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viewpoints An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving as the voice of the students since 1922.
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VOL. XCIX, NO. 11
Politicians talk net neutrality
APRIL 5, 2018
RCC honors Cesar Chavez
MARISSA MORENO ASSISTANT EDITOR
indeed not life threatening to other students, there were other reasons why such an alert was not sent out earlier to students that morning. “It was our recommendation to the college administration that we protect the dignity of the individual and to protect the emotional health of students, faculty and staff. Sending out an emergency message to thousands of people, when no threat of harm existed, would have undermined both of these goals,” Simmons said. “Calling mass attention to the situation would have resulted in a
The sound of guest band Mariachi Primera Generacion echoed throughout Riverside City College during the opening of the faculty-led event held in honor of Cesar Chavez on March 29. The Fields to Faculty Celebration took place in front of the Bookstore Promenade and was open to the entire campus. Faculty members shared their stories, all of which addressed the struggles they faced on their journey to academia. They also urged the Latin community to continue their studies. Monica Delgadillo, associate professor and counselor at RCC, was the first faculty member to share her story. She pondered for a moment before holding out the United Farm Workers flag toward her audience. “I want to tell you a little bit about why I have this,” she said. “I went to college in the ’60s. We protested everything.” Delgadillo explained that her family participated in the grape strikes that took place between 1965 and 1970, which resulted from the poor pay and working conditions of the vineyard growers. Like some of her coworkers, Delgadillo is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. She later explained that the overall message she was trying to convey through her story was more than that of an individual demanding better treatment of her fellow community but one that impacts the RCC community more directly. “It was about showing the struggle and understanding that our forefathers have carved a pathway for us to
See SAFETY on Page 2
See CHAVEZ on Page 3
MIA MAGANA | VIEWPOINTS
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Rep. Mark Takano talk about net neutrality in the Digital Library Auditorium on March 27. SAMANTHA BARTHOLOMEW NEWS EDITOR
With Obama-era net neutrality protections set to expire April 23, Rep. Mark Takano hosted a forum alongside Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon Clyburn on March 27 in the Digital Library Auditorium. The forum is the result of Takano’s office receiving more than 12,000 letters from the
public expressing their concerns about the FCC’s plan to eliminate net neutrality protections. Takano and Clyburn have both expressed their support of federal regulations protecting net neutrality, or the concept that internet service providers should enable equal access to online content. A majority of the FCC voted last year to eliminate existing net neutrality rules, prompting legal challenges by net neutrality supporters. Net neutrality is a principle
that says no internet traffic should get special treatment. Internet service providers can’t block or degrade certain traffic because the website or service pumping it out isn’t willing to pay up for prioritization. Although the FCC is in the process of rescinding the rule, most Americans are in favor of net neutrality and states are stepping in where FCC Chairman Ajit Pai refuses to tread. A recent 3-2 vote by the FCC reversed a 2015 ruling that barred
internet providers from blocking websites or from charging more for faster service and certain content. Though the FCC decision is being challenged in court, some consumer advocates argue the vote eventually could lead to an internet dominated by big companies at the expense of startups and independent businesses. Takano said that he believes that the answer lies in the
See FCC on Page 3
Students, staff reflect on campus safety PAUL VILLALOBOS STAFF REPORTER
More often than not, emergencies occur that may test the college’s ability or inability to respond to and alert students of any impending danger. Some students and faculty at Riverside City College worry that they will become victims of gun violence. From school shootings to terrorist attacks in public places, can students depend on RCC to effectively alert students if the time comes? Michael Simmons, director
of Risk Management, Safety and Police Services, said that he has faith in the college’s ability to inform students when there is an active emergency. “In emergency situations that could result in injury, the district will use the Rave mass notification system to notify the college community that an emergency is occurring and provide information about what to do to prevent injuries,” Simmons said. But not all emergencies are treated equally. For example, on February 12 an apparent suicide was reported in the parking structure at 6:30 a.m. While many students
present took to their social media accounts, the college was noticeably silent on the matter. Students were not officially notified about the incident until RCC updated the college’s Facebook and Twitter at 8:50 a.m., nearly two hours later. “The decision to generate an emergency message is made when a situation poses an imminent risk of injury or death to students, faculty or staff. When this incident was reported to Risk Management, Safety and Police, we determined the incident did not pose an imminent risk of harm to the college community,” Simmons said. While this emergency was
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April 5, 2018
News
Riverside fights against gun violence
GEOVANNY GUZMAN | VIEWPOINTS
High schools students and allies march together to protest gun violence in Dowtown RIverside March 24. EMMA CARLSEN ASSISTANT EDITOR
A resurgence of American democracy, mostly by youth, has gripped the country. “I’m here to show support for those who died at the hands of gun violence and participate in our democracy,” Gwyneth Hernandez, Riverside STEM Academy student, said. A crowd of a few hundred advocates for gun reform gathered as part of a national protest outside the Riverside County Superior Court on March 24. These advocates marched as a part of March For Our Lives, a student-based group that fights against the National Rifle Association for stricter gun laws
such as universal background checks. Riverside residents joined millions across the country who protested on behalf of the victims from the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting to voice their anger about the lack of gun control. “The government has stayed silent about this for too long,” Arpita Kanrar, Riverside STEM Academy student, said. “It’s time to demand change and we deserve to feel safe in our schools.” The protesters marched one lap around downtown Riverside before returning to the courthouse. Attendees varied from elementary students to grandparents. One woman carried a sign that doubled as a walking stick. Many mothers pushed young children in strollers as their older siblings held posters.
