Volume 33 Issue 4
The Triton Review
An independent student voice since 1973
Safety, magic and transformation
In four pieces Ingram asked, “Where Can My Black Ass Go to Be Safe?” One answer reads, “When I become the maggot in your white supremacy sandwich.”
Seattle artist bridges beauty and discomfort
By Tara Pegasus
A&E Editor
The Art Gallery in Lynnwood Hall
honored conceptual artist C Davida In-
gram in a reception on Friday, March 3. In-
gram’s pieces will be displayed from Jan. 3
to March 13 in an exhibit called “A Work
in Progress.”
Live music by the Scarlet Lovers gave
the event a touch of class. Redd Gill, a mu-
sic student at EdCC, accompanied his fi-
ancee Krysta Carson on guitar as she sang
Sinatra-style tunes.
Students, faculty and members of the
public clapped between songs as they en-
joyed attractive appetizers prepared by the
college’s catering department.
Heavy Seattle traffic delayed Ingram,
and an air of anticipation filled the crowd
as they waited.
Running Start student Nick Kasimov
pointed to a favorite piece, one of a series
called “Lexical Tutor.”
Printed on fluttering fabric, the photo-
graph depicts a black woman seated on a
pebbly beach, pink roses clustered in her
arms.
March 13, 2017
TheTritonReview.com
Kasimov liked the sheer, pink cloth
beneath the subject. “It helps bring out the
background,” Kasimov said.
After Ingram arrived, she explained
the set of pieces. The beach was at Carkeek
Park, the cloth from a pink World War II
parachute and the subject was a friend and
engineer. Ingram often portrays women
from her community in her pieces.
“When you put black figures in a
space, you transform it,” she said. “They
become something otherworldly, magical.”
Mythology and history are evident in
Ingram’s work. She explored the “excess
@TheTritonReview
Photo by Thomas Common
of conjecture” that black women face.
Pieces featuring mermaids and dreamers
are framed in poems and pictures, symbol-
ic of expectations, perceptions and histo-
ries viewers place on black women. Those
external pressures drove Ingram to create
“a space to dialogue with yourself.”
The saturated hues and natural beau-
ties of “Lexical Tutor” contrasted with a
provocative work, titled “Where Can My
Black Ass Go to Be Safe?”
Ingram continued on page 6
 2 News March 13, 2017

Editor’s Corner (what were they thinking?!)

Thomas Common
Editor-in-Chief
As I mentioned last month, The Triton
Review’s website is up and running! It’s in
a mostly finished form, we are working on
uploading old articles now.
We are also working with community
partners to get old copies of The Triton Re-
view scanned in and uploaded.
I’m happy to announce we have about
95% of our print issues dating back to 1990.
We look forward to getting these scanned
and uploaded with keyword search, so The
Triton Review can continue to act as a reg-
ister of information on Edmonds Commu-
nity College.
On another topic, if I hear someone
use the words ‘current events’ to justify or
excuse what they are saying and doing, I’m
going to scream.
Being obtusely vague about justifying
one’s waving of the social justice flag is as
inarticulable as alternative facts.
If a politician or political party (re-
gardless of alignment) does something you
vehemently disagree with, fine. If it drives
you to make the world a better place, that’s
fine too.
But don’t use ‘current events’ as an
excuse to justify your behavior or your
feelings. Be honest and specific with your-
self and others about what is agitating you,
and why.
If you want to put the horrors of the
world on display to bring attention to per-
ceived injustices, at least have the common
decency to pin the blame on people or poli-
cies. Otherwise, you risk sounding meek,
indirect and uninformed.
Tara Pegasus
A&E Editor
Idyllic Transport
I love to roam the hills because
My childhood finds me there.
A thoughtful host, it takes my cloak
Of grown-up strife and care,
And covers me with flower buds
And springy mountain air.
I drop my artificial ways
And frolic on all-fours--
The child’s view is closer to
The grass and ground and scores
Of beetles, ants, and tiny things
One only sees outdoors.
In make-believe, I weave a crown
Of daisies white and green,
And knight the fuzzy centipede
Who crawls upon the scene.
The butterflies surround my head
In homage to their queen.
But what is this? I hear a shout--
Maturity has sped
Its way again to me, and I
Descend into its bed.
Oh, how I wish I lived up here
With childhood instead!
Ian Moffet
Opinion Editor
Free speech is a key pillar to the foun-
dation of a democracy, it is integral for
progress to happen in an open society.
One of the main places free speech
and discourse are suppose to flourish are
at our educational institutions like EdCC.
It seems as though recently that there
has been a stifling of open discourse on
college campuses across the country. In
fact, on February 2nd at UC Berkeley over
“... 150 masked agitators …” canceled a
speech by right wing provocateur Milo Yi-
annopoulos, injuring over 6 people in the
process according to CNN.
The same thing happened when Yian-
nopoulos came over to Seattle at the Uni-
versity of Washington on January 23rd,
where someone ended up getting shot ac-
cording to KIRO News.
Force and violence is not productive
in arguing a side to any topical issue we
have today.
Instead of preventing people from
spreading ideas opposite of what you be-
lieve, debate them, show that your side is
intellectually superior.
One cannot claim to be an anti-fascist
protester while burning the books of ideo-
logues that you disagree with.
This mentality seems to be largely ap-
parent on the left, the same one’s who call
themselves liberal progressive’s are engag-
ing in some of the most illiberal practices,
this is not progressive it is regressive.
College campuses need to be a place
of constant debate and a place of a diver-
sity of ideals again.
Rel Konot
Copy Editor
One of the biggest hits the American
people have taken from the Trump ad-
ministration so far is the Dakota Access
Pipeline’s successful continuation and the
removal of the Standing Rock Sioux from
their land.
There can be no more denial of our
unequivocal institutionalized racism and
oppression of native people in the United
States.
It is a foundational marker of our
country which we have attempted to hide,
disguise, or forgive ourselves of with no
true justification for forgiveness.
What we can take from that experi-
ence, however, is the strength and solidar-
ity the Standing Rock Sioux and those who
fight with them to preserve our water. They
have had an inspiring ripple effect on the
American people and the world.
Threats to our democracy and free-
dom growing in number each day - the
Keystone pipeline, bomb threats to Jewish
and Islamic centers of faith, the Muslim
ban, the rescinding of federal protections
for transgender students, science and news
censorship.
We must stand together with the Sioux
and as the Sioux stood for all of us: With
an American bravery to preserve liberty
and freedom which only those who have
suffered under the weight of American cor-
ruption truly know how to uphold.

Have story ideas? On The Cover
Is something going on around campus?
Comments on stories?
C Davida Ingram’s four part series,
“Where Can My Black Ass Go To Be
- Letters to the editor are a good way to
Safe?” has been featured on the third floor
of Lynnwood Hall for all of the 2017 Win-
let us know what’s working and what’s not. ter quarter.
The series explores discomfort and
prejudice, something the female, black and
revedic@edcc.edu queer Ingram faces on a daily basis.
Ingram stated the most uncomfortable
part of the process was facing the question
itself, not posing for the photos.
The answers supplied are from other
black women who identify with Ingram’s
experience.
The series is part of a larger collection,
titled “A Work in Progress.” The college
will host the collection until March 13.
C Davida Ingram can be found on
Twitter (@idebelle76) and LinkedIn.

