The Tiger Times publication won a Gold Medal for being one of the
VOL. 100, NO. 4
top four junior colleges in the state
OCTOBER 21,
in 1964.
VIEWPOINTSONLINE.ORG
2021
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Steep enrollment decline concerns district Troubled by lack of enrollment, administration plans to provide new courses to accomodate more students PHOTO COURTESY OF RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
The Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees is having discussions about making all three campuses solar powered.
College district goes green Board of Trustees discusses renewable energy JENNIPHER VASQUEZ NEWS EDITOR
The Riverside Community College District is working to install solar panels for all three of its campuses by April of 2024. RCCD’s Board of Trustees were first introduced to the project in December 2020 and received a full financial analysis of feasibility earlier this year. The district is now in the procurement phase, or the process of acquiring the installations.
Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Planning and Development Hussain Agah presented the project in three parts to the Board on Oct. 5, stating that there has been significant progress since the meeting in February. “We met with multiple owners who have successfully implemented solar projects on their campuses,” Agah said. “ I n c l u d i n g U C R , C h a ff e y College, San Bernardino Community College District,
Saddleback (College) — and we learned some of their lessons learned about the procurement for government code 4217.” Government code 4217, defined by Senior Account Executive at Southland Energy Dominic Cardenas in an article for The Big Room, is a procurement code that allows public agencies to enter into a range of services related to infrastructure improvements such as energy conservation and generation. It also allows for agencies to pick
their vendor partner based on their own criteria. Agah said the Board must go over the solar implementation proposal and find that it meets the district’s goals for financial, social, educational and environmental sustainability. They must also conclude if moving forward with the project will exceed the anticipated costs without implementation. “Before the district staff
See SOLAR on page 2
RCC football wins 47-21 in homecoming game JAIR RAMIREZ ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS
Jacquez Jones (18) and Tye Moore (27) celebrate after Jones scores the first points of the game.
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The Riverside City College Tigers bounced back with a 4721 victory against the Palomar Comets during the homecoming game after losing two straight games. The Tigers’ offense improved significantly following the losing streak with over 500 total yards. “I think we played hard coming off the bye,” said coach Tom Craft, who lost two consecutive games for the first
time in his 11 year tenure. “We didn’t waiver on the offensive or defensive side, we kind of hung in there tough.” RCC’s offense got going fast in freshman quarterback Jordan Barton’s first game as a starter. Barton racked up over 200 all purpose yards in the first half, including a 45-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Jammal Houston. Barton finished with 322 yards, two passing and one
See WIN on page 16
FEATURES
SPORTS
Nykia McKenzie’s
Top RCC
triumphant
women’s cross
battle
15
country runner
LEO CABRAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Fall 2021 enrollment across Riverside Community College District continues to decline across campuses despite the implementation of late start classes. Maintaining enrollment across the district was discussed during the Board of Trustees meeting Oct. 19. Rates have decreased more than 27% below target since fall 2019 and continue to decline, according to Chancellor Wolde-ab Isaac. “As you have heard in the previous Board meeting our Strategic Communications Department is working very closely with the colleges in devising different promotional means to improve the enrollment status during the winter and spring semesters,” Isaac said. Riverside City College President Gregory Anderson said he was “deeply troubled” by the drop in enrollment. “By rebuilding our enrollment, more students will reach their academic goals, more students will achieve economic empowerment and more students will gain social mobility,” Anderson said. “So, it’s something we have to do and we need to be creative about it.” Some of the proposed solutions to districtwide enrollment are 12 and 8-week
See BOARD on page 3
INDEX NEWS FEATURES A&E OPINIONS EDITORIAL SPORTS
2 4 12 13 14 15
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October 21, 2021
News
NEWS BRIEFS
SOLAR from page 1
Eight-week Late Start Classes Began Oct. 18 The final day to add classes is Oct. 27. The final day to drop with a “W” is Nov. 2 and the final day to drop without “W” is Nov. 4. The final day to drop with a refund is Oct. 24. UC Application Workshop Oct. 26 5-6 p.m. UC questions and answers Zoom link: https//bit.ly/ UCAppWk UC application link: https://admission. universityofcalifornia.edu/ apply-now.html Application Deadlines The UC Fall 2022 application deadline is Nov. 30. Some CSU campuses have extended their priority application period past Nov. 30. For extended deadlines check the Priority Deadline Application page at www. calstate.edu/apply/transfer 2022-2023 FAFSA The FAFSA application window opened Oct. 1 and will close June 30, 2023. For more information visit studentaid.gov/h/apply-foraid/fafsa. LGBTQIA2+ Virtual Town Hall Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. RSVP for Zoom via tinyurl.com/10252021. LGBTQIA2+ Community Meet and Greet Oct. 27 from 3-4 p.m. over Zoom (ID: 947 0327 2209) and from 4-5 p.m. at the Nursing Outdoor Garden. All of these dates are subject to change due to possible regulations to come involving the containment of the coronavirus. To stay up to date on upcoming campus events, v i s i t t h e Vi e w p o i n t s calendar listed at viewpointsonline.org. If you have events happening on campus that you want featured on the calendar, send information about the event to viewpoints. news@gmail.com.
DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS
“The Tiger Times” issues from 1964 exhibit news about homecoming Oct. 19.
history of viewpoints
‘The Tiger Times’ era DANIEL HERNANDEZ MANAGING EDITOR
Under the new “Tiger Times” banner came an era in which the biweekly paper as well as the other student publications at Riverside City College flourished once more. A college that once had a dying newspaper and yearbook the decade prior now had six different publications rich with information for the students to read. The six publications were called Tiger Tales, Tequesquite, Tiger Times, Expressions, Nightimes and Tiger Talk. Robert Patton advised Tequesquite, the student-run yearbook, until 1956 when Art Knopf took the reins. During this time, it earned numerous honors and was considered to have high quality designs and imagery. Tiger Times had a similar repertoire but was also considered highly influential and controversial due to its activist editors at the helm. An activist Tiger Times editor named Mel Guantz was a standout character for his involvement
in successfully advocating for changes at RCC. Guantz was on the RCC Associated Student Body cabinet in addition to being an editor at the paper and he was considered to be more influential than the ASB president. He successfully pushed for the creation of RCC’s Alma Mater and led the campaign that changed the college’s name from Riverside College to Riverside City College in 1957. After Guantz lobbied for an Alma Mater, the composition’s creation was then handed to another Tiger Times editor named Vince Lawton and music instructor Don Stone. They publicly presented the musical piece for the first time on May 24, 1971. Not everything that Tiger Times editors did on campus was highly revered. The paper was also considered controversial. Outside and on-campus groups often showed their disdain for the paper’s editorials and columns. “A 65 Year History,” a book that breaks down RCC’s history, described how multiple on-campus groups stormed the
student-run newspaper’s office and lobbied for the administration to intervene. An off-campus group appealed to the Board of Education to terminate the adviser’s contract and for more control of the publication. These events caused multiple editors to resign but ironically the paper was notified that it won an award for being one of the top four publications in the state a week later. Along with the growth of many new student-run publications, the Journalism curriculum at RCC also underwent considerable changes. Journalism was separated from the English curriculum into its own branch and implemented an introduction into Journalism class and a news writing class to the college. Beginning photography and publication photography were also added to the Journalism curriculum. Knopf, who also took over the leadership of the Journalism curriculum, created an internship program with the local press that gave students employment opportunities.