Rep. Mark Takano also attended the march. Large neon banners hanging from the courthouse stairs read “#Enough” and “#NeverAgain.” Speakers led chants like “student power today, voter power tomorrow.” One counter protester was present, holding a sign urging others to protect their Second Amendment rights. “I’m here to inform people about the Second Amendment,” Stephen Reed said. “It’s here to protect them against a tyrannical government.” A high school student spoke about the need for gun reform to end the march. “There is gun violence all over this country, killing people who don’t deserve to die,” Michaela Nash, student at Arizona’s Madison Park Middle School, said.
GEOVANNY GUZMAN | VIEWPOINTS
Riverside citizens participate in March For Our Lives on March 24.
Campus safety top priority for RCC officials SAFETY from Page 1
public spectacle, increasing risk of emotional harm to a large number of people.” Many students had mixed feelings about the college’s decision to wait to inform students about the apparent suicide. Some students cited that a quicker response may have cleared up confusion. C o n v e r s e l y, some agree with the decision to wait before sending out an alert regarding the apparent suicide. “I think the time they took was good so as to not cause panic,” RCC student Eli Zuri said. “I feel like it is appropriate to take things in a calm manner. Time is not of the essence. I think the situation was taken care of properly.” On the contrary, emergencies can occur within the vicinity of the campus that are of student interest, such as the shooting at White Park on Feb. 29, 2016.
Despite the lockdown of several nearby locations, RCC did not go on lockdown, even when the suspect was still atlarge. In fact, students did not receive any notification to inform them of the event happening less
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because mass panic will only make bad situations worse,” Simmons said. Yet, students agree that regardless of the situation, they should have been notified of the incident that day. “Imagine how many students could have been affected,” RCC student Elvia Gallo said. “Honestly I think the college needs to be more aware and more active with the safety of their students.” According to Gallo S i m m o n s t h e r e a r e currently over 20 college and district administrators trained to create and send emergency messages. Despite the readily available alert apps, faculty and students agree that preparation for such emergencies, regardless of their impact on the college, is necessary knowledge for them to know, should it ever occur. The college will be holding an active shooter training for faculty and students April 17 from 12:50-1:50 p.m. in the A.G. Paul Quadrangle, Room 144.
“Imagine how many students could have been affected.”
PAUL VILLALOBOS | VIEWPOINTS
Riverside City College utilizes the Rave Mass Notification system to alert students that an emergency is occurring.
-- RCC student Elvia
than a mile away. According to Simmons, the district uses the “imminent harm” standard to decide whether an emergency message is required. The same decision-making process is used for incidents on campus and adjacent to campus to address threats that may affect the college community. “The decision to generate an emergency message is serious
News
NEWS BRIEFS
April 5, 2018
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Commissioner challenges FCC
Autism Awareness presentation To honor Autism Awareness Month, Riverside City College’s Diversity and Equity Committee will be hosting an autism awareness presentation, featuring Aaron Likens. Likens, author of “Finding Kansas: Decoding the enigma of Asperger’s Syndrome” and the National Autism Ambassador for Easter Seals, has spoken to over 80,000 people at over 900 presentations and has given the world a revelation of how the mind of someone on the autism spectrum works. Many have expressed that Likens’ willingness to expose his innermost thoughts and feelings have unveiled the mystery the of the Asperger’s mind. The presentation will take place April 18 from 12:50-2:30 p.m. in the Bradshaw Building’s Hall of Fame. The event is free and open to the public.
Model United Nations Riverside City College’s Model United Nations team was named Outstanding Delegation at the 2018 National Model United Nations Conference in New York City on March 25-29. Over 5,000 college students were tasked to solve pressing issues relevant to UN committees. The purpose of the conference is to advance the understanding of the UN and of contemporary international issues that have positively impacted the lives of numerous delegates. This year, RCC was tasked with representing Ukraine. In addition to winning the best delegation, which is the highest team award at the conference, RCC had five teams win recognition for their position papers. The winning teams were Rachel Lennox and Luis Macias, Amy Maciel and Geby Rawung, Himadri Ratnayake and Yara Bojorquez, Gamaliel Perez and Carlos Robledo, and Tori Cox. Ratnayake and Bojorquez were also named outstanding delegates at the conference, keeping the team’s now five year streak alive of at least one individual being named with this position. Another student, Jasmine Brown, was selected by the conference as the chair of a prestigious committee at the conference. “Our team was the most diverse and one of the youngest teams in the conference which makes this achievement incredibly sweet and impressive,” Model UN adviser Dariush Haghighat said. “As their faculty adviser, I could not be any prouder of these extremely dedicated and talented students.”
