The Excalibur is Montgomery

College Takoma Park/Silver

Springs student-run newspaper.
All students are invited to
participate.

The

IN THIS ISSUE
Empire
MC Shuttle connection
Cannabis
Advocacy Day 2015
Boko Haram

5
6
8
9
10

Montgomery College - Takoma Park/Silver Spring - March 2015

Another look at Marijuana

America is slowly becoming a THC tolerant country. The Nations
Capitol finally caught up with the
West Coast with the legalization
of recreational marijuana last
month. While there are still
many restrictions on use and
distribution, the conversation
is becoming increasingly
relevant.

The new
bumpn grind
Coffee. Music. Food.
What more could you ask for?
Find out what this chill spot located
less then half a mile away from
our campus has to offer!

Bump your way down to page 9

Boko Haram
As national attention shifts to the Middle
East, Rachel Johnson draws attention
to the seemingly fogotten terrorists of
West Africa. They, too, seemed to have
noticed their lack of attention as they
have recently sought out the support of
the terrorist group, ISIS.
Travel towards page 10

If you like our newspaper and are

interested in working with us,let us know!
Contact Prof. Simon via email at
mc.excalibur.tp@montgomerycollege.edu

New home, same team

By Kanika Sharma

n accordance with the goals of the

developmental advising model and
the new Maryland law, the College
and Career Readiness and College
Completion Act (CCRCCA) of 2013, Montgomery College has recently brought
various changes into the Counseling and
Advising Department.
In Fall 2013, the developmental
advising model was created by the
Advising Steering Group (ASG) under
the charge of Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea,
former Senior Vice President of Student
Services at MC. According to Erica Hepworth, Interim Department Chair, Counseling & Advising, TP/SS, Montgomery
College came to define developmental
advising as a collaborative process,
in which ultimately students bear the
responsibility for achieving their educational goals and setting a course for a
lifetime of learning. [Students] will be
encouraged to design and adapt plans
which reflect their emerging interests,
knowledge and goals. In Spring 2013,
its implementation coincided with two
other major events: the introduction of
Starfish and the passing of the CCRCCA.
The counseling department has introduced mandatory academic planning
for all new degree-seeking students.
Doing this satisfies one of the goals of
the Development Advising Plan -- to
encourage development, implementation, and reassessment of students
educational plans, so they are consistent

with personal, academic, career and life

goals. It also fulfills the requirement
of CCRCCA that states all students must
have a degree plan on file and public
institution develop a pathway system
that shows their establish graduation
progress benchmarks for each academic
major and for the general education
program.
Now, all returning and new students
discuss their plans for upcoming
semesters with a counselor and create
a virtual education plan that includes
courses, action items, referrals, etc.
that remains in their Starfish account
throughout their college career. This
allows students to keep track of their
academic progress and goals.
During Winter Break in 2014, the
counseling department was moved
to the second floor of the Charlene R.
Nunley Student Services Center (ST).
Last summer, the College redesigned the
admissions procedure, beginning with
the Welcome Center and ending in the
Counseling Department. Each branch
plays its role to help new students.
The Welcome Center answers any
questions prior to enrollment; The Admissions Office helps students in the application process; Financial Aid Advisors
helps students find additional assistance
in paying for college; The Assessment
Center is where students are tested for
class placement; and The Counseling
Department is where students go for

academic, transfer and career planning.

The counseling department was moved
to keep the departments involved with
first three steps of the admissions procedure in same area. Also, the Counseling
Department needed a place that best
supports student confidentiality. Its
current location is isolated from any
outside interference.
Fall 2013, the counseling department introduced Starfish, an online
application that is designed to schedule
appointments with counselors and to
minimize appointment-waiting times.
Since first bringing Starfish onboard, the
Counseling Department has, updated
their online services. Once students click
on Starfish, the MC counseling webpage
opens with two options: returning
student or new student. Returning
students can see a counselor for their
academic transfer, career and personal
planning. Also, students can request
an appointment with their preferred
counselor. New students, on the other
hand, follow the Start Smart Steps
that enhances their understanding of
college before making an appointment
with the counselor.
The Counseling Department offers
another way to help students. If
students are unable to make an appointment due to their busy schedules, they
can fill out a Counseling/Advising Form,
New Home Continued on page 7

Take a peek , on page 8

How does
free College
sound?

Alesha Butler analyses the possible

effects that President Obamas
proposed plan could have on MC
Students.

Free MC continued on page 4

A shuttle for
everyone
Last year, shuttles were introduced to the
Rockville and TP/SS campuses. After a very
successful trial run, the shuttles are here to
stay; and the route has been extended to
the Germantown campus!
Ride Along on page 6

2 March 2015
EDITORIAL STAFF
Rachelle Downs - Editor in Chief
Sekratos Kahsay - Assistant Editor
Jessica Edwards - Public Relations Manager
Jose Sorto-Guevara - Layout Coordinator / Visual Art Coordinator

Writers

THE EXCALIBUR
UPCOMING EVENTS

March
NISHIKI TAYUI
March 24 - June 1
Reception: Thursday, April 2,
6:00 - 8:00 pm

Liya Asfaw - Reporter

Alha Kane - Reporter
Nathan Seven Scott - Reporter
Abel Kebede - Reporter
Alesha Butler - Reporter
Mamadou Simpara - Reporter
Christopher Thomas - Reporter
John Hibberd - Reporter
Anna Caity - Reporter Kanika Sharma - Reporter
Christelle Mbah - Reporter
Rachel Johnson - Reporter
Alanis Lora - Reporter
Collin Lenegan - Reporter
Jason Dalle - Reporter
Shervon Inglis - Reporter

Multimedia works curated by

Lincoln Mudd

Visual Arts

SLAM POET: DREW LAW

March 25
2:40 - 4:40pm, CM 211

Christopher Thomas - illustrator

Selena Jackson - illustrator (Obama illustraton on cover page)
Jose Sorto-Guevara - illustrator
Shervon Inglis - Photographer
Mamadou Simpara - Photographer
(Photo on the front cover anonymous submission found through tumblr.com)

Faculty Advisor
Professor Miriam Simon
The Excalibur is Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Springs student-run newspaper. All students are invited to participate. To become a
member of the staff please attend meetings on Monday afternoons at 2:00
PM in ST219 in the Office of Student Life. If you would like to contribute
an article, letter to the editor, photograph, illustration or news tip for next
months issue, please send submissions or suggestions to mc.excalibur.
tp@gmail.com.

Location Information:
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz
Foundation Arts Center
Takoma Park/Silver Spring
Campus - (240)567-5821

Letter from the Editor

Welcome Back!

I would, first, like to congratulate the combination

of students, faculty, and staff that contributed to the
December 2014 edition. Our efforts were acknowledged at the Black History Month is Everyday event
in Rockville, where we received the Raptor Relevant
Reporting Award.
The Excalibur staff is proud to present the Takoma
Park/Silver Spring campus with the first edition of the
Spring 2015 semester. With the help of the EN102
Honors students, this edition highlights current
events on campus, in the community, nationwide,
and internationally.

MONTGOMERY COUNTYS
GREENFEST
March 28
10-5pm

Big thanks to everyone who contributed to this edition student reporters, photographers, and MC
faculty & staff! A special thanks to Ellen Olmstead,
English Department Chair (TP/SS), and professors of
EN102, for including these articles in their curriculums.

Location Information:
Multiple locations at Takoma Park/
Silver spring campus

Best,
Rachelle Downs

Join hundreds of your neighbors

and local organizations to celebrate our amazing local environment and learn about the key role
YOU play in keeping it healthy.
for more information please visit:
http://montgomerycountygreenfest.org/
R&BSinger
March 23
Rudy Currence
12:00pm, ST Atrium
Karoke
March 30
12:00pm - 2:00pm
MC Munchies, ST building 2nd floor
Pop Singer/ Pianist,
Matt Beilis
April 1
12:00pm April 2, ST Atrium

Have an Upcoming
Event on Campus?!
Be kind, recycle this paper in any of the blue bins on campus!

