EL CAMINO COLLEGE
THE UNION
Sports, page 10
March 28, 2019
S e r v i n g t h e E l C a m i n o c o m m u n i t y s i n c e 19 4 6 eccunion.com
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Arts, page 6
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA
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Swastika found inside Art Building elevator Motif considered vandalism under law Fernando Haro
News Editor @ECCUnionHaro
Mari Inagaki/Union Laura Martinez rides her bike in Alondra Park next to the Dominguez Channel on Oct. 24, 2018. Martinez is one of about 20 individuals that live in the homeless encampment.
Homeless forced to leave channel Encampment residents are displaced from surrounding EC community
Fernando Haro
News Editor @ECCUnionHaro AND
Omar Rashad
Copy Editor @ECCUnionOmar
R
esidents of the homeless encampment in the Dominguez Channel next to El Camino College were up as early as 6 a.m. dumping their belongings outside the irrigation
system on Tuesday, March 26. Anything they couldn’t carry themselves was thrown out as part of a scheduled clean-up by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works. Residents rushed to eat breakfast and removed their items when a front loader drove up to the channel on Manhattan Beach Boulevard. “I’m in between being belligerent and being like kind of humiliated because it’s hard for them to understand some shit,” Tony Smith, encampment resident,
said. “They should understand that they’re an incident away from being homeless themselves.” The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department worked with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) to clear the channel and provide housing and other services to the residents. “Prior to today a lot of work has gone into this to treat people with dignity and respect and to try to connect them with a service provider,” Sgt. William Kitchen said. “Whether it is housing, some
people simply need IDs, drivers license, Social Security cards to get them connected to services.” LAHSA also entered the channel and talked with residents of the homeless community but declined to comment about the services they were offering. Kitchen said that after working with LAHSA in an effort to provide services to those willing to accept them, the county goes through the process of cleaning the channel. Encampment continued on page 4.
Homeless students may get overnight parking Those in good standing with college would be eligible under proposed law Omar Rashad
Copy Editor @ECCUnionOmar
Mari Inagaki/ Union Roxann Toshiko Tomiyasu walks to one of her classes on Jan. 30, 2019. Tomiyasu currently takes automotive techonology courses at El Camino College. purchased for her in 2017. Although the vehicle functioned for about a year and a half, it broke down in October 2018 and has been parked on Manhattan Beach Boulevard next to EC ever since.
Although her car does not work and serves as a means of storage for now, Tomiyasu is hopeful she’ll get it fixed one day. She studies automotive technology at EC and is learning to become an automotive
Homeless bill continued on page 5.
Faculty hopes for friendly environment Omar Rashad
Copy Editor @ECCUnionOmar Book gates located inside El Camino College’s Schauerman Library were taken down in the first week of March because of frequent false alarms caused by outdated technology, a librarian said. Public Access Librarian Gary Medina said the gates served the purpose of alerting personnel when materials were taken out of the library without being checked
Coyotes continue to be considered an issue despite them being part of the community since before
International students are only allowed to work on their college campus and must go through several extra steps before being
The 19th annual El Camino College Cherry Blossom Festival will feature haiku poetry reading and a taiko drum dance.
Life can change in the blink of an eye but her recent diagnosis won’t phase her.
El Camino College men’s baseball continue their dominance this season against Pasadena City College
See page 3.
See page 5.
See page 6.
See page 7.
Sports
Men’s baseball
Features
Meet Emily Hansen
Arts
Cherry blossoms
hired.
out. However, the book gates’ alarms also went off on students not carrying library items. “We had a situation with our book gates where they just go off randomly,” Medina said. “They would go off all the time and students wouldn’t necessarily have one of our materials.” The gates located at the library’s lobby entrances would regularly give library staff false alarms, sometimes going off ten times within one hour depending on student foot traffic, Medina added. Book gates continued on page 4.
Elena Perez/Union Students walk through where the book gates used to be in the Schauerman Library on. The librarians are discussing new security methods to prevent inventory loss.
Work study
urbanization.
Vandalism continued on page 5.
Library gates removed due to false alarms
Coyotes
News
Opinions
Doing homework at night is hard for her. If her flashlight batteries are dead, she relies on streetlights to see, but it also gets cold and damp outside as her hands cramp up while attempting to complete assignments. Ink sometimes bleeds and the letters blur—B’s begin to look like eights and M’s begin to look like W’s, she said. But most enduring was when homeless El Camino College student Roxann Toshiko Tomiyasu used to sleep in the Masao W. Satow Library parking lot in Gardena and run into drunkards and gang members, she said. “You’ve got gangs out here saying, ‘Oh, we don’t want homeless in this area—we’re just going to beat them up,’” Tomiyasu said. “We have drunks and all these people running around.” Her refuge from the outside is a used Ford Explorer her daughter
mechanic. But when she heard of a new bill introduced in the California State Assembly, which would mandate community colleges to allow homeless college students the ability to park on campus parking lots overnight, Tomiyasu said she thought it was a great idea. “It would make me more stabilized, you know, founded,” Tomiyasu said. “It’ll make me safer mentally, no strain, and that’s a lot.” The new bill, formally known as AB 302, was introduced to the Assembly floor by Assemblyman Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) on Jan. 29 and is currently awaiting approval from the state Assembly’s Higher Education Committee on Tuesday, April 2. If passed through the legislature, the bill can affect over 13 percent of the EC student population as over 190 students are homeless, according to the ECC Student Campus Climate Survey 2018 report.
A swastika drawn with black marker was discovered inside an elevator car in the Art and Behavioral Science Building at El Camino College on Tuesday, Feb. 26, authorities said. Police do not have a suspect since the elevator is one of the older ones on campus without security cameras, EC Chief of Police Michael Trevis said. “Personally, I think it was despicable,” Trevis said. “I think it was totally disrespectful and it is not tolerated.” According to the State of California Department of Justice, this is classified as vandalism because there has to be written or verbal comments that show prejudice. A perpetrator also has
to target a specific victim based of religion or gender for words or actions to be considered a hate crime. “I feel scared and I feel angry,” Ariella Filishtiner, a psychology major, said. “I think that it should be considered a hate crime because it’s instilling fear in people.” Filishtiner, who is Jewish, said the incident not being considered a hate crime allows people to express themselves in ways that can create more harm than good. EC is among Southern California colleges whose campuses have been vandalized with anti-Semitic symbols, like how the California State University, Northridge (CSUN) discovered swastikas and racist messages written across their campus last semester, according to the Los Angeles Times.
See page 9.
EDITORIAL
2 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
MARCH 28, 2019
CAMPUS VIEWPOINTS: IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE CAMPUS Roseana Martinez
Opinion Editor @ECCUnionRoseana The Union went around campus and asked students what their favorite thing on campus was. They also shared their thoughts on improvements that they think should be made around campus.
