Home Blog Page 111

LBCC launches program for commercial space industry pathways

Veronica Towers
-
0
LBCC launches program for commercial space industry pathways

Long Beach City College plans to train and certify the next generation of workers in the commercial space industry with the launch of its new space program.

This pathway will grant students with the certification needed to work in the space industry as technicians. 

The commercial space industry has made Long Beach its home and LBCC is going to create a pathway for students that are interested in working on space manufacturing. 

The proposition for the program was introduced to NASA by former Long Beach mayor, Congressman Robert Garcia and Senator Feinstein which resulted in NASA providing a 2 million dollar fund. 

This fund will be used to purchase all the first-class manufacturing equipment to train students. 

“I have seen firsthand the vital role that federal funding plays in sustaining a thriving community,” writes Congressman Garcia in his submission of his Community Project Funding requests to the House Committee on Appropriations.

 “As we continue to work hand in hand with local partners it is my priority to advocate for funding that will serve folks from every corner of our district,” Garcia added. 

The certification will grant students a high paid technician position in the commercial space industry without the need for a bachelor’s or master’s degree. 

Long Beach City College wants to create multiple pathways for students to have access to high-urgency and high-paying jobs. 

“With the commercial space industry being a high paid job and very demanding in Long Beach, creating this pathway will provide so many of our students with jobs,” said Superintendent-President Mike Munoz. 

The certification is still in the works and the curriculum required is still in the process of being developed.

LBCC plans to combine the existing curriculum from advanced manufacturing courses already taught at the college with a new curriculum specifically adapted for the commercial space industry.

This is one of the many pathways coming into the college, the goal is to create multiple pathways for students to have access to high-urgency and high-paying jobs in all industries.

Registered sex offender finds fraternity with Justice Scholars

Veronica Towers
-
0
Registered sex offender finds fraternity with Justice Scholars

Convicted of soliciting a minor with the intent to perform sexual acts, 25-year-old Edgar Griss found himself enrolled at Long Beach City College, intending to only stay for one semester, but his involvement with the Justice Scholars Initiative offered a new path.

Griss, at the age of 22, engaged in an online relationship with a 13-year-old girl he claimed he thought was 18 years old. He and the 13-year-old exchanged sexually charged material and messages online through Instagram for six months before they agreed to meet. 

When Griss showed up to his planned date, he was met by Orange County Police.

According to Griss and his attorney, his entire relationship with this girl was a sting operation set up by Orange County authorities to entrap potential offenders online.

Griss was charged on September 22, 2020, with making contact with a minor with intent to commit a sex offense as well as possession of illicit material depicting a minor.

After six months in Orange County jail, Griss was released with probation and sent to counseling where he received counseling for his A.D.H.D.

Within a year of his release, Griss is facing a second legal case that could potentially put him in state prison for up to eight years.

In 2021, Griss once again went online looking for a relationship, this time meeting a woman from Louisiana he claimed was 19 years old, but was, in reality, a 14-year-old girl.  The two were flirtatious, but according to Griss it never developed into a legitimate relationship.

The pair ceased communication after four months, Griss said, but one day in December 2021, Griss was taken in by LA County authorities.

Griss was then informed that the girl in Louisiana had called the national suicide prevention hotline and talked about her and Griss’ online relationship, her emotional distress and her suicidal ideations.

With one conviction already in his past and his parole not yet over, this potential second offense would carry a much harsher punishment, regardless of the explicit level of their online exchanges.

The hotline notified LA County authorities, who activated a warrant for his arrest, according to Griss. He then spent four days in LA County jail before his father posted his bail.

Griss claims that he and the 14-year-old never met in person, and their communication occurred only through Instagram direct messages.

“That’s what’s saving me right now,” Griss said.

Griss’ information, just like any other registered sex offender, can easily be found online when googling his name.

“We automatically feel pressure from society, because our information is public,” Griss said.

“I am guilty for what I did, but I will fight for my education and for other people who have fallen in the justice system,” said Griss.

His registration in the national sex offender database has made it difficult for Griss to find work, as employers use background checks to analyze potential employees.

