Viewpoints Vol. 99 Issue 12 by RCC Viewpoints

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“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read.” - James Baldwin

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VOL. 99, NO. 12 APRIL 29,

2021

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

Chancellor addresses reopening First of four town halls answers questions districtwide BY LIV PEARSON STAFF REPORTER

The Riverside Community College District’s enrollment struggles, along with progress in handling the pandemic, played a key role in the decision to reopen campuses in the fall. Community College enrollment has declined across the state throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and RCCD is no exception. Wolde-Ab Isaac, RCCD chancellor, said during the first of four reopening town halls April 21

that the district’s enrollment has been steadily declining since the start of the pandemic last spring. The district experienced a 13% enrollment decrease during the fall 2020 semester, which was the largest drop in its history. “Today we find ourselves at a historic low of 20% below our target,” Isaac said during the Zoom call. “For our fall (2020) semester enrollment, this translates to about 9,000 students who have dropped out or failed to return to continue their education.” He attributed the decline to the switch from in-person to virtual

classes. A continuous enrollment decline could have adverse effects on the district’s state funding. The more serious concern focuses on the decline in access to education in the population that the district exists to serve, Isaac said. According to the chancellor, the district’s enrollment decline data indicates that a majority of the students who opted out of continuing their education during the pandemic are from among the socioeconomically disadvantaged population. “There is a real concern that

allowing this trend to continue could place us in a situation that may prove to be very difficult to recover from,” Isaac said. The town hall of over 230 attendees from across the district aimed to answer questions about what the safety of facilities will look like this upcoming fall. The district’s announcement last month that it plans a return to instruction next semester as it was pre-pandemic — 80% inperson and 20% online — stirred up questions from students, staff

See FORUM on page 4

WHAT’S Protest calls for inmate's transfer INSIDE Advocates say mental health episode led to arrest

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS

3 Riverside City College hosts vaccination clinic

LIFE

8 Local punk scene raises autism awareness

EDITORIAL See DOWNTOWN on page 5 DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Karrie Schaaf, left center, holds a photo of her son Darik Schaaf at a protest demanding his release in downtown Riverside on April 22.

Police chief presents city crime statistics

Community questions department's Early Warning System implementation BY JONATHAN RAMIREZ STAFF REPORTER

The Riverside police chief provided an update on city crime statistics to a skeptical public at the City Council meeting April 20. Chief Larry Gonzalez’s report indicated that, while crime in Riverside has declined over the last five years, murder in the city has more than doubled since 2015. There were 21 homicides in the city last year. Gonzalez reported that over 600 firearms were taken off the

street last year. Around 300 firearms have been seized this year alone, 62 of them being homemade “ghost” guns. “Along with those guns on the street comes other bad things that happen, such as homicides and officer-involved shootings, and robberies,” he said. There were 15 reports of hate crime in 2020 with the first report of an anti-Asian hate crime in the past five years. The majority of hate crimes have been anti-Black and related to sexual orientation at a total of 26 and 11, respectively, over the

last five years. Gonzalez said that although the amount of hate crimes is not “a relatively high number,” each case of hate crimes is thoroughly investigated. “We are hoping that people can be patient where we can get all the facts we need without jeopardizing the integrity of those investigations,” he said. Crime hotspots identified in the report include downtown, Eastside and the area surrounding the intersection of Tyler Street and Magnolia Avenue. J o h n M i l l e r, a p u b l i c

commenter from Ward 1, noted most crimes identified in these areas were property crimes. There were a total of 509 trespassing crimes, municipal code violations and warrants served downtown in 2020. “My guess is someone’s calling the police because someone’s trespassing,” he said. “This is basically a way of targeting the unhoused. A lot of these crimes could be avoided if we just had housing. It makes sense to put the budget toward that.”

See POLICE on page 6

Blue wall of silence must stay down after Chauvin trial

INDEX NEWS LIFE VIEWS EDITORIAL SPORTS

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April 29, 2021

News

NEWS BRIEFS Summer 2021 Enrollment Students can now apply for classes for the summer 2021 term through MyPortal. Incoming students will need to create an account at openccc.net and can reach out to OpenCCC Technical Support if there are any difficulties. Veterans Banquet A virtual end-of-the year banquet hosted by Riverside City College’s Veterans Center will take place on May 20 at 6 p.m. First Sgt. Matt Eversmann will be a featured guest speaker at the event. Those interested in attending must register beforehand. Contact the RCC Veterans Center for more information. Safe Driving Saves Lives California residents ages 14-22 can enter the #WorkZoneSocialChallenge to promote safe driving and have the chance to prizes. Interested participants can enter by sharing a #SafeDrivingSavesLives video message for the chance to win a Macbook pro, $600 gift card and $100 gift card. For any questions about the rules or guidelines residents can visit workzonechallenge. com. Library Workshops The RCC library is continuing to hold weekly one-hour workshops throughout the rest of the spring term. Information available at these workshops includes ways of accessing the library’s databases, research tecnhinques and citing digital sources. These workshops take p l a c e e v e r y We d n e s d a y starting at 1p.m. Any students interested can joining via the zoom link. To find the link, visit library.rcc.edu and click on Library Workshops. Subscribe to our newsletter on viewpointsonline.org to receive a compliation of stories curated by our editors right in your inbox every Sunday morning. If you have any tips for potential news stories or would like to share your story with us please email us at: viewpoints.news@gmail.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXABAY

Research says coronavirus vaccine safe District administators encourage students to get the shot BY DANIELA RAMIREZ STAFF REPORTER

The latest study on COVID-19 vaccinations by the Pew Research Center found that up to 69% of Americans have received or plan to receive the shot. Federal health officials say the aim is to vaccinate 75-80% of the population, but only 43% have gotten at least one dose. Where are the other 57% of people at with their decision? Conspiracies have created doubts in many. Some argue the shot was developed too quickly to be safe to use. Others are worried about side effects, ingredients and the real reason the government is pushing the vaccine. But with plans to reopen the Riverside Community College District in the fall, the administration is encouraging all students and employees to get vaccinated in order to ensure the safest environment possible next semester. Wolde-Ab Isaac, district chancellor, addressed vaccine hesitancy during a town hall

with students and employees April 21. Isaac’s background is in medicinal chemistry and he evaluated medications for over 10 years as a senior clinical researcher. “There is no medicine, no drug, that doesn’t have adverse effects,” he said. “Now, when we look at these vaccines, not only are they effective at 95% ... these are very very safe medications. The risk is far greater if you don’t take the vaccination.” Isaac added that COVID-19 vaccines reaching up to 95% effectiveness is rare for vaccinations. He explained that even the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which was discontinued in many areas due to some women experiencing blood clots after taking the shot, has not been deemed unsafe. Only six women were found to have blood clots after over 6.8 million people received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. According to a Healthline article, there are many factors that contributed to the quick development of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The money and resources for COVID-19 research and treatments pushed the development to having a shorter time frame to produce results, Lynlee Burton, head of the Center for Vaccines and Emerging Infectious Diseases at PRA Health Sciences, said in the article. The key to making the COVID-19 shot effective for safe use is the mRNA molecule. The mRNA, or messenger RNA, is the molecule that goes back into DNA to create the protein that triggers an immune response to a disease. Unlike some vaccines, in an mRNA vaccine, the messenger does not introduce a weakened germ into the body. Research on mRNA is not new to science. The use of mRNA has helped fight diseases and has been developing for decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Others argue the vaccine can possibly result in death. The Food and Drug Administration requires all vaccination providers to report any deaths after taking the vaccine, but that does not necessarily mean the vaccine is the cause of death.

