Showing pride in yourself: One student’s challenge of legally materializing her identity

Share: Jaclyn Butac is a Pasadena City College student studying child development and behavioral science. She also identifies as a female of trans experience, and in 2023, she began a giant step of getting her name and gender marker legally changed.  “If you think stuff like changing your name or getting the proper care that you need to feel more aligned with yourself is impossible, it’s not,” Butac said. “You have a lot of support, and there are people who are willing to listen to …

Is WNBA momentum a movement or moment?

Share: The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) season has kicked off, and the spotlight is on the rising stars from the most-watched women’s NCAA basketball tournament in its history. Athletes like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, and numerous other talented women have earned their moment. But this is not just a moment. It’s a movement that needs the continuous support of the media, institutions, and fans to thrive beyond 2024.  There was hype going into this year’s WNBA season and whether the women of …

AI in the classroom? Policy is still up to professors at PCC

Share: Throughout 2023, educators saw an incoming boom of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools and discussed how to prepare for its impact on their classrooms. Now, as we reach the end of the first full school year since AI came on the scene, PCC instructors have had to adjust their preparations in real-time. “It’s bad out there,” said Dr. Liesel Reinhart, who teaches Visual Arts & Media Studies at PCC. “We are getting a tremendous number of assignments turned in that use various types …

PCC’s foster youth programs remain strong despite statewide budget cuts

Share: Despite the massive cuts coming to the California state budget, foster youth programs, including those at Pasadena City College will not face significant cuts to their budgets, one of the many upsides during Foster Youth Awareness Month in May.  At PCC, the foster youth program has four separate branches, including Scholars Transitioning And Realizing Success (STARS), NextUp, the Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE), and Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOP&S).  The revised California May budget, as of now, has seen a slight increase …

How does the pro-Palestine movement respond to celebrity supporters?

Share: On November 21, 2023, actress Melissa Barrera was fired from the movie “Scream VII.” The reason? Her outspoken support for Palestine and her characterization of the situation in Gaza as a genocide. Spyglass Media Group, the production company for the Scream film series, issued a statement, deeming Barrera’s comments anti-Semitic and unacceptable. Barrera’s firing was immediately met with outrage, and fans called for a boycott of the movie series. Despite this incident, Barrera’s movie career is still going strong, with her prompting her first …

Get over yourself? In a democracy you have to earn people’s votes

Share: The Presidential elections are approaching for a close race in November 2024. The general election rematch that essentially no one asked for is inevitable between current President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. These uninspiring choices and the elites’ failure to convince the electorate why a particular candidate will be a better president clearly indicate the current political climate. The elites, especially on the Democrat side, are telling voters to get over themselves, and those are the two choices. Really? Is that the …

What’s in a name…change? Pride Center clinic helps students legalize identity

Share: On Monday, April 8, at Pasadena City College, as many students are contemplating what their plans are during their spring break, other students, specifically trans and non-binary, have plans that are beyond spring break and more personal in nature. It is day one for them to change their name and also their gender marker. Trans and Nonbinary students are at the Pride Center to take the first steps of participating in a workshop to go over just how laboring the process is in changing …

The keffiyeh is a statement based on freedom, resistance, and solidarity

Share: In California’s Bay Area, Abd Al Kareem Qaraman owns an online company called Rajaeen. Qaraman sells many items, including jewelry and embroidery. One of his best-selling items is the keffiyeh, a popular Palestinian garment in the region. For Qaraman, the business has been booming since the war in Gaza. But as a Palestinian himself whose family were refugees of Palestine, his entire purpose for Rajaeen is more than just to make money.    “We’re buying their product from a local market in the West Bank, …

Crisp Bacon performance leaves Huskies fried

Share: The Pasadena City College baseball team, led by freshman pitcher Joe Bacon’s stellar performance, showcased their unwavering determination by clinching a crucial home game victory against East Los Angeles College. The team prevented a sweep and injected renewed confidence in the final nine games of the regular season. Despite facing two consecutive losses against the Huskies, the Lancers were resolute to have a win in the series.  The Lancers faced the Huskies on Saturday, April 6, at Jackie Robinson Field in Brookside Park for …