LIFE

6March 25, 2021 LIFE

“Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourself in a way that others might not see you, simply because they’ve never seen it before.”

- Kamala harris

Norco College grad goes Ivy League

Corona native accepts invitation to Harvard Law School

BY BIANCA MACIAS STAFF REPORTER

If you’ve ever felt the dreams you possess are out of your reach as a Community College student, or as a student from a minority group, Saeed Ahmad’s heartening story just debunked any theory that suggested your doubts.

Ahmad, 22, was born into a proud Pakistani lineage and speaks his native language of Urdu as well as English. His mother’s side of the family is from Lahore, Pakistan, while his father, who attended Riverside City College for some time, is from Karachi, Pakistan, where Ahmad was born.

He immigrated to the United States at a very young age and grew up in Corona. With three associate degrees from Norco College, a bachelor in psychology from UCLA and an acceptance letter to Harvard Law School, he was actually the first in his family to academically achieve beyond the Community College level.

His toughest challenges stemmed from the arduous times that are attached to adolescence.

“Everybody goes through this,” he said. “Middle school and high school can be some of the toughest times while growing up, whether that’s due to bullying, name calling or hanging out with the wrong people.”

Lacking a crowd of likeminded individuals left Ahmad less goal-oriented and unfocused. He juggled bad company with academics and high school wrestling, but admitted he had no concrete goals at the time.

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re never going to get there,” Ahmad said, admiring a quote he had seen in the past.

Ahmad grew from these challenges once he joined the mock trial team at Centennial High School in Corona. That was when he found an interest in law and realized his grades were not up to par for what he wanted out of his future. Despite his challenges, he disregarded any doubt that teachers and peers expressed about the Community College route when it came to pursuing law.

“One of my high school teachers said that ‘it makes sense that you’re going to Community College because you don’t have any goals, extracurriculars or aspirations,’ and I wanted to prove this man wrong,” Ahmad said.

He sought his dream by taking the high school equivalency exam as a junior so that he could enroll at Norco College. He was on a mission to prove his doubters wrong, but also to

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIETRO ARREDONDO Saeed Ahmad poses in a Harvard University T-shirt. Despite doubts from some instructors during his high school career, the 22-year-old succeeded at Norco College and UCLA, and now holds an acceptance letter to the Harvard Law Program. Although unsure about his post-Harvard goals, he aims to be a lawyer. make a statement for Muslim and Pakistani people.

Ahmad searched for an idol in his field that he could demographically identify with, but found he would need to be the role model for Muslim and Pakistani people.

This awareness fueled him in creating representation for his people in a highly competitive field.

While at Norco College, Ahmad effectively leveraged the semester’s worth of AP credits he earned in high school. He was able to balance extracurricular activities with his academics, an opportunity he found worthy of capitalizing on. As a former student ambassador, Honors Program member and appointed president of the Pre-Law Society, he emphasized the importance of networking and extracurricular activities. Ahmad also highlighted that the small class sizes at Norco College made it easier to network. Ahmad said Khalil Andacheh, a Norco College sociology instructor, was especially resourceful. They remain in touch. Ahmad encouraged students to build genuine relationships with instructors by taking advantage of office hours. Being president of the PreLaw Society at Norco College helped him develop his base through the use of LinkedIn. He learned marketing and networking skills through this program as “that guy” marketing student organizations through flyers, emails and word of mouth.

He became president of the Pre-Law Society at UCLA as well. Ahmad explained that his experience at Norco inspired him to expand the niche of the pre-law program at UCLA by combining it with business, fashion, sports and entertainment to hook people into events.

The transfer from Norco to UCLA brought a whole new level of competition for Ahmad. Apart from grades, student involvement was also a factor in acceptance, as was preparation for future experiences.

“Do the best you can to focus on your grades because they matter, especially if you have (graduate) school aspirations,” he said. “Go to every event hosted by your college possible. Be involved everywhere you can.”

Leadership is part of who Ahmad is. Aside from his PreLaw Society presidencies, he was part of Kappa Sigma’s founding father class at UCLA, a fraternity whose goal was to end the negative stigma on fraternities through positive actions. He is also a part of the Forbes Under 30 Scholars Program.

Ahmad is now officially a future Harvard law student, thus fulfilling his goal of “repping the transfers.” He still has the voicemail of himself getting accepted into Harvard.