Around 211 million vaccinations have administered since December and 3,848 deaths after inoculation have been reported. That amounts to 0.0017% of those who were vaccinated. The CDC determined after reviewing autopsy and medical files that there was no evidence the COVID-19 vaccine contributed to patients’ deaths. B e i w e i Tu , R C C D R i s k M a n a g e m e n t d i r e c t o r, s a i d COVID-19 vaccines are also h i g h l y e ff e c t i v e i n s e r i o u s illness and hospitalization when someone contracts the virus. “ Va c c i n e s a r e t h e m o s t effective choice to protect your health and prevent disease,” she said during the town hall. “The district strongly encourages our employees and students to take advantage of the opportunity to receive the vaccine.” T h e d i s t r i c t ’s t h r e e campuses have been hosting vaccination clinics and will continue to through the summer to ensure as many students and employees are vaccinated by the start of the fall semester.

April 29, 2021

News

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Riverside City College nurses administer the Pfizer vaccine to dozens on the top level of the RCC Parking Structure on April 22. The college will continue to host clinics.

Nursing program administers vaccines PHOTOS AND STORY BY DANIEL HERNANDEZ

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Riverside City College is one step closer to ending the chapter of distance education and returning to campus for in-person instruction. Tr a i n e d R C C n u r s e s , with help from Albertson’s pharmacists, administered first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine to members of the community on the roof of the Parking Structure April 22. RCC’s Parking Structure was divided into three sections: A check-in area located near the entrance, the vaccination tables directly behind and a socially distanced observation area for people who received the vaccine. Nursing students sitting at the vaccination tables were

equipped with red Stericycle medical waste disposal canisters, rubber gloves and other medical tools needed to safely administer the vaccines. Individuals who signed up online before arriving were able to present the necessary documents at the front table and receive the vaccine in less than 10 minutes. According to Beiwei Tu, director of Risk Management at the Riverside Community College District, 1,367 Pfizer vaccines were administered at RCC, 408 at Norco College and 270 at Moreno Valley College in one week. “We have more vaccines available than people who sign up,” Tu said. “The more people who sign up, the better we can protect the community.” To make an appointment, visit www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus.

April 29, 2021

News

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Riverside City College is set to open in the fall in the manner that it was pre-pandemic if things go as planned. According to Wolde-Ab Isaac, Riverside Community College District chancellor, RCCD foresees a safe reopening of its three colleges for the fall 2021 semester due to current declines in COVID-19 cases and increases in vaccinations.

District forum covers fall 2021 safety RCCD administrators detail facilities’ COVID-19 regulations

FORUM from page 1 and faculty at all three of RCCD’s colleges. Beiwei Tu, Risk Management director, explained that the three colleges will coordinate with the district in contact-tracing should someone who has been on campus test positive for COVID-19. “We would like all employees and students to report their close contact with a COVID-19 positive person — suspected and confirmed cases,” she said. Employees will be expected to report contact to Risk Management for students and contact their college’s respective Student Health Services. Both employees and students will be required to quarantine for 14 days for confirmed cases. A 10 day isolation will be required for suspected cases when a negative test cannot be produced. “People cannot automatically return to a district location once they meet a time requirement,” Tu said. “They have to be either cleared by Risk Management or (Human Resources) if they are an employee. For students, the clearance process starts at the Student Health Center at their campus.” She said the district will aim to respond to any case of possible exposure within the same day it is reported. The district currently offers on-site COVID-19 testing to employees through Risk Management and will offer the same service to students at their Student Health Centers in the fall, Tu added. Michael T. Collins, Norco College vice president of Business

SCREENSHOT BY ERIK GALICIA | VIEWPOINTS

A screenshot of the chancellor’s town hall lists the Riverside Community College District’s Safe Return Principles. The presentation April 21 described what safety measures students will see in the facilities at their respective campuses, including sanitization, ventilation and hands-free devices. Services, said custodial staff has been trained in government safety mandates on COVID-19 and will perform regular cleaning and disinfecting of commonly used surfaces and personal work areas. The most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance requires a daily cleaning of the campus environment, down from the cleaning every four hours required by the preceding guidance. According to Collins, the district is currently researching the staffing levels necessary to maintain a safe environment in regard to sanitization. “We are assessing that need,

assessing our staff and our base needs for those staff members,” he said. “We are working toward that so we can understand what the new regulations require us to do and how that will impact our personnel and our teams.” Majd Askar, Moreno Valley College interim vice president of Business Services, said hands-free sinks and hand sanitizer have been installed wherever possible and High Efficiency Particulate Air filters installed in the buildings. She also mentioned the district will ensure that a large inventory of personal protective equipment and supplies will be made available to students and staff throughout the

campuses. “If the social distancing guidelines are still in place for employees and it’s not feasible to maintain the six feet, we’ll be able to provide some sort of solid barriers such as plexiglass.” Signage and other messaging will be used to encourage hygiene standards on campus. At this point, the district is planning on requiring face coverings in the fall, Collins said. “We will definitely follow the California Department of Public Health guidance as we move forward and adapt our plans as required,” he said. “We’re going to continue our ongoing inspection

and compliance assessment of our plans and of the work that our entire campus community is doing. These continuous assessments do lead to continuous improvement.” According to Chip West, Riverside City College vice president of Business Services, the district is investing in the technology and infrastructure needed to ensure disabled students are able to adapt to the return to campus. “Each of our colleges are working to improve systems both in the classrooms and outside the classroom, student support services and resources to make sure that none of our students are left behind and that we’re giving them the support they need to succeed,” he said. Isaac said the district will make sure access to these students will not be denied. Disabled students should reach out to their respective Disability Resource Centers to receive the aid they will need. The chancellor reiterated that the 80-20 plan is based on the district’s assumption that the decline in COVID-19 cases and increase in vaccinations will allow a fall 2021 reopening. But the plan is subject to change. “Safety is a non-compromisable issue,” he said. “We are not gambling. We are going to monitor the situation very regularly and calibrate our ambitions.”

The next town hall is scheduled for May 19 at 4 p.m. on Zoom

News

April 29, 2021

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Protesters rally on the corner of Tenth and Orange Streets in downtown Riverside in front of County District Attorney’s office on April 22. They marched through downtown Riverside to protest the jailing of Darick Schaaf, 28, and for the resignation of the DA Mike Hestrin and Sheriff Chad Bianco. They also called for more mental health services.