By Jose Sorto-Guevara

Let Us Know!
Email us at:
mc.excalibur.tp@
gmail.com

New craters
surface in Siberia
By Collin Lenegan

In July of 2014, oil and gas

technicians riding aboard a helicopter
discovered an enormous, mysterious
crater in Siberia. This hole, located in
the Yamal Peninsula (known as the
ends of the earth to locals), measures
almost a hundred feet in diameter and
appeared to have inexplicably come into
being overnight. Its cause unknown,
theories ranging from fossil fuel exploration to a meteorite, to a stray missile
were conjectured (and dismissed) by
scientists in an attempt to explain the
phenomenon.
Scientists believed that the most logical explanation for this sinkhole was the
explosive release of high-pressure gases
(mostly methane) caused by global
warming. According to this theory, which
was brought forward by geophysicist
Vladimir Romanovsky, unseasonably
warm temperatures thawed the permafrost from the bottom up, creating an
underground cavity.
Highly pressurized gases, stored
beneath the permafrost, subsequently
rose closer to the earths surface and
deformed the ground above it, creating
a small hill.

When the pressure became too great,

the gases exploded, forming formed the
crater. Later that same month, two more
craters were discovered in the region:
one in the Taz district, measuring forty-nine feet in diameter, and another on
the Taymyr Peninsula, with a diameter
of thirteen feet. Residents of the nearby
town of Antipiyuta reported that the second crater first appeared on September
27, 2013. Accounts of the incident vary,
but many witnesses attest to seeing
smoke filling the air surrounding the
area, followed by a bright flash.
This has caused some amount of
speculation in the scientific community,
as it has not been determined how
the underground gases might have
been ignited. According to geophysicist
Vladimir Romanovksy, probably the
gas ignitedit seems like it happened
during wintertime, so there should be
no thunderstorms, no lightning. In
Romanovskys opinion, the eruption was
most likely not triggered by an ignition
at all; the pressure simply built until it
was high enough to cause the methane
to erupt.
Sinkholes Continued on page 11

March 2015 3

THE EXCALIBUR

Oscars 2014: Animated short

films
By Christopher Thomas

Oscar season has blasted through

again, leaving behind discussions about
Hollywoods relationship with society,
for better or for worse. The Academy,
which nominates the films and awards
the Oscar, is a body of around six
thousand film professionals (mostly
actors). They decide the best films of
the previous year based on production,
artistic quality, and of course their own
personal preferences.
As such, an Oscar is an undeniable
honor for the person or team who has
received one, and yet tend to suffer
from subjectivity. An Academy Award
is not proof that a film is excellent, just
that six thousand people, mostly actors,
like it; and indeed, the Oscar tends to
go to one type of film, heady dramas
with powerful performances. Originality
is rarely rewarded, and comedies have
notoriously been neglected. The nominees, however, are inarguably worth
watching, whether or not the winner of
the category can stand the test of time.
While categories such as Best Actor/
Actress, Best Screenplay, and mostly
Best Picture tend to demand most of
the spotlight, there are gems buried in
categories such as Best Cinematography,
Sound Design, or Short Animated Film.
This last category provides the most
enigmatic, experimental and visually
expressive films. Last year was no
exception, and some of the films were
truly innovative and well-crafted. There
were five nominees, each a success in
its own right. The winner was one of the
shorter of the shorts, Feast.
Feast was technically flawless,
well-paced and entirely engaging. The
protagonist, in true Disney fashion,
is adorable and prone to making an
audience alternatively laugh and swoon-

a small dog who loves to eat. When his

owner falls for a young woman who
trashes the junk food and garnishes
the kibble with parsley, our protagonist
falls into a depression. Ostensibly happy
after the two break up, the dog winds
up bringing them back together in the
archetypal Disney ending. This film was
the safe choice for an award. Its production is seamless and it gets it point
across without stressing much, which is
good, because its point boils down to
making you feel good. If its possible
to offer criticism of Feast, one would
have to note that this film has given us
nothing new.
With that in mind, The Bigger Picture
has to have been considered a close
contender. Although the narrative can
be disorienting in the moments during
this film where one can actually grasp
a narrative, this film is nothing if not
innovative.
Director Daisy Jacobs has morphing
the concept of animation into something
unique and fascinating. The Bigger
Picture utilizes full-sized rooms and a
combination of 3 dimensional and 2
dimensional media: a typical frame
involves a painting of a character on
a wall, with clay arms which protrude
from the painting to manipulate objects.
The plot, which takes a back seat to
the fascinating and provoking visuals,
meditates on the intersection of death
and family by observing two brothers
manage the terminal illness of their
mother. This film is a victim of its own
success- its experimentation could be
off-putting to certain viewers.
Me and My Moulton is a film by Norwegian-Canadian director Torill Kove,
who has one Academy Award already on
her mantelpiece, although unfortunately not for this film. Me and My Moulton
is splendid- its bright, jubilant, and
captivating. The story it tells is seeming-

ly autobiographical, describing a unique

childhood in an unusual family, which
is not without its charms or its troubles.
It unfolds like a childrens book and
an introspection, but there are subtle
touches which hint at its mastery, in the
rendering of the trees or the snippets
of dialogue which alert you to deeper
underpinnings in the story.
The Dam Keeper was a somewhat
uncomfortable film, a parable about
bullying with anthropomorphizing
and fantasy elements. The animation
is painterly. Movements are fluid and
harmonious, colors are vibrant and
saturated, and a world has been created
with clear consideration. Each frame
could exist by itself and be worthy
of praise. Discomfort comes from its
subject matter. Bullying is a difficult
topic to discuss, and this film wasnt
quite convincing in any ability to bring
about discussion
The final nominee was A Single
Life, and although theres perhaps not
enough here to recommend, it manages
to balance funny and morbid for the
3 minutes that it runs. In synopsis, the
film is the story of a woman and her
record player which turn time back or
forward, although the experience is
less of a story and more of a long joke,
complete with punchline.
Rendered on an animation program,
it cant precisely be considered as pleasing to the eye, but there are enough
successful visual gags to offset its
unattractiveness. Feast was the easiest
choice for the number one animated
short film. It is free from technical
flaws and utterly lovable, despite being
somewhat uninspired.
Crucially, it is also a film which is in
no way divisive. Not only are there no
outstanding faults, there is nothing here
which is difficult to understand. Nothing
new, but nothing distasteful.

A Short Life, one of the nominees for Best Short Film, directed by Joris Oprins. Photos are from http://wezank.com/2015-oscar-nominations/

Dr. Milton Nash, Chair of the Mathematics Department, Photo by Liya Asfaw

Dr. Milton Nash,

MCs Black
History Maker of
the month
By Liya Asfaw

ith black history month

recently ending, Dr. Milton
Nash, chair of the Mathematics Department at Montgomery CollegeTP/SS, happens to be
the Black History Maker of the month.
Coming from a working class family,
Dr. Nash was the first African American
student to earn a graduate degree in
mathematics from Princeton University.
Dr. Nash was originally from Detroit,
Michigan, but grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. As a student, he was
well-versed in math and math-related
subjects. But considering no one in his
family had attended college, as a child,
he had nobody to encourage and guide
him through the educational and career
paths that he wanted to follow. Like
many young black males in his day,
he thought dropping out of school and
getting a job was the only option. After
dropping out in his junior year of high
school, he tried out different jobs. After
two years of different jobs, he decided
to go back to school, he completed
the GED and went to the University of
Alabama in Birmingham. He double
majored in math and linguistics and
graduated Summa Cum Laude after his
3rd year.
After getting his degree from the
University of Alabama, he went on to
Princeton University in pursuit of a masters degree in mathematics. Princeton
students typically come from families
with wealthy backgrounds, and so it was
very different from what he was used
to. Coming from an uneducated working
class family, he says, It was almost
like being in a different country. It

was a very good learning environment

but socially challenging too. Despite
the obstacles, he was able to obtain a
degree in mathematics.
After earning his Masters degree
from Princeton, he went on and earned
his PhD at the University of Georgia.
After working as an assistant professor
for 4 years at the University of Louisville
in Kentucky, he worked as a professor
in Alabama. Family and better job
opportunities led him to DC, where he
began working for Montgomery College
in 2011.
Since then, he has been teaching
calculus, multivariable calculus, linear
algebra and one entry level math
courses. Outside of school, he spends
a lot of his time in researching about
genealogy, and he is also an amateur
photographer. He says his interest in
photography is a late discovery in life;
he started it while working in Kentucky.
Despite the absence of a precedent in
his family and the obstacles he faced
throughout his life, he was able to
overcome the challenges and succeed.
He went from not considering college
as an option, to graduating from one
of the most prestigious colleges in
the nation. According to the Institute
of Education Sciences, the number of
black males with a bachelors degree
has doubled since 1975. Like Dr. Nash,
many of these young men were faced
with the challenge of escaping the
unfavorable learning environments that
they grew up in. They, too, chose the
road less traveled in hopes of gaining
the education necessary to make a
better living for themselves.