“When I go to Harvard, I’m going to be rocking my Norco College T-shirt,” he said.

His acceptance delighted his family and also attracted media attention. Ahmad is preparing for Harvard by gaining experience in sales at Louis Vuitton on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

He is also working on start ups, a consulting company and, most of all, networking with instructors and other incoming students. He is also focused on further improving his organization skills.

Ahmad is not yet 100% sure about his post-Harvard goals, but he knows he will be a lawyer. He is passionate about fashion, law and business, and is also considering politics. One thing he knows for sure, however, is that he wants to combat every negative stigma he has faced.

“Whatever I’m doing, I want to say that I served as an inspiration and a beacon of light for Pakistani-Americans, Muslims, immigrants and Community College transfer students,” he said.

He also wants to “put Corona on the map.”

“When you have a dream and you work toward it with all of your effort and dedication, the universe rewards you with more blessings,” Ahmad said. “Go Mustangs!”

TIMOTHY LEWIS | VIEWPOINTS

Chef Robert Baradaran puts his arm around Riverside City College culinary student Eduardo Chavez in the RCC Culinary Academy kitchen March 17.

The culinary rush restarts

RCC restaurant looks forward to relaxed regulations

BY TIMOTHY LEWIS STAFF REPORTER

In the heart of downtown, there is a restaurant run by Riverside City College faculty and students that not only offers an education in culinary arts, but also full-service open to the public. The RCC Culinary Academy restaurant is located on Market Street. It provides students with professional experience and offers a plethora of items, with a rotating weekly schedule.

Under pre-COVID-19 circumstances, the academy provided a full-service restaurant that was open for both breakfast and lunch. However, it is now open for takeout only.

Co-founding Chef Richard Gabriel of the Culinary Academy speculated that hopefully in early April the restaurant will be able to provide full services at a reduced capacity.

As the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees discusses opening up campuses for in-person learning, he hopes the restaurant will be under no restrictions in the fall.

Gabriel also expressed his discontent with this year’s class size, adding that student enrollment the previous year has been tough.

“A lot of people were having to put their education on hold due to losing their jobs and had to choose between their education and their family,” he said. “Unfortunately for us and the rest of the college, people had to support their families.”

Despite his worries Gabriel was optimistic. He said that student enrollment has improved greatly and that he expects a full class come April.

The academy focuses primarily on “back of house” responsibilities, such as both basic and advanced preparation, cooking and cleaning techniques.

The academy plans to include online courses in its curriculum, as well as full-credit and noncredit courses for those interested. Students certified at the RCC Culinary Academy can leave with the skills necessary to thrive in the food industry.

Professionals often reach out to RCC, looking for qualified Culinary Academy students to work for them.

Gabriel said he believes that now more than ever, there is a high demand for skilled food industry professionals.

“As the industry starts to return to normal, we suspect that our students will have more than a few opportunities to work at a few places that will be restaffing their restaurants,” he said.

Gabriel and his staff are cautiously optimistic, believing that the demand for food service jobs will bring an uptick in student enrollment.

First semester student Samantha Amaya said that running the restaurant is “not the same” as it was before the pandemic.

Government mandates on takeout-only service have resulted in slower business at the restaurant.

That hasn’t stopped Amaya, however, who has been using the internet to help bring in customers.

“Right now, it’s kind of slow,” Amaya said. “What I’ve been doing is going on the Riverside subreddit to post the menu there weekly. We’ve gotten some people from it who’ve said they’ve never known this place was here.”

Chef Robert Baradaran is in charge of the academy’s senior program, which focuses heavily on kitchen cooking and etiquette. He shared that students primarily learn classic French cuisine, as well as a multitude of ethnic and international dishes.

Baradaran also began holding a large emphasis on food-cost consciousness and management in his junior curriculum, as this helps students prepare for the various roles they may end

TIMOTHY LEWIS | VIEWPOINTS A Riverside City College culinary student prepares to cut into a chicken in the Culinary Academy kitchen March 17.

up playing within a restaurant setting.

“One thing we teach is controlling food costs,” Baradaran said. “Our prices are very competitive in comparison to some of the neighboring businesses, but we don’t want to raise our prices as we are a learning institution.”

LIFE BRIEFS

SoCal Etsy Guild Market

A three-day market at the Galleria at Tyler mall will feature handmade artisan vendors and artists, do-it-yourself activities, live art and more.

Vendors will be located on the second floor of the mall between Forever 21 and Sephora.