Jailer’s alleged negligence causes uproar

Suspect’s mother, DA’s office provide opposing stories in case BY BIANCA MACIAS STAFF REPORTER

A ferocious crowd banged on the doors of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Building, demanding solace for who demonstrators say is a disabled inmate. Protestors arrived in downtown Riverside on April 22 to call for the transfer of Darik Schaaf , a 28-year-old Black man, into a mental health diversion program. Schaaf was arrested by Riverside County Sheriff ’s deputies in March of 2019 in Rancho Mirage. In an email, John Hall, the DA Office’s public information officer, said Schaaf is being charged in a domestic violence case with six felonies, including torture and kidnapping. Schaaf ’s mother, Karrie Schaaf, the alleged victim, said her son was at the peak of a mental health crisis Feb. 25, 2019, a few days before he was taken into custody. She said he told her it “was going to be over soon” and went into his bedroom with a firearm, planning to take his own life. “He wasn’t intending to hurt anybody but himself,” she said. But court documents provided by Hall show that in an interview with police after her son had been arrested, Karrie Schaaf recalled several instances of both physical and verbal abuse at the hands of her son. According to the documents, Darik Schaaf did not deny much

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Protesters raise signs and bang on the glass doors of the DA’s Office on downtown Riverside on April 22. Officers stood by inside the building as demonstrators chanted “free Darik.” of the abuse recounted by his mother and blamed several incidents on her behavior and controlling personality. Karrie Schaaf claims that she was in a state of psychosis during her interview with police. “They took advantage of my trauma and my own mental state to build a case against my son,” she said. Karrie Schaaf said she refrained from calling 911 after the incident which she said led to her son’s arrest out of fear that police would kill him on arrival. She said she knew her son’s intentions with the gun were suicidal and she instead rushed to the emergency room and pleaded for help. But she said her trip to the emergency room resulted in little hope after police arrived at her door a few days later on March 1, 2019 to take Darik

Schaaf into custody. “Their decision to not help my son and provide him the mental health care he deserved and desperately needed has turned our lives upside down and further traumatized him,” Karrie Schaaf said. “He has still not received mental health care or treatment. He should have been placed on a 51/50 and I should have been too.” According to Hall, the DA’s Office files the charges supported by the evidence in each individual case that it believes it can prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury. “In this case, defendant Schaaf — should he be found guilty as currently charged — could face a potential sentence ranging from 10 years in prison to life in prison,” Hall said. The defense asked Judge Dean Benjamini during a Sept. 5, 2019 court appearance to make a determination whether

or not Darik Schaaf was eligible for mental health diversion. Benjamini ruled that the defendant appeared to be eligible and set a diversion conference hearing. But on June 18, 2020, after reviewing the defense’s request, the DA Office’s opposition to mental health diversion and the proposed treatment plan, Benjamini denied the defense’s request and ruled that Darik Schaaf was not eligible for mental health diversion. “Part of why we opposed mental health diversion was due to the severity and duration of the crimes charged,” Hall said. The court documents show the DA’s Office argued, after reading Darik Schaaf ’s statement, that it did not appear he was suffering from mental illness or delusions at the time of his arrest. “I’ve seen how many people misunderstand our actions,” said

protester Cameryn Steinline. Steinline said they have been on the autism spectrum for years and have seen the pain people with mental health issues suffer. “I want us to continue this fight for mental health and to ensure that Darik Schaaf is going to make it out safe,” Steinline said. Demonstrators shouted on the steps of the DA’s Office Building, advocating for the destigmatization of mental illness, an increase in the quality of intervention systems and more preventative services. M a r y Va l d e m a r , a representative of the Chicano Indigenous Community for Culturally Conscious Advocacy and Action, said the current mental health system is not working. “Mental health folks are being criminalized because the mental health system is broken,” she said. “There’s not enough beds for those who need mental health services. We don’t need more police on our streets, we need more mental health services … that prevent folks from getting in jail.” Karrie Schaaf said she will continue to seek her son’s transfer to a mental health program. “I have to do all I can to fight for justice for my son,” she said. “Then I need to ensure others experiencing mental health crises get the care and ongoing medical care they deserve.” Darik Schaaf’s next court date is set for May 4.

April 29, 2021

News

DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS

Riverside police officers stand by during a confrontation between Black Lives Matter and former President Donald Trump supporters in the downtown area Oct. 18.

Riverside police chief talks civilian oversight

Public commenters uncertain about officers’ incident-tracking methods “This is the reform part that we’re in September. “Four instances within a 12 POLICE from page 1 2020 Riverside talking about as far as improvement “We never want to stop month period of time,” she said. Malissa McKeith, a public and some of the changes we want engaging with the community,” “Four personnel complaints or commenter from Ward 3, also to make.” Gonzalez said. “Especially the sustained violations of department Crime Stats The department employs two youth.” questioned the amount of funding policy, or uses of force that result the city allocates to police. Over 70% of the city’s $271.4 million general fund is currently going toward public safety. McKeith suggested the police find ways to curb costs and maintain safety more efficiently. “Riverside only generates so much income,” she said. “We only have so many sources of revenue.” Gonzalez said civilian oversight has been a focus in Riverside since the creation of the Community Police Review Commission in 2000. The commission is a review board for citizen complaints and use of force incidents aiming to preserve a good relationship between police and the community. T h e C h i e f ’s A d v i s o r y Committee has also been revamped since Oct. 20, with 29 adults and two high school students, Gonzalez said. These individuals come from all different backgrounds, including community activists, non-profit organization members, business leaders and faith-based group members. The chief engages with community leaders in monthly meetings to address concerns, create community engagement strategies and reinforce the trust between the police and community, Gonzalez said. “We’re trying to gain a better understanding,” Gonzalez said.

public safety engagement officers and two community behavioral health assessment officers. It employs one mental health clinician and hopes to hire a second soon, Gonzalez added. The outreach efforts have resulted in various new programs focused on building connections between police and the youth. The Riverside Police Leading Active Youth Program consists of socially distanced sports such as golf, tennis, volleyball and baseball with children between the ages of 7 and 13. Officers and volunteers teach children the basics on how to understand and play each of these sports. Gonzalez gave a brief overview about the return of a juvenile prevention program, called the Opportunity with Education, that focuses on middle and high schoolaged children considered to be “at-risk” in an attempt to break the cycle of criminal behavior through a positive atmosphere. This program is due to resume

“

But community members and Ward 1 Councilwoman Erin Edwards were skeptical of the department’s Early Warning System. The system keeps a log of officers with four or more instances in 12 months that include uses of force that causes injury to the suspect, significant force, personnel complaints, sustained violations of department policy or any incident deemed necessary to add. Gonzalez explained that any officer placed in the Early Warning System goes through five levels of review that end with himself. “All of these are reviewed consistently,” he said. “That is the way we can identify any negative behavior or any training needs there might be from use of force that is being used in our department.” Public commenter Chani Beeman questioned the amount of incidents necessary for an officer to be placed on the system.

in injury or death. Does that sound early?” Beeman, who is involved in grassroots organizations and public forums, suggested the reason only four instances are required is that a lower number would result in too many officers in the system. “That answer, in itself, is vindictive on some of the areas where we could improve,” she said. “We have to get the hold of decent training and revising policies. Especially when some of the instances take several months to investigate.” Gonzalez argued that if the threshold was lowered to two, as it was previously, then a single call resulting in one personnel complaint and use of force could land an officer in the system. “I have never seen us keep an employee with four sustained complaints,” he said. “Although there is an Early Warning System in place, we will address every complaint if it results in discipline.

We have to get the hold of decent training and revising policies. Especially when some of the instances take several months to investigate.

”

- Chani Beeman

Murder: 21 Rape: 152 Robbery: 373 Aggravated Assault: 920 Total Violent Crime: 1,466 Burglary: 1,639 Theft: 6,456 Vehicle Theft: 1,885 Total Property Crime: 9,980 Total Hate Crime: 15 We are not going to be in a position where a person has 15 or 16 complaints and still be employed here.” Edwards continued the questioning. “Why wouldn’t we want two instead of four,” she asked. “If we’re already being vigilant, why don’t we put it in writing that we are being as vigilant as we possibly could be?” Gonzalez held his stance. “If we did that, we’d be doing it just to do it,” he said. “I really wanted this to be measurable and meaningful. We felt it’s more useful with a higher threshold at four.”

