THE
RAMPAGE
The Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College
FALL 2018 | ISSUE 4 | OCT. 10, 2018
INDIGENOUS PRIDE, ALIVE AND WELL PAGE 4
100 students gather to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day, Monday, Oct. 8. More than 70 cities and universities have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day this year. Photo/Larry Valenzuela
NEWS
Entertainment
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CTE Program earns $1 Million grant
A LUdacris Performance: Read Our review
Entertainment
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Big Fresno Fair PhOTO ESSAY
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2 NEWS 10.10.18
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THE RAMPAGE ASG Leaders Vow They’ll Work Together for Students The student-run newspaper of Fresno City College
EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Tommy Tribble
News Editor Paulina Rodriguez Ruiz Art Director Ramuel Reyes Sports Editor Anthony De Leon Entertainment Editor Anjanae Freitas Multimedia Editor Larry Valenzuela Reporters Ben Hensley Ben Rodriguez Betty Pauley Blake Evans Christian Hurtado Conner Stevens Eric Benjamin Ham Gage Carmichael Joanna Murrieta Joseph Deal Karl Cooke Kellie Clark Kendall Woods Mara Thornton Margarita Albarran Peter Lopez Sara Humphrey Sarah Chavez Stephanie Ocampo Tamika Rey Toni Woodruff Business Manager Ashleigh Panoo Adviser/Instructor Dympna Ugwu-Oju
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Letters to the Editor editorial@therampageonline.com Corrections media@therampageonline.com Any correction needed for an article should be brought to the attention of the staff of The Rampage. The Rampage is committed to accuracy and should be made aware of any mistake in an article that appears in this paper. Views expressed in the opinion pages are those of the individual writer and not of the newspaper. The Rampage is produced by students of the Journalism 11 A, B, C, D class.
MPWR block party guests assist in a mural-painting effort on Sunday, Sept. 30 2018 in Southeast Fresno. Photo/Eric Ham
Larry Valenzuela| Multimedia Editor lvalenzuela@therampageonline.com
The president of the Associated Student Government apologized for his characterization of the Rampage as “bad propaganda and yellow journalism.” During an interview on Oct. 8. That he had been “very reactional” and no longer believed the Rampage was propaganda. “I can’t blame you guys, I have to blame myself.” Washington said. “I don’t stand by that statement. That article made me think about myself and myself as a reader. I apologize to the editorial board and the people who wrote the article.” Washington later said that he regretted lying and wished that he would just be more truthful. Washington later goes on to say he optimistic about the student government coming together from here on out. “I’m optimistic that we are going to work together,” he said. “I think we are going to be ok. It's a day by day process, and we learned.” A week after the publication of an article about turmoil within the ASG, Carole Goldsmith, Fresno City College president, ordered the student government to attend a two-hour training, focus-
ing on the Brown Act and responsibilities of student government officers. The workshop was led by Goldsmith herself and Eileen O’Hare-Anderson, general counsel for the State Center Community College District. Goldsmith and Anderson went over topics like closed session meetings, illegal meetings, speaking to press and making agendas. Anderson stated there is no reason for ASG to enter a closed session because the body does not have paid employees. Anderson said the ASG leaders cannot prohibit criticism from the media or others. “You have to get thicker skin; you can have a spirited debate. You can have a difference of opinions,” Goldsmith said regarding criticism from the press and from colleagues. “But one thing need you need to do is not mimic the things you see on television. This is not reality TV.” Prior to the workshop and the article Washington had sent a mass email, dated Sept. 16 to members of the student government regarding ASG’s interactions with The Rampage. He instructed his senators not to speak with reporters from the Rampage and to always respond
Block Party Empowers Southeast Fresno Community Blake Evans | Reporter bevans@therampageonline.com
Dozens turned out for MPWR Community Block Party, on Sept. 30, where MPWR’s community organizers worked with the local neighborhood to paint a mural. Music, dancing, and games accompanied the event with free food catered by local food truck El Gordo’s Hotdogs. Founded in 2017 by the Fresno County Voter Coalition, Mas People Working Relentlessly or MPWR, pronounced “empower”, was created as a one year voter program to increase youth political engagement and to cultivate a group of young community organizers. Over the course of a year, MPWR registered over 700 people to vote, connected over 1000 students to network opportunities, and conducted research on youth political engagement strategies. One of MPWR’s research projects involved understanding what type of events would get young people involved in their community. They found art projects were the best way to get the youth involved. According to head of MPWR and former Fresno City College student, Alex Ramos- O’Casey, “We chose this lot for the mural and party, because there’s always swap
meets and food trucks here, so it made sense for it to be the focal point of building community engagement.” “We canvassed the neighborhood and we quickly found what people didn’t like about the neighborhood was that they didn’t even know their neighbors,” said MPWR member Valeria Rodriguez. “For the mural, we asked the neighborhood around the lot what they wanted to see, said Ramos-O’Casey. “We then asked what should the theme of the mural be and they said, community.” MPWR then took those ideas and employed the talents of local artist, Abigail Janzen, to sketch out the mural. For the sketch, Janzen combined the disparate elements the community wanted into a collage. “So we’ve got, stray cats and dogs, elote men, taco trucks, Hmong textiles to represent our Hmong population, and even papel picado a type of Mexican decoration.” “I wanted the mural to be super bright but accessible for people to join in and paint, so I didn’t make the mural super detailed,” says Janzen. Though this is the last event for MPWR, this isn’t the end for its organizers nor is the end for the community. “All of our members are still organizing communities.”
with “no comment” to all media inquiries. Washington said he is taking steps to prevent ”The “I don’t have anything against Vice President Van Gilder and she doesn't have anything against me, we don’t always see eye to eye but we are working towards a better working relationship.” Angela Van Gilder, vice president of the ASG, said that the organization has been rethinking their interactions and have better appreciation of what each person is trying to do. She added that there have been positive changes between in her relationship with Washington. “I’m keeping an open mind right now,” Van Gilder said. “If I can have my wish, it's that we can work well together, because he has a lot of good ideas for the ASG.” She said the “meeting with Goldsmith and discussing the
Brown Act really brought a lot of light to the ASG and made us realize some mistakes.” Carlos Rodriguez, student trustee of the ASG, was also reported to have been kicked out of an ASG meeting by Washington. Rodriguez said in an Oct. 9 interview that he believed the article had brought some attention to the school about the problems in the ASG and had pushed the association to train new senators in the Brown Act. Rodriguez said that he has seen some positive changes in the interactions between the president and vice president and that his own relationship with Washington is more professional. “It’s all about the students now,” he said. “We are pushing more about the students’ needs.”