recommends the contract to the Board of Trustees,” Agah said. “The goal here is that once we receive requests for statements of qualification we will review them extensively and analyze the financial metrics, the total cost of ownership, return on investment and bring the successful contract that meets or exceeds the RFP requirement and achieve the mission for this project.” He added that the financial analysis presented to the Board on Feb. 2 by Rod Oathout, Global Energy Services Leader from the DLR Group, were numbers based on assumptions and estimates. The district is set to present accurate, larger numbers in the near future. “We’re in the business (of) understanding what potential costs are,” Oathout said. “For rooftops arrays, for arrays that are part of car ports, for standalone canopies that might be on your parking structures, ground mounts and battery storage.” He said monetary assumptions were made based on potential costs for those factors, including operation and maintenance costs for solar battery equipment all based on kilowatt or watt basis. Oathout presented a map of possible locations for solar panels on each RCCD campus. Ground mounts and carports are mapped out to be used at the Moreno Valley campus and mostly ground mounts at Norco College with few rooftop locations. Riverside City College, however, would have a combination of canopies, ground mounts and carports. The district offices in downtown Riverside along with the Ben Clark Center would each potentially have canopy and rooftop solar panel arrays. Following the findings of the Board of Trustees and final contract agreements, the execution stage of the project is predicted to begin in April 2022 and continue through April 2024.
October 21, 2021
News
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DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS
During the first week of classes, Riverside City College implemented check-in booths that required students to showcase their blue or green CLEARED4 passes before entering campus.
Displeasure over COVID-19 software Students and faculty have mixed opinions on implementation of CLEARED4 system
JOHN MICHAEL GUERRERO STAFF REPORTER
Two weeks before classes were set to begin, the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees implemented a vaccine mandate and contracted CLEARED4 to handle the vaccine verification process. “Our platform is very easy to use,” Ashley Heather, CLEARED4’s chief operating officer said during the Aug. 10 meeting. “Your team has already been trained on it so I think we’re
Colleges grapple with pandemic BOARD from page 1 courses that allow students to get full unit education in a shorter time. However, Isaac said these late start classes failed to increase the numbers. Anderson told the Board that RCC created a new dean position whose focus will solely revolve around equity, engagement and inclusion. He said the position stemmed from RCC’s strategic planning after an equity audit of the college. The position is expected to be
at as good a place as we can be given the circumstances.” However, some students and faculty have complained that the implementation of the CLEARED4 system was anything but easy. Check-in booths, run by faculty and students, were set up throughout the Riverside City College campus to verify a student’s vaccination status during the first week of in-person classes. Students received a wristband after showing the blue or green pass that appeared on the CLEARED4 website. Following the first week of the fall 2021 term, the booths were removed and instructors were given a roster of cleared students, as well as administration having access to the CLEARED4 database. According to Chancellor Wolde-ab Isaac, the color-coded wristbands at RCC disappeared filled by July 1 after a recruitment search and a clear job description is established. Moreno Valley College and Norco College have been attempting to boost enrollment in different ways. Moreno Valley’s academic senate created a work group involving the Financial Aid Department to figure out how to effectively prevent students dropping classes mid-semester through adjusted grading methods. Norco College is attempting to assist student veterans by utilizing the Military Articulation Platform. The program allows student veterans to gain college credit from time spent in the military. Norco College will open its new Veterans Center in November. Moreno Valley College also appointed Mark Anthony Diaz, a retired Marine, as the Veterans Services Coordinator.
as a result of the CLEARED4 database having vaccination records of all students enrolled in face-to-face or hybrid instruction, eliminating the need for the wristbands and check-in booths at RCC. He further explained that a major issue behind having the wristband system at RCC was a lack of “security” and being able to ensure every person entering the campus was checked and verified to be vaccinated and COVID free. “Riverside is very porous, you can get into the campus through multiple entrances,’’ Chancellor Isaac said. “They did not have ‘checkpoints’ at every entrance point (at RCC), there could be 12, 13 or even 15 different places you can come into campus.” Many professors had mixed opinions about removing the check-in booths, although they
also understood the complex planning needed to upkeep the system throughout the fall term. “Having to check every student in cuts into my time a little bit since I have back-toback classes,” Angie Burkhart, communication instructor, said. “I do realize that takes extra manpower on campus to hand out wristbands.” Students and faculty have also expressed mixed opinions on the CLEARED4 system. Many have pointed out how students might decide to breeze through the questionnaire rather than taking the survey seriously. “I think it would be easy… it depends on how the person answers those questions… it’s self reporting, so there is obviously going to be some kind of problem there,” Patty Golder, English instructor, said. “If people are honest, I don’t see
any problem there.” Students and faculty also pointed out the issue of knowing if and when a person has been in contact with COVID due to the disease’s dormancy period. “Students just can click ‘no’ when they might feel symptoms (of COVID),” Ashley Rojos, nursing major, said. “I don’t think it would be fair to students on campus… we are risking our health.” Despite its rocky start this fall term, CLEARED4 will continue to be used throughout RCCD and continue to serve as a database of all partially and fully vaccinated students and faculty. “(CLEARED4) is easy for everyone to use, one of the first (tracking systems) out there, and it has maintained (the safety of) all students and (faculty on campus),” Virginia Blumenthal, Board of Trustee member, said.
LEO CABRAL | VIEWPOINTS
The Riverside Community College District office is where the Board of Trustees hold meetings.
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October 21, 2021
FEATURES
Between 1950-1964, Riverside City College had six different publications. The publications were called Tequesquite, Tiger Times, Tiger Tales, Expressions, Nightimes and Tiger Talk.
