Viewpoints Issue 8 February 13 2020 by RCC Viewpoints

“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.” - Kobe Bryant

L L

viewpoints

VOL. 97, NO. 8 FEBRUARY 13,

2020

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

The Riverside City College Baseball team pays their respects to Kobe Bryant and the Altobelli family.

See TRIBUTE on page 6 FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @RCCVIEWPOINTS

Mayor addresses Riverside Final State of the City speech focuses on soultions to housing crisis ERIK GALICIA INTERIM NEWS EDITOR

Mayor Rusty Bailey called for Riverside to put “all hands on deck” to overcome homelessness during his final State of the City address at the Riverside Convention Center on Jan. 30. Bailey praised the recent economic growth and untapped

potential of the city, claiming that Riverside has attracted nearly $2 billion in private investment in the last five years, with small business employment increasing 37%. “These successes are our successes,” Bailey said. “But the bottom line ... is this. California, and thereby Riverside, is in a housing and homeless crisis. We need to treat this emergency with

a sense of urgency. This mayor is calling on you.” Last year, the California Department of Housing and Community Development advised that the state needs to build 1.3 million housing units by 2030. To meet its housing needs, Riverside will need to build 18,000 units in the new decade. The mayor explained that accomplishing this will require a

six-fold increase in the number of residential unit approvals made by the city. “The situation is even more dire with affordable housing,” he said. “We have 584 affordable housing units already in the pipeline. But when these are complete, we will only have met 33% of our affordable housing

See CITY on page 2

Sanders visits Inland Empire ERIK GALICIA INTERIM NEWS EDITOR

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT.) stopped by Moreno Valley on Dec. 20 to discuss his plans to address scientists’ warnings that Earth risks irreparable damage if a 45% reduction in carbon emissions is not achieved by 2030. Most attendees were eager to hear Sanders’ Green New Deal proposals and filled the Marinaj Banquets and Events Hall with chants demanding climate reform. “What do we want? Climate justice! When do we want it? Now! If we don’t get it, shut it down!” Different versions of a Green New Deal have been proposed all over the world in recent years to address climate change. The most recent proposal in the United States, drafted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DNY.) and Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), failed to pass in the Republican-controlled senate earlier this year. Sanders claimed to have the “strongest, most comprehensive” climate change proposal of all the presidential candidates and rang the alarm on the worsening of the refugee crisis that climate change is expected to cause. “Most importantly, (the Green New Deal) recognizes the existential crisis that we are in,” Sanders said. “What scientists are

See BERNIE on page 3

Freshman defensive linemen Alex Navarro-Silva blows past the offensive line to apply pressure on the quarterback in the CCCAA championship on Dec. 14, 2019.

INDEX

See CHAMPIONSHIP on page 8

NEWS SPORTS LIFE EDITORIAL RCC MAP

2 6 12 15 16

February 13, 2020

News

NEWS BRIEFS Add and Drop Deadlines For most courses, the last day to add or drop with a refund is Feb. 29. The deadline for some courses is on a different date. Students should always check the deadlines for their specific courses by logging into MyPortal and viewing their class schedule. Immigration Webinar Riverside City College Outreach is holding a webinar overviewing the immigration removal process and offering advice on how to protect yourself. The presentation will be held in the Charles A. Kane 202Q Conference Room on Feb. 26 from noon-2 p.m. Coffee and Consent Coffee and Consent is meant to educate the public on issues surrounding sexual assault. Student Services will be offering free coffee, advice, and information on what “consent” is from 9-11 a.m. outside the Digital Library on Feb. 25 and outside the Bookstore on Feb. 26. 2020 Riverside Mayoral Candidate Forum Seven Riverside mayoral candidates will participate in a forum at Avila’s Historic 1929, located where Mission Inn Ave. meets the 91 Freeway, from 1-3 p.m. on Feb. 26. The event is free and open to the public, but those planning to attend should register at iechamber.org. Voter Deadlines and March 3 Elections The California presidential candidate primary and Riverside mayoral elections will be held on March 3 from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. The last day to register to vote is Feb. 18. For new citizens, who are sworn in after Feb. 17, the voter registration period is from Feb. 18 to March 3. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Feb. 25. The elected mayor will serve a term of four years. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the two candidates with the highest number of votes will advance to a run-off election to be held on Nov. 3. To get campus events listed, contact viewpoints. news@gmail.com.

