Screening tells inspiring tales

By Nicholas Sorrell, Advocate Staff

In an attempt to unify the community and maximize the number of enthusiastic voters, the Community Organizing Political Action club (COPA) hosted a film screening in Fireside Hall.

The club presented “Knock The House Down” in the event which chronicles the political rise of Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.

The Feb. 6 event lasted from 1:00 until 4 pm.

Political Science Department Chairperson Vanna Gonzales said, “The event was meaningful for students that want to be informed about the California Primaries, campaigning, and to see a film that shows how any ordinary person can get elected.”

In the club’s time on campus, COPA has been able to establish a non-partisan, party-extremist free zone, while still being able to cover the politics of our Nation.

It established a new form of influencing students to engage and sign up to vote.

Despite the film being the viewing of one party, it still was able to give a lot of inducing moments to start an initiative for one to vote.

With the democratic primary process underway, COPA vice president Alfredo Angulo thought this film was more than just necessary to have.

Angulo said, “If anything, our goal here is not to push a particular party or candidate, it’s to spread the word and get more students to vote.”.

Gonzales offered another reason to get students acclimated to participating in the political process, “It’s to inform people about the census.”

The Census is the United States federal Statist System that is responsible for producing data about the American citizens and the American economy.

Since 2020 began, COPA has been trying to get more people to vote and to make sure their voices are noticed as students of CCC.

The struggle to get students to vote has been an issue, however Angulo has been able to help COPA get students to register, and if already, encouraging them to vote.

COPA Inner Club Council representative Kimyatta Newby said, “This event is necessary because it provides students with more insight. And research about politics & their place in it.”

More recently, when the topic of politics comes to surface on campus, most students tend to ignore it, or become offensive at the mention of one’s party affiliation.

Consequently, the process of becoming educated about local and national politics has ceased to become a common practice.

Restoring initiative to not only CCC students but the entire campus community and giving students a chance to make sure their collective voice is heard can be staging but yet necessary. This event was not just a film, it was an opportunity for many students to learn and induce useful knowledge toward the California Primaries to be held March 3.