4 March 2015

THE EXCALIBUR

Literary Salon
By Shervon Inglis

book came from her hunger for learning

about something that kept her up at
nights as she lived in Mexico sex and
drug trafficking. As Ms. Clement found
through interviews with women who
were involved (voluntarily or by force)
in the drug trafficking culture, Ladydi
and Paulas stories are far from unique.
Ms. Clement had her drawbacks
before Prayers for the Stolen was

n Tuesday, February 24,

Jennifer Clement, journalist and
author, stopped by Montgomery
College Takoma Park/Silver
Spring to discuss her newest novel,
Prayers for the Stolen. This novel tells
the story of a young girl, Ladydi,
growing up in rural Mexico, where drug
and sex-trafficking run rampant. In
order to protect herself from Mexican

Jennifer Clemenets motivation

for writing the book came from
her hunger for learning about
something that kept her up at
nights as she lived in Mexico
sex and drug trafficking.

drug lords, Ladydi, like many other

girls, makes herself ugly by staining
her teeth and cutting her hair. Although
she is able to escape the drug lords by
hiding in a hole outside of her home,
her friend, Paula is not. The rest of the
novel follows Ladydi into her teenage
years, revisiting the tragic events of her
childhood periodically.
As president of PEN Mexico, Jennifer
Clemenets motivation for writing the

published. Despite fears that the

book would not draw much attention,
Prayers for the Stolen has sold copies
all over the world. In an interview with
MCTV, Ms. Clement explains that she
believes in the power of novels, listing
examples such as Oliver Twist (which
had a major impact on changes in child
labor laws). Like Oliver, Ladydi has the
potential to be the fictional face of a
revolution.

Free Community
College for all?
By Alesha Butler

n 2014, the average full-time student

paid $3,347 for public, in-county
community college. President Obama
wants to reduce this amount to $0.
On January 9, the President proposed
a new plan to make community college
free for everyone- with a few stipulations. The students would have to be
on at least a half-time enrollment, maintain a 2.5 or higher GPA, and on their
way to complete their associates degree
or transfer to a four-year college.
The federal government would provide three-quarters of the cost while the
state would cover the rest. According
to the Obama Administration, 9 million
students could benefit from the plan and

could save an average of $3,800 per

year. On January 8, Obama released a
video message in which he stated We
also have to make sure that everybody
has the opportunity to constantly train
themselves for better jobs, better wages,
better benefits.
A plan like President Obamas
has already been put into action in
Tennessee. Gov. Bill Haslamam created
the Tennessee Promise last year, which
gives Tennessee high school graduates
two years of tuition-free community
or technical college in the state if they
enroll full time and maintain a 2.0 GPA.
State funds would cover all remaining
costs after grants, including Pell grants,

Jennifer Clements Prayers for the Stolen

Jennifer Clement speaks to students and guests at Montgomery College

are added. Since the plan has been

announced, 5,700 Tennessee students
have applied for the program.
The White House reports that more
than 5.7 million people viewed a post
of the president describing the plan,
showing that people are, at the very
least, curious about what his plans are.
However, there are people who are not
as welcoming of the plan.
Republican House Speaker John
Boehner criticized the plan, saying it
is undetailed and more like a talking
plan than a plan.
Others are questioning if it really
would be helping those who need the
tuition assistance. Under President
Obamas plan, students can use their
Pell Grant money in addition to their
tuition assistance for transportation,
housing, and books. That means that
taxpayers could potentially be paying
for students that are more than capable
of paying for themselves instead of
helping students that do not have any
other options.

Cathy Wilson, an MC counselor,

questions that if MC becomes a free
institution, our enrollment may rise to
the point that we wouldnt be able to
accommodate everyone who applies.
For the Fall 2013 semester, there were
7.4 million part-time students enrolled
in community colleges nationwide.
Under President Obamas proposed
plan, the number could double. Dehlia
Bates, English professor, thinks this
could be good for colleges. Hopefully
this government action will put pressure
on community colleges and universities in general to hire more full-time
faculty, she says. Then class sizes will
hopefully be reduced.
However, the plan does seem
beneficial for both students and
educators alike. If more students
attend community college, there will
be a higher demand for educators thus
creating more jobs. For the 2013-2014
school year, there were 1.5 million
postsecondary educators in the nation.
More students pursuing two and four

year degrees could double this number

as the demand for classes, especially in
specialized fields, would rise.
While President Obama does give the
promise of more job opportunities as a
positive factor for the plan, it does cause
alarm for how much a college degree
would be worth if more people began
to get them. Decades ago, a high school
diploma was considered the pinnacle of
education.
However, now that college is the accepted norm, it is almost impossible to
find a well-paying job without, at least,
a bachelors degree. Should bachelor
degrees become our new normal, higher
levels of postsecondary education would
become the new requirement for a
decent job.
Despite any concerns about the
presidents proposed plan, there are
supporters.. I think Obamas plan is
a game changer for the masses of
people in this country whod like an
affordable education, Professor Bates
says. I hope it passes.

March 2015

THE EXCALIBUR

Black history
and bombs
By Rachelle Downs

O
The cast from Empire Left: Jussie Smollett, Serayah McNeill, Taraji P. Henson, Bryshere Gray, Grace Gealey, Terrence Howard, Trai Byers and Kaitlin Doubleday.
Photo is from www.nypost.com, original photo credit belongs to Chuck Hodes/FOX

A new Empire rises

By Nathan Seven Scott

Empire, the breakout-hit on Fox, is a

nuanced, complex show thats equally
deserving of its comparisons to Shakespeares King Lear as it is to those about
the legendary eighties soap opera
Dallas. The show expertly blends the
combination of gritty emotional strife
within a family facing an uncertain future and the glamorous optimism of the
hip-hop industry where stars are born
and disappear overnight. Traversing
the dark murky waters of success in an
environment like this is a challenge that
requires quick thinking, ruthlessness,
and knowing where loyalties lie.
While some of the characters are
occasionally melodramatic and a bit
over-the-top, the charming backdrop of
the world they inhabit sands away the
edges and makes for a great viewing
experience. For those who havent seen
it yet, heres a quick breakdown of
whats driving Empires record-breaking
success.
The show focuses on Lucious
Lyon (played by Terrence Howard),
a drug-dealer turned rap mogul who
discovers that he is suffering from a
terminal illness. In light of his condition,
he turns to his three sons and explains
that he will choose one of them to take
over his business. This situation alone
would be compelling drama as the
brothers are pitted against one another,
but Empire doesnt stop there. Instead,
Lucious ex-wife, Cookie (played by
Taraji P. Henson), returns to the family
after serving a long sentence in prison
for dealing the drugs that Lucious used
to build his business, and she tosses
her hat into the ring for control of the

family business, aptly named Empire

Records.
Each of the three sons has a distinct
personality that separates them from
one another and colors their relationships with their father as they vie for
control of their futures. Their conflicts
and interactions are everything that the
viewers would expect from a show about
hip-hop moguls and the entertainment
industry, but they all also possess
the human element that makes them
relatable to viewers.
One of the most profound (and
at the same time most controversial)
relationships on the show is the one
between middle Lyon son Jamal (played
by Jussie Smollett) and his father. Jamals character is extremely interesting
because he simultaneously represents
the brightest and darkest aspects of
the hip-hop industry. He is an earnest
singer-songwriter who despises the
corporate nature of music and has the
genuine talent to be a huge star. Hes
everything that the industry claims to be
built upon. However, this is overshadowed because of the fact that he is gay
and faces vehement opposition bred
from the homophobia of those around
him, especially his father. Many of Jamals tribulations hit home for viewers
with the raw, unadulterated realism that
comes from being based on the life experiences of one of the shows creators,
Lee Daniels. One of the most shocking
of these experiences is that of a young
Jamal being stuffed in a trashcan by his
father for wearing high heels.
Empire is the newest among a
growing list of other television shows in-

cluding Scandal, How to Get Away with

Murder, and Being Mary Jane that puts
non-white characters in the limelight
and gives them a chance to experience
dramatic situations that are powerful
and compelling. Shows like these are a
mirror of the times we live in, and like
any great work of art, Empire challenges conventional ideas and understandings about family and culture by forcing
us to confront societys dark traditions
and untold histories of the struggles
faced by those who were deemed
different by the powers that be.
By portraying the reality of life for
many who have previously not had a
voice in mainstream media without
preaching or forcing its ideology down
the throat of any viewer, Empire is in a
unique position to serve as the opening
argument in a long-needed discussion
about race and sexuality in the hip-hop
industry and America in general.
Each character on the show can be
seen as a particular component of the
discussion, with their actions and histories representing different viewpoints
and cultural constructions around the
issues. Like a finely crafted musical
masterpiece, these voices and melodies
play against one another to create
something that is greater than the sum
of its parts.
In addition to being such a critically
important show, Empire is a hell of a
good watch. With Fox already announcing that it has been renewed for a
second season, theres plenty more to
come.