JULIANNA HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS
October Riverside Arts Walk
Art community comes together in downtown ELAINA KLEVEN FEATURES EDITOR
The Riverside Arts Walk is a monthly event for Inland Empire artists to display and sell art. It has grown into a communal space for anyone to network, exchange ideas and openly express themselves through unique craftsmanship. Various vendors set up tents in a parking lot near the Life Arts Center to display their work for many to enjoy and to interact with local artists. Although the walk may seem intimidating to first-timers not planning to purchase any pieces, the event has become a community-friendly gathering place for artists and consumers. Some even put the importance of public feedback at the same level as actually purchasing art. “The atmosphere in general, everyone is very nice and even if they don’t buy anything they voice their opinions about our artwork, which is the whole point of the art walk,” said Brianna Page, a volunteer at The Porcelain Crane. “It’s a good stepping point to see what sells and what doesn’t and that helps us grow to figure out what
we should go for.” Thomas V. Marquez, a fine arts painter, has attended the Arts Walk for nine years. Over those nine years he has not only watched firsthand how the event has flourished, but his own business as well. “It was here in the parking lot,” Marquez said. “I had maybe not even a handful of pieces. It was nice, it was a great experience. From then on I got a studio right across from the lab art center. It’s been wonderful. I love it. It’s a great vibe.” Rolando Pulido has been selling his art at the Arts Walk for six years but has also been attending it as long as he’s lived here. “It’s always going on,” Pulido said. “People just like art. I’ve always been out here and it’s always been busy, even when I think it’s not gonna be busy” Like Marquez, Pulido’s experience through the years at the Art Walk has allowed him to see art culture in Riverside expand. “The art culture in Riverside is growing,” he said. “I was born and raised in Riverside, I’ve never seen it this much.” The event itself has grown
tremendously but still stays true to its roots by giving new artists in Riverside the opportunity to network and expand business. Stephanie Odriso, the founder of Moon Cupido has been a full-time entrepreneur for over a year now and, even without years of experience under her belt, the opportunities that Riverside builds for small business has allowed hers to develop further. She encourages other budding small businesses to take the leap as well. “If you wanted to start your own pop-up at an art walk, I would say go for it,” Odriso said. “I feel like you should do whatever feels right to you and if you wanna go, and this calls to you you should definitely do it. Or if you just wanna check it out it’s a lot of fun you can see there’s a lot of vendors, it’s so diverse. That’s what I love. And you meet really cool people so why not get out of your house for a little bit and have.”
The next Riverside Arts Walk will be Nov. 4 at 5 p.m.
Orange by Julianna Hernandez
October 21, 2021
Features
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DIEGO LOMELI | VIEWPOINTS
COLD BREW LOU DIEGO LOMELI PHOTO EDITOR
When the idea of starting a business turns into an obtainable reality, it’s followed through with a well thought-out plan. However, that wasn’t the case with Louis Espinoza and his brother Josué Ticas. The story of “Cold Brew Lou” began during the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While discussing their future in February, Ticas asked Espinoza about opening up a coffee shop together, saying, “That’s what you’ve (Espinoza) always wanted to do.” Espinoza gladly agreed to the business idea. Now, the Salvadorian brothers attend the Riverside Arts Walk to share their brew with the community. “I love cold brew, and I would love to be able to share that,” Espinoza said. “We didn’t really have a plan at first; we just started off with a basic cold brew and, slowly but surely, we started coming up with new recipes and
stuff like that, and we started sharing our love and craft with the community.” Inside the Life Arts Center, their table sat cloaked in a black cloth topped with mason jars, autumn themed ornaments, aluminum coffee shakers and a dimly lit sign reminiscent of old theater marquees reading “But First Coffee.” “They actually used to call me ‘Cold Brew Lou’ back when I used to work at a coffee shop. I loved cold brew,” Espinoza said. Several passersby stopped to glance at the prices written out on a chalkboard, and both brothers greeted them almost simultaneously with a warm, “Hi, let us know if you need help.” Ticas would then explain the plethora of flavors they had available for passing customers to try. The brothers didn’t begin their venture at the art walk, however. “Obviously we had to start somewhere, so by our local farmer’s market in the palms area, they actually had an opening specifically for a coffee business —my brother and I started
talking,” Espinoza said. “Shortterm, we want to open up a mobile coffee trailer and be able to go from area to area, announce where we’re going to be at, have people turn out and be able to enjoy it even though we’re not at a brick and mortar yet. Eventually, when we do expand to a shop, I want to be able to provide that same concept that we have here.” He reached for a bottle of Bulleit Whiskey, which now holds syrup meant for coffee rather than bourbon meant for old fashioned cocktails. “We repurpose bottles and have that bar-like aesthetic,” Espinoza said. “I want to continue that and be able to present that energy and vibe that we have going on. People can come in with their friends, sit down, and enjoy a coffee but also take in the atmosphere and taste our creations. A lot of what we love to do is come up with unique coffee ideas — like we do one that combines hibiscus and roses for example, or lavender and butterfly pea flower. It’s just innovating and coming up with new stuff constantly.”
“We didn’t really have a plan at first; we just started off with a basic cold brew and, slowly but surely, we started coming up with new recipes and stuff like that, and we started sharing our love and craft with the community.” - Louis Espinoza
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October 21, 2021
Features
T HE BIGGEST P
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TAT T OOING IS YOU HAVE T O BE
F@*#%&!
CO N F IDENT .
October 21, 2021
Features
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DIEGO LOMELI | VIEWPOINTS
Tattoo artist shares philosophy Personal style and confidence surpasses all else DIEGO LOMELI PHOTO EDITOR
Valentino Cornell’s studio sits towards the back of the Life Arts Center in downtown Riverside, past the front doors and just after the staircase near the main entrance of the building. The first thing passersbys see is his work desk topped with sketch pads, pens, pencils and a thin -framed desk lamp. On the brick wall at the back of the space hangs a tattoo parlor tank top and partially finished sketches, along with concept art and plants everywhere. Cornell started out doing shop help around 12 to 13 years ago. During that time he would work in exchange for tattoos. He got most of the tattoos on his arms before he even turned 20. On the upper half of his left forearm is a black cross tattoo that he did himself. “Tattooing is one of the sketchiest things you can do to yourself because it’s two handed, so realistically the only spot you can really do is your legs,” Cornell said as
he drew on the sketch pad in front of him. He then set his pencil down and pointed to the cross on his forearm. “I did this one on myself r e c e n t l y, b u t t h a t ’s s e v e n years in the game already and that s--- still is hard.” Despite the difficulty and seriousness embedded into the art of tattooing, Cornell’s confidence in his skills outweighs the nerve-wracking nature of it. “It’s like, when you take a self portrait of yourself you know you can just delete it,” Cornell said as he remained transfixed on the drawing in front of him. “If you do a portrait of somebody else you got a couple of shots until you feel like you have to get it done quick ‘cause if you don’t get it done quick, if you don’t do it well the first couple of times, you feel like you look unprofessional.” “The biggest part about tattooing is you’ve gotta be f---ing confident; the second you second guess s--- is the second you mess something up. You gotta know you’re going to mess up the first two years. The first two years you’re going to do so many mess ups, but just… own it.
