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May 9, 2019
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TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA
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Health officials prepare in case of measles outbreak 2 Los Angeles college campuses among affected Fernando Haro
News Editor @ECCUnionHaro
Jose Tobar / The Union Romeial Hilaire walks along the Los Angeles River on Sunday, March 17. Hilaire left his home in Marrero, Louisiana nine months ago and has experienced homelessness ever since.
Coping through comedy in Los Angeles
Homeless student moves to the ‘City of Angels’ to pursue dreams Jose Tobar
Staff Writer @ECCUnionTobar
H
e spent his first night in town crouched on the floor up against the wall of a homeless mission shelter
somewhere in downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row. For two days he sat there with headphones on, clutching his suitcase and a plastic bag filled with snacks, chips, juices and the few sandwiches his mother prepared for him to bring along the journey.
33-year-old El Camino College student Romeial “RISO” Hilaire left his home in the Uptown projects of New Orleans on June 4, 2018, to fulfill a lifelong dream of moving to LA to make a fresh start and reignite his passion for comedy. “Comedy is a gift,” Hilaire
said. “ And when you do comedy because you love it, the money is going to chase you because you’ll get up every day for a purpose that you love. So I can’t give up. It’s not in me.” RISO continued on page 6. . .
After a measles outbreak affected hundreds of college students quarantined at the UCLA and Cal State Los Angeles campuses, health officials at El Camino College are prepared in the event of an outbreak on campus. Susan Nilles, director of the El Camino College Health Center, said she has been in communication with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to ensure proper protocol is in place at EC in case of an outbreak. “Worst case scenario is someone walks in with a bunch of people that aren’t immune,” Nilles said. “Every student needs to know their immunity status to stay healthy.” Measles was considered eradicated in the United States in 2000 but Nilles said the antivaccination movement has contributed to the return of the disease as well as people visiting countries where the disease is active. “It has been documented that non-vaccinated individuals are the ones getting sick,” Nilles said.
Award-winning journalist visits campus
Measles and vaccinations
Health officials have been working to identify hundreds of cases regarding people in the greater LA area who may have come in contact with the disease as it spreads through coughing and sneezing, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The mains symptom of measles is often a heavy rash but the viral infection can also be diagnosed through a cough, runny nose or high fever. Nilles said students should phone the Health Center if they suspect they have measles and stay in place so that the affected area may be quarantined until health officials can confirm the disease is gone. In some cases, measles can cause pneumonia, the swelling of the brain and death, according to the Los Angeles Department of Public Health. Although the disease is preventable with two doses of a vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, Nilles said there have been fewer people getting the MMR vaccine, according to the Los Angeles Department of Public Health. Measles continued on page 4 . . .
Sonia Nazario shares her experience on top of Mexico’s ‘La Bestia’ Fernando Haro
News Editor @ECCUnionHaro
Elena Perez / The Union Sonia Nazario speaks to Puente Project Program members about her experience traveling with undocumented migrants on Thursday, May 2. Nazario’s non-fiction novel “Enrique’s Journey,” follows the trek of a young migrant.
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ElCo Fest headlines weeklong festivities Kevin Caparoso
Arts Editor @ECCUnionKC
The LGBTQIA+ community will be celebrated at El Camino College for the first time during a weeklong Pride event from Monday, May 13, to Thursday, May 16. The celebration will include a discussion about the anthropology of gender, an LGBTQIA+ panel and the screening of the movie “Love, Simon” coordinated by The Safe Zone Project and the Gender Sexuality Alliance Club, First Year Experience Program
Student art show
Witchcraft and magic
Warriors softball
A non-curated show featuring student artwork will be displayed at El Camino College’s Art Gallery starting May 13.
You’ll find more than Hogwarts and broomsticks in this El Camino College anthropology course.
The Warriors women’s softball team entered Game 2 of their openinground playoff series against San Diego Mesa with a chance to sweep.
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See page 5
Features
It is not too late to campiagn for an ASO position.
‘La Bestia’ continued on page 4. . .
See page 8
Sports
ASO elections
News
Opinions
Pride celebrated for first time at EC this month
the migrant struggle for a better life. “Enrique’s Journey” is the story of a Honduran teen’s dangerous trek on the infamous train “La Bestia” or “The Beast,” as he
Comic books Courses on comic books should be offered at EC as they are considered literature and could be helpful for students.
Rosemary Montalvo / The Union Health Center officials at El Camino College have been in contact with the Los Angeles Department of Public Health regarding the measles outbreak protocol since early May.
and counselors but now anyone can join, Castro said. Carolina Calderon, a sociology major and Puente Project Program member, said reading “Enrique’s Journey” gave her perspective on
Arts
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sonia Nazario remembers growing up in Kansas resenting the thought of studying and reading. She preferred to ride her horse, Blanca, and come home reeking of manure to annoy her sister. Meanwhile, Nazario’s sister garnered the attention of their father as she skipped grades and became a class valedictorian. “She was the goodie-two-shoes and apparently I was the opposite of all those things,” Nazario said. “My dad would just straight up say to my face, frequently, ‘Sonia, you are the dumb jock in our family.’” However, on Thursday, May 2, Nazario presented her 2006 award-winning non-fiction novel “Enrique’s Journey” at El Camino College in a Puente Project Program event. Her book captures the adversities undocumented migrants from southern Latin American countries face to escape poverty and violence. The Puente Project is a oneyear commitment cohort transfer program created 35 years ago in Northern California, Puente Project Program counselor and coordinator Griselda Castro said. It was originally designed to help the students of migrant workers stay in school by providing extra help including embedded tutoring
travels from Central America to the United States in search of his mother. “People tell me that my book is either a window or a mirror,” Nazario said. “It’s a window into a world they don’t know or it’s a mirror that validates that their experiences are like other people’s experiences.” Nazario left Kansas and moved to war-torn Argentina in the 1970s after her father’s sudden death at the age of 13. Nazario’s time in Argentina was overshadowed by the “Dirty War,” a military coup in which 30,000 people were killed, Nazario said. Nazario said she remembers the day she was walking down the street of Buenos Aires when she saw a pool of blood on a sidewalk a block from where she lived and asked her mother what had happened. Her mother explained that two journalists were killed for trying to report the truth about the war in Argentina and at that moment, Nazario decided she wanted to become a journalist. “I saw the power of words that day, the power of telling stories, “ Nazario said. “Most of you would’ve probably made a different career choice staring at a pool of blood.” She went to Williams College in Massachusetts and was one of five Latinos on campus.
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Counselor Salvador Navarro said. The main event, ElCo Pride Fest, will be from noon to 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 14, on the Library Lawn. It will feature free food, music, live performances, a photo booth and a resource fair featuring the Southbay LGBTQ center and other organizations. This event celebrates LGBTQIA+ students but it’s for everyone—even those who don’t understand but have an open mind, Navarro said. “Come and join us,” he said. “You’re welcomed.” For more information visit eccunion.com.
