VOL. XCVII, NO. 10
VIEWPOINTSONLINE.ORG
MARCH 23, 2017
Viewpoints is an Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving as the voice of the students since 1922.
Students elect new student trustee SAMANTHA BARTHOLOMEW @RCCviewpoints
Students came out from all over the district to place their votes for a new Riverside Community College District student trustee March 8-9. Among the candidates were Adrian Aros, Deven Fafard and Luis Velazco Miranda. The position was awarded to Miranda, who earned 206 votes districtwide. “My ideology is that student success is higher when a student cares for his or her own education and experiences,” Miranda said. “We must also help students feel that they are welcome and that they belong.” Miranda has held many student leadership positions throughout his academic career at Norco City College. Those positions include serving as senator and vice president for club organizations, as well as being the founder of the Norco Dreamers and Leaders, a club at Norco. “These programs shaped me into who I have become and showed me what it is to care about others’ success,” Miranda said. He said he believes that his previous positions will serve him in his new role by allowing him to communicate with students, understand their needs and advocate for them. As student trustee, Miranda will represent students during all RCCD Board of Trustees meetings, participate in discussion of issues and receive all materials presented to members of the Board. “Anything that I can do to in order to help others is an opportunity I’m willing to take,” Miranda said. “Being the student trustee is my way of making an impact. That is why I am here.”
STACY SORIANO | VIEWPOINTS
Jill Stein, a former presidential candidate for the Green Party, speaks at Riverside City College on March 15, Stein discussed the grassroots movement.
Stein speaks at RCC Former presidential candidate Jill Stein visited RCC to address students on current political issues REHITHA NALLA @RCCviewpoints
A mass of students from Riverside City College and members the Riverside community gathered March 15 on the steps of the Martin Luther King Jr. building to hear Jill Stein, the Green Party’s presidential candidate for 2012 and 2016, speak. “Free Your Mind, Think Jill Stein” and “No Human is Illegal” were just a few of the slogans written on signs held up by the audience. The crowd cheered as she made her appearance. “This is what democracy looks like,” she said. “You are what democracy looks like!” “What I don’t want to hear are platitudes of problems we already have,” John Wilder, a Riverside resident said when asked what they were expecting to hear.
“I want to hear solutions,” he said. Charlene Mejia, an RCC student said, “I think it’s time that we shift to a third party instead of having to choose between the two dominant parties that are constantly shoved at us.” Stein directed her attention to students by stating now is the time to “bail out the younger generation.” “There is no excuse not to make public education free,” she added. Her speech at RCC was a construction of the Green Party’s platform of policies as well as a delivery on her attitudes toward certain politicians and the political system. She voiced her opinion on the President Donald Trump and the travel ban. “If you want to make the American public secure, we’ve got news for you Donald Trump,” she said. “It’s not by spending half our discretionary dollars on fighting this war on terrorism, it’s by fighting a war against poverty, against poor
education, against poor health care! That’s what we need to secure.” After a series of Q&A, Stein responded to people’s opinions that a vote for a third party presidential candidate in the 2016 election was essentially siphoning support that could have gone to Hillary Clinton. “The facts don’t agree with that,” Stein said. “That’s basically a smear campaign and a character assassination campaign. The system is very frightened that we are developing steam ... but let’s get the facts out there, Greens for the most part vote for Green. They don’t vote for Democrats, so having a Green candidate would not have translated to more votes for Clinton. “Those who are accusing me of being a spoiler are doing the same thing that the Totalitarians are doing in saying that they
See STEIN on Page 2
RCCD Board of Trustees adopts resolution at meeting JOSE MARQUEZ-CUEVAS @RCCviewpoints
The Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees met March 7 to introduce and approve the Support and Protection of Culture and Care resolution. The resolution is a revised extension of the Support of Student Access and Protection resolution approved Feb. 21.