Study in Florence, Italy Students will have the opportunity of spending their fall semester in Florence, Italy through Study Abroad. The program will run from Sept. 4 to Nov. 30, 2018. It will include international insurance, round-trip airfare, excursions, housing and museum admissions. However, the program fees do not cover personal expenses, passport fees, meals or college tuition. Financial aid will be available. An information meeting will be held April 29 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Digital Library Auditorium. Students can RSVP at study.abroad@ rcc.edu to secure their spot.
Empowering Young Women Conference The Empowering Young Women Conference, which seeks to motivate young women and their female parents and guardians, will be hosted by Riverside City College. This one day event will be held April 14 in the Landis Performing Arts Center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those in attendance can partake in workshops on topics such as achieving their dreams, bullying, human trafficking, career education, suicide prevention, self-esteem, domestic violence and personal health. The conference’s target audience includes girls ages 12 to 21 with diverse family, ethnic, socio-economic and academic backgrounds. The event is free and open to the public.
RCC Dreamers Night RCC will be hosting their first Dreamers Night, an event for incoming students and their families to learn about campus safety, financial aid and the college’s culture of care. Dreamer students will have the opportunity to apply to RCC, finish their California Dream Act application, speak to current Dreamer students and get all of their questions answered. The event will take place April 18 in the Charles A. Kane Building, Room 140 from 6-8 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at bit.ly/2FOup1V so that they can indicate whether or not a translator will be needed.
MIA MAGANA | VIEWPOINTS
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said she will fight for net neutrality at a forum March 27.
FCC from Page 1
CRA. So I think the CRA is a good opportunity and I think we need to also try to have our states litigate this in court as well.”
“I believe that the arc of history will be in line with the will of the people. Maybe not by April 23 of this year or next year, but I think the future is bright when it comes to net neutrality because it’s the will of the people.” Clyburn said that she would continue to advocate for net neutrality due to her -- Commissioner Mignon Clyburn belief that it is a necessity for rural communities and that net neutrality bridges the technological divide. “I will continue to voice that going forward “If those elected officials in my current role and in my future truly represent and will vote in role of being a non-government line with the will of the people, employee because I truly believe they will be in sync,” Clyburn that being connected, having an said. “We should not even be here open platform benefits us all,” having this discussion if it were Clyburn said. based on the will of the people, Clyburn also said she if it were based on the legitimate encourages citizens to contact comments — the bulk of them their state and local lawmakers were in favor of net neutrality.” and tell them why net neutrality A survey from the University is essential for them personally. of Maryland shows that large “I think people need to tell majorities of Americans — their own stories about what this including 3 out of 4 Republicans incredible, enabling platform has — oppose the government’s plan meant for them, and if their lives to repeal its net neutrality rules or interaction with that changes, for internet providers. what that could potentially mean. “It’s the will of the American … And what could it mean if people, it’s embracing of the somebody else were dictating principles that this more perfect your experiences online?” union represents,” Clyburn said. Clyburn said.
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Congressional Review Act, a law that empowers Congress to review new federal regulations issued by government agencies and to overrule a regulation. “I think the easiest path is the CRA because we don’t have to overcome a Senate filibuster,” Takano said. “We were close, we’re at 50 votes in the Senate, we just need one more vote.” “If we were to try to pass a statute to overrule this, we’d have to get the 60 votes in the Senate,” Takano said. “Much more difficult.” “We still face the problem of whether or not the House of Representatives will allow a vote on (a statute),” Takano said. “Then we face the prospect of the president vetoing the measure, but we already have a substantial basis of people who do understand the issue and are very passionate about it.” “The number of the communications I get in my office every week is off the charts,” Takano said. “The president will have to think twice about whether he’s actually going to veto something that Congress overrules with the
“It’s the will of the American people.”