Twitter: @Nathan7Scott

n February 10, 2015, Dr. Vincent

Intondi, Professor of History
at Montgomery College and
Director of Research at the
American University Nuclear Studies
Institute, celebrated the official launch
of his book tour with a book-signing
event at Montgomery College TP/SS.
His book, African Americans Against
the Bomb, integrates the major focus of
his life work ending racism and the
threat of nuclear warfare. In his quest
to answer a single question What
did African Americans think about the
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki? Dr. Intondi, as Moona Ali of
IPSA explains, exposes the significance
of the relationship between civil rights
and, furthermore, human rights while
discussing the impact of the use of
nuclear weapons on both issues.
Although Stanford University Press
published the book on January 1, 2015,
Dr. Intondis research began in 2005
with a visit to Hiroshima. He spent three
years traveling between the Swarthmore
College Peace Collection, the Library of
Congress, and the Schomburg Center
for Black Research in New York before
beginning the actual writing process.
Seven years, and 224 pages later, his
book is available online (amazon.com,
Barnes & Nobles, and Kindle) and in
various local bookstores.
The book signing last month was
only the start to his book-related travels.
He has since visited American University, SUNY Oswego, Politics and Prose,
Busboys and Poets, and appeared on
local radio stations. Over spring break,
he will be taking his book down south
to Florida, where he taught at Seminole

State College before moving to DC, and

up to MIT and Harvard, in Boston and
then to Harlem, New York.
Between teaching full-time and writing his book (without a sabbatical), Dr.
Intondi has made the choice to dedicate
his life to students. Even as he writes
his book, he incorporates the focus of
his classes into the subject matter. As a
professor of African American History
and US History, he argues, you cannot
examine US History, the cold War, the
history of the Peace Movement [and]
nuclear studies, without including the
history of African Americans.
His dedication to spreading knowledge about African American contributions to this world extends beyond
the classroom, or between the pages
of his book. Besides being a source
of inspiration to Montgomery College
TP/SSs International Political Studies
Association, Dr. Intondi is in the midst
of introducing a Center for Black Studies
to Montgomery College. The program
is to include, among other things, a
major in Black Studies, an extensive
library, and office space. Although the
project is in its beginning stages, Dr.
Intondi is confident that with emerging
movements [and] students on our campus becoming more and more socially
conscious and politically engaged the
proposed center is bound to open sooner
rather than later.
In the meantime, Dr. Intondi encourages all students to join him on April 1
in Theatre 1 of the TP/SS Cultural Arts
Center to hear an inspirational story
of redemption from Desmond Meade,
former bodyguard to famous musician
Tupac Shakur.

Portion of Dr. Intondis African Americans against the Bomb cover. Photo from http://sup.org/

6 March 2015

THE EXCALIBUR

You are connected

By Mamadou Simpara

he Montgomery College shuttle

service now connects all three
campuses. When the trial first
started in Fall 2014, the campus
shuttle bus was running between the
Takoma Park/Silver Spring and the
Rockville campus only. As the fall
semester progressed, the campus shuttle
bus gained popularity. According to
Mark Pace, the Montgomery College
Parking and Transportation Manager,
the number of students who rode the
campus shuttle between the TP/SS and
the Rockville campuses last semester
tripled in the first three weeks. People
were optimistic about the extension
of the campus shuttle service to the
Germantown campus. The finalizing of
the extension was determined by the
results of the fall semester trial.
The success of the fall semester
trial led to the permanence of the
Montgomery College shuttle service
and, most recently, to the extension of
the shuttle route to the Germantown
campus. In an interview with Mr. Pace,
he explained the process of extending
the shuttle routes to the Germantown
campus. They sent surveys via email to
seek students viewpoints on the shuttle.
According to Mr. Pace, the survey results
were mostly positive, but there were
multiple requests to extend the route
to Germantown. As a result, the shuttle
route was extended.
The new route starts at the TP/
SS campus and ends in Germantown,
making a pit stop in Rockville on the
way there and back. Currently, there is
no shuttle bus that goes directly from
the TP/SS campus to the Germantown
campus. Twenty-two student riders were
interviewed. Although the small sample
size makes it difficult to come to any
definitive conclusion, the interviews
reveal that most of those who travel to
the Germantown campus do so from the
Rockville campus. In general, students

Cory Grant, one of three shuttle bus drivers.

from the Takoma Park campus do not

take the MC shuttle to travel to the
Germantown campus as often as the
students from Rockville.
Currently, there are three different
shuttle buses that are constantly
traveling between the three campuses.
According to Cory Grant, a member of
the driving team, most students catch
the shuttle during the first and last
scheduled departure times (9am and
5:15pm). At these times, especially on
Mondays and Wednesdays, the shuttles
can get so full that some students have
to stand. Fortunately, the shuttle has
never been completely full, obliging
students to wait for the next shuttle.
The shuttles are also easily accessed
by people with handicaps. Moreover,
the campus shuttles are now equipped
with Wi-Fi. Students can connect their
electronic devices to the Internet for
free, allowing them to check emails,
class updates, or, for some, Facebook
and Twitter.
Although the shuttle has eliminated
the hassle of catching public transportation, there are some students who
believe that the shuttle service should
start earlier and end later. One student
rider explained that, some students
have their classes at eight in the morning, so they need to get there early.
It would be really great if they could
change the starting time to 8:00am or
even 7:30am.
Overall, however, the Montgomery
College Shuttle has been a success.
It unifies the campuses by making it
easier for students and faculty from
each campus to not only travel from one
campus to another but also to interact
with each other. Students and faculty
no longer have to struggle to get to
the other campuses. The addition of
the Germantown campus to the shuttle
route facilitates the commute.

The Counseling department has moved to the first floor of the ST building. Photo taken by IPSA

IPSA marches on
Washington
By Jason Dalle

n December 14, 2014, Montgomery Colleges International

Political Science Association
(IPSA) joined Al Sharpton,
the families of the unarmed victims of
alleged police brutality, and activists
from across the country in the Justice
for All March in Washington, DC.
The March was scheduled for the Saturday after final exams last semester.
Even so, students found time during the

exam week to make signs and posters

for the upcoming protest. On Saturday,
more than 30 Montgomery College
students joined thousands of other
protestors at Freedom Plaza to begin a
March on Washington of their own.
Organized by the National Action
Network (NAN), the March was led by
Al Sharpton, founder and president of
NAN, along with the families of wellknown victims of alleged police brutality

Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir

Rice, Akai Gurley, and John Crawford.
In the months leading to the March,
IPSA hosted a couple of events in hopes
of raising awareness about civil rights in
America, and reactions to the deaths of
Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
Although their events Know Your
Rights Seminar and It Didnt Start in
Ferguson event were successful,
there was a convergence of feelings that
they needed to do more to take action
against police brutality in America,
leading to their participation in the
Justice for All March.
Although he was unable to attend
the March, Professor Karl Smith,
IPSAs faculty advisor, commends IPSA
members for their drive and reactiveness. He says, Ive been club advisor
for IPSA for about three or four years.
The current group of students has gone
far beyond what weve ever done.
As explained by an active member in
IPSA, their main goal was to stand
in solidarity with movements that are
against police brutality and the over
militarization of the police.
Since the March, IPSA has continued
to make strides in ending police brutality and the militarization of Americas
law enforcement. On Monday, February
23, 2015 they showed a screening of
Fruitvale Station, a movie based on
the true story of Oscar Grant. More recently, they celebrated the relationship
between African and African American
cultures through the art, poetry, and
music presented at their Pan-Africa
Meets Harlem Renaissance event.