“The Board and its three colleges should wholeheartedly advocate at every level of government possible to protect the students, faculty and staff’s values,” the resolution states. “Through these efforts, RCCD pledges that all three campuses will remain safe places for the college community.” With the inclusion of the LGBTQ community and religious minorities, the resolution attests that they will not tolerate
anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, and antiLGBTQ actions. Instead, it entails that it will vow to protect members of the college community from a hostile environment. Many community members who attended this meeting felt it was necessary to revise the original draft for more inclusiveness and to strengthen the Board’s commitment to uphold district policies. Dariush Haghighat, a Riverside City College political science professor and
president of the RCC Faculty Association, said he wanted to see more action. “My frustration right now with our Chancellor is he keeps putting (out) emotional statements,” Haghighat said. “He says culture of care, culture of care... okay you’ve already said that you care for DACA students, religious minorities, the LGBTQ community. Now I want to hear what steps you are going to take to protect (students).”
News 2 March 23, 2017 Former presidential candidate talks to students STEIN from Page 1
can only have one or two legitimate state parties,” she said. Stein ended her speech by saying that the solution for real democracy is to not to silence the opposition. “Political opposition is where democracy lives, she said. “We need more voices and more choices. That’s the solution … we need politics for us.” Matthew Snyder, a staff member of UC Riverside’s writing program, said the younger generations have the tools to make a change.
“Americans are trapped by labels, and we have to break away from that. The young generation, the millennials are the golden key. They have the choice and they need to make it. ” “It went even better than we expected especially because we had such a short time to advertise. It was a great turnout,” said Isabelle Zamora, the president of Young Greens Coalition Riverside City College. Zamora collaborated with the local Green Party chapter, Green Party for Riverside, and played a crucial role in making the event happen.
STACY SORIANO | VIEWPOINTS
Members of the audience c r e a t e d multiple signs expressing the support they carry for Stein.
Feminist club joins Women’s March in LA LESLIE SANTIBANEZMOLINA @RCCviewpoints
The Riverside City College Feminist club joined the International Women’s Day March in downtown Los Angeles on March 5 which was led by AF3RM, a transnational feminist organization. People of different genders, sexualities and backgrounds united under one on an overcast day in LA. Among these people were members of RCC’s Feminist Unite club. C a r l a To r r e s f r o m t h e Feminists Unite joined the cause in order to protest the hatred
Campus Crimes March 13 Outside Warrant/ Misdemeanor An adult male non-student was arrested on Magnolia and Terracina for an outside warrant at 6:50 a.m. March 14 Outside Warrant/ Misdemeanor An adult male non-student was arrested outside the Digital Library at 2:24 a.m. for 6 outstanding warrants. March 15 Suspended License
directed towards the Mexican community of which she is part of. “I like to feel I have support from other people,” Torres said. “I like coming together and stand up for what is right.” For Torres, the formation of the Feminist club represents a safe space for like minded people to come together and discuss social issues. “I hope one day we can all coexist...no one has to be mistreated,” Torres said. The goal is for no individual or group of people to be oppressed. Charlene Mejia, a two year member, sees the Feminist Club as a way to educate and inform people on all social issues.
Cesar Chavez movie showing
Mejia joined the protest for solidarity with the people who President Donald Trump’s policies have had a negative effect on. “It is terrible and scary, because you don’t know what the future holds for women,” Mejia said. “The war on women’s rights needs to end.” Informing people on the differences between white and intersectional feminism is Fem. Unite member, Noah Sesma’s hope for the club. Intersectional feminism includes the different experiences women of color face everyday. “It is devastating and frustrating to watch ... especially in the time and day you
would think it would be more progressive,” said Sesma. Daniela Carpintero a senior in Buena Park High School was accompanied by her friend Adrianna Laureano to the Women’s March. “I thought it was cool being surrounded by people that support different causes...were all here for progress,” said Laureano. Throughout her first march she was glad to realize that there were people that shared her beliefs. The sense of unity encouraged her to get involved in the movement and learn more about her culture. “Fight for what you believe in,” said Carpintero. “Fight against injustice.”
News Briefs EOPS accepting applications
Riverside City College Diversity Committee and La Casa are honoring Cesar Chavez on March 28-30. A Cesar Chavez movie will be showing March 28 and 29 in Digital Library 121 at 2 p.m.
Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) is now accepting applications for the Fall 2017 semester starting May 15.
A Fields to Faculty Celebration to be held
There will be a viewing of “Documented,” a documentary by Jose Antonio Vargas in the Digital Library Auditorium on March 29.