April 29, 2021

News

LEO CABRAL | VIEWPOINTS

A student from the Riverside Unified School District creates a sign that supports consent at Thundersky Park on April 17. Many gathered to raise awareness about the need for sexual harassment policy reform within the school district. Advocates are aiming to empower other girls to share their stories via social media.

Riverside student tackles sexual assault

Aims for change in RUSD policies, women band together in a wave of support BY ELAINA KLEVIN STAFF REPORTER

What began with one Riverside student noticing a problem with sexual harassment in the school district resulted in thousands of supporters calling for change. Temi Salaam, a sophomore at Martin Luther King High School, said she heard stories of sexual harassment on Riverside Unified School District campuses created a desire not only for change, but accountability as well. Salaam then started a petition for support in creating solutions. The petition garnered over 2,000 supporters in less than a month. The wave of support surprised her. “I wasn’t expecting it to get this much attention at all,” Salaam said. Shortly after starting the petition, she started an Instagram page and gathered a team of 12 people from different schools around the district who are pushing for awareness and consideration from the school board to enact a new system regarding sexual harassment. Many victims of ignored

sexual assault came forward to support the team and the actions it aims for. Teachers at MLK High School have also shown support for the new guidelines Salaam is calling for. Some, like her theater teacher, gave her a platform to speak about her efforts and raise further awareness. “This has been a long time coming,” she said. Many of the victims agree. “I’ve never experienced sexual assault, however, I have a lot of friends that are at RUSD that have,” said a team advocate who chose to remain anonymous. “It was a battle to make them do their jobs.” But the push for change was met with resistance by some MLK students. Salaam said the account has received messages during Instagram livestreams attacking her with several accounts. Others messaged the account stories about how they sexually harassed other students, she added. While passing out flyers at school for a picnic event the team was hosting, some female students

were “very vocal” about how much they did not want to attend the picnic. “It was kind of staggering because those were the exact people we’re doing this for,” Salaam said. The team is pushing RUSD to enact a zero tolerance policy for sexual assault cases, change the dress code and change the minor to minor sexual assault cases to sixth grade and above. They are also pushing RUSD to hold staff members accountable for not reporting a sexual assault incident. The team met with board members and expressed its concerns April 29. Salaam said RUSD seemed to be open about changing its policies in order to create a better environment for students. “I think this is going to stop boys and perpetrators from being so comfortable with sexually assaulting people,” Salaam said. “I think it will empower girls to share what happened to them and feel more comfortable reporting it.” To find the team’s Instagram page, visit www.instagram.com/ rusd.sa.reform/.

LEO CABRAL | VIEWPOINTS

Temi Salaam, right, and Arianna Beltran introduce the community event, addressing the Riverside Unified School District’s sexual harassment policies April 17 at Thundersky Park in Riverside. Salaam and Beltran are both sophomores at Martin Luther King High School.

April 29, 2021

LIFE

“I’d like to say that people people can change anything they want to; and that means everything in the world.”

joe strummer

BRIAN CALDERON | VIEWPOINTS

A collection of punk rock cassettes is on display at the Punks in the Park market at Riverside’s Fairmount Park on April 10. Katie Cox, 32, a member of the Inland Empire Harm Reduction, compiled the collection over the years. She gave out drug harm reduction kits at her booth. Others sold vintage punk rock clothing and jewelery.

Punk scene advocates for Autism awareness

Vendors gather at Fairmount Park to raise funds for research BY CHEETARA PIRY NEWS EDITOR

An energetic and intimate gathering of people found themselves at a park browsing vampire-fanged earrings, chunky chain-linked chokers and intentionally offensive t-shirts calling out the KKK. A punk scene girl duo and behavioral therapists spearheaded their first mutual aid event to promote autism awareness to extend research featuring dozens of female-ran vendors at Riverside’s Fairmount Park on April 10. The girls brought their own stereo to liven up their section of the park. The speakers blared sounds of electric guitars and aggressive head-banging bass that attracted a generous crowd to the vendors. The event successfully raised $700 in donations in honor of Autism Awareness Month. The organizers said the funds aim to further investigate autism since there is currently a limited amount of information on the

condition. Sylvie Hanaoka, 30, and Karina Jones, 29, both specialize in applied behavioral analysis, working closely with children who have autism. “We want to contribute to the research,” Jones said. “We want to do our part to help figure out what is causing it.” According to The Hub, Johns Hopkins University’s health and innovation news platform, the diagnosis of autism is more frequent now than ever before. “The prevalence of autism is on the rise, but its causes remain unclear,” The Hub said in a 2017 article. Jones expressed deep compassion for helping contribute to behavioral science. She is currently working toward becoming a board certified behavioral analyst. The platform Punks in the Park originated in 2017. While the market April 10 was their first event coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, they said helping the community has always been prevalent throughout

the punk scene world. “What a lot of people don’t know about the punk scene is we try to do a lot of things to benefit other people, especially the homeless, disadvantaged, disabilities all of it,” Hanaoka said. “So a lot of the vendors are very supportive of what we’re trying to do and accomplish.” Hanaoka and Jones tagteamed in creating the event by joining forces with several independent vendors — all but one happened to be women-run. The vendors were very s u p p o r t i v e o f t h e e v e n t ’s community awareness. They were able to showcase their products and donate if they chose to, which many did. It featured an assortment of items ranging from racks of ripped clothing held together by safety pins to Harley Davidson goods, vintage items and custom woodburning art. One vendor even distributed free drug safety kits. Several vendors work with autistic children, want to enter the medical field or have had family

members diagnosed with autism. Ember Lorraine Contreras, who runs a small business called Boob Ross, showcased her wood burned art as well as live paintings for sale.She is on track to become a nurse and was well aware of the event’s intent to raise awareness for autism research. “I was excited to join and help raise money for the research,” she said. Katie Cox, 32, a vendor who is also a band member of Headdress, spread awareness by offering free narcan, an opium overdose reversal drug, as well as safe snorting kits. As a member of Inland Empire Harm Reduction, her intention is to humanize individuals who use drugs and to promote a safer environment for the community, she said. “Drug use is a part of our world,” Cox said, quoting one of IE Harm Reduction’s founding members. “We seek to minimize its harmful effects rather than ignore and condemn those who use.” Patrons who came to support

expressed appreciation for the event happening here in Riverside. Yessie Ramirez, a customer from San Bernardino, attended with her boyfriend. She found the event through social media and said the awareness behind the occasion was the specific reason for her attendance. Ramirez made sure that the first thing they did upon arrival was drop money into the donation box. “That was the main focus,” she said. “We did that first, because we don’t want to distract anything from that.” She expressed gratitude for the event’s gathering and was glad to be surrounded by the positive and approachable group of punk scene women. She said events like this usually happen in the Los Angeles area, so it was refreshing for her to be able to attend an event close to home. “Everyone was so kind, everyone was helpful and everyone’s here not only for a good time, but to support something that they think matters,” she said.

News

April 29, 2021

ERIK GALICIA | VIEWPOINTS

Los Angeles-based protest photographer Joey Scott, 31, captures a shot of Deanne Sullivan, the mother of David Sullivan, at the doors of the Buena Park Police Department on April 17. David Sullivan, 19, was shot and killed by police in 2019. Scott has covered over 50 protests in Southern California since the murder of George Floyd last May.