10.10.18 NEWS 3
therampageonline.com GRANT, FROM PAGE 1
Assemblymember Presents $1 Million Grant to FCC’s CTE Program
Joaquin Arambula awards a $1 million grant to FCC’s Career and Technical Education program to build a new robotics lab, Tuesday, Oct. 9 2018. Photo/Tommy Tribble Tommy Tribble | Editor-in-Chief ttribble@therampageonline.com
Joaquin Arambula, 31st district California state assemblymember, presented the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program with a $1 million grant on Oct. 9. Arambula gave a press conference in the parking lot between the T-buildings before an audience of faculty, students, members of the Electrical Systems Technology (EST) club, and media. Behind him a crane-like robot moved fluidly. “We’re going to shape tomorrow,” Arambula said. The grant Arambula was instrumental in obtaining, which has been in the works for a year, will build a new robotics lab, including 12 new robots. “He fought for those dollars,” Carole Goldsmith, FCC president, said, describing Arambula
as a hero and a champion who “heard our calls for help and did something about it.” “Having the legislature listen to us is incredibly refreshing,” Goldsmith said. “Politics matter. And it’s important we have solid legislators.” She added Arambula’s interest in CTE funding began when he visited the FCC campus and saw the programs available. “It’s going to be more handson work,” said Nicky Laurette, vice president of the EST club. “More industrial stuff, and stuff that we’re actually going to be using in the workforce.” A class of 24 will work with each robot in teams of two, according to Laurette. While the money doesn’t include any staffing funds, equipment and supplies can be improved per the recommendations of the employers and
advisory boards, Goldsmith said. She touched on automated mechanics, improvement to electrical systems programs, and welding simulators as focuses for the grant money. “We’re going to see a hundred students a year who are going to benefit from the workforce development that you see here today,” Arambula said. Arambula, who is a father of three daughters, stressed that the $1 million investment is open to all of the community, “including the women of tomorrow.” He emphasized the need to train even more community members in tech trades. “This $1 million investment is not the end,” Arambula said. “These jobs are good jobs. They’re jobs that return benefits, they’re jobs that give you a living wage. They’re an opportunity for our community to thrive.”
A robotic crane methodically moves a cup back and fourth, Oct. 10, 2018. FCC’s new million dollar grant will faciltate the construction of 12 new robots. Photo/Tommy Tribble
‘Lies My Teacher Told Me’ James Loewen Speaks at FCC
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Toni Woodruff | Reporter twoodruff@therampageonline.com
History professor and sociologist, James Loewen told a Fresno City College audience Thursday, Oct. 4 that the history that most American students are taught is distorted and leaves out the contributions of women and minority groups. “What happened to me was an ah-ha experience but really it should have been called an oh-no experience,” Loewen said. Loewen is most known for his textbook “Lies My Teacher Told Me” in which he studies the bias of history textbooks. He realized this was a problem during his tenure at Tougaloo College, an all-black college in Mississippi when his class of all African Americans believed that the continued oppression of blacks during the Reconstruction is due to their inability to govern themselves.
James Loewen preparing to give a lecture at FCC, Thursday, Oct. 4. Photo/Toni Woodruff
When we achieve justice in the present then we can better face the past, and when we can tell the truth about the past, then we can see the continuing violations and make it right from here on now.”
“I watched as black teachers taught all black students white supremacists history because they only taught what was in the book,” said Loewen about his experience travelling to high schools to observe the material being taught in history classes. Michael Eissigner, Ph.D., now a professor at Fresno State, said he was compelled to reach out to Loewen after he read one of Loewen’s earlier books. “It’s not that it’s wrong, there’s just a load of stuff that gets left out,” said Eissinger about the current state
-James Loewen of history textbooks before the college level. “My goal is for each of my students, not just the white ones but for each of my students to say ‘that’s my history too.’ We have to tell their stories because other textbooks and teachers aren’t,” said Eissigner. “Truth can also be a weapon,” said Jessica Mast-Foss, director of Pink House, “I think truth equips young people to do that work of justice in the present in very powerful ways.” Mast-Foss, formerly a history
teacher says she was always “uncomfortable because I knew there was more going on than what we are encountering in the textbook and there’s more going on than I personally can research and I want to equip my students with the truth but its hard when you look at what’s surrounding us and base our truths on that.” FCC student Rebecca Thomason, who has dreams of being a teacher one day also attended the lecture. “As teachers we are building up the mindsets of children and it’s important to build them up on what is actually true, concrete truths.” Loewen says there is a relationship between the truth about the past and justice in the present. “When we achieve justice in the present then we can better face the past, and when we can tell the truth about the past, then we can see the continuing violations and make it right from here on now.”
