Eddie Van Halen, Pasadena rock legend and PCC alum, dead at 65

Share: Hometown guitar hero and Pasadena City College Class of ’74 distinguished alum Eddie Van Halen has died at the age of 65 after a lengthy battle with cancer. News of the rock giant’s death broke early Tuesday afternoon in a social media announcement from Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang.  “I can’t believe I’m having to write this,” Wolfgang Van Halen said, “but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning.” Van Halen was diagnosed with tongue …

PCC honored with state award for student success

Share: On Sept. 30, a virtual ceremony was held to celebrate Pasadena City College receiving the Dr. John W. Rice Student Success Award. Mrs. Clara Rice, Dr. Rice’s widow and Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State and Dr. Rice’s only child, spoke at the ceremony which honored Dr. Rice’s legacy and detailed the origin of the award. During the ceremony, Mackenzie Rivera, president of Associated Students, accepted the award on behalf of PCC. “I am proud to say that PCC has always put students first,” …

‘Mulan’ live-action remake leaves audiences confused and alienated

Share: A live-action remake of Disney’s 1998 animated film “Mulan” premiered on Disney+ on September 4, and will be available for standard Disney+ subscribers on December 4. The main message from “Mulan” is to embrace oneself and to not be what others want you to become. However, the live action film manages to make the audience feel even more confused and alienated than before.  Follow:

Blackademia enlightens students amid America’s racist reckoning

Share: Prior to the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that sparked worldwide outrage in recent months, the Blackademia program at PCC held meetings discussing police brutality. A few months ago, they discussed how the lives of Black people aren’t taken seriously. Some students believe they don’t get the same opportunities to work, go to school and speak as freely as others because of the color of their skin. They expressed their anger, sadness and concern for equality for all Black people.       “One of …

Racism and rebuke: An email reveals ‘all lives matter’ faculty

Share: This story has been updated to include a statement from Marc Angelucci on his status as an honoree from the Southern Poverty Law Center. PCC found a moment of unity in the midst of troubling times when college leadership unanimously passed the resolution denouncing the killing of unarmed Black individuals, but responses to an internal email quickly drew outrage at two professors for their views, according to a partial thread obtained by the Courier. Follow:

PCC’s Black community mobilizes support, demands reform after killing of Black individuals

Share: As evident with the thousands of protests that have ignited around the world, emotions such as anger, sadness, frustration, grief and fear only briefly touch upon what millions are experiencing as a result of the recent killing of Black individuals. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery lived across the country, but even PCC’s Black community feels the shared loss of their brothers and sisters.  With the deaths of Floyd, Taylor and Ahmaud spanning within months of each other, it became apparent to many …

Black students and staff call for PCC to take action

Share: Feeling overlooked and unsupported by PCC, living in fear and getting harassed by police are just some of the experiences Black students and staff shared on the “Our Black Lives Matter – Listening Forum” that occurred on Thursday, June 4. As each panel member shared and read a portion of the resolution presented to the Academic Senate for them to denounce the killings of Black people, things simultaneously grew very emotional and heated. Frustrated by the lack of action and Black student and staff …