EDITORIAL
2 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
MAY 9, 2019
Illustration by Jose Tobar / The Union
Vaccines are an important way to stay protected
90 percent of unimmunized individuals contract measles when exposed to the disease
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ith the most recent outbreak of measles at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Cal State LA (CSULA), health officials are working in the L.A. area to identify cases of people who may have had contact with the disease. It is important for people to have an update on their immunity status, especially to check if they are vaccinated with the most current medicine. Knowing your current immunity status is helpful as people are at risk for different diseases as adults, so vaccinations are one of the most convenient and safest preventative measures available. With contagious diseases, like the measles, that can spread easy and quick through simply just a cough or sneeze, most people who are not vaccinated are at risk of getting sick quicker. Those who are vaccinated can stop the disease or virus from spreading, however, many rely on their vaccines from their childhood. Getting vaccinations in adolescent years, help people’s immune systems fight off any disease that could affect them. However, those vaccines wear off when one is an adult, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As children enter schools, depending on where they go, most public schools require vaccinations, but colleges and universities don’t have a requirement. It is up to the staff and students to know if they are vaccinated because it can put others in danger of catching something. Public campuses like El Camino College are prone for anyone to get infected by any virus and disease, due to anybody walking on and off campus who may not necessarily be a student or staff. Fortunately, EC’s Health Center offers the MMR vaccine for $60, Susan Nilles, director of the El Camino College Health Center, said. They also offer a $7 titer test for students that lets them know if they have the measles immunity. These are great resources that the campus offers, and for those who cannot afford the vaccine, they are directed to other clinics that can provide the work with insurance. Also, EC’s Health Center is keeping close contact with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and will follow the correct protocol in the case of an outbreak, which is helpful in the case of an outbreak. However, we should not always rely on our campus. People should be responsible
for their own vaccines. It is always good to make sure you are up to date on all vaccinations. If not, it is important to get vaccinated again and not rely on one when you were young. Adults need to be aware of the vaccines their body needs depending on their age, health conditions, job, lifestyle, or travel habits. Everyone is different. It is also recommended that all adults get their yearly Influenza (flu) vaccine every year and Td or Tdap vaccine, also known as whooping cough, according to the CDC. Vaccinations are an important factor in staying healthy and safe from any harmful diseases. Now more than ever, with the measles outbreak, it is important to update your immunization status as people who are not vaccinated are at risk getting infected. If students suspect themselves of having the measles, call the Health Center at (310) 660-3643 and stay in place to not infect other areas until health officials confirm all is clear. E ditoria ls a re u n signed a n d a re writ ten a n d voted u pon by the editoria l boa rd. W hat a re you r t houg ht s on vacci nes a nd t he most re cent measles outbrea k i n t he L. A. a rea? Sha re you r t houg ht s on e ccu n ion@g ma i l.com
• • • •
Vaccine Tips
Vaccine-preventable diseases have a costly impact EC’s Health Center offers a $60 MMR vaccine for students only They also offer a $7 titer test for immunization of measles If you have any other questions contact the Health Center at (310) 660-3643
Source: EC Health Center
Editors’ Thoughts: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down Thumbs up to El Camino hosting its first Pride Week from May 13 to May 16.
THE UNION
Vol. 74, No. 11 May 9, 2019
Contact: eccunion@gmail.com Newsroom: (310) 660-3328 Advertising: (310) 660-3329
Editor-in-Chief.......................................Giselle Morales News Editor............................................Fernando Haro Features Editor, Managing Editor..........Ernesto Sanchez Arts Editor..............................................Kevin Caparoso Sports Editor...........................................Devyn Smith Opinion Editor........................................Roseana Martinez Photo Editor ..........................................Rosemary Montalvo Copy Editor............................................Omar Rashad Assistant Editor......................................Justin Traylor Staff Writer.............................................Kealoha Noguchi Staff Writer.............................................Diamond Brown Staff Writer.............................................Jun Ueda Staff Writer.............................................Jaime Solis Staff Writer.............................................David Rondthaler Staff Writer.............................................Oscar Macias
Staff Writer..............................................Anna Podshivalova Staff Writer..............................................Melanie Chacon Photographer...........................................Elena Perez Photographer...........................................Mona Itani Photographer...........................................Cody Siraguglia Photographer...........................................Eliana Rodela Photographer...........................................Mona Lisa Chavez Photographer ..........................................Mari Inagaki Photographer...........................................Marina Virishmar Photographer...........................................Nicoleene Yunker Photographer...........................................Delesia Jackson Photographer...........................................Viridiana Flores Photographer...........................................Alfred Terry Photo Adviser..........................................Gary Kohatsu Advertising Manager...............................Jack Mulkey Adviser....................................................Stefanie Frith
Thumbs up to the Health Center being prepared for the chance of a measles outbreak. The Union is published on designated Thursdays by Journalism 11 and 14 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff. Unsigned editorials and cartoons are the opinion of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect the views of the student body, staff or administration. Letters to the editor must be signed and must be received one week prior to publication in the Union office, Humanities Building Room 113. Letters are subject to editing for space, libel, obscenity and disruption of the educational process. Single copies of the Union are free; multiple copies can be requested through the Union.
College Media Association Newspaper of the Year Award 2015, 2016 (2nd) Associated Collegiate Press Regional Pacemaker Award 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 California News Publishers Association General Excellence Award 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 Journalism Association of Community Colleges General Excellence Award 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018 (eccunion.com)
OPINION
May 9, 2019
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 3
CAMPUS VIEWPOINTS: DIFFERENT WAYS STUDENTS DE-STRESS FROM SCHOOL Oscar Macias
Staff Writer @ECCUnionOscar
Finals week is right around the corner and The Union set out to ask students about ways to de-stress from school and school work.
Emmanuel Cortez, 37, music major “The guitar and piano are what I usually use to de-stress myself. I don’t really have a favorite, I’ll just play whatever comes to my mind.”
Rosemary Montalvo / The Union El Camino College Shauerman Library has a small comic book collection available to students. This is located on the second floor in the Upper East Wing.
Comic books should be recognized as literature Graphic novels influence popular culture and garner universal interest Abril Medina 19, child development major “I usually like to read books when I start getting stressed out. The genre of the book doesn’t matter though, just whatever I like.”
Jaime Solis
Staff Writer @ECCUnionJaime
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Frankie Murillo, 23, mechanical engineering majorr “The gym is my go-to whenever I get stressed. I’ll also play basketball with friends for about an hour at least. It helps me clear my mind and helps me think straight.”
hen someone thinks of the word ‘literature,’ what comes to mind is probably something like Homer’s “The Odyssey” or maybe something like “Dante’s Inferno.” It’s hard to imagine there would be a time when something like a comic book, something that for the longest time was known to being a child’s pastime, could
be considered something more akin to the ancient great works. But here we are. Comic books are literature. Literature is defined as any form of written prose or verse, but even by Merriam-Webster’s stricter definition, which includes the phrase “writings having excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest,” comic books still count. Comic books have long been associated with the socially awkward adult-children, those that constantly walk around passionately deliberating comic book lore like full-blown legal advocates for why their client is the strongest in the universe. But in reality, comic books have proliferated through much of popular culture. A lot of the early TV from the 1990s was based on a comic book. The “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” from Mirage Studios is an example of an early comic book that inspired a whole
franchise that would make a variety of cartoons and even feature films. Even today, shows like “The Big Bang Theory” have popularized the concept of comic books as more of a normal pastime. Sure, it can be argued that they are really more like science nerds in general, seeing as they are all some form of scientist or engineer, and it’s supposed to be more about the struggle of the awkward science nerds than the comic book nerd. But they still dedicate a gratuitous number of scenes in a comic book store and various part of the episodes are dedicated to some subplot involving a piece of comic book paraphernalia, so the comic book influence is still strong in the show. Now that’s not a bad thing, and it’s actually part of why comic books should count as literature, even by the strictest definitions. Clearly, there is universal interest. An extreme example today of that
universal interest is the opening weekend for “Avengers: Endgame.” Sure, “Avengers: Endgame” isn’t a comic book. It’s a movie inspired and derived from various separate comic book series, but at the end of the day, the characters come from the comic books. The characters have been adapted to play out better on the big screen, but their essence is drawn from the comic book: roots and ideas that someone put on paper through pictures and words and have effectively attracted millions to invest time and money during any release of their movies. “Avenger’s Endgame” represented around 90% of all U.S. ticket sales during its weekend release, according to CNBC. In contrast, the same can’t be said about something as fundamental as our own democracy. About 60% of eligible voters vote during presidential election years and about 40% vote during midterm elections, according to an article on
fairvote.org. Comic books clearly have deep roots in our culture as comic book sales in North America have increased over the last 6 years. In 2018 it marked its highest sales at $1.095 billion, according to Comichrone, a website devoted to comics circulation history.. Imagine how many more people would be interested in learning about history or math if they could present the information in an easier format to digest, such as in the form of a comic book. A comic book’s conversational structure would make it easier for people and students to absorb information since its being presented in the form of a normal conversation rather than being presented as a wall of text diluted with technical information and expositional connections. Having a few classes that treat comic books as actual literature would be interesting, seeing as they clearly have an influence on our popular culture.
Just focusing on school made me ignore opportunities
Photography major discovers career path after joining the journalism program
Mark Flowers, 26, kinesiology major “Whenever I get stressed I usually try to go to the gym and work out, even if it’s for a bit. If that doesn’t work out I’ll go and swim at Redondo Beach since I can’t really surf due to my knee injury.”
