saw how that turned out, obviously.

So now it’s time to make it happen! I’d really love to be in a fight scene, you know!?

Q: Do you have any words of encouragement for transgender students on their academic and professional journeys?

First things first — getting a bad grade isn’t the end of the

world. If you get a bad grade, learn from your mistakes and move on.

This was a particularly arduous task for me, but eventually you realize that while good grades are nice, they don’t define who you are and who you’ll turn out to be. For the record, I had mostly excellent grades, with also quite a few “meh” ones.

College life is tough to begin with. But it’s significantly tougher for trans people. We’re constantly having to prove ourselves and our identities to a world that somehow finds its way to invalidate our existence.

It can be very exhausting. Keep up the good fight! You can do it!

Find an ally you feel comfortable with, if you must, to get through some of these challenges. Just stay positive and do not be afraid.

It does get better.

Anxiety and stress are facts of life, it’s a part of being human, but it should never become the way of life. It’s okay to feel stressed, anxious, and tired once in a while. Re-evaluate your coping mechanisms to

Domaine Javier

PHOTO COURTESY OF DOMAINE JAVIER

Domaine Javier dons a tiara Oct.16, 2010 after being crowned Riverside City College District Homecoming queen.

Age: 28 Occupation: Actor, writer, nurse, multi-hyphenate Degrees: • A s s o c i a t e i n A r t s in Humanities, Philosophies, & Arts • Associate in Arts in Social & Behavioral Studies • Associate in Arts in Fine & Applied Arts with an emphasis on acting and musical theatre • Associate in Science in Math & Science • Associate in Science in Registered Nursing • Bachelor and a Master of Science in Nursing Known for: MTV’s “True Life,” The Food Network’s “Worst Cooks in America” and “Worst Cooks in America: Dirty Dishes” Goals: Play a superhero in a Marvel or DC film or TV show, win an Oscar, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the RCC Alumni of the Year Award and to marry Chris Evans.

14

March 11, 2021

Life

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Nancy Thompson bags two customers’ items behind the counter at Mrs. Tiggy Winkles Gift Shoppe in downtown Riverside on March 5. The store has been around for 40 years.

Downtown businesses strive to survive Three Riverside store owners recount sales, perseverance during COVID-19 HOLLAND SNIPES STAFF REPORTER

Sisters Nadia and Vera Lee sat in their Downtowne Bookstore on a slow Monday afternoon.

A few people came in to browse but the store has seen busier days.

“Our store sales this year were about 50% of our previous year, but our online sales were about 60% better,” Vera Lee said. “We still had an overall rather large decrease but most of that was in-store.”

Businesses in downtown R ive r side a re st i l l fa ci ng h a rd sh ips af t e r a ye a r of lockdow n ma nd ates a nd restrictions.

In a normal year, the area receives thousands of visitors from events that bring tourists and locals to the downtown blocks.

The monthly A r t Walk, Riverside Lunar Festival and the Mission Inn’s Festival of Lights during the winter all have their own vendors and audiences.

But all of these events were canceled in the past year due to COVID-19.

Without the Festival of Lights, Vera Lee said December at the Downtowne Bookstore was dead.

Vera Lee remembered how window shoppers would be attracted particularly during the festival.

“We always did very well du r i ng December with the Festival of Lights,” she said. “ A lot of people would come in here and look around while waiting for their carriage rides.”

Misty Johnson, manager at Dragonmarsh, a spiritual supply store, had similar sentiments.

“Christmastime is the time where people, quote-unquote, find us,” Johnson said. “They come down: people from other parts of the city, other parts of the state, from other states. They come down to see the lights.”

Some downtown businesses have benefited through some support from state funding and local partnerships.

CeeAnn Thiel, owner of Mrs. Tiggy Winkles Gift Shoppe, the oldest store on the block, mentioned that she is currently waiting for her second small business loan.

“Out of Joe Biden’s kindness,” Thiel joked while discussing the newest round of loans coming out.

“

While the partnership and government have been helpful to some, others expressed feeling abandoned during this time.