See what you did, know you messed up and learn from it.” During his first three years as a novice, Cornell was taught to do tattoos straight from books. It wasn’t until around four years later that the monotony of repetition began making him feel like he was working the typical nine to five. For him, developing a distinct, signature style stands at the forefront of tattooing. “I feel like everyone else is just in it for the money, and everyone is trying to do the same thing. Everyone is just trying to make a dollar o ff i t , t r y i n g t o h a v e t h e jersey of being a tattoo artist without actually putting in work and doing their own style,” Cornell said. “So now, I do a certain style, and the first year it sucked ‘cause I didn’t have any clients ‘cause nobody wanted it. Now, I’ve got a full clientele of just people who want to get stuff the way I do it. That’s the coolest f---ing feeling, money aside. That’s super cool when people just hit you up and they’re like, ‘Hey, I want to get a butterfly done with a rosary, but I want you to do it cause I like your style.’ That’s way cool.”
DIEGO LOMELI | VIEWPOINTS
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October 21, 2021
Features
Two battles, one survivor One person’s struggle for breast cancer treatment JENNIPHER VASQUEZ NEWS EDITOR
Nykia McKenzie initially experienced two of the nine most common signs of breast cancer in June 2019 and immediately visited a doctor. McKenzie was brushed off and given antibiotics for a cyst. Following ten days of antibiotics, she noticed no change in her symptoms and eventually returned to see a doctor in November 2019 where she was told that it was, yet again, a cyst. Nearly nine months later, McKenzie, 27, was diagnosed with breast cancer April 4, 2020. She was being treated for cysts that entire time. “You can put it in the box of a horror story,” McKenzie said. “It is well known that Black and brown women are the least to be heard or listened to when it comes to their health and
their bodies.” “In March of 2020, at this point it was unbearable, my breast grew to the size of a mini watermelon. I went to a doctor immediately and they referred me to the third recommendation to get the answer of what was going on and that’s when she pretty much told me what I already knew.” After the diagnosis, McKenzie went through eight rounds of chemotherapy, 25 rounds of radiation and underwent a mastectomy to completely remove her breast tissue. This was followed by physical therapy and frequent visits to the doctor. “In April when I was diagnosed, the doctor told me very verbatim, ‘I’m very glad that you came in when you did’
because it was growing into stage three,” McKenzie said. “From June 2019 to March of 2020, by that time it grew into stage two.” McKenzie said her journey would have been completely different if she would have had a mammogram done, or had simply been listened to in 2019 when she first visited a doctor. She advises women to keep fighting to be heard — even if doctor visits become costly. “Keep going to a doctor until you are heard,” McKenzie said. “Keep track of the doctors that said ‘no’ so that way you can advocate to other people in your community or in your area so that the same won’t happen to them.” She added that everyone should advocate
and stand up for themselves even though it is taught that a doctor’s judgment should be trusted. “Nobody knows your body better than you because we’re the ones living in it,” McKenzie said. “If you feel like something is wrong, keep going until somebody is able to sit down and listen to you and not just write you off as a number.” She said the physical aspect of being a breast cancer patient was bearable in comparison to the mental toll it took on her. “You can’t prepare for breaking down in the middle of grocery shopping because it crosses your mind,” she said. “You can’t prepare for staring at the walls in the middle of the night, sobbing, because this is now your new life.” Affirmations, prayers and journaling were key components to maintaining her mental health. S h e
told herself from the beginning, upon diagnosis, that she is a survivor. “We are going to get through this because this is bigger than me,” she said when recounting her affirmations. “God wouldn’t give me this without a purpose behind it, a lesson behind it, so I am going to fight the best way I know how.” McKenzie said that being mentally strong is key to getting through the physical aspect of any circumstance, especially after being in remission and cancer free for over a year. She added that it’s a process in itself adjusting to a “new normal” and it is a never ending journey in many ways. “Living life to the fullest,” McKenzie said. “Do what you like to do, do what you want to do and make sure you live life to all capabilities and aspects of your happiness.” Her experience has inspired her to advocate for Black and brown women — especially those under age 40 — to ensure they are heard, know how to self-examine and when to seek medical attention. “I’m trying to advocate for women that are cancer survivors and how we can have a sense of normalcy,” McKenzie said. To accomplish her goal — McKenzie is a makeup artist, and was featured in Rihanna’s 2020 breast cancer awareness campaign about a month after being declared cancer free — she is working on furthering her career by receiving an esthetician license so she can provide microblading services to those suffering from hair loss due to any medical condition.
Illustration by Julianna Hernandez
October 21, 2021
Features ELAINA KLEVEN FEATURES EDITOR
Because Breast Cancer is the most common form of cancer, it is important to perform breast exams to check for the signs of breast cancer. One should go through a breast exam routine once a month for optimal safety, as well as mammograms as often as a doctor recommends them. If any of the following symptoms are noticed, it is important to bring this up with your primary doctor.
Looking in a mirror, place both hands on your hips with straight shoulders. Make sure one’s breasts are the normal size, color and shape. The common signs of breast cancer would include redness, swelling, rashing, soreness or other discoloration. Repeat these steps but with arms raised above the head.
Dimpling, puckering and bulging of the skin should be noticed as well. While it is an uncommon symptom, it is an aggressive type of cancer that is best spotted early. Check for nipple changes, such as enlargement, discoloration or inverting. Milky, watery, yellow fluid or blood coming from the nipples should be noted as well.
While lying down, use the opposite hand of the chosen breast to feel for lumps. Go top to bottom, side to side or in a circle. It is important to use light pressure when checking the outer parts of the breasts to not mistake a lump for muscle tissue or a bone. When checking fuller parts of one’s breasts, more pressure should be applied. Repeat the same motions but while standing up. Most people find it is easiest to conduct this self e am while in or while just having gotten out of the shower.
otos by iego omeli
It is important to note that not all breasts are the same, and while some abnormalities are common, some are not. Keeping notes on what is regular for the individual’s body and what is not is the best way to notice red ags. ther factors include a family history of breast cancer, race, personal history with cancer or history with the symptoms of breast cancer. For more information, go to breastcancer.org.