Shots from the front lines Protest photographer details experience documenting demonstrations BY ERIK GALICIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Los Angeles police officers — geared up with the riot equipment that came to characterize law enforcement over the past year — moved in formation through an Echo Park alleyway. An intense protest of hundreds faced off with police March 25 over the city’s intent to clear the park of homeless encampments. While the arrests of dozens of demonstrators were of no surprise to anyone, what made this assembly different was that officers began arresting news reporters. Los Angeles photographer Joey Scott was within hearing distance of the journalists. Scott said the night at Echo Park was the scariest moment he has experienced as a protest photographer. But when police enforced dispersal orders to Los Angeles Times reporter James Queally and Spectrum News reporter Kate Cagle, Scott knew he had to stay. “If they’re asking them, the two people that document what police do, to leave, something’s about to go wrong,” he said. “That’s when I got really scared.” Scott has covered over 50 protests across Southern California during the past year. He began

showing up to protests after the murder of George Floyd last May. But Scott decided to go fulltime with his pursuits in protest photography after he was laid off from his job of seven years as a sales manager for a floor covering company in October. He has documented movements ranging from Black Lives Matter to immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. In his experience, these protests are intersectional. Black Lives Matter, indigenous rights advocates and LGBTQ+ activists all show up for each other. But most of these protests, he said, are sparked by the common theme of police violence. Scott, a 31-year-old White man, grew up in Iowa and was raised a conservative. But he became socially active as a teenager, listening to punk rock and eventually earning a philosophy degree in college. The photographer began picking up left-wing ideologies such as anti-facism and defunding the police in 2017. He said his eyes began to open and he began delving deeper, but his beliefs in social justice were shaped by his experiences at protests. “Listening to people of color share their stories,” Scott said. “Listening to parents speak

about their children killed by sheriffs. People’s experiences have informed my political views. That’s just been my goal: to show up to these things and listen, and then share their stories so people can be informed better.” The stories he’s heard from families of victims of police violence have been the ying to the riot police aggression’s yang. While there is certain danger at many protests, these families have uplifted him. Not only do these families speak within days of losing their loved ones, but they show up week after week with a willingness to retraumatize themselves in the call for justice, Scott said. Many of these families have linked up and become each others’ support systems. They travel to each others’ hometowns across the Southland to march in the streets. “I try to show that interconnectedness,” Scott said. “Little things like people singing ‘Lean on Me.’ One-hundred people singing together and showing that they care for each other.” Scott has also been on the front lines of hateful confrontations. A “White Lives Matter” rally held in Huntington Beach on April 11 was drowned out by counter protesters, but there was a presence

of White supremacists donning swastika tattoos. Although he has covered standard right-wing rallies in other areas, he said the typical proTrump crowds were ambiguous when it came to White nationalism. He called the experience at the Huntington Beach Pier surreal. “These are people who are very explicit about their beliefs about the ‘superior race,’” Scott said. “To see that veil pulled back and to see it so in public, it’s very unsettling. Personally, it’s cool to see them escorted out and maybe punched once or twice. I think that’s something we can all agree on: Nazis should not be welcomed.” The Iowa transplant carries a helmet, goggles and a respirator for safety during protests. He has even worn a bulletproof vest to demonstrations and been followed by protesters while covering right-wing rallies. But he admitted there is an addictive rush that accompanies covering the front lines. “It’s essentially like a flow state,” Scott said. “Everything kind of gets tuned out, all the other background noise in your life gets tuned out and it becomes very in that moment.” Physical confrontations with police at protests Scott has covered

have generally been spontaneous — a protective reaction to intimidation tactics employed by a menacing wall of batons and armored vehicles. “It’s never a plan like ‘alright, let’s go face off with police and get shot at with less-than-lethal rounds,’” he said. “It’s always a big unknown if something like that is going to happen because it’s never planned. So you have to anticipate that violence.” As an advocacy photojournalist, Scott abides by the principle of doing no harm to protestors, especially demonstrators of color and never photographs them without consent. His aim is to hold police accountable at the protests he covers while using his privilege to protect his minority colleagues. “Many of my counterparts that I roll with are people of color and they get treated in a very different way as press than I do,” he said. “I can kind of navigate these spaces and put myself in between police and protesters.” Scott hopes to start an agency for photographers of color and shed light on issues such as gentrification and labor disputes. “I want to grow the scope out,” he said. “Cover more things that aren’t direct actions, tell more stories of specific people.”

April 29, 2021

Life

A starry night under groovy lights Riverside art business hosts first in-person event since pandemic began BY JACOB QUEZADA ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR

Adapting to COVID-19 restrictions proved difficult for downtown Riverside’s art scene, but recovery for these small, local businesses is on the horizon. Chelsea Franzer and Chris Perez, art enthusiasts and owners of The Paint Sesh, see this hope rising as pandemic restrictions are lifted. Known for their inclusiveness and judge-free attitude, the couple have found an appreciative community of patrons curious to attend the “Paint and Sip” and “Paint and Puff” events throughout Southern California. Before the pandemic, those wishing to learn how to paint would gather for artistic instruction accompanied by a drink or a “sesh.” But due to COVID-19 restrictions during the past year, the duo heavy-heartedly canceled all public events and with it, the revenue to stay afloat. “When (COVID-19), hit we took a month hiatus and didn’t really know how to proceed,” Franzer said. “Canceling all those events hurt. It hurt really bad.” Then came the difficult conversations with customers. “We were upfront and honest in telling people who bought tickets we weren’t sure when we would be back in person and offered full refunds or credit,” she said. However, the duo said a lot

JACOB QUEZADA | VIEWPOINTS

Chelsea Franzer guides the The Paint Sesh’s first in-person art seminar since the start of the pandemic. Guests were invited to paint their Riverside inspired rendition of starry night. of people told them ‘no, you guys keep it.’ “This is a hard year for you,” the understanding customers told the couple. “We’ll wait until we are able to paint again.’” Their loyal “Paint Sesh Family,” as Franzer called it, stuck with them during their transition into virtual events.

Perez took up the task of converting their apartment into a functional streaming studio, rigged with multiple camera angles. Franzer credits Perez’s creativity in illustration, photography and web design as the tools necessary for expanding their reach. People tuned in from

Japan to Ohio. Their diversity in virtual attendees was duplicated during their first in-person “Paint and Sip” event since the pandemic hit, which was hosted by The W at Worthington’s restaurant in Riverside on April 21. Edgar Orozco, who was enjoying the night out with

family, was among the pool of first-time attendees. As a downtown Riverside resident, he noted the increased presence of art in the area. “I think it’s really good that Riverside has invested into the arts,” he said. “It’s made it more social for families.” Lucia Orozco, the mother of the family, said she enjoyed the family’s first outing since the start of the pandemic and left the twohour session feeling good with her Vincent van Gogh-inspired “Rubidoux Night” painting. Te r e s a K e l l e r, a n o t h e r attendee, returned to the Paint Sesh with her friend Joan Parish. “We haven’t seen each other since the start of the pandemic,” Keller said. Keller booked the event three weeks in advance and was excited to be back to paint in person alongside her friend. “I’m not used to being tied in a house for a year,” Parish said. “I’m used to being out and being able to socialize with my friends. Painting has helped. If you’re stressed, if there is something going on, it’s therapeutic.” Franzer and Perez said they don’t intend to stop virtual sessions and that it is important to keep the connectivity with their base. “Without our community we built online, we probably wouldn’t even be here today in person,” Franzer said. “We survived as a business and it only made us stronger.”