Fernando Hernandez, 19, film major “One of the things I like about the campus is how easy everything is to access. We have all kinds of staff who can help you find your classes and stuff. One thing that can be improved upon, I would say, would be the restrooms being old.”
Illustration by Elena Perez/Union
Parking should be accessible to homeless students
Regardless of whether AB 302 is passed in state Assembly, EC should address growing housing insecurity
S
tudents make a commitment to better their lives when enrolling into a community college. For some, the commitment could be harder depending on their living situation. According to a survey done by The Hope Center, 60 percent of California community college students claim to have experienced housing insecurity in the past year. The Hope Center defined housing insecurity as the shortcomings students face when it comes to paying rent, utilities, and not having a stable place to live. It is not common for community colleges to offer housing or dormitories but they do have something on campus that could help students in need. Their parking lots can serve as an overnight residency for students without a place to sleep. Fortunately, a bill that lets homeless students spend the night at their community college’s parking space has been proposed, according to the California Legislative website. Assemblyman Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) introduced AB 302 which only requires a homeless student to be enrolled and in good standing with their school to benefit from the bill. But regardless of whether the bill passes or not, El Camino College should be lenient towards homeless students seeking shelter at their school. A student that is already registered, paying for classes and is facing housing insecurities should not get in trouble for spending the night in their college’s parking lot. However, it could get problematic if non-homeless students attempt to abuse the school’s tolerance over the matter. A system could be set in place to recognize students who suffer from housing insecurity. It could be simple and discreet like the second form of identification. This can aid the coordination between homeless students and the EC Police Department. The bill leaves the details up to the community colleges so it is up to them to specify whether students need a vehicle to sleep at their parking facilities.
EC should be empathetic but also draw the line somewhere. There could be many complications if homeless students set up tents in the parking lots overnight. Tents could lead to an encampment in the parking lots that would be impede the majority of the student body, faculty and staff. It would be hard to enforce the rule of having tents taken down and moved before classes begin. Sleeping in a car should be required and they should move their vehicle in the morning unless they have an upcoming class. There are other technicalities that need to be figured out before EC allows homeless students overnight parking access but it should be something already considered. It is nowhere near a perfect solution for the problems homeless students face but it will surely aid them. If EC cares about their students, they should assist the ones who strive for a college education regardless of their situations.
Sarai Agosto, 18, undecided “I like probably the coffee shops and variety of like food places. I think the bathroom stalls should be improved by making them a little bigger.”
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 t he new law t hat has b e en i nt ro duce d for homeless st udent s? Sha re you r t houg ht s on e ccu n ion@g ma i l.com
• • • •
Numbers
Prisila Valadez, 20, sociology major “What I like around campus is the faculty and the resources around campus, like the tutoring the campus provides. One thing that can be improved is parking to be easier. Finding parking is difficult.”
60 percent of students have housing insecurities 19 percent of respondents were homeless the previous year 40 percent of respondents had both food and housing insecurities in the past year, 50 percent of respondents had food insecurities in the past 30 days Survey done by the Hope Center
Editor’s Thoughts: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down Thumbs up to encouraging El Camino College to have a designated drop-off and pick up location for Uber and Lyft drivers. Thumbs up to spring break coming up in two weeks.
THE UNION
Vol. 74, No. 9 March 28, 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 ..........................................Elena Perez Copy Editor............................................Omar Rashad Assistant Editor......................................Justin Traylor Assistant Photo Editor............................Rosemary Montalvo Staff Writer.............................................Kealoha Noguchi Staff Writer.............................................Diamond Brown Staff Writer.............................................Jun Ueda Staff Writer.............................................Jaime Solis Staff Writer.............................................David Rondthaler Staff Writer.............................................Oscar Macias
Thumbs down to the broken water machine in the Humanities Building.
Thumbs down to a swastika drawn in an elevator in the Art and Behavioral Science Building.
Staff Writer..............................................Lydia Lopez Staff Writer..............................................Anna Podshivalova Staff Writer..............................................Melanie Chacon 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
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.
Isaac Gutierrez, 18, nursing major “What
I really think is cool about campus is the one lunch truck that’s over by the parking and bookstore. I got this one breakfast burrito and it was really good. Things that should be improved here, I think probably more food trucks.”
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
MARCH 28, 2019
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 3
CAMPUS VIEWPOINTS: STUDENT SHARE THEIR SPRING BREAK PLANS Jose Tobar
Staff Writer @ECCUnionTobar
With midterms coming up, The Union asked students about their spring break plans.
Illustration by Jose Tobar/Union Irma Ramirez, 19, biology major
“Relax, catch up on homework that is due the following week. Also, study for exams that I know are going to come up and hopefully spend time with my family.”
Derick Rodriguez, 19, undecided “I am going to help out a couple of friends and do as much work as possible. I am also going to reach out to others, and learn some stuff along the way.”
Coyotes should not be evicted out of respect for wildlife on campus
Attacks on humans are not as common as we think, lessons can be learnt from folktales
Jose Tobar
Staff Writer @ECCUnionTobar
D
espite the Nite Guard deterrents installed across campus at El Camino College, coyotes remain undeterred and continue to make their presence known. So, perhaps it’s time to readjust our relationship to our four-legged
relatives by understanding the reasons for their behavior. It is true that last year the stray cat, “Don Cornelius,” a long-term resident at EC, met his tragic end at the hands (or paws) of an unknown predator. It’s been assumed that the perpetrator may have been a coyote. However, EC Chief of Police Michael Trevis dispelled that suspicion when he stated that “it was not definite” the death of the “dean of cats” had indeed been committed by a Coyote. Coyote attacks on small animals should come as no surprise. Because of the ongoing human encroachment into their traditional hunting grounds and a dwindling food supply, these fourlegged animals have been forced into the cities. Less infrequent but more upsetting kinds of encounters between coyotes and humans can occur. Like the incident at Cal
State L.A. last year in March when a wandering coyote in search of food bit a 5-year-old boy in the leg. The boy survived, the coyote on the other hand was shot and killed by responding LAPD officers. As troubling as negative humancoyote interactions can be, they are rare. A study published by Utah State University in 2017, Coyote Attacks on Humans, 19702015: Implications for Reducing the Risks, reported 367 negative encounters nationwide. Of the attacks on humans that were documented over a 45 year period, only 165 of those occurred in California and none were fatal. The facts speak for themselves revealing that our ideas about the dangers these animals pose to us may be exaggerated. Like Native Americans who held coyotes and wildlife in high regard, we can learn to shift our attitudes towards them by learning
about the place they occupied in the worldview of the tribes. The coyote often shows up in folktales as a trickster who imparts knowledge through the mischief he creates, but in others, he is a life-bringing gift giver. One Kalapuya story tells the tale of “the frog people” who controlled the water resources of the land and were stingy about sharing it until the day a coyote approached them with a deer’s rib that resembled a precious shell. Tricking the frog people into trading the rib for a drink of water, the frogs offered him a single gulp. “But I may take a very long one,” he said to them. And doing so, with his head and paws beneath the water, he pierced a hole through the dam. The great deluge of water that was let loose spread across the land, creating the rivers and streams for the people who’d been denied its access before.