LEO CABRAL | VIEWPOINTS

Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey discusses housing during his State of the City Address at the Riverside Convention Center on Jan. 30. Bailey is in the final year of his term but assured residents that he “will not be a lame duck mayor.”

Bailey discusses city’s housing crisis CITY from page 1 needs.” The mayor explained that the city must find ways to lower the costs of housing, speed up development, increase the diversity of housing options and ensure that the workforce is trained to meet the demands of the necessary development increase. He announced plans to create a housing action team in the next month to ensure that 18,000 housing units are built across Riverside over the next ten years. The team will aim to present a plan to the City Council in the next six months. According to Riverside’s 2019 Point in Time Count, a federally mandated annual census of homeless persons, there were 439 people living on the streets of the city last year, which was a 19.9% increase from 2018. Bailey rebutted the claims that homeless people are content with life in the streets. “I often hear that our homeless population doesn’t want our help,” Bailey said. “Yet 220 individuals have gone through the laborious process to qualify for permanent supportive housing. And they continue to wait because we only have 16 permanent supportive housing units in the city.” Bailey reported that the city has witnessed an increase in the number of women over age 50 that have entered homelessness in recent years, while Riverside only set apart 5% of its affordable housing units for seniors through the consistent rent increases of the past decade. According to the mayor, local school districts have also identified 122 children living in cars, substandard hotels and the

streets. He asked that residents commit to partnering with the city and local districts to ensure that every child in Riverside is housed by the end of the year. The mayor claimed that some of the influences on homelessness are out of the city’s control, such as inadequate mental health services and permissible drug use policies, which he said would not be changed due to their direct ratification by voters. “As a result, our city continues to bear an undue burden for the costs and impacts of homelessness,” Bailey said. “Does that make sense to you?” Bailey claimed that Riverside has seen some success in addressing homelessness and now has 273 permanent supportive housing units in the works due to a $32 million investment by nonprofit housing developers and the local religious community. These projects include downtown’s Mission Heritage Plaza and the St. Michael’s Project, which the City Council approved a $2 million loan for last May in spite of vocal opposition by some Ward 5 residents. According to the Press Enterprise, the Riverside

Planning Commission said that the St. Michael’s Project “doesn’t fit the character of the neighborhood” when it denied the plans on Feb. 6. The decision can be appealed to the City Council within 10 calendar days. Jose Alcala, secretary of the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees, called the city’s plan to address homelessness “courageous,” but warned that the public should not expect an immediate return on the required investments. “The return here is more of a holistic thing,” Alcala said. “I know that there are folks that are like, ‘We have budgetary issues in the city so why are we taking this on?’ It’s the right thing to do. I look forward to however I can help out myself.” Jaqueline Garcia, a Riverside City College student, expressed skepticism toward the idea that development in the city is alleviating the housing crisis. “I see they’re trying to build more housing,” she said. “But where I live, they built new housing two years ago. And the prices are so high that not one unit has been rented.” Garcia interviewed social workers and homeless people

I often hear that our homeless population doesn’t want our help. Yet 220 individuals have gone through the laborious process to qualify for permanent supportive housing. -- Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey

The 2019 Point in Time Count found a total of 2,811 homeless people in Riverside County last year. This includes 163 veterans, 264 youths, 79 families with children and 196 people over the age of 62. Of the total people counted, 2,045 of them are unsheltered. Overall, homelessness in Riverside County increased 21% from 2018. as part of a research project. She claims to have found that homeless people in the Santa Ana Riverbottom rely on each other for survival more than they do on city services due to the long waits and low capacities of city facilities. Riverside’s Redevelopment Agency, which was tasked with providing affordable housing, was dissolved in 2012 after the Supreme Court upheld a state bill that required the agency to pay the state in order to avoid elimination. Mayor Bailey called this the loss of an important asset in the fight against homelessness. “This must be fixed by the legislature,” Bailey said. “Until then, I call on this community, private developers and city leaders to work side by side toward a mutually beneficial, inclusionary zoning policy that will generate long term, stable revenue for affordable housing projects.” Leo Cabral contibuted to this story.