Faculty celebrates Cesar Chavez CHAVEZ from Page 1
get our education,” she said. “Latinos represent 40 percent of the student body here at RCC. Do we have enough Latinos as staff? No.” According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in the fall of 2015, a census found that out of the 1.6 million faculty working at degree-granting postsecondary institutions that worked full-time, only two percent were Hispanic males and two percent were Hispanic females. Delgadillo believes there should be visible inclusion of Latino faculty in RCC, especially because a majority of the campus’ demographic is Hispanic. “We should be reflective of the population we serve,” she said. The Association of Mexican American Educators Journal published an article that addressed
the impact of Hispanic-Serving Institutions in American higher education. It looked at several studies done across colleges, especially community colleges in California and Texas where the majority of HSIs are located and analyzed their findings. “Latinx teachers play a significant role in strengthening the educational pipeline for Latinxs students,” the article states. “They likewise draw our collective attention to the need for enhanced consideration of the way these individuals are served within the HSI context and their potential to contribute to Latinx success nationally. Latinx teachers have the potential to combat deficit notions commonly held in traditional education spaces.” Delgadillo and the rest of the staff that spoke at the event also emphasized the importance of Latino students helping and encouraging one another to
continue in their studies. Clarence Romero, associate professor of psychology, further pushed the importance of this message. “We are here for the youth, for the future and we will get them there,” he said. Members from the audience cheered in agreement with Romero. They broke out chanting in unison, “Si, se puede,” Cesar Chavez’s coin phrase meaning “Yes, you can.” In essence, the stories of the faculty conveyed the message that Cesar Chavez worked to establish: that despite all the hardships, Latinos should continue to make progress thus enables subsequent generations to reach further than the ones before. “What I’m trying to get at ladies and gentlemen is this: you are the future,” Romero said. “We need you to get educated. We need you to follow. Do not deny and do not be afraid of failure.”
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SPORTS
April 5, 2018
“Faliure I can live with. Not trying is what I can’t handle.”
- Sanya Richards Ross
JOSH GANDELA | VIEWPOINTS
Tiger infielder Jake Rodriguez leaps for high ball over a sliding Pierce College player at Samuel C. Evans Complex at Riverside City College on March 29.
RCC baseball falls to LA Pierce LUIS QUINTERO STAFF REPORTER
RCC baseball lost 11-4 at home against Pierce College on March 29, bringing their overall record to 19-9. Coming in confident on a two-game win streak, the Tigers got off to an unlucky start. Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the third inning, they needed to rack up runs to get ahead of Pierce’s Brahma Bulls. The spectators remained silent as freshman Junior Coleman stepped to the plate. The tension between the Tigers and Brahma Bulls was thick, but Coleman managed to slam a single and took off to first base, stealing second on the next pitch. Once freshman Jacob Rodriguez went to bat, spectators became tense and could not help but watch with uneasy eyes. He reassured the crowd with a solid hit up the middle, allowing Coleman to score. “Once we get our bats hot it’s usually game over,” said infielder Jacob Rodriguez. Off of two consecutive pick off errors, freshman Dylan Kanoho stole second and third, building off of the momentum that Rodriguez gave with his RBI triple. After RCC outfielder Joseph Hodapp’s RBI double, the Tigers managed to pull one, making
the score 4-3. However, the momentum built was stopped abruptly, as the Tigers only managed to scrape one more run in the remainder of the game. The Tigers ended the game with four runs as the Brahma Bulls scored three runs in the sixth inning and added four more in the ninth. “There’s a ton of things we lacked in this game from the get go,” said head coach Rudy Arguelles. “It’s unacceptable, it’s inexcusable, it can’t happen again.” Arguelles understood what the Tigers lacked from previous games and what improvements had to be made in order to bring home future wins. “We’re getting way out of our zone swinging at balls,” Rodriguez said. “From the pitching stand point I would just say we had relievers come in and not throwing strikes, throwing a lot of balls, lot of errors that aren’t helping. Things like that add up and make us lose ball games.” The team collectively understood what went wrong in the game and have plans on how to improve. “We’ve had some games where we’ve lacked consistency on the mound, we’ve lacked consistency offensively, we’ve broken down defensively but we’ve always been able to come back, respond and bounce back.” Arguelles said. “We’ll bounce back.”
JOSH GANDELA | VIEWPOINTS
Daniel Martinez hits RBI popfly to left field allowing Dylan Kanoho to score on March 29.
Golf gets first at OEC match JOSH GANDELA STAFF REPORTER
The RCC men’s golf team earned a first place finish at their home course of Victoria Country Club on March 26, posting a team score of 378. Orange Coast College shot with a score of 384 to finish second overall, while Mt. San Antonio took third place with 385. Other team scores included Saddleback College (386),
Cypress College (392), and Irvine Valley College (415). Other team scores included Saddleback College (386), Cypress College (392), and Irvine Valley College (415). Leading the way for the Tigers was sophomore Brian Nielsen who shot an even-par round of 72. Close behind Nielsen was sophomore Michael Herrera with a score of 73 and freshman Ryan Dehart who came through with a 74.
Ensuing the event, Riverside now sits in the third spot in the conference standings. Cypress College, who held the number one rank for the last six weeks, are now tied at the top with Orange Coast College. Mt. San Antonio and Saddleback are tied for fourth. RCC will compete in the State Championship Preview at the Sandpiper Golf Club in Goleta on April 9. OEC action will continue April 23 at Saddleback College Match.