There are other creative ways EC can address the concerns over coyotes visiting campus grounds while paying the same kind of respect the story above illustrates. In addition to the deterrents currently in place, EC should consider adding interpretive signage posts around campus. Through visuals and snippets of information, such posts can educate students about the wildlife they may encounter in school. Additionally, these can help promote safe practices around other fauna-raccoons, opossums, squirrels, coyotes, even hawks—as well as deepen our understanding of them too. After all, at one time or another, we have all expressed some awe, admiration or the slightest bit of curiosity in silence or out loud, at the sight of our four-legged relatives. In some ways, they are here for us.
Ride-share drivers should have a designated spot on campus Rayyan Franklin, 22, biology major “Well I was planning to travel, but I changed my plans. I’ll just take a break from school just at home and relax and do some work that pertains to the coming exams, and for the finals, stuff like that. I was planning on going to London but it didn’t work out.”
Tips on calling Uber and Lyft drivers for efficient pick-up and drop-off locations
Devyn Smith
Staff Writer @ECCUnionDevyn
Jenebrith Pastran, 21, art history major “So, I’m hoping to go up to the bay, I think April 6, to go and visit the school that I got into, San Francisco State University. So, there’s this event where you can meet faculty, and it’s kind of like this welcoming for admitted students, transfer students specifically. I’m trying to go for maybe a day or two. I’m just gonna spend it over there.”
Planning on traveling, going to music festivals, or binge-watching your favorite show for spring break? Share your ideas with us on eccunion@gmail.com
Before I got my license, I commuted to El Camino College by using Uber. Talking is one of my pastimes, so I would usually make conversation with the driver. The first topic of conversation was usually about EC, and I noticed that a lot of drivers I talked to had a lot of problems when it came to students calling for rides. The biggest issue I heard was that passengers were not in the spot they “pinned” as their pick-
up spot on the map, and the driver was left to just guess where the passenger actually was. Drivers would either have to cancel the ride or make a phone call that, in retrospect, was unnecessary for them. EC “main street” along Crenshaw Blvd used to be the Uber and Lyft hot spot for pickups. But that street is blocked off until construction on the new Administration Building finishes. As a result, pick-ups and dropoffs have been relegated to either outside the Marsee Auditorium or along Manhattan Beach Boulevard. The default location for the pickup pin at EC is on Crenshaw Blvd. Before construction meant that the road was blocked off, this made sense. The sheer amount of traffic flowing through that street on a regular basis was reason enough. However, even about a year after groundbreaking on the new Administration Building and a
year after that road was blocked off, I would notice that the default pickup location was still on that street. I haven’t had to use Uber in a while, but for all I know that could still be the default pickup area. EC and its streets can be confusing for someone driving through for the first time, so I sympathize with the drivers who pulled over on the other side of campus and phoned me, asking to meet them where they parked as opposed to my location. In the best interests of everyone here at EC, as well as all the drivers that service us, I really want us to make it as easy as possible for them.
For calling an Uber at EC, here are a few tips:
Uber has a little blue button you can tap after ordering a ride that will let your driver see your live location. This gives the driver some certainty as to where you are. Don’t just enter your destination and find a ride without adjusting
the pick-up pin. Take a few seconds to drag that pin over to where you actually are. Sometimes the pin will be placed on the complete opposite side of campus or the other side of the street. After ordering a ride, the Uber app shows the driver’s plate numbers and an icon of their car. Take a few moments to remember what the color of the car is as well as the first few digits of their license plate to make it easy for you to flag down your ride. This strategy, in particular, has helped me find my ride quickly. This process not only helps you get to your destination faster, but it also alleviates stress on the driver. For calling an Uber to commute to EC, the most important thing I can suggest is to walk the driver through where you want to get dropped off. Most of the time they won’t know the names of the buildings, so it’s really important to just
guide them verbally and point out certain areas when they get on campus. A few extra moments explaining these things will make the entire interaction much smoother and pleasant. I’ve taken plenty of rides to EC and back. These were some of the tips and tricks that I employed to make the experience for the driver and myself as smooth as possible. Hopefully, some of these tips will do the same for you. It’ll be great if I ever need to use an Uber again one day and the driver mentions how helpful the students make it to navigate around. Recent news on Uber and Lyft • • •
Uber and Lyft drivers have gone on strike People were protesting wage cuts and working conditions According to an article with NBC News, workers had a 25-hour strike outside the Redondo Beach Uber offices Source: NBC News
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NEWS
4 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
March 28, 2019
Police Beat Fernando Haro News Editor
Saturday, March 16, at 12:30 p.m. An individual in the Library was told to leave after viewing inappropriate material on one of the computers adjacent to the reference desk. The individual returned and poured water onto the keyboard. Campus police were unable to locate the suspect but the keyboard continued to function. Saturday, March 16, at 7:55 p.m. An individual standing in Parking Lot J jumped on the hood of woman’s car and proceeded to pound at it after she honked at him. The man then got off the hood and walked into Marsee Auditorium. Monday, March 18, at 7:21 p.m. A student experiencing abdominal pain on the third floor of the Math Business Allied Health Building was transported to a hospital. Tuesday, March 19, at 5:11 a.m. Security cameras captured an individual walking the perimeter of the new Administration Building construction site and looking inside. The individual left and returned with different clothes and walked around the perimeter of the new gymnasium construction site. Campus police gave them a 626 notification—meaning that if they were to step on campus again within a certain period of time they would be arrested. Wednesday, March 20, at 5:31 a.m. Damage was reported to the fencing surrounding the new Student Services construction site. Wednesday, March 20, at 12:22 p.m. Officers could not find two individuals that were reportedly looking into car windows in Parking Lot C. Wednesday, March 20, at 3:02 p.m. A group of students were playing loud music in the North Reading Room of the library and were cooperative with officers in turning it down. Thursday, March 21, at 9:00 a.m. An individual was arrested in the Student Services Center after violating a 626 notification. Thursday, March 21, at 9:54 a.m. A student in the Library having trouble breathing was transported to the hospital. Saturday, March 23, at 1:06 p.m. Officers checked in on an individual that laid motionless on a bus bench on Redondo Beach and Crenshaw Boulevard. The individual was sleeping. Sunday, March 24, at 12:53 p.m. Two individuals were escorted off campus after having a verbal fight on a Roadium Open Air Market bus in Parking Lot L. The Roadium Open Air Market is a swap meet or flea market located on Redondo Beach Boulevard.
Mari Inagaki/ Union A resident of the Dominguez Channel homeless encampment sweeps away trash and picks up plastic bottles as the water rises on Jan. 30, 2019. During city scheduled clean ups, everything is thrown away and the residents start over.