4 NEWS 10.10.18
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Students hold up signs and chant “Brown Power” at the fountain area to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018. Photo/Larry Valenzuela
Indigenous People’s Day
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Paulina Rodriguez-Ruiz | News Editor pruiz@therampageonline.com
The smell of sage wafted through the air amidst a crowd of 100 people gathered in front of the Student Activities Building to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day on Oct. 8. Participants began to gather around 11 a.m., then the procession began at 11:20 a.m. with a blessing ceremony by Delaine Bill, a member of the Mono Yoka tribe, the original inhabitants of the San Joaquin Valley. “We march for our people, our ancestors,” Bill told the crowd. Bill and a group of four other drummers sang four songs honoring the four corners of the world (North, South, East, West). They began to beat a drum symbolizing the heartbeat of the people, while singing traditional songs. Once the singing concluded, participants began their march -to the Old Administration building, passing by the cafeteria, finally arriving by the main fountain in front of the Assessment Center. The procession on campus lasted around 15 minutes, the sound of the beating drum and “Brown Power” chants reverberating throughout the Fresno City College campus. Through a mic set up at the top of the stairs of the Assessment Center, 13 speakers shared their stories. There was a traditional “fancy shawl dance” accompanied by a song by the Hummingbird singers, and another performance by the Dance Royals, a Hmong dance group of Design Science High School. Around 200-250 people gathered around the water fountain to hear the speakers share their stories.
We’re here to celebrate who we are, and to celebrate our heritage, but most importantly to honor the ancestors, because they got us here today.” -Bernard Navarro Native American Studies Professor
Students hold up signs and march to the fountain area to celebrate Indigenous people’s Day on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018. Larry Valenzuela/Photographer
“Christopher Columbus discovering America is like me breaking into your home and discovering your flat screen TV set,” said Bernard Navarro, professor of Native American Studies and organizer of the event. “You can’t discover a place where there’s millions of people already living.” Indigenous People’s Day was created as a holiday meant to replace Columbus Day, a national holiday honoring Christopher Columbus who is credited with discovering the Americas. More than 70 cities and universities in the United States have chosen to drop the controversial holiday in favor of Indigenous People’s Day this year. “From the way that I pray,
down to the way that I choose to raise my child, and the way that I choose to live my life, Indigenous People’s Day is taking all this colonialism and settler colonialism and healing intergenerational trauma through intertribal collaboration,” Natalie Deanda, member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz, said. Participants held signs that read, “Remember the genocide,” and “America was not discovered; it was invaded.” Cecilia Casillas, member of the Yaqui tribe, read an excerpt from “The Devastation of the Indies: A Brief Account,” a book by Bartolomé de Las Casas which describes how the Spanish decimated towns, sparing no one, tor-
turing, and abusing their women. “We’re here to celebrate our culture to help educate you all, and also to thank our ancestors for getting us this far,” Navarro said. Navarro said that Native American people today still face many harsh realities. This past summer, he had visited Pine Ridge Indian Reservation which, he said, felt like being in a “third world country.” “They have to boil their water because it’s filthy, because it has toxins in it, right here in the United States,” he said. “And we say this is the greatest country in the world, but we have people who are living in an oppressed state all over.” Around 1:10 p.m., Navarro
Native American Studies professor Bernard Navarro speaks at Indigenous People’s Celebration, Monday, Oct. 8, 2018. Photo/ Larry Valenzuela.
quoted asked students and others in the crowd to recite quotes from prominent Native American figures such as Sitting Bull, Chief Dan George, Chief Tecumseh, and John Trudell. Bill ended the celebration by leading four chants in the four directions with his group of drummers around 1:20 p.m. “We’re not here to insult anybody, we’re not here to hurt anybody’s feelings,” Navarro said, “We’re here to celebrate who we are, and to celebrate our heritage, but most importantly to honor the ancestors, because they got us here today.”
10.10.18 ENTERTAINMENT 5
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DSP&S — Raising Awareness about Disabilities Tamika Rey | Reporter trey@therampageonline.com
The Disabled Students Programs & Services Program is collaborating with the Social Vocational Services Tower Art Center to raise awareness about disabilities throughout October. “I hope the events that we have planned help the college community to understand the history of disability equity in our country and to appreciate the diversity of the disability community,” said Dr. Stephanie Crosby, DSP&S director. “Providing people with the chance to learn about disabilities helps to change the assumptions that are made about people with disabilities.” During this period, DSP&S will hold various workshops, presentations, exhibition of art and history, both related to and created by people with disabilities. Crosby said art has always been a medium to drive discussion and broaden perspectives. “All people, regardless of abilities, should have access to opportunity to participate in a full range of community activities, including art,” said Pam Tibbet, the coordinator of the DSP&S art display. “Community art programs encourage creativity, promote engagement, emphasize inclusion, and extend access and opportunities for community involvement.” Disability Awareness Month is designed to bring awareness about stigmas, highlight the accomplishments of those with disabilities, and dispel any stereotypes some people may still hold. “Disability is a topic that many
individuals are uncomfortable talking about and recognizing,” Crosby said. “Disability Awareness Month provides a platform to open conversations about commonalities across different groups of people.” “People with disabilities are the same as everyone else,” Tibbet said. “They have strengths, capabilities, talents and ways to contribute, with art being just one of them.”
Art — Exhibiting More than Talent “Art therapy can help someone with a disability - or anyone for that matter - to express themselves in a nonverbal way, manage behavior, increase selfawareness, develop interpersonal skills and reduce stress,” Tibbet said. Andrew Moritz, Program Director of the SVS Tower Art Center said one of the most extraordinary aspects of art therapy in the group he works with is that “some individuals came in and couldn’t even speak, but through art therapy, did a complete turn around and speak now.” SVS Tower Art Center is a statewide non-profit, day program for adults with disabilities, the only one in the state with art as its focus. The center offers programs such as painting, drawing, music, folklorico dance, filming, photography, poetry, sewing and even fashion design. These programs, according to Andrew, are intended to promote and encourage clients to become more involved in the community and promote independence in all areas, including budgeting and
hygiene. All of the center’s clients are referred by a social worker from the Central Valley Regional Center. In its open house on Oct. 2, the DSP&S office was decorated with bright and colorful banners and balloons. The office was filled with art of all sorts vivid and unique designs with no indication that the artists were dealing with medical or mental issues. What was evident in all the art was emotion. “Lost in Space” was a tapestry of the midnight sky with sparkling stars and brighter planets illuminating the twilight. Photographs of historical personalities who have made great contributions to the American society in general, despite their disabilities were also displayed; like Fred Fay, who despite becoming a quadriplegic from a gymnastic accident, was able to advise Congress on disabilities and was highly influential in the civil rights activism for people with disabilities.