February 13, 2020

News

ANGEL PENA | VIEWPOINTS

Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign stops by the Marinaj Banquets and Events Hall in Moreno Valley for a rally on Dec. 20. The presidential hopeful discussed climate change, his version of the Green New Deal and other reforms that he plans to make if elected.

Bernie talks Green New Deal BERNIE from page 1 telling us now is (that) they have underestimated the degree and severity in which climate change is ravaging … the entire planet.” Sanders explained that the rapid melting of polar ice caps will result in cities and some small, low altitude countries ending up under water as global sea levels rise. He also mentioned how California’s droughts negatively impact food production and how the acidification of the oceans is killing fish, which many communities across the world depend on as a food source. “What climate change means … if we don’t get our act together, (is) hundreds of millions of people becoming climate refugees,” Sanders said. “Being forced to migrate from their own communities because they can’t find drinking water or land to grow their crops. And when hundreds of millions of people migrate, you have massive international security issues and the likelihood of world war.” The senator said that unlike President Donald Trump, he will work with grassroots movements all over the world to demand global actions be taken by governments to address climate change. “Instead of spending $1.8 trillion a year collectively on weapons of destruction designed to kill each other, maybe we pull our resources and we fight our common enemy, which is climate change,” he said about the global unity that is required to deal with the climate crisis. Sanders has proposed making

a complete shift from fossil fuels to clean and renewable energy. He claims that the activities required of this monumental shift will create up to 20 million jobs. His campaign’s website states that the Green New Deal must “ensure a just transition for communities and workers,” which the plan can potentially end up displacing and putting out of work. Because he plans to “fully electrify and decarbonize” the transportation sector, his proposal includes $2.09 trillion in grants to aid families and small businesses in the purchase of electric vehicles. It also includes $681 billion for a vehicle trade-in program. But Sanders’ proposal does not provide details on help for tradesmen, such as mechanics, that may see their fields become obsolete. According to Sanders, the Green New Deal will pay

for itself over a period of 15 years. His proposed funding mechanism includes making the fossil fuel industry pay, reducing military spending and collecting new income tax revenue from the expected 20 million new jobs. “Aside from other aspects of Trump’s stupidity, when it comes to climate change, what he is doing is not just a great disservice to our country but to the entire world,” Sanders said. “I don’t understand … how anybody can deny the reality of climate change and then look their kids or their grandchildren in the eye.” Sanders’ speech was preceded by climate change activists who urged the need for mobilization and spoke on the impact that the crisis is already having on communities. “I look at my siblings and I ponder at what the world will look like 60 years from

now,” said Rayleen Arevalo, a Riverside City College student and Friends of Bernie Sanders member. “Your power as a student is with other students. Only you can mobilize your school.” Water chemist Gracie Torres, a member of the board of directors of Riverside’s Western Municipal Water District, criticized the construction of warehouses, water quality and the failing infrastructure of the Inland Empire. “Our own health is affected because corporations are putting profit first instead of people first,” Torres said. “Last year the Inland Empire was ravaged by wildfires and torn apart by extreme storms. That proves to us that we don’t have the infrastructure right now to combat climate change.” According to the activists, Latinx and African-American communities are the most

polluted in the nation because corporations are able to target them so easily. Sanders also touched on several other issues, including immigration, education and the criminal justice system. He vowed to restore legal status to DACA recipients through executive order on his first day in office if elected. The senator reiterated his plan to cancel student debt and make public colleges and universities tuition-free by taxing Wall Street speculation. “Wall Street doesn’t like that,” Sanders said. “But to hell with Wall Street. Congress, against my vote, bailed them out 11 years ago. It’s time for them to help the working class out.” Sanders also proposed abolishing private prisons and cash bail. He promised to legalize marijuana and work to expunge the records of those with marijuana convictions, while ensuring that control of the cannabis industry is not taken over by a few large corporations. The senator is the first 2020 presidential candidate to hold an event in Moreno Valley. Although the event was announced as a town hall, Sanders did not take questions from the audience. “The whole thing was awesome,” said attendee Raul Rodriguez, an immigrant who recently became a naturalized citizen after 25 years in the United States. “Hopefully what he promises he actually brings to the table. Politicians make promises all the time and don’t deliver.” Rodriguez will be voting for the first time in next year’s ANGEL PENA | VIEWPOINTS Sen. Sanders talks with citizens and his supporters at the Moreno Valley town hall on Dec. 2019. elections.