Encampment continued from page 1... “Everybody knew this was coming,” Kitchen said. “We go down and talk to the people and we try to have the people separate what’s their personal property and what’s trash.” Kitchen added that the Department of Water and Power provide storage to the residents for 90 days, which they can visit during regular business hours. However, residents of the encampment were upset at losing what little they call home. Authorities made sure residents of the channel did not return by placing boulders along the ramp that leads into the irrigation system.
The calm before the storm
Just a couple weeks before the scheduled clean-up, a normal morning began with the stench of a river flowing through the Dominguez Channel filled with dirty mossy water, trash and the occasional propane tank. When the river floods due to rain, most of the homeless folks prepare by moving their tents up the ramp that leads into the irrigation system to escape the river’s reach. Laura Martinez had been living in the channel along busy Manhattan Boulevard for eight months when she said she would have never imagined her life turning out like this. “We had a three bedroom in a suburban area, a Scion, we had everything,” Martinez said. “We went camping, we had a family, and then everything fell apart.” Now after being kicked out of the Dominguez Channel, Martinez is displaced again. She is one of over 50,000 homeless individuals in the greater Los Angeles area, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Martinez said it has been difficult being homeless and that she has had to develop a thick skin because people view her from a different perspective. “People tend to think the worst [of homeless people],” she said. “[That] they’re drug addicts, and they’re criminals and they’re stealing.”
Life in the shadows
A typical morning for Martinez
consists of a walk to the park to use the restroom and restock her water supply for the day. “It’s hard not to have a bathroom, or lights, or water,” Martinez said. “It wears you out lugging water all day and feeling dirty and wondering about what you’re going to eat and where you’re going to cook it.” However, Martinez said that when they do have enough to eat, it was not convenient to cook in the channel. “You can’t really cook big meals because it’s only one burner but I’ve tried,” Martinez said. “I cooked the rice first because it stays warmer longer, then the meat and leave the rest for later.” Each resident of the encampment had a role within the community. Some cleaned, some cooked and some found it upon themselves to keep everything in order. “But there’s people who think that [we] are thinking of ways to ruin the community,” Martinez said. “That’s not at all what it’s like. [But] one bad apple can ruin the rest of the bunch.”
A harsh reality
Martinez said that although there are shelters available, they are often far away, leaving her feeling out of place with only a few items she can carry. “When you don’t really have anything down here, you can’t really find work, it’s almost impossible,” Martinez said. “On top of that, you create bad habits that are detrimental to you finding a job.” But Martinez said homeless individuals require help far beyond just housing. “The help that you need is not just physical but mental and medical,” Martinez said. “To send somebody to a shelter doesn’t do nothing. It’s like saying ‘shoo, get out of here and don’t come back.’” Martinez said that the lack of help is why shelters are overflowing with people with mental health issues and criminals. Martinez added she felt safest in the channel where there was a developed sense of family among residents of the encampment.
Attempting to rebuild
After living in the homeless
encampment along the Dominguez Channel for a long while, Roxann Toshiko Tomiyasu, 65, decided it was time to back to school when her daughter graduated from EC in 2015. Living out of her brokendown Ford Explorer parked next to EC on Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Tomiyasu studies automotive technology and is trying to become an automotive technician. “I have to keep on moving on so my daughter can feel proud of me,” Tomiyasu said. “She wants me to get a job instead of getting all this hard time and struggling.” Tomiyasu has lived on the streets since the 1980s and became addicted to alcohol and heroin. She found it difficult to take control of her urges, she said. In order to keep herself in line, she got pregnant. “I had to get pregnant even though I wasn’t married just to keep me off of heroin and alcohol—just to keep me responsible,” Tomiyasu said. Knowing she had a baby made her straighten out and become someone different for someone else. She remembers telling her daughter that she could put her up for adoption but her daughter refused; she wanted to stay with her mother. Her daughter lived with her for a period of time and eventually
went on to attend and graduate from EC. If her daughter could do it, Tomiyasu said she could do it as well. Over the past three years, she has become more relaxed and less-stressed throughout the day, Tomiyasu said. Other individuals in homeless situations should also try to attend school so they can work towards something for themselves, she added. “I think it’ll help them a lot mentally instead of being stagnated and being dumbfounded,” Tomiyasu said.
Residential community response
Despite the hardships faced by encampment residents, there have been mixed responses by the surrounding community regarding the situation along with claims that residents of the homeless encampment are involved with drug use or trading, attempted car break-ins and stealing mail. “There is definitely a risk of higher crime, burglary, and breakins with the homeless community across the street,” Carla Waffer, daughter of an El Camino Village resident, said. Waffer said she recalls a situation where she had to call the police when she discovered an individual had been stashing their belongings under a tree in her mother’s lawn.
Book gates continued from page 1...
Illustrations: Kaeloha Noguchi Rosemary Montalvo Jun Ueda
Corrections In the March 14 issue, the deck of a story was inaccurate. Warrior Life is a yearly magazine not monthly one.
Mari Inagaki/Union Former encampment resident looks onto busy Manhattan Beach Boulevard on Oct. 3, 2018. Jay Tran lived in the Dominguez Channel for two years and has been removed from the encampment before.
Elena Perez/Union Students walk in and out of the library without having to go through the book gates. The librarians say thousands of students walk through the lobby every day.
The Schauerman Library is often used as a shortcut to get across EC. Instead of having to walk around the Distance Education Center, Learning Resources Center and library to get to, say, EC’s popular south parking lots, students can be seen cutting through the library’s lobby in droves to get across campus faster around noon. “We get thousands of students sometimes that will cut through over the course of an hour and it [book gates] would regularly go off and people wouldn’t have anything,” Medina said. When book gates went off, library staff would call students back into the library to verify whether they were carrying library items; Medina said the frequency of the book gates going off on students without library materials did not make for the best environment. “We had to analyze how welcoming of a place is that, when
you’re telling students who don’t have anything to keep coming back,” Medina said. The book gates were over 15 years old and after librarians worked with EC administrative staff, the outdated security system was removed, Medina said. Early Childhood Education Major Allison O’Neill attested to the frequency of the book gates going off, also recalling a time when she was exiting the library when the book gates went off on her as well. “It would go off really frequently,” O’Neill said. “It just seemed like it was going off every second at certain times.” Medina said removing the book gates came down to providing a more “welcoming atmosphere,” which is one of a few other changes the library has recently implemented. For example, throughout his time at EC over the past two and a half
Waffer added that a police officer came over to throw the items out into the street and, although the individual was never identified, the items disappeared. However, EC Chief of Police Michael Trevis said it is important to help everyone in the community while being compassionate. “The challenge is to try to encourage and get that person to want that help,” Trevis said. “Unfortunately, there is an element of homeless people that for whatever reason they just do not want to help themselves.” Trevis said that while homeless shelters are available, some individuals may be discouraged to stay there because there are too many rules they’ll have to follow. Trevis also added that EC offers an equal opportunity to everybody and anybody can enroll in classes. “If somebody is homeless and they wanted to enroll in classes, they can,” Trevis said. “They can apply for fee waivers, just like anybody else. We also have the Warrior Pantry.” This article was also contributed to by Jun Ueda.
years, Medina said he discovered the Schauerman Library had never done an inventory check in its long history. After working with the cataloging staff, the library is now in the middle of its first inventory check, he said. “When we do inventory again in three, four or five years, depending on what timeline we are looking at, we can see and assess our collections that way,” Medina said. Medina added that with consistent inventory checks, library staff would be able to gauge the number of missing items from the library, also known as shrinkage. Outreach Services Librarian Camila Jenkin also explained the concept of pushing for more library initiatives and other changes at the library. “Our mission is to work with our campus,” Jenkin said. “Our biggest effort is to find out what the community needs.”