Tips on de-stressing • • • •
Stay positive Meditating Excersicing Unplugging from social media • Find your ways on destressing like listening to music
Source: Harvard Medical School
Jun Ueda
Staff Writer @ECCUnionJun
When I first started at El Camino College during the fall of 2017, my main focus was to take the quickest route to transfer and I missed many opportunities that could’ve helped me grow as a person along the way. During my first semester, I was still unsure with what I was going to major in so I took
general education classes that are required to transfer. I had interests in certain things but I never pursued them since I did not like the idea of wasting time. I decided that I would eventually find out what to major in and put it off to the side for the time being. By the end of my first year, I was almost done with all of my general education classes, but I still had no idea what I wanted to major in. At that point, I realized that I would not have the quickest way out, so I chose a major off of instinct: photography. I have been shooting photos for around 6 years now and since I was self-taught, I felt confident that I would be able to continue my passion by studying it in school. However, there were many significant doubts that came up
after choosing my major. What would I do after I graduate? Would I be able to find a job? Would it be a steady job? The list went on and on. During this time, I was enrolled in Journalism 1 as one of my last elective courses. It was in this class where I learned about the opportunity to become a photography intern for The Union. I figured that this opportunity would be perfect to test my photographic skills. In this class, we briefly went over the topic of photojournalism, which immediately piqued my interest. I was familiar with photojournalism, but I never had any intentions to pursue that path because I took photography as a hobby in the past. As soon as I started researching more about the career path, I knew that it was what I aspired to
do. I then changed my major and made a course plan that would fulfill my pre-requisites for it. With the fall semester coming to a close, I submitted my applications and got my classes for the spring of 2019. After taking Journalism 1, I decided that I wanted to become a staff writer for The Union while being a photographer for the publication. This semester, I was able to do just that. I realize now that I should’ve been in The Union earlier and that I should’ve taken more opportunities that were presented to me. Before, I focused too much on trying to get my classwork done and transferring out. I never stopped to notice any clubs, ignored the emails that shared information on workshops and events and never picked up the school paper.
After being a part of the Union, I am exposed to all kinds of events that happen around campus. Also as a representative for Beta Phi Gamma (the journalism club), I’ve had the opportunity to go to ICC meetings every week to witness the contributions of the clubs around campus. It’s been such a privilege for me to experience all of these opportunities. regardless of me getting into them late. If there’s one piece of advice I could give to any student right now, it’d be to just stop and look around. Life’s always moving and if you focus on moving forward too much, you could miss the moments that are worth pausing for.
Check us out on The Union’s Youtube channel, as new videos will be uploaded.
NEWS
4 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
Police Beat Fernando Haro
Former student to appear on ‘The Bachelorette’ Film major puts surf career on hold for chance at love
News Editor @ECCUnionHaro
Giselle Morales
Monday, April 22, at 1:40 p.m.
Editor-in-Chief @ECCUnionGiselle
A woman who left her credit card inside an El Camino College Student Services Center ATM, after making a withdrawal, returned to discover someone had taken out an additional $40 from her bank account. Campus police were unable to locate a suspect.
Tuesday, April 23, at 10 a.m. A Hispanic female in Parking Lot C hit a car and fled as witnesses took note of her license plate number. The driver returned later in the day to report the collision to the EC police department.
Tuesday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m. A woman yelled and pushed another woman during a dispute over a parking space in Parking Lot B. Security cameras show that after the victim left, the other woman hit the victim’s car and scratched it. Campus police located the suspect and interviewed her but the victim did not want to press charges, only the suspect’s information for the insurance company.
Wednesday, April 24, at 8:30 p.m. An argument occurred in the Cosmetology Lab of the Industry Technology Education Center (ITEC) after an EC student’s husband tried to serve her with a court order.
Thursday, April 25, at 3:20 p.m. Campus police encountered a coyote in Parking Lot L. The coyote ran away.
Friday, April 26, at 5 p.m. A man, who was identified as a construction worker, alerted police after they heard him going through the trash bins for scrap metal.
Saturday, April 27, at 11 a.m. A homeless person that attempted to set up camp on EC property adjacent to Parking Lot E was advised to leave by campus police.
Jo Rankin / Warrior Life Hunter Jones with his surfboard at El Porto in Manhattan Beach. Jones, now a former El Camino College student and professional surfer, is set to appear in the latest season of “The Bachelorette,” on Monday, May 13.
‘La Bestia’ continued. . . Nazario almost flunked out her first year but was determined to work twice as hard and find mentors to help get her caught up. “At 21 I became the youngest reporter, I’m told, hired by the Wall Street Journal,” Nazario said. “But I wasn’t going to write about business, I was determined to tell stories that I hoped would matter in some sort of way.” So she decided to focus on social justice issues. She described how she spent time in riot zones, crackhouses, and the most dangerous neighborhoods in Latin America writing “powerful” stories while overcoming obstacles. So when Nazario decided to document Enrique’s travels, she took it upon herself to take the journey on top of “La Bestia,” to show readers what he had been through. Nazario made the trip twice, traveling 1,600 miles for three months on top of seven freight trains and witnessing the terrors migrants go through while attempting to reach the U.S. During her first ride, Nazario was hit with a tree branch that almost flung her over the top of the train. “When this train finally stopped the next day, I learned there was a boy behind the car behind mine who was swiped off by the same branch,” Nazario said. “He was probably dead.” Nazario said children as young as seven years old make the trip and go through everything from being beaten to corrupt cops.
Women often face sexual abuse as the top of the trains are controlled by gangsters and narcos, she added. “I’d see them go from car to car and surround migrants and say: ‘Your money or your life,’” Nazario said. “Sometimes because they’re hopped up on crack or they’re just nuts they would throw people down to the turning wheels below.” She said the dangers of the trip have caused the recent wave of large caravans going North because the migrants believe traveling in large numbers will keep them better protected. Sitting atop the train also included dealing with the Southern Mexico heat, which would make the metal train searing hot, and the Northern Mexico cold that would make children freeze to death, Nazario said. But as she reached her breaking point, Nazario said she realized she was only going through one percent of what the children making the trek go through. “I saw the worst of humanity in Mexico,” Nazario said. “But despite what our president tells you, that they’re all criminals and rapists, I also saw the best of humanity in Mexico.” Nazario said that whenever the train had to slow down, she would see people running out of stick huts with bundles of food in their hands for the migrants. Those that couldn’t offer food would give water or pray for them. During the presentation, Nazario emphasized the importance of foreign aid, which President
Former El Camino College student and professional surfer Hunter Jones will be a participant on the latest season of “The Bachelorette” which is set to premiere on Monday, May 13. Jones, who grew up in Westchester, California, was a film major during his time at EC with a passion for surfing. In the spring of 2016, Jones was the focus of one of the stories in EC’s Warrior Life (WL) magazine and was also featured on the front cover. Jones caught his first wave after his best friend’s dad taught him how to surf, according to the WL Donald Trump recently sought to cut off to reduce homicide rates in dangerous neighborhoods in Central America. “In Honduras, 96% of all homicides get no conviction,” Nazario said. “If a witness steps forward and says ‘I saw that crime,’ tomorrow the gang leaves them in the middle of the street dead.” ‘Sapo’ or frog is often written on the chest of the deceased to remind people what happens to those who come forward. Nazario said the U.S. has been funding a non-profit that goes into the worst neighborhoods in Central America and convince people over months to testify. The witness is put into a black burka that covers them from head to toe and when they arrive at the courthouse they are placed in a closet that has a one-way mirror on wheels, Nazario said. The witness is then wheeled into the courtroom to testify through a voice distorter, she added. Through this non-profit, homicide convictions in the worst neighborhoods in Central American countries have gone up while homicides rates have gone down, Nazario said. Nazario is a prominent figure in the Latino community and advocates for the Puente Project Program. The room was quiet as her story resonated with students. “She’s putting her voice out there,” Anthony Morales, a mechanical engineering major and member of the Puente Project Program, said. “Inspiring us to be able to use her story to empower ourselves and strive for better.” As reported by The Union last year, Latinos made up the largest
Front page illustrastrations Devyn Smith: The Union bell logo Mari Inagaki: Two dancers Mari Ingaki: Softball player
Corrections The word “clothing” was was misspelled on an April 25 photo caption. The Union regrets this error.
article. “Surfing is a selfish sport. It’s all about you, it’s the most selfish sport in the world,” Jones told WL magazine in Spring 2016. But on Monday, Jones will be vying for the heart of bachelorette Hannah Brown, competing with 29 other men. Brown who is from Tuscaloosa, Alabama is an interior decorator and was previously on the 23rd season of “The Bachelor,” according to Brown’s bio on The Bachelorette website. The Union reached out to press representatives from ‘The Bachelorette’ but they said that the participants could not comment “until if and when they were eliminated,” Senior Publicity Director Cathy Rehl said.