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October 21, 2021
Features
NORTE VISTA SKATEBOARDING CREW DIEGO LOMELI PHOTO EDITOR
Every Friday, once 3 o’ clock rolls around, the sound of punk, metal and indie rock begins to echo through the halls of Norte Vista High School. It all emanates from the quad, just after the Norte Vista Skateboarding Crew finishes setting up their extensive collection of wooden ramps and waxed rails, most handmade by the club’s advisor Ian Enriquez. It’s all stored away just across Room 116, where Enriquez spends the day teaching economics. Once the final bell rings every Friday, the members of the NVSC gather at the tiny storage room to help carry everything to the campus quad. The club started back in 2011 with 15 members, and it was those members who started the annual tradition of releasing a showreel composed of several skateboarding clips recorded throughout the school year. “The first year we did a small trailer-like video and we played it at an assembly,” Enriquez said. “That was the idea then, to have premieres, cause they used to have a renaissance assembly where they would recognize students, teachers and programs. They gave me an opportunity to do a five minute video, so we made a skate video and played it there; it was kind of funny cause nobody really knew how to react, you know what I mean?” The NVSC formed as a derivative of after-school programs that saw popularity in the late 90s. The idea of having a program where students could skate on school grounds began at the junior high level, and eventually made its way to high schools. Ten years ago, Enriquez was approached by NVHS’s previous principal Susan Boyd to be the club’s adviser. “She knew I was into skateboarding, and she asked if I could do something for the skateboarders here at Norte Vista,” Enriquez said. Today, Enriquez is still the advisor of the NVSC, and doesn’t plan on giving up that title soon. The sounds of skateboard wheels screeching, and the perpetual pop — followed by a brief pause — and then the landing slam of kickflips, ollies and one-eighties didn’t seem to show any sign of ending. It
“You’d think music wouldn’t mess you up, but for me it’s the other way around.” - Tai Hoffman
DIEGO LOMELI | VIEWPOINTS
Unlike most of the other skateboarders in the Norte Vista Skateboarding Club, Tai Hoffman finds having headphones in while skating distrcting and disorientating.
DIEGO LOMELI | VIEWPOINTS
October 21, 2021
Features
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DIEGO LOMELI | VIEWPOINTS
all blended in with the music blasting from the makeshift speakers resting on a utility cart covered from top to bottom in stickers. Among the group taking turns attempting to land tricks off of a two-foot high slab of concrete is Alyssa Gomez, the NVSC’s club president. “Skating is more like... it’s your own style,” Gomez said. “It’s whatever you like, some people ride goofy, some people ride regular, everything is going to look different.” Also in the group is Tai Hoffman, a self-proclaimed music junkie and a high school junior. He rocked a “Black Flag” band tee coupled with ragged, baggy dark jeans; one knee torn, and the other covered in patches carelessly stitched in black and white thread. When asked about what he listens to, his enthusiastic reply was, “Everything. I listen to so much music.” He took a sip of his canned iced tea, handed it to a friend beside him then shifted his demeanor into something more sincere. “I can listen to girly 80s music like ‘Madonna’ or like ‘Stevie Nicks,’ then listen to black metal or something on the whole other side of the spectrum.” Surprisingly, he prefers not to listen to music while skating. “I don’t listen to music when I skate. I feel like... it might be like a superstition thing, but I feel like I skip up a lot, or I just feel sloppy,” Hoffman said. “The thing is a lot of this stuff, (landing tricks) when it happens you’re going fast, so it kind of just happens. It’s kind of weird, you don’t pay so much attention to it, and it happens quick. You’d think music wouldn’t mess you up, but for me it’s the other way around.”
The decade-old club remains the same as it has always been: a space where young people can congregate, exchange ideas, encourage one another and learn from each other. “We support each other and celebrate with each other,” Enriquez said. We try to model that sort of positive interaction and that behavior with everybody, with those who are skating and those who are not skating. Hopefully that’s something that we can pass on, because that’s the joy of skateboarding.”
“Hopefully that’s something that we can pass on, because that’s the joy of skate boarding.” an nri ue
DIEGO LOMELI | VIEWPOINTS
eo Uribe attempts a backside one eight off a concrete stage at the Norte Vista High School main uad.
A & E Strong bonds close out franchise 12
The Riverside City College Alma Mater was created by Tiger Times editor Vince Lawton and RCC music instructor Don Stone.
October 21, 2021
Daniel Craig says goodbye to James Bond in ‘No Time to Die’ MACKENZIE JOHNSON STAFF REPORTER
Daniel Craig says goodbye to his 15 years as Agent 007 in this epic, explosive and emotional farewell. Through Craig, Agent 007 essentially underwent a masculinity makeover because, by 2007, the macho, unfeeling, martinisipping playboy he had historically been played out. Craig brought a vulnerability to a longstanding franchise based on the adventures of a tuxedowearing, womanizing ladykiller. He not only strayed from his predecessors by getting roughed up and showing he too can bleed, but by falling in love and experiencing heartbreak. “No Time to Die,” at heart, is a traditional Bond film, and that’s part of its pleasure. But it’s not just the running time that feels more epic than usual — the film wants to bring full justice to the emotional thrust of this being Daniel Craig’s exit from the series. As the film begins, Bond has been retired from active MI6 duty for some time and started a new life with Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux). However, he cannot shake the memory of Vesper: Bond’s previous love interest from Casino Royale who betrayed him and ultimately drowned before he could confront her. Before long, tragedy tears Bond and Madeleine apart, setting a somber tone that is beautifully captured by Billie Eilish’s opening title song. The plot revolves around a sinister, biological warfare plan to have DNA-targeting
nanobots possibly wipe out millions of people worldwide, which feels just close enough to our real-life pandemic. British intelligence does not care to involve Bond, who is now retired in Jamaica, and M (Ralph Fiennes), has handed over his 007 status to new agent Nomi (Lashana Lynch). But the Americans, in the form of his old buddy Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright), and uptight new appointee Logan Ash (Billy Magnussen), persuade Bond to take on the job as a freelance. They send him to Cuba, where he works with untrained agent Paloma (Ana de Armas). The Cuban nightclub scene has something genuinely bizarre about it, featuring a henchman with a too-large glass eye. Paloma arguably receives the best fight scene in the whole film, with the added pleasure of stiletto assisted roundhouse kicking. Ana de Armas updates the “Bond Girl” trope by being funny and a little chaotic. She is a messy woman who is incredibly competent. If only her character did not also feel like the product of a focus group study on how to make Bond’s arm candy more real and likable. Meaningfully incorporating her into the story would have also helped. For example, they could cut Paloma and her entire subplot from the film and almost nothing else in “No Time to Die” would need to change. Almost none of the women on screen have any interest in canoodling with Bond. Lynch’s Nomi is undeniably cool and a natural brawler, albeit emotionally blank due to the
PHOTO COURTESY OF 007.COM
James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Nomi (Lashana Lynch) hold their weapons ready to fire. need to impart professionalism worthy of the title. Bond, infamously cool as a cucumber, could not care l e s s , a n d h i s i n d i ff e r e n c e parallels with Nomi’s anxiety over the threat that his return poses to the status of her promotion. This dynamic plays out repeatedly as a one-sided competition over who is and is not allowed into M’s office, a kind of unintentional joke in itself about the tenuous role of the first female Agent 007. Pushing the vulnerability of Craig’s Bond to its most predictable manifestation, writers decide to give Bond a family. We see Bond is not merely a slick, sexy superspy, but also a human who wants relatable human things: a loving spouse, a best bud, a child. In “No Time to Die,” Bond is no longer the lady-
killer we know him to be, but a tortured romantic hero. As Craig has said himself, the film is really “about family and relationships” and seeing the human side of Bond. Letting family and relationships take center stage simply puts a damper on its own party by persistently foreshadowing that Craig’s time as Bond is up, and that there’s no reason for audiences to care. The feeling of finality is prominent throughout the film, constantly reminding audiences that this is a finale and it has to “mean” something. Nothing about “No Time to Die” feels especially timely or urgent. This is a twilight Bond movie, and the mood is overwhelmingly somber. There are continual reminders of Bond’s advancing age, of his past regrets and losses.