RCC faculty will be in the Digital Library 121 March 30 from 12:50 -2:50 p.m. celebrating A Fields to Faculty Celebration.
Documentary showing
Easter Family Fun
Bunny Hop, an Easter themed event hosted by the Associated Students o f R iverside City College on April 7. Kathy Leissner Whitman A discussion will be held about the newly-discovered private letters from 23-year-old Kathy Leissner Whitman, the wife of Charles Whitman. Charles Whitman terrorized the Austin community from University of Texas. Jo Scott Coe will present May 4 at the Digital Library Auditorium from 12:50-1:50p.m.
Providing a wealth of services to families since 1949.
A non-student was arrested on City College Drive at 8:29 p.m. for driving with a suspended license. March 16 Stolen Vehicle A blue Ford pickup was reported missing from the cosmetology parking lot at 7:10 a.m. No suspect has been identified at this time.
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Health services has you covered LYNDA PARRA @RCCviewpoints
The Riverside Community College District $18 health fee grants students access to basic medical care and mental health support in the Student Health Center located in the Bradshaw building. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the Affordable Care Act, student health plans are a legitimate form of health insurance coverage for the otherwise uninsured. “We help students enroll in any number of programs, for example: Family Planning Care and Treatment, the Food Assistance Network and various mental health services, to name a few,” said Fazio. Students can get treated for smaller medical concerns like cold and flu symptoms, a sprained ankle or a headache. The SHC also provides access to an array of physical exams, immunizations, contraceptives to both students and faculty year- round. “The medical clinic provides short-term, clinical care for minor illnesses and injuries,” said Cynthia Fazio, RN, the clinic’s nursing supervisor. “We assess the patient and treat the chief complaint. We follow up with an appointment or a phone call as needed.” The two-bed medical clinic also maintains three private, group session rooms. The clinic proffers a licensed staff of registered nurses and therapists who remain on duty Monday through Friday, 8-5 p.m. The physician, nurse practitioner and marriage and family counselor is available by appointment. Dr. Renee Martin–Thornton, director of student health and psychological services said, “We want RCC students to know they have a place to go to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing.”
LIFE ‘Tale as Old as Time’ lives on March 23, 2017
“To paint is the most terrific thing that there is, but to do it well is very difficult,”
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- Frida Kahlo
Beauty and the Beast live adaptation is welcomed with world wide grossing of $350 million MOVIE REVIEW
ROXANNE STEPHENS @RCCviewpoints
Grow ing up on classic Disney fairytales leaves us all thinking, “I want that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’” which leads us to look for our own version of a love story. News of a remake sets off an alarm when applied to the heartwarming tale as old as time, “Beauty and the Beast,” but Disney manages to pull it off. Not only do they keep the original details intact as much as possible, but they also add missing links that makes it even more satisfying to watch. The live action version is a delight from the inclusion of 18th century French culture and costumes, to the dancing and music and best of all, a romance that is sure to renew your childhood hopes and dreams. Each character is crafted to perfection, bringing to life the imagination the original film brought back in 1991. The skepticism was high in seeing
IMAGE COURTESY OF DISNEY STUDIOS
Emma Watson stars as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, a live-action adaptation of the studio’s animated classic directed by Bill Condon. Emma Watson go from Hermione Granger to our beloved Belle. Fortunately Watson’s fierce personality shines through and what better role for a selfproclaimed feminist? Although Belle’s sarcasm is not quite up to par as the animated version, she made up for it in her fearless
fight to do what is right. In contrast to Belle’s, the handsome Gaston, played by Luke Evans, portrays the charming, yet deceiving villain that leaves a lasting impression. Dan Stevens leads a performance of the Beast exactly how one would imagine him, frightening,
but insecure and vulnerable to the touch of the gentle, yet ambitious Belle. As Lumiere explains when Belle is first locked away by Beast, “The master’s not as terrible as he appears,” which she slowly finds out as his inner beauty is finally unleashed,
allowing them to fall in love. The underlying theme is that differences should be embraced. Though Belle and Beast are from different social classes, similar events of life connect their souls, like the deaths of both of their mothers and their strange ways that have caused them to be the outcasts of society. When the Enchantress disguises as an outcast, it is an alluring idea that we never know who is watching us or who we are really helping. Belle demonstrates a pure heart, choosing to break away from the small minds around her while empowering individuality, education, women and the right to want more than the path that seems to be laid before her. Belle turns the roles around and saves her Prince Charming by simply opening him up to a new world. Disney also made allowances to open the world up to a more modern society by subtly adding more races and presenting LeFou as being attracted to other males. Though differences can be hard to accept, “Beauty and the Beast” gave another magical picture of how the human race depends on loving one another in spite of our biases.