The Union also reached out to Jones via Instagram but he said that he could not speak with The Union until after the premiere. “Hunter’s life revolves around the ocean. If the waves allow it, he’ll be in the water every day,” according to Jones’ bio on The Bachelorette website. While at EC, Jones took Journalism 1 Writing and Reporting with professor Kate McLaughlin. McLaughlin said that Jones was a great student and was well-liked by his fellow classmates. “He was a standout, he had a great attitude, he was eager to learn...and his classmates liked him too,” McLaughlin said. To read more about Jones, visit eccunion.com
ethnic group at EC in the 2016 to 2017 academic year. Morales said the Puente Project Program has helped him as a member of the Latino community by providing a safe environment. “One of the reasons we did this event was to see that we don’t impact just a small community of Latinos, we try to impact the whole school,” Morales said. He added “Enrique’s Journey” felt personal to him as he recently had a cousin attempt the trek from El Salvador and his family has not heard from him.
Erica Brenes, a Puente Project Program coordinator, said the program at EC has two families as Puente serves 70 students as compared to other colleges that serve 35. “[Puente] has definitely provided a place where you can meet people,” Jessica Ruiz, a civil engineering major, said. “It really helped me because we have our own personal counselors and we have a real connection with our teachers.”
Elena Perez / The Union Nazario shows a picture of herself riding her horse Blanca back in Kansas in the 1970s. The Puente Project Program hosted Nazario at El Camino College Thursday, May 2.
Measles continued. . .
To report a crime to campus police call (310) 660-3100 or use a “Code Blue” pole. Text ECCPD to 888777 to recieve alerts from campus police.
May 9, 2019
Omar Rashad / The Union Associated Student Organization (ASO) officers listen to a question regarding an item on the agenda Thursday, April 25. ASO elections are held at the end of the spring semester.
Associated Student Organization to hold elections at the end of spring semester
Candidate petitions available in student government office, online Fernando Haro
News Editor @ECCUnionHaro Spring elections for the Associated Student Organization (ASO) will be held at El Camino College the week of Monday, May 27, ASO officials said. ASO President Joseph Mardesich, a business major, said candidate applications are still
available in the ASO Executive Office located inside the Student Activities Center and online. To qualify, candidates must be enrolled in a minimum of six units at EC while maintaining a 2.0 GPA, according to the candidate petition. However, disabled students who may be limited to fewer than six units by a Special Resource Center counselor may be exempt from this
rule. Student Trustee candidates must be enrolled in 7 units and maintain a 2.5 GPA. All positions, including ASO President, will be available but Mardesich added that students wanting to run for a Senate Executive Officer position need to petition 50 signatures from EC students. Lower positions require 25 signatures.
Measles is highly contagious, according to the CDC—90% of non-immune people that come in contact with the disease become infected. Despite the anti-vaccination movement, there are other people whose immune systems are weak and therefore cannot fight off diseases even when they are vaccinated, such as chemotherapy patients, Nilles said. If everyone is vaccinated, the disease can’t make it to the nonimmune, so we “rely on herd immunity,” Nilles said. But herd immunity is not as strong as it used to be, she added.
Treatment and resources
The EC Health Center is funded by the student health fee and does
not accept insurance, which is why it offers the MMR vaccination for a discounted $60, Nilles said. She said that the Health Center also offers a $7 titer test that tests for measles immunity. Since the Health Center is funded by the student health fee it only treats students. However, Nilles said faculty and staff seeking treatment at the Health Center or students who can’t afford the $60 vaccine will be connected to clinics around the area that can provide the vaccine for free or will work with their insurances. “We want to help and connect them to somebody,” Nilles said. “It’s not about saying ‘never’ to anybody or ‘good luck.’”
In case of an outbreak contact the El Camino College Health Center at (310) 660-3643.
Measles facts
1 in 1, 000 people that contract the measles develop brain inflammation. 1 or 2 in 1, 000 affected will die. Symptoms begin eight to 12 days after coming in contact with the virus.
Source: Los Angeles County Public Health Department
ARTS
MAY 9, 2019
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 5
Spring Advanced Dance Concert sticks the landing Choreographed by mostly students who began getting ready for the show early into the semester Diamond Brown
Staff Writer @ECCUnionDiamond
T
he audience laughed in unison as dancers frolicked across the stage in vibrant rabbit costumes displaying various dance styles with a comedic touch in the Marsee Auditorium on Friday, May 3. The El Camino College Fine Arts Dance department presented it’s three day Spring Advanced Dance Concert that began on Thursday afternoon and concluded on Sunday evening. Students have been preparing for this show since the second week of the spring semester, Director and ECC Dance Instructor Liz Hoefner Adamis said. A total of 12 choreographers contributed to the show case. Six students, five faculty and guest choreographer, Genevieve Carson the artistic director of LA Contemporary Dance Company. “I think we’re most excited about Genevieve’s piece,” Adamis said. “She hand picked the best students in the program, they all had to audition for her.” Executing every move with precision, grace, and intensity– draped in neutral colored clothing–
the dancers conveyed their commitment and dedication to the piece (transference) on stage. “She drew out some nice things in the students that we haven’t seen before,” director and ECC dance instructor Jonathan Bryant added. The students performed 12 pieces divided into two acts and there was no theme for the concert this spring. “We didn’t want the students to feel forced by a theme,” Adamis said. “Sometimes students need to room to express what they’re feeling freely,” Bryant added. The dancers creativity came alive as they glided around the floorwith vivacious energy and raw emotion breaking into ripples and solos, accompanied by an in sync music selection to match. “I liked it a lot, I went to the winter show and I like this one much better,” Elizabeth Andrade,18, biology major said. An uptempo curtain call closed the show as the dancers re-emerged to take a bow and the audience cheered for each performer. “It was something completely than I expected, my favorite was the last performance,” Melissa Rodriguez, 20, nursing major said. “There was a representation of each dance genre, music diversity, and humor.”
Mari Ignaki / The Union El Camino College dance students perform the second performance of the night during the Spring Advance Dance concert Friday, May 3. “The 4 Artists” was choreographed by EC student Kianna Peppers.
Mari Ignaki / The Union Six El Camino College students perform “A Cherub’s Whisper” during the Spring Advance Dance Concert in the Marsee Auditorium on Friday, May 3. It was choerographed and performed by EC students Scout Harrison and Mao Saito.
Elena Perez / The Union The Spring Advanced Dance concert had three showings from Thursday, May 2 to Saturday, May 4 in the Marsee Auditorium. The show featured choerography from students, faculty and a guest choreographer.
Students’ artwork to be displayed at the EC Art Gallery Nicoleene Yunker Staff Photographer
The annual student show for the Art Department will debut on Monday, May 13 and continue through Thursday, May 30 in the El Camino College Art Gallery. The show will feature recent work created by EC art students, chosen by faculty. The student show is one of the six exhibitions presented in the gallery each year. The exhibit is a non-curated show and is an eclectic collection of different art from masterful studies to imaginative storytelling–in sizes large and small. Members of the faculty are given two slips for each studio class they teach, said Susanna Meiers, gallery director and curator. “[Faculty] are in control to curate the artworks in the
show however they see fit.” The exhibit will feature a myriad of mediums, all of which El Camino has courses in: 3-D arts like jewelry, ceramics, and sculpture; 2-D arts such as printmaking, painting, drawing, photography, graphic design, digital media, and more. “Each year, the student show is a representation of some of the best works created by our students. With our high-quality art department, it is always very fun to see student work.” said Meiers, “It is interesting to see different trends and what is current.” The reception night, which is the most popular time to visit the exhibit, will take place on Friday, May 17 during the Art Department Open House from 5 to 8 p.m. “I strongly encourage everyone to
Student Art Show May 13 to 30
Nicoleene Yunker / The Union The Student Art Show begins on Monday, May 13 to Thursday, May 30 at El Camino College Art Gallery. The illustration above will not be a part of the showcase.