A Student Publication of Section Editors Business Manager Faculty Advisor

Edmonds Community College Opinion Editor Justin Bisacky Rob Harrill
20000 68th Ave W. Ian Moffet revbusma@edcc.edu rob.harrill@edcc.edu
Lynnwood, WA 98036 moffetian@gmail.com
425.640.1315 Copy Editor Staff Writers
News Editor Rel Konot Cecil Touzet, Kasanita Lindell
Thomas Common relvkonot@gmail.com
Editor-in-Chief Revedic@edcc.edu
Thomas Common Photographers
Revedic@edcc.edu A&E Editor Kyle Whitmer
Tara Pegasus k.whitmer4662@edmail.edcc.edu
tarapegasus@gmail.com

The Triton Review is a student-written and -produced newspaper for Edmonds Community College and the surrounding community. The opinions expressed in the Triton Review
do not necessarily reflect the views of the Triton Review staff or of the college.
Mission Statement
The Triton Review is a student-run newspaper at Edmonds Community College that serves the student readership by reporting on issues and events as they relate to the campus
community and by supporting the open exchange of a diverse range of viewpoints and opinions.
The Triton Review strives to be impartial in its reporting and adheres firmly in its First Amendment rights.

Newspaper Policy
1. The Triton Review covers issues and events as they relate to the Edmonds Community College campus community and surrounding areas.
2. The Triton Review editorial staff reserves the right to comment editorially on any issues the staff finds newsworthy and important.
3. The Triton Review resists the influence of advertisers or special interest groups on the selection of news content or editorial expression.
4. The Triton Review will consider for publication signed letters to the editor or contributed opinion pieces reflecting student opinion on relevant topics, as well as those of other
on or off-campus constituents when submitted according to publication guidelines.
5. The Triton Review strives to uphold State and Federal Laws and Edmonds Community College policies, particularly the Office of Student Life Code of Ethics and the Society
of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics.

Letters to the Editor

The Triton Review welcomes letters to the editor. Letters submitted should be no more than 400 words, signed legibly, and accompanied by a phone number in order to verify
authenticity. Some letters may not be printed due to limited space, because they are similar to other letters received on the same subject, are potentially libelous, or are illegible. The
Triton Review reserves the right to edit letters.

Climate experts empower “citizen scientists”
By Tara Pegasus
A&E Editor
Our planet’s biodiversity is dwindling
at an alarming rate. Global warming threat-
ens the stable equilibrium of climate and
ecosystems worldwide, and humans are its
prime contributor. What can we do to re-
verse its adverse effects?
“Get informed and involved,” Dr.
Astrid Caldas, a climate scientist for the
Union of Concerned Scientists, advised in
an email interview.
Dr. Caldas recently visited Seattle for
the the 97th American Meteorological So-
ciety (AMS) Conference from January 22–
26. More than 4400 educators, students,
scientists and professionals gathered to
discuss weather, water and climate topics.
Dr. Caldas has a personal connection
to EdCC: She and biology professor Gwen
Shlichta shared the same laboratory at the
University of Maryland when Shlichta
worked on insect ecology.
Being a ‘smart phone
activist’ is not enough
- you got to go out there
and act.
-Dr. Astrid Caldas
Dr. Caldas’ advice applies to students
in all disciplines. Opportunities to take part
in vital research abound, even for those
who aren’t on a scientific career path.
This spring Shlichta is teaching a
3
course on marine biology (BIOL 106) spe-
cifically for non-science majors. The class
will include field trips to the beach and a
marine laboratory. Shlichta wants students
to “get outside and have fun while they
learn.”
The idea of everyday people taking
part in scientific projects, termed “citizen
science,” has deep roots in the late Renais-
sance, when amateurs, gentry and self-
funded innovators conducted most scien-
tific research.
Current technology has increased the
visibility and variety of scientific projects
available to anyone with an internet con-
nection. Some of them are even computer
games.
In “Phylo,” an online game developed
at McGill University, players move col-
ored blocks on the screen to match patterns
and further genetic research. In “Martian
Map Room,” players count craters and tag
Rovers to help NASA scientists map the
Red Planet.
A complete list of the games is avail-
able at http://www.citizensciencecenter.
com/citizen-science-games-ultimate-list/.
The Citizen Science Alliance (CSA)
developed the Zooniverse (www.zooni- Photo by Lisa Palmer
Astrid Caldas (left) poses for a photo with Lisa Palmer (right) at the 2017 Ameri-
verse.org), described on the project web-
can Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting.
site as “the world’s largest and most popu-
lar platform for people-powered research.” looting sites of historical and archaeologi- Is there any new research on this you
Volunteers can observe and answer cal importance. would like to share?
questions about images of galaxies, his- Whether enrolling in a new class or
torical documents and videos of animals in gaming for science, college students can Many studies nowadays deal with pos-
their natural habitat. take practical steps to get informed and in- sible scenarios for animals, plants and sea
A similar project is Global Xplorer° volved, as Dr. Caldas suggested. Read on levels. Just this January, a new study was
(www.globalxplorer.org), launched by for the full interview: released by NOAA [the National Oceanic
self-described “space archaeologist” and and Atmospheric Administration] with
National Geographic Fellow Sarah Parcak. Tara Pegasus: The current political new projections for sea level rise through
Participants view satellite images to locate administration seems to dispute the re- the end of the century. Needless to say,
ality or magnitude of climate change. these new projections put the sea at a much
Having been part of the AMS Annual higher level than the previous projections
Meeting in Seattle this year, how would from 2012, which were used in the Nation-
you characterize our climate situation? al Climate Assessment.
Another field that sees many new stud-
Dr. Astrid Caldas: Our climate situation ies deals with interactions of species, and

be the
is dire. We are almost running out of time how that, together with changes in climate,
to act in a meaningful way, so as to prevent can interact to define where species will
catastrophic consequences in biodiversity, decline and where they will persist.

first
crops, and sea levels.
Research comes out all the time on cli-
mate science, confirming time and again
what has been already confirmed time and
again: the globe is warming, and humans
(through carbon emissions) are the main
cause.
How can students sift through alter-
native facts and mishandling of data by
the media to gain a better understanding
of current scientific research?
Climate continued on page 9

A sampling of the different games developed by the Citizen Science Alliance,

found at www.zooniverse.org.
Photo by Thomas Common

Attend A trAnsfer InformAtIon sessIon!