CCRCCA warrants change

By John Hibberd

n 2013, the senate passed into law

Bill 740 (SB 740) which became the
College Readiness and Completion
Act (CCRCCA). The purpose of the
CCRCCA is to set new standards for preparing high school students for college
and pushing students with college credits but who are not currently enrolled
in a Maryland institution to obtain an
associates degree. The CCRCCA will go
into effect the 2015-2016 academic year,
and will remain in place until changed
by congress. Senator Pinsky and
Senator Madaleno write,
(A) Adults age 25 to 64 will hold at
least an Associates Degree by the year
2025. (B) It is the goal of the state that
all degree-seeking students enrolled
in a public community college earn an
Associates Degree before transferring
to a public senior higher education institution. These statements demonstrate
the overall scope of the CCRCCA and the
goals of the senate for higher education.
Dr. Brad Stewart, Vice President and
Provost of Montgomery College Takoma

Park/Silver, believes that the CCRCCA

has already affected students in two
ways. The first way is if a student is taking a developmental course, the credit
course must be taken immediately after
completion of that course. For example,
if a student takes Math 096 and completes that course first semester, his or
her second semester must include Math
150 or whichever credit math course is
needed for graduation.
In addition, the CCRCCA is affecting
students by requiring every student to
have an education plan as soon as they
enter college. According to Dr. Stewart,
An education plan is the course outline
and guide for each major.
Dr. Stewart said, The CCRCCA is
good because it allows universities
and colleges in Maryland to help
students complete college and selected
programs.
Another good aspect is the development of Starfish. Starfish is a very
effective way to keep records of all
student activity and the CCRCCA activity.

Dr. Stewart believes the negative aspect

CCRCCA is that it is too directive and
to prescriptive for students. Having
a set outline or plan may not be the
way to develop every student, for not
every student learns the same way. Dr.
Stewart says, The CCRCCA is a one size
fits all approach.
The process for developing students
for college now starts in 9th grade.
Former Governor OMalley wrote, By
2018, twothirds of all jobs in Maryland
will require some postsecondary education. College education is becoming a
requirement by more employers every
year. The CCRCCA will help Maryland
achieve a higher standard of education
and fulfill the new requirements by
employers.

John Hibberd and VP Brad Stewart

THE EXCALIBUR

March 2015

Counseling and Adivising is moving on up

New Home from page 1

which is available under the Starfish

counseling homepage. Online Advising
is for concrete questions that do not
require us to access student records as
they are protected by FERPA. According
to the counseling department, students
will be able to receive help or answers
for their questions within 48 hours
through their email.
The Counseling Department
confirmed that Starfish has dramatically
reduced the waiting time for students to
meet with a counselor. The department
has received positive feedback from
students, as they are able to reschedule
an appointment conveniently and counselors are able to prepare for the arrival
of the students in advance.
The College has also introduced
counseling by academic department.
The Counseling Department website provides a directory that has information of
each department of all three campuses
(academic and nonacademic). Students
now can receive advising based on their
major from the Faculty Advisor of that
department. This resource was also

created as a result of CCRCCA.

CCRCCA requires advising to take
place in the academic departments
or major fields of study. So, the ASG
partnered with the Academic Department Advising Committee during Spring
2014, and Dr. Sanjay Rai, Senior Vice
President of Academic Affairs, charged
the group with creating a model for
major field advising.
The Academic Department Advising
Committee is now working on creating
advising plans to identify who will serve
as faculty advisors in their departments,
and how/when they will provide
advising to students in their academic
departments.
Even though all these changes have
been made to help students, some
students find it challenging to follow up
with all new information. Whether there
are new IT (information technology)
updates in Starfish or changes in the
location of the Counseling Department,
some students find it hard to stay up to
date with new information. Nome, the
student assistant at the TP/SS Counseling Department, said, even though the

The Counseling department has moved to the second floor of the ST building. Photo taken by Shervon Inglis

counseling departments have placed

new flyers and new signs around the
campus to inform students about the
changes in the counseling department
location, some students often get
confused and get upset.
Mimi Peter, a student who enrolled
in spring 2015, said, I was lost when
I was going through the admissions
procedure (The admissions process is
not a Counseling & Advising function). During my IMAP (International
Montgomery advising program) session,
I was told if I need to see a counselor,
Id be able to receive help on the
second floor. However, I also needed
help with financial aid. When I asked
a few people about its office location,
they told me that it is on second floor,
pointing toward the same location
where the counseling department is
located now. I was confused, and it
was hard to follow the directions. (Is
this a necessary statement to include?
Students were notified via email, on our
website, posters around the building.
This relocation was completely out
of Counseling & Advisings control.)

Bethlehem Woldelmicheal, a returning

full-time student who is majoring in
radiology, said, Since Starfish was
introduced, I lost the consistency of
seeing my own counselor.
When I want to meet a counselor
for personal or academic planning, I
have to wait for at least a week or so.
(Im a bit concerned about including
this statement. Starfish easily allows
for students to schedule with the same
counselor and with the exception of
peak registration periods in Jan/Aug
students can often get an appointment
within 1-2 days).
The College is doing its best to keep
students up-to-date with all of the changes (including email blasts, updated websites, a MyMC channel, presentations
to student councils). Also, at the end of
each month, ASG sends a survey to the
students who have recently visited the
Counseling Department. The Counseling
department confirmed that they have
received 92 % positive feedback and
comments from the respondents.
Having all new and helpful information
provided by the counseling department,

the main question is how well student

body taking advantage of all the
services? As Montgomery College is
more relying on technology to introduce
its each new resource, the students can
be left behind based on their computer-using skills. While Computer-savvy
students may not struggle to find
new information, other students may
need external help either from their
friends or faculty members to cope up
with these changes. Therefore, the
counseling department has created a
support website that has instructions
and tutorial videos about any new
technology updates such as Starfish.
Students can also visit or call their counseling department to receive assistance
or schedule an appointment.
The College will continue to make
changes as it is only in the second phase
of the Developmental Advising Plan.
Any additional changes in the CCRCCA
may lead to any future changes in
academic policy as well. These changes
are helping Montgomery College stay
true to its promise to create endless
possibilities for its students.

8 March 2015

THE EXCALIBUR

Maryland and DC loosen marijuana laws.

Montgomery College does not
By Alha Kane

xcept for on federal lands, the possession of less than 10 grams of

cannabis around Montgomery Colleges neighborhood is no longer
a crime for people who are 21 or older.
2014 was a good year for marijuana
consumers. Recently, new regulations on
the possession of marijuana have been
adopted in both the state of Maryland
and the District of Columbia. On April 5,
2014, the Maryland House of Delegates
voted 78-55 for the decriminalization
of marijuana. Exactly, two days later,
immediately after the ratification of the
amendments by the Senate, Maryland
Governor Martin OMalley signed
Bill SB 364 thereby converting it into
law. The same scenario happened in
the District Columbia, where the law
decriminalizing cannabis took effect on
July 17, 2014. Unlike in Maryland, D.C
legislators have legalized marijuana
with the passing of Ballot Initiative 71.
Decriminalization does not mean
legalization.
The possession of marijuana in the
state of Maryland is still a violation. SB
364 only changed the criminal penalties
for possessing less than ten grams of
marijuana with civil sanctions. Before
the advent of SB 364, an individual
caught with less than ten grams of
marijuana could be arrested and
punished by a fine of up to five hundred
dollars and/ or up to ninety days in jail.
Since the implementation of the new
law on October 1, 2014, consequences
for possessing less than ten grams of
marijuana have been reduced to a civil
fine not to exceed a hundred dollar
and no jail time for the offender. Those
sanctions apply only to the first offense.

CGM

By Rachelle Downs

vonne Brown and Brandon Gerald make the perfect writer-photographer duo as they team up
to inspire women through the
Crying Girl Movement. The Movement is
a spin-off of Ms. Browns book, Crying
Girl (expected to be released summer
2015). Together, they are seeking to
provide women with a platform
to share their stories of triumph over
situations that could have easily led to
an existence of defeat.
Ms. Brown, an MC Alumni, graduated
with an Associates Degree in General
Studies in 2000. She credits much of her

