Hello Spring 2021 … One year later

When President Joe Biden announced his pledge of 100 million vaccinations during his first 100 days, it was an ambitious goal requiring coordination to increase vaccine distribution across the country. But we have reached that goal – with 42 days to spare!

It was bittersweet to see that news on the one year anniversary of when we announced a physical campus closure at Bakersfield College, just hours before Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order to shelter in place.

*Public Safety secured campus for our physical closure last March.*

In that ensuing year, we have come together and innovated in ways we never previously dreamed would be possible – or necessary. I want to thank everyone in our Renegade community – students, staff, faculty, and administration – for all of the creativity and effort you have all put into making sure BC was able to continue the mission of educating and preparing our students.

And now, we’re slowly starting to open up again, while BC has become a vaccination center. You can stay up-to-date on BC’s vaccination clinics, and schedule your appointment at https://www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/studenthealth/clinic. The next clinic will be Sunday, March 21, from 10 am to 3 pm.

Check out these photos submitted from our Renegade community this week:

If you have photos from your Covid-19 vaccination, please send them to president@bakersfieldcollege.edu. You can see all our submitted photos in our online gallery.

I love seeing these photos – every vaccination brings us that much closer to returning to normal.

Good morning Bakersfield.
It is Saturday, March 13, 2021 … a great day to be a Renegade.

Jones Art Gallery Exhibit Dolores Huerta: Revolution in the Fields / Revolución en los Campos

Dolores Huerta speaks to United Farm Workers members and supporters during an open-air meeting, location unknown,
ca. 1970s

*Unidentified photographer. Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State*
*University, Detroit, Michigan.*

This week will be the kickoff with the opening for the new exhibit Dolores Huerta: Revolution in the Fields / Revolución en los Campos in the Jones Art Gallery!

Thursday, March 25, 2021 at 3PM, festivities begin with a Conversation with Dolores Huerta. Dolores Huerta will talk via Zoom with Dr. Taína Caragol, Curator of Latino Art & History at the Smithsonian Institution. This event is free and open to the public, and it is co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, the Dolores Huerta Foundation, the Wylie and May Louise Jones Art Gallery at Bakersfield College, and the Norman Levan Center for the Humanities at Bakersfield College. Register for the Conversation with Dolores Huerta.

That same day, we will unveil our virtual 360 tour of the Dolores Huerta: Revolution in the Fields / Revolución en los Campos Exhibit in the Jones Art Gallery. This virtual exhibition features bilingual descriptive text (English-Spanish) of historic and personal photographs and documents, along with protest art from the farm workers’ movement.

The Bakersfield College Jones Gallery display also features unique artworks, awards and historical objects courtesy of Dolores Huerta, Lori de Leon, and the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Dolores Huerta: Revolution in the Fields / Revolución en los Campos is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C. See the virtual tour and get more information at the Jones Art Gallery.

Thank you to Oliver Rosales, Ronnie Wrest, and Jeffrey Huston for all your hard work in bringing the Smithsonian Exhibit to BC and organizing the virtual tour.

Music Open House

Photo by: Diana Martin Photography (www.DianaMartinphoto.com)

Bakersfield College has many music programs in our Performing Arts Department. You, or someone you know, may love music and be missing out on some of these opportunities. During these socially distant pandemic times, we haven’t been able to showcase traditional public musical demonstrations. Dr. Jennifer Garrett is thinking outside of the box to showcase music performances through a Music Open House this afternoon from 2PM-4PM.

This event will begin with an introduction to faculty and the beautiful BC Performing Arts Center. Breakout sessions will include: the various ensembles at BC, meeting with private instructors to get to know and work with them, learning about the Commercial Music Certificate, the Music Major classes, a general Q & A, and more. Sessions will include performances by private instructors.

This virtual event is open to anyone interested in learning more about music at BC – incoming students, future students, high school students, the community and all BC students, faculty & staff. Due to the pandemic the event will be hosted on Zoom. Sign up for the Zoom event.

For more information, please contact Dr. Jen Garrett at jennifer.garrett@bakersfieldcollege.edu.

Jack Hernandez Poem: “Walking”

Please enjoy this poem from Jack Hernandez:

Walking

On this sun bright afternoon
we walk along neighborhood paths,
she slowly behind her walker
stopping occasionally to pick up trash,
we talk about our youthful places
those times of flashing newness.
A father throws a baseball to a boy,
he misses and I pick it up
failing to throw it very far,
she tells me that it’s difficult
to read regular print anymore.
Her husband and son have recently died
but she continues on living alone
waking and walking each day
accepting what comes, what goes.
A lesson I have learned
this gleaming day.

BC Vaccination clinics

In Delano on March 15, 2021. Thank you Trustee Romeo Agbalog.

In Arvin on March 14, 2021. Thank you Mayor Olivia Trujillo and Trustee Yovani Jimenez

Drive thru at the Panorama Campus on March 13, 2021

BC faculty to take part in Humanizing STEM academy

Bakersfield College has been invited to participate in the Humanizing STEM academy this summer. The academy is a 6-week online professional development course designed to support faculty as they integrate humanizing practices in their courses with the goal of helping to eliminate equity gaps. Faculty applied for the academy in record time — we were able to identify 11 Renegade STEM instructors to participate in the academy in one day! Alex Rockey and Pam Rivers will serve as faculty support.

Jess Nieto Memorial Conference

The third annual Jess Nieto Memorial Conference goes virtual this week with a series of Zoom events and panel discussions. All Zoom events are free and open to the public, but require prior registration. Please visit the Jess Nieto Memorial Conference homepage for a schedule of events and links to register.

The Jess Nieto Memorial Conference is an annual event honoring the memory of Professor Jesus “Jess” Gilberto Nieto. A noted internationalist, entrepreneur, civil rights, and educational leader, Nieto was responsible for establishing a Chicano Studies program and Chicano Cultural Center at Bakersfield College and was the first advisor for the campus’ MEChA chapter. His influence and legacy at BC are still visible in the college’s course offerings related to Latinx history and experience as well as various student organizations and services on campus.

All conference programming is free and open to the public. ZOOM events require prior registration to attend.

Spotted on Social Media

Jen Garrett‘s puppy Remi is as adorable as ever:

Kalina Hill shared a picture with her son:

The Padrinos de Bakersfield College held a virtual mixer:

Look who turned 4 on March 17 2021

Athletics

Athletics to hold Inaugural Hall of Fame in 2021-22

Renegade Athletics announced publicly this week that they will be establishing the Bakersfield College Athletics Hall of Fame this coming school year. The first class will be honored at an event this coming fall. A newly organized Hall of Fame committee consisting of former BC student athletes and community members will review nominees for induction each year.

We are excited about this new hall of fame and if you know of anyone who is deserving of being nominated into the inaugural class, please visit this link to do so.

Action Photos

Enjoy some of these photos from last week’s athletic action on campus. Remember that to watch the livestreams for each event go to team schedules on GoGades.com.

Men’s Soccer