To register visit: www.uwb.edu/boundless/edmonds

www.uwb.edu 425.352.5000
 4 News March 13, 2017

EdCC trans access expanding despite Trump

By Rel Konot
Copy Editor

On Feb. 22, the Trump administration

revoked Title IX protections for transgen-
der students.
These protections, added during the
Obama administration to Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972, allowed
for transgender individuals to be protected
from discrimination under any form of ed-
ucation program or activity.
This addition to Title IX was infamous
for the inclusion of legal protection while
using public restrooms, sparking a nation-
wide controversy which put a spotlight on
the historically overlooked transgender
rights movement.
Civil rights groups were outraged,
voicing concern over the health and safety
of transgender students after the rescinding
of this protection.
“This is a mean-spirited attack on hun-
dreds of thousands of students who simply
want to be their true selves and be treated
with dignity while attending school,” said
executive director of the National Center
for Transgender Equality, Mara Keisling.
Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington state
has been a vocal opponent of the Trump
administration, challenging multiple exec-
utive orders and federal actions that have
taken place over the course of the year, and
remained confrontational in regards to the
Title IX withdraw.
“I strongly oppose the Trump Admin-
istration’s reversal of federal protection
for transgender students,” Inslee said in a
statement from Feb. 22.
“Our state’s law, the Anderson-Murray Photo by Thomas Common
EdCC’s only gender neutral bathroom is located in an alcove attached to the northwest corner of Brier Hall. College
Act, passed in 2006, will remain in place
administration plans to add more all-gender bathrooms in the near future.
and is unchanged by the new federal guid-
ance. And just last year our state Human despite increasing popularity thanks to female students in changing rooms, only He quipped in the Media Matters in-
Rights Commission did important work to transgender rights movements. for it to be debunked as a flanderization terview, “I doubt that’s gonna encourage
put rules in place that uphold the rights of However, the Queer Action Team is of the real story; a parent had shown con- the behavior. If the behavior’s there, [sex-
our transgender students and residents.” aiming for more, noting that this is not cern and called the local news, despite no ual predators are] gonna behave as they’re
Following the announcement, Ed- enough to truly help a wide spectrum of harassment accounts from students. The gonna behave no matter what the laws are.”
monds Community College President Dr. individuals who may or may not identify in story was redacted, but not fast enough; Maine since 2005, Massachusetts
Jean Hernandez sent her own public state- a traditional sense, or even on a transgen- Fox Nation broadcast the original story to since 1997 and Minneapolis since 1993
ment out to the school, stating, “I want to der binary of man or woman, if you take the country. have all had spokespeople state that there’s
assure you that Edmonds Community Col- into account nonbinary individuals such as Critics of transgender reform have absolutely no factual or even possible rel-
lege will continue to provide an inclusive gender-fluid or gender-neutral students. also used the story of Christopher Ham- evance between transgender anti-discrimi-
environment where all students and em- “If we focus on trans-ness as a binary brook, a predator who had claimed to be nation laws and changes in sexual assault
ployees can feel safe and ensured that they experience, we leave the ‘non-gender iden- transgender in order to assault two women crimes. Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,
have access to the same facilities, classes, tifying individuals’ out.” Santos said. in a shelter back in 2014. Rhode Island and Vermont have similar
and opportunities as others. The Queer Action team aims to have a The Toronto Sun published the article, results.
“The college fully supports the rights presence in multiple communities on cam- and with it, Hambrook became the single In fact, statistics show that the oppo-
of our transgender students and employees pus, acknowledging intersectional identi- poster boy of anti-transgender rights in site is true; it is verifiably much more likely
to use whichever bathroom most closely ties in order to support all students. regards to restrooms and shelters, despite for transgender individuals to be the target
aligns with their gender identity.” Students at EdCC seem comfortable confirmations that not only was he cisgen- for harassment.
“The president of the college is really with the idea of sharing restrooms with der, but had a long history of sexual assault The 2011 National Transgender Dis-
committed to these issues,” said Christie A. transgender individuals. previous to the incident. crimination Survey (NTDS) found that 78
Santos. Santos is an academic advisor and “I think I’d feel totally comfortable Toby’s Law, the Ontario version of percent of those who identified as trans-
associate faculty at EdCC with I-CATCH with that,” Natalia, an Edmonds CC stu- Washington’s new legislation, was blamed gender or gender nonconforming in K-12
(Innovations in Creating Access to Careers dent, stated in an interview. “Even mixed for somehow making this horrible event schooling experienced harassment, many
in Healthcare), a program which provides gender bathrooms don’t bother me too possible, despite the law not yet being of which included physical assault and
support to low-income families and stu- much. I think what would make me un- enacted even a month after Chris Ham- sexual violence.
dents. comfortable is if other people were making brook’s crimes. Meanwhile, 90 percent of workers
“When I found out the news about the a big deal of it.” Fortunately, nearly every state has openly identifying as transgender or gen-
rescinded Title IX transgender protections, Questions regarding safety have arisen published repeated statements over the der non-conforming experienced harass-
I felt troubled, and really sad. But I felt from an ever-lingering fear of assault, ha- years confirming that laws protecting ment, mistreatment or discrimination.
hopeful when I came to work.” rassment and persecution from both sides transgender individuals have not resulted In general, 53 percent of respondents
Santos also is a member of the EdCC of the civil rights discourse. Cisgendered in any rise in crime. reported verbal attacks made in public ac-
Queer Action Team, a group of staff and people (non-transgendered individuals) According to William Hoshijo, ex- commodations.
faculty members who promote LGBTQ+ have predominantly shown concern re- ecutive director of the Hawaii Civil Rights From the same National Survey, there
advocacy on campus through multiple garding transgender people using these Commission (HCRC), Hawaii’s non-dis- are reports of double the unemployment
means. laws to assault people - primarily women. crimination laws passed in 2014 have “not rates (quadruple for trans people of color,)
“We’ve prioritized for more all-gender However, evidence defending the no- resulted in increase sexual assault or rape and one-fifth had experienced homeless-
bathrooms on campus,” she said in an in- tion that this concern is worth infringing in women’s restrooms. The HCRC is not ness due to or relating to their identity.
terview. One option is a gender-neutral re- upon the rights of transgender people na- aware of any incidents of sexual assault Many (55 percent) also reported being
stroom in the Seaview Gym, possibly with tionwide has been deconstructed and de- or rape causally related or attributed to the harassed, assaulted or turned away from
showers. This would allow transgender legitimized over time. prohibition against discrimination on the homeless shelters.
and gender-neutral individuals to have a There have been no confirmed or de- basis of gender identity or expression,” he Political analysts expect anti-trans-
space where they would feel comfortable pendable reports of transgender individu- stated in a Media Matters interview. gender actions to be expanded upon under
not only using the restroom, but changing als assaulting anyone in public restrooms Iowa’s 2007 Civil Rights Act and the Trump administration. However, states
for sports and exercise. nationwide. Maine’s 2005 discrimination legislation such as Washington continue to oppose
Edmonds Community College cur- In 2013, The Daily Mail published an had the same results, according to Des sweeping federal lawmaking through state-
rently has one gender neutral restroom, article that a transgender girl at Colorado’s Moines Police Department spokesman driven action.
something that is uncommon for colleges, Florence High School had been harassing James Halifax.
5
 6 Diverse Voices March 13, 2017 7
Lynnwood Hall Art Gallery features ‘A Work in Progress,’ a collection by artist C Davida Ingram
Ingram continued from cover

“I alternate between what’s hard to

look at, and what’s beautiful to look at,”
Ingram explained. Being black, identifying
as female and queer, Ingram said she has
grown comfortable with discomfort.
“Where Can My Black Ass Go to Be
Safe?” exemplifies that discomfort. Ingram
posed with her backside to the camera,
bent over and wearing only lime-green un-
derwear.
Rows of photographs of her rear at
different angles stack across four framed
pictures.
Speculative answers on the question
of safety run in small print between each
row.

I alternate between
what’s hard to look at,
and what’s beautiful to
look at.
Photo by Kyle Whitmer
Students, faculty and members of the public explore an exhibit by conceptual artist C Davida Ingram. “A Work in Prog-
ress” has been displayed in the Art Gallery on the third floor of Lynnwood Hall from Jan. 3 to March 13.

-C Davida Ingram
The most uncomfortable part of the
project wasn’t being photographed in a
vulnerable position, Ingram said. It was
“furnishing answers to that question.”
She asked women of various colors
and sexualities where she could go to be
safe, and discovered only black women
could imagine possible scenarios. After the
piece presents the question to the viewer,
the small print beckons them to look closer
and search for varied, creative answers.
“When she remembers she has over-
come terror each time it knocked,” one line
reads. Another, “When she can explain the
sound of her soul in fluent Caucasian.”
Student Lorenzo Townsend said he
chuckled when he first saw the piece. He
said as a black person, “That’s what you
think about your whole life.” Asked if he
thought progress had been made in that
area, Townsend said, “I used to think so,”
adding that with current events, it was just
“an illusion of progress.”
Ingram spoke in a quiet, thoughtful
voice, her words carrying in the brightly
lit, tall gallery. She characterized her work
as experimental and in the black diaspora
tradition. Although her pieces explore race
and gender, Ingram aims to do so without
framing her motives as such.
Her art spans multiple media - includ-
ing Craigslist ads and photographs - and
her themes speak to a wide audience, the
objectified, threatened, lost and misunder-
stood. Ingram imbues a sense of positivity
and empowerment in every piece.
The gallery will feature a student
spring showcase next quarter. Minh Car-
rico, a Visual Arts co-department head and
faculty member, expects the exhibit to in-
clude work from 50-60 students.

