Musician awarded for dramatic composition
By Stacie Guevara, Associate Editor
March 4, 2020
Music major Ninoangelo Lastimosa has been awarded third place for Sound Design — Meritorious Achievement for original sound/music composition and realized sound design for his work on drama department Chairperson Carlos-Manuel Chavarria’s “Frida Kahlo: The Artist; The Woman.” From Feb. 16-22,...
Internal drive fuels artistic creativity
By Cindy Pantoja, Editor-in-Chief
March 4, 2020
Contra Costa College students are known to strive for greatness, and artist Steven Berndt is no exception. Berndt has always been interested in creating art out of different materials and combining color palettes. “I’ve been painting for quite a while. When I was a child, I used to like airplanes...
Coronavirus sparks nationwide concern
By Jose Arebalo, Scene Editor
March 4, 2020
A new virus is spreading across the globe at such a rapid rate that scientists have hardly had any time to learn about it. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is thought to spread person-to-person and there are a few factors the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has discovered that play...
Acclaimed nursing professor retires
By Stacie Guevara, News Editor
February 19, 2020
Dr. Sandra Castillo-Alward is one of Contra Costa College’s most treasured professors and has now retired after over 35 years as a nursing professor, program director and friendly face around campus. Dr. Castillo-Alward has retired for the second and final time after cherishing her time here. Before...
Transfer counselor propels students
By Wanda Gonzalez, Advocate Staff
February 19, 2020
Transfer counselor Andrea Phillips has had an immensely positive impact on first generation college students at Contra Costa College for years. From organizing college readiness events on campus, to creating personalized educational plans for students, Phillips has done it all in an effort to help s...
Educating black minds
By Denis Perez, Creative Director
October 23, 2019
Tiye Gordon’s educational journey and life experiences have led her to Contra Costa College to study African American studies and have given her the motivation to lead the Black Student Union (BSU). “I want to create a study space for black students,” Gordon said After graduating high school...
Activist forms Rainbow Club
By Xavier Johnson, Web Editor
October 23, 2019
Young political activists don’t often focus on one issue because as one issue is tackled, inter-sectional problems present themselves. For an activist, this is seen as an opportunity to enact further positive change. For sophomore political science major Alfredo Angulo, his activism and participation...
Divine appointment changes mother’s life
By Janice Spraggins, Advocate Staff
October 9, 2019
The first time Kristin Kilian Lobos stepped foot on the small San Pablo community college campus was when her daughter was a guest speaker for a drug and alcohol prevention assembly at Middle College High School at Contra Costa College. That divine appointment opened the door to Lobos’ decision...
Local eatery gains following with great chicken
By Janet Lira, Advocate Staff
October 9, 2019
An all-time favorite, fried chicken, takes a new spin with trendy ingredients and recipes at a locally owned pop up diner — Loaded Chickn. Delivering fresh made-to-order dishes, the new eatery has progressively gone up the charts in popularity and uniqueness for East Bay foodies. Usually the...
Promise kept for a friend
By Jose Rivera, Advocate Staff
October 9, 2019
Robin López is an extraordinary human being who was born in Oakland but grew up in the streets of Richmond and San Pablo — three cities that recognize the potential in its young people, “potential that still needs to be tapped into” as López likes to say. The East Bay native is an example...
Migrant tales unite campus
By Denis Perez, Cindy Pantoja, Luis Cortes, and Jose Rivera
October 2, 2019
Members of the Advocate Editorial Board show solidarity with Contra Costa College students from migrant families who feel their status or background will prohibit them from achieving their goals. Below, editors share personal migration stories from their home countries to the U.S. and the danger that sh...
Vaping dangers under scrutiny
By Luis Lopez, Advocate Staff
September 18, 2019
In an effort to address a growing health epidemic for America’s youth, the Richmond City Council has voted to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes and vape products like the popular Juul e-cigarette. The ban will begin in 2020 and is aimed at all electronic cigarette products that have not yet...