Category Archives: Community

Chabot College President Susan Sperling Retiring: A Legacy of Education and Advocacy

After 35 years of dedicated service and unwavering commitment to the Chabot College community, President Susan Sperling has announced her retirement this Spring Semester 2023. Her departure marks the end of an era characterized by educational innovation, inclusivity, and tireless advocacy for the needs of California community college students. As we bid farewell to President Sperling, it is essential to reflect on her impactful tenure and the positive changes she has spearheaded during her time at Chabot.

President Sperling’s journey at Chabot began with a sense of competition and uncertainty. She vividly remembers her first day on campus in 1987, when she was interviewed for a faculty position. The job market for educators, especially in social sciences, was challenging, adding to the competitive atmosphere. Despite initial skepticism from the then-college president, President Sperling successfully secured the position in anthropology, “I did get the job. I began to teach. I began to appreciate what Chabot was, the heart that Chabot had, the excellent staff and faculty.”

Over the years, Chabot College has experienced remarkable evolution under President Sperling’s leadership. The institution has become more diverse and inclusive, both in terms of its student body and its staff. When President Sperling arrived, there were few women teachers or leaders in administrative roles. The college was predominantly white and male. Recognizing the importance of diversity, she championed efforts to hire individuals from diverse backgrounds, “Excellence is not just found in one gender or one ethnicity, it’s found in people from diverse backgrounds and that is an important part of what we do as community educators.” 

President Sperling’s tenure has been marked by her unwavering dedication to equity and social justice. She strongly believes in the power of education to uplift marginalized communities, working tirelessly to ensure that Chabot College remains an entryway to higher education for all. “I recognize the critical role played by students, faculty, and staff as educators, advocating for their perspectives and expertise in shaping policies and decisions that best serve the needs of California community college students.”

However, President Sperling also acknowledges the challenges that lie ahead for Chabot College and community colleges across the state. She highlights a disconnect between the knowledge and experiences of educators, and community college students with the prevailing beliefs of think tanks, lobbyists, and legislators. “This disconnect poses a significant threat to the future of community colleges and the students they serve. I think this disconnect is a very, very problematic thing for the future of this precious resource for all of the people of the California community colleges, which have been the entryway to higher education for marginalized communities, for our working-class people, and for first-generation students.”

As President Sperling prepares to pass the torch to her successor, she offers invaluable advice for a smooth transition and continued success at Chabot College. She emphasizes the need for leaders to understand that their work is a collective effort involving students, staff, and faculty. Decision-making should be inclusive and guided by the highest aspirations and goals of the college community. President Sperling also highlights the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of controversy, underscoring the necessity of unwavering dedication to student equity and success.

Chabot- Las Positas Community College District (CLPCCD) Chancellor Ronald P. Gerhard shared his thoughts on President Sperling’s retirement, “President Sperling’s retirement elicits feelings of pause and reflection. I have had the honor to work with President Sperling for the past 5 and 1/2 years in various capacities.”

Ronald continues, “There is also a sense of celebration in recognition of her storied career. Personally, I am excited for her and for the next chapter of adventures that awaits her and her family. Professionally, she has been a force of stability and leadership during her 36-year career at Chabot. Having served as a faculty member, union leader, dean, and president, her leadership has helped create and elevate many of Chabot’s signature programs. I would be hard-pressed to think of any part of Chabot where President Sperling has not left her indelible mark.”

When asked how she hopes the college community will remember her contributions, President Sperling emphasizes her commitment to composure, respect for students’ brilliance, shared governance, and the dignity of all labor. Her leadership has been rooted in a deep sense of equity and social justice, leaving an indelible mark on Chabot College.

As President Sperling’s last day at Chabot College approaches, the campus community is planning farewell celebrations. However, for President Sperling, the most anticipated event is a long walk around the campus, where she can appreciate every moment and reminisce about the meaningful interactions she had with students under the shade of trees and in the classrooms, “It has been as much my home as it has been my workplace.”

As Chabot College moves forward, it will carry President Sperling’s legacy, remaining a place where students, faculty, and staff continue to work together to create a brighter future for the community and beyond.

Parking at Chabot College

The parking fees at Chabot have attracted attention due to their high taxes and the prices of their fines. 