Joh n s on s a id she fe el s Dragonmarsh has been left out of the loans because of the nature of her business. “ We’r e k i nd of i n t h i s weird niche because we’re not a restaurant, we’re not a bar,” she said. “We’re retail but we sell food. Plus, we have some medicine. It’s a weird category.”

D r a g o n m a r s h r e c e i ve s support from its GoFundMe page and tips given through online orders or Pepper’s Tip Jar, Pepper being the store cat.

T he m ajor it y of st or e s downtown have changed their hours as a result of a drastic drop in funds.

Tiggy Winkles dropped from eight to six hours of operation, while Downtowne Bookstore initially had to cut all the way down to four hours.

The bookstore was able to extend to six hours because of Riverside County approaching the red tier, which loosened re st r ict ion s. T he bu si ne ss owners reminisce about previous

Festival of Lights events, when they sometimes stayed open until 11 p.m.

Dragonmarsh went from seven hours of operation every day of the week, to six days a week at six and a half hours.

Befor e COV I D -19, businesses around the block would have extended thei r hou rs to accom modate the Festival of Lights traffic. With its cancellation, the block was quiet by their usual closing times.

The money made during the festival was essential to many businesses in the area, who gathered new customers and hordes of holiday shoppers.

Unfor t u nately for some businesses, this season’s lack of a festival was a hard blow to their profits.

Vera Lee said the bookstore’s overall sales were worse in December than in November.

Thiel said she and Tiggy Winkles have persevered.

“It’s way down low (for) business, but because I’ve been here so long I can survive,” she said.

But downtown businesses have found new support in online

Some people come in just to see if I’m OK and show me

”

they’re OK. It’s the love, the loyalty. It means a ton to me.

- CeeAnn Thiel

marketing. The sisters noted the helpfulness of online orders before Nadia Lee left to package about $200 worth of internet sales.

“We sell through Amazon,” Nadia Lee said. “You know lots of people think, ‘Oh it’s a big company,’ but actually they’re really good to us small people.”

They have seen a large jump in online buying. Last year their online sales for the month of April surpassed their store sales.

Dragonmarsh believes its large traction of sales is coming from people exploring spiritual beliefs during isolation in this life-changing time.

“Right now there’s been a re naissa nce of people experiencing and looking for new paths and new religions,” Johnson said. “So we’re getting a lot of people that are new to spirituality and they’re going, ‘Where do I get candles, where do I get herbs?’ And then they’re finding us.”

Support from regulars built up over the decades has helped these businesses tremendously.

Forty years of Tiggy Winkles has built a strong base. “ Yo u j u s t h a v e l o y a l customers,” Thiel said. “Almost like they’re related to you. Some people come in just to see if I’m OK and show me they’re OK. It’s the love, the loyalty. It means a ton to me.”

March 11, 2021

Life

15

ANGEL PEÑA | VIEWPOINTS

A line forms outside Landis Auditorium at Riverside City College on March 1. Hopeful auditioned for roles in RCC Theatre’s “Shrek the Musical,” to be performed in June.

Showtime coming soon to RCC

College hosts auditions for ‘Shrek the Musical’ LIV PEARSON STAFF REPORTER

An opportunity to star in Riverside City College Theatre’s “Shrek the Musical” brought one of the first occasions of traffic to the campus in almost one year.

Students and non-students made their way to Landis Auditorium at RCC on March 1 to showcase their talents by singing bars from the musical, hoping to land the roles of Shrek, Fionna, Donkey, Lord Farquaad and

several other fairytale creatures found in the classic film.

The masked auditionees waited outside the auditorium in a socially distanced crowd until they were called, in accordance with COVID-19 safety guidelines.

Katelyn Herbert, 27, waited in anticipation. She found out about the opportunity online.

“I was browsing for colleges to enroll in so I can get my law degree,” Herbert said. “I saw the announcement on the (RCC) Theatre page and decided to audition.” Despite having

experience in the performing arts realm, Herbert explained that auditioning for the roles of Gingy and Fiona inspired excitement.

A group of students in line, who have been involved with the RCC Theatre Program for two years, said they learned about the auditions through their theatre instructor during class.

“I’m excited to see how different things will be,” a member of the group named Angelica Alatorre said, referring to COVID-19 safety guidelines.