“I just got off an interview yesterday, and I spoke to (the employer) about my narrative and I told him ‘Hey you’re going to see some really messed up stuff on that background check, let me tell you what it’s about,’” Griss said.

“There are two types of employers, the one type of employers are narrow-minded who say, ‘this guy is (a sex offender) and we don’t want to hire him’ and there are employers like yesterday who feel like their hands are tied. Like ‘Hey we think you’d be a good candidate for us, but we have to go with the background check and unfortunately, that background check is not going to pass you.’”

Griss’ openness about his conviction and the circumstances that led to his offense does not make the decision any easier for potential employers to hire him, despite his best efforts.

“I told him, ‘I have nothing against the background check, you follow your policies and I follow mine.’ But these kinds of jobs that I’m applying to, I’m not going to apply to a job where I know I’m not going to make it, where I know it’s going to be a risk to me or the customers,” said Griss.

After his release, Griss decided he would return to college to study communications, as one of his cellmates in prison had suggested.

Griss admitted that he had never been a good student in high school or at his previous college, Cerritos College.

The first time Griss told his parole office his plans to return to college, the officer smirked and asked him if he was sure. 

“That encouraged me to move forward,” Griss said.

“He looked at me and smirked, and laughed at me for going to school. I’m not mad at him for that,” Griss said.

“He was concerned. He asked me, ‘If you told me school was not for you, you’re not a good student, you’re not going to put in the effort, you have a ‘too cool for school’ mentality. What makes you think right now would be a better opportunity?’”

“I said, ‘Watch me’, and fast forward three years and I’m graduating,” Griss said.

Griss ultimately decided to attend Long Beach City College, only planning to stay for a semester to continue his academic progress at Cerritos College. 

Griss found Justice Scholars, which made him decide to seek more support to fight for his case.

“It became a snowball effect of positivity and circumstances. It went from bad events to being able to come on campus, become a voice, guest speak on campus and so many things to now an enrollment offer from Cal State Long Beach.”

His success, he claimed, was due to the support and advice he received from the Justice Scholars Initiative.

“All the pieces of the puzzle of who I am as a student, merged together, and I’ve been having the best of time,” Griss said.

Originally started as a club for formerly incarcerated students to find community on campus, the Justice Scholars eventually evolved into a program that aimed to fix some of the societal, financial and legal barriers that formerly incarcerated people may face while trying to seek a higher education.

“I was very skeptical of Justice Scholars at first. I thought that it was just for them to receive a badge, like ‘Hey I’m helping an ex-convict become a contributing member of society’, but that was not the case,” Griss said.

Sharon Griss, Griss’ younger sister was happy to support her brother when he finally accomplished what he set out to do.

His conviction, she said, has not really had an impact on their bond.

“He will always be my brother, ” Sharon Griss said.

She also noted a change in him once he found a space at LBCC where he could be open about his past, while still receiving the support he needed to get through college.

The reason Griss has been able to attend, interact and be involved in campus activities, according to Superintendent-President Mike Munoz, is due to public college guidelines that prohibit colleges like LBCC from being selective in their admission.

“We are an open access institution that allows any student to enroll who meets the criteria. The criteria does not say, ‘without a criminal record or without any offenses,’” said Munoz. “Unless what they are doing outside relates directly to what happens on campus, it’s very difficult to take action,” he added.

But even with its open enrollment policy that allows everyone, including those with criminal histories, the chance to pursue higher education does not let victims of assault go unnoticed.

After contacting Stacey Toda, an associate director on campus, she was able to provide information about resources that are available online and on campus.

Support on and off campus is available, including the student health office, which can direct students to off-campus support programs for times when LBCC cannot provide assistance.

It is encouraged for an individual who has been sexually assaulted to keep away from the attacker and to contact the police right away or the crisis center or a hotline. A hotline to contact is the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1 (800)-656-HOPE (4673).

Phone numbers for hotlines in cases of emergency are also easy to reach and available 24 hours for Domestic Violence victims at 1 (800) 799-SAFE (7233).

Student born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome seeks a future in theater

Bianca Urzua
-
0
Student born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome seeks a future in theater

A childhood in foster care and suffering from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has not deterred student Jacquline Mc Curine from pursuing her goals of acting and music.