Open House:
May 17, 5 to 8 p.m.
visit the Open House event. There are many exciting demonstrations and it is a strong representation of the work of our art student body.” said Meiers. The Art Department Open House allows for the exploration of all studio art classes on all levels of the art building. Classrooms are covered in impressive art crafted by students enrolled in the courses, and some will be hosting demonstrations: the Bronze Casting foundry metal pour; the Life Drawing class, which will supply drawing materials and present an eccentrically clothed live model to draw from; and more. The Student Show exhibition is open to the public for no charge, allowing everyone to come and explore the works of El Camino art students.
Art Gallery Hours
Monday and Tuesday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday Noon to 7:30 p.m.
Features
6 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
MAY 09, 2019
Mari Inagaki / The Union Romeial Hilaire, 33, a homeless EC student, performs stand-up at the Black History Month committee show “Express Yourself” at El Camino College February 28. Hilaire spent his first two days living on Skidrow after leaving New Orleans in pursuit of a fresh start and to pursue a career in comedy. [reduced]... ER visits,” Veronica Turner, Homeless Task Force supervisor at the hospital, said. “The ER is not a hotel, so we try to get them into some kind of permanent housing outside the hospital.”
Home is where the heart is
Mari Inagaki / The Union Romeial Hilaire, 33, was left homeless after he left New Orleans for Los Angeles last June to start his life over and pursue a career in comedy. “I was working hard for years and looking out for people, but when I looked around I had little to show for. So, I decided to start over,” Hilaire said.
Since his childhood in New Orleans, Hilaire, or “Riso”, as he is better known to folks back home, remembers having a sense of humor. He recalls laughing at things he only seemed to pick up on, making his parents wonder about their son. “I guess it was voices I was hearing or something ... I would always laugh to myself ... and every time I would do that my dad or my parents would get upset,” Hilaire said. “and they would say, ‘Romeial, What the f—k is so funny?’” After experiencing the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Hilaire recalled the sentiment going around at the time that every boy or young man would thereafter be considered men. And as such, they’d have to be ready to meet any challenges life threw at them head-on. So in 2006, he’d set out to pursue his comedic talents and began to perform at Barataria Live in Marrero, Louisiana. There, he not only developed his comedy chops but also realized he had a special talent-the “gift of gab” for hosting other entertainers too. “Never let anyone tell you ‘you’re too silly’,” Hilaire said. “God made you different. To be put in this world to bring love and laughter and joy to people’s lives through naturally being yourself without harming others or embarrassing others, that’s a gift.” Yuri Anita Lavender Hilaire, Romeial Hilaire’s sister, was the first person to inspire in him the pursuit of comedy, he said. She would be a constant presence during his shows providing support.
Hilaire said he is struggling right now but sees his current situation as temporary and would rather focus on his bigger purpose.
“I’m never going to be happy if I’m not making a full time living doing what I love” - Romeial Hilaire “ And it’s not for the money. You know it’s not just for me. It’s for my community...I don’t want to just inspire blacks, I want to inspire whites, Hispanics, Asians, Indians, the whole world,” he added. Sharonda Barksdale, a financial aid advisor and foster youth and homeless liaison for EC said for older students like Hilaire who are on the verge of homelessness or for those currently facing homelessness, the chances of being housed have become “slim to none.” “A lot of housing right now is tailored towards youth ages 16-25,” Barksdale said. “It’s super difficult right now to help [older students]. Just even in talking to some of the other agencies, ... there’s really not a lot of options.” Hilaire said a simple clerical error cost him his housing, however, due to his good standing at the shelter, he may be placed back in the same facility that aided him the first time around at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, “You know when you’re homeless and you’re out here
RISO Continued from front page... While inside the mission walls, he’d blast Big Sean’s “One Man Can Change The World” through his headphones to ignore the chaos going on all around him that night. The sprawled out bodies of countless homeless men, women, and children seemed to fill every nook and cranny of the shelter. Spaced out crackheads accompanied by the smells of burning plastic and tweakers getting spun out on meth surrounded him. Despite all of that, Hilaire took comfort in the fact that he’d made it to LA. And although his initial plans had not panned out, he’d find the silver lining in the clouds. “They always say if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans because he has plans for you,” Hilaire said. “You know, we tend to get upset when God shows us different, but what we miss out on is that his plans are bigger.”
Upon its arrival, Hilaire ran back inside the shelter to collect his suitcase but inadvertently left the bag of food he’d carried from New Orleans with him next to the vehicle on the sidewalk, when he noticed on his return, his food scattering away in different d i re ct ions. “It was like that movie ‘Coming to America,’” Hilaire s a i d .
His first days
Hilaire spent two days on an Amtrak before disembarking LA’s Union Station only to find that his hosts from the hospitality application, Couchsurfing, were no longer answering his phone calls or responding to his texts. “I’m like what the f—!,” Hilaire said. “I was trying to call them and let them know that I was getting closer, but when I finally got off the train I realized I was just screwed.” He ordered an Uber a n d asked the driver to take him to the safest location in town where he might find a place to crash for the night until he could figure out what to do next. “Are you homeless?” the driver asked. He paused for a moment. “I guess I am now,” Hilaire said. For the next two days, he would find himself holed up inside the Skid Row’s mission walls. “I’m not even from here man. When I tell you the first time I pulled up to that damn place, I thought it was an accident,” Hilaire said. “I said, ‘Hell No, man!,’ that Skid Row should be called Psycho Row!” After two sleepless nights with his back against the wall he decided it was time to move on. Without checking out, Hilaire recalled leaving the shelter after ordering a second Uber when something happened that he’d never forget.
“[ Homeless people] were walking around just eating all my food ... it [felt] like, ‘I want to kill all you motherf——s right now, but all I want to do is get the hell out of here more than anything.” For the following nine months, he would often sleep inside the lounge of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in West Carson until he was relegated to the Emergency Room (ER) by security guards in the hospital. “Man, that was a freaking circus. I feel sorry for anybody who’s still sleeping in there today,” Hilaire said. “I bet I know all of their names.” Months of living in the streets by day and sleeping in the ER by night ended when People Assisting The Homeless (PATH), an organization located within the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, provided him with interim housing at the Salvation Army’s shelter in Bell, CA. “We found that permanently housing people
“He would often perform in New Orleans, and in the Baton Rouge area,” Yuri Hilaire recalls. “I would be there to help collect the tickets and cash for the shows. I’ve been very proud of him.” There were other places like Turnarounds in La Place, Louisiana where he continued to develop as a comedian and host. And Cheers in Baton Rouge, the last place he performed at, he said, before taking the leap towards LA. “In New Orleans, I went from being a famous local comedian, but my name started falling off,” Hilaire said. “I was doing well as a local comedian working solo until I set up my show “What The Hell is So Funny?” that he started to be known less as a comedian and more as a host during the Comedy Central type show that he created where he’d introduce different comedians at Barataria Live in Marrero Louisiana. But after some time he said, was beginning to feel like things weren’t progressing further and was starting to question his place and his future in New Orleans. “I felt trapped in the midst of it,” Hilaire said. “When you’re in a mental jail, you have to find a way to escape. I was working hard for years and looking out for people, but when I looked around I had little to show for. So, I decided to start over.” He mentioned a proud moment during one of his shows in 2016 was when he opened up for an established comedian like Eddie Griffin at the Harris Casino in New Orleans, to whom he was able to provide copies of his recorded DVD “Meet Riso The Hero.”
Illustrations by Ernesto Sanchez / The Union sleeping in the streets, you really start to think ‘I f---d up,’ or, ‘God has really forgotten about me,” Hilaire said. “There’s a lot of doubts. But having the consistency and the passion to keep going, that is untouchable.” But Hilaire reflected on his current situation and thought back to the time in New Orleans when he was gaining popularity and recognition for his stand-up comedy shows as a performer and host. He had a car, he had a home and a girlfriend. But he said he would not trade today or yesterday to get it all back. “I feel so free, I feel so rich and so wealthy than I ever felt living in New Orleans,” Hilaire said. “I’m always going to find myself back going to comedy no matter what I do, so that’s why I’m going to follow my dreams.”