‘Get Out’ is a chilling reflection of American society MOVIE REVIEW
JONATHAN VAN NIEL @RCCviewpoints
“Just because you’re invited doesn’t mean you’re welcome.” The tagline for Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” brilliantly encapsulates the racial dynamics at play in this chilling social-thriller. In his feature debut as a writer and director, Peele holds a mirror to 21st century America and
dismantles the assertion that we live in a post-racial society. The film begins with Chris and Rose, an interracial couple who have been dating for a few months. Rose wishes to introduce Chris to her family, but she has yet to inform them that she is dating a black man. Immediately, Peele sets the stage for racially charged dramatics. The two eventually make their way to Rose’s family home. Her parents are described as an upper middle-class liberal white family.
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Upon meeting Chris, Rose’s father attempts to dissolve tensions by saying he would have voted for Obama for a third term if he could. Later on, the family hosts an event with several white guests who are eager to meet Chris, but things are not as they seem in Peele’s twisted satirical horror rendition of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” Through a series of unfortunate events, the audience learns that Rose and her family have been kidnapping black people so their bodies may be mentally occupied by white people. This twist i s P e e l e ’s ADVANCED EMERGENCY method for TRAINING commentating o n t h e 17749 Cedarwood Dr. fetishizing of the black body. Riverside, CA 92503 The partygoers i n P e e l e ’s (951)394-2345 world study www.advancedemergencytraining.com Chris similarly t o h o w slaves were Student prices: examined for auctions, even CPR/BLS- $45 concluding ACLS or PALS $175/$115 festivities by having a renew bidding war take place for his body.
IMAGE COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Rose (Allison Williams) connects with boyfriend Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) in Universal Pictures’ Get Out, a speculative thriller from Blumhouse and the mind of Jordan Peele. When a young African American man visits his white girlfriend’s family estate, he becomes ensared in a more sinister real reason for the invitation. Truly, this is the new-age slave trade. The genius of “Get Out” lies in Peele’s brand of antagonists. There are no neo-Nazis or Aryan Brotherhood members in this film. To address their blatantly racist rhetoric would be pointless. Instead, the subjects Peele provides are educated, liberalminded white people. These characters profess their lack of racism and desire for black empowerment while
simultaneously reducing black people to their physical attributes. The commentary—applicable to a myriad of situations—lends itself particularly well to rebuking individuals who believe they are advocating racial equality by chanting “All Lives Matter.” The phrase, on the contrary, dismisses the reality of the black struggle and often serves as a rebuttal to “Black Lives Matter.” “Get Out” breaks free from
See GET OUT on Page 4
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March 23, 2017
Musical revives the 20s Thoroughly Modern Millie comes to Performance Riverside
Life
‘Get Out’ captivates audiences attention
IMAGE COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’ has grossed 117.8 million in the box office.