Josh Casis, a 17-year-old

high school senior, said he has taken part in 27 different theatre productions. The pandemic has vastly altered theater life, he added.

“A lot has changed,” Casis said. “Everything is mostly online.

There hasn’t been a lot of live performances.”

To Casis, live performances are far more rewarding.

“The audience is more engaged,” he said. “Their energy gives me energy”.

RCC Theatre announced the cast members on social media

March 5.

Charles Martinez will play the role of Shrek, Victoria Villamil will play Princess Fiona and Bijan Slack will play Donkey.

The cast will feature 48 members. Some cast members are yet to be announced.

Rehearsals are scheduled to begin March 15.

“Shrek the Musical” will be one of the first in-person events held by RCC since the college’s closure in the spring of 2020.

The live performance is set to be held outdoors June 3-4.

“There’s no d--- business like show business. You have to smile to keep from throwing up.”

- Billie Holiday

Views

March 11, 2021

17

PHOTO COURTESY OF MADDI BAZZOCCO | UNSPLASH

As social media has grown over the years, celebrities and now influencers have less and less privacy. Social media stars may be next in line for the horrors of stardom.

Hollywood chews up, spits out young stars Life in the spotlight dangerous, cycles of abuse reach social media

ELAINA KLEVEN STAFF REPORTER

As more you ng f ig u res ascend to Hollywood stardom, will the old systematic patterns of pedophilia and child grooming c r e at e a not he r v ic t i m i z e d celebrity?

The exploitation of young girls has a dark and modern history. Judy Garland, Shirley Temple, Lindsey Lohan, Shelly Duvall and Megan Fox have all been through the backstage abuse that society misses until it’s too late. More may be hidden from the public eye.

Some of these events of public humiliation and on-screen exploitation happened less than 10 years ago and suggest that this may still be happening to

different stars — social media influencers.

A simple Google search reveals most social med ia inf luencers’ addresses, daily routines, personal preferences, family members and “leaked” private information. It seems as if lacking a private life and feeling undeserving of one is normal for these celebrities.

This normalization of such a feeling has led to several celebrities’ falling-outs and public mental breakdowns. The most prominent of examples include the infamously, favorably reported start and end of Britney Spears’ mental breakdown.

As reported in the documentary “Framing Britney S p e a r s ,” t h e H o l l y w o o d paparazzi stalked, harassed and humiliated her whenever she went out in public for several months, leading to her experiencing extreme paranoia and crippling anxiety.

Between 2006 and 2007, Spears made the cover of six different magazines “175 times in just 78 weeks, accounting for sales of $360 million,” according to MTV analytics. She soon decided to shave her head in protest of paparazzo filming her every move.

She was deemed psychotic and her conservatorship was given to her father, James “Jamie” Spears. It was only on Feb. 11 of this year that Spears was deemed in equal power with her father over her conservatorship.

As shown in the MTV data, the media devoured every bad picture that ever came out of the several months of harassment.

It was only after the public identified the reason behind her behavior that the tides turned in Spears’ favor.

The public looked back at Spears’ reactions to the terrible circumstances she was put under and agreed that she was only human, siding with the pop music icon in the trial against her father.

Many fans even held peaceful protests outside the courthouse and started the #freeBritney trend on numerous social media platforms.

Was this movement overdue?

Was the truth hidden from the general eye for too long by those who are responsible for it?

As most celebrities and the public now stand with Spears, the question that now stands is: How do we know when enough is enough? When will society’s relentless demand of more and more from public figures finally

end?

Probably not any time soon.

In theory, if this did not end with Garland’s death or Duvall’s abuse, then how can we believe it will end with Spears?

Garland landed Dorothy’s role in “The Wizard of Oz” early in her career. She was forced onto a strict diet. The studio that hired her, her mother and grandmother pushed her past survivable doses of sleeping and pep pills almost every day in the studio.

“After four hours (of sleep) they’d wake us up and give us the pep pills again so we could work 72 hours in a row,” Garland said in an interview with Paul Donnelley for her biography.

One would assume that these instances of abuse would have ended after Garland’s experiences were raised to public light. But shy of 40 years later, Duvall experienced a classic Hollywood horror story: a powerful director taking advantage of a young star behind the scenes.