“Shoot, I’m here. I’m making it through. I mean look at me, I’m here right now. If I didn’t make it through, I would not be here,” said Mc Curine.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a disability diagnosed at birth that can affect people both physically and mentally, affecting speech, learning abilities, coordination, memory and behavior. Mc Curine learned the term for her proper diagnosis after asking her mother who confirmed it to her.

“I would say that what I have is kind of mild. The only thing that falls into the behavior is the mood swings. That’s the only thing that I haven’t overcome…I’m still in the child mindset,” said Mc Curine. 

According to her, it’s through these extreme behavioral shifts such as crying, temper tantrums and lashing out that she is able to find comfort.  

Mc Curine went into further detail with hardships that she was faced with. “Living with FAS can be hard,” says Mc Curine, “because we go through mood swings and have trauma…I do have a lot of people that come around me and say, ‘Oh, you need to fix the way you act.” 

She goes on to say how a big part of having FAS is having this lack of control that people often don’t understand.

“Sometimes people with FAS, our mood is so impacted that it’s hard for us to try and control it. And sometimes a lot of people don’t understand our disabilities, and not just me, but any other individual out there that has a disability, we are judged due to who we are. We can’t help the way we are,” said Mc Curine.

Mc Curine was put into the foster system from birth, taken away from her mother due to her issues with drugs and alcohol and stayed in the system until the age of 18.

At the age of five and a half, she came into the custody of the Gist family.

Her time in foster care was not always the best, as her foster parents were not necessarily prepared to raise a child with FAS and often neglected her personal and educational needs. 

Despite not receiving physical abuse, Mc Curine was no stranger to harsh words and mistreatment. 

“When parents teach their children how to talk or give them some type of education, I was not taught that,” said Mc Curine.

It was her foster mother’s idea for Mc Curine to start Hooked on Phonics, in-home learning books, after being told by her teacher that she was behind. 

“I had no type of education, non verbal communication, so when I came into this foster home my teacher told her that I didn’t know how to hold a pencil and I didn’t know how to speak. My foster mom was worried. Hooked on Phonics really helped because it helped with my verbal communication,” said Mc Curine on her experience with the program. 

Jacquline Mc Curine in the stacks at LBCC’s library on May 23, 2023. Her diagnosis with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome didn’t deter her from pursuing her educational and personal goals. (Lauren Benson)

Mc Curine shared that she held contempt for her mother drinking during her pregnancy causing her FAS, before her mother apologized.

“She said that she was sorry that this had to happen and stuff and that we wished that it didn’t have to go that way. I would say that I’m not mad at her anymore,” Mc Curine said. “I mean it happened in the 80s, that’s an old generation thing. I wouldn’t hold a grudge against my mom. I’m just thankful that I’m here,” she added.

The current relationship she has with her birth mother is strained, spending limited time with her mother and making sparse phone calls. 

She recounted the earliest memory of her birth mother as an extremely happy reunion. 

“I first saw her at my open house. She came to my open house at my elementary school, Roosevelt, in south Pasadena and she came and I was surprised and I ran up to her and I just, and yeah it was adorable, I couldn’t let go of her,” said Mc Curine on meeting her birth mother.

Years later, Mc Curine reached back out to her mother and once again got in contact with her. Although, the relationship differed from how it had been before.

“I would say it’s not the same as it was when I first met her. She doesn’t call me, when I call her she gets mad… I don’t have any pictures (with her), we never took any pictures together,” she said.

Her birth family hasn’t shown signs of appreciation towards Mc Curine either, instead making her feel different. 

She elaborated on how this is a common thread in families who have children with disabilities, shunning them in a sense. 

“Even family will go against their sons and daughters if they have a disability because a lot of people don’t have time to deal with people with disabilities, so that’s where my side of the family comes from. They want to get to know me then as they know me they start turning fake, quickly” Mc Curine said.

Dealing with her lack of connection to her family has caused for Mc Curine to struggle with depression.

“I’m just one of those abandoned kids that the mother doesn’t care about,” said Mc Curine.

Her mom is no longer an alcoholic, though she does smoke cigarettes and weed. 