“Lexical Tutor” depicts a friend of Ingram on the beach at Carkeek Park, in a series of four different photographs printed on fabric and shot from a variety of
perspectives. The pink cloth is a World War II parachute.
Photo by Thomas Commonn

Photo by Kyle Whitmer Photo by Kyle Whitmer

C Davida Ingram (second from left) poses with students in front of a set of four Music student Redd Gill performs with Krysta Carson for the Meet-the-Artist
pieces printed on fabric, titled “Lexical Tutor.” reception on March 3. Gill and Carson’s new band is called “Scarlet Lovers.”

Know Your Rights IMMIGRATION 101

Colectiva Legal del Pueblo will present information about immigration to families in
the Edmonds School District and neighboring communities. They will explain how to
develop a family preparedness plan, gather relevant documents to fight a
deportation case, and support a loved one in detention. They will also discuss how
to prepare for immigration raids and explain individual rights when approached,
detained or incarcerated by police or immigration agents. Please share this
invitation with anyone who may be interested.
Date: March 27, 2017 (6:00pm-8:00pm)
Location: Meadowdale Middle School (Commons area)
6500 168th Street SW, Lynnwood, WA 98037
Additional Information: We plan to start promptly at 6:00pm so please plan on arriving 5-
10 min early. * Childcare for children 3 and older who are toilet trained
Training for Service Providers
NWIRP provides training for service providers such as teachers, healthcare professionals, domestic
violence advocates, social service providers, and others who may serve the immigrant community as part
of their work. These sessions answer questions that community members may have about the immigration
system, immigration enforcement, and how immigration issues affect the communities they serve. Our
Immigration 101 Training includes an overview of the immigration system and immigration status as well as
which resources are available in the community.
Date: April 24, 2017 (6pm-8pm) Location: Meadowdale Middle School (Commons area)
6500 168th Street SW, Lynnwood, WA 98037
Additional Information: We plan to start promptly at 6:00pm so please plan on arriving 5-10 min early.
* Childcare for children 3 and older who are toilet trained

Registration encouraged/ Registración

sugerida/ 이곳에 가서 등록바람, 요청에 따라
제공되는 통역/ Vào đây để đăng ký, giải
thích được cung cấp theo yêu cầu/
Зарегистрируйтесь
здесь, Переводчик
предоставляется по
запросу:
https://goo.gl/forms/ZomxlvKhozt4ZGsr1 ,
‫ ال ط لب ع ند ت قدي مها م ترجم‬,‫ل ل ت سجي ه نا اذهب‬
Colectiva Legal del Pueblo hablará con las familias del Distrito Escolar de Edmonds y
comunidades vecinas sobre inmigración. Explicarán cómo desarrollar un plan de
preparación para la familia, reunirá los documentos necesarios en caso de
deportación y apoyo a los seres queridos en detención. También hablaran sobre
cómo prepararse para las redadas de inmigración y explicar los derechos
individuales cuando sean interrogados, detenidos o encarcelados por la policía o
agentes de inmigración. Por favor comparta esta invitación con cualquier persona
que esté interesada.
Fecha: 27 de marzo del 2017 (6:00pm-8:00pm)
Lugar: Meadowdale Middle School, 6500 168th Street SW, Lynnwood, WA 98037
Otra información: comenzaremos la reunión a las 6:00pm. Favor de llegar 5-10 minutos
antes. Gracias. *Cuidado de niños para 3 y mayores que no usan pañales.
All family and community members welcome, please let us know if you need interpreters and/or
documents translated. / Todos los miembros de la familia y de la comunidad son bienvenidos, por
favor háganos saber si necesita intérpretes y / o documentos traducidos./Приглашаем членов
семей и представителей общественности. Сообщите нам, нужен ли Вам переводчик и хотите ли
Вы получить документы на Вашем родном языке?/ ‫ اال سرة اف راد ب جم يع ن رحب‬،‫ي رجى وال مج تمع‬
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cộng đồng, xin vui lòng cho chúng tôi biết nếu bạn cần thông dịch viên và/hoặc phiên dịch tài liệu.
Registration encouraged/ Registración sugerida/ 이곳에 가서 등록바람,
요청에 따라 제공되는 통역/ Vào đây để đăng ký, giải thích được cung cấp
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INMIGRACIÓN 101: Entrenamiento para proveedores de servicios
NWIRP ofrecerá capacitación a proveedores de servicios como maestros, profesionales de la salud,
defensores de la violencia doméstica, proveedores de servicios sociales y otros que pueden servir a la
comunidad inmigrante como parte de su trabajo. Estas sesiones responden a preguntas que los miembros
de la comunidad pueden tener sobre el sistema de inmigración, la aplicación de la ley de inmigración y
cómo los problemas de inmigración afectan a las comunidades a las que sirven. Nuestro Entrenamiento de
Inmigración 101 incluye una visión general del sistema de inmigración y el estado de inmigración, así como
qué recursos están disponibles en la comunidad.
Fecha: 24 de abril del 2017 (6:00pm-8pm) Lugar: Meadowdale Middle School
6500 168th Street SW, Lynnwood, WA 98037
Otra información: comenzaremos la reunión a las 6:00pm. Favor de llegar 5-10 minutos antes. Gracias.
*Cuidado de niños para 3 y mayores que no usan pañales.
All family and community members welcome, please let us know if you need
interpreters and/or documents translated. / Todos los miembros de la familia y de la
comunidad son bienvenidos, por favor háganos saber si necesita intérpretes y / o
documentos traducidos./Приглашаем членов семей и представителей
общественности. Сообщите нам, нужен ли Вам переводчик и хотите ли Вы
получить документы на Вашем родном языке?/ ‫ اال سرة اف راد ب جم يع ن رحب‬،‫وال مج تمع‬
‫و م ترجم ال ى ب حاجة ك نت اذا اب الغ نا ي رجى‬/‫ل وث ائ ق ت رجمة او‬. / Chào đón tất cả các thành
viên trong gia đình và cộng đồng, xin vui lòng cho chúng tôi biết nếu bạn cần thông dịch
viên và/hoặc phiên dịch tài liệu.

For more information please contact: Karla Sanchez-Bravo (425) 431-7201, sanchezbravok256@edmonds.wednet.edu For more information please contact: Karla Sanchez-Bravo (425) 431-7201, sanchezbravok256@edmonds.wednet.edu

Photographs and video cameras will not be permitted at these events.