During the filming of “The Sh i n i ng,” d i rector St a n ley Kubrick forced Shelly to endure trauma as a requirement of her perfor mance. This included him forcing the cast and crew to ignore her for the entirety of the filming process, randomly

cutting out her lines mid-take, never complimenting her on any of her scenes and the infamous 127-takes of the ax scene, earning the Guinness World Record for most takes for one scene with dialogue.

Duvall detailed the abuse in “The Complete Kubrick,” a book

by David Hughes.

“From May until October I was really in and out of ill-health because the stress of the role was so great,” Duvall said in the book. “Stanley pushed me and prodded me further than I’ve ever been pushed before. It’s the most difficult role I’ve ever had to play.”

Hor rif ic stories of those we admire on the big screen enduring abuse seem to come up again and again over the years, and seemingly have no end in sight. If some of the biggest Hollywood stars fall prey to these atrocious acts, is it too far out of reach to assume that social media influencers are at risk of victimization?

If this assumption is valid, will people prevent this from happening or even catch it before it does? The answer to this can only lie within the people of Hollywood and the unknown future.

18

Views

March 11, 2021

Enough is enough

Editorial

Unions are key to journalism’s survival For years, journalists have endured the painful death of their careers and watched their friends and coworkers become another statistic while the people in charge, in this case a greedy hedge fund, count their blood money from the top of the journalism food chain.

Now more than ever, unionization has become the key to surviving the death grip that these Wall Street wolves have on local news organizations.

The employees of the Southern California News Group have come together and taken the first steps toward unionization and we support their decision.

The SCNG Guild’s announcement Feb. 24 emphasized how Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund many call the grim reaper of American newspapers, has stripped their newsrooms bare and devastated local journalism.

“Media News Group and Alden Global Capital have cut our newsrooms to the bone,” the SCNG Guild said in a statement. “Layoffs and turnover have devastated our workforce. We face historic staffing shortages, and the exodus of journalists with decades of experience has hollowed out our newspapers.”

Alden is notorious for its ruthless culling of local and regional newspaper companies all across the United States. The hedge fund’s playbook is simple: Buy an economically crippled newspaper for cheap and maximize profits by slashing the company down to less than the bare minimum until it’s bled dry.

The outcome is deadly for the Fourth Estate and adds more damage to the already fragile American democracy that journalists are tasked with defending.

The game plan has been executed on hundreds of publications, with the most recent acquisition being Tribune Publishing, owners of the Chicago Tribune, for $630 million just days prior to the guild’s announcement.

“Our journalists have labored for years under increasingly difficult conditions,” the announcement continued. “We believe that only a union … can ensure we get the fair pay and benefits we deserve.”

By creating this union, the SCNG Guild is taking an incredibly brave and necessary step in the right direction to protect the voice of our community and to create a better workplace for all journalists. It also serves to secure the future careers of Viewpoints student journalists.

Unionization is the best way to provide protection and benefits for the hard working individuals within these companies. It gives the ability to negotiate collective bargaining agreements, fight for a diverse workplace and to feel comfortable with job security.

And creating a union is nothing new in the world of journalism in recent times. Many publications that were under the same pressures that the SCNG Guild is reporting have successfully created unions and can attest to the importance of coming together during these tough times.

Journalists are a vital resource to society.

By informing the public of the events happening around the world and their community, it empowers those citizens to make the best

ILLUSTRATION BY ARSAL ASIF | VIEWPOINTS

possible decisions.

But how could they continue to provide that essential service when the fear of being laid off and the stress from increasing workloads is ever growing in the workplace?

It is unfair to force the hardworking individuals who dedicate their lives to finding the truth to have to endure the harsh conditions placed upon them by corporate overlords who don’t care about the value of journalism.

The SCNG Guild’s fight for a seat at the table will be a long and hard fought battle. It definitely isn’t a decision that their owners will take lightly, since it throws a wrench in their well-oiled money-making machine.

However, no matter how much Alden may try to push back against this movement to unionize, the fact of the matter is that these hard working journalists deserve to be treated fairly.

Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints’ student editorial board.

LETTERS

STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Erik Galicia (951) 222-8488 viewpoints@rcc.edu MANAGING EDITOR Leo Cabral viewpoints.managing@gmail.com ADVERTISING MANAGER viewpoints.advertising@gmail.com JOURNALISM SPECIALIST Matt Schoenmann matthew.schoenmann@rcc.edu FACULTY ADVISERS Matt Schoenmann Angela Burrell

TO THE

NEWS EDITOR Cheetara Piry viewpoints.news@gmail.com

OPINIONS EDITOR viewpoints.opinions@gmail.com LIFE EDITOR Alyssa Aldrete viewpoints.artsentertainment@gmail.com

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Arsal Asif SPORTS EDITOR viewpoints.sports@gmail.com

ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR Jacob Quezada

PHOTO EDITOR Angel Peña viewpoints.photo@gmail.com

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Daniel Hernandez multimedia.viewpoints@gmail.com SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Alondra Alarcon

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Mathew Acosta

REPORTERS Jessica Lopez Julio Rodriguez Holland Snipes Timothy Lewis Jennipher Vasquez

Isabel Whitsett Sigifredo Macias Jonathan Ramirez Justin Tan Olivia Pearson

Stephanie Arenas Tyrese Blue Elaina Kleven Riley Adams

Paul Quick Jesus Coronel Bianca Macias Daniel Ramirez

REACH US: Associated Journalism Association of Collegiate Press Community Colleges REPORTERS

Letters to the editor should be kept to 250 words or less and include contact information. Deliver letters to the Viewpoints office in the room behind the Assessment Building. An electronic copy is required.

Viewpoints reserves the right to edit letters for space and to reject libelous or obscene letters. Letters to the editor and columns represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire Viewpoints staff, Viewpoints faculty advisers, student government, faculty, administration nor the Board of Trustees.

PRINTING SCHEDULE Copy deadline:

March

17

Photo deadline:

March

17

Ad deadline:

March

17

Next issue:

March

25

Viewpoints is a public forum, First Amendment newspaper. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

M E M B E R: NEWSROOM PHONE: (951) 222-8488 E-MAIL: viewpoints@rcc.edu

EDITOR

California Newspaper Publishers Association

© 2020 by the Viewpoints staff, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA. 92506-0528.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the Viewpoints Editor-in-Chief.

“In a perfect dream, things would be set exactly the way you would want them. But I think it’s more interesting that in real life, things aren’t exactly the way you planned.”

- Naomi Osaka

SPORTS

March 11, 2021

19

High school track to begin

Medical professionals, coaches discuss season crossover DANIELA RAMIREZ STAFF REPORTER

The cross country season for high schools in the Inland Empire is ending this month, with the track season set to begin quickly afterward.

Many athletes competing in cross country will be receiving no rest period going into track. But will the quick jump benefit them or cause major inconsistencies in competition?

The Olympic Games take place every four years. However, due to the pandemic, the 2020 Olympics were pushed back one year, changing the athletes’ training cycle from four to five years.

The training period an athlete’s body is accustomed to can make it difficult to adjust in such a chaotic time. Could the same be said for high school athletes with a shorter training period?

“There will be no serious injuries for the athletes crossing over from one sport to the next with no breaks because the season is much shorter,” said Jim Clover, a medical sports professional at the Riverside Medical Clinic.

A typical high school cross country season runs from August to November. Many top athletes go straight to an indoor track

ERIK GALICIA | VIEWPOINTS

Patriot High School senior Ruben Robles, front right, leads a cross country race against Arlington High School at Ramona High School on Feb. 27. Robles placed fourth in the Rams Duals with a time of 16:35. season with very little time to recover.

“The only big thing that will hurt the athletes is not running during quarantine,” Clover said.

When COVID-19 hit last March, some athletes stopped training as hard as they would with their team. Some stopped training altogether.

The training seasons of high school athletes have been offand-on.

William Winters, head cross country coach at Rancho Verde High School, said his team’s practices have been canceled three separate times.

The race at Ramona High School on Feb. 27 was their first of the pandemic.

“This being our first race is very late for any runner,” Winters said.

Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, the more competitive

races were canceled, affecting the runners ability to improve on times compared to last season.

“It won’t be their best season,” Winters said. “We’re out here for the experience.”

Winters also said he foresees no major injuries for the runners going straight into track because the season is too short for the athletes to stress their bodies past the limit.

Joseph Toyotome, head cross

Sports Column

country coach at Patriot High School, said inconsistent training is a factor that might contribute to injuries.

With the off-and-on season every sport is dealing with, athletes are more prone to injuries.

“Having a good recovery plan no matter what is very important,” Toyotome said.

Megan Lopez, Poly High School athletic trainer, has the same plan for all her athletes.

“Poly has been doing a good job at conditioning their athletes before racing again,” Lopez said.

She does not see any major injuries occurring for cross country runners, only athletes engaging in explosive exercises, such as sprinting and jumping, that can cause stress fractures.

Since medical professionals and coaches agree that athletes will remain healthy immediately crossing over into a new season, will the continuous training be beneficial?

Gabby Jimenez, coach at Arlington High School, said she believes the combined time of both seasons will benefit the runners.

The athletes will be running a regular season of cross country by the end of track, Jimenez added.

She is optimistic.

“They will be in great shape by then,” Jimenez said.

NBA All-Star Game put profits over people

PAUL QUICK STAFF REPORTER

The NBA All-Star Game is an annual gathering of the league’s best players.

It typically comes during the mid-season break and, under normal circumstances, it is considered a high point of the season and a great honor to be selected to play in. During the age of Covid-19, however, nothing is normal.

D u e t o l a s t s e a s o n ’s suspension of games and eventual late conclusion in the

“Bubble” in Orlando, Florida, competition was shortened to 72 games from the usual 82.

The NBA Players Association and league owners came to an agreement regarding conduct on and off the court of players, stadium employees and league officials. The initial agreement also included cancellation of the All-Star Game.

However, somewhere along the way, the league’s owners, advertisers and broadcast partners decided that the All-Star Game was too lucrative to give up on, despite the obvious heightened risk of infection to all parties involved in the production of the two-day showcase of the NBA’s brightest stars.

To put it mildly, some of the league’s best players were not pleased by this development.

Perennial all-star and the league’s marquee player LeBron James called it “a slap in the face,” further stating that he would

play if voted in but that his “soul would not be in it.”

Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo, Portland Trailblazer Carmelo Anthony and Los Angeles Clipper Kawhi Leonard also stated their objections. The players understood that the league was putting revenue ahead of the potential risk to their health.

“Just putting money over health right now, pretty much,” Leonard was quoted as saying in the Los Angeles Times.

Indeed, money seemed to be the primary motivation for the league’s push to hold the event. Because of attendance restrictions in the arenas, it’s estimated that league revenue is down almost 40%.

The event generates additional revenue from advertisers and additional network coverage.

For example, last year ’s All-Star Game generated approximately $15 million for

TNT, one of the NBA’s primary network partners. Advertisers pay as much as $70,000 per slot to air their commercials during the game.

The perceived money grab by the NBA made light of the league’s efforts to create the perception that its primary concern is the health of its players. The league has postponed 20 games this year due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

Resultantly, a number of players questioned if holding a game which amounts to a mere exhibition was worth the risk.

In an attempt to make the idea more appealing to its players, who are overwhelmingly Black, the league committed to donating a portion of the proceeds to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Despite this effort to paint the game in a good light, several players were not swayed.

Kevin Durant, another of the league’s top players, responded

with his displeasure in no uncertain terms, tweeting “your fans aren’t dumb … You can’t fool them with your wack a-- PR tactics … #FREE7” at the NBA. The “7” is a reference to his jersey number.

Despite the criticism, the league insisted that the health and safety of everyone involved in the event was the primary emphasis of its discussion with the Players Association.

But concerns about the potential health implications of the event went beyond the league’s players.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms expressed her concerns to league officials and discouraged fans from traveling to Atlanta to “party” during the weekend the event was held.

Unfortunately, it appeared that many of Atlanta’s party promoters, motivated by the same monetary opportunism as the NBA did not heed her plea.