Creative Writing Club Impresses Yale Photo by Mary Crosby
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Elections p.12 ,13 Sp The Torch S ngingi idey? p.23 BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER IGN I T I N G STUDENTS TO MAKE A D I F FERENCE Go Green! p.3 Checkmate p.15 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 7 WWW.TORCHBCC.COM APRIL 2011 Creative Writing Club Impresses Yale Photo by Mary Crosby (From L to R): Caroline McCausland, Ayah Eldosougi, Dianne Castillo, Dyonne Lindsay, Randy Hale, Ashley Carratura, David Gonzalez, Dustan Hogan, and Evans Mbai. from Yale, Berklee College, Although the slam is a Bards and Scribes President in Michigan next April. Bards & Scribes Middlebury College, SUNY competition, it is also an event David Gonzalez said, “This In the meantime, Jared New Paltz, and Wesleyan that promotes collegiality was an amazing experience. Singer, professional slam poet University. Fellow club and learning. In addition It has brought our writing and and coach for the Yale Poetry members Dyonne Lindsay, to the tournament, students our club to a whole new level.” Team, will be coming to Bards & Scribes Creative Ayah Eldosougi, Dustan participated in writing Although Bergen did not Bergen Community College on Writing Club participated in Hogan, Evans Mbai, and workshops and attended place, “they did an amazing job Wednesday, April 27, 2011. He the ACUI Region I Poetry Ashley Carratura also attended poetry readings with legendary for a team’s first appearance,” will give a performance and Slam at Yale University on for the first time. The weekend- masters of slam, Mahogany said Jared Singer, Event offer a writing workshop. All March 25 and 26. First time long event is a precursor to the L. Brown and Jeanann Verlee. Coordinator. Bergen has interested students are invited competitors David Gonzalez, College Union Poetry Slam Bergen poets were able to already been invited back to to attend at 12:30 p.m. in room Diane Castillo, Randy Hale Invitational (CUPSI) at the create new work and share their Yale for next year’s regional C-211. and Caroline McCausland University of Michigan in writing, as well as meet fellow competition. They are also competed against students April. poets from various colleges. making plans to attend CUPSI P olitical Activist Promotes Women Empowerment Lydia Snyder then proceeded to tell us how trying to pass, for instance, to Staff Writer to bring down the hierarchy; justify the murder of an abortion the first thing being to get rid doctor, as self-defense. Steinem of “language that centralizes.” said she couldn’t understand why For example, “the near east” “the same groups are against Feminist, political activist and “the far east” are near and lesbians and contraception.” and writer, Gloria Steinem, far in relation to London. This Being involved in politics emphasized the importance of centralizes London. In other as well as feminist theories, “telling her story” because, “all cases, “what is normal or central Steinem compared the family of our stories are part of history,” has no adjective,” but when structure to the governmental she said. A polarizing figure, something requires an adjective structure. “Once you understand Steinem is unapologetic about like “African-American doctor” the paradigm, the microcosm, of giving her ideas on a podium. or “Gay novelist,” it means that the human family, you can better This is why she speaks at so it is not considered normal. understand what’s happening many college campuses and why Steinem also has a problem on a national level,” she said. she came to BCC. with religion being centralized. Steinem believes that under the During her speech She talked about how she had Obama administration, America introduction, Steinem stated, been on a trip down the Nile is escaping from a patriarchal “my job here today is to make river and at the start of the trip, structure and this means that you angry that we’re not really she could see in remnants of the “it is a time of danger,” and learning history.” She was old culture in which Egyptians that “we’re not going to stop making an allusion to the fact believed God was in everything. [escaping].” that we have separate terms for As she traveled farther down the “The most sinister thing the traditionally marginalized Nile, she realized that God has is that we think it has always parts of history like, “women’s been taken out of nature and been this way [a patriarchal history, African-American the goddess had sons, but not society], and that it always has history, gay and lesbian history,” daughters. Still further down, to be this way.” But Gloria said when we should and maybe will, the goddess had become a throne it doesn’t and she is not called Gloria Steinam signing books for her fans Photos by Lydia Snyder “one day have human history.” for the god, and eventually, an activist for nothing. She told Steinem wants to do away in the most civilized ancient the audience that we need to governor, or run