Starting over
For Hilaire said he is happy to have made it to LA and is ready more than ever to put the time and effort necessary to succeed on both the academic and comedy stage. But, he acknowledges that there will be other challenges ahead. During Spring Break this semester, he went back to Louisiana to visit his sister and mother for a few days, only to learn upon his return that he’d lost the room he had been provided at the Bell Shelter. “Right now I just need to get housing. I need to get my housing,” Hilaire said. “where I can just lay down, and get things together, get my thoughts straight. Second, I’d like to start looking for gigs in entertainment, because I’m too old to be doing what I don’t want to do.”
Jose Tobar / The Union
Romeial “Riso” Hilaire, 33, at the Black History “EXPRESS YOURSELF” Thursday, February 28, at student activities center.
Features
MAY 09, 2019
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 7
Jose Tobar / The Union An El Camino College Zine Club meeting where members are discussing current and upcoming projects for the club. Members’ voices were clamoring as pitches and ideas were being hurdled across to each other in room 217 of the Art Builting on Thursday, May 2.
Setting the scenes for the zines Zine Club provides creative outlet for students to self-publish their own interests
Jose Tobar
Staff Writer @ECCUnionTobar
S
ome are artists, some are writers, others identify as photographers, poets, historians-even musicians or jocks, but one thing they’ve all got in common is their need to stretch their disciplines or interests beyond their limits into other creative realms. And to this purpose, they carry with them the “do it yourself” attitude, or DIY, essential to the medium through which they strive to accomplish this end. The zine. Zine culture has arrived at El Camino College with the newly formed EC Zine Club and for those curious minds, the club’s bi-weekly meetings are open for anyone to come and learn about a craft that has sometimes been traced back to the pamphleteer days of the U.S. Revolution. “It’s a great way for people
to see that zine culture exists and is here...with people from different backgrounds making zines,” President of the EC Zine Club Jenebrith Pastran said. “ [They range] from many different things but it’s such a rich subculture that’s really fun and interesting and inclusive.” Ziba Zehdar, a Los Angeles Public Library zinester and librarian who helped establish a zine section across several L.A. city libraries defined zines as any selfprinted material-like pamphletsfilled with the underground, non-mainstream voices that some people trace back to the revolutionary days in the U.S. “I think as long as printed materials have existed, zines have existed, but maybe they weren’t given that name then,” Zedhar said. “It’s a different form of publication. Instead of having books, graphic novels or comic books, it’s something different and acceptable for any age.”
She added that if you like anything then you’ll enjoy making zines because you can put anything you like into them. Or, if “you’re a comedian you can make a joke zine or a cooking zine if you’re a cook, etc.,” Noemi said. For members of the club, like vice-president Aureeyahn Edmundson, 20, African American studies major, making sure things run smoothly and seeing their collective efforts come to fruition with their first issue “Gazes” has proven to be a very gratifying experience. “The main theme [for this issue] is women’s empowerment... what it means to us, what they mean to society, and how we can use our creative means to express our thoughts and opinions about women,” Edmundson said. “Whether it’d be family, celebrities, or whatever female figure(s) mean in our lives.” About 12 members contributed to the club’s first zine publication,
some of whom up until joining had never crafted a zine before, but they are now looking forward to seeing what other themes their creative efforts will lead them to. For Jackie Robinson,19, arts major and the treasurer of the club, her search to express herself through poetry and the visual arts, as well as her desire to collaborate with others ended when she first joined the club this semester. “I came here as soon as we wanted to get it started, and I’ve been there since, I wanted to have a media through which I could express my art forms,” Robinson said. The zine club also participates in fundraising activities like the occasional pop-up thrift store they set up along the library lawn at EC. The money they raise goes into purchasing supplies and planning field trips. This year the club is looking forward to attending and participating in the 8th annual L.A. Zine Fest where they will
get a chance to put on display not only the club’s first issue but their solo zine projects too. The L.A. Zine Fest is an annual event in which hundreds gather under one roof and even more show up to purchase zines, sit in on workshops, or simply to get inspired. This year 200 zinesters are expected to have tables showcasing their works. Daisy Noemi, L.A. Zine Fest’s Co-Organizer explained that among the fest’s purpose is the interest in providing a platform “where artists and creators from different backgrounds can meet.” More specifically, Noemi said, the fest has set out to help heighten the voices of those typically marginalized by today’s mainstream media like people of color, women, the transgendered, and non-binaries, where narrative plays a crucial role. “What’s really important is to have control of your narrative instead of having someone else
share their narrative of you,” Noemi said. “And one of the ways we can do that is by creating zines or artwork that can be shared in this way.” For Taylor Barbur, 20, a communications major, and zine club member, who identifies as a writer, EC holds a special place in her heart but found that it was lacking at times in providing outlets for creativity until she heard of the zine club on campus and joined. “When I found zine club seeing how open and accepting it was, this really bright dynamic space with people being so positive and creativity seeping from them,” Barbur said. “was inspiring for me and it’s helped me to continue to pursue what I really love and what I’m passionate about.”
Club’s meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Art Building room Art B217.
Features
8 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
MAY 09, 2019
Broomsticks, wands and Hogwarts? Not in this class Anthropology 11 explores the culural significance of sacred supernatural beliefs in small-scale societies Diamond Brown
Staff Writer @ECCUnionDiamond
W
hen people think of witchcraft they may think of broomsticks, pointy hats, black cat, a spell book, and a cauldron for mixing potions, but that’s all an illusion. Witchcraft and magic are spiritual practices performed by individuals in several traditional cultures around the world. Each culture has their own set of beliefs and rituals dealing with witches and things of the supernatural. “We have to leave behind our stereotypical thoughts of a Halloween witch, which actually stems from euro American beliefs about witchcraft which differs from native peoples perspective,” anthropology professor Angela Mannen said. Anthropology of Magic, Religion, and Witchcraft (Anthropology 11) has been a part of the El Camino College anthropology department’s curriculum since it was approved in 2000. The course explores the cultural significance of sacred supernatural beliefs serve in various small scale societies. This class is definitely not Hogwarts and there are no magical wands or magic concoctions being conjured up in the classroom. Mannen has been teaching anthropology at El Camino College for over 20 years now. She was inspired to teach anthropology through a faculty mentor at Cal State Fullerton when she was in graduate school. She was selected by the head of the
department to teach an intro level class. By the end of the semester she decided anthropology was what she wanted to do as a career. When she began teaching at El Camino College, the former Dean of the Behavioral and Social Sciences division Gloria Miranda, asked her to help build up the anthropology program and complete the research for the Anthropology 11 course. “This class was developed as faculty interest and student interest, it’s a fun class,” Dean of Behavioral and Social Sciences Christina Gold said. “Angela actually helped develop the course.” Professor Rodolfo Otero specializes in the anthropology of religion and also teaches the anthropology of magic, religion and witchcraft. He has been teaching anthropology with Mannen at El Camino for 14 years. “Angela is excellent, she has the gift of public speaking, her enthusiasm as she provides her lecture keeps the students engaged,” Otero said. Over the years Anthropology 11 has become Mannen’s favorite class to teach. “This is my favorite class maybe because of what we can learn from other cultures in their beliefs and practices, that there’s more than one way to view the world, there’s other values that people can hold and I think it’s important to tap into that knowledge and value it,” Mannen said. In anthropology, there’s no judgement of other beliefs being more true or correct than others. The basic approach is to view and understand people’s beliefs from
Elena Perez / The Union Angela Mannen lectures during the Anthropology of Magic, Religion, and Witchcraft course at El Camino College on Thursday, May, 2.
a holistic perspective of the group that’s being studied, she said. “I think that one of my favorite things is just to see how other people view the world and how religion can be the filter in which they view it,” Mannen said. Magic in anthropology has a connection to the supernatural. Typically a person will practice a set ritual by use of spells or objects and symbols to address a pressing need. People want to assure that they have control of their lives and these rituals give the illusion of control, Mannen said.