February 13, 2020

News

February S

Spring Semester Begins Last Day to Register to Vote in March 3 Elections

La Casa Orientation

Riverside City Council Meeting

10 a.m.-Noon in the Bradshaw Hall of Fame Conference Room

8 a.m. in the 7th Floor Conference Room of City Hall

Resume Writing Workshop

Community College Day at UCR

3:30-5 p.m. in the Charles A. Kane 205 Resource Classroom

Transfer student conference from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Finance Management Workshop

2-3 p.m. in the Charles A. Kane 205 Resource Classroom

Male Mentoring

Coffee and Consent

Health Chats: CalWORKS

9-11 a.m in the Digital Library Breezeway

9-11 a.m. outside the Bookstore

11 a.m.-Noon in the Charles A. Kane 202Q Conference Room

11 a.m.-12 p.m. in the Charles A. Kane 205 Resource Classroom

Suicide Prevention Training

Immigration Webinar

1:30-2:30 p.m. in the Bradshaw Hall of Fame Conference Room

Noon-2 p.m. in the Charles A. Kane 202Q Conference Room

Interview Preparation Workshop 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Charles A. Kane 205 Resource Classroom

Riverside Mayoral Candidate Forum 1-3 p.m. at Avilaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Historic 1929 on Mission Inn Ave.

State of the Students Open Forum Noon-2 p.m. in the Charles A. Kane 140 Assembly Room

Time Management Workshop 2-3 p.m. in Quadrangle 118

Honors Orientation 4-6 p.m. in Quadrangle 127

March 1

Test Anxiety Management Workshop 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Charles A. Kane 205 Resource Classroom

Adjusting to College Workshop 2-3 p.m. in the Business Education Classroom 124

All dates and times are subject to change

Election Day

Club Rush

Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

Noon-2 p.m. on Terracina Dr.

Club Rush

Discussing Homelessness in Southern California

Noon-2 p.m. on Terracina Dr.

Social services panel from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at UCR, Chass Interdisciplinary South Building, Room 1113

Hungry Tigers Farmers Market

Education Day for Leadership

Noon-1 p.m.

8 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Bradshaw Hall of Fame Conference Room

Club Rush Noon-2 p.m. on Terracina Dr.

Salud Sin Papeles-Health Undocumented Healthcare and immigration documentary from 10 a.m.-Noon and 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts

February 13, 2020

6 February 13, 2020

SPORTS

“Winning takes precedence over all. There’s no gray area. No almosts.” - Kobe bryant

ANGEL PEÑA | VIEWPOINTS

The Riverside City College baseball team start the season 6-2 after a win against Palomar College on Feb. 11. The Tigers are led by pitcher Ethan sachs who has bitched iver twenty innings for the team and recorded 18 strike outs this season.

RCC baseball off to strong start Tigers pick up where they left off after the 2019 season ANGEL PEÑA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Tigers have started the 2020 season strong with 6 wins and 2 losses going into week 3. Many of RCC’s veteran players transferred to universities after last season, leaving the team with incoming freshman and only a few sophomores on the roster. Among these sophomores is Catcher Angel Mendoza and Pitcher Ethan Sachs, who have become stars in the Tigers lineup. Mendoza has 5 home runs on the season, while Sachs has 18 strikeouts and 20.2 innings pitched. With talented sophomores

setting the tone for the incoming freshman, they should not have a problem continuing the winning culture that coach Arguellas created. RCC is 1-0 on the road and are 5-2 at home. The last three wins for the Tigers have been by a margin of 4 or more runs. However Mt.Sac still proves to be a challenge as they faced their worst loss of the season to them with a score of 5-1. Riverside City College Baseball ended the 2019 season 32-12 and fell short of the championship with a loss against Mt. San Antonio College in the CCCAA Super Regional Round of the playoffs

Statistics

Riverside City college has scored 41 runs and 47 strike outs in their first 8 games of the season. Freshman Mathew darr, sophomore Angel Mendoza, and freshman Alfonso Mancinas are tied and leading the team with 5 runs each this season.

Sports

February 13, 2020

February S

Men’s Basketball

Baseball

Riverside vs Santiago Canyon @ 7 p.m.