 8 Diverse Voices
Community network assists fathers, families
By Kyle Whitmer
Photographer
There are many highly dedicated soci-
etal efforts within communities throughout
America and most of the world devoted
to helping women and children in need of
medical, financial, educational and resi-
dential support. There may indeed be little
lack of effort for helping mothers in need
in Washington State.
As many of the resources provided by
angelic organizations and people go under-
appreciated, it begs the question, who is
there for the fathers of those families?
For fathers with disabled children, fi-
nancial issues, or a criminal history who
reside in Washington there might be a
spark of hope yet.
The Partnership for Fathers & Fami-
lies hosts large-scale networking events
to bring together different programs and
organizations who are deeply committed
to helping fathers and their families. This
tri-county effort draws in leaders and re-
sources from King, Snohomish and Pierce
Counties.
The Partnership for Fathers & Fami-
lies tries to hold a networking event every
season of the year continuously, rotating
the location of each meeting between the
three counties.
This summer they hope to put on a
networking fair at the Seattle Center, but
that plan has yet to be concrete.
Networking events feature different
guest speakers who help spread awareness
of programs dedicated to helping fathers
and families with different needs, in an
effort to spread resources around to those
who are in need.
During winter quarter, Edmonds Com-
munity College had the honor of hosting
one of the Partnership for Fathers & Fami-
lies networking events.
About 40 people dedicated to help-
ing out fathers and families turned out at
Gateway Hall on EdCC’s campus on Jan
17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
An appetizing and delicious lunch
was provided by EdCC’s own culinary arts
students and was contributed by United-
Healthcare.
Along with several people represent-
ing programs dedicated to helping fathers
and families in need, there were two guest
speakers who focused on justice-involved
fathers.
The first speaker was Shayne Roches-
ter who is a part of the Snohomish County
Parent Advocacy Committee.
The second speaker was Merritt Hicks
from Edmonds Community College, who
spoke about her experience helping jus-
tice-involved fathers personally and on be-
half of the Next Steps Program.
Apparently there are some honest politicians
By Tara Pegasus
A&E Editor
EdCC student leaders won first place
in the college’s fourth annual Ethics Chal-
lenge last month.
Associated Students of Edmonds CC
Executive Board members Naol Debele,
Tri Minh Do, Natcha Sriwongthai, Linh
Tran and Maria French made up the win-
ning team under the mentorship of Wayne
Anthony, director of the Center for Student
Engagement and Leadership.
Five teams competed to come up with
solutions to ethics cases. They were allot-
ted seven minutes to discuss a scenario and
three minutes to present their results.
The Partnership for Fathers & Families is an association that hosts large-scale networking events for fathers and organiza-
tions committed to supporting them.
The Next Steps Program provides
classes for justice-involved parents and
custodians at various locations within Sno-
homish County, as well as classes at Ed-
monds Community College every Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday from 1-4:30 p.m.
to help lead people in need to employment.
Their participants hold a 77 percent
success rate in obtaining employment
spanning from fields in construction, engi-
neering, culinary arts and many more.
The Next Steps Program also provides
access to different community resources,
GED classes, case management support
and parenting classes as listed on one of
their flyers.
Jan Strand is the director of the Work-
Force Development Department at EdCC,
and is also the program director of Next
Steps.
In an interview Strand said, “The stu-
dents will be connected to programs that
are dedicated to help with housing, trans-
portation and education.”
To learn more information about the
Next Steps Program and their classes you
can call them at (425) 640-1192 or email at
next_steps_program@email.edcc.edu.
Another highly involved organization
to help fathers and families present at the
Partnership for Fathers & Families win-
“Ethics are important to incorporate
throughout your life,” French said.
“The challenge taught us how to rec-
ognize issues we might face and how to
give others input and insight on the best
ethical practices and how to apply them in
a business setting.”
Charles Ruthford, former ethics of-
ficer at The Boeing Company, served as
Master of Ceremonies.
Ruthford acknowledged the impor-
tance of students having a place to discuss
ethical principles, ask questions and try out
scenarios.
“The community college environment
is a perfect place to do that,” Ruthford
said. “It gives students the chance to have
ter networking event was the Washington
State Fathers Network.
Washington State Fathers Network is
part of Kindering, an organization that pro-
vides education and therapy for children
with developmental delays.
For over 35 years The Washington
State Fathers Network continues to bring
together dads with children who have spe-
cial needs, to help educate them on how to
be “competent and compassionate caregiv-
ers for their children,” as stated on their
website. They also emphasize the value in
having a strong father figure in a child’s
life.
The Washington State Fathers Net-
work host events to bring together fathers
to share their personal stories and challeng-
es as well as provide access to resources
that can help.
Some events are just for fathers while
others welcome and encourage their fami-
lies to participate as well.
Along with just simple social gather-
ings they host poker nights and even su-
per bowl parties for fathers and families to
come to.
There are many testimonials on the
Washington State Fathers Network website
of people who participated in their events
praising the organization.
a practice field so when they get out into all
elements of life they have some knowledge
about what worked and what didn’t.”
The EdCC Workforce Development
and Training and the Boeing Company
sponsored the challenge.
Judges included Boeing employees
Chris Foster, manager; Deb Mosshart,
ethics advisor; Gunars Turaids, ethics ad-
visor; and Kathryn Wyatt, staff analyst;
Scott Eck, owner of Leadership Masters;
Febyolla Goss, Edmonds CC student; and
Chuck Loomis, Edmonds CC Business Di-
vision instructor.
March 13, 2017
Photo by Kyle Whitmer
They are not a therapy group but many
people claim meeting up and sharing sto-
ries can be therapeutically inclined. You
can learn more at their website, Father-
snetwork.org or their Facebook page by
simply searching Washington State Fathers
Network.
The Director of the Washington State
Fathers Network Louis Mendoza was at
the Partnership for Fathers & Families net-
working event at EdCC and talked about
the value of networking during an inter-
view.
“The Partnership was started by a
group of people that saw a need to pull
groups together in order to help fathers and
families,” Mendoza said on the group’s in-
ception.
Mendoza encouraged the meaningful-
ness and importance of having networking
events, “There are a lot of benefits to hav-
ing meetings like this. People can come
and hear about organizations more in-
depth and spread awareness to help fathers
and families.”
He continued, “Meeting in person at
events like this is more meaningful than
over the phone or email. One person drove
two and a half hours to come here today.
People really see value in these meetings.”

