Peralta Community College District's Only Student-Run Publication
Peralta Community College District's only student-run publication.

The Citizen
A neon sign on the Laney College Tower building lights up at dusk. The Tower houses the offices of administrators, counselors, and other Laney employees.
Besikof Leaves Laney
March 19, 2025
The Board of Trustees listens intently as public comments are under way.
Peralta’s Board of Trustees vote to lay off 68 positions at 02/25 trustee meeting
March 15, 2025
On Jan. 30, 2025, the Trump Administration issued two executive orders focusing on restricting trans and non-binary people from accessing gender affirming