MISTY SEVERI
GET OUT from Page 3
@MistySeveri
Spirits are high as the cast and crew of Performance Riverside’s latest musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie” rehearse for their upcoming show in Riverside City College’s Landis Performing Arts Center. “Thoroughly Modern M i l l i e ” i s a To n y a w a r d winning Broadway musical that has achieved major success, including winning Best Musical in 2002. The musical follows Millie Dillmount a girl from Salina, Kansas who moves to the Big Apple in hopes of marrying a rich man. But when she gets there she encounters different people who prove that New York is nothing like she thought it would be. RCC faculty member and drama advisor Ashlee Espinosa stars as the titled role in Performance Riverside’s
the humdrum of Hollywood conventionality and denies filmgoers a tranquil coexistence between the two races. There is no coming together—no “Kumbaya” moment. The chasm
IMAGE COURTESY BY PERFORMANCE RIVERSIDE
production of the Broadway musical. “Millie is a small town girl, she comes from a very small town with big dreams to move to New York,” Espinosa said. “She thinks she’s gonna find love, wealth, power and high society versus finding love in an actual person she’s going to love for the rest of her life.” Some members of the cast and crew come from extensive theater backgrounds, even as far up as Broadway. “ I t ’s a g r e a t m i x o f professional actors, students from Riverside City College and then our directing and choreography
team are from Broadway,” Espinosa said. RCC student and ensemble member Xavier Bush is looking forward to taking the audience away from the stress of midterms. “We’re taking them back to that 1920s feel and we just want to let them live in that for a moment,” Bush said. “Thoroughly Modern Millie” will be at the Landis Performing Arts Center on March 31 at 7 p.m. April 1, 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. and April 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 2 p.m. tickets are available for purchase through the box office or online through the Performance Riverside website.
between blacks and whites is not mended, but is rather widened. Peele drops a bucket of ice water on our heads, and the frigid truth is sure to give you chills.
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Let’s call terrorism what it is Tell
us what you think, in a letter to the editor, in an email, or use #RCCnow.
The mistake to label white terror as ‘lone wolves’ is common throughout media coverage
JONATHAN VAN NIEL @RCCviewpoints
T he Cha rleston Chu rch shooting in South Carolina resulted in the deaths of nine African-Americans. Dylann Roof, the shooter responsible for the 2015 attack, was a member of white nationalist and neo-Nazi web forums. Wade Michael Page fatally shot six Sikhs and wounded four others in the Wisconsin temple massacre. Page, an Army veteran, formed a white supremacist rock band and was a prominent figure in various North Carolina-based skinhead groups prior to the 2012 shooting. Fr a z ie r Gle n n M il le r Jr. mu rdered t h ree people at the Overland Park Jewish Community Center in 2014. Items discovered at Miller's home include —but are not limited to—a red shirt with a swastika symbol and a copy of “Mein Kampf.” Du r ing the coverage of
ILLUSTRATION BY BELANNA WALKER
these attacks, media outlets and political commentators referred to these gunmen as “lone wolves.” But how can their actions be considered isolated when they each share the intricately woven ideology of white supremacist, white nationalist and neo-Nazi hate groups? Terrorism is defined as the use of violence to achieve a political, religious or ideological aim. When political movements
like the so-called “alt-right,” for example, spew racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic rhetoric, and their supporters conduct violent acts that reflect that ideology, then you have yourself terrorism incarnate. So allow me to set the record straight: White extremists are terrorists, and our media and government must refer to them as such. It seems, however, that our current administration does not
in the water in America’s major newsrooms, or perhaps the president’s usual rhetoric has merely set the bar so low that even this speech seems presidential. Whatever the case may be, the pundits’ reactions were comical to say the least. The speech itself was classic Trump. He bragged about how enormous he thinks his victory in 2016 was, demonized Latino immigrants, and described the inner cities as though they’re dem ilit a r ized zones where anarchy reigns. He also promised to increase America’s obscenely bloated military budget tenfold, and perhaps the most troubling, to form the “Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement,”a government agency designed specifically to harass immigrants under the guise of cracking down on crime. This is the speech the Boston Globe called “the long-awaited pivot…unlike any other speech we have seen from Trump.” What specifically made this speech so terrific? According to most of these pundits, it’s chiefly because of his honoring Carryn Owens, a cheap appeal to emotion and patriotism.
Owens is the mother of Ryan Owens, the Navy SEAL who died in a botched raid in Yemen on Jan. 29. A raid that the president was strongly advised against approving, but approved anyway. So it seems that using the parents of a soldier, who was killed thanks to his incompetence, as political props, is what makes a man the president in the eyes of the media. Then again, Trump isn’t the first president to use such a tactic so perhaps they’re not wrong. This kind of emotional appeal plays well on television, as did the two minute standing ovation that Owens received, and that’s the real reason the TV media loved it so. Actual policy means nothing to them, they care only about appearances. Which is why Hillary Clinton and Trump got so much free coverage in 2016 - they looked best on TV. The American people deserve better than this. They need better than this. It’s time for the mainstream media – the TV media specifically – to wake up, stop getting distracted by trivialities and focus on what is important. If ever there was a time when the American people needed to be as informed as possible, it’s now.