Starting from the second violation, the

fine can be as high as five hundred dollars, and the violator may be required
to attend a drug education program.
It is also important to note that people
under the age of 21 who violate SB 364
will be penalized the same as minors
who consume alcohol.
When it comes to the medical usage
of cannabis, a bill from the House of
Representative, HB 881 and one from
the Senate, SB 923, passed along
with SB 364. Even though there were
rumors of marijuana being accessible
to patients in 2013 before the passage
of these twin bills, the Marijuana Policy
Project organization clarifies, Maryland
is transitioning from having an unworkable research-based program to having
an effective program that will provide
real access to patients.
This means that the law on medical
use of Marijuana ratified in 2013 was
ambiguous, so hospitals did not want to
take risks providing their patients with
marijuana, a drug that is still prohibited
by the federal government. However,
HB 881 and SB 923 give the opportunity
to hospitals to safely proceed to the
usage of marijuana when there is a
valid request from their patients. Now
physicians may prescribe cannabis for a
maximum supply of 30 days.
Nonetheless, there are certain
procedures patients must take to obtain
a medical marijuana license in the state
of Maryland. A certified physician needs
to write a recommendation letter to the
Nathalie M. LaPrade Medical Marijuana
Commission, the commission responsible for regulating Marylands medical
marijuana program, in which he or she

acknowledges the potential benefits

of the medical use of marijuana would
likely outweigh the health risks for the
patient. If the commission approves
the physicians request, the patient may
start using the drug. However, it is The
Commissions duty to determine the period during which the patient is allowed
to consume cannabis. The main diseases
that qualify the patient for safe access
to marijuana are cachexia, anorexia,
or wasting syndrome; severe or chronic
pain; severe nausea; seizures; severe
or persistent muscle spasms. However,
there is possibility that patients suffering from other diseases may qualify
after a review of the recommendation
letter.
In Washington, D.C., February 26,
2015 has become a memorable date for
marijuana advocates. The congressional
review holding back the implementation
of the law legalizing marijuana expired
February 26. Initiative 71, which was
enacted on November 4, 2014, finally
became law despite the opposition of
many in congress. This new law allows
individuals 21 or older to possess up
to two ounces of marijuana in the D.C.
area and to offer up to an ounce of
marijuana to another adult.
Initiative 71 also permits D.C.
residents to grow six cannabis plants
with a maximum of three mature plants
inside their homes. However, it is still
illegal to sell or exchange marijuana for
any goods, money, or services. Under
the current law, public consumption of
marijuana is also unlawful. One cannot
consume marijuana in places such as
bars, clubs, or even in his/her own car.
The only place where individuals can

safely use marijuana is on private property. Like Maryland, juveniles caught

with marijuana in D.C. will be penalized
as juveniles possessing alcohol.
Though marijuana is not legal in
Maryland, the penalties imposed on
individuals violating the regulation laws
on marijuana usage are less severe
in Maryland than in the District of
Columbia.
Actually, in D.C., a $500 fine or
sixty days of jail is the sanction for
individuals smoking marijuana in public
places. An offender arrested for selling
marijuana may be punished with up
to six months of jail or a $1000 fine.
Most importantly, business owners who
authorize their customers to consume
marijuana on their properties may have
their business license seized.
Even though marijuana has become
legal in Washington, DC Ballot 71 does
not apply to areas sanctioned as federal
grounds. Places such as the National
Mall and Rock Creek Park are administered by the federal government. Thus,
DC laws do not apply and possessing
marijuana in those areas is still illegal.
Although Maryland state laws are
becoming more lenient about the
possession and use of marijuana, like
the federal government, Montgomery
Colleges Safety and Security team are
not.
According to James Ray, the Safety
and Security manager at MC TP/SS,
the students code of conduct has not
changed, so a legalization of marijuana
does not mean that students are free
to use it on campus. This means that
possessing marijuana is legal until you
cross the DC border; it is only decrimi-

nalized within Marylands state limits

and is completely against the Student
Code of Conduct on Montgomery College
campuses.
In his year and a half on campus,
Mr. Ray can recall less than ten marijuana-related incidences on campus. He
believes the new laws have not had any
drastic affects on the school because
the number of reports did not increase
recently. However, he urges MC students
to keep in mind that Montgomery
Colleges code of conduct and policies
will not change with the implementation
of the new laws. TP/SS is still a tobacco
and drug-free campus.
It is clear that we have entered an
era of marijuana-tolerance, causing
many tough-on-crimes lawmakers,
such as Governor OMalley to change
their perception of the threat of marijuana. After signing SB 364, he even
asserted that the new law on marijuana
might even lead to a greater focus on
far more serious threats to public safety
and the lives of our citizens. Cannabis
has become legal in the nations capital.
Does it convey the slogan of freedom for
everybody?
Indeed, while certain legislators
think of marijuana as a threat to the
well being of Americans, President
Barack Obama, in an interview
published on January 27, 2014 with
New Yorker editor David Remnick,
declares as has been well documented,
I smoked pot as a kid, and I view it as a
bad habit and a vice, not very different
from the cigarettes that I smoked as a
young person up through a big chunk
of my adult life. I dont think it is more
dangerous than alcohol.

success at the College to Professor Dana

Baker, Rockville.
Mr. Gerald is currently in his second
year as a film Major at Montgomery
College. After quitting his job last semester, he is fully dedicated to pursuing
a career in film, beginning with the
production of this documentary.
Mr. Gerald and Ms. Browns working
relationship began in Mr. Geralds 10th
grade English class Ms. Brown was
his teacher. Since then, Brandon Gerald
has used his mastery in photography
to document the publishing process of
Crying Girl. In the midst of shooting the
second trailer for the book, the Crying
Girl Movement was born.
In just one year, the movement has
featured over 100 Crying Girls and
touched the lives of many more. Each

Girl is photographed twice once,

featuring their Crying Girl story; the
second, tells how that story has since
empowered them. The inspiration
continues as Mr. Gerald begins work on
a Crying Girl documentary.
As a team, they are also working
on becoming a non-profit organization.
Unlike any other of its kind, CGM is aspiring to be a one-stop organization that
guarantees real help for a variety of
women in need. As Ms. Brown explains,
[women] need real help, right now
You cant Google real help. The Crying
Girl Movement is an organization that
provides women with real issues, real
direction.
They are hoping to partner with
various organizations to connect women
with goal-specific resources. However,

they do ask for the continued support

of organizations with similar causes
through established partnerships and
funding. They strongly encourage
anyone who is interested in sharing
their story as a Crying Girl to email their

submissions to Mr. Gerald at bgerald.

photo@gmail.com, or to visit the website (www.cryinggirlmovement.org).
Photo below: Brandon Gerald and Yvonne Brown.
site: http://cryingirlmovement.weebly.com

March 2015 9

THE EXCALIBUR

Bumpn Grind: A corner

where, music, community,
and coffee meet
By Anna Caity

Three years ago, David Fogel shared

his concept of a coffee shop/record
store with his friend and local DJ, Joe
Lier. They both have found success in a
number of different creative endeavors
over the years, but Fogel was interested
in collaborating on a space that wedded
his love for community and his passion
for music. Fogel and Lier partnered
up, leading to Bump n Grinds grand
opening on December 17, 2014.
Bump n Grind is a quick hop and skip
down East West Highway, so close its
visible from the Cafritz Arts Center, and
they have been waiting in anticipation
for any and all MC students to come and
check-it out.
When first stepping into Bump n
Grind, the beauty and craftsmanship
of the dcor are striking, achieving the
organic, modern aesthetic that Fogel
and Lier both desired. They felt strongly
about creating an ideal space to listen
to feature records and partnered with
an audio engineer to be sure that
everything was perfect (down to the
placement of the speakers). Playing
and selling vinyl, sound and acoustics
are integral to the customers overall
experience. They exist in harmony with
the shops many functions: coffee shop,
caf, community meeting space.
Local community and sustainability are key to understanding and
appreciating what Bump n Grind is
building. All of their food and most of
their beverages come from small local
businesses. They worked with DC local
roasters Vigilante Coffee to create a
signature espresso blend only available
at their shop.

For Fogel, who comes from a

background in urban planning and
community development (one of his
majors in college), its all really about
the community at the end of the day,
and if you are able to support small
businesses, that is just going to be great
for your immediate community that you
are serving. It is just a win, win, win all
away around. There is more care in that
product, you know?
Fogel explained the collective mission of Bump n Grind, as looking to fill
a hole, locally and particularly for the
community in South Silver Spring, by
existing as what he called, a third space
Your first space is your home, your
second space is typically your work,
and your third space is that place in the
neighborhood where you go to hang
out, dream, scheme, catch up with folks,
and friends and just are comfortable
and relaxed and can commune.
Fogel grew up in Montgomery County,
has worked in South Silver Spring consistently for 13 years, while living here
for ten. During this time, he has worked
on many community-based projects, for
example he was a founding member
of the cohousing community Eastern
Village and started the South Silver
Spring Street Festival, which is about to
entering its seventh year.
Of interest to MC students, it has free
Wi-Fi and is a fantastic place to enjoy
coffee, tea, or a fresh meal as they
study. More than that, however, its a
community resource for music, food,
and atmosphere.
They already have a relationship
with the college because their evening

manager, Emily Wessel collaborated

with Siobhan Quinn, the Director of the
Cultural Arts Center, during her time
as the Director of Operations at Urban
Artistry, Inc., a local non-profit dance
and cultural education project located in
downtown Silver Spring MD. Wessel also
studied psychology and music theory
at MC before entering the Masters in
Social Work Program at UMBC, where
she is currently taking classes.
There are a few different ways that
Bump n Grind and its staff have started
interacting with the community. They
are working with local record labels
that are releasing vinyl by selling their
music and hosting regular radio shows
with them. And right now they have two
listening stations, so that people can
come in and listen to and buy records.
They are currently in the process of
incorporating a community record
library into their business. They have
also started planning a mural program
and are actively looking for artists who
are interested in working on a piece at
the shop or possibly showcasing their
work.