Sports
April 5, 2018
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Track runs over competition AUSTIN TURNER STAFF REPORTER
The Riverside City College track and field team made a statement at the Bob Larsen Distance Carnival & Jim Bush Legends Invitational at UCLA on March 30 and 31. The Tigers crushed the competition, which included several NCAA Division 1 programs from top athletic conferences such as the PAC-12 and Big Ten. The meet reaffirmed RCC as one of the top track and field programs in California, a claim that they have been giving proof of all season long. The men’s team put on a show as they clinched a victory by 15.5 points over University of Minnesota, a team which has Big Ten title aspirations this season. RCC scored an incredible 237.5 points and were seperated from third place Cal State Los Angeles by a margin of 94.5 points. The Tigers ran away with the competition with a strong showing in relay events. They took victories in the 4x100 meter and 4x400 relays, which added crucial points to their total. Freshman Antonio Mitchell has been a force this season for the Tigers and the Legends Invitational was no exception. Mitchell ran a blistering time of 10.46 seconds in the 100-meter dash and a 20.99 in the 200-meter,
VICTOR DURAN | VIEWPOINTS
Sophomore Jordaine Simmons finishes third in the Non-division Women’s Hammer at UCLA’s Bob Larsen Invitational on March 30 at Drake Stadium. winning first place in both events. The Tigers also received second in the 200-meter, with freshman Keylan Dennis running a 21.14. RCC took the top three spots in the non-D1 division in the 800 meter event, with sophomore Alec Hall taking first place at 1:52. Sophomore Anthony Garcia placed fourth overall and first in the non-D1 long jump with a
distance of 6.72 meters. The women’s team were equally impressive. They scored 189 points, good for a 14 point lead over second place UCLA. The Tigers, who placed fifth at the state meet last season, look to get back on top. Leading the Tigers was sophomore Sarah Hollis, whose time of 11:41.17 in the 3000m
RCC moves to southern league KARISSA MARTINEZ SPORTS EDITOR
The Southern California Football Association created a new two-year team placement to accommodate for changes in the divisions. Southwestern College, San Diego Mesa College and East
Los Angeles College moved from the American Division to the National Division. Chaffey College, LA Harbor College and Santa Monica College moved from the National Division to the American Division. The leagues changed within the divisions as well. Riverside City College moved from the Central League
to the Southern League in the National Division and will be facing many Orange County teams in conference. Other teams in the Southern League include Golden West College, Grossmont College, Orange Coast College, Saddleback College and Southwestern College. The new placement will begin in the 2018 fall season.
Second place finish for swim AUSTIN TURNER STAFF REPORTER
The Riverside City College swimming and diving team continued its push towards the top of the Orange Empire Conference standings with a solid showing at the second OEC meet of the season. The women put up a fantastic performance, placing second in the seven-team field, while the men had a strong showing, taking third. The men and women combined for a second place finish, with Orange Coast College taking first in all three competitions. Only 15.5 points separated the RCC women’s team from
OCC in the battle for first-place. The Tigers finished second with 520 points to OCC’s 535.5. Freshman Supavee Nilaad was the leading scorer for the Tigers’ women with 25 crucial points. She competed in three events, placing fifth in the 50 freestyle, fourth in the 200 breaststroke and third in the 100 breaststroke. Other standouts for the RCC women included freshmen Andrionna Gonzalez and Katelin Simonson, who scored 40 and 43 points respectively. Gonzalez had her best race with a fourth place finish in the 100 breaststroke, while Simonson had success in the 100 backstroke, finishing third. On the men’s side, the Tigers received third place with 467 points. The lone first place
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finisher for RCC was freshman Javier Bernal, who won a thrilling 200 butterfly race with a time of 1:56.98.
“We just need to train with purpose and discipline.”
-- Head coach Jason Northcott
He was able to fend off OCC’s Donny Haden by just .23 seconds. Bernal’s time was the second fastest recorded in state competition in 2018. Sophomore Daniel Long
steeplechase is the fastest recorded in the California Community College Athletic Association this season. Freshman Mary Jane Smith had a spectacular day, running a 26.05 in the 200-meter and 57.71 in the 400-meter, good for third and first respectively. Sophomore Karen Orozco was at the top of her game in the
pole vault, winning the non-D1 competition with a jump of 3.1 meters. RCC’s dominant performance cements them as a top community college track and field program. They will have plenty of time to tune-up for the Orange Empire Conference preliminaries on April 20 and Orange Empire Conference Finals on April 27.
UPCOMING GAMES Baseball: April 5 vs. Santa Ana College at 2 p.m. Softball: April 6 vs. Fullerton College at 6 p.m. Men’s tennis: April 10, Team SoCal Regional first round, time TBA Track and field: April 7, UCLA Rafer Johnson Invitational at 9 a.m. Swimming and diving: April 6, Riverside City College Invitational at 11 a.m. Beach volleyball: April 6 vs. Fullerton College at 9 a.m., Saddleback College at 11 a.m. and Irvine Valley College at 2 p.m at Pearce Sports Center. Golf: April 9, State Championshop Preview at Sandpiper Golf Course at 11 a.m. placed second in the 1650 freestyle at 18:06.03, a personal best by 65 seconds. “I am excited for Daniel because he has been training like a beast this season and he has the potential to make some noise at Conference Championships,” said head coach Jason Northcott. The meet was an overall success for RCC. The men and women combined for second place and are in a good position for the conference finals taking place April 19-20. They will host the RCC
Invitational on April 6 atat 11 a.m.. The team is hoping that their rigorous training schedule will pay off in preparation for the OEC finals. “This meet was all about us working towards a strong push for state and learning about ourselves, how we swim under fatigue and how to gut out swims,” Northcott said. “We just need to train with purpose and discipline through this last phase of the season so that we can maximize our potential when rested and suited in the end.”