Gage Canal highlights best of Riverside Beautiful trail provides perspective of area’s citrus history, city plans revamp BY TIMOTHY LEWIS STAFF REPORTER

The Gage Canal recreational trail is up for renovation. The nine and a half mile trail follows Riverside’s historical Gage Canal and highlights the city’s finest attributes. T h e Ci t y of R i ve r s i d e announced April 1 that it plans on adding an additional five miles to the nature walk and has reached out to the community for thoughts on what type of improvements people would like to see. Opinions varied on the topic. Some suggested that the cit y spend taxpayer money on buildi ng more parks or improving roads, but very few had anything to say about the current expansion. This is rather daunting given the fact that the Canal is not only a momentous figure in the city’s history, but also a crucial component of its agricultural

economy as well. O r ig i n a l ly c o n s t r u c t e d in 1889, the Gage Canal was fou nde d by I r ish - C a nd ia n immigrant Matthew Gage, who wished to build the canal in order to bring water to the more desolate parts of modern-day Riverside. The act ual const r uction of the Canal, which spans 21 miles, took only three years to complete and lies within the heart and soul of Riverside’s agricultural community. The impact the canal has had on the city of Riverside over the past 130 years is evident: It has created countless businesses and employment opportunities for many individuals. Aside from its historical context, but not completely, the Gage Canal recreational t rail is wor t h not on ly proper acknowledgment, but improvement as well. This lovely multi-purpose trail is not only a great way to

exercise and get some sunshine, but is also a great way to get to know a side of Riverside that few ever see. The Gage Canal, being as old as it is, follows Victoria Avenue and leads those who follow it along on a tour of the beauty that is Riverside. Walking along this trail, one is sure to see some sites that truly change one’s perspective of what makes Riverside, Riverside. The trail starts in a lovely residential area showcasing the many beautiful homes in Riverside and takes you through Old Town into the more rural and agricultural parts of the city. This is where the magic is found. Robust navel orange trees as far as the eye can see are stretched out along acres of land. The bright colors along with the sound of rushing water is enough to make one feel as though they were in another state altogether.

TIM LEWIS | VIEWPOINTS

The Gage Canal runs along Riverside’s southern citrus belt. It was constructed in 1889 and is being revamped by the city.

Life

April 29, 2021

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXABAY

Girls on the Run is a program that employs physical activity and life-skills education to teach school-age girls to be active, kind, to build self-esteem and about consent.

‘Girls on the run’ for life-skills

After-school program incorporates ‘mind, body and soul’ BY TYRESE BLUE STAFF REPORTER

A unique program for schoolage girls founded 24 years ago on the other side of the country has made it to Riverside. Girls on the Run is an afterschool program for third to eighth grade girls. It aims to teach girls to be active, kind and about consent. It also combines both physical activity and life-skills education. Before the program made its way to Riverside in 2018, it’s locations in California were primarily in Orange and Los Angeles counties. It was not until Stephanie Witkowski, executive director of the organization, believed there was a need to expand the program and chose Riverside as a new location. There are plans for expansion to different cities throughout Riverside County, including Temecula, Menifee and others.

Building self-esteem in the girls is at the top of the program’s list of priorities. The following interview with Erin Munro, a staff member of the Riverside program, provides insight on the functions and purpose of Girls on the Run. Q: What makes your program different from other programs ? It accompasses both emotional and physical aspects. So it really incorporates the mind, body and soul. It’s just, you know, a learning program. It’s not strictly just a sports program. We really do it all. We also focus on girls. It’s a delicate age in that age range, so I think that makes our program unique in itself. Q: Why is the program geared toward girls specifically? It’s geared towards girls to bring up topics in a safe environment and build their self-esteem, since girls can be mean to one and other. Q: What’s the purpose and

message you want girls to learn from being in the program? Thats a tough one. Personally, I would want girls to form the program with self esteem, confidence and learn how to be kind to one another, and how to stay physically active. There’s a lot you can learn from the program. Q: What precautions are you taking to ensure the health and safety of both the staff and children during the COVID-19 pandemic? For safety, our program is also available virtually if someone wanted that or felt more comfortable with that. We also provide masks and hand sanitizer, and plenty of water. We also make sure the girls are in good health when they arrive at practice. All of our activities are outside and we’re also six feet apart. So we adapted quite well. Q: What is the cost of the program? The cost per girl is $175. That

includes two lessons and we meet twice a week. It also provides a t-shirt and medal. Q: What is “the council” and how do you start one in your city and residential area? The council is a chapter. How you start one would be to go to the national organization itself and there would just have to be funding available and to provide oversight mainly. Q: How does one start a Girls on the Run team? It’s really easy. Before our summer or fall season, go online and check the website and do it directly there. Literally any school, any organization or any parent or coach might start their own team. Q: How inclusive is the program? Does it include transgender girls? Girls who have mental or physical disabilities? We include everyone. We have yet to have a transgender person that wants to register. I don’t think there would be an issue because no

girl is turned away. Physical, developmental, intellectual disabilities or delays — no one is turned away. We include everyone.

Th e p ro gra m i s always in search of help and especially encourages college students to volunteer. To apply, visit the volunteer section at gotrriverside.org. Those looking to start their own Girls on the Run team should apply ahead of time, as teams follow a season schedule. Applications for the summer season are open.

April 29, 2021

Life

PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS MEDIA

Mortal Kombat satisfies your thirst for blood

Video game giant takes to the big screen for a third time BY TIM NACEY STAFF REPORTER

This movie contains the most blood that I’ve ever seen outside of the horror genre. If that got your attention in a positive way, “Mortal Kombat” was made for you. Video game movies haven't been in a great place historically. In fact, they’re a bit of a laughing stock. The Hollywood machine seems to have absolutely no idea what to make of this relatively new and rapidly growing medium. The majority of cracks that have been taken at bringing the interactive world into the linear world of cinema have resulted in overthought messes. Filmmakers seem to think they have to directly translate

the gameplay experience to the big screen and it always leaves audiences wishing they had just stayed home and played the likes of “Resident Evil,” “Ratchet and Clank” and “Super Mario Bros.” In the last few years, however, younger filmmakers have begun to crack the code with films like “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “Detective Pikachu” and “The Angry Birds Movie.” The new generation is proving to the world that it’s far easier than Hollywood has been making it out to be. It pleases me to say that, while it’s a little bit of a mess, “Mortal Kombat” continues this trend. Directed by Simon McQuoid and based on the fighting game franchise of the same name, “Mortal Kombat” centers around a group of humans that fight off beings from a parallel dimension

called Outworld in a brutal fight for the fate of the universe. The film is anchored by Lewis Tan, who plays Cole Young, an original character created for the film who is chased by an ice-magic wielding ninja warrior named Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), his master Shang Tsung (Chin Han) and a host of other baddies from the video games. Cole finds the temple of an ancient martial arts master named Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano), who trains him, along with a bunch of iconic heroes from the series, such as Sonya Blade, Liu Kang and Kung Lao to face The Outworlders for the fight for the fate of Earth in a tournament called Mortal Kombat. The plot is really nothing to write home about. What really makes this movie worth watching is the fight scenes. They are

slickly choreographed and shot in a way that makes it easy to track the action — a frustratingly rare thing in a world where blockbusters are dominated by CGI. You won’t confuse this with “John Wick,” but there’s more TLC given to the fight scenes than I thought there would be. What impressed me most about this film is that it knows exactly what it wants to be and keeps its priorities straight. As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, “Mortal Kombat” is extremely violent. It’s clear that the utmost passion and love went into the simultaneously savage and darkly hilarious fatalities. I won’t spoil any of them here, but the majority of them are a sight to behold. I’ve been saying it for years: creating a solid video game

adaptation isn’t rocket science. There is absolutely no reason to think that turning a game into a movie should be any different from doing the same with a novel, TV show or comic book. You take the characters, the world and the essence that makes this universe special and you turn it into a movie. “Mortal Kombat” may not be a cinematic classic, but it’s certainly one of the baby steps that could very well lead to a golden age for video game movies in the not too distant future.