Disability Etiquette 101 and Other Events
“The first step in promoting disability awareness is education; our upcoming events do just that,” Tibbet said. “Our events will provide people with the opportunity to develop a better understanding about disabilities, the laws, and the importance of acceptance.” On Oct. 3, the DSP&S office held a workshop on Disability Etiquette 101 to help people without disabilities socialize with the disabled and learn how to approach or address them with sensitivity.
Disabled Students Program and Services displays a collabrated art piece called “Lost in Space” in he DSPS office on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. Photo/Larry Valenzuela
On Oct 11, non-profit organizations as well as businesses and agencies that assist the disabled community will hold a vendors’ fair. On Oct. 24 DSP&S will host a presentation on the deaf culture. Faculty are greatly encouraged to attend and participate. On Oct. 25, DSP&S will host “Shedding Some Light on Hidden Disabilities,” a workshop to help the college community understand that some disabilities are invisible and to shed light on conditions that cause limitations that may not be visible to the naked eye. “I hope that as we provide more information to the college community that students who need accommodations feel comfortable coming in to ask questions,” Crosby said. “Students should be aware that services through DSP&S are confidential. We do not share their information with anyone without written permission.”
DSP&S — Providing Educational Access
“Our focus is on college access and education. We work with the
community to connect students with agencies that focus on employment, tutoring, medical care, and transportation,” Crosby said. “On campus, we collaborate with the EOPS program, CalWorks, student services, and academic departments to make sure that students have access to all support they are eligible for and all accommodations that provide educational access.” It is important for people to be empathetic towards the challenges that those with disabilities face on a day-to-day basis. ”I think they [DSP&S] are great. They help me a great deal,” said Deborah Jones, a DSP&S student. “I got my degree, but I had to come back for another class, and they’ve been very supportive. And I am very appreciative” Johnathan Jimenez, a student who receives services from DSP&S, says society should stop shaming and labeling people with disabilities. “We are individuals just like you and me, just walking down the street,” he said. “We just take different roads to get to that destination.”
Ludacris Brings Southern Hospitality to the Paul Paul Theater…10 Years too Late
Ludacris performs at the Fresno Fair at the Paul Paul Theater on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018 Photo/Larry Valenzuela Anthony De Leon | Sports Editor adeleon@therampageonline.com
When the Fresno Fair concert series was released one of the most prominent names set to take the stage was hip-hop icon and Fast and Furious actor Ludacris Bridges. Well on Saturday Oct. 6, one of the biggest nights for the Fresno Fair, the small crowd was graced by the presence of Tej Parker taking time out of his filming schedule to perform his Ludacris persona, playing his mid-2000s hits during an hour-long set. Ludacris’ performance went
as expected, those who bothered to check the set list online would have known what to expect. All the hits. What was unexpected was the amount of time he spent on those aforementioned hits, because of the time allotted to his setlist the following songs were performed accompanied by one verse: Get Back, Move B*tch, Rollout, Fantasy, Southern Hospitality, Money Maker and Stand Up. Those are the most charting topping songs in Ludacris’ discography and instead of affording them the time and respect they deserve, each was cut short to fill time for lesser known routines.
Including the Laurel and Hardy vaudeville act between him and his hype man “trying” to ignite the crowd and the mid-set DJ interlude in order for his DJ keep his job. After going through his lesser known bangers like Break Your Heart, Blueberry Yum Yum, Ho and the timeless How Low to fill out a set that was somehow rushed, filled with wasted moments. What can we expect from the Fresno Fair concert series? The fair is not keen on bringing talent that could garner both high attendance and thrills for the people of Fresno. Instead they are content with bringing cash grab names that are nearly 10 years past their prime and in some cases 15 to 20 years past their primes. In the past few years the fair has brought hip-hop acts like Salt-NPepa, LL Cool J, Ashanti and Ja Rule, Nelly, Flo Rida, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube, among others.
The last time the fair brought an act that had some buzz was Kendrick Lamar who was booked for the 2012 concert series. A short list of artists that could draw and excite a younger demographic include A$AP Rocky, YG, Schoolboy Q, Logic or an act like Tyler, the Creator who has a massive fan base and even performed at the Rainbow Ballroom in 2017. All of the above mentioned artist have fan bases that would sell out the Paul Paul Theater and turn a pedestrian evening into an event worth attending. The fair’s been so content with the acts they’ve brought to the fair failing to tap into other popular genres like EDM acts who remain absent from the concert series. Fresno’s rave scene has a vast audience willing to shell out money for EDM acts. Why hasn’t the fair tried to cater to those fans by bringing mainstream EDM acts like Steve Aoki, Slushii or a Marshmello?
Maybe they fear that EDM won’t sell, or that it will attract the wrong crowd. The lack of an EDM acts at the fair exemplifies how out of touch the fair is when it comes to booking acts and bringing in revenue for subcultures of fair goers. Will the fair finally deliver relevant artists to the stage? What will happen when fans of classic acts stop going to these concerts? Until there is change in the direction of where the fair wants to go the next five to 10 years we will still continue to get acts who we are “expected” to get “excited” for instead of trying something new and fresh. Instead we will be stuck with acts like Ludacris who the fair charges exorbitant ticket prices and make a night to remember into a lackluster performance to remember. Like his hit single Fantasy says: “That man ain’t Ludacris.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
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FCC and COS Bands Join Musical Forces Ben Hensley | Reporter bhensley@therampageonline.com
Art Space Gallery Hosts Xolito Sound System in Art Exhibit Jo Murrieta | Reporter
jmurrieta@therampageonline.com
The Art Space Gallery exhibited “Bending Towards the Light of the Sun,” with Xolito Sound System, for Art Hop on Thursday, Oct. 5. Xolito Sound System, a local band, which calls itself “psychedelic cumbia” has been performing at underground community events for two years. “We do other stuff besides this, some of us are activists, students, and artists, so it’s kind of been a word of mouth kind of thing,” Chelis, lead singer of the band, said. “If friends of ours have an event, they usually hit us up, and
if we are available, we try to show our support.” The group has five members -- Chelis on vocals, Ernesto on percussion, Eddie on guitar, Ben on bass, and Rigo on the keys. Elena Harvey Collins, curator of the Art Space Gallery, said she had heard the band earlier that year at an Art Hop event and was drawn to their sound. “They seemed really cool and like a good fit for this show,” Collins said. “It is a lot about landscape, so I was thinking about the soundscape and what it would be like to think about sound as an object.” Collins said she wanted to
have music in the gallery at some point -- including a band performance, among other objects such as video, film, and other local artists’ work. “It’s sort of a research based show,” she said. “It's thinking about some of the legacies that are here, in this area that tell stories about what Fresno is like, like the identity of the city and the region.” The exhibit showcases photographs, documents, old publications, and sculptures from local artists and activist groups. It has been been the longest lasting show Collins has held for seven weeks, ending on Oct. 11.