LIFE Girls to the front at Localchella 6
April 5, 2018
“If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow.” -
Kali Uchis and Princess Nokia rise in fame at this year’s music festival IMARI REDE
The 71st Annual Riverside Flower Show and Garden Tour is set to be held April 14-15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Riverside Elks Lodge. Attendees will be able to gaze at emerald green forests, meadow wildflowers and fairy gardens. All this and more is included in a two day ticket for $10 presale, $12 at the door. Entry forms and more details are available at riversideflowershow.info. Tiger Pride Tiger Pride Day, organized by the Associated Students of Riverside City College, will be held April 17 from 12-2 p.m. on campus at Terracina Drive. This event is free for all students. Food and beverages will be provided. ILLUSTRATION BY ROCIO MACIAS
Kali Uchis and Princess Nokia are set to perform in local shows in early April. marginalized communities about feminism. “It’s saying that whether you like it or not, we’re gonna be represented, we’re gonna demand respect, we’re gonna counteract negligence with our presence, we’re gonna create tools of awareness and protection for sisterhood, for education, and for better ways to navigate our lives. It’s our goal,” Nokia said in an interview with Vice. Princess Nokia is set to perform at the Observatory in Santa Ana on April 12.
If feminist rap isn’t your tasa de cafecito, sírvete un poco de Kali Uchis. Uchis is a ColombianAmerican artist, songwriter, producer and fashion designer who began recording covers in her bedroom but has now collaborated with artists like Gorillaz, Jorja Smith and Juanes. Her most recent collaboration with Tyler, the Creator and Bootsy Collins, “After the Storm,” has big news surrounding it. On March 25, Uchis said that it is her first gold single.
“Gracias a todos por hacer de este proyecto algo que nunca pude imaginar!!! Colombia te amo tanto,” said Uchis in an Instagram post. She continued to thank everyone who had helped with the project that was beyond her own imagination and she shared that pride and love with Colombia too. Her new album “Isolation” comes out April 6. Uchis will be performing a sold out show along with Cuco at The Novo in Los Angeles on April 10.
The classic teen romance with a secret ANTHONY TORRES STAFF WRITER
Big strides for the LGBT community were achieved with the film “Love, Simon.” “Love, Simon” is a coming of age film like no other. It’s the basic story of love and misfortune, except it’s boy meets another boy anonymously and tries to keep his sexuality a secret while trying to meet said boy. Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) is 17 and starting his senior year. High school can be a confusing time for teenagers still trying to figure themselves out, but it is even harder for a closeted boy who fears that admitting his sexual preference will change his whole life for the worse. Someone discovers Simon’s secret and uses it against him,
Entertainment Briefs
Riverside Flower Show
LIFE EDITOR
Kali Uchis and Princess Nokia are two stand out musicians from this year’s Coachella lineup who will also be performing in what locals call “Localchella.” According to Coachella’s promoter Goldenvoice, artists from the Coachella lineup will be performing at various venues in cities from Los Angeles to Palm Desert. This is perfect for people looking for a more intimate experience with one of their favorite artists. Kali Uchis and Princess Nokia are Latina artists that have come a long way to be where they are in the music industry today. They inspire young women everywhere to unapologetically be who they are. Princess Nokia is a bisexual Afro-Latina from the streets of Harlem. Through her hip-hop music, she works to represent a spectrum of women from people who might call themselves a “Tomboy” to all of the “Brujas” and everyone in between. Her feminist rap music and ’90s style has made a positive impression on her young fans and they want more. Princess Nokia currently runs a Beats 1 radio show called “The Voices in my Head” where she talks about her favorite artists from different genres, art and her life through the songs that fit her theme of each show. She is also a founder of the Smart Girls Club, a community o rg a n i z a t i o n t h a t t e a c h e s
Beyoncé
creating a plot reminiscent of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Simon’s life is turned upside down when he is outed and he deals with the repercussions of trying to keep it a secret. Although it is not without a happy ending for Simon. Watching “Love, Simon” was enjoyable, but it has its faults. It was too cookie cutter in the essence that Simon did not struggle as much as the openly gay character Ethan (Clark Moore) did. Simon’s family and friends seemed to be fully supportive. It begs the question of how realistic the situation may be, but it shows how happy anyone can be when they are their true selves, no matter their sexuality, when fully supported by their family. It is full of the teen angst cliches that can be found in any
Riverside Tamale Festival The Altura Credit Union Presents the 6th Annual Riverside Tamale Festival on April 21 at 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. located in Riverside at White Park. This festival is a celebration of family, culture and history. This event is not only for people who love tamales but for those who also enjoy entertainment, shopping and fun. There will be live performances by Los Servidores, Leyenda Dance Company and the highlight of the night will present Grammy winner La Santa Cecilia. Children under 12 are free while adult tickets range from $9.42-$53.55. Poké-Con 2018
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN ROTHSTEIN
Nick Robinson stars in Twentieth Century Fox’s “Love, Simon.” other coming of age movie, but director Greg Berlanti gave the genre a fresh, new perspective and a soundtrack that will have you tapping your feet and bobbing your head. With the political climate faced by the LGBT community, this film is a must watch to better
understand the hardships, or at least to scrape at the surface of understanding what a person in this situation goes through. “Love Simon” is playing at the Regency University Stadium at University Village, as well as AMC and Harkins. The movie was definitely worth the watch.