NEWS
March 28, 2019
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 5
Vandalism continued from page 1 . . . A symbol steeped in white supremacy
The swastika is a long-time reference to Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime’s central beliefs of white supremacy. On Feb. 26, 1935, Hitler’s Third Reich created an aerial warfare branch, known as the Luftwaffe, which violated the Treaty of Versailles, according to History. The document is noted to have officially ended World War I. On the same day, 84 years later, a swastika was scrawled inside the old, wooden-lined EC elevator. Prior to the Nazi regime, the swastika was not associated with evil. The word is derived from Sanskrit (svastika), which means “good fortune” or “well-being,” according to the Holocaust Encyclopedia. But Hitler believed the symbol was a representation of Aryan identity and made it the impetus of Nazi ideology, according to the Holocaust Encyclopedia.
A far-reaching relevance
Hitler’s swastika continues to influence incidents of vandalism and violence. Back in 2015, Christopher Harper-Mercer, who had white supremacist ties, opened fire inside a classroom at Umpqua Community College in Oregon, according to the Los Angeles Times. Harper-Mercer reportedly asked them their religion and proceeded to shoot them, according to the Los Angeles Times. Only three years earlier, Harper-Mercer was a student at EC. Swastikas were reportedly etched into the gun magazines Nikolas Cruz used to kill 17 in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting last year, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Student Reaction
Filishtiner said there is no justification for the drawing of the swastika at EC; it makes her feel hurt and scared because of incidents like mass shootings.
“And although I do support free speech, I think hate crimes don’t fall under the category,” Filishtiner said. “There is a fine line between the two.” Zachary Aquino, an English major, said he considers this a hate crime and feels uneasy that someone with an outdated, dangerous belief could be on campus. “I think it should be [a hate crime], it’s very one-sided,” Aquino said. “They obviously have a thing against Jewish people, otherwise they wouldn’t have vandalized it onto the elevator.” The vandalism comes at a time where anti-Semitism is increasing across the United States, including a 37 percent increase against in hate crimes against Jews in 2017, according to the Los Angeles Times.
EC police response looking forward
Trevis said that while there is not a lot of evidence, he would want to apprehend the person who drew the swastika at EC. Trevis said that there are discussions to install a security camera inside the affected elevator but worries that individuals may take advantage of the current lack of security. “There are copy cats out there and I worry about that,” Trevis said. “They read the articles, they watch the news and they think of a better way of doing something.” Trevis added that he believes students would not draw something so offensive because of EC’s diverse environment. “Everyone gets along so well and something like this just hurts everybody in my opinion,” Trevis said. “I would be very, very disappointed to learn that was done by a student here.” EC President and Superintendent Dena Maloney addressed the incident in an email made out to student on Monday, March 25. Her email was sent out
Fernando Haro/Union A student waits inside the Art Building elevator on Thursday, March 21. A swastika was discovered three weeks earlier and cleaned by Facilities Planning and Service.
Mari Inagaki/Union Roxann Toshiko Tomiyasu comes out of her car at Alondra Park on Nov. 22, 2018. Tomiyasu says the new bill would benefit the homeless student population at El Camino College. Homeless bill continued from page 1 . . . “I think there are many students who find housing insecurity to be a tremendous challenge,” EC President and Superintendent Dena Maloney said. “Especially when you’re trying to go to school, college is hard, there’s are a lot of demands in terms of just being successful in college itself.” Maloney said it is difficult to say whether AB 302 can be beneficial to students because the bill may be changed throughout the process of getting approved and safety and security are a top priority. “The fact of the matter is that
at night we may not have as many campus safety officers available, those sorts of things,” Maloney said. “So I can’t say at this point that’s the best option for students because I want to make sure they’re safe, they’re secure.” She also said her concern lies with students sleeping in their cars regardless of where their car is parked because that situation is probably not a top preference. “I think we’ve got to look beyond that solution, which may be a solution that will come about, especially if this law passes, but
look for other solutions that help students find a safer, more secure place to be than sleeping in their car at night,” Maloney said. Currently, students are allowed to park overnight on campus parking facilities as long as they pay their parking permit fee, EC Chief of Police Michael Trevis said. Trevis added he could recall no more than one instance within the last two years that a student, who had a semester parking permit, parked overnight in a campus parking lot.
While the option is available for students to park overnight, those in homeless situations may not be able to spend money on parking fees. Maloney also said in comparison with other community colleges in Southern California, EC has a smaller semester parking permit fee. But even if her car still worked, Tomiyasu said she is unable to park on campus because she cannot afford a $35 expense.
International students confined to jobs on campus Foreign EC students face language barriers when trying to find employment Anna Podshivalova Staff Writer @ECCUnionAnna
U
nlike local students, international students are not legally authorized to work off campus throughout the duration of their studies. The only way to get legal employment is to work on the campus at students’ respective colleges. Diana Nekrasova is a 20-yearold El Camino College student and a film major from Vladivostok, Russia who managed to find work on campus but said the process has not been easy. “What’s most important is to make an effort,” Nekrasova said. “The first thing I did was go to the International Student Program (ISP) office for help to find out what I need to be able to work.” To be able to work in the United States, international students also need to have the required legal documents, such as a Social Security card. “I submitted my resume at the bookstore, and a few days later they called me. I was invited for an interview, and the next step was to get a [Social Security Number],” Nekrasova said. “I again went to the ISP office, where I had to arrange for the necessary documents, which I then took to the US Social Security Administration.” Diana Nekrasova added that the
paperwork for the Social Security card takes about two weeks to process, but it took a couple of days for her. But despite being hired, international students sometimes have to wait a couple of months before starting work. “I haven’t started working yet, although my interview was a long time ago,” Nekrasova said. “The process of submitting all documents takes a long time and it does not depend on the college.”