Deaf students overcome barriers to learning
By Tara Pegasus
A&E Editor
For many students, taking notes while
listening to a teacher is the primary mode
of learning. If we miss a word, we can turn
to our neighbor and ask what it was. Some-
one’s cell phone rings and we look over,
distracted.
For students who are deaf or hard of
hearing, learning is a drastically different
experience.
A federal requirement called the Least
Restrictive Environment (LRE), passed in
1975, specified that students with disabili-
ties be educated alongside other students
whenever possible.
While this might work well for some
disabilities, for many deaf students this
classroom style leads to isolation and ad-
ditional hardships in learning. The deaf
culture is forced to conform to the hearing
way of doing things, instead of both cul-
tures informing and including each other.
Professor Richard Jacobs teaches
American Sign Language (ASL) at EdCC,
and advocated a self-contained classroom
where deaf students and teachers can inter-
act without communication barriers.
Learning happens quicker that way,
because in a mainstream classroom, “No
one wants to talk to the deaf student,” Ja-
cobs said through interpreter Mark Vicks.
Not every deaf student can attend
Gaulladet University, a private university
for the deaf and hard of hearing, to expe-
rience barrier-free education. Not all deaf
students want to.
Like anybody, deaf students choose
which college to attend based on a vari-
ety of factors, such as location, tuition and
where their friends are going.
Many students overcome the obstacles
the hearing world presents. Jason Vigli-
anco, who earned his AA from EdCC in
2005, shared that the class material was his
main impediment.
He advised hearing students to use
their body language to communicate with
deaf students. “If I’m trying to read lips,
make that clearer,” he shared through an
interpreter. “Don’t be afraid to write and
pass notes.”
Houng Baril, who earned a one-year
certificate in 2007, chose EdCC because
she prefers smaller communities, and the
school is good about supplying interpret-
ers.
Now Houng teaches an ASL class, in
part to help hard of hearing students who
otherwise might decide to get a cochlear
implant. She hopes learning to sign will
Climate continued from page 3
The only media news sources feeding al-
ternative facts to the public are those with
connections to the conservative and the oil
lobby – and even then, not all of them.
Scientific facts have for a long time been
“cherry picked” to show just part of the
story – the part that benefits those doing
the cherry picking.
That is why some allege that there has
been a warming pause, others allege that
there was a cooling of the atmosphere, etc.
They do that by ignoring the most basic
concept, which is that of a trend. A trend is
not a constant line in the same direction.
Think of the stock market – it goes up
and down day by day, it rarely goes only
up or only down repeatedly, but analysts
still see a trend of a bull or bear market. It
is the same with climate and global warm-
ing: Temperatures fluctuate up and down,
but those ups-and-downs are creeping up
steadily.
Cochlear Implants (CI)s typically have two parts, an internal receiver and an external transmitter. Surgery for CIs is in-
vasive and dangerous.
“reduce their fear of not being able to com-
municate.”
Doctors have recommended cochlear
implants to parents who hope their deaf
child will fit into the hearing world, but
this can rob children of their deaf culture
and reduce the window of time they have
to develop language skills through signing.
Cochlear implants are expensive, dan-
gerous and irregularly successful even af-
ter years of training and adjustments. Then
of course, how do we define success? Us-
ing that term betrays an audist prejudice.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary de-
fines audism as “discrimination or preju-
dice against individuals who are deaf or
hard of hearing.”
People can be audist, like they can be
racist or sexist, without realizing it.
Jacobs shared that taking ASL can
spur a huge change in students’ perspec-
tives. It gives students conceptual skills
they can apply to other oppressed cultures.
Students in the class might discover, “I’ve
taken advantage and didn’t even realize it.”
What scientific news sources would
you recommend?
One should always look for reliable sci-
entific media, such as Scientific American,
or the editorials and commentary in jour-
nals like Science and Nature. Most main-
stream media also report accurately, espe-
cially public radio and TV.
The main thing to do is never, ever, be-
lieve just one source of information – espe-
cially if it is Facebook or Twitter.
If you read something, research it and
find out if all sources corroborate it. Watch-
dogging is so prevalent nowadays that as
soon as one piece of fake news hits the air,
many pieces come up discussing it.
What is your advice to students who
are concerned about climate change?
What can we do now, in college, to tackle
this problem?
You can get informed and involved.
According to statistics gathered by the
Gallaudet Research Institute, people who
have hearing problems make up anywhere
from 1.8 percent of the U.S. population
(for individuals under six years old) to
29.1 percent of the population (individuals
65 and older).
This significant minority of deaf and
hard of hearing people live in a world of
oppression where their success and happi-
ness is often measured by an audist’s yard-
stick.
So what can hearing students do to be
allies to the deaf community? When Baril
was asked the question, she laughed a little.
“Allies is a strong word. Honestly, it
would be nice to have support,” she shared
through an interpreter.
Jacobs and Baril agreed that taking an
ASL class and learning ASL is the best way
for hearing students to be allies to the deaf
community. Jacobs’ goal with his classes is
to encourage students to become advocates
for deaf culture. He also suggested be-
friending deaf colleagues in the workplace.
You are at institutions of higher educa-
tion, so your libraries are full of good, reli-
able materials. Organize student discussion
groups around issues of climate change, go
to public lectures and seminars – many are
free.
Organize town halls to discuss climate
change with town leaders and elected of-
ficials, invite an expert to speak. Volunteer
at an academic lab that works with climate
change.
Do your own personal emissions reduc-
tion program by using more public trans-
portation, biking, using less packaged
stuff, eating local, and using less water and
energy at home.
Being a “smart phone activist” is not
enough – you’ve got to go out there and
act. Most of all, contact your representa-
tives about legislation that is a direct or in-
direct attack on science.
And remember that science is always
evolving, and “uncertainty” in science
does not mean ignorance or even doubt
about the facts, it means that there is a
9
Photo by Cowan (2007)
Baril signed that deaf people can be
left behind in the news. Sharing informa-
tion is appreciated. Learning ASL isn’t
enough—students need to socialize. Baril
recommended calling a deaf friend via
video chat. She urged students who know
signs, even just basic ones, to use them in-
stead of gradually forgetting them.
“The more you use ASL, the more
you’ll pick up in time,” Baril shared.
Baril mentioned several deaf gather-
ings where people are welcome to come
and improve their signing skills.
The Urban City Coffee House in
Mountlake Terrace hosts a group from
7-10 p.m. on the second Saturday of each
month. On the second Friday of the month,
others meet at the Starbucks on 128th Ave
SW in Everett from 7-9 p.m.
Students who wish to stay on campus
can join the ASL Club. Contact Madeline
Olson-Harris at m.olson-harris2523@ed-
mail.edcc.edu for more information.
range of possible outcomes, all of them in
agreement with the same conclusion.
Like in climate change, we know for
sure that it will get warmer. What we don’t
know is by how much, because it depends
on our actions and the actual emissions
dumped in the atmosphere. But it is pretty
clear that it IS getting warmer, and exactly
because we don’t know the magnitude of
future warming, we must act now to be
prepared for whatever warming happens.
In addition to earning two master’s
degrees from two countries and a Ph.D. in
ecology from the Universidade Estadual de
Campinas, Caldas has consulted on proj-
ects with the Smithsonian Institution, the
National Socio-Environmental Synthesis
Center and other organizations. She blogs
regularly for The Huffington Post and fo-
cuses on climate change adaptation with
practical policy implications for society.
Her blog is available at http://blog.ucsusa.
org/astrid-caldas.
10 Opinion
Want to save Obamacare? Call it Trumpcare
By Rel Konot
Copy Editor
On March 7, two stacks of paper sat
next to each other beside the podium where
GOP leaders would reveal their long-antic-
ipated healthcare plan.
On the left was the American Health
Care Act (quickly nicknamed “Trump-
care”), shorter in comparison to the tower
that was the Affordable Care Act.
White House press secretary Sean
Spicer spoke at the press conference, intro-
ducing the American Health Care Act with
enthusiasm.
“One of the things that’s important,
Sarah, is, for all of the people who have
concerns about this, especially on the
right,” Spicer said, answering a reporter.
“Look at the size! This is the Democrats’-”
He leaned over to lay a hand on the
larger pile, then moved it to the smaller
pile. “-this is us. There is - I mean - you
cannot get any clearer, in terms of ‘this is
government, this is not.’”
The response to the press conference
was quick to mock the silliness of the ges-
ture, as well as Spicer’s enthusiastic and
loose verbal explanation. Comedy Cen-
tral’s The Daily Show host Trevor Noah
laughed with the crowd when showing the
clip.
“I’m sorry, it feels like Spicer is just
parodying himself now,” Noah said, refer-