Here at Chabot, the parking may seem affordable with a permit for the semester being $45 for a motor vehicle and $30 for a motorcycle; however, when compared with the price of a violation fine, the numbers don’t seem to add up.

As of 2023, the fine for a “no permit” violation is $35, less than the amount of a permit for a full semester for motor vehicles and only five dollars more than that of a motorcycle. This could be one of the main reasons some students don’t pay for parking as there is no incentive to do so, especially since it would ultimately be cheaper not to.

Campus Safety disagrees with this train of thought, however, stating that although the pricing can be considered expensive it is much cheaper than it would be at a four-year university. They go on to state that while students may feel like it would be easier to opt out of paying in general it would not be a good idea to take that risk.

“Parking permits are being enforced with officers issuing citations on a daily basis through our Permit Readers that are connected to our digital parking system. Parking enforcement is everyday with Campus Safety being on patrol 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

Not paying for parking permits can ultimately do more harm than good, according to Campus Security, as the revenue from these permits goes directly towards the maintenance of the parking lots on the campus. This is another reason that the administration urges students to pay rather than risking a “No Permit” citation, even if it would be cheaper.

Another reason that students might be disinterested in paying for parking could be attributed to the incredibly high taxes on digital payments for daily permits. The daily parking permit for all semesters is advertised on the Chabot website as being only $3 but, with taxes included it jumps to a whopping $7 when paying online. 

Of course, when paying with cash at the onsite payment podiums, these taxes can be avoided all together.  However, in a time when so many people rely on debit and credit cards as well as services like Apple Pay, it is rare that every student is carrying cash on them. Lowering these taxes or removing them all together could make students feel more inclined to pay for parking.

Regarding these issues with pricing, especially surrounding the online fees for daily passes, campus security had this to say: “Unfortunately, there is service charge on this system that is advertised when going through the online process; however, there is no service charge at the

Dispensers if students choose to go that route.” When asked why this fee is not advertised on  the website, however, campus security had no response.  

On this issue, Chabot student Michelle Mendoza says that she isn’t really affected by these taxes because she has a permit for the semester. “I like not having to worry about paying for parking when I’m rushing to class, so I bought my permit in advance. It’s much cheaper to do it that way instead of buying a daily permit everyday, anyway.” 

While some students share Mendoza’s sentiment, people like second-year student Brian Aguilar feel like permits aren’t all that necessary, stating: “I take the bus a lot of the time anyway, but if I have to drive and I’m running late or something then I’ll just risk getting the fine. It’s not worth it to get a permit for someone like me.” 

A lot of students who are in the same position as Aguilar, where they don’t drive themselves to campus, feel like the problem doesn’t affect them; however, for students who do have to worry, the task of paying for parking can seem daunting. Hopefully, in the future, Chabot’s administration can determine a solution to this parking issue that is accommodating for both the students and the college.

Hayward Futsal Courts

The Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (HARD) has recently collaborated with the Alameda County Deputy Sheriff’s Activities League (DSAL) and the Hayward Unified School District (HUSD) and have developed a state-of-the-art futsal court facility to address the growing demand for sports fields in the community. Located on an undeveloped, one-acre site owned by HUSD, adjacent to the Sunset Swim Center on Laurel Ave, this project provides an exciting new venue for sports enthusiasts in the district. 

The facility boasts four futsal courts, designed primarily for youth play. However, these courts can be easily converted into two futsal courts for adult play, offering a versatile space for players of all ages. In addition to the courts, the project includes essential amenities such as perimeter netting/fencing, lighting, a restroom, a drinking fountain with a bottle filler, a covered entry, and a spectator viewing area. Moreover, the facility has utility connections and accessible parking to ensure convenience and inclusivity for all visitors.

To gather public input and ensure community involvement, a virtual public meeting was organized on Jun. 24, 2020. Numerous attendees passionately voiced their support for the new futsal court facility, emphasizing the benefits it would bring to the district. Taking these opinions into account, the final concept plan was presented to the HARD (Hayward Area Recreation and Park District) Board of Directors at their meeting on Jul. 20, 2020.

After months of planning and construction, the futsal court facility was completed on Feb. 24, 2023, and is now open to the public. This development marks a significant milestone in the district’s ongoing efforts to provide accessible recreational spaces for its residents. The futsal courts offer a unique sports experience, combining elements of soccer and indoor football, creating a fast-paced and dynamic game that attracts players and spectators alike.