The Fresno City College and College of the Sequoias’ instrumental programs joined musical forces in the OAB Auditorium on Oct. 3 in FCC’s first performance of the semester. Under the direction of Michael Tackett, the COS Symphonic Band performed a variety of selections, ranging from the flowing melodic movement of their opening piece “Masque,” to the percussive and aggressive changing moods of “Symphony No. 1,” by Daniel Bukvich, memorializing the Allied bombing of Dresden in World War II. “College of Sequoias did so good,” Dulce Arrez, horn player and music education major at FCC, said. “They just sound so full and everyone just in sync with each other.” The COS performance ended with “Variants on a Medieval Tune,” by Norman Dello Joio and featured the recurrence of the familiar medieval folk song and holiday tune, “Bring a Torch Jeannette Isabella.” “The COS Band was wonderful, and it was an opportunity for our two schools to have a preliminary concert, prior to our more substantial concerts later this month,” Elisha Wilson, FCC band director said of the performance. The FCC band opened its per-
formance with “Full Tilt,” a high energy piece by Richard L. Saucedo. The high tempo of the piece, combined with the forte impact points had the audience applauding loudly. “Yosemite Autumn” by Mark Camphouse combined the familiarity of a California landmark with flowing legato lines performed by horn soloist Veloy Tafoya. “The horn solo was just on point, and just the sound, tone we made gave me little goosebumps,” Arrez commented on the performance of “Yosemite Autumn.” The concert concluded with a performance of “Evocatio,” by Brian Balmages. The varying mood of the tune finishing with a full band entrance ended the program with a powerful musical statement bringing the audience to applaud loudly. “We never had a concert this early, so it helps us push our musical abilities to perfect a set of music in under a certain amount of time,” Arrez said about the preparation of FCC’s program. “For having a concert this early, we did very well.” Wilson said she was happy to perform in the OAB auditorium. “Performing in the OAB was a particular treat for our ensemble, since the acoustics are so great.” The next concert at FCC “Falling in Love With Music” is at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the theatre.
FRESNO CITY COLLEGE DIVISION OF FINE, PERFORMING AND COMMUNICATION ARTS THEATRE DEPARTMENT PRESENTS
Geek Power, Girl Power and Redemption in a roll of the dice
by QUI NGUYEN | Directed by ADAM MEREDITH
OCTOBER 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 7:30pm OCTOBER 7, 12, 13 2:00 pm Theatre Tickets: $14 General, $12 Students/Staff/Seniors, $8 Group | Box Office: (559) 442-8221 • www.fresnocitycollege.edu/boxofficetickets State Center Community College District
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PHOTO ESSAY
The Fresno Fair Photos by Larry Valenzuela
The horse races. Children flying in the air, the smell of deep fried Oreos. It can mean only one thing: the Big Fresno Fair is back. Each year the fair brings thousands of people from all around the Central Valley to indulge in the unique foods, the rides, and the traditions that bring people back year after year. Every year, the fair showcases the best of the Central Valley: good food, good people, and good times. These photos capture only a slice of what the Fair has to offer this year.
10.10.18 ENTERTAINMENT 7
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Internet Friends Aren't Creepy, They’re Really Cool Anjanae Freitas | Entertainment Editor afreitas@therampageonline.com
“How do you destress after midterms?” By Sara Humphrey Photos by Sara Humphrey
Angelica Arevall
It seemed no matter how many friends I had attempted to make in real life, I would continue to develop a fascination with making friends on the internet. The reality was, I was bored of the friends I grew up with in Fresno, so I made a MySpace. As a teenager, my grandma would always yell at me to get off MySpace because someone was going to share too much of my personal information and eventually kill me. I had to assure my grandma that I wasn’t looking to go on the internet to date someone. I actually just wanted to connect with people who I had common interests with. I never seemed to find an
interest in sport teams or the latest trends. I was obsessed with the latest music, books, film, television shows, basically any fantasy world that was better than the reality I lived in. When I was introduced to Twitter in 2009, I quickly discovered that there was so many people who loved the same music as me. I went through a part of my life where I was really obsessed with Katy Perry’s music. When I discovered there were others who felt just as passionate about her music, I instantly made new friends. Now I know what you’re thinking: “So you were just obsessed over a celebrity for a few years?” Well the answer to that is actually more complex. Yes, I had a strong bond with
people over a celebrity. But more than that, I found people who shared the same appreciation for not just pop music, but all kinds of music. Before I knew it, our conversations went beyond music. I was making friends all over the world who understood me. It sounds strange to think you would feel more comfortable telling your darkest secrets to your online friends instead of your real life friends right? However, my friends in real life didn’t understand what it was like to be an outsider. I was a socially awkward ball of anxiety. Struggling with my sexuality, I felt alone. My online friends made me feel safe and seen for the first time in my life. I remember my friends in real life would make comments about
how “strange” I was for having friends online. How I was talking to someone who probably wasn’t real. It was kinda awful to see how society judged the idea of online friendships so harshly. Hear me out: if you get uncomfortable telling your so-called “friends” about your life online, that means they’re shaming you for finding people you have common interest with. They might feel threatened by people who seem to understand the real you. To this day, I still keep up with and visit my online friends. I have the ability to travel more because I have different cities and countries I can go see my friends in. They have helped me step out of my comfort zone not just by traveling, but literally by building better relationships.