Mc Curine’s own personal relationship with drugs and alcohol is rather limited, she smokes weed and occasionally drinks.

“I only smoke weed, that’s the only thing I do. For alcohol, just in moderation, I’m not a heavy drinker. I don’t go out to clubs to drink,” said Mc Curine. 

Despite rough beginnings, Mc Curine continued to preserve with the assistance of two organizations; Supported Living Services (SLS) and her local regional center. 

Both organizations focus on helping people with disabilities, providing them with resources. They have been supporting her, checking in with her three times a week to see if she’s okay. 

One roadblock she’s had to overcome is finding the means to live on her own, a goal she’s had for years, but because of her condition slowed the process.

“If I’m trying to reach a goal it’ll probably take a while. Me getting my own apartment. I’ve been wanting that apartment since 2017 and I just got it in 2023,” said Mc Curine on the delayed process. 

The regional center and SLS provided help in the process, assisting her in filling out the documentation in order to obtain her apartment.

She currently lives on her own, where she resides with her two guinea pigs, Bella and Whitney.

“It’s better for me. I am happier because I have my own space and I don’t have to worry about drama. I don’t have to worry about having to clean up after people. Me living on my own makes things easier and I’m able to get through what I need to get through, especially with being here and having classes,” said Mc Curine.

Mc Curine plans on continuing to attend classes here at LBCC and pursuing theater further and thinking about transferring to Cal State Long Beach.

Opinion: The Viking Express needs healthier food options and to accept EBT

Lauren Benson
-
0

The Viking Express located on the LAC campus is known for its grab and go snacks, fresh hot coffee, microwavable food, a limited amount of soda and energy drinks. However, there has been a demand for healthier food options and a need for an acceptance of EBT.

LBCC should be more concerned about students’ health and nutrition. Of course some of us are guilty of succumbing to sodas, chips and convenient snacks because it is simple and quick. 

Students should have access to healthier meal options while still enjoying the low costs. Currently, the Viking Express only adheres to processed microwavable foods that are not nourishing or hearty for the mind, body or soul. 

EBT, electronic benefits system, is a supplemental nutrition assistance program that allows  participants to purchase food using SNAP benefits.  This program not only builds equity for low income students, but benefits local economies. They are accepted at local liquor stores, fast food restaurants and even grocery stores. 

LBCC has been on the waitlist for access to accept EBT and the wait has been staggering leaving no progress for food benefits for LBCC students.

Director of Business and Support Services Bob Rapoza provided information on the situation and explained future plans regarding food stock and healthier options for the Viking Express.

“There’s also other options like Farmer’s Fridge, pop-up restaurants around campus. Viking Vaults at the campus are for struggling students. LBCC would be open to EBT, but I have to research the process for LBCC accepting EBT,” said Rapoza. 

If the school is open to EBT, why isn’t there a push to accelerate access to these benefits? In the meantime LBCC could hold a board of trustees meeting addressing the lack of healthier food options and accessing EBT at the Viking Express. 

The Viking Vault provides food for students who are struggling, but the one in question is the Viking Express. Healthier options such as fresh produce as opposed to processed foods needs to be considered. 

Viking Express manager Ashley Alcaino expresses her concern and gives information on students’ demands concerning healthier food options. 

“As managers we are not in charge of handling food stock, but we do get students asking for healthier food options and vegan options,” said Alcaino. 

The Viking Express is helpful and affordable with ready to go snacks however, there needs to be more nutritional and healthy alternatives for students on campus.

Opinion: The real reason Americans are divided

Lauren Benson
-
0
Opinion: The real reason Americans are divided

The only thing liberals and conservatives can agree on is the fact that they cannot agree on anything. 

Many people point to “fake news” as the cause of this issue. However, no one is forced to watch a certain news network, but they tend to watch things that align with their ideologies.

People are afraid to challenge their own views. The real reason for the political divide is due to closed-mindedness.

Americans choose what media they consume, they choose the friends they have, they choose the information they take in. The decisions they make are a mere reflection of a person’s beliefs.

The driving factor for this is confirmation bias, or the idea that people listen to things they want to hear and disregard or avoid information that conflicts with their views.