“Magic is not going to be pull a rabbit out of a hat, it’s not going to be like any of these illusionists.” - Angele Mannen Similar to religion, the discipline of anthropology is not trying to prove or disprove that magic or witches exist. It’s about understanding how different cultures view these supernatural matters and how they function in their society, she said. This course will highlight how distinct cultures believe a person acquires their witch power and whether the people deem its voluntary or not, and if the person was born a witch or trained to be one. In anthropology, religion can be an umbrella term for any beliefs and practices related to the sacred supernatural. A more generic title for the course would simply be the anthropology of religion. Students will be expected to do a semester research project in Mannen’s class. There are three options for the project; field work, a poster project, or to create a board game. The field work revolves around researching and speaking to someone from a different religion from the student. The poster project deals with researching different cultures ideas of the after life and funeral rituals. Lastly the board game is to incorporate everything they’ve researched into a family style game. Anthropology 11 is a popular course in the anthropology department. Both professors said that they have high
Elena Perez / The Union Angele Mannen gives a tour at the Anthropology Museum at El Camino College on Thursday, May 2. Anthropology 11 is her favorite course to teach because of the different perspectives that come with others’ cultures, beliefs and practices. enrollment this semester. “For both professor Otero and I, it’s our first class that fills up when we’re watching enrollment. We usually have a wait list,” Mannen said. This course meets IGETC transfer requirements as it satisfies
the social and behavioral sciences section. It has recently crossed over to satisfying a humanities option for IGETC as well. “Magic and witchcraft attract the students, most of them are excited and interested in the topic,” Otero said.
Students that earn a bachelors or masters degree in anthropology can get careers in public health, forensics, laboratories and museums, and a wide range of other areas. masters degree in anthropology.
Need a break before finals week? Try this Mother’s Day inspired puzzle made by international students Use these puzzles created by the international students to
test your skills and see how long it takes to complete them.
Record the time it takes to complete and feel free to share your results with us on social media.
The answers, along with the puzzles can also be found on
eccunion.com.
SPORTS
MAY 9, 2019
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 9
Warriors baseball team sweeps Pasadena City El Camino outscores Lancers by combined score of 11-1, moves onto Super Regionals with home field advantage
David Rondthaler
Staff Writer @ECCUnionDavidR
A
fter earning the No. 2 seed on the Southern California side of the 2019 California Community College Athletic Association playoffs, it was announced the El Camino Warriors baseball team would open the first round against the Pasadena City Lancers. Game 1 was Friday, May 3, and Game 2 and 3 (if neccessary) were slated for Saturday, May 4.
Game 1
With the score knotted at 0 in the bottom of the second inning, the El Camino Warriors had two men on base with one out. Taishi Nakawake stepped up to the plate. He came up with a clutch hit: a hard groundball into right field that would score the first run of the game. Nakawake shared his mindset in big situations. “Not trying to get too big and trying to find a pitch to drive,” Nakawake said. Later on, in the same inning, Warriors outfielder Joesph Borges
hit a grounder into left field with the bases loaded, getting two runners to home plate and making the score 3-0 Warriors. In the bottom of the fourth inning, two runners were on second and third with one out. Warriors first basemen Spencer Palmer hit a deep line drive to right center field that would score both runs and get him a double, making it 5-0 Warriors. The Warriors would go on to win the game with the final score of 6-0 and take a 1-0 series lead over the Pasadena City Lancers. Warriors coach Nate Fernely was thrilled to win game one of the series. “It’s always great to win game one. You get the upper hand in the series,” Fernley said. “We are in the driver’s seat.” Nakawake shared similar sentiments to Fernley but knows to take it game by game. “It’s huge. You want to win game one but you have to take it one game at a time,” Nakawake said. During the game, the Warriors played its starting pitcher Jimmy Galicia for all nine innings who delivered a complete game shutout.
Fernley knew Galicia could go the distance, and could possibly help them for game two and a potential game three. “Jimmy can go a lot of innings, he had a lot of rest coming into today’s game,” Fernley said. “We made sure we have a bullpen to throw tomorrow, it potentially can be a long day.” Galicia said he was feeling his fastball today on the mound. “Felt like it was moving a lot, I was able to get a lot of ground balls with it,” Galicia said. Fernley was confident in Galicia to go the distance after the team scored some runs early. “It was nice to score on their number one [pitcher] early. I knew Jimmy had a lot of rest and after we had 5 I knew he could take care of it,” Fernley said. Fernley was happy with how disciplined his team was at the plate, but still felt there was room for improvement. “[We] did a little better,” Fernley said. “Could have taken a lot of better at-bats. We struck out a lot today.”
Kealoha Noguchi / The Union The El Camino Warriors celebrate following their Game 2 victory and series sweep of the Pasadena City Lancers on Saturday, May 4 at Warrior Field. The Warriors scored Game 2 In the top of the first inning with five runs on 11 hits and committed no errors.
Mona Lisa Chavez / The Union Warriors infielder Taishi Nakawake (No. 1) running home while catcher Brendon Casillas (No. 16) and second basemen Spencer Long (No. 7) look on during Game 2 against Pasadena City College at Warrior Field on Saturday, May 4.
runners on first and second base and one out, El Camino Warriors second basemen Spencer Long hit a ground ball into left field, bringing home the Warriors runner on second. Up 1-0 and later in the batting order, Warriors pitcher Aaron Orozco hit a blooper into center field, and another run scored. In Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs, the El Camino Warriors got on the board early and beat the Pasadena City Lancers 5-1 on Saturday, May 4, at Warrior Field. The Warriors swept the series two games to none. In the bottom of the first inning with two outs and Pasadena City runners on second and third base, Orozco threw a pitch to Lancers catcher Cole Pilar. However, the third base side umpire called the play a “balk”. A balk is when the pitcher performs an illegal move on the mound with runners on base. When a balk is called, all runners advance one base. This is to prevent pitchers from making exotic movements to try to throw runners out.
With the balk, one run scored and the Lancers cut the Warriors’ lead to 2-1. Warriors assistant coach Nick Jones did not think that the Orozco did anything worthy of a balk. “I understand the call but I don’t think he did anything different,” Jones said. “Usually a warning is given out before.” Orozco was surprised by the call but knew not to get mad about it. “At first I was shocked, but those plays are all about how you deal it,” Orozco said. In the sixth inning, Warriors right fielder Jerry Granillo came up to bat. And again, balks would become the centerpiece for discussion. Granillo wanted to step out of the batter’s box during his at-bat, but the home plate umpire refused to call a timeout. Lancers pitcher Patrick Pena saw Granillo attempt to call a timeout, so he stopped his pitching motion midway through. The umpire said that Granillo initiated the play and wanted to step out of the batter’s box, and as a result Pena stopped his pitch. And
in the rulebook, that is not a balk. Jones was unaware of the ruling called for the play. “I don’t know about the rule. I have to look it up,” Jones said. “You learn something new everyday I guess.” Orozco went onto throw a complete game and gave up only one run and six hits with eleven strikeouts. The Warriors didn’t have to take anyone out of the bullpen for either game, but Jones said that wouldn’t change any plans heading into the next round. “Relievers are ready and it’s good to have our entire bullpen ready to go next series,” Jones said. Orozco is excited to advance and is highly motivated. “It’s great to win the series,” Orozco said. “This whole journey is for Sladen.”