Issues
Obtaining documents is not the only problem that international students face. Andrew Nasatir, the assistant director of the campus bookstore, said international students often struggle to speak the language. “Often what happens is a student would come to me and I know they understand me perfectly and I know they can read fine, but their language skills are weak,” Nasatir said. “The advice I give them— please speak with friends [that are] not from your country.” Nekrasova said that she was very worried before her job interview at the EC Bookstore. “To speak only English, even with students from your country who also work at the bookstore, was one of the most stringent rules,” Nekrasova said. “I was immediately told this at the interview.”
How to succeed
Anna Podshivalova/Union Diana Nekrasova is a 20-year-old student from Russia. She says she is looking forward to starting her job. March 6, 2019. Caroline Etges, an international student from Brazil and a program assistant at the ISP office said it is important for students to be professional and prepared. “International students need to first create a resume and then take a copy to different departments on campus asking about available jobs,” Etges said. “To work on campus, student’s GPA needs to be around 3.0, but this is not a strict criterion.” Nekrasova said that time management has been very important to her and could help other international students who want to work on campus but do not know how to balance employment and academics at the same time.
“International students can work only up to 20 hours a week, and whether it’s easy to combine work and study depends on the person himself,” Nekrasova said. “The main thing for me is to maintain various planners to schedule my affairs for the week ahead. Just learn to plan in advance, and everything will work out for you.” After a few weeks waiting for all her documents to be processed, Nekrasova now only needs to open a bank account to start her new job. “I look forward to starting work at our bookstore,” Nekrasova said. “This will be my first work experience in the United States.”
ARTS
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 6
MARCH 28, 2019
Rosemary Montalvo/Union A humming bird approaches a cherry blossom tree by the Communications Building at El Camino College on March 2 4, 2 019. The tree was donated by American Honda Motor Company.
19th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival honors former EC vice president Haiku poetry readings and taiko drum performance celebrate Japanese culture
Roseana Martinez
Opinion Editor @ECCUnionRoseana
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s spring rolls in, pink cotton balllike flowers begin to blossom on the branches of the trees. Cherry blossom trees are important to Japanese culture because they signify how fragile life can be, but yet it is so precious, Interim Associate Dean of the Humanities Building, Scott Kushigemachi said. El Camino will be hosting its 19th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival outside the Student Activities Center on Thursday, March 28 from 1 to 2 p.m. Due to construction on the north side of campus, by the Communications Building, the event is not able to take place next to the cherry trees like years before. Former EC Vice President Dr. Nadine Ishitani Hata
created the festival and helped bring the trees on campus in cooperation with American Honda Motor Company 19 years ago. “When she passed away in 2005 it became an annual, partly memorial, event to remember how she made a big difference in the college,” Kushigemachi said. During the event, there will be 12 students who will be sharing their poetry in the Japanese poetic structure known as haiku as well as professional taiko drummers known as UnitOne of Asano Taiko U.S. “This is from a poetry class on our campus taught by professor Rhea Lewitzki,” Kushigemachi said. “We also have professional taiko drummers who will be performing and this is the first year this particular group will be performing on campus.” The event is free and is for everybody in the community.
Rosemary Montalvo/Union A bee approaches a cherry blossom tree that is blooming next to the Communications Building at El Camino College, March 2 4, 2 019.
ART EVENTS CALANDER M-Pact (Motown Tribute)
April 19, on 8 p.m. at Marsee Auditorium
Lynn McGrath
April 27, on 8 p.m. at Campus Theatre
Alan Chan Jazz Orchestra with Guo Yazhi
May 10, on 8 p.m. at Marsee Auditorium
The Tempest
May 11, 17, 18, on 8 p.m. May 12, on 3 p.m. & May 16, on 1 p.m. at Marsee Auditorium
Extraordinary Tales In Music
May 17, on 8 p.m. at Marsee Auditorium
Dance department to present Spring concert Anna Podshivalova Staff Writer @ECCUnionAnna
The El Camino College Department of Dance will present the Spring Advanced Dance Concert on May 2 to 4 in the Marsee Auditorium, according to El Camino College’s 2018-19 Season Brochure. Co-Director Daniel Berney said, the concert will be based on the work of guest choreographer Geneviene Carson, the artistic director of LA Contemporary Dance Company, and on the work of Shoji Yamasaki, an alum of ECC and UCLA. The faculty choreographers Liz
Hoefner Adamis, Daniel Berney, Jonathan Bryant, and Valerie Cabag are participating in the EC dance program, Berney said. The showcase will include aspects of modern and contemporary dance, hip-hop and ballet. “We actually do about six concerts a year,” Barney said. “Our main concert is Advanced Dance Concert, which is one that has faculty, guest artist and student work. Our Choreography Showcase is all student work. And our Lo Tech No Tech is performance for our movement studio classes.” Director of Center for the Arts Rick Christophersen said the
Spring Advanced Dance Concert will premiere at the Marsee Auditorium on Thursday, May 2, at 1 p.m. and will continue on May 3 to 4, at 8 p.m. Tickets to the event are $15 for non-students and $10 with student ID and can be purchased both online (www.centerforthearts. org) and at the Marsee Auditorium Ticket Office. The Choreography Showcase will be on May 30 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. in EC’s Center for the Arts. Tickets to the event are $10. Lo Tech No Tech will be on June 3 and 4 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10.
FEATURES
MARCH 28, 2019
Geology major helps students with disabilities Life is full of second chances and sometimes the first major chosen gets changed but college can provide the opportunity to start over. Geology major Eric Palma, 21, worked for the Special Resource Center as a note taker for students with learning disabilities for over a year and a half. “If the student is deaf, I would take notes more about what the professor is saying rather than what’s on the board,” Palma said. Working this job is rewarding Palma said. “I like helping students with disabilities although most of them are pretty self-sufficient but I just give them that little extra push to be able study as well as a person in a normal environment.” Palma makes an effort to make things easier for the students who may also go up to him personally to offer suggestions on how to make things easier. “He’s a very friendly, outgoing guy,” one of his coworkers and friend, Ronnie Samayoa, 29, radio technology major said. Samayoa said Palma is kind, patient, and willing to have open conversation with students he helped. Palma is planning on a future career in geology but this wasn’t always the case, as
things changed when he first took an oceanography class. “I needed it for the requirements, but I found out that I really liked it a lot, and I was doing better in that class than I was in my psychology classes,” Palma said. Palma is planning to transfer to either Cal State Long Beach, UCLA, or maybe USC where he wants a degree in science relating to geology. “It’s taken me a little longer to transfer and everything, but that’s okay with me because I like learning new stuff and being able to retain the information I learn,” Palma said. Palma also loves the traveling aspect of geology and his outgoing and friendly personality doesn’t go unnoticed. “Eric was always laughing and super sassy,” Arissa Dodson, 21, said. “He truly loved his friends and is super passionate about the things he enjoys.” Palma has gotten into hiking, and recently went to San Jacinto Peak and Joshua Tree desert for a science club trip. “One of the biggest parts about geology that I really like, is being able to travel, seeing different parts of the world, geologic wonders, and all sorts of places, like mountains, oceans, fissures, stuff like that, volcanoes, glaciers, all that stuff I wanna see and I wanna actually like, be there” Palma said.