encing other recent comedic jabs at Spic-
er’s press conferences, most famously on
Saturday Night Live.
“He’s like, ‘I know what you’re gonna
do, Melissa McCarthy! No! No! If any-
one’s gonna make fun of the Spice-man,
it’s gonna be me!’”
Trumpcare was approved by a key
committee in the House of Representatives
on March 2, and will be a replacement of
the highly disputed Affordable Care Act,
nicknamed Obamacare, which was signed
into law back in 2010.
As the bill clears a path toward the
House of Representatives, many are ques-
The vicious cycle between prison and poverty
By Ian Moffet
Opinion Editor
According to the International Cen-
ter for Prison Studies, 161 out of 100,000
U.S. residents were incarcerated in 1972;
in 2016 that number quintupled to just over
700 of 100,000.
The United States boasts the highest
ratio of incarcerated residents in the world,
with just under 5 percent of the world’s
population and 25 percent of the world’s
prisoners.
These startling facts have direct cor-
relation and causation to poverty in the
United States.
In fact, most Americans who are in the
prison system are well within the lowest
income bracket.
According to the Prison Policy Initia-
tive (PPI), “in 2014 dollars, incarcerated
people had a median annual income of
$19,185 prior to their incarceration.”
What are the contributing factors be-
hind these staggering statistics? What are
the intersections between trends in poverty
and imprisonment, both before and after
incarceration?
PPI Senior Policy Analyst Berna-
dette Rebuy presented well-documented
research demonstrating that uneducated
individuals without job training who go to
prison have a higher chance of reincarcera-
tion.
tioning whether it has a chance following
severe backlash from both Republicans
and Democrats. Beyond Congress, mul-
tiple major organizations representing
healthcare professionals across the country
spoke out again the act.
“Right now I feel confident saying
there aren’t 218 votes for this,” Rep. Scott
Perry (R-Pa.) said, in regard to the number
of votes needed in the House of Represen-
tatives in order for the American Health
Care Act to be passed.
Of the many changes from the Af-
fordable Care Act, one is to eliminate re-
quirements that all Americans either obtain
coverage or pay penalties. Also, businesses
with over 50 employees would no longer
have to provide insurance.
The Washington Post reported, “The
American Health Care Act would replace
income-based subsidies with refund-
able tax credits based on age and income,
charge individuals a 30 percent surcharge
if they buy a plan after allowing their cov-
erage to lapse and phase out the law’s more
generous Medicaid funding over time.”
Conclusively, the largely income-
based American Health Care Act would
put people with lower incomes and older
ages at an alarming disadvantage for re-
ceiving coverage. S&P Global predicts that
the act will lead to 2 to 4 million people
losing their healthcare out of the 16 million
Americans who bought their own health-
care.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post
reports, “Republicans’ tax credits would
reach people at higher incomes than the
ACA subsidies, available to people with
incomes of up to 400 percent of the fed-
eral poverty level — about $47,000 for an
individual or $97,000 for a family of four.
The proposed credits would be available to
individuals with incomes of up to $75,000
and families up to $150,000, with lesser
amounts of help available for incomes
above those levels.”
Interestingly, budget cuts from Medi-
care remained in place: During the Obama
The impoverished, who statistically
have less education and job training than
the affluent, are therefore at a higher risk of
incarceration. This perpetuates the founda-
tion of the vicious cycle between poverty
and incarceration.
The PPI goes on to note, “... incarcer-
ated people in all gender, race, and ethnic-
ity groups earned substantially less prior to
their incarceration than their non-incarcer-
ated counterparts of similar ages.”
Certain laws target and disproportion-
ately affect individuals who cannot afford
an attorney. For example, mandatory mini-
mums for drug possession abet the cycle of
poverty and incarceration.
In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s,
acts were introduced which vastly limited
a judge’s ability to use discretion and leni-
ency when giving sentences for minor drug
offenses.
The Sentencing Reform Act and
Armed Career Criminal Act, both passed in
1984, are two examples of federal law that
require mandatory minimum sentences.
These pieces of legislation require
a minimum of 15 years for possession of
most narcotics or an illegal firearm. These
are by no means the only mandatory mini-
mum laws, but they set the foundation for
the war on drugs and hyper-expansion of
incarceration among drug users.
Although some argue the minimum
sentences discourage drug use, research
Sean Spicer, Trump’s press secretary, has been widelty criticized for his odd remarks.
administration, Republicans popularized
the fact that the ACA had cut $500 billion
from Medicare over the course of a decade.
One of the supposed primary motiva-
tors for creating an Obamacare repeal was
the notion that Medicare would be rescued.
A Harvard study published in The
American Journal of Public Health esti-
mated that in 2005, before the infamous
Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare”
went into effect across the country, close to
45,000 people between the ages of 18 and
64 died due to lack of healthcare.
The study was criticised for its small
pool of participants and it’s use of older
data. But more like it exist: In 2002 the
Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded
that 18,000 died each year due to lack of
health insurance. If updated using the data
pulled from the Harvard study, that would
be 26,000 a year on average by 2005.
Another study by consumer advocacy
group Families USA averaged over 26,000
deaths. The facts remain unclear, but one
truth remains clear; too many Americans
are dying from lack of access to resources
that should be available to them.
These are people who miss their
screenings, their check-ups, delay visits to
from across the political spectrum suggests
these laws failed to reduce drug use at any
substantial rate, including from the conser-
vative think tank The Heritage Foundation.
Paul Larkin is a senior research fellow
with The Heritage Foundation. In a report
titled “Reconsidering Mandatory Mini-
mum Sentences,” Larkin stated, “In many
drug operations, if a low-level offender is
incapacitated, another may quickly take
his place through what is known as the ‘re-
placement effect.’”
Mandatory minimums leave individu-
als jobless, uneducated and separated from
family because of often inconsequential
and nonviolent mistakes.
Alongside mandatory minimums and
superfluous drug laws, excessive punitive
fees and fines for committing a crime make
it harder for the offender and their family to
end the cycle of poverty.
The Harvard Law School Criminal
Justice Policy Program has proposed sev-
eral reforms to help alleviate this problem.
One is a reform of the cash bail system.
Harvard Law School states: “Jailing
pretrial defendants based on their inability
to pay bail can cause individuals to lose
their jobs, housing, or child custody, and it
can have adverse effects on their criminal
cases.
“...reforms [need to be] based on “risk-
based” approaches to bail, discussing in
detail the policy and legal considerations
March 13, 2017
Photo by Gage Skidmore
the doctor’s when things get bad because
they have to pay for their children’s lunches
and think the cough isn’t as bad as it seems.
These are disabled individuals whose
bodies degrade without the aid of medica-
tion, physical therapy, and life-saving sur-
geries.
Lead author of the Harvard report,
Andrew Wilper, M.D., started teaching at
the University of Washington School of
Medicine in 2009. He said, regarding those
without insurance: “The uninsured have a
higher risk of death when compared to the
privately insured, even after taking into ac-
count socioeconomics, health behaviors,
and baseline health.”
It’s not as if we lack the life-saving re-
sources needed to protect these people, ei-
ther. Wilper states, “We doctors have many
new ways to prevent deaths from hyper-
tension, diabetes, and heart disease — but
only if patients can get into our offices and
afford their medications.”
As American citizens look to the fu-
ture in anxiety over whether they’ll contin-
ue to have true access to their healthcare,
we are left to put our trust into The House
of Representatives on the next vote.
surrounding pretrial supervision, actuarial
risk assessment, and preventive detention.”
There is no universal answer for each
individual case, judges need the option of
leniency and discretion in order to make
fitting decisions on the accused’s bail and
sentencing.
These issues aren’t just prevalent in in-
ner cities, but within our own communities.
Associate Professor of Economics
at the University of Washington Bothell
Nelson LaPlante gave his opinion on the
issue of the local criminal justice system:
“Many people around here go through this
all the time, they are forced to start over
even if never charged with a crime. They
just weren’t able to make the bail because
they were poor to begin with, so they had to
sit in jail awaiting a court date for a month
or more … Being convicted of any crime
(even minor nonviolent offenses) dimin-
ishes your chances of good future employ-
ment, having a cyclic effect of poverty.”
Over-criminalization, mass incarcera-
tion and their contributions to the vicious
cycle of poverty are not something the U.S.
can simply sweep under the rug.
The U.S. needs to address mandatory
minimums, archaic drug laws and bail sys-
tem, and have more discretion in the courts.
While these reforms can be accom-
plished through legislative reform, Ameri-
cans first need to have a hard open dis-
cussion on the cycle of incarceration and