Kinesiology
“I like to just flop onto my bed and listen to music and eat food that brings me happiness so I am not sad that I do bad.”
Photo Illustration/ Patrick Forrest
Laurann Fowler
Psychiatric Nursing
“I like to sleep and go baby shopping because I am pregnant.”
Gaming journalism is trash Peter Lopez | Reporter plopez@therampageonline.com
Marcus Marquez Criminology
“I like to hang out with friends and play 2k.”
Brandon Graham
Electrical Engineering
“The only thing I can think of is that I play video games to destress.”
The current state of games journalism is trash. In fact, it’s hardly considered journalism at all. While visiting larger sites that have been in the game for a while, most of the content appears to be publisher driven and regurgitated information derived from press releases. These mostly include video game announcements and release date reveals. To their credit, things like reviews and gameplay videos show up as well, which illuminates originality and deserves credit. But for far too long, my colleagues from within games media, and I too am guilty of this, have jumped onto this virtual bandwagon. We’ve said yes to the question, “is this newsworthy or valuable to somebody out there in the world” way too many times. If we really want to consider ourselves as “journalists” we need
to stop regurgitating the message and we needed to stop as of yesterday. Let me give you some perspective: In traditional news, what is more likely to publish: “7-year-old boy saves dog from burning building” or “McDonald’s reveals the return of the McRib Sandwich”? Hard news stories, like the ones involving the heroic 7-yearold boy, from within the games industry, are rarely seen in the virtual space which is why you see so many goddamn McRib stories in games media. But I’m here to tell you, dear reader, the announcement pieces that you are see online are not news. Not by any stretch of the imagination. They are instead a message, sent to the inbox of journalists and simply disguised as news when the writer hits the publish button. In games media, articles like “Video game X release
date announced” show up all the time. Bloggers have even decided to spin their own take on the profession and completely rip entire pieces or video from competitors and paste them onto their own platforms. This sort of content sucks and it has saturated the market. But, it also sells, which is why you see these posts on virtually every game site imaginable. If I wanted to know a release date or see an announcement, I would simply follow the publisher on social media and get my information there. I am, like everyone else with a smartphone, glued to social media platforms, religiously. If you as readers dislike this content as much as I do - don’t click on it! And it is for that reason, perhaps, we as journalist should take a stand for change. Let’s instead cover more interesting stories involving development:
What it took to create a game, what struggles occurred during the development process and what sacrifices occurred before the game’s release? And for the love of god, my fellow colleagues, let’s work our sources harder. How do you work at “popular and successful video game outlet X” but hardly ever break news? There are some outlets out there, like Waypoint and Kotaku for example, that focus on storytelling. They also focus on community. But what makes them so great, above all else, is that they focus on real journalism and should be given praise each and every day. They’re utilizing their sources to create original work. They’re telling amazing stories you would not know otherwise. Most importantly, and I can’t stress this enough, they’re watching their weight by avoiding the god forsaken McRib Sandwich.
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OPINION 9
A Letter for all the Sleepless Nights A letter to sexual abuse survivors amidst Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court while facing sexual misconduct allegations. Paulina Rodriguez Ruiz | News Editor prodriguezruiz@therampageonline.com
I believe you. When they question you. Harass you. When they demand answers you don’t have. I believe you. When they probe you, with their needles filled with grime, unsterilized, trying to puncture holes in your story. I see you. When the pus oozes from the wound, when your flesh begins to rot, and all the things he did to you start to eat you alive. For the days you feel invisible, and you choose to run and hide, choosing solitude over company, just to get some piece of mind. I see you. With your sunken face, unkempt hair, and frazzled eyes. An empty shell, no longer living in your body, somewhere in between, where he can’t reach you. I hear you. When you weep at night into your mother’s arms, gasping for air, falling asleep to her prayers. I listen to the words you don’t say, the ones you try to swallow; the ones that end up choking you alive. I understand why you didn’t say anything, why it took so long, why you tried to forget. It was survival, selfpreservation: mercy. For all your sleepless nights, the ones you never talk about, the ones that leave you hollow, and dead inside.
The feelings are temporary, you won’t believe this at first, but with time and patience you’ll see the cycles break. Remember to choose yourself amidst it all, your freedom, your salvation, until the pink returns to your cheeks, and your body begins to feel like home. Grow roses in the space between your heart, fill the void he left in you, until you remember your name. And when the world decides to turn a blind eye, and you wonder why you even fight, remember those before you, names and faces erased through time, who fought so you could be alive. Know that you are worthy of love. Don’t let the world trick you into a lifetime full of silence. Scream, cry, until you recognize the sound of your voice. Forgive yourself, for the days you lash out against those who love you. You never learned how to express all the pain, and so you stash it all away, until there’s just too much to contain. Don’t apologize for the weight your story carries; let your words fill every room until each syllable leaves a bitter taste in their mouths. Make a home out of the discomfort; allow yourself to truly be seen, heard, understood. What you have to say will never be pleasant, or easy, but it will be necessary.