share those sentiments. According to Reuters, the Trump administration plans on changing the focus of the Countering Violent Extremism program to solely address radical Islamic terrorism. “Oh my goodness,” a white supremacist wrote on the neoNazi website Stormfront. “This is for real. My government no longer targets me as the enemy.” Sadly, our gover nment's refusal to publicly refer to white
extremism as terrorism has only encouraged violence. In this year alone, an AfricanAmerican Muslim teenager was found hanged in a forest near Seattle; four mosques have been targeted by arsonists; two Indian-American men mistaken for Middle Easterners were shot, resulting in one death; and an Arab restaurant employee was assaulted with a pipe after being told to “go back to (his) country.” There is a potent climate of hate within our country, and it has unfortunately spread to neighbors abroad. For example, earlier this year a white extremist gunned down six Muslims at the Quebec City mosque. In an interview with CNN, Republican Congressman Sean Duffy stated that attacks like this are rarities. “You give me one example of what’s happened, I think that was in Canada, I'm going to condemn them all. But you don't have a group like ISIS or al-Qaida that is inspiring people around the world to take up arms and kill innocents. That was a one-off,” Duffy said. There are no white extremist groups that encourage their followers to commit violent acts against innocents? What exactly should we classify the Aryan Brotherhood or the Ku Klux Klan as then?
Trump’s speech to Congress gets undeserved praise
KEVIN KNOX @KevinNotKevin
"He became President of the United States in that moment, period." That was CNN’s Van Jones of reaction to President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress on Feb. 28, a sentiment echoed by many of his colleagues on CNN and much of the US media. The Washington Post’s Philip Rucker tweeted, “This is the best morning of Donald Trump's presidency. He is basking in positive pundit reviews. All that tumult feels like yesteryear.” The phrase “presidential” was used ad nauseam by panelists on every American TV news network. Even frequent Trump critic Ana Navarro praised his “unifying” message. Perhaps there was something
ILLUSTRATION BY MADISON MOORE
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March 23, 2017
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Homelessness impacts students College students across the nation continue to struggle with limited resources
Editorial
“It had become too emotionally stressful to the point that I would cry when my mother or sibling dropped me off at school,” Paola Palacios a member on our editorial board said of her experience as a homeless student. Being a college student is stressful enough, but having the additional stress of not knowing where you are going to sleep for the night can put a toll on not only the mind but also the body. According to an article by Social Solutions titled “2016’s Shocking Homeless Statistics,” there are 564,708 people that were homeless or considered homeless in 2016. Of those 564,708 people that were considered homeless, 550,00 people of those are unaccompanied, young adults under the age 24 that are homeless for longer than a week. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) was passed in 2007 and is supposed to help homeless students register as independent students for federal financial aid. According to The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth the U.S. Department of Education stated in July 2016, it would make two important changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), these changes will help homeless students. The department will change the wording on the FAFSFA application to support unaccompanied homeless youth. For the 2018-2019 application they will remove the word youth and will allow students that are age 22- and -23-year-old applicants to decide if they want to indicate that they are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Riverside City College Student Services provides some accommodations for homeless students. Megan Bottoms is one of the faculty members that works in student services and has coordinated with other faculty members to help students that are in need.