This is why Fox News, a right leaning source, has a 93% conservative audience as opposed to a 6% liberal audience, according to a Pew Research study.

Fox News is a business and they want to make money. They push the conservative ideology because no other cable network does so. This partisan business model has proven to be successful.

Fox has been the most watched cable news network for the last seven years, absolutely crushing second place MSNBC, which is also partisan.

Fox and MSNBC are just taking advantage of our intolerance and close-mindedness. Someone may believe Fox spews propaganda without actually taking the time to watch the network.

People are scared to have our beliefs challenged, but it is a necessity for the public to grow as a society. 

Think about the state of America 60 years ago. If activists like Martin Luther King never tested societal standards, America would be in a much different place today. People cannot operate like robots, they have to discover their own views and not stick to the status quo. 

Take a look at your immediate friend group. Most of your friends probably share your moral and political beliefs. You have the freedom to pick our friends, but you tend to choose friends that agree with you.

Social media has a similar effect. There is an algorithm on social media sites that gives the user pictures and videos that they are more likely to look at for an extended period of time. A liberal’s page is more likely to be filled with left-wing content.

Everything a person sees on social media aligns with their political leanings.

Without the need to prove political views, the divide between liberals and conservatives will continue to grow. Not all conservatives are racist rednecks and not all liberals are intolerant snowflakes. If people do not converse with the otherside, those stereotypes will stick. 

The era of intolerance will be the downfall of the United States. Media bias and social media may play a role, but change can only happen if people challenge their own views and beliefs. 

People need to listen to counter arguments and get news from outlets that they do not normally use. Having an open mind is the first step to bridging the divide in America.

For Students, By Students: Intersectional conference offer resources for faculty and students

Bianca Urzua
-
0
For Students, By Students: Intersectional conference offer resources for faculty and students

Faculty, staff and students at LBCC were invited to an intersectional conference informing different resources addressing mental health, LGBTQ+ and housing insecurities that are available to students and to the community as a whole.

The meeting took place on LAC at LBCC in M-114 from 6pm to 8pm.

This intersectional meeting called “For Students, By Students” was a collaboration between the World Languages faculty and the students at LBCC.

“This event is designed to give students the tools to design their own conference,” said Professor Davila. “To prepare them academically and professionally.”

Different resources, including the LGBTQ Center Long Beach, Stay Housed L.A., LiBRE, Yoga with Alison, Yogalution Movement and Wellness, Student Health Services, TimelyCare and the Center for First Generation Student Success were all in attendance for easy access to their resources.

The chair of  “For Students, By Students,” Alexandria Patino’s role in this event was to gather different resources for the unhoused LBCC students.

This conference called for students at LBCC to have an open heart and mind while hearing the panelists’ students personal testimonies.

Two students, Kassandra Gutierrez and Alexandria Patino both shared a vulnerable panel discussing their personal obstacles including housing insecurities and first generation issues they have overcome throughout the years up until today.

“I struggled as a first generation student because there was a lot of shame when asking for help,” said Gutierrez, a first generation Latina, full time mother, student and an identifying member of the LGBTQ community.

After the panel, Alison Morea, a student at LBCC conducted a guided meditation.

Resource tables with QR codes and fliers were set up at the end for faculty and students to take, Fliers listed different resources that are easily accessible for students on campus.

For many faculty and students, it can be difficult to ask for help and resources. This event was created in hopes to bring awareness to the resources available.

Harvey Milk Day flag raising ceremony gathers PCC community

Bianca Urzua
-
0
Harvey Milk Day flag raising ceremony gathers PCC community

During the cloudy Monday morning the local LGBTQ community raised the Pride flag to celebrate Harvey Milk Day at Long Beach City College’s PCC.

Led by Jerome Hunt, LBCC’s student equity coordinator, opened the ceremony by welcoming all to sit in the quad while he gave a brief discussion about Harvey Milk. 

Hunt also discussed the anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been introduced and have kept trans people in the bushes. 

On the stage was Herlinda Chico, a current Trustee and LBCC student herself. Chico shared her remarks for the community, as she has been part of the LGBTQ community for years. 

Milk was a well known LGBTQ+ activist who was assassinated for his political activism a year after his elected term in San Francisco’s board of supervisors in 1977. 