The facility’s opening has been met with enthusiasm and excitement from the local community. Hayward resident Luis Delgado expressed his excitement for the courts, “I love playing soccer and it’s been really hard to find a place where I can go with my friends to play but with these new courts it makes it much easier for all of us”.

The partnership between the District, Alameda County Deputy Sheriff’s Activities League, and Hayward Unified School District has proven instrumental in transforming an undeveloped site into a thriving recreational space. This collaboration highlights the value of public-private partnerships in addressing community needs and creating positive spaces for social interaction and physical activity.

Tio’s Mediterranean Grill Review

Tio’s Mediterranean Grill is a flavorful restaurant located in San Leandro. Owned by two brothers-in-law Guan Gal Danez (head chef), Enrique Ayala (Chef) along with their business partner Jonathan Nichols. In their six months of operation, Tio’s has gotten raved reviews on Yelp, Instagram, and Facebook. located  794 E 14th St, San Leandro 94577. They’re open Monday through Thursday 11 am to 8:30 pm and on Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The owners pride themselves on making sure the quality of food they’re cooking is top tier for their customers. “We really do care about how we deal with our food. We take good care of our customers. We care about the freshness and quality of the food.” Said Gal Danez.

After eating here, I can say that the food is magnificent. The chicken and lamb combo kabob served with yellow or white basmati rice is cooked to perfection. The chicken and lamb are grilled nicely due to the tender and moist that the meat holds in after it’s cooked. The Lamb is so tender you can cut it with a butter knife. The falafel is crispy on the outside yet soft and moist once bite into it. 

“When I come here, I always get the beef shawarma along with the fries its always a hit to me. The owners always treat me nice.” Said customer Marvin Cole.

The owners spread love to their customers. Chef Danez came up with the name of the restaurant Tio, meaning uncle in Spanish. The customer service here is astounding, the Owners and staff always come out to cater to their customers and are friendly towards everyone. 

“We were catering, before we opened the restaurant. The owner of Carniceria Meat Market which is next door we catered for him. He knows our food is good. So, one day he reached out and told us a building next door to him was empty and we brought the place,” said Gal Danez.

“This is my first time here. I’m a yelper. I write reviews for restaurants on yelp. I came here because the food looks great on Yelp and has nice reviews. This place has a variety of things to choose from,” said customer Craig Strutter.

A customer favorite dish is the Chicken or Beef Shawarma wrap served with either fries or salad that cost between $16 to $18. Another dish is the chicken or beef kebab ranging between $20 to $22.

  “The things that are special about our restaurant are consistency, cleanliness, and customer service. Those are the three things that keep us motivated and keep our customers happy,” said owner Nichols.

“We were catering, before we opened the restaurant. The owner of Carniceria Meat Market which is next door we catered for him. He knows our food is good. So, one day he reached out and told us a building next door to him was empty and we brought the place,” said Gal Danez.

Please come out and give it a try. You will not regret it. The customer service, awesome food and cleanliness checks in all the boxes. For me this establishment has earned its five stars.

13th Annual Poetry Reading

Chabot College’s 13th Annual Poetry Reading took place on Apr. 27 in building 100 from noon — 2 p.m. The reading was in celebration of National Poetry Month and welcomed the talented author and poet, Anthony Fangary as the guest speaker. 

The poetry was presented by The Chabot College Library and English Department, originally started in 2010 by instructors Landon Smith, Homeria Foth and Librarian Pedro Reynoso. Foth said, “One day Pedro and I were just talking about how it would be a great idea to bring poets on campus. Students need to experience this.” 

Fangary is a writer and an artist who resides in San Francisco. His poetry has appeared in a couple literary journals, received backing from several institutions, and he is even the author of HARAM, a poetry book published in 2019. HARAM, Etched Press 2019 is available on Amazon, with a total of 44 pages that brings a certain intensity regarding discrimination and religion. 

Fangary read a total of 13 poems at the event, many of which had relations to his Coptic background. A Copt is an adherent of the Coptic Orthodox Church, an early Christian community originating in Egypt with a predominantly Egyptian ethnic background.