For the six year old girl who grew up too fast, the one the world constantly questions. A survivor, unaware of all the pain her story holds. Paulina Rodriguez Ruiz on December 23, 2001 at Belvedere Elementary School, in Los Angeles, CA. Photo provided by Paulina Rodriguez Ruiz
Oakland Raiders are Bad...Again Peter Lopez | Reporter plopez@therampageonline.com
Despite their one and only victory, the Oakland Raiders team is best compared to a steaming hot pile of garbage. The Oakland Raiders, 1-4, were not able to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers, 3-2, on Sunday, Oct. 7. It pains me so to admit this, but are we as Raider fans all that surprised? Year after year I always manage to stay optimistic, saying things like, “This year is going to be our year!” The sad part is, I’ve said that for roughly four years in a row and things have yet to change for my beloved Raiders. When it comes to the current season, most of the heartache is best attributed to the unfortunate loss of former Raider linebacker Khalil Mack who was recently traded to the Chicago Bears. He’s truly a force to be reckoned with, as Mack possesses a career total of 45.5 sacks, ESPN reports. Five of those sacks, unsurprisingly, have
occurred since his start in the 2018 season with the Bears. Pair that with being on pace for 20 season sacks, 16 forced fumbles and a 3-1 Bears’ team on pace for their first division title in 8 seasons, and you could say Mack is on pace to have a career year. Others might think our new, old coach, Jon “Chucky” Gruden, might be the reason why the Oakland Raiders dive right into the stinky crap-fest each and every week. Just by viewing the post game press conference after the Raiders beat the Browns on Sept. 30, Gruden addresses the media mostly with his head down as if he’s riddled with shame and guilt taking the Raiders to the cleaners after receiving a 10 year, 100 million dollar contract. But in all reality, it’s really an amalgamation of poorly executed throws, the inability to hold onto the freaking ball-case and point Sunday’s fumble during the end of the second quarter--neutral zone infractions, multiple false starts, and ultimately running out of steam towards the latter half of each and every game.
As sad as it sounds, according to ESPN, Carr has thrown eight interceptions in the 2018 season and has been sacked 11 times, and the team has collectively received a total of 36 penalties which has resulted in a loss of 343 yards. The supposed saving grace and player who was going to get the Raiders over the hump, someone we have been working endlessly right down to the bone, is Marshawn Lynch who at 32, according to ESPN, has rushed for 331 yards this season, along with 3 touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry.possesses a total of 331 rushing yards this season showing his age look all of 32 years old. When it comes to the team’s quarterback, Derek Carr continues to hold the ball like a clueless chicken with his head cut off. Although he’s proven to have guts in the past, cutting through defenses akin to his college days, the guy manages to successfully throw the ball to the other team as if he’s playing a friendly game of catch.
For instance, according to ESPN, he has thrown eight interceptions to start the 2018 season. Carr sports a modest 52 career interception pass total, but this season he has turned the ball over way more than his usual self. To his credit, however, Carr has passed the ball for a total of 16,331 yards in his career and as a gunslinger that comes with the territory, but come on. These instances sadly occur right when we’re close to scoring a touchdown - for example, the play action pass to Lynch at the end of the third quarter on sunday which zoomed right into the hands of the Chargers. This terrible play, unsurprisingly, manages to upset Lynch and causes him to scream right into his helmet expressing the sentiment of Raiders fan around the world. Let’s face it my fellow die-hard Raider fans, even though our team sucks like no other this year, as long as we beat the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Nov. 1, that’s all that really matters.
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Mariana Ocegueda takes ball up the field pushing the tempo to score in the 2nd half against Cerro Coso at the Fresno City College soccer field on Tuesday Oct. 9, 2018. Photo/Karl Cooke Jr.
FCC Women's Soccer Rams Past Cerro Coso Karl Cooke Jr. | Reporter kcooke@therampageonline.com
The Fresno City College women’s soccer team had another big day as they rolled past Cerro Coso Community College (2-10-1) with a score of 8-0 improving their record to 10-1-3 and continue their win streak which is now up to three games in a row. From start to finish, the FCC women kept their aggression up from the start of the whistle and score a quick score within seconds to take a very quick lead
of 1-0. It would start off a little slow from there as several offsides penalties and missed chances kept the Rams from racking up the score. It wouldn’t sway the girls from their push forward mentality as they kept on with the momentum and tempo as they scored four goals to finish up the 1st half up on the Coyotes 5-0. The 2nd half would stay the same with little resistance from Cerro Coso. FCC kept the ball on Cerro Coso’s side of the field and dominated the time of
Softball Alumna Looks to Strike-out Connor Stevens | Reporter cstevens@therampageonline.com
This past weekend the Rams Softball team held their sixth annual Striking Out Cancer Alumni game on Saturday Oct. 6 at Fresno City. Both new and old players alike were able to come together to help raise money for cancer research while also getting in an exhibition softball game that gave the community a sneak peek at what the Rams will have to come this upcoming season. “It was cool coming out here with old teammates” alumna Hayley Olivas said after the game. “Getting to know all the new alumni and players on the current team while also helping them get ready for the season was a lot of fun.” Fans were treated to quite the show as the offense for Fresno City looked season ready. The game was capped off with 3 homeruns by the Rams in the final inning. “It’s fun to get alumni and their families out here” coach Rhonda Williams said. “Just a big fun event that allows us to raise money for a good cause.” Following the game, the crowd was asked to meet on the infield for a balloon release to pay tribute to those impacted by cancer. One of which was Fresno City’s own President Carole Goldsmith who spoke and gave thanks to the community for coming out.
“I was grateful that the President came out and addressed everybody” Williams said. “She’s a cancer survivor too so this is for her.” The Rams prepare for the season as they open with a double header on Feb. 2 against Cuesta College and Sierra College.
It’s fun to get alumni and their families out here, just a big fun event that allows us to raise money for a good cause. -Rhonda Williams Softball coach
possession. FCC would go on to score three more goals and win the game 8-0. Coach Germond has some strong words on the level of competition his team is facing at this point in the season and the dominance that his team is constantly showcasing week after week. “It’s just frustrating when you have to play these kind of teams because it’s not really challenging us and you’re afraid in these kind of situations to develop bad habits,” said Coach Germond. When asked about he sees the
season going forward, head coach Oliver Germond was optimistic about the season as it progresses but looks to make sure the girls stay on their best performance. “People stop dropping back to defend and getting their shape so we talk to our girls about that to make sure they keep doing their job no matter what.” FCC will head on the road this Friday to challenge the Cougies of Taft College (6-4-2) and look to move their win streak up to four games.