For more coverage of Warriors baseball, visit eccunion.com
2019 CCCAA BASEBALL PLAYOFF BRACKET SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 1ORANGE 16LA
COAST
MISSION
8MT. SAN ANTONIO 9SANTA
ANA
5VENTURA 12LONG BEACH CITY 4GLENDALE 13SANTA BARBARA 3RIVERSIDE
CITY
14CUESTA 6BAKERSFIELD 11CYPRESS 7SAN DIEGO MESA 16GOLDEN 2EL
WEST
CAMINO
15PASADENA CITY
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 1ORANGE
COAST
1SAN JOAQUIN DELTA
12LONG BEACH CITY
15COSUMNES RIVER
2EL
3SANTA
CAMINO
11CYPRESS
3RIVERSIDE
8LOS
ROSA
MEDANOS
CITY
4SACRAMENTO CITY
8MT. SAN ANTONIO
7COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO
4GLENDALE
5OHLONE
7SAN DIEGO MESA
6FRESNO Results and seeding retrieved from CCCAASports.org
1SAN JOAQUIN DELTA 16MONTEREY PENINSULA 8LOS
MEDANOS
9&10MISSION 5OHLONE 12&11BUTTE 4SACRAMENTO CITY 13TAFT 3SANTA
ROSA
14MODESTO 6FRESNO
CITY 11&12CABRILLO 7COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO 10&9SIERRA
CITY
2FEATHER
RIVER
15COSUMNES RIVER
SPORTS
10 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
MAY 9, 2019
Softball team sweeps San Diego Mesa
Warriors advance to Super Regionals, will play next series against Fullerton Community College
I
Delesia Jackson / The Union Warriors centerfielder Sidra Montoya makes contact with a pitch during Game 2 against San Diego Mesa at El Camino College on Saturday, May 4. Montoya had the second-most at-bats for the Warriors with three. toss, electing to give the Olympians the first at-bat. Warriors softball pitcher Jocelyn Hernandez delivering a pitch against the San Diego Mesa Olympians during Game 2 of their opening round matchup at El Camino College on Saturday, May 4. The Warriors won the series 2-0. Photo credit: Mari Inagaki The Olympians took an early first-inning lead courtesy of Olympian catcher and third baseman Andrea Wright. With the double, Wright managed to bring third baseman Isabella Casares home and placed herself on second. “There was nothing on my mind except bringing her home,” said Wright. The Olympians were eager to
maintain the lead and the Warriors were hungry to overcome it. “Softball is a lot like chess,” Warriors coach Jessica Rapoza said. “You can’t get too emotional and just have to stay the course.” The Olympians kept their 1-0 lead until the fifth inning. Warriors outfielder Mina Nakawake managed to bring home infielder Alena De La Torre and outfielder Kassidy Robinson, giving the Warriors a 2-1 lead. “I was so happy,” said Nakawake. “I’m always put into these situations and today I really needed to make it happen.” Nakawake had gotten a contusion on her right leg during the previous game and wasn’t sure if she would play Game 2. “I wasn’t expected to play but I
1MT. SAN ANTONIO
came in handy,” said Nakawake. “I just knew I had to clutch up and it just took one good pitch.” Rapoza felt relieved and satisfied about Nakawake’s performance. “She’s worked really hard to be able to make such a play,” Rapoza said. “I’m happy Mina got the clutch hit and Alena and Kassie were there to make the run.” The Warriors softball team has advanced to the Super Regionals, which will be hosted at the El Camino Softball Field on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11. “We’ve prepared all that we can, so I think we’re ready,” Rapoza said. “It’s up to the softball gods now.”
Winner will play Northern California winner
April 29, 2019
PLAYOFFS
SOFTBALL
El Camino
2
(2-0)
San Diego Mesa
1
(0-2) ECC wins series 2-0
May 4, 2019
MEN’S TENNIS
Lafond/Mirecki (IVC) Choi/Whitman (ECC)
MEN’S TENNIS
2 0
April 26, 2019
2 0
Hosain/Rogovski (COD)
WOMEN’S TENNIS Inoue/Knickerbocker (OCC)
Ito/Giese (ECC) Long Beach City
April 26, 2019
2 1
April 28, 2019
PLAYOFFS
3
(2-0)
7RIVERSIDE
El Camino
CITY
(1-1)
MEN’S SWIM & DIVE
3PALOMAR
4EL
PCAC Championship
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
2CYPRESS
6ANTELOPE
4th
Davis/Vasquez (ECC)
8SANTIAGO CANYON
12COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS
Aziz Jaouhar
Men’s 500Y Freestyle CCCAA Championships
VALLEY
WOMEN’S SWIM & DIVE
Ida Due
CAMINO
5FULLERTON
Results and seeding retrieved from CCCAASports.org
Women’s beach volleyball team looks for first title
Mira Costa College set to host state championships comprised of four Southern and two Northern California teams
T
April 30, 2019
El Camino
5FULLERTON
he El Camino women’s beach volleyball team is going to the California Community College Beach Volleyball State Championship for the first time in program history after sweeping Bakersfield and Cypress College on Tuesday, April 30. The Warriors opened up the regional playoffs as the No. 4 seed and swept No. 12 seed Bakersfield and No. 5 Cypress College 5-0. “They are much more comfortable [now],” head coach Le
0
MEN’S GOLF
13SAN DIEGO MESA
Staff Writer @ECCUnionKealoha
5
(0-2) ECC advances to state championship
CAMINO
Kealoha Noguchi
PLAYOFFS
Bakersfield
9PASADENA CITY
15&14SOUTHWESTERN
May 4, 2019
(2-0)
8SANTIAGO CANYON
VALLEY 11&10SANTA ANA 7RIVERSIDE CITY 10&11BAKERSFIELD 2CYPRESS
1
El Camino
17CERRITOS
6ANTELOPE
5
WOMEN’S BEACH VOLLEYBALL
1MT. SAN ANTONIO
14&15CITRUS
El Camino
(0-2) ECC wins series 2-0
2019 SOUTHERN CCCAA SOFTBALL PLAYOFF BRACKET
3PALOMAR
PLAYOFFS
Pasadena City
Staff Writer @ECCUnionJaime
4EL
BASEBALL
(2-0)
Jaime Solis
n the bottom of the second inning, the atmosphere at the El Camino College softball field was intense as a constant thwap echoed across the field. Warrior infielder Sidra Montoya was at-bat and hit foul ball after foul ball from Olympians pitcher Karly Ramsey. The El Camino Warriors softball team faced the San Diego Mesa Olympians for Game 2 of their California Community College Athletic Association Softball Southern California Regional Playoffs series on Saturday, May 4, at noon. The Warriors led the bestof-three-series one game to none having come off a decisive victory the day before. The Olympians cheered during each one of their positive plays, culminating in the top of the seventh inning with one Olympians coach yelling “we’re louder” as San Diego Mesa’s Savannah Ames bunted to first base and sent teammate Adrianna Dorame to second. The Warriors finished their preparation for Game 2 with a pregame prayer, a ritual started by infielder and right-handed pitcher Diamond Lewis. “I used to do it by myself,” said Lewis. But in the middle of the season, the Warriors decided to do the prayer as a team. “I feel like it helps our game get to the next level. Adding something spiritual gives you something extra against the other team.” Soon after the prayer, the team orders were introduced and the Warriors won the opening coin
SCORES AROUND CAMPUS
Valley Pattison said. “We always want to be, we expect to be good every year.” The state championship begins Thursday, May 9, at 9 a.m. Four teams from Southern California and two teams from Northern California will face off for the championship. On Thursday, May 9, the Warriors begin tournament play with three games. The first game is against Grossmont College at 9 a.m. and the second game is at 11 a.m. versus Gavilan College. The third game is at 4:30 p.m. against an opponent yet to be determined.
Grossmont College, El Camino’s first opponent, finished the season with a 21-2 record. They are currently on a 15-game winning streak. The Warriors’ second opponent, Gavilan College, had a 13-7 record and is on a 4-game winning streak. Beach volleyball officially became a sport in the CCCAA in 2015. “[Bringing home a title] would be fantastic. We always strive to be one of the best teams in the state,” Pattison said. Following back-to-back 14-6 records in 2017 and 2018, the 2019 Warriors beach volleyball team improved to a 16-5 record,
including an impressive 15-1 record at home. This season the Warriors had the best overall record in the South Coast Conference and went on four three-game winning streaks. Their longest winning streak was from March 8 to March 15, where they defeated Mt. San Antonio, Pasadena Club, Ventura, Cypress and Rio Hondo.
For more coverage of Warriors sports, visit eccunion.com
Women’s 500Y Freestyle CCCAA Championships
WOMEN’S SWIM & DIVE Athena Katsouridis Women’s 1M Diving CCCAA Championships
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
El Camino
0 April 25, 2019
4:40.14 (2nd) May 2-4, 2019
5:03.14 (1st) May 2-4, 2019
183.60 (2nd) May 2-4, 2019 May 4, 2019
CCCAA SoCal Regional Finals
17 individuals, both relay teams qualify for state championships WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
El Camino
May 4, 2019
CCCAA SoCal Regional Finals
12 individuals, 400M relay team qualify for state championships Scores Around Campus retrieved from eccwarriors.com and cccaasports.org