Interested in contacting
Bump n Grind, learning
about their upcoming community events, checking
out their archived radio
shows, or looking over
their menu or vinyl they
stock?
Visit their website or shoot them an
email before giving them a visit in
person! http://bumpngrind.co/

Bump n Grind located on East West Highway. Less than half a mile away from campus. Photo taken by Shervon Inglis.

MC Students pose for a photo in Annapolis for Advocacy Day. Photo taken by MCTV

Back to Annapolis
Spring 2015
By Christelle Mbah

n February 11th 2015,

Montgomery College students,
President DeRionne P. Pollard,
Vice President and Provost Dr.
Brad Stewart, and Director of Student
Life, Ms. Kimberly Herrera converged at
the states capitol for the 21st Annual
Student Advocacy Day.
Student Advocacy Day is a day set
aside by the Maryland Association of
Community Colleges (MACC) to give
students the opportunity to meet with
their legislators and law makers about
pertinent issues regarding community
colleges in the state of Maryland. The
students in attendance represented all
three Montgomery College campuses.
They were there to tell their representatives why the budget for the next fiscal
year should not be cut. Representatives
from the other fifteen community
colleges in the state showed up with the
same goals.
The students and other guests
arrived at the Miller Senate office
building in the Presidents Conference
Room West. Dr. Bernard Sadusky, the
MACC executive director, introduced
the elected officials who were present.
Each year, the MACC selects a student
speaker for Student Advocacy Day. This
year, MCs own Anthony Musembi, an
adult student returning to the classroom
after 20 years of absence from higher
education, was the selected speaker.
Despite his extended absence from
higher education, he did not give up his
lifelong dream of achieving a bachelors
degree in Business Administration.

Among the many things that influenced

Anthony, he said the people who
encouraged him the most in his decision
to return to college was his wife and his
mother, who instilled the value of education in him. In Mr. Musembis words,
she encouraged us to always strive for
excellence and shoot for the stars.
Delegate Eric Luedtke, representing
Montgomery County, emphasized that
making our voices heard is very important, not just by attending advocacy day
but also through voting.
The student representatives met the
delegates who represent their district in
their offices. Students from the TP/SS
campus met with Delegate Will Smith,
Delegate David Moon, Delegate Anne
Kaiser, and Senator Jamie Raskin. These
students talked about what community
college means to them and how budget
cuts would impact them and their fellow
school mates. Senator Jamie Raskin
informed the students of senatorial
scholarships that are available for them
in the district in which they live. The senators and delegates promised to do their
best to make sure that they prevent any
budget cuts from occurring.
One of the students in attendance,
Lena Traore, said about the experience:
I felt like the event was solely based on
students voices and how much we care
about our education. With confidence
that the students efforts would help
prevent budget cuts for the upcoming
fiscal year, Dr. Pollard showed her
appreciation with a Mexican lunch for
everyone.

10 March 2015

THE EXCALIBUR

#IgnoredAndForgotten
By Rachel Johnson

On January 7, 2015, the terrorist

organization Boko Haram destroyed
the Nigerian towns of Baga and nearby
Doron Baga, killing as many as 2,000
civilians. This massacre received little
to no media attention, for on the same
day, Charlie Hebdos Paris office was
attacked by extremists. Seventeen
people were killed in connection to the
Paris attacks.
Boko Haram gained international
recognition last year after the group
kidnapped more than 270 Nigerian
schoolgirls, sparking the social media
movement, #BringBackOurGirls. Everyone from Michelle Obama to Justin
Timberlake posted pictures with
signs publicizing the thenpopular hashtag. However, the
movement lost steam as other
news took its place. Ten months
after the girls went missing, 219
are still missing. It has been suggested
by leaders of Boko Haram that the remaining girls have either been sold into
slavery or forced into early marriages.
Despite massive media coverage of
other terrorist groups and attacks, such
as the beheadings orchestrated by the
Islamic State (ISIS), Boko Harams actions have received little to no attention.
ISIS, another terrorist organization,
has certainly taken control of American
news. So why not Boko Haram? Aminu

Gamawa, a human rights activist

and political analyst, argues that the
Nigerian government is not addressing
the threat of Boko Haram, making it
difficult for the media to do so- If the
government is not paying attention to it,
it is hard for the media to pay attention
to it. Gamawa claims that unless there
is a national movement for action
against Boko Haram, nothing will be
done. However, similarly to
the Nigerian government,
it has been difficult for
Iraqi and Syrian forces
to push back against

key differences between Boko Haram

and ISIS. Unlike Boko Haram, ISIS has
beheaded American, Japanese, and
English citizens, angering the countries
involved. It has captured the medias
attention by killing people that are
connected to those nations. By staying
relatively local, Boko Haram has isolated itself,
and has not attacked

ISIS.
So, why isnt
the world paying
attention to Boko Haram?
There is a controversial explanation
that has gained some popularity: The
developed world still views African lives
as inferior. With ISIS dominating the
news over new executions, many have
drawn the conclusion that the Western
world is indifferent to African lives.
Following the Baga massacre,
musician Nitin Sawhney tweeted, Very
moving watching events in Paris- wish
the world media felt equally outraged
by this recent news too. But there are

other
countries
by killing
their
citizens.
For the most
part,
Boko Haram
only
terrorizes a
small
part of north
eastern
Nigeria. So even though both terrorist
groups have similar goals, they have
gone about spreading their message
in different ways. The principle established by the worlds reaction to ISIS is
that developing countries will not interfere with atrocities happening in other
nations, but when it impacts their own
citizens, the terrorism becomes an issue

2014 NJCAA Region Champions for a third time. Photo from MC Athletics Online

Raptor Sports
Report
By Abel Kebede

ast season, the womens basketball team went 15-10. They

were seeded sixth going into the
playoffs. They faced third seeded
Chesapeake College on Thursday February 12th for their quarterfinals game.
The game was a nail bitter, but the MC
Raptors were able to come away with a
win; they beat Chesapeake College 61

to 59. They went on to play Harford,

who were seeded second, on Saturday
February 14th in their semifinals game.
Unfortunately, the Raptors lost that
game 80 to 70.
The Mens Soccer team won a
staggering 19 of their 23 games last
season. Their largest win came against
Westmoreland, in which they beat
them 15-0. Their goalie had 12 clean
sheets throughout the season. They won
eighteen of their nineteen games by a
margin of 5 goals. Their winning goal

margin was 4.2 goals/game. They also

won the 2014 DIII NJCAA Region XX
Champions for the third straight year.
The Womens Volleyball team won
13 of their 22 games. Their worst
game came when they faced Fredrick
Community College, in which they lost
three sets to nothing. After that loss,
they only won 1 of their next 5 games
before they started their 8 game winning streak. That streak ended when
they lost to Potomac State three sets to
nothing. They might have been knocked
down a few times, but they kept getting
up. They were the Region XX champions.
The Track and Fields team had a good
season as well. Montgomery College
dominated the 400 and 800 meter dash
at the Goucher classic last fall. Neiman
Thompson (50.92 seconds) and Saheed
Oyeshile (51.06) placed first and second
on the men 400 meter dash. Thomas
McIntyre (2:01.83 minutes) and Charles
Acevedo (2:04.06 minutes) were also
placed first and second in the Mens 800
meter run.
Khelsea Hutchinson placed 7th in
the preliminaries for the womens 100
Meter Dash with 13.66 seconds. She
went on to finish fifth in the finals with
the time of 15.22 Seconds.

big enough to address. Domestic policy

does have some impact the worlds
ability to address terrorism. Nigerias
government has neglected to make
Boko Haram an issue. Government
officials have not publically spoken out
against Boko Haram, and the Nigerian
military is not well- equipped enough to
make efforts to counter Boko Harams
terrorism. In contrast, the French
government was very open with the
international community
about

the Charlie Hebdo massacre.