Harvey Milk day is a reminder to all that being part of the LGBTQ community is a recognized group who still battles against injustice. 

However, as time has progressed, many more bills have been passed to accept and create a safe space for those who are openly queer. 

Governor Newsom released a proclamation in honor of Harvey Milk Day in California, which caused a “Great Sea” to secure this day as Harvey Milk Day.

The Long Beach Lambda Democratic Club, which was established in 1977 after an anti-LGBTQ initiative was installed to prevent LGBTQ students and teachers from being in a classroom, gained recognition in Long Beach and across California.

Superintendent-President Mike Munoz expressed the amount of support that the community and its members have received at LBCC. 

He gave the stage back to Hunt who gave way for the flag to be raised. 

All in the audience clapped and cheered in celebration of Harvey Milk Day and June’s upcoming pride month. 

Joey Smith, a member of the LGBTQ club and a student who is currently doing online classes was on campus and said she was very happy for the raising of the flag.

“It has given me a space on campus,” Smith said.

The building on campus that provides a space for students to relax and be themselves on campus. 

Harvey Milk day was the first of many pride month celebrations that will be hosted by LBCC.

PCC Communications Showcase platforms student presentations

Casper Torres
-
0
PCC Communications Showcase platforms student presentations

Mountain lion’s death, the struggles of Latina womanhood and the influences that change modern style were among the topics communications students presented at the fourth annual Communications Student Showcase at the PCC campus in the Dyer Hall on May 13.

Student presentations were divided into informal, persuasive, oral and student debates but seemed to have no restriction on what topics students could speak on.

Miguel Alba is a LBCC zoology major who used the showcase to  share his passion for small wildlife. 

Alba shared a story of his pet snake that died after seven years of companionship. This loss pushed Alba to share how the loss of the snake continues to affect him 5 years later.

“I encourage everyone to bond with animals,” Alba said after his snake presentation.  

In contrast, student Pattee Olsen zoomed out of the relationship between an owner and their pet and instead spoke of P-22 the mountain lion.

P22 was a famous mountain lion known to have roamed the Santa Monica Mountains and died after he was struck on the 101 highway to Griffith park. His death shocked many people, including Olsen.

He was tagged just like his father P-1 was and had his movements tracked for over 20 years until his unfortunate end in December of 2022.

Stephen Love opened the ceremony with his story about a figurative human being that was as open and colorful as him. He titled it “Rainbow Revolutions: A Russian Drag Queen’s Story.”  

Love said he was drawn to writing about his experiences after growing up with a father who is not open to the lgbtq community. 

Clair Munch, another student showcased,  presented her discussion on the exterior forces that influence individual style. 

“Our bodies are our own canvas, add your colors, accessories, shapes and all that you desire,” Munch said.

She explained when the jackets somehow don’t keep us warm enough we seek for other forms of comfort. The passions people seek are the words and clothes they use to identify their cultures.  

Just like shirts and jeans that are passed down after someone grows too big, some languages or cultures are passed down too.

In the case of Will McReynolds he shared some stats with a chart that showed where our screen times went to. Either with school, social media or work influence our actions and thought process. 

The fear of outside voices from our own or negative reactions often lead us to lock ourselves in our own personal cell. We can unlock ourselves and create the pieces we have envisioned in our minds. 

Personal cells that are made up by our friends, family, schools or work. What we chose to do in our spare times as well. 

Of course fashion, social media, school and work are not always isolated issues. Many health problems exist that are not addressed or taken care of properly. It is not uncommon to have a fear of medical problems either we or people we know have.

Yedine Rodriguez, put together a slideshow with information regarding universal health care, touching on the cost issue with healthcare in America. The luxury of clinical or hospital visits are not always easy for everyone to access. 

In cases with mental well being, forming healthy groups as well as habits are essential. Accepting the differences we have with people is vital for maintaining a healthy mind set. 

As women in higher education continue to have struggles and battles of their own, Aaliyah Carter was able to create a bond with the women in the room in her series of poems titled “A Woman’s Worth”, “I am a Strong Woman” and “Phenomenal Woman.” 