for governor, March 28th in honor of Women’s with hierarchical systems that settlements, there were mosques “overthrow patriarchy, racism then she would do one thing, and History Month. The event was cause such marginalization, where women aren’t allowed. and nationalism.” She ended by the next day, the world would free for everyone with a Bergen because “hierarchy is based on She segued from religion to with a deal; that if we did one be a “better place.” ID, while non-Bergen members patriarchy and patriarchy doesn’t a criticism of some of the laws thing the next day to help that Her discourse took place at of the community paid $35 per work anywhere anymore.” She certain right-wing groups are goal, whether it was to write the Bergen Community College on ticket. Winner for Layout & Design, Editorial Cartoon/Artistic Story Illustration, Enterprise/Investigative Reporting 2010-2011 Winner for News & Arts and Entertainment/Critical, Features, Column/Opinion, Sports Writing, Deadline Reporting 2010-2011 Sports/Gerneral Photography, Biography/Personality Profile, General Excellence, Sweepstakes Award 2010-2011 New Jersey Press Foundation Better College Newspaper Contest 2 News THTRC E O H VOLUME 18 ISSUE 6 MARCH 2011 Business Club Provides Free Tax Services Photos courtesy of IRS.gov Jaehee Lee due to lack of publicity support Composting For a Greener Campus in 2010. The situation has not Staff Writer been improved much although this is the sole service provided in school conjunction with the An onerous number tag that IRS. indisputably follows us to The certified volunteers death is tax. The taxation has are knowledgeable ensuring become a complex web and quality of the service. They people are relying on private can train themselves through tax preparation services more seven online training courses than ever. Bergen Community from basics to military, College missed opportunities international, Puerto Rico, to educate students with tax Foreign students, and returns until few students refreshers. Course materials arduous attempt finally and software called, “Tax brought Volunteer Income Tax Wise” are all provided by the Assistance, VITA, to campus IRS without cost. No files Helping You Help Others in 2010. are saved, no documents are After the Business Club copied or discussed to protect members learning about the confidentiality. VITA from their advisor The service has been a long Professor Mary Ryan while overdue; the VITA existed searching for a community since 1969 by the Internal service that would also qualify Revenue Service a year after for Service Learning Credit, the school offering first class. Keisha Branch, the formal The service offers free tax help president of the club initiated to income of $49,000 below contact with the IRS. who lacks skills to prepare Currently under the their own tax returns. leadership of student Jennifer The need for the service is Gallardo, ten other students apparent as the school consists Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sat through three in-class of 43.5% part time students, 1,290 non-resident aliens and promotion of the volunteer The school, a tax-exempt pronoun partly due to its sessions provided by the IRS program,” says Jennifer non-profit organization, complexity. The school did this January and passed exams majority of residency come from lower income parts of the Gallardo, the president of qualifies for grants eligibility not meet the needs and missed to act as certified tax return Business Club. • • • • • under• • • Section• • • • 501• • •federal • • • •making • • • •sure • • •students • are preparers. Each candidate Bergen County according the B.C.C. 2009-2010 Fact book. The school or any other income tax, yet has not taken knowledgeable about the basic received two chances to pass organizations in Bergen County active steps to receive the civil practice: tax. At the end the exam with passing score of The demand is high but has not been fulfilled by campus until missed to receive grants from award. The grant allows $500 of a day, blind spot is found, 80 and one can save the exam the IRS that could support the or less on spending on food saving sweats and shivers online and return to it later. students’ initiative as the IRS requires 1040 tax form from student VITA service. The2011 for volunteers, Program reasonable Overviewfor community residents and Even Professor Ryan, a veteran IRS has awarded more than office supplies, printers and students before the dawn Certified Public Accountant, foreign students also since 1993. $11 million in matching grants computers, publicity and of April 15. The service is had to be certified by passing to support for 2011 filing.and marketing, Application clerical support, site Packageprovided by appointment only the exam. “As the program continues to grow, there would be a need Only few organizations in coordinator, tax law instructor on Saturdays until April 15, Even with quality and neighboring counties of Essex, and interpreter or translator.