It’s the usual assembly of Bond movie clichés, which is nothing to complain about since clichés are the lifeblood of this series: the gadgets, the one-liners, the martinis and the lovemaking. Craig has been a terrific James Bond, arguably the best, and his departure certainly deserves a little fanfare. I admired the impulse behind this very long goodbye without feeling as moved as I wanted to be. It remains to be seen what comes next after “No Time to Die” demolishes the franchise’s formula. Whoever takes on the role after Craig has a very big bow tie to fill. A new bar has undeniably been set for the series, with Craig leaving his legacy behind in explosive style.
‘Venom: Let there be Carnage’ more sentimental than expected ISABEL WHITSETT STAFF REPORTER
“ Ven o m : L e t T h e r e B e Carnage” is adventurous, comedic and witty. This movie was a hit, breaking the box office with the biggest turnout since the pandemic started in March 2020. In just three days, the film racked up a record breaking $90.1 million. This film captures the essence of a comic book and displays it well. Some of the conversations between the characters are performed awkwardly from time to time, but it feels purposeful. This sequel portrays a love story, not only between Woody Harrelson’s villainous Carnage and misunderstood mutant Shriek (Naomie Harris), but
also Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and the sentient, alien symbiote dwelling inside him, Venom. This dynamic duo is always arguing over who’s in charge, and how to handle the bad guys. As the plot progresses, Venom and Brock disconnect while the genuine, emotional connection comes into full force, bringing the protagonists to the shared realization that they are truly better together. Viewers may be surprised to learn this Marvel comic book movie is not just an action packed killing spree for both Carnage and Venom, or a difficult symbiotic relationship between an intrepid reporter and a preening alien. This movie is also about vulnerability, true friendship and love. The alien inhabiting Brock’s body, Venom, complains he doesn’t get enough nutrients just
eating chicken and chocolate and instead, wants to continue eating people, preferably the bad ones. Although this is the silly side of the film, Venom is Brock’s subconscious most of the time. He is a guide with a cheerful attitude, who also has insecurities at times. Anti-hero Venom encourages Brock to rekindle his love with Anne Weying (Michelle Williams), only to find out she’s with a more suitable lover, Dr. Dan Lewis (Reid Scott). He also aids the journalist on his journey of capturing the essence of Cletus Kasady (Harrelson), a convicted murderer who’s about to be executed in San Quentin State Prison. Director Andy Serkis balances comedic hues well between action and novelty, in contrast to the 2018 Venom film
directed by Ruben Fleischer, where comedy was the star. “Let… There… Be… Carnage”, said Carnage, only after some symbiotic exchange during Brock’s visit with Kasady in prison, catapulting the plot into the action-packed battle viewers anticipate. Kasady escapes prison, now with his red symbiote, Carnage, residing within him, and is off to save his captive girlfriend, Shirek, to seek revenge. As Venom tries to defeat Carnage, they notice just how unsynchronized Kassidy and his symbiote are, leading to the end of Carnage, or so we think. Serkis has been in many CGI movies including: “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (2011), “War of the Planets of the Planet of the Apes” (2018), “Lord of the Rings Fellowship of Rings” (2001) as Gollum and
more alike. Marvel is notorious for aftercredits teasers, especially for connecting other movies in the Marvel Universe. Dr. Strange and Spider-man “make an appearance” in the after credits you need to stick around for, but if you aren’t well-versed with Marvel movie comics, it might leave you a bit confused. “Venom” is a stand-alone movie and doesn’t actually connect much between itself and Spider-Man. The alien symbiote resents Peter Parker for cutting ties, while reporter Eddie Brock blames Parker for his new found symbiotic relationship now known as Venom. Although this movie is rated 40% rotten on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience begs to differ, myself included. Find out yourself about what this film brings to the table.
Tiger Times editor Don Watson wrote columns that attacked right-wing political issues. These articles angered on and offcampus readers.
OPINIONS
October 21, 2021
13
Campus Conversations
How well does Riverside City College prepare and supplement students to transfer out? Interviews by Kelsey Olarte Photos by Daniel Hernandez “Pretty good. Most of my friends all transferred out to great schools. That is why I decided to go to community college. I am just here for the GED, and then I am out of here ASAP.” -Ryan Im
PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXABAY
Exemptions hinder statewide mandate
DAESHA GEAR OPINIONS EDITOR
G o v. G a v i n N e w s o m ’s implementation of mandatory vaccination for K-12 students needs to be revised as it is disastrous for school board members, pro-vaccination parents and children. The mandate offers vague personal belief exemptions, which allows vaccine skeptics to not vaccinate their children. Newsom announced the vaccine mandate Oct.1, ordering K-12 students, both public and private, to be vaccinated once the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves vaccinations for younger children. California is the first state to meet this statewide requirement for K-12 students. However, there will likely be difficulties initially, especially regarding exemptions for personal beliefs. California only offers 10 medical vaccination exemptions for children: chickenpox, diphtheria, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type B, measles, mumps, poliomyelitis, rubella and tetanus. The COVID-19 vaccine is not currently listed as a mandatory vaccination children must have to attend schools. However, Newsom proposes adding the requirement with the help of California’s State Legislature. “To add to a well-established list that currently includes 10 vaccinations and well-established
rules and regulations that have been advanced by the legislature for decades,” Newsom said. “To add to the list, the vaccination for COVID-19 — We intend to do that once the FDA has fully approved the vaccine, which will give us time to work with districts.” Newsom contradicts himself, however, when asked if other exemptions like religion or philosophical beliefs would be considered, as opposed to solely considering medical exemptions. “Yes, well, exemptions for medical reasons, personal and or religious beliefs, those are in the guidelines as well,” Newsom said. Parents and guardians can use their personal beliefs as an exemption to not vaccinate their children since there is no authorization from the legislature to make the vaccine mandatory; this causes complications in Newsom’s proposed plan in keeping students safe. Personal beliefs are a common reason, even for adults, to not get vaccinated or wear a mask. However, the issue with personal beliefs surrounding children makes this vaccine mandate more complicated as unvaccinated children could potentially expose other children, faculty and staff to COVID-19. Parents who are adamant about masks and vaccines can easily use Newsom’s vague belief exemptions as an excuse not to vaccinate their children. Newsom’s approval to include belief exemptions is a disservice to pro-vaccine parents who want their children to be protected from contracting COVID-19 from their teachers and peers. Newsom’s vague guidelines also add more tension to the ongoing conflict between school board members and parents regarding COVID-19 restrictions toward children. For example, vaccine skeptics
from San Diego Unified School District went from protesting about the vaccine and mask mandates to harassing and giving death threats to school board members and parents complying with mask mandates. Those threats are not restricted to the San Diego Unified School District. In Amador County, a parent was accused of assaulting a Sutter Creek Elementary School teacher for the perceived double standards of the mask mandate. Wi t h t h e h e s i t a n c e o f skeptical parents and threats to school boards, it’s challenging to consider that K-12 institutions could easily enforce Newsom’s implementation of mandatory vaccination as multiple contradictory loopholes from Newsom hinder the safety of students and faculty from contracting COVID-19. It’s problematic for Newsom to urge and implement a deadline for COVID vaccinations for K-12 students and include personal and religious exemptions — that ultimately defeats the purpose of keeping students and staff protected. Newsom needs to reiterate his guidelines and make adjustments to them as it’s contradictory to the goal he aspires for California to meet: ending the pandemic. “ We w a n t t o e n d t h i s pandemic,” Newsom said. “We’re all exhausted by it.” Ending the pandemic is challenging to accomplish through Newsom’s contradictory implementation that gives leverage to vaccine skeptics to avoid vaccinating their children. Newsom’s K-12 implementation does not create a haven for school board members or pro-vaccination parents. Instead, it causes more issues with skeptical parents regarding how COVID-19 should be mandated in K-12 institutions, and children are in the middle of this conflict.