His poem titled “The Liquor Store,” talked about the pros and cons of Copts owning or working in a liquor store. “Europe,” depicted Fangary’s experience in how Europeans mistreat the Coptic people. As well as “Harem,” which talked about colorism in the Coptic community as well as religion, plus more.

The reading was smooth and the delivery was delicate, the audience seemed to enjoy the number of poems read, and a Q&A session was held after the reading on Fangary’s inspiration, dedication, and overall mindset while writing. 

“One of the things that motivates me to write is working out questions I’ve had since I was younger. It’s been a lifelong exploration on what it means to be here with the circumstances in which they are prevalent.” Fangary stated. He also noted several poets that have and continue to inspire him; Joy Pries, Solmaz Sharif, and Dorothy Chan.

Fangary’s poems touched many attendees’ hearts, one of them being Chabot instructor Tobey Kaplian, “His poetry was personal and political. Poetry is not about expressing. Poetry is about discovering, and he shared that with us, in which I was very moved by.” 

This is the first time since the pandemic that students gathered in person for the poetry reading in the Chabot library. Student Michelle commented, “His poems were captivating. I love his poems and I also believe in coming out and supporting poets.”

For more information on Fangary go to www.anthonyfangary.com

Sims 4 Update: Playable Babies & Bay Area World

On Mar. 14 Electronics Arts (EA) released a patch update for the Sims 4 which introduced infants, making them the youngest playable life stage in any Sims game so far. Along with this patch, EA also released a new expansion pack featuring a world modeled after the Bay Area, CA.

This new update was highly anticipated by fans of the Sims franchise as it introduced a concept that hadn’t been seen in any of the Sims games over the past twenty years: playable babies. Up until now, babies in the Sims games were no more than objects that players could interact with and even then these interactions were limited. Not only were they limited in interactions but, before this update, baby sims could only come in three skin tones and were confined to their cribs.

In games like the Sims 2 and 3, players were able to satisfy their baby-fever with toddlers; however, for the Sims 4, toddlers weren’t added to the game until 2017 – nearly three years after its release. Before this, newborn Sims would immediately age into children, skipping a vital life stage and taking away the opportunity for them to bond with other Sims in that aspect.

The “Growing Together” expansion pack combats this issue by adding the concept of milestones to the game, allowing Sims to remember and be influenced by the good and bad moments that have happened to them throughout their lives. Sims can now reminisce about their first time riding a back or losing a tooth, a feature that is similar to the “memories” in the Sims 2 which helped provide a basic form of storytelling for the players.

San Sequoia, the new world that came with the “Growing Together” expansion pack for the Sims 4, is just one of many in-game worlds based on places in real life. Worlds like Del Sol Valley from their “Get Famous” pack and Sulani from the “Island Living” expansion pack are based on Los Angeles and Hawaii, respectively. Regarding San Sequoia the developers drew inspiration from Silicon Valley specifically, adding in NPCs with jobs as app developers and start-up employees.

This new world mirrors the Bay Area in terms of diversity, as well, by adding the games first canonically transgender and non-binary Sims, Celeste Michaelson and Jay Robles. The NPCs can talk about their gender-identity with players through certain social interactions if they have a high enough relationship level.

While a lot of members of the Sims 4 community were initially excited about the new pack, a month after its release, it received mixed reviews – with a lot of those being on whether or not the content in the pack should’ve been released for free.

Youtuber Catkin commented that this was the first pack they felt that nearly everything included should’ve been included in the base game, stating: “The milestones, relationships and quirks are all quite important and would have been a huge quality of life update.”

Among these complaints, there was also the argument that this pack was only focused on familial interaction and didn’t offer anything for players that are not interested in that playstyle. Reddit user Nicky Q says that the pack is useless to them since they don’t play with families. They say: “I play Sims to live my best childfree life with a bunch of pets. I’m happy for everyone else, but if I ever end up buying this pack it would just be for the build items.”

Rooted In Oakland

While the departure of the A’s from Oakland has left many fans feeling disillusioned and abandoned, it’s important to remember that there is still a sports team that calls Oakland their home. One such team is the Oakland Roots, a soccer team currently in the USL Championship. Chabot College student Chris Ruiz expressed his admiration for the Oakland Roots,” I love the culture they built around the team and with us (the fans). I also love the fact that they prioritize helping the city of Oakland to grow and reach its fullest potential.”