It will run from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m on March 26-27 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 28.

The market takes place the fourth weekend of each month.

Eggstravaganza Drive-Thru

From March 30 to April 1, local Riverside parks will hold an Easter event for children ages 12 and under.

For $3, children will be able to create DIY arts & crafts, receive a holiday-themed basket and a candy bag.

The event will be held from 5-8 p.m. A pre-registration is required, as no walk-ups are being permitted.

For more information go to www.riversideca.gov/calendar/ event/eggstravaganza-drivethru.

Free Market

The IE Really Really Free Market is being held the second Saturday of every month at Fairmount Park in Riverside.

Donations of food, clothing and shoes can be dropped off near the tennis courts at the park. Those in need can pick up lunch or other donations.

A healing circle will also be performed at the market.

The next free market is April 10.Visit @ iereallyreallyfreemarket on Instagram for more information.

Vegan Depot

The Vegan Depot will be held at Corona City Park in Corona on March 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The depot hosts over 45 different vendors of everything from vegan food to clothing and other items.

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IMAGE COURTESY OF PIXABAY

‘Cat Nap’ starring Tom and Jerry

Live adaptation of ‘Tom and Jerry’ falls short of expectations

BY STEPHANIE ARENAS STAFF REPORTER

Longtime fans of the “Tom & Jerry” franchise have been disappointed and heartbroken.

What began as a 1940s animated cartoon series created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera transformed into an entire franchise of spin-offs, video games and even movies.

A more recent adaptation of the two characters was the premiere of the live action film “Tom & Jerry: The Movie,” which was released Feb. 26.

The movie stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Kayla Forester, a young woman who lies her way into getting a management position at the Royal Gate Hotel.

During her first day at work, Jerry the mouse is found stealing items from guests of the hotel. Kayla is then tasked with getting rid of Jerry once and for all.

As a means of keeping her job, Kayla enlists the help of Tom the cat and chaos soon commences.

While the idea in itself feels sort of refreshing for any “Tom & Jerry” fan, the film as a whole feels bland and absolutely boring.

The actors in this film do not feel like real people. Of course, this is just a children’s film but that does not excuse the horrific performances.

For instance, Moretz’s character is fired from her previous job toward the beginning of the film. Any normal person would react with panic or concern, right? Well, not Moretz.

Rather than the character reacting like a normal person, Moretz’s character reacts in the most dull and uncaring way possible.

It’s almost as if Moretz had no real interest in the movie and was only doing this performance for the heck of it.

Speaking of her character, this movie should instead have been titled “Kayla: The Movie,” as the main focus is really on her. By the trailers, it seems as though Tom and Jerry would play a huge role in this film, however, that is not the case as they really remain in the background.

It just seems ridiculous that the filmmakers would even decide to take this route for the cat and mouse duo. The audience is paying for the timeless Tom & Jerry humor, not for a character that it does not care for or know anything about.

The classic “Tom & Jerry” humor is simply not there. A typical “Tom & Jerry” short or film includes the two characters battling it out in the most violent and slapstick comedy way.

In this case, the characters are simply just chasing each other for the entirety of the film. Jerry gets a good punch out of Tom in the beginning, but that’s pretty much it.

Overall, “Tom & Jerry: The Movie” is a disappointing adaptation to a beloved franchise. Unless you are under the age of 12, I simply don’t see how anyone could find any real joy out of this movie.

If you are really interested in watching a good “Tom & Jerry” film, then I highly recommend “Tom & Jerry: The Fast & The Furry.”

This film stays true to the original characters and story. It is entertaining, unique and filled with the classic slapstick comedy formula.

In my opinion, this movie is infinitely better than that other pile of garbage.

MOVIE REVIEW Disney’s new release doesn’t disappoint

‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ not typical kids film, fun for adults too

BY SIGIFREDO MACIAS STAFF REPORTER

Being in quarantine now for a year makes you wonder if you should really spend $29.99 to watch an animated Disney movie.

And the answer is yes, if you have kids. If you don’t have kids, even better.

Although not the perfect Disney movie, “Raya and the Last Dragon” is an interesting and funny film that I honestly thought was worth the buy.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” is Walt Disney Pictures’ latest release. The last movie the studio released was “Frozen II,” so your kids or little family member can finally watch something else now.

Caution: spoilers ahead.

Directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada and Don Hall, the movie is about a girl named Raya (Kelly Marie Tran, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) who loses her dad to a plague called the drunne that hits all six people around her. Raya fights her way to find the last dragon that can help her unite the lands and save other people

IMAGE COURTESY OF DISNEY PLUS Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon” is directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada and Don Hall. It stars Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina.

from being turned to stone by the plague.

It’s not a typical teary-eyed Disney movie, but it is still very enjoyable. The best part of the film is seeing the different lands and people the characters meet, all of whom are affected by the plague.

The different effects the plague has on children, babies and people is at the forefront of the film.

Awkwafina plays the dragon Sisu, who, funny enough, actually resembles Awkwafina. It was actually pretty cool to see that and hear Awkwafina’s voice — she was a great choice for the role.

Tran proves her haters wrong with an exemplary performance in “Raya and the Last Dragon.”

It is really fun and interesting to just watch the characters come together throughout the movie. Unexpectedly, it is pretty actionpacked for a children’s film.

The ending, though, was not surprising.

Let’s just refrain from further spoiling and call it a typical Disney-style ending.

The only issue: with all its entertainment, “Raya and the Last Dragon” should have been longer.

The story was rushed and I feel like it would’ve been better to have the story told a bit slower and more drawn out.

The movie is not dumbed down and doesn’t make kids feel stupid, which many movies do nowadays.

It actually teaches children and adults alike, because at the end of the day, we are still kids learning everyday.

Snyder’s ‘Justice League’ redeems DC Universe

BY TYRESE BLUE STAFF REPORTER

Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” premiered on streaming platform HBO Max on March 18, including two hours of footage not included in the film’s theatrical release.

The extra scenes enhance the movie’s quality and make it a must-see version of the original. After watching and analyzing both films, I can say that the Snyder cut has surely brought about a more interesting approach, adding more depth to the characters’ story arcs.

The audience now has a better understanding of the origins and motives of both the protagonists and antagonists.

Throughout the Synder cut, you’ll notice both different designs and appearances of the characters and the introduction of new ones, since many of their scenes were cut from the original theatrical release.

There is an immediate difference between the films at the start of the intro.

The Snyder cut opens with Superman dying while screaming in agony.

His scream echoes throughout the DC universe, which triggers the “mother boxes” to send signals to the aliens that Earth is vulnerable with Superman dead, and they can retrieve the three mother boxes.

For reference, the original release opens with Batman catching a burglar while already aware that the Earth will be attacked by aliens, which is more anti-climatic in comparison.

The original rating for the film was PG-13, but the Synder cut was changed to an R-rating since it has a darker undertone and contains more mature content such as blood, death and strong language.

In other words, more thrills for the audience.

In terms of the characters that weren’t included in the original, you’ll notice Iris West, the love interest of the Flash and whose appearance also sets up some background for the standalone Flash movie coming in 2022.

You’ll also notice Martian Man Hunter, an alien shapeshifter from Mars, a scientist by the name of Adam who also becomes a superhero version of himself as Captain Atom. You will see the Joker, who actually had scenes added to the film instead of being excluded like in the original.

Finally, you will also get the villain Darkseid in this film. In the theatrical version, it seemed the plan to kill all life on Earth via the three mother boxes was all Steppenwolf’s idea.

However, with the

IMAGE COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” is four hours long and can be streamed on HBO Max.

introduction of Darkseid, Steppenwolf seems to be actually on a mission and serving him.

Steppenwolf’s new design is one of my personal favorite differences because he actually looks threatening with his razor sharp armor and a significantly larger suit, and has a deeper voice.

Zack Synder’s departure from the creation of the film was initially due to the loss of his adoptive daughter, who died by suicide in March of 2017.

However, Warner Bros. Studios, who had already brought in director-producer Joss Whedon to help move the project into a less serious light, gave Whedon the OK to complete the film entirely, which led to a practically distorted version of Synder’s vision.

Due to these events, the film was considered to be a failure after ultimately taking a loss of over $60 million in revenue.

Overall, the Synder cut has certainly redeemed the original film and will give the DC franchise the credit it deserves.

It seems that Marvel has consistently overshadowed the DC Universe at the box office ever since Disney bought the rights to the franchise.

But the anticipation over this cut shows there is still something to be excited for in this fandom.

Although the Synder cut goes just over four hours in running time, the quality of this film makes it worthwhile to watch in its entirety.