Sergio Balcarcel/Union Student worker for the Special Resource Center, Eric Palma, 21, is busy near Cafe Camino doing his academic work to succeed as a geology major. “For now, what I’m focusing on is just trying to get all my classes ready so that I can transfer.” Palma said.
Living with schizophrenia
Emily Hansen gazes up to the sky as she sits the outside the Humanities Building.
Samantha Quinonez/Union
Mental illness is not what you see in the movies, child development major says Samantha Quinonez Staff Writer @EccUnionSamQ
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he walls start to move and the floor starts to rumble. She looks around the classroom. No one is moving, no one is screaming, no one is saying anything. Emily Hansen, 20, child development major, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia a year ago, loses feeling of her fingers and her arms. She looks back to her professor who is still writing on the board, ignoring the fact that the wall is practically moving away from her. It was in that moment, she realized it wasn’t real. Her breath evens out and her mind starts to clear. As her mind starts to wonder, she feels someone touch her head. She opens her eyes and sees nothing but darkness, she closes her eyes again and clears her mind, trying to sleep once more. She feels the touch again, but this time on her back. She opens her eyes again, but again she was consumed by darkness. With her adopted brothers being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), her adopted parents assumed she fell under the same category. Hansen knew it had to be more than ADD. Before going to see the psychiatrist, she said she did little research beforehand to get an idea of what it could be.
“I knew something was wrong,” Hansen said. “Obviously something was wrong.” Hansen said her nightmares have always been out of the ordinary and have always been too vivid. Most nights when her nightmares are too much to bare, she would wake up without the feeling of her hands and fingers. “Meditation doesn’t work because if the head is too quiet, the voices will talk,” Hansen said. “It is very easy to get side track.” The voices usually speak to her at night and most of the time they aren’t very nice, Hansen said. They usually come in the voices of her family, friends and sometimes actors. “Now that there is a label, my family has been wary, they can never be too careful now,” Hansen said. The media has blown examples of people with schizophrenia out of proportion she said. Like the movie “Split” having 23 personalities is too much she added. “It is an issue that is over looked and it is something people generalize as someone being crazy,” Angel Mercado, a 19-year-old psychology major said. People need to realize that not everyone who is diagnosed with this mental illness is crazy or off; sometimes someone very unexpected has it, Mercado said. “Even though I just told you I have schizophrenia, I am no different than the person I was before,” Hansen said.
Samantha Quinonez/Union Emily Hansen, 20, child developmemt major reads over her notes in the Humanties Building as she waits for her English 1C to begin.
COMING SOON M AY 2019
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED.
THE UNION
COLLEGE
Special to the Union
EL CAMINO
Sergio Balcarcel
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 7
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El Camino news, sports, arts and opinion since 1946
8 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
SPORTS PHOTO ESSAY
MARCH 28, 2019
Mari Inagaki/Union Selena Olveda, 3, playing with (left to right) Rookie, Earny, and Oreo outside of the El Camino Warriors softball field fence on National Puppy Day during a game against Cypress on Saturday, March 23. .
PAWSOME PHOTOS FROM THE BALLPARK Anna Podshivalova/Union Buddy the bulldog sitting comfortably in the shade in a wagon just beyond the outfield fence of the El Camino softballl field during a doubleheader on Saturday, March 23.
Mari Inagaki/Union Two fosters stand with their bulldogs outside of the El Camino Warriors softball field on Saturday, March 23.
In celebration of National Puppy Day, the El Camino Warriors softball team invited dog owners, their pups, and the Southern California Bulldog Rescue to the softball field during a double-header against Cypress College and College of the Canyons on Saturday, March 23. The Southern California Bulldog Rescue brought along bulldogs that are up for adoption as well as goodies for both the petowners and their dogs. The Warriors lost against Cypress College, but won against College of the Canyons.
Mari Inagaki/Union Oreo poses in front of the El Camino Warriors softball field during a game against Cypress on Saturday, March 23.
SPORTS
MARCH 28, 2019
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 9
Warriors baseball routs Pasadena City College at home
Six Warriors players combine for seven scores in seventh inning to earn decisive home win Kealoha Noguchi
Staff Writer @ECCUnionKealoha
E
l Camino’s offense surged behind a strong outing from starting pitcher Aaron Orozco as the Warriors baseball team got a decisive 17-4 victory against Pasadena City College at Warrior Field on Saturday, March 16. Warriors bats spotted starting pitcher Aaron Orozco an early 5-0 lead after the second inning. That proved to be all he needed. “[Early run support] helped big time,” Orozco said. “When you have two or three runs up on the board and them having zero, it just helps you dial in your pitches.” Orozco allowed four hits, four walks, and an earned run in six innings of work while striking out nine on his way to his fifth win, moving him to 5-1 on the season. “In big times he really bore down and made some good pitches,” Warriors coach Nate Fernley said. “He was great, he battled all game and he’s been wonderful all season.” Through the first three innings Orozco did not allow a hit to the Lancers and racked up seven of his nine strikeouts. “[Establishing the fastball] allowed me to get ahead in every at-bat, it allowed me to control the count and be dominant,” Orozco said. Orozco also had a hit in three atbats with an RBI at the plate. his offense put up are a sign of things to come. “Once you start hitting like that, hopefully it does get contagious,”
Fernley said. “I don’t think we’ve necessarily hit as well as we think we can so yeah, hopefully we think a game like this jump-starts us for sure.” Warriors left fielder Ty Conrad knocked four hits in six at-bats, including a double and two RBIs. “After my first at-bat I had to make an adjustment,” Conrad said. “[After my first at-bat], it was a lot easier to make contact, then hard contact, and found some holes.” Warriors first baseman Spencer Palmer contributed a double with three RBIs. Center fielder Joseph Borges scored three runs while having two hits and two RBIs. Warriors shortstop Taishi Nakawake added two hits in four at-bats, including a double and two RBIs. Pasadena City College committed two errors behind starting pitcher Patrick Pena who could not make it out of the second inning. He allowed five runs on four walks as well as two hits. Julian Diaz tossed a scoreless inning for the Warriors before he was relieved for Ian Brady. Brady threw the last two innings, striking out four Lancer batters. El Camino collected their sixth straight conference win after dropping their first two, and improved to a record of 18-3 (6-2 in conference). The Pasadena City Lancers fell to a 12-7 record on the season (4-4 in conference).
BATTER UP
Kealoha Noguchi/Union Warriors infielder Taishi Nakawake (No. 1) swinging for the fences versus Pasadena City College on Saturday, March 16, at Warrior Field. The Warriors scored seven runs alone in the seventh inning.