On Apr. 20, an announcement was made that the Oakland A’s had signed a binding agreement to build a new stadium in Las Vegas. This would be the third team in the last five years to leave the city of Oakland following the departure of the Raiders and the Warriors. Oakland is filled with many passionate fans who now feel abandoned by their favorite teams.

Chabot College student Kevin Medina expressed his frustration regarding the A’s leaving, “It truly sucks, I grew up going to A’s and Raiders games and this just feels like a gut punch. It’s going to be hard to continue to support these teams.”

The Oakland Roots were founded in 2018 with a mission to bring the community together through soccer. The team is strongly committed to social justice and community engagement, and they have quickly become a beloved part of the Oakland sports scene.

Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Edreece Arghandiwal spoke about his aspirations behind creating this team from the ground up, “Our purpose behind creating this team was to try to do something different in a world of sports where we’ve seen so much of the same exist. We also want to encompass everything that is the magic of Oakland, art, history, diversity, inclusivity, and music.”

He continues, “America has become so corporate in the way they think about soccer and we like to think of ourselves as a disruptor in that. We build the way Europeans built, which is from the ground up. We are an example of starting from nothing and building it with the community and with the city that you operate in, in the name of the crest. Without that, you’re nothing. And so we hope that we can be disruptive in that way.”

Edreece’s aspirations for the Oakland Roots went beyond just creating a different kind of sports team. As a team committed to social justice and community engagement, they have partnered with various organizations to positively impact their community. From providing education on how to live a better life and be more health conscious to kids with type 2 diabetes to participating in the creation of an anti-racist curriculum and an inclusivity program for the LGBTQ+ community, the team has made giving back a fundamental part of their identity. They have even partnered with East Bay Community Energy to plant trees in deep East Oakland to create a healthier and more peaceful environment for the future.

The team also prioritizes helping soccer not only grow in Oakland but in the Bay Area as a whole. The organization envisions the team as a conduit for young talent in the Bay Area. They want to help develop this next generation and assist them to reach their fullest potential. “With a population of millions, the Bay Area is a hotbed of talent that can help elevate the sport of soccer not only in the region but globally.” 

As for the team’s future, Edreece envisions the Oakland Roots becoming as big as Oakland wants them to be. The Oakland Roots is a shining example of a sports team that truly cares about the community they represent. Despite the departure of other teams, the Oakland Roots remain a bright spot in Oakland’s sports scene and a source of hope for passionate sports fans in the city.

The 3rd annual Suicide Prevention Walk

On May 4, over 300 students attended Chabot College’s third annual Suicide Prevention Campus Walk and Fundraiser as part of Chabot Colleges Mental Health Week. The campus walk was on the Chabot College football/track field from noon to 3 p.m.

The event was hosted by Counseling Advocacy Resources Education Support, better known as CARES, and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Campus clubs and programs came and showed support, like Restorative Integrated Self Education (RISE) and Revolutionaries Advocating for Greener Ecosystems (RAGE).

Before the event started, there was Land Acknowledgement on the field. Wellness Ambassadors respectfully acknowledge the original peoples of the land on which this campus is built. The land belonged to a Native American tribe called the Muwekma Ohlone tribe thousands of years before Chabot.

After the Land Acknowledgement interim dean of counseling Sadie Ashraf shared some words about the walk and what it meant to her by stating, “To come together as a community says a lot. We don’t know what’s behind someone’s smile or pain, and we don’t know what they are going through. We recognize that mental health needs to be discussed,” she continues talking about how suicide affected her” … I lost a parent to suicide, and I still tear up when I speak on it. We need to support mental wellness. I appreciate everyone coming together as a community, and I thank you.”

The walk itself lasted for only one hour from noon to 1 p.m. During the walk there were booths where participants could color, write poems, or play instruments provided, like congas, bongos, claves, tambourines, and other percussion instruments, to express their feelings.

The Hope memory board, an activity where attendees wrote poetry, words of inspiration, colored, drew pictures, or notes pinned onto a panel to express their passions toward the mental health of suicide. 

“You are loved and cared for, you are enough, and I love you. Be yourself, treat others how you want to be treated, and just know that you’re worth it.” was stated in one note.