“Mortal Kombat” is now streaming on HBO Max and playing at theaters.

Greta Van Fleet rebounds with latest studio album BY STEPHANIE ARENAS STAFF REPORTER

Greta Van Fleet shot down my high expectations after the release of their 2019 album “Anthem of the Peaceful Army.” Due to the generic lyrics and repetitive sound, I was expecting a fairly disappointing album this time around. H o w e v e r, t h e o p p o s i t e happened and I was left pleasantly surprised by the band's newest release, “The Battle at Garden’s Gate.” Formed back in 2012 in Frankenmuth, Michigan, Greta Van Fleet consists of lead singer Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka, bassist Sam Kiszka and drummer Danny Wagner. The band was inspired by the sounds of blues and hard rock and has often been labeled as a Led Zeppelin copycat. Many have even noted that the singing voice of Josh Kiszka sounds eerily

similar to that of Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant. “I hate (Josh Kiszka),” Plant joked in an interview with The Project Exclusive. “And he borrowed (his voice) from somebody I know very well.” Because of their similarities, many have praised Greta Van Fleet’s sound and have even claimed that they will bring back rock ’n’ roll. However, opinions quickly changed once the band released its first album. I was extremely dissatisfied by the band’s first album, “Anthem of the Peaceful Army.” Most of the songs felt repetitive and the lyrics seemed unoriginal. The song “You’re the One” is a great example of what happens when an artist gets lazy with their writing: “You're the one I want / You're the one I need / You're the one I had / So come on back to me.” These lines may seem simple at first, but when it is basically repeated five other times

throughout the song, it becomes aggravating. While the same could be said about the band's newest release, there is definitely a lot more love and passion in this project than the last. The lyrics feel more imaginative and the songs themselves feel as though a lot of thought was put into them rather than just rehashing old songs. “Sorrows of the Earth / May our tears of rain wash down to bathe you / This is what life is worth / When the fires still burn and rage all around” are some visionary lines from the song “Heat Above.” Josh Kiszka has stepped away from the Robert Plant comparison and has really come into his own vocal style. It seems as though the boys have found their form and are stepping up to the plate with that enchanting and imaginative sound. Of course, there are quite a few flaws with this record, such

PHOTO BY ALISON CLARKE | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

as the occasional generic line and questionable instrumentals. But the bad definitely does not outweigh the good. While many fans would describe the band as a mini-Led Zeppelin, Greta Van Fleet is so much more than that. The boys hold a lot of love for their band and deserve to be a separate entity than those who came before them.

I am looking forward to what the future has in store for Greta Van Fleet. It seems as though the band is finally figuring out who they are. I am highly expecting a great record next time around. “The Battle at Garden’s Gate” is a breath of fresh air from Greta Van Fleet and is definitely a record that needs to be on repeat for the next few months.

April 29, 2021

Life

Joshua Tree National Park

Southeastern California’s unique desert landscape

PHOTOS AND STORY BY ANGEL PEÑA PHOTO EDITOR

Joshua Tree National Park is covered in Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree), which are a member of the Agave family. Hundreds of species of wildlife and vegetation live in this ecosystem, made up of the Mojave and Colorado deserts.

Located about 50 miles east of Palm Springs lies a protected area of desert that is home to stunning rock formations, unique wildlife and several different types of desert plants. Named after its iconic trees, Joshua Tree National Park became the 54th national park Oct. 31, 1994. Since then, it has been a hub for rock climbers and nature enthusiasts. This area is made up of the Mojave and Colorado deserts, creating two distinct ecosystems. The terrain in the park is constantly changing due to wind and rain storms. Over 730 different species of animals perfectly adapted to handle extreme temperatures and an infrequent water supply call this park home.

Despite the extreme temperatures and dry climate, more than 2.4 million people visited the park in 2020 to take in the serene environment. Rock climbers are a common site at Joshua Tree. These thrillseekers come from all around the country to scale the peculiar rock formations scattered around the park. The park welcomes beginner and veteran climbers as it features a variety of formations ranging in difficulty. Nature and landscape photographers are drawn to the park to catch a glimpse of the multitude of species and plant life that the area has to offer during the day. However, once the sun dips below the horizon and the landscape goes dark, visitors can gaze at the millions of stars and other astral objects they are deprived of in the city due to light pollution.

Views

April 29, 2021

“No one puts their child in a boat unless the water is safer than the land.” - Warsan Shire

LEO CABRAL | VIEWPOINTS

Liberty Enlightening the World, also known as the Statue of Liberty, is a symbol for American liberty. It welcomes many from Liberty Island in New York Harbor.

Immigrants, refugees deserve kindness

US involvement creates instability for others, crisis at home

BY JULIO RODRIGUEZ STAFF REPORTER

What kind of parent would send their child away to another country? The answer is not the easy one that people want to believe. These are not bad parents. They are desperate parents d r iven to a n ext reme t hat some misconstrue as cruel and dangerous. However, oversimplifying their reasoning negates all of the factors that led to the present humanitarian crisis not only at our southern border but around the world. Democrats blame former P resident Donald Tr u mp’s anti-immigrant policies for destabilizing an immigration s y s t e m t h a t h a d “ wo r ke d fine” for past administrations. Republicans blame President Joe Biden’s “open border policies.” But in their attempts to make this another issue of political volleyball, it becomes clearer

and clearer that there is an unwillingness to understand the real issues that led to the crisis and how they can address them. Mainstream media influences many to believe that all of this results from issues in these migrants’ home countries. The reality is that this migration was caused by incredibly unequal power relations between the United States and most, if not all, Central and South American countries. In Honduras, U.S. interests began corrupting the region as early as the late 19th century when, American-based banana companies started taking over and making the country a onecrop economy. These companies built their own infrastructure and banks and bribed local officials. Honduras quickly became a haven for these companies to exploit the land and people of the region. T he s e bu si ne s s e s we r e amazingly successful, but all of the profits returned to the United States. By 1914, t ho se ba n a n a companies owned over one

“

million acres of Honduras’ best land, leaving almost no oppor t u n it y for the nat ive Hondurans to grow their own crops and make a living. When the people tried to rise up and cou nt e r A me r ica n foreig n interests on their soil in 1907 and 1911, the U.S. military was there to intervene in support of these companies. The 1954 Guatemalan coup d’etat, an undercover operation spearheaded by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, caused the end of the Guatemalan Revolution and unseated the country’s democratically-elected president. By the 1980s, the region’s d e p e n d e n c e o n t h e U. S . g ove r n m e n t a n d m i l i t a r y seeped into the fabric of many of those countries’ governments. P r e sid e n t Ro n a ld Re a g a n set his sights on fighting the countries that sought to retain their economic independence by labeling them “socialist countries.” Reaga n mai n ly focused on f ighti ng the Sandi nist a government of Nicaragua. The

U.S. military trained rebels in Honduras to fight the Sandinistas. The rebels ultimately succeeded. Any refugee or immigrant who f led their cou nt r y for American borders is a victim of the more than a century of military intervention and human rights abuses caused by the United States’ direct and indirect actions. We see parents so desperate they risk sending their children beyond the U.S.-Mexico border wall, hoping their child will be taken in by immigration authorities and given a chance at life. Many people in this country overlook those struggles and argue that we should send them all back and put America first. The U.S. is the reason why they are fleeing their countries. This countr y has destroyed nations and continues to abuse the people of those countries. These intergenerational abuses do not stop simply cease from one president to the next. They continue for a lifetime. I firmly believe that there is a humane way that we can approach this issue, although

Any refugee or immigrant who fled their country for American borders is a victim of the more than a century of military

”

intervention and human rights abuses caused by the United States’ direct and indirect actions.