There were multiple press
conferences and, so the
media had something
to cover. Journalists
and reporters could
use the information
provided by the government to analyze
the situation. In particular, the American
media used the story as a means to
predict whether a similar event could
happen in America. The attack in
Paris was a little more realistic to many
Americans, in the sense that it could theoretically happen in the United States.
Americans were attracted to the idea of
relating this attack to themselves. The
massacre of thousands of people would
most likely not happen in the developed
world, so the American media could not
raise enough interest in the public.
The worlds near indifference to the
The Montgomery College Womens
softball team is hoping to open their
season with a bang when they face
Frederick Community College on March
11th at 3 pm. They will play 14 of their
25 games at home, and they will play
the rest on the road. They are facing a
difficult season, as 24 of their 25 games
are doubleheaders. Their season will
end on April 18th when they travel to
face Anne Arundel Community College
at 3 pm. The Mens baseball team will
open their season on March 7, when
they travel to Catonsville to face the Cardinals. They will play 49 games before
they start their playoff games on May
7. Their Region XX tournament is from
May 7 to May 10. They will also begin
their District Tournament on May 15 and
it will end on May 17 before they go to
their DIII NJCAA World Series game on
May 23. The World Series game will last
six days before it ends on May 29.
Be on the lookout for announcements about upcoming games. Schedules can be found on the Montgomery
College Athletics Department website.
Get a full scheduale of all teams
online on our home website!
Go Raptors!

acts of terrorism in Nigeria reveals how

dire the situation is. Boko Haram is
getting away with murder on a massive
scale, and simply because developed
nations are not directly suffering, they
feel no responsibility to take action. This
egoistic mentality will certainly not help
Nigeria become a safer, more productive country. The Nigerian people have
persistently pushed their government to
recognize and address Boko Haram.
However, the
government lacks
the proper resources and structure to
combat such a severe issue and is in
desperate need of international support.
If the worlds greatest powers were to
take Boko Haram seriously, they would
eliminate a potential future threat to
them and have the opportunity to help
Nigeria in its economic and political
development. The world has the chance
to help a failing nation and its people in
ways that it has previously not done.
Remember the kidnapped Nigerian
schoolgirls mentioned earlier in this
article? Many people do not. But
developed governments and the media
have the chance to correct this horrible
oversight, to not repeat their mistakeand it comes in the form of recognition. Recognizing Boko Haram as an
international issue and giving them the
media coverage their actions deserve
will initiate steps to weaken their power
and reduce the risk of them becoming
an even larger threat.

STILL NO
ADVICE?!

veryone has problems,

xcalibur has soultions!

mail us your problems to mc.excalibur.

tp@gmail.com or to
submit anonymously,
leave the description
of your problem in an
envelope makred advice in our mailbox!
(ST219)

March 2015 11

THE EXCALIBUR

Student life hits the

ground running

By Alanis Lora

his semester started off with a

bang as students and faculty
returned from a long, well deserved winter break. As the school
doors opened on January 26th and the
27th, welcome tables were set up in the
Student Services building. Members of
the student life faculty handed out free
snacks, beverages, and gave helpful
tips and directions to new and returning
students.
On Wednesday an Airbrush Winter
Hats activity was available for students
who wanted to get creative while
staying warm. Whether a student was
a fan of Mario or FIFA, The Video Game
Tournament was the place to be, it was
co-sponsored by the Gamers Club.
There were monitors set up for
students to battle in thrilling games.
I heard some shouting coming from
2nd floor, so I went to check it out and I
couldnt help but joining in says Julio
Garcia, an MC students, as he recalls the
video game tournament hosted by Student Life and the Gamers Club. Dont
worry, those shouts of excitement were
coming from among the crowd cheering
on their friends. But the fun didnt end
there. The Next Monday, February 2nd,
a long line stretched near a sign that
read Letter Name Art. The table was
set up for students waiting their turn to
have their names spelled in innovative

drawings. In no time, the drawings

were covered in a protective case and
students continued with their day.
The next two days February 3rd
and 4th were dedicated to the Club
Fair! If students enjoyed writing they
could join the newspaper team, or if
students wanted to be involved in school
decisions they could join the student
senate. Whatever their interests, there
were a variety of clubs to join. Gamers
Club, F.I.T Club, Strategic Board Games
Club, you name it. I definitely have
made long lasting friendships just by
simply signing up and being a part of
clubs.- Angie Villegas (Student).
Following the Club Fair days was
the Service Learning Fair. Local charity
foundations lined the atrium of the
Student Services building (ST) to inform
students about the available service
learning opportunities. Among them,
Shepherds Table, A Wider Circle, The
Humane Society, and plenty more.
It was a fun way to connect students,
Student Life Director Kimberly Herrera
said during an interview about the
events. We only received positive
feedback. More than 200 students
participated in the events in the first
two weeks, and there are many more
opportunities to come. Check out the
Student Life website for information
about upcoming events.

Sinkholes in Siberia
Sinkholes from page 2

In November 2014, a team of

Russian scientists, together with a medic
and a professional climber, descended
into the Yamal Peninsulas massive
crater on an expedition to discover its
cause. This investigation yielded some
interesting information, but the cause of
the craters has yet to be determined. I
dont think there was a blast, reported
one expedition team member. Because
this would imply some high temperatures, and there is nothing of that sort
here. There are no signs of something
burnt or charred, just a mechanic
splash. (Of course we can suppose something fantastic like a hot meteorite fell
and melted the whole thing and made it
splash out. But when a meteorite falls,
there are signs of char, signs of high
temperature. Ive never seen such
craters in anywhere on Yama where Ive
been, reported another member. And
Ive never heard my colleagues talk

of anything similar. What the team

discovered was a high concentration of
methane (up to 9.6 %) at the bottom
of the crater Putting this in context, air
usually contains no more than 0.000179
% methane. Needless to say, this enormous concentration of methane made
the expedition exceedingly dangerous,
especially with the unpredictable nature
of the alleged eruptions. (I dont understand this question. The methane is the
cause of the crater)
In February 2015, an additional four
craters were discovered throughout Russia, bringing the total number to seven.
According to the Siberian Times, one of
the newly discovered craters is surrounded by at least twenty mini-craters.
Siberia is known as one of the worlds
coldest and least hospitable places on
the planet, with temperatures often
dropping well below zero degrees. But
that could soon change; temperatures in

Spring 2015 volunteer fair In the atrium of the ST building

Students engage with American Red Cross volunteers. Photos taken by Shervon Inglis

the region have warmed up significantly

in recent years. In fact, the summers
of 2012 and 2013 were warmer than
usual in Yamal by at least five degrees
Celsius. (I know we dont, but those are
the measurements that were made. I
think we can give readers some credit
here. The important thing to note is
that there has been a dramatic change
in temperature) As temperatures in
the region continue to rise, researchers
warn that many more craters could be
created. This could have a potentially
devastating effect on those who live
nearby.
According to Russian scientist Andrei
Pekhanov, if [a release] happens at
the Bovanenkovskoye gas field that is
only thirty kilometers away, it could
lead to an accident, and the same if it
happens in a village. Moscow-based
scientist Vasily Bogoyavlensky has called
for an urgent investigation into the
newly formed craters. It is important
not to scare people, said Bogoyavlensky but to understand that it is a very
serious problem and we must research
this. Carolyn Ruppel, chief of the U.S.

Geological Surveys gas hydrate project,

has proposed another explanation for
the mysterious craters. She believes that
the craters are pingos: ice plugs that
form near the surface that are topped
by a small hill or mound. Rising temperatures would have caused some of
the ice to melt, making the ground collapse and forming the craters. However,
this does not explain the multitude of
ejected rocks found around the rims of
the craters, which indicate an explosion.
To explain this, Ruppel has suggested
that the collapse of the pingos suddenly
released natural gases, stored in the
permafrost and highly pressurized by
the weight of the pingos. Russian satellite data supports Ruppels hypothesis,
showing pingos (which appear as small
mounds) in the exact positions that the
craters later formed.
Scientists like Carolyn Ruppel and
Vasily Bogoyavlensky are legitimately
worried about these craters, which
seem to be popping up out of nowhere.
While the true cause of the craters
remains something of a mystery, most
scientists agree that as temperatures

continue to rise, more and more

dangerous and destructive craters are
likely to be found in the region. If the
warming continues, we will see more
and more of this phenomenon, said
Vladimir Romanovsky. It could happen
anywhere there are enough sources of
natural gas, including parts of Alaska
and northwestern Canada.

Illustration by Christopher Thomas