Another note had a touching poem titled For The Lost Little Boy.

“Here’s a poem for the lost little boy who lost his way home. Lost his way back to shelter, peace, and home. The lost little boy who cries at night lost with no guide to him back home. He’s afraid to reach out and ask for help because he fears those who criticize him for asking for help. I hope he finds his way home where he is loved and remembered.”

Chabot Instructor, counselor, and one of the organizers for the event, Juztino Pannella, explained the significance of instruments present at the event, and “We provided instruments and art supplies because some people can’t deal with all the thoughts and feelings about their mental awareness or don’t know how to, so they make a rhythm out of it. Others draw and write poetry with the Hope and Memory Board upon the board or write a note for their loved ones who were lost to suicide.”

Beads for attendees to wear at the event were provided with a total of 10 different colors, with each color representing a personal connection for individuals. For example, white stands for the loss of a child, red represents the loss of a spouse or partner, gold is the loss of a parent, and rainbow is for honoring the LGBTQ+ community. The colors helped the organizers and attendees identify and connect with those who understand their experiences.

One of the participants was a student named Mrs. Mack, who wore orange beads “I’m wearing this, and I’m here because I lost my niece to suicide she was 25 years old. Orange represents the loss of a sibling. I am also here to show support to struggling with it.”

Many attendees came to show their supporting Suicide Prevention. One of the attendees was Chabot College Head Men’s Basketball Coach Kennan McMiller. This is his first time coming to the walk. He said, “It’s an important cause of the society that we’re in right now. Some days it doesn’t feel like it’s getting any better. People are feeling discouraged,” Coach McMiller continues talking about how suicide and basketball player he once knew. “ … I had a player that was going to come and play for Chabot, but he came home and saw his sister hung herself. It messed him up mentally he stopped playing.”

The walk provided care, hope, and love for anyone who came. It was a safe place to support and express your feelings about mental health and suicide awareness.

Victor Camarena is part of the RISE program that helps recently incarcerated people get back on their feet with schooling and jobs. This is Camarena’s second year attending the walk, saying, “I’m here because I lost my daughter due to suicide. She was 15, and she meant a lot to me. Coming here greatly helps me because suicide needs to be talked about, and I support mental awareness.”

Pannello spoke on how suicide affected him, “I was affected by suicide when I first came to the college. It was an acquaintance — someone who was in the community and died by suicide. I also had a student here at Chabot who died by suicide. Those were impactful to me.”

The funding goal is to raise $5,000 by June 30th. Christina Cappello, the area director of AFSP in the San Francisco chapter mentioned where the funding goes, “One: Research studies that we fund help develop new and better treatments for mental health and suicide. Two: it goes into the community and school-based prevention education programs, and three: we also fund support programs for survivors of suicide loss and going through mental health.”

They have raised a total of $1,350, so far. The Wellness Ambassador team donated $325. Chabot College Softball donated $100, and CARES donated $50. Donations were also received from other attendees in person at the event or online.

This is a signature fundraising event started by AFSP in 2011, and they added, “The Out of the Darkness Campus Walks designed to engage youth and young adults in the fight to prevent suicide.”

The Chabot Campus Suicide Prevention walk started when COVID still had a chokehold on the world. It began in 2021 thanks to The Wellness Ambassadors and CARES. The first walk was a Zoom virtual walk due to COVID. Where people could communicate over zoom while on a walk of their liking Last year was the first in-person walk, with over 100 who came to show support. This year it doubled.

Student and Wellness Ambassador for CARES, Beatriz Ramirez, said, “Our goal is to raise awareness about suicide, and we want students and the community to come out and support it. We hope to talk about the stigma of suicide.”

According to the AFSP website, suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the U.S. as of 2023. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims, as of 2023, just five months into this year, there have been 47,467 suicides in the U.S.

Bringing awareness to mental health and suicide is essential. Suicide can be a stigmatized, uncomfortable conversation that many don’t want to discuss or are afraid of. On the walk, it did not feel like that. People weren’t afraid to express or to talk about how suicide or let alone how mental health affected them and what can be done to decrease the number of suicides or how to deal with mental health.Life is complicated, and people can have much to deal with. If you know someone dealing with suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is open 24/7 at 800-273-TALK (8255). Also, on campus, CARES counselors are there for you. For more information on suicide prevention, go to https://afsp.org.