- Julio Rodriguez

sometimes it might feel hopeless. First, we should embrace anyone fleeing and attempting to enter our borders. The reality is that they are already at the border and we must help as many immigrants as we can to enter this country without all of the hurdles currently placed on them. S e c o n d l y, a g e n u i n e reinvestment in Central and South American economies is needed — an investment in education and job skills training, not just in the militaries of those countries. The Depar t ment of Homeland Security will be opening makeshift shelters in Pomona and Long Beach that are expected to house thousands of unaccompanied children. As a local community, we should embrace these children and ensure they are treated kindly and with humanity. At this moment, we can start to change and unlearn our patterns of neglect toward our neighboring countries and disd ai n for i m m ig rants by embracing these young children who have made the dangerous trek to reach our border. We continue to have an opportunity to do right. We must champion this issue and do better. For those of us who believe that all human beings deserve dignity, respect and a chance at the pursuit of happiness, this is the moment to do right by these beliefs and change the lives of these refugees.

April 29, 2021

Editorial

Views

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXABAY

Blue wall of silence must stay down In a rare instance of accountability, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder after he kneeled on the neck of George Floyd for nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds. But there are countless cases of police violence across America that remain stuck in some stage of litigation — there, the blue wall of silence remains standing. Following Floyd’s death at the end of May 2020, in California alone: Andres Guardado, 18, a Hispanic male of Los Angeles, Terron Jammal Boone, 31, an African American male of Los Angeles, Anthony Angel Armenta, 21, a Hispanic male of San Bernardino, Mason James Lira, 26, a White male of Paso Robles, Michael ‘Blue’ Thomas, 62, an African American male of Los Angeles, Jarrid Hurst, 35, a White male of Industry, Erik Salgado, 23, a Hispanic male of Oakland and Sean Monterrossa, 22, a Hispanic male of Vallejo, all died in June while in police custody. The way our current system of policing is set up, we do not usually see any repercussions in cases where police abuse their power. The need to end legal immunity within police departments is at its peak since Chauvin’s conviction. Watching the Minneapolis police chief and the city’s training officers testify over the last few weeks against Chauvin’s actions during his trial revealed a crack in the blue wall of silence. The common argument is there will always be some “bad apples.” No one would want a “bad apple” to perform heart surgery on their dying mother, so why continue to allow for qualified immunity that exonerates “bad apples” in our police system. Police officers have stood in solidarity and secrecy for decades in an aim to keep the “blue wall” standing. This is unsettling. The requirements to become a police officer are disconcerting. According to discoverpolicing.org, a website sponsored by

the International Association of Chiefs of Police, formal post-secondary education is not always a requirement, training only spans about five months and field training is “sometimes mandatory.” And these individuals are entrusted with firearms by the government. Combined with qualified immunity and the joke that is the police training system, this literally amounts to a license to kill. Chauvin’s murder conviction and even his pending sentence, while an instance of accountability, is not justice. Justice is not more law enforcement officers in the streets. It can only come with new, strict reforms to policing standards in every department in the nation. Police officers are shielded from lawsuits, but, public perception is finally reaching what people of color have known all their lives. According to a Rasmussen Reports survey, 70% of American adults agree with the Chauvin trial’s guilty verdict. Still, people are dying at the hands of a systematically racist police force. There has never been an African American police chief in the City of San Bernardino’s 115-year-old department. Only one Mexican American has held that position. According to information found in a public records request, courtesy of Hardy Brown of The Black Voice News, only 8% of San Bernardino’s sworn police officers live in the city. “Whites make up 9.2% of the city population but occupy over 40% of the jobs and over 52% in the police department, with one Hispanic at the rank of captain and one African American holding the rank of lieutenant,” Brown said in his op-editorial. We find the police system to be laughable and in a steady beeline toward chaos and anarchy. Victims are fearful of making the phone call to their so-called first line of defense and are terrified to be shot inside their own homes. When a murder conviction within your own ranks does not seem to be a deterrent, it is apparent that the root of the problem stems a lot deeper.

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

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April 29, 2021

SPORTS

“Circumstances may cause i n t e r r u p t i o n s a n d d e l a y, b u t never lose sight of your goals.” - Mario Andretti

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE PORTLOCK | GETTY IMAGES | RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands drives the RB16B Honda on track during day one of Formula 1 testing at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 12.

Second race of F1 season starts up in Italy

Red Bull fends off Mercedes in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix BY JESUS CORONEL STAFF REPORTER

Formula 1 drivers raced in wet conditions in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix during what would prove to be one of the more challenging races of the season. After a spin in lap 31, Mercedes racer Lewis Hamilton went from contesting race leader Max Verstappen, the Red Bull racer, to seventh place and allowing the Red Bull driver to increase his lead in the race. The only chance he had to potentially win the race was to have the safety car appear on the track. And fortune struck. On Lap 32, Williams driver George Russell made a move on Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas. The move caused him

to collide with Bottas, resulting in a major crash that led to a red flag. Both drivers were quick to blame each other for the crash. “Valtteri moved very slightly and that just put me offline and put me onto the wet stuff,” Russell said in an interview. “In perfectly dry conditions on a very not ordinary circuit, it’s dangerous.” Bottas argued what Russell tried to do made no sense at all. “George got close and decided to go for a move,” Bottas said. “There was space all the time for two cars, but it didn’t make any sense. He obviously lost it and hit me.” Hamilton dropped to ninth during the restart, but the competition would not be too far from him.

McLaren’s Lando Norris joined the clash as he went up to second place after the restart, in search of his first Formula 1 Victory. Hamilton began to fight back for positions, having already overtaken Alphatauri’s Pierre Gasly, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. He reached fifth place behind the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, with Verstappen and Norris ahead of them. Hamilton overtook the Ferraris and made it back to the podium position with only Norris and Verstappen left to have a chance to win after Lap 55. Norris was not quite able to hold off Hamilton, as he had

enough speed with his Drag Reduction System to get to second place at the beginning of Lap 60. “I gave it everything and did the best we could,” Norris said. “I tried to hang on to P2 as well in the end. Lewis was definitely too quick for us.” Hamilton only had three laps to catch up to Verstappen and potentially cap off an impressive recovery with a second consecutive win. However, the gap to the Red Bull driver was 20 seconds and he would not get anywhere close to Verstappen for the rest of the race. The Dutchman would go on to win the Grand Prix. Even though Verstappen won the race, he nearly spun out of the track during the

beginning of the restart. He explained the difficulties of being in F1. “We had to do a restart where I almost lost it,” Verstappen said. “It just shows you that it’s so tricky out there with cold tires even in the wet. Super easy to make a mistake in these cars.” Hamilton congratulated Max. “Max did a fantastic job today,” he said. “I think I had some really good pace in the rain and was catching, but just a little impatient with the backmarkers and caught me up. These mistakes happen. I’m grateful that I was back in the race and I can get back to second.” The next race in the Formula 1 Season will be in Portugal on May 2.

Viewpoints Vol. 99 Issue 12

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