“The teachers and the Promise Program have really helped me. I met up with a counselor, and he recommended all the classes I should take regarding my major. I think all students should meet up with a counselor to develop a student plan; it really helps you stay on track and make sure you are not taking classes that you do not need.” -Mason Roa
“Good enough, I guess. I have only talked to one (counselor) over the phone. It did not really work because I was just sitting on my bed, and it is different when you see them in person. When you see them in person, there are enough resources.” -Mohammad Moradi
“I feel like it’s really good, especially when it comes to the Career and Transfer Center. I did take a student job there, so I’m in that environment of trying to get students to go where they need to go. I also feel like the teachers prepare you, give you opportunities of what is out there, and support.” -Izabella Cisneros
“ T he y d o q u it e wel l. One of the difficulties I have noticed with t ransfer r ing is t he i nter act ion over a computer screen versus the interaction in person. Online interactions feel quite stagnant. I have had multiple counselor appointments that have been online, and most of those feel like I am just talking to a wall.” -Nicolas Salonen
Campus Conversations is an open forum for Riverside City College students to voice opinions and share ideas.
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Opinions
October 21, 2021
Campus communication must improve
Editorial
Students remain uninformed about COVID-19 exposures
DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS
RCC students continue to struggle this fall term due to poor communication between students and ongoing changes on campus. Riverside City College’s lack of transparency regarding COVID-19 has been detrimental to its students’ well-being. Students have been inconvenienced at every turn throughout the fall semester. From the late implementation of a vaccine mandate, to the last minute reminder about the vaccination deadline, RCC’s lack of communication regarding COVID is something that needs to improve in order to better protect its students. We, the Viewpoints editorial board, believe that RCC should implement a new communication strategy that better informs students about potential coronavirus exposures on campus. When the fall semester began there were CLEARED4 check-in stations, but those checkin stations disappeared within a week, without RCC students knowing why they were no longer available on campus. An explanation was offered via email after it was noted that those stations were gone. What is left of the CLEARED4 system is a mandatory survey given each week that asks
yes or no questions about possible COVID symptoms, but it’s not enough. Exposures to COVID-19 have made their way onto campus, with many RCC students unaware and uninformed. On Sept. 15, an email was sent out selectively notifying some faculty and students about two employees and four students who had been exposed to COVID-19. The individuals made several stops around the campus, including the Wheelock Stadium, the Nursing Building and the Math and Science Building. However, those were not the last exposures that occurred at RCC. On Sept. 24, another email was sent notifying a small number of students about more exposures at the college. Two students tested positive and visited rooms in the Math and Science Building and the School of Nursing Sept. 20 and 22. An alarming number of RCC students were not notified of the dangers they could have been exposed to by visiting those same locations.
Additionally, there may be other areas on campus the infected students visited of which everyone is unaware. Emails have been a frequent form of communication that RCC has used to communicate with its students, especially at the beginning of Riverside Community College District’s shutdown in March 2020. However, daily emails from Canvas, CLEARED4 and student services have become repetitive, bombarding RCC students with overflowing inboxes and making it difficult to decipher what is important. It’s a disservice to RCC students to not disclose the COVID-19 exposures occurring on their campus that could affect the entire student body. RCC administration needs to improve its communication, not just through emails, but perhaps through phone calls, Zoom conferences or livestreams on social media platforms to ensure that students and employees are informed of recent exposure risks. Students and employees deserve to be aware of what is happening at their place of study and work.
Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints’ student editorial board.
LETTERS
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Tiger Tales, a student handbook in the 1950s, had 13 sections within the publication. This includes “Tiger Romp,” a section dedicated to sports.
SPORTS
Runner sets the pace Briana Rodriguez, a Riverside City College women’s cross country athlete, motivates teammates through work ethic, talent
MYA CASTRO STAFF REPORTER
Throughout the Riverside City College women’s cross country season, Briana Rodriguez has become a top runner for her team. With about seven years of experience under her belt, Rodriguez has remained one of the top five runners for RCC. At the team’s most recent race at Vanguard, Briana placed 12th overall out of 74 girls. Rodriguez’s outstanding work ethic and race times have helped the team’s placement in four of its meets. As she continues to stay motivated and eager to improve, Rodriguez feels great about the season and is excited about the team’s future endeavors . “I feel like it’s been really great. I’m in the best condition I’ve ever been in and I’m just excited for the season and for state,” Rodriguez said. Like many other athletes, the sophomore did not get to compete or train with her team last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rodriguez found that challenging but persevered and continued to work hard, looking forward to the next season. “It’s easier to slack off when you’re not at school and they’re (the coaches) not watching you, but one thing I did was get a gym
membership,” Rodriguez said. “I was going every day to the gym to keep in shape, and I wasn’t doing a lot of mileage but I would just run on the treadmill.” Rodriguez’s hard work during the off season and the beginning of this season has not gone unnoticed. Her teammates believe that she sets the example of what everyone on the team should be striving for this season. “Her running performance has been consistently progressive, which not only helps our team scores during competition but she serves as an excellent example to our fellow teammates,” Briana Mendez-Espain, a runner on the women’s team, said. Laila Wright, a friend and teammate of Rodriguez, believes that Rodriguez has a talent like no other when it comes to training and competing and is why she plays such an important role on the team. “Briana is an asset to the team because she has natural talent,” Wright said. “She is one of our top girls and she makes it look easy.” Outside of training, the star runner remains focused on her studies, and spends time with family and friends when she is not working a graveyard shift. A s a b i o l o g y m a j o r, Rodriguez likes to plan out her week for a less stressful environment to work in. “I already have everything scheduled and planned for the week so I try to stay on track, I also work and it’s kind of hard balancing all that out at the same time,” Rodriguez said. “I enjoy what I do and I love running so as long as I keep everything on plan, it turns out okay at the end of the week.” As Rodriguez continues to put in the work for her academics,
SPORTS BRIEFS RCC lost to Golden West 3-0, dropping their record to 6-9 and 3-6 in conference play. Their next game will be against Saddleback College on Oct. 22.