Associated Students of University of College, Riverside is presenting PokéCon 2018, a convention dedicated to everything Pokémon. Attendees can enjoy the anime, learn and compete in the Pokémon trading card game and challenge the eight UC Riverside gyms on Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon and prove themselves as the best that ever was. UCR students get in free, and general admission is only $5. Poké-Con is April 15, at 12:15 a.m to 5 p.m. at UCR INTS room 1002.
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7
America is not land of the free
Systemic racism continues to have a hold on African Americans through socioeconomic inequality
EMMA CARLSEN ASSISTANT EDITOR
T he negative effects of r a cial d isc r i m i nat ion dispropor tionately impacts African Americans in the United States. This information is something that has been painfully obvious to people of color and yet has long been denied by those in positions of power. A 30 ye a r long st udy initiated by the National Bureau of Economic Research about race and socioeconomic status recently published has confirmed that being an African American in the U.S. is a disadvantage. In this study, researchers fou nd on average, Af r ican A mer ica ns bor n i nto h ig h income families went on in life to do as economically well as their White counterparts born into low income families.
ILLUSTRATION BY LESLIE SANTIBANEZ-MOLINA
“Among those who grow up in families with comparable incomes, Black men grow up to earn substantially less than the White men,” according to the research done by NBER. Opposed to White people who become rich and are able to pass their wealth onto their descendents, Black people who become rich often had their family members become poor later on. “Black child ren bor n to parents in the bottom household income quintile have a 2.5 percent chance of rising to the
top quintile of household income, compared with 10.6 percent for Whites,” according to NBER. Several factors have been suggested to explain the huge d ispa r it y bet ween Af r ica n American income levels and those of White Americans. The General Social Survey conducted by the National O pi n io n Re s e a r c h C e nt e r surveyed White Americans. According to their survey, 55 percent of White republicans agreed with the racist sentiment. One question in the survey asked if African Americans were
economically disadvantaged “because most just don't have the motivation or willpower to pull themselves up out of poverty.” These assumptions held by a majority of White Republicans are damaging to Black people. T h is k i nd of racism perpetuated by society only helps reinforce the harmful stereotypes that befall Black people. The best way to rise out of poverty is a proper education. The education received by African Americans is vitally i mpor t a nt to prov ide a n opportunity for social mobility.
Un fo r t u n a t ely, s ch o ol s remain highly segregated in the U.S. Students who attend schools with disproportionately high rates of people of color are often underfunded and ignored. I n 2 016 , t e a c h e r s i n predominantly Black schools from Detroit suffered through disgusting conditions such as rotten food, rats and moldy classrooms took “sickouts” for better treatment. T h e N e w Yo r k T i m e s reported in 2016 that in Detroit, only 27 percent of students were proficient in reading and 34 percent were proficient in math. These conditions are an ext reme example of the systematic racism faced by African Americans in a huge amount of the country. Without an equally beneficial education as those received by W h it e st u de nt s , Bla ck students will continue to suffer economically. Systematic racism continues to rear its ugly head in the country that claims to be the “land of the free, home of the brave.” How does continuing to seg regate and deg rade ou r citizens make us brave? As long as Americans of color continue to be denied equal treatment to their White counterparts, no American will be truly free.
Social media users privacy is sold to highest bidder
IMARI REDE LIFE EDITOR
Betrayal is something that no one should ever be subject to, let alone from a social media platform. Facebook has lost the trust that it gained over the last fourteen years by not dealing with a data mining scandal involving Cambridge Analytica. This company is a British political consulting firm that combines data mining, data brokerage and data analysis with strategic communication for political purposes. Cambridge A naly tica violated Facebook's rules by using academic psychologist Alexander Kogan's personality quiz to collect data.