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BASEBALL
Pasadena City Warriors
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
+20
April 2, 2016
+20
vs. San Bernardino February 25, 2017
+20
@ LA Mission April 12, 2017
March 16, 2019
5
+25
vs. El Camino-Compton College
vs. Pasadena City College
4
Largest margins of victory for Warriors baseball since 2016
February 25, 2016
April 24, 2018
3
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 4 5 3 3 2 1 0 1 3 7 0 0 17 15 0
vs. Imperial Valley
vs. Compton
2
+15 +13
Photo illustration by Kealoha Noguchi/Union Warriors outfielder Ty Conrad (No. 21) pointing to the dugout after reaching second base during El Camino’s 17-4 blowout over Pasadena City College on Saturday, March 16.
SPORTS
10 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
MARCH 28, 2019
Warriors swimmers stand out at meet Men’s team defeats Long Beach, women’s team loses to Long Beach but beats East L.A. Jose Tobar
BADMINTON
Pasadena City
18
El Camino
3
(4-1)
Staff Writer @ECCUnionTobar
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n the women’s 400-yard freestyle relay, a Warriors swimmer committed a false start violation and the team was disqualified from the event. This was the only event the Warriors would not have a time for. Warriors women’s captain Ida Due and Warriors men’s swimmer Aziz Jaouhar placed first in their individual events against East L.A. College and Long Beach City College on Friday, March 22, at El Camino’s pool complex. Due still finished the 400-yard freestyle relay with a single lap time of 27.47 seconds and a total time of 57.06 seconds, establishing herself as one of the fastest swimmers at the meet. The Warriors men’s swim team beat Long Beach by a combined score of 167-68. The women’s swim team lost against Long Beach 15183 but beat East L.A. 131-72. East L.A. did not have a men’s team at the meet. Due competed in three individual events and one relay, setting new school and pool records. “I’m trying to get the (1000-yard) school record and pool record, and then the two-fly school record,” Due said. “I practice 10 times a week, and I try to get through every set but it’s mostly mental.” During the women’s 1000yard freestyle, Due finished with a time of 10:50.98, beating Long Beach’s Alejandra Villa (11:53.96) and Warriors teammate Annette Rodriguez (14:48.32). In the women’s 200-yard butterfly, the 19-year old Due placed first with a time of 2:17.18. She beat Long Beach’s Victoria
SCORES AROUND CAMPUS
(2-1)
Friday, March 22
BASEBALL
El Camino
5
Compton
2
(21-4)
(5-20)
WOMEN’S BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Jun Ueda/Union Warriors swimmer Trinity McKee competing out of lane five during El Camino’s dual swim meet versus East L.A. and Long Beach on Friday, March 22, at the EC Pool. Rowe (2:26.61) and Warriors teammate Trinity McKee (3:16.70). Due’s final first-place finish would come in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:14.73, beating Long Beach’s Villa (2:25.68) and Sarah Capt (2:50.69). For the Warriors men’s team, Jaouhar, an international student from Tunisia, North Africa, was the standout swimmer. “I’ll be thinking about my parents,” Jaouhar said. “I’m here for a reason. I need to work hard. I did everything I can and I’m just gonna put it all in there.” For the men’s 200-yard medley
relay, Jaouhar and Warriors teammate Nate Griffith combined for the first place time of 1:48.81. Four Warriors competed in the men’s 1000-yard freestyle. Jaouhar’s time of 10:21.45 was enough to finish ahead of Wyatt Kircher (11:13.00), Ben Kelly (11:25.45) and Ryan Winkler (12:34.85). Jaouhar’s finish of 55.94 seconds in the men’s 100-yard backstroke was enough to defeat Long Beach’s Michael Baker (57.93 seconds) and Felipe Carsalade (1:07.36). “I really think I did well after I swam the thousand and the
hundred backstroke,” Jaouhar said. “That’s the one that really got all of my energy.” Jaouhar finished his final event, the men’s 200-yard backstroke, with a time of 2:01.30 that propelled him above Warriors teammate Brett Albert (2:24.49) and Long Beach’s Max Alvarado (3:14.57). “I’m pretty proud of myself,” Jaouhar said.
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he atmosphere in El Camino’s North Gym was calm with players from both teams laughing and exchanging jokes during the game. The coaches of both teams talked with each other throughout the match. “Playing against El Camino is funny. We are sisterschools and enjoy the games,” Tony Diaz, head coach of Compton College’s badminton team said. The buzz of the lights in El Camino College’s North Gym echoed above as athletes from El Camino and Compton College competed on the court below. The Warriors women’s badminton team defeated Compton College 17-2 on Friday, March 15
at El Camino’s North Gym. Before Friday, the Warriors played only two games on the season. Warriors coach John Britton had high praise for this season’s Warriors badminton team. “We got some girls this season who actually only have high school level experience in badminton,” Britton said. “We are expecting to [challenge for] second place and hopefully by the end of this season we will be good enough to be challenging Pasadena.” The match went on for roughly two hours. Players on both teams were tired by the end, but effort from both sides was evident the entire time. “We played really hard,” Lauren Ritter of the Warriors badminton team said. “We are a good team.”
WARRIORS FAST FACT Elena Perez/Union Warriors badminton player Miyu Kawaguchi hitting the shuttlecock during her set versus Compton College on Friday, March 15, at El Camino’s North Gym.
3
El Camino
2
(10-2)
(11-4)
Friday, March 22
SOFTBALL
El Camino
8
LA Harbor
0
(19-6) (6-14)
Wednesday, March 27
El Camino
Strong performance pushes Warriors to a 2-1 season record and past Compton College Staff Writer @ECCUnionAnna
Long Beach
MEN’S TENNIS
Badminton team beats Compton 17-2 Anna Podshivalova
Tuesday, March 26
With this win, the Warriors badminton team is now 4-0 versus Compton/Compton Center since 2017.
8
(7-7)
Mt. San Antonio
1
(0-6)
Tuesday, March 26
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Orange Coast
8
El Camino
1
(17-0) (6-5)
Monday, March 25
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
El Camino
3
Antelope Valley
1
(12-1) (1-11)
Friday, March 22
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
El Camino
El Camino College Invitational
188.75 (1st)
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
El Camino
El Camino College Invitational
Friday, March 22
131 (1st) Friday, March 22
SCORES FROM THIS ISSUE’S FEATURED GAMES & MEETS BADMINTON
El Camino Compton Friday, March 15
BASEBALL
17 El Camino 2 Pasadena City Saturday, March 16
MEN’S SWIM & DIVE
17 El Camino 4 Long Beach Friday, March 21
WOMEN’S SWIM & DIVE
167 Long Beach 68 El Camino Saturday, March 16
WOMEN’S SWIM & DIVE
151 El Camino 83 East L.A.
131 72
Saturday, March 16
Scores Around Campus and Warrior Fast Fact calculated from eccwarriors.