ASC Hosts the fundrasing Filharmonic concert
Review by Monica Tenneson
The Filharmonic took the stage in January in the Port Angeles High School auditorium. The Filharmonic is a Filipino-American, all- men a capella group, based on Los Angeles. They are best known for their performance in the hit movie Pitch Perfect 2.
They started at 7 p.m. and performed until 8 p.m. This performance was put on by the Peninsula College Associated Student Coun- cil.
The ASC has a specified budget. A certain portion of that is set aside for bringing in en- tertainment and performances like this one.
They ended the evening with bringing the PAHS choir on the stage to join them in en- tertaining the rest of the about 350 attendees. This performance sold 131 tickets, earning $2,645 in total sales.
The two-feet of snow leads to the three-day campus closure
By Saki Kambe
Peninsula College Port Angeles Campus had a two-hour delay on Monday, Jan. 13 and was closed Tuesday, Jan. 14 through Thursday, Jan. 15 as a re- sult of the heavy snow. The campus them opened again on Friday, Jan. 17, PC Campus Security said.
The maintenance crews had worked hard trying to get rid of the snow, but the campus needed to re- main closed for few days to ensure students’ safety.
“The roads were not safe for students to travel to campus. This also included traversing around cam- pus,” Campus Safety said.
As far as the impact the heavy snow left for stu- dents, “online classes were not as affected because many students have access to Canvas at home,” Campus Security said. “Missing a week of school is fun but keeping on a schedule without disruption allows students the opportunity for greater success.”
“Tune in to all forms of social media for closure information. You should also be receiving notifica- tions via PC Alert and can find updated information on the PC website. If you are not receiving PC Alert notifications, please ensure your contact informa- tion is updated through Pirate Central or contact Campus Safety,” said Campus Security, in case it snows again.
‘Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly’
Photos & story by Emily Matthiessen
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to jus- tice everywhere. We are caught in an in- escapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever af- fects one directly, affects all indirectly,” Martin Luther King, Jr, “Letters From a Birmingham Jail.”
Multimedia artist, attorney and advo- cate for social justice reform, Deborah Espinosa, spoke to the Studium Generale audience at the Little Theater on the sub- ject of legal financial fees (LFOs) im- posed on convicts and the repercussions thereof for people already struggling with societal and personal issues when released. She also narrated a history of the importance of photographers in ef- fecting social and legislative change. Es- pinosa said that to effect legal change, so- ciety-wide opinion must first be changed. Nearly one third of Americans have a criminal record, so the issue of post- prison debt and the difficulty of finding a
job and affordable housing affects a large percentage of the population.
Espinosa’s Jan. 23rd presentation was part of Peninsula College’s Dream Week. Martin Luther King, Jr’s focus on social justice, including prison reform, and his deep understanding that in a truly free society every citizen would have equal rights and opportunity, regardless of wealth, stature, or heredity continues to inspire activists and reformers.
Espinosa’s presentation connected with the Dream Week showing of Ava DuVernay’s “13th,” about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, intend- ed to end slavery, which had language within it that has given cover for pris- oner abuse and unjust incarceration. The 13th Amendment states: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall ex- ist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
Espinosa is dedicated to the Living
With Conviction Project, found at https:// www.livingwithconviction.org/, and with a coalition of organizations and individu- als successfully lobbied the Washington State legislature to eliminate the 12 per- cent interest on LFOs for those convicted on or after June 17th, 2018.
This was a partial victory, as there are legal hurdles involved with getting it discharged retroactively, and there is still 12% interest attached to victim res- titution. Espinosa said that the average minimum for LFOs is $2500 per person, which will double after seven years in prison, wherein wages are less than a dol- lar per hour.
Espinosa befriends, photographs, and records the stories of people who have served their time and dealt with crippling debt after release, as seen in a magazine for lawmakers, her websites, photog- raphy exhibitions, and a documentary movie in progress.
Her work has been instrumental in helping legislators and citizens under- stand the challenges convicts face when attempting to become productive mem- bers of society.
Photo by MonicaTenneson
The Filharmonic group VJ Rosales, Trace Gaynor, Niko Del Rey, Jules Cruz and Joe Caigoy.
“There are many examples of media reach- ing decision makers, legisla- tors, and caus- ing change… there’s an enor- mous amount of historical experience… now it’s no less impactful.”