Share: Before formally introducing himself and delving into his presentation about his life and the opportunities for success in which he took advantage of despite being an undocumented migrant, poet Yosimar Reyes reads a poem of his entitled “Undocumented Joy.” The poem expresses Reyes’ inability to accurately remember the exact moment he crossed the border and the direct impacts of crossing the border at such a young age. The poem set the tone of the presentation, giving some insight on the source of his embracement …
A wave of change: PCC joins Save Our Beach for Coastal Cleanup Day
Share: Microplastics washed up with the currents and were scattered along the sand. In the area where the San Gabriel River meets the coastline, small pieces of garbage floated down the stream and larger pieces were wedged into the surrounding rocks. The trash that washed up ranged from wrappers and broken glass to styrofoam and furniture scraps. “It was very eye-opening to see how much trash there really was,” said Anna Mendoza, a PCC student who witnessed it firsthand. On Saturday, Sept. 21st, 193 students …
From the Archives: The Courier covers college’s conception
Share: [Editor’s Desk, 2024: The birth of Pasadena City College in 1947 didn’t just mark the start of a new institution—it also brought about a transition for its student newspaper. With the merging of John Muir College and Pasadena Junior College, the Pasadena Chronicle, which had served as the voice of the student body, was set to evolve into something new: the PCC Courier. Much like the college itself, the newspaper faced the challenge of building an identity from the foundation up. The Pasadena Chronicle …
Ceramics artist uses mythology to challenge stagnant gender roles
Share: “Only one drop revives stagnant water,” were the words of Jewish, transdisciplinary artist Nicki Green when asked about her latest piece. This is a recurring theme in many of Green’s ceramic pieces, which intersect aspects of trans identity and queer history with traditional Jewish ritualistic practices. Green, a ceramic artist and professor at Alfred University in New York, spoke in PCC’s very Westerbeck Hall on Monday, October 7. Green began her talk by acknowledging the anniversary of Hama’s coordinated attacks on Israeli targets and …
Filipino American heritage month kicks off with a party
Share: Two long bamboo poles rest on the floor of the Circadian room while the smell of BBQ and the sound of a Sarah Geronimo power ballad blasts on the overhead speakers. The poles are for a traditional folk dance from the Philippines called “tinikling,” where two people clap the bamboo poles together while dancers step over and in between them, weaving it all into a seamless partner dance. Miguel Bernardo, the new president of The Reunited Organization of Pilipinx Americans (TROPA) together with inter-council …
From the Archives: College concert celebrates the end of WWII
Share: [Editor’s Desk, 2024: At this point in May 1945, Pasadena Junior College had planned an eventful week for the students. Our top story from this edition covered five women from PJC, one of whom would be crowned “queen of the wartime carnival” at the Hawaiian Paradise Ball. But there were other events happening all the way across the world. World War II had begun to come to a close. Germany had surrendered only a few days prior, on May 7. The war engrossed the …
‘A DIY Ethos:’ History prof on studying, skateboarding, and his identical twin
Share: Dr. Bradford Johnston is a history professor at PCC, but in another life he might have been a lawyer. So what stopped him? “I was set to enroll or matriculate in law school with my twin brother, and at the last minute decided not to do so. Perhaps I was having too much fun skateboarding,” Johnston said. Johnston remembers how, at age thirteen, he noticed many neighborhood kids skateboarding, saying, “I instantly thought that it was cool. I was intrigued.” Before this, his exposure …
Posters of Nanostar research break down the hard science behind research breakthroughs
Share: In September, the Courier reported a story about the Nanostars, a team of young scientists researching DNA and designing new applications for that research under the guidance of PCC instructor Dr. Jillian Blatti. Now, the Poster Session at PCC gives us a chance to spotlight their research in greater detail. The Natural Sciences Division Undergraduate Research Poster Session is a biennial conference held at Pasadena City College that provides an opportunity for students to present the research they have done with their professors, peers …
Incoming director plots new partnerships for Pride Center
Share: Located on the fourth floor of the R Building, the Pride Center is a small, essential space for members of the LGBTQ+ community on campus. But the Pride Center was facing a time of transition after staff turnover. Resource advocates, like Lucy Rokitski and Bryce Simon, had moved on, leaving a vacuum… but also opportunity. Ana Bernal filled that vacuum. A former student of PCC, Bernal has been the new director of the Pride Center for one week. Ana Bernal is staying busy in …
From the Archive: Even in the 30’s, we knew Jackie Robinson was special
Share: [Editor’s Desk, 2024: When we reached the 1930s in this by-the-decade retrospective, we knew we wanted to find a story about Jackie Robinson. The college and city are both rightly proud of Robinson having been from here, but how much of that was obvious hindsight? We were concerned that our past articles might have been part of the racist system that marginalized black athletes. Did our historical peers respect Robinson as they should have? It turns out, the sports writers in our past knew …