Riverside at LA Harbor @ 2 p.m.

Riverside at Palomar @ 1p.m.

Women’s Basketball

Softball

Riverside vs Irvine Valley @ 5 p.m.

Double Header Riverside vs Canyons @ 5p.m / Riverside vs Canyons @ 7:30 p.m.

Women’s Tennis Riverside at Desert @ 2 p.m.

Men’s Tennis

Baseball

Softball

Riverside vs Grossmont @ Riverside at Santa Ana 2 p.m. @ 3p.m.

Riverside at El Camino @ 2 p.m.

Baseball

Women’s Track & Field

Riverside at Grossmont @ 2 p.m.

Riverside at Pasadena Lancer Invitational @ 10 a.m.

Softball Riverside vs Orange Coast @ 11 a.m.

Men’s Basketball Riverside vs Fullerton @ 5 p.m.

Men’s Tennis Riverside at Ventura @ 2 p.m.

Softball

Riverside at Fullerton @ 2 p.m.

Riverside vs Fresno at Rosetta Canyon Sports complex @ 6 p.m.

Women’s Basketball Riverside at Orange Coast @ 5 p.m.

Men’s Golf Riverside at Cuyamaca Classic @ 8 a.m.

Men’s Tennis

Women’s Basketball Women’s Tennis Riverside vs Fullerton @ 2 p.m.

Riverside vs Saddleback @ 5 p.m.

Men’s Track & Field Riverside at Pasadena Lancer Invitational @ 10 a.m.

Softball Riverside vs La Mission at Rosetta Canyon Sports Complex @ 11 a.m.

Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving

Softball

Riverside vs Palomar at Riverside at Golden West Rosetta Canyon Sports Invitational @ 9 a.m. Complex @ 1:30 p.m.

Men’s Golf

Baseball

Men’s Basketball

Men’s Tennis

Men’s Track & Field

Softball

Riverside at Riverside Invitational @ 11 a.m.

Riverside vs LA Mission @ Riverside at Southern 2 p.m. California Regionals TBA

Riverside vs Orange Coast @ 2 p.m.

Riverside at OEC Invitational @ 12 p.m

Riverside at Allan Hancock @ 1:30 p.m.

Women’s Track & Field Riverside at OEC Invitational @ 12 p.m.

Men’s Tennis

Women’s Basketball

Women’s Tennis

Riverside vs Fullerton @ 2 p.m.

Riverside at Southern California Regionals TBA

Riverside at Orange Coast @ 2 p.m.

Women’s Beach Volleyball Riverside vs San Diego Mesa at Torrence, CA TBA

Women’s Beach Volleyball Riverside at El Camino @ 10 a.m.

Men’s Basketball Women’s Tennis

Softball

Baseball

Riverside vs Saddleback @ 2 p.m.

Riverside at Cypress @ 3 p.m.

Riverside at LA Mission @ 5 p.m.

Riverside at Southern California Regional TBA

Women’s Basketball Riverside at Southern California Regionals TBA

Softball Riverside vs Golden West @ 2 p.m.

All dates and times are subject to change

February 13, 2020

Spo

Championship dr

Tigersfor defeatthe San M LightsTheout STEPHEN PELTZ STAFFJAIR REPORTER RAMIREZ

Tigers host first shut out o STAFF REPORTER

“

When you get a shutout, that goes into that. And turnovers were a big key

The Riverside City College Tigers faced off against the San Mateo College Bulldogs on Dec. 14 2019 at Bakerfield college for the CC

ANGEL PEÑA | VIEWPOI

February 13, 2020

orts

rought ends

e Mounties

Mateo 31-14

of the season

- Tom Craft

“

, there’s a lot I thought the y to that.

CCAA championship. Both teams were undefeated coming into the game. RCC finished the season 13-0.