The stars bode well for winter quarter finals
By Tara Pegasus
A&E Editor
Students may feel harried this month,
and no wonder. March is a happening
month, astrologically speaking! But Julius
Caesar had much more to fear from the
Ides of March (March 15, the day of that
famous Roman emperor’s assassination)
than students do.
The full moon on March 12, known as
the Full Worm moon to Native Americans,
bodes well for receiving knowledge. This
is the time of year that the ground softens,
robins appear, and first crops are sown. If
your brain feels a little soft too, that just
means that you’re ready for finals.
The March full moon is also known as
the Sap moon, because that’s when maple
sap begins to flow. So if you’ve been feel-
ing sluggish, rest assured that nature will
help you wake up over the next few weeks.
March 12 also marks the beginning of
Daylight Savings Time. Do you know what
time it is? Make sure you set your clock
one hour ahead (spring forward).
March 19 is the day of Quinquatria.
This Roman festival was dedicated to Mi-
nerva, the goddess of wisdom. Celebra-
tors watched plays, judged contests by
orators and poets and of course, hunted
wild beasts. Take advantage of this day to
celebrate getting through finals, and treat
yourself to a good book, local theater pro-
duction or video game.
March 20 is the vernal equinox. Here
in the northern hemisphere, the sun crosses
the celestial equator from the southern sky
Local geeks have many spring break options
By Todd Clayton Jr.
Student Contributor
Even though the Geek Culture Club is
no more at EdCC, there are still many ac-
tivities for local nerds to have fun.
The one you’re probably most familiar
with is the “Magic the Gathering” group
that hangs out in the college cafeteria. If
that isn’t your cup of tea, you can always
start a new geek-themed club or any type
of meetup group.
There are also plenty of activities out-
side the college during break or during the
quarter to keep nerd culture alive.
“I have enjoyed the time that the club
was around at school, but once you leave
there must be other avenues that a nerd can
enjoy her activities,” said Nicole Perez, a
former member of the Geek Culture club.
Emerald City Comic-Con has just
ended, but plenty of other conventions
are on the horizon: For Pacific Northwest
geeks there’s Norwescon (Northwest Con-
vention of Science Fiction and Fantasy).
The 40th Norwescon will be held
April 13–16 in the DoubleTree by Hilton
Seattle Airport in SeaTac, Washington.
The theme will be “Over the Hills and Far
Away” and features guests of honor such
as writer Ian McDonald, artists Cory and
Catska Ench, astrophysicist and science
writer Ethan Seigel and the spotlight pub-
lisher Angry Robot Books.
This convention is especially advanta-
geous for writers, as it hosts up-and-com-
ing author’s panels styled to help improve
your novel or screenplay.
Publishing companies also attend to
give writers pointers on how to submit
their work. The panel schedule includes
everything from “Writing that Gripping
Plot that Sells” to “Creating Believable
Sex Scenes In-World.”
Norwescon also hosts the Philip K.
Dick Award, given to the author of the best
original novel of the previous year in pa-
to the northern sky. On this day, the night
and day are equally long. At least days will
get longer from here on out.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb.18)
Your studying is about to pay off. Take
advantage of spring break to do something
you’ve been postponing because of school.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Although it’s in your nature to put oth-
ers first, be sensitive to your own needs.
Use your fertile imagination to plan a spe-
cial day for yourself.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Nurture your connection to nature.
Take a hike or do something physical with
the energy that’s been building up over
winter quarter.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Remember to be flexible about reach-
ing your goals. Sometimes the unplanned
parts of life are the most delightful.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Celebrate sticking to your goals this
quarter! If you try a new activity over the
break, you are likely to make a new friend.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
It’s okay to play it safe with strangers,
but allow yourself to open up to trusted
friends. They will help you build an opti-
mistic view of life.
perback form. The Philip K. Dick award
was first presented at Norwescon in 1984,
and was given to Tim Powers for his novel
The Anubis Gates.
The Pacific Northwest Writers As-
sociation also has a booth at Norwescon.
They will always be glad that you stopped
by, and have many activities outside of
conventions as well: They have a writer’s
workshop and meeting hall in Issaquah.
The PNWA is a great organization which
helps all authors of all genres and literary
styles.
Norwescon has many different areas
for gaming, hanging out and sharing in-
terests in the common world of Geekdom.
A gaming room runs until two a.m. each
day of the con (a four-day event starting on
Thursday and ending on Sunday).
If you don’t want to travel to SeaTac
for the convention, there’s also the
“Around the Table” gaming pub located on
76th and 196th in Lynnwood, not far from
the college.
To quote their website, “‘Round the
Table is all about bringing people together
... ‘Round the Table. Sure we serve beer,
cider and other drinks. And yes, we sell
games and puzzles. But what we’re really
about is getting people away from their
computers.”
It’s a great place to hang out, play
“Munchkin” or Dungeons and Dragons
and yes, Magic the Gathering and Poke-
mon tournaments. For those gamers that
are over twenty-one there is a good selec-
tion of local brews.
‘Round the Table has a friendly and
family atmosphere; you can always bring
your children to the gaming store and let
them enjoy the experience of the gaming
world.
Vincent Anderson said, “Around the
Table is a great place. I have enjoyed going
there and catching a board game or playing
in the X-Wing miniature tournament that
they hold.”
The sun’s position on your birthday determines your place among the constellations.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
Give yourself a break and let someone
else take the lead in social settings. Get in
touch with your inner child and revive an
old hobby.
Virgo (August 23-Sept. 22)
If you insist on spring cleaning and
organizing binders for next quarter, listen
to music or a fun podcast while you work.
You are more admired than you know.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Shake off the stress of school with a
visit to your favorite park or hiking trail.
Finding harmony in nature will help you
restore balance to your life.
Spring break is coming up soon, so
what else is there to do?
On Fridays and Saturdays there is
Magic the Gathering and Pokémon tourna-
ments going on at most local comic shops,
one of which is “World of Collections.”
The company was established in 1986
and has been responsible for providing
geeks a fun place to purchase their gam-
ing and comic supplies ever since. Their
specialty is in comics, gaming and trading
cards.
The AFK Tavern is another local fa-
vorite at 1510 41st St Everett, Washing-
ton - a great place to get food and have an
entertaining night out with your gaming
group.
Finding a new gaming group can be
difficult, but once you find one that fits your
personality with the others in the group,
that is gold and you as a group should try to
bond over other activities at the same time.
For all that down time after doing your
finals, or just needing a vacation from the
mundane world, there are new video games
such as the just-released “Zelda - Breath of
the Wild” for the Wii U and the Switch.
Breath of the Wild is the biggest, most
open-world Zelda game ever made, but it
brings with it a massive change in design
philosophy, and the way it treats players.
Breath of the Wild is the first main Zelda
title since 1991 to feel like it respects its
players implicitly.
Breath of the Wild isn’t without some
of the same basic Zelda foundation. You
play as Link, the hero of the beloved fan-
tasy world Hyrule, though what that means
and who Link is differs from previous
games somewhat (as it does in every Zelda
game).
The story opens as a confused Link
awakens to a world he doesn’t recognize.
Mystery is everywhere, from the hint of
hyper-advanced fantasy technology to the
evidence all-around of a disastrous, soci-
ety-ending war.
A & E 11
Image by Dray (2016)
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
If something’s been bothering you this
quarter, be courageous and admit it. Write
a letter, make a phone call or complain to
your pet--you will feel better afterward.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Embrace your wild side and take a
trip. Bring that book you’ve been meaning
to finish--it could start a conversation with
someone interesting.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
You’ve been working hard all quar-
ter, and now it’s time to lighten up. Watch
something that makes you laugh, then
share the humor.
There are many new games coming
out in 2017, so stay tuned and keep your
eye out for the others and reviews on them.
Then there is that one last, best way to
gather friends and have fun: Have a movie
or TV show weekend marathon. Such as
watching the seven Star Wars movies or
going back and watching the classic Star
Trek movies. Or your friends can binge-
watch the Firefly series with a review-type
setting, as they have done on Mystery Sci-
ence Theatre 3000 (MST3K).
There are many more activities to do
as a “geek” as long as you have the imagi-
nation; you can always try larping (Live
Action Role Playing)!
LARP is a form of role-playing game
where the participants physically act out
their characters’ actions. The players pur-
sue goals within a fictional setting repre-
sented by the real world while interacting
with each other in character.
The outcome of player actions may be
mediated by game rules or determined by
consensus among players. Event arrangers
called gamemasters decide the setting and
rules to be used and facilitate play. The ad-
ventures are endless.
Event Information:
Around the Table: 7600 196th St SW
#300, Lynnwood 98036. Hours: Sun-Thu
11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m.–12 a.m.
World of Collections: 22611 76th Ave
W #101, Edmonds 98026. Hours: Mon-
Thu 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Fri 10 a.m.-10 p.m.,
Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Ancient Order of Gamers: http://an-
cientgamers.weebly.com/.
2017 Norwescon: http://www.nor-
wescon.org/ April 13-16 2017.
12 March 13, 2017

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