THROUGH OCTOBER 31st
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10.10.18 SPORTS 11
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Volleyball Poised to Stay Dominant in CVC Play
Julie Castleman spikes the ball during a match with Taft College at the Fresno City College Gymnasium on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Photo/Larry Valenzuela Sara Humphrey | Reporter shumphrey@therampageonline.com
Fresno City College volleyball team achieved their 13th consecutive win a three sets to none victory over West HillsLemoore on Friday Oct. 5. The win keeps the Rams undefeated in Central Valley Conference improving their record to 15-3 overall (8-0 conference). The Rams have continued their dominance in the CVC bringing their conference win streak to an astronomical 102 straight victories against conference opponents. The Oct.8 CCCWVCA state women’s volleyball top 25 rankings has FCC sitting at No. 9 once again in the polls following their victory over West-Hills. FCC failed to gain traction in the polls as they are in the same position they were in the Oct. 1 weekly polls. After a few bumps early on in the season against American River and Hartnell, the Rams have been having a good season overall according to their stats, averaging 13.17 kills per set and 17.75 digs per set, some of the highest numbers in the conference. The Rams only lost 3 sets in their past nine games, including seven shutouts showing their dominance of the defensive side. Their defense has been led
so far by sophomore defensive specialist Mandy Campise who has achieved 231 individual digs this season for the team lead so far this season. The duo of freshman pin hitter Marina Gonzalez and sophomore middle blocker Keri Leake have been on a tear as they have accounted for 444 of the Rams 1,111.5 points this season. Gonzalez also she leads the conference with 209 individual kills for the Rams. Leake was voted AVCA two year college athlete player of the week on Oct. 3. Her stat line for that four game stretch was a dominant with a hitting percent of .416, averaging three kills per set and 1.21 blocks per set leading the Rams to victories over No. 16 San Joaquin Delta and No. 11 Feather River. The Rams are two years removed from winning the state title in 2016 and look to achieve that goal once more, with how this season has been going so far that goals seems more and more plausible as each game passes. FCC’s next game will be away on Oct. 10 against a (10-4) Cerro Coso team averaging 9.52 kills per set this season and have four of their last five games. Following that the Rams will be back at home on Oct. 12 against lowly (5-8)West Hills Coalinga.
The Rams look to distance themselves in the CVC standing as they are in first with just a one game lead over 10-1 overall
(7-1 conference) Merced with 10 games to go in this season. They defeated Merced on Oct. 3 giving them their only
conference loss and will face them once again on Nov. 2 in Merced.
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Basketball legend Brings wisdom to central valley Anthony De Leon | Sports Editor adeleon@therampageonline.com
The San Joaquin Valley Town Hall series welcomed the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and cultural icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as guest speaker for their town hall style forum at the William Saroyan Theatre on Oct. 9 addressing topics ranging from professional athlete protest, education and leadership. The main focus of Abdul-Jabbar’s appearance in Fresno wasn’t the about the sport that made him famous and his accolades on the court, but the success that he has achieved beyond it. In his post playing career Abdul-Jabbar achieved success in acting, writing, serving as the chairman of the Skyhook Foundation and even awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Abdul-Jabbar wants to bring awareness to athletes and teach them that there is life after sports, which athletes should plan accordingly. “They should know that it is not just about your athletic career, there is much more than that,” said Abdul-Jabbar. “They have to have some longer term plans and how they want to affect their community.” In 2017 Abdul-Jabbar wrote a book about his life called “Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court” geared towards youth ranging from the ages of 10-18, showing them the path that Abdul-Jabbar took in order to become an iconic figure. “I wanted to give younger people a chance to get an understanding of how I got to be who I am,” said Abdul-Jabbar. “The book is really focused on kids from grades 5 through 12, I talked about the mentor that help me and it wasn’t all positive there were some negative things I had to avoid.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar meets with fans before his Town Hall lecture at William Saroyan Theater on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. Photo/Larry Valenzuela
Abdul-Jabbar spoke fondly of his time at UCLA where he was under the tutelage of coach John Wooden, whom he would later write about in his New York Times bestseller “Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50 year Relationship on and Off the Court” and what he learned from his coach and mentor. “Coach Wooden stood for more than just athletic excellency, he wanted all of his players to be well rounded and get their degrees while helping their communities.” His attention was brought towards the topic of athletes protesting and his views on Colin Kaepernick protesting for what he believes in and putting him in the vein
as Muhammad Ali feeling that he will be remembered as Ali is remembered today. “What is happening now is really is connected to what was happening during the civil rights movement and there really isn’t much break in that,” said Abdul-Jabbar. “It took so long people believe there is a gap, there has been progress and there are times that we have slide backwards so we have to understand that the struggles continues.” Abdul-Jabbar talked about the impact that Dr. Martin Luther King had on his life. “Martin Luther King had a few wisdoms that he implied that really affected our nation and will affect them forever, it is hard
to beat that,” said Abdul-Jabbar. With upcoming elections and the ever changing world we live in Abdul-Jabbar’s final message was a call to action: to get involved in their communities—especially minorities—to stand up and get involved in trying to make a change. “For people in minority communities they have to engage and cannot just sit on the sidelines and hope things get better,” said Abdul-Jabbar. “They have to register to vote, they have to make their voices heard and talk to those people who represent them so if we have any complaints we have to get into there and explain ourselves.”
For the complete list of activities and information, visit fresnocitycollege.edu/openhouse
• • • • • • • • • •
FCC SWAG BAG for the first 100 people in attendance Free tickets to the RAMS football game at 1:00pm Student Entertainment Food Trucks Resource Fair Applied Tech, Nursing, & Business Department Tours Financial Aid Workshops Police and Fire Academy Demonstrations Art/Photography Show Student Poetry Reading … and more!
Live performance by FCC Alumnus Patrick Contreras