Similarly, Margarita Rios shared her story about what it is like to feel conquered. In her piece she wrote about what it is like to feel like a colored woman. The similarities within cultures and the everyday struggles of a brown woman.

 Margarita used her voice to share what women in colored cultures do and have done for centuries in her poem she titled “Mano a Mano,” which translates to hand in hand in English.

The showcase ended with the presenters thanking the audience for attending while coaches and volunteers gathered for pictures and after thoughts. 

APID Month celebrated through sip and paint

Casper Torres
-
0
APID Month celebrated through sip and paint

15 Faculty, staff and students gathered on May 16 in the Social Justice Intercultural Center to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Desi Heritage month with a sip and paint event. 

For many of the faculty, staff and students, it is important to them to have these types of events in order to create a support system and a safe learning environment for everyone. 

Jasmine Brady, a student at LBCC, has been to every sip and paint and continues to support these monthly all inclusive and cultural events. 

“It’s great to know that we’re all coming together as one because it doesn’t matter what skin color or ethnicity we have, at the end of the day we are human,” said Brady.

Sip and Paint Participant Jasmine Brady paints in the Social Justice Intercultural Center at LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus during the APID Sip and Paint Event on May 16th from 2 to 4 p.m. (Casper Torres)

The organizer and host of APID sip and paint, Bri Pinkerton, chose peach blossoms as reference for this month’s cultural event.

“I chose two different reference photos for this sip and paint because I really couldn’t decide,” said Pinkerton. “It’s all free form.”

Peach blossoms are entrenched in the history and culture of China and have been a notable symbol for spring-time festivals and celebrations for generations. The peach blossom symbolizes longevity, fertility and abundance.

Pinkerton setup easels, paint brushes, cups of water and paint correlating to the reference photos of peach blossoms provided.

Filipino food including fried lumpia and pancit guisado was provided along with non-alcoholic bubbly cider.

The majority of the participants free handed their reference photos onto the canvas and let their creativity take over.

Participants gathered at the end of this two hour long event to take a group photo with their signed and finished pieces of artwork.

The last sip and paint event of the semester will take place on June 7th from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Social Justice Intercultural Center to celebrate Pride Month.

Two completed works painted at the Social Justice Intercultural Center at LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus during the APID Sip and Paint event on May 16th from 2 to 4 p.m. (Casper Torres)

Science night brings students and locals to LAC

Veronica Towers
-
0
Science night brings students and locals to LAC

LBCC’s life science faculty members hosted their family-friendly eleventh annual science night celebration at the Liberal Arts Campus on Friday with plant petting zoos and skunks and strawberries on display.

A scratch-and-sniff gallery was used to show a close look at what different plants look and smell like. 

In the Life Science area on the first floor room D-113, the Native American Indigenous Student Collaborate put together a space for those learning about the many indigenous experiences and feelings. 

They put together a presentation titled “Sky Woman and the Importance of Reciprocity” which followed the story of an indigenous woman who fell from the sky and landed in the wetlands. 

The Anthropology program put together a demonstration showing the many parts of the human skeletal structure and how scientists check for damaged bones.

Associate Professor of Anthropology at LBCC, Ama Boakyewa put together a matching game where two family groups were paired. 

One table had several photos of people in order to ask participants if they could tell who in the photos was related to each other. The participants were moderately successful with guessing the relationships.

In the end, she explained that the two photos at the top center were of her parents along with her siblings and nieces, which showed how generations of family change over time. 

On the second floor of the C building were the nursing and allied health programs. Vocational and licensed program information was offered to prepare future medical students and workers.

A demonstration robot used in the nursing health classes for science night. LBCC Departments from various stem fields came together to host a night of demonstrations and activities to promote their courses. (Lesly Gonzalez)

Current R.N. students were opened to check for blood pressure. 

A surprising mechanical figure that was on display was a high-tech robot that is used in many medical schools, also known as a “Manikin.” 

The robot was built to represent a human for nurses, scientists and medical students to practice on before they are sent for field work with patients, explained Yuli Torrez, an R.N. student at LBCC.

“We work with manikins before we are sent off with real patients so that we are ready,”  said Torrez.

1...110111112...262Page 111 of 262