INTS

iverside City College won it s first football state championship title in 30 years on Dec. 14. The Tigers defeated College of San Mateo 31-14. The first half of the game played out like RCC’s first half of the season. Very shaky with a lot of penalties and simple mistakes. RCC had a total of 15 penalties for 150 yards while San Mateo only had 11 penalties for 89 yards. “I couldn’t tell you, we just had to overcome them. And we did a great job of overcoming them there,” said quarterback Jacob Barlage, who was grateful that the penalties slowed down in the second half. The second half was where the Tigers turned themselves around and dominated. They put together long d r ives, running the clock and making big plays. “It was a little bit of feeling each other out early,” said head coach Tom Craft. “And then as the game went on in the first half we started getting the rhythm and they started to get a little tired...and even though we weren’t successful in converting, it did have an effect in the fourth quarter and you saw what happened.” What happened was RCC football. The Tigers were in charge the entire game and did not let San Mateo catch up. Barlage, like the rest of the team, picked up the slack in the second half and played like they have the last half of the season. He was threwowing the ball deep, making near perfect passes and helping the run game get moving with precise handoffs. “It’s been a great experience bringing the players along and the coaches,” said Craft. “I’m really happy for the players but I’m also happy for the coaches who haven’t experienced this. None of our players or our coaches have ever been in this game before. When we got there we wanted to win it. We tried not to focus on the outcome, mostly on the preparation like we have all year. The guys did a great job and they could go another two, three weeks right now.” Craft was fascinated to see such dominance from hisa team, which some would expect to have nerves throughout the game. But they got rid of them early and just played football. “It is a dream come true,” said Barlage. “I can’t even explain it. I’ve been watching these guys for so long and being able to be the one to win this game, it’s awesome.” Barlage was named MVP of the game. He was 22-31 for 286 yards and one touchdown. Wide Re c eive r D yla n Laurent was named Offensive Player of the Game. He had seven catches for 124 yards. Kobey Fit zger ald wa s named Defensive Player of the Game. He had four tackles and one assisted tackle.

February 13, 2020

Sports

ANGEL PEÑA | VIEWPOINTS

Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli’s number is placed at center field as players and coaches take a moment of scilence before the game on Jan. 30 for all the victims of the helicopter crash. RCC is set to play OCC on Tuesday April 21.

Fatal helicopter crash RCC pays tribute to the deceased ANGEL PEÑA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A helicopter crash on route to the Mamba Academy took the lives of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Kerri, their daughter Alyssa, and teammate Payton Chester The crash also claimed the lives of Pilot Ara Zobayan, and Payton's mother Sarah Chester. On Jan. 30 the Riverside City College baseball team held a moment of silence for the victims of the horrific Jan 26 helicopter crash before the commencement of their game against Cuesta College. The group was headed to Gianna and Alyssa’s basketball practice when the Helicopter lost control due to weather. News of this event spread like wildfire as social media outlets were booming with reports of the

fatal crash. TMZ being the first to report and later the LA Times confirming it. Bryant’s legacy will live on through his surviving children, the Mamba Sports Academy, and the generation of players that he inspired just by playing the game that he loved. Kobe was enjoying retirement and had moved on to a new chapter in his life. He and his daughter are survived by Gianna Bryant, and their three remaining children Natalia, Bianca, and Capri. For OCC the family culture that Altobelli established will not soon be forgotten, as thousands of people showed up to Angel Stadium to pay their respects to John and his family. John Altobeli’s number was placed on home plate as players lined up on the diamond to pay their respects. Altobeli would have entered his 28th year of coaching for the pirates. He will

be missed as a father and coach, and will be an everlasting figure in the OCC community. Altobeli and his wife are survived by two children, their son JJ and their daughter Alexis.

Donate If you are interested in helping the Altobelli family there is a GoFundme account that has been set up by Paul Tobani. There has been over $300,00 raised out of their $500,000 goal. The link is https:// www.gofundme. com/f/support-for-thealtobelli-family IMAGE COURTESY OF OCC

February 13, 2020

LIFE

“The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose.” -

James Baldwin

Spoken word breaks the silence Poets read their published work at local art walk SAIDA MAALIN