Men’s Water Polo The men’s water polo team defeated Citrus and Palomar College on Oct. 15 following a four game losing streak. RCC faces Long Beach College on Oct. 22 at Golden West College campus.
Women’s Water Polo PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIANA RODRIGUEZ
Briana Rodriguez competes in a 2019 women’s cross country meet. the future biology graduate hopes to become a pharmacist and live financially stress free. “I want a job that makes me financially stable and it’s also something that I like,” Rodriguez said. While school, work and sports may be stressful for Rodriguez, spending time with her family is always something she enjoys doing in her free time. “I always go out with my family,” Rodriguez said. “We like traveling just for the weekend, anywhere from Tijuana to San Diego to Las Vegas.” Along with family, the hot wing and boba lover also enjoys spending time with her friends whenever she can because she knows her free time is limited. Rodriguez was excited to share the best boba spot in town. “My favorite boba spot is
JESUS CORONEL ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
BRIAN CALDERON | VIEWPOINTS
Amir Davis battles with a member of the Southwestern team for the ball Oct. 9. came up with 14 steals and 23 rebounds. After the Tigers’ game ended, head coach Philip Mathews was not satisfied with how the team performed offensively. The Tigers had possessions that didn’t play out in their favor, which caused turnovers and very little
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Women’s Volleyball
Boba Time,” Rodriguez said. “I get the Oreo boba tea and it’s so good.” Wr i g h t c a n a t t e s t t o Rodriguez’s sweet personality, not only during training but outside of it as well. “I’ve hung out with Briana a few times outside of training and I can say she is such an amazing person,” Wright said. “She is funny and always has a smile on her face.” As Rodriguez gets further into the season and school year, she gives one key piece of advice for younger athletes who also may be struggling. “I would say honestly you just need to set a schedule and have everything planned, I feel like that is the only way you can get through it,” Rodriguez said. “You just have to love what you do because it’s not easy.”
Team bounces back after abrupt regional exit The last time the Tigers basketball team took the court, it was in the third round of the California Community College Athletic Association Southern Regional Tournament. Then the pandemic ended all athletic activity. The team won the Orange Empire Conference tournament that year, propelling it to the regional tournament. An exhibition game was held at Riverside City College between the Tigers and Southwest College on Oct. 9 in preparation for the upcoming 2021-2022 men’s basketball season. The Tigers finished the game with seven assists and 13 turnovers. The team also committed seven fouls by the end of the third quarter. However, the team also
October 21, 2021
assists in the game. The team gave up eight fouls in the third quarter. “ We w e r e g a m b l i n g , ” Mathews said. “Trying to make the big play instead of playing solid defense.” However, he is very happy that he and the team are back
on the court after the pandemic shutdown. “For me, after sitting out a year and a half, it’s a godsend,” Mathews said. “The players are repping to go.” Guard Edwyn Collins is among the players looking forward to returning but knows he could be playing better. “I missed a couple of wide open shots, a couple of passes and was reaching on defense,” he said. “That’s something to take note of for the next scrimmage.” Also returning for the Tigers is Melvin Walker, who was happy to be alongside his teammates again, although he got “hurt in the first half.” “My teammates kept me in it,” he said. “They motivated me to keep playing.” The season will begin on Nov. 4 with the We Play Hard Tournament at Ventura College.
RCC women’s water polo’s last match against Santa Ana College on Oct. 13 was canceled. Next up for RCC is the Long Beach Tournament on Oct. 22 where they will face Cerritos College at Long Beach College campus.
RCC Tigers After losing two games in a row, the RCC football team followed its bye week with a 47-21 victory Oct. 16 over the Palomar Comets. RCC will be away on Oct. 23 at Mt. San Antonio College.
Men’s Cross Country R C C ’s m e n ’s c r o s s country team placed third in the Vanguard Invitational in Costa Mesa on Oct. 8. It’s the second time the Tigers landed on the podium this season. RCC will be at the Titan Invitational at Cal State Fullerton. All of these dates are subject to change due to possible regulations to come involving the co n t a in m en t o f t h e coronavirus.
To s t a y u p t o date on upcoming campus events, visit the Viewpoints calendar listed at viewpointsonline.org. If you have events happening on campus that you want featured on the calendar, send information about the event to viewpoints. news@gmail.com.
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October 21, 2021
Fresh start WIN from Page 1 rushing touchdown. “He’s resourceful and kept us alive in the pocket, that’s what he does well,” Craft said about Barton. Leading the running attack was freshman runningback Lawrence Starks with 93 yards and one touchdown on 16 attempts. RCC also had a strong defensive performance against the Comets. The Tigers shutout the Comets in the first and fourth quarter and held them to 26 rushing yards for the game. The defense showed flashes of the explosiveness it had exhibited earlier in the season by putting
pressure on the quarterback and stopping the rush. The Comets managed only two field goals in the first half. RCC recorded five sacks. Sophomore defensive lineman Randell Turner had two and a half sacks and finished with six total tackles. “I feel like we played great, we played fast, we got to the ball pretty quick,” Turner said. “We improved a lot this week, we became a stronger defense.” Freshman kicker Ricardo Chavez kept the pressure on Palomar making all four of his field goal attempts. “I think Ricardo Chavez is the best field goal kicker in the state,” Craft said. RCC’s next game is Oct. 23 at Mt. San Antonio College.
Sports Elton Adigwu (middle) recovers a forced fumble at Palomar’s 27 yard line and rushes to Palomar’s 22 yard line Oct. 16.
PHOTOS BY DANIEL HERNANDEZ
Jacquez Jones (18) rushes for a one yard touchdown during the Riverside City College homecoming game Oct. 16.
Jammal Houston (19) celebrates after scoring a 40 yard touchdown on Oct. 16.
Tye Moore (27) congratulates Jordan Barton (15) after Barton scores off a QB rush Oct. 16.