T h i s d at a wa s u s e d t o polit ically t a rget u ser s by analyzing their answers which is k now n as psychological profiling. This information has been available to the public and Facebook since 2015 and the problem is barely resurfacing. Facebook made it simple for apps to access users data, and any connecting data. Someone that syncs their contacts with Facebook can also give these apps access to their contacts' data. People that use it don't care about what goes on behind t h e s c r e e n a t Fa c e b o o k’s headquarters. They care about their loved ones on the other side of their own screen. The emotional ties that its users have to the site are not based on how great the technology is or how well the coding was done. People like Facebook because they can easily connect to their friends and family. User s ma ke it ea sy for the social media giant and its subsidiaries to endlessly collect data. Ter ms and conditions are overlooked out of apathy. Almost no one sits and reads the contracts that are presented to
IMAGE COURTESY SAM BARNES | FLICKR
Alexander Nix, CEO of Cambridge Analytica, speaks at day three of Web Summit 2017 at Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal. them while using apps. Users click through as fast as possible just to use the app and move on. If companies wanted people to know what they were getting into, the terms and conditions would be simplified and straight forward. I n s t e a d c om p a n ie s u s e lang uage only law yers and trained individuals can grasp to benefit themselves. It's shocking that American Facebook users are not motivated to understand what their information is used
for. The politically related infor mation Cambr idge Analytica has gathered is known to have inf luenced the 2016 presidential election by working for Trump's campaign. Supporting Trump in anyway is a betrayal to many people across the United States. From the far left, to the most right wing Republican there is no doubt that both organizations are at fault for this misuse of data collection. "This was a major breach of t r u st. We have a ba sic
responsibility to protect people's data and if we can't do that then we don't deserve the opportunity to serve people" Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg said in a CNN interview. The public can not agree more. The #DeleteFacebook hashtag was trending s on March 16 when The New York Times and The Guardian broke the news that around 50 million profiles have fallen victim to the misuse of the data collected by the data firm for the past three years or so. Facebook is a hub for any and all types of data because it reaches a diverse and vast amount of people around the globe. It planned to be a foundation i n net work i ng for a nyone to access but they did not understand the repercussions nor the responsibility that comes along with such a large outreach. Social media users across the world need to come together and hold Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook accountable. If Zuckerberg and his staff cannot insure drastic changes and full proof data protection, Facebook may become the next Myspace.
8
April 5, 2018
Views
News apathy harms youth
Editorial
In today’s world young people have unlimited access to information that previous generations did not have. This leads many to assume that young people, especially college students are well informed and up to date with news. But the reality is completely different. According to a 2009 study by The Pew Research Center, young people are not very knowledgeable with news. They surveyed 1,003 adults all over 18 years of age with their Pew Research News IQ Quiz. This quiz contained 12 multiple choice questions ranging from news to economic policies. The results of the news quiz demonstrated what is known as an age gap. People over 50 years of age correctly answered an average of 8.4 questions. Anyone younger than 35 only managed to correctly answer 5.9 questions. College educated people did fare a bit better, with an average of 8.7 questions answered correctly. But not everyone is a college graduate. Those who had some college education scored lower than people over the age of 50. They scored an average of 7.6 questions answered correctly. Although college educated people did better, it was not by much. This knowledge age gap is not only present in young people’s apathy towards news but bleeds into other aspects of life. This age gap was evident in the 2016 presidential election, Brexit and many other major political events. It is well known that people between ages 18 to 29, don’t vote enough compared to older generations. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement conducts research of the voting habits of young people in America. Their research found that the amount of young people that voted in
ILLUSTRATION BY ROCIO MACIAS
on policies that might negatively affect their mood. As long as it doesn’t harm them, why should they care? Not being well infomed leads to ignorance. This ignorance can have a negative impact upon society. When people choose to be uniformed they are unable to have a stance in what is going on in the world. Doing so ignores and ultimately silences those who are fighting for a better tomorrow. Sure, the 24 hour non-stop news cycle can be overwhelming and lead to burnout, but it should not mean that people should ignore news altogether. It is easy to ignore news. In fact, many people takes great strides to avoid the news, citing a desire to benefit their mental health. “News is bad for your health,”
the 2016 election decreased compared to the amount that voted in the 2012 election. According to CIRCLE’s statistics, there are 46 million people ranging between the ages 18 to 29 who are eligible to vote but they continue to be in the minority of voters. In the 2016 election, only about 24 million, or 50 percent of youth, voted. Older voters make up 39 million people of the American population and yet they continue to be the majority of the voting population each election. It is hard to understand why young people, especially collegeaged adults, are apathetic toward politics and news. Many prefer to avoid news. Instead they choose to not be updated
Rolf Dobelli, writer for The Guardian, said. “It leads to fear and aggression, and hinders your creativity and ability to think deeply. The solution? Stop consuming it altogether.” We, the Viewpoints Editorial Board, believe news should not be avoided because a democracy can only thrive with a well-informed public. However, efforts should be made to create a balance. There is no need to go from one extreme to another. The news should matter to young people, as the political issues of today are affecting their tomorrows. The political issues that are being debated will one day be handled by this generation. Young people have a responsibility to make sure that the decisions being made are going to ultimately benefit them and their futures.
Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints’ student editorial board.
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