INTERIM OPINIONS EDITOR

Poets Romaine Washington and Eric “T.R.U.E.” DeVaughn left the audience visibly inspired by their performance at the monthly Riverside Art Walk. Audience members interacted with each performance uniquely as both poets showcased their work in a creative way. “T.R.U.E. is an acronym for, ‘Thought requires uncommon effort,’” DeVaughn said. He provoked the audience to think deeper by having everyone connect to the power of his words. DeVaughn performed a set of writings and excerpts from one of his self-published collections, “Aggressive: The Inherent Violence of My Beastly Unbecoming.” The wordsmith wrapped up his performance with a powerful poem linked to police brutality that African Americans experience here in the U.S.. “I got tired of going to poetry events and hearing certain words repeated…over and over,” he said before his last reading of the evening. “Very necessary conversations, but is there a different way we can say this? So I wrote them down. Thirteen words I have grown weary of hearing as they appear on the page.” The poem left the audience profoundly moved. Washington followed in DeVaugns performance and read shorts from her collection of poems “Sirens in Her Belly”. One of the excerpts she read had the entire room in harmony. The piece was dedicated to Spike Lee, a critically acclaimed African American film director, producer and writer. She asked the crowd if they could follow along, chanting “a love supreme,” influenced by the 1990 film “Mo’ Better Blues,” which was

directed by Lee. “I took all of his movies up until 1992 and put it together,” Washington said about the dedication. The entire room swayed on beat and snapped in approval. The venue associated with the art walk was held at the Riverside Public Library by the nonprofit organization Inlandia Institute. “Inlandia Institute is a literary nonprofit organization that serves the Inland Empire,” said Christina Guillen the program coordinator of Inlandia. The nonprofit organization aims to “expand literary activity in all its forms in the Inland Empire by publishing books and sponsoring programs that deepen people’s awareness,” according to its website. The stage opened to the public where individuals signed up for Spoken Word. Inlandia member’s Christina Guillan and Executive Director Cati Porter participated and read from different Inland Authors. This month they renamed the experience “ Word Circus” to encourage many different writers to come and share their writing. “Inlandia has different writing workshops throughout the Inland Empire,” said Guillen. “All of it is for the community and most of it is free.” Guests were welcomed with snacks and drinks and educational coloring pages of historical African Americans buried at Evergreen Memorial. A typewriter was also available for guests to type a note, poem or sentence that by the end of the evening. Spoken word is open to the public and will be back around on March 5. “Next month we’re gonna be doing Sheros. It’s going to be for Women’s history month, similar to spoken word but it will be live storytelling.” said Christina.

Clockwise: Cindy Rhine reads “Knife Me Split Memories”. Romaine Washington reads from her book “Sirens in Her Belly”. Christina Guillen reads from a collection of Inland Authors.

DIEGO LOMELI | VIEWPOINTS

February 13, 2019

Life

February S

10:00am – 12:00pm 20th Annual War Dog Rememberance Day Program “War Dogs, America’s Forgotten Heros” @ March Air Base Museum

23 2:00pm – 4:00pm Family Movie: “The Addams Family” @ La Sierra Family

11:00am – 7:00pm Make It and Take It: Valentine’s Craft @ La Sierra Library

7:00pm – 9:30pm 10:00am – 6:00pm UCR Chamber Adult Coloring @ Singers Valentine’s Casa Blanca Library Concert

7:00am – 5:30pm American Red Cross Blood Drive @ Magnolia Police Station

11:00am – 1:00pm 20th Annual - Black History Celebration @ Janet Goeske Center

9:00am – 11:00pm 9:00am – 11:00pm Theatre Department Theatre Department Festival Festival

11:00am – 12:00pm Sensory Play @ Main Library

All dates and times subject to change

22 9:00am – 11:00pm Theatre Department Festival 8:00am – 6:00pm Jazz Tune-Up Festival

8:00am – 12:00pm ACLS Renewal - Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support

5:00pm – 7:00pm Jazz Combos Masterclass

4:00pm – 10:00pm Set Up: L.A. Sax Quartet Concert

29 4:00pm – 6:30pm RCC Dance Ballet Folklorico

February 13, 2020

Life

DIEGO LOMELI | VIEWPOINTS

Crowds gathered to watch hip hop dancers, cheerleading teams and marching bands perfrom at the 41st Annual Black History Month Parade. The expo also showcased craft and food vendors.