tattooed across my forehead.” “We are going to be giving out cards to students that are going through this difficult situation to make it more discrete,” Bottoms said. The cards will allow homeless students to keep their information private while still receiving the help that they can get. Associated Students of Riverside City College and Student Athletic Advisory Council recently had a clothing drive to get clothes. “Along with the resource center there is Student Health Services and Psychological Services that help students with tune ups that our minds need and Student Financial Services,” Bottoms said. Out of more than 19,000 students that are currently enrolled, Bottoms estimates that there are about 50 students that are homeless. These changes are great and we believe our campus should expand on these issues and create better support to those in need, counselors should ask every student they see if they’re homeless so they can better accommodate them on their educational journey. Students should able to feel comfortable to go to a faculty member and disclose that vulnerable piece of information and not feel ashamed about it. ILLUSTRATION BY MADDISON MOORE College is already challenging “We have the resource center that provides food, and expensive for underprivileged books and toiletries,” Bottoms said. “We are looking students, so being displaced just adds to the multiple forward to expanding that and if a student is in need challenges already in line. of a fresh pair of socks or something to that nature.” Having to deal with the amount of classwork “One of the services that we are working on and homework can be tough for a student. There and that is up and running are showers and laundry might also be a student that has recently become facilities in the Wheelock Gym for students to go homeless and has no idea what to do or where to take showers and go wash their clothes, ” Bottoms go to for help because they might be ashamed that stated. they lost their home. Not every student that has been or is homeless With the cost of tuitions rising throughout not can be comfortable saying that they are homeless. only the state but also the country, it is hard for “I waited to tell my professors that I was students to decide what bills to pay first, or having homeless until the end of the semester,” Palacios to stress out about them not having enough for rent. said. “Every time I came to school I felt like if people Students should not have to suffer with this were staring at me as if I had the word ‘homeless’ problem while wanting to continue their education.
Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints’ student editorial board.
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March 23, 2017
SPORTS
“Courage is not having the strength to go on. It is going on when you don’t have the strength,”
- Samuel Johnson
ANDREW BRADY | VIEWPOINTS
Ryan Mota is a dominant hitter leading Riverside City College in homeruns and RBI’s with and impressive 0.316 batting average halfway through the season.
Mota a triple threat CAMERON WINSTON @RCCviewpoints
ANDREW BRADY | VIEWPOINTS
Along with the skillset that makes him a powerhouse on offense, Mota possesses a similar aptitude for success as a first baseman. His athleticism and size make him a proficient defensive asset. This is further highlightedw by the fact that he is also a right handed pitcher.
Redshirt sophomore, first baseman and right handed pitcher, Ryan Mota, has been one of Riverside City College’s most dominant players since their playoff run from last year. Mota, at 6 foot 4 inches, is a 240-pound wrecking ball who has hit his stride this season with a batting average of .318, six home runs and 25 runs batted in to help lead the Tigers to a 17-7 record so far this season. In 2014, Mota was a heavily scouted and sought after recruit out of Kaiser High School in Fontana. Multiple schools such as the University of Southern California, University of California Los Angeles, Hawaii University, and San Diego State University were interested in this young and versatile pitcher. It is never easy to choose between such prestigious programs around the country like the one’s Mota had to choose from, but ultimately his final decision came down to the Aztecs of San Diego State University. During his time as an Aztec, Mota served his time on the team as a redshirt, meaning he
was kept out of competition while he further developed his skills as an athlete. After spending one season at SDSU, the coach advised Mota to better himself at a junior college before returning to a Division 1 school. That advice lead to Mota to RCC in 2015. “We knew who Ryan was out of high school,” said RCC’s head baseball coach Rudy Arguelles. “When we knew he was going to explore other options, absolute excitement! We knew exactly who Ryan Mota was, he was already on our radar.” Taking a step back can inspire people to go out and make a name for themselves and show people what they are all about, which is something Ryan prides himself on. “It pushes me to just do good for my city, and show that I just want to make my city proud.” Jesse Chavez, pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who also grew up in Fontana told him in high school that he had to, “put on for the city.” “I just want to do good for my city, my family and everyone who basically supported me,” Mota said.
The belief system that surrounds Mota is another aspect that fuels his pride and motivation. “I don’t have to worry about what type of decisions he’s making, I know he’s going to it get done in the classroom.” said Arguelles, “He’s diligent, he’s bought into the philosophy and really trying to adapt and understand with his approach and preparation within the process to really be diligent and focus, with an absolute purpose every day on how he’s going to improve himself.” In terms of his teammates, that support system could not have become more eminent than their playoff run last year where Mota hit his peak. “Growing up I never thought I was someone that they needed to rely on, or have someone to trust,” said Mota. “I feel like RCC is trusting me to be the person that helps take them as far as they can (go), and last year it showed me that Rudy and the team were behind me.” The determined mindset of Mota envisions bringing a state title back to RCC, a feat that has not been accomplished since 2007. With the surreal feeling of playing alongside his teammates and coaches, he is ready to attain that aspiration.