For donations, go to: https://supporting.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=9365.

For Chabot Wellness go to: https://www.chabotcollege.edu/student-services/mental-health/index.php

Rooted In Oakland

While the departure of the A’s from Oakland has left many fans feeling disillusioned and abandoned, it’s important to remember that there is still a sports team that calls Oakland their home. One such team is the Oakland Roots, a soccer team currently in the USL Championship. Chabot College student Chris Ruiz expressed his admiration for the Oakland Roots,” I love the culture they built around the team and with us (the fans). I also love the fact that they prioritize helping the city of Oakland to grow and reach its fullest potential.”

On Apr. 20, an announcement was made that the Oakland A’s had signed a binding agreement to build a new stadium in Las Vegas. This would be the third team in the last five years to leave the city of Oakland following the departure of the Raiders and the Warriors. Oakland is filled with many passionate fans who now feel abandoned by their favorite teams.

Chabot College student Kevin Medina expressed his frustration regarding the A’s leaving, “It truly sucks, I grew up going to A’s and Raiders games and this just feels like a gut punch. It’s going to be hard to continue to support these teams.”

The Oakland Roots were founded in 2018 with a mission to bring the community together through soccer. The team is strongly committed to social justice and community engagement, and they have quickly become a beloved part of the Oakland sports scene.

Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Edreece Arghandiwal spoke about his aspirations behind creating this team from the ground up, “Our purpose behind creating this team was to try to do something different in a world of sports where we’ve seen so much of the same exist. We also want to encompass everything that is the magic of Oakland, art, history, diversity, inclusivity, and music.”

He continues, “America has become so corporate in the way they think about soccer and we like to think of ourselves as a disruptor in that. We build the way Europeans built, which is from the ground up. We are an example of starting from nothing and building it with the community and with the city that you operate in, in the name of the crest. Without that, you’re nothing. And so we hope that we can be disruptive in that way.”

Edreece’s aspirations for the Oakland Roots went beyond just creating a different kind of sports team. As a team committed to social justice and community engagement, they have partnered with various organizations to positively impact their community. From providing education on how to live a better life and be more health conscious to kids with type 2 diabetes to participating in the creation of an anti-racist curriculum and an inclusivity program for the LGBTQ+ community, the team has made giving back a fundamental part of their identity. They have even partnered with East Bay Community Energy to plant trees in deep East Oakland to create a healthier and more peaceful environment for the future.

The team also prioritizes helping soccer not only grow in Oakland but in the Bay Area as a whole. The organization envisions the team as a conduit for young talent in the Bay Area. They want to help develop this next generation and assist them to reach their fullest potential. “With a population of millions, the Bay Area is a hotbed of talent that can help elevate the sport of soccer not only in the region but globally.” 

As for the team’s future, Edreece envisions the Oakland Roots becoming as big as Oakland wants them to be. The Oakland Roots is a shining example of a sports team that truly cares about the community they represent. Despite the departure of other teams, the Oakland Roots remain a bright spot in Oakland’s sports scene and a source of hope for passionate sports fans in the city.

Chabot Suicide Awareness Campus Walk

Please come show your support for the Suicide Awareness Campus Walk on May 4 as a part of Chabot College’s Mental Health Week. Check-in is 11:30 a.m. to Noon in front of building 4000. The campus walk is from Noon to 1 p.m. on the Chabot College football/track field.

From 1 to 2 p.m., there will be a free lunch provided for participants. Wellness resources will be available after the walk until 3 p.m. Circle of Support is an option to meet Counseling Advocacy Resources Education Support, better known as CARES Counselors, will be available.

The event is hosted by CARES, Chabot College, and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). This is a signature fundraising event started by AFSP in 2011, and they added, “The Out of the Darkness Campus Walks designed to engage youth and young adults in the fight to prevent suicide.”

Student and Wellness Ambassador for CARES, Beatriz Ramirez, said, “Our goal is to raise awareness about suicide, and we want students and the community to come out and support it. We hope to talk about  the stigma of suicide.”The funds collected for the event will be donated to further education, research, advocacy, and programming for AFSP with a goal of $5000. To donate or to register for the event, go to https://supporting.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=9365. For more information or questions on the event, contact [email protected].