Black History Month Parade Parade and expo celebrates black heritage SAIDA MAALIN INTERIM OPINIONS EDITOR

The Riverside community united on Feb. 8 to celebrate the 41st Annual Black History Parade themed “It takes a Village: Let’s Vote.” The parade and expo were coordinated by the Adrian Dell and Carmen Roberts Foundation. According to the Russell Ward the parade coChair, the foundation consists of dedicated volunteers focused on the development of events and activities that promote positive family and cultural interaction in a cross section of the community and the City of Riverside as a whole. “The times we live in and our current leadership has put into question integrity, family values and economic balance,” said Ward about this year ’s theme.“Voting is the only way to address a change of direction.” T h i s y e a r ’s p a r a d e differed from previous years because of the upcoming presidential election. The effort was to educate and influence locals on the importance of registering to vote. Many vendors set up shop down Orange and Te n t h S t r e e t s w i t h f o o d , entertainment and community services such as voter registration and information booths.

The parade took place in front of the Riverside County Courthouse. Tommy the hip hop clown, entertainer and dancer, performed at the end and sent the crowd into a frenzy. Hundreds of families and fans of Tommy the clown came from all over. The fans packed in front of the fences set up outside the courthouse to watch his team perform. Many fans covered the streets and even took to standing on lawn chairs to not miss a moment of the show. The groups that participated included award winning drill teams Explosive a n d D e Va l l e j o M i d d l e School, San Bernardino We s t s i d e S t e p p e r s , S a n Bernardino Pacesetters, Bryant Park Dance and Cheer and a few more groups of cheerleaders and dancers from the Riverside Unified School District. Each group performed loud and proud and had the crowd cheering them on. Event coordinators took the stage at the end of the parade to remind the public to enjoy the expo and to register to vote at the booths set up inside. The last day to register to vote for the upcoming 2020 primary elections is Feb. 18. The next Adrian Dell and Carmen Roberts Foundation event will be the Empowering Young Women’s Conference on March 7 at Riverside City College from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Landis Auditorium.

February 13, 2020

Editorial

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New virus creates anxieties Public reacts to coronavirus outbreak with racist rhetoric A flight from Wuhan, China headed to Ontario Airport was redirected to March Air Force Base in Riverside, where it landed on Jan. 29. The 195 American citizens who were on the plane were then quarantined at the base for 14 days. We have seen Riverside City College students wearing protective masks on campus since the plane’s landing caused a growing concern for a coronavirus outbreak in Southern California. The World Health Organization defines coronaviruses as “a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases.” A coronavirus causes respiratory illness and symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Severe cases can lead to pneumonia in both lungs. As of Feb. 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had confirmed 13 positive coronavirus patients in the United States, with testing for 60 people still pending. This is not the first coronavirus to appear in the last two decades. According to the CDC’s website, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) broke out in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and

the Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus (SARSCoV) broke out in China in 2002. Although the coronavirus outbreak is concerning, as are all public health concerns, the CDC estimates 12,000 to 30,000 influenza related deaths from Oct. 1, 2019 to Feb. 1, 2010. The flu has killed more people than this recent outbreak but nobody is targeting or attacking a specific group of people over it. Misunderstandings of foreign born viruses and diseases create a breeding ground for xenophobia in western society. We are seeing an increase in xenophobic behavior toward Asian people due to lacking education on the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, formally known as the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. This behavior is even causing American-born Asians to feel humiliated and marginalized in their own country. On Jan. 30, a UC Berkeley Health Services Instagram post stated that xenophobia, or more specifically, “fears about interacting with those who may be from Asia,” is a normal reaction to the coronavirus. Statements like this enable racism and reinforce harmful stereotypes. An establishment with as much

credibility as UC Berkeley can easily influence people’s opinions and should be more careful when attempting to spread awareness, especially if there is a possibility of it causing harm to a group of people. With most people getting their news from social media, it is easy for false reports and rumors to spread. This quick and easy news source is often careless, as much of the information is not factchecked or supported by credible sources. The spread of a respiratory illness should not warrant racism and xenophobia. It is important to always fact-check information found on social media. Both the CDC and the California Department of Public Health websites have accurate and updated information on how to reduce the risk of exposure. Guidance for healthcare professionals on how to identify, assess and report cases of infection is also provided on the website. Although there is no vaccine or treatment at this time it is important to practice good hygiene and take precautions to decrease the risk of exposure until there is a vaccine. It is also important that we treat others with respect and support one another in times of uncertainty.

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

STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Angel Peña (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

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February 13, 2020

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Viewpoints Issue 8 February 13 2020

Articles inside

EDITORIAL

LIFE

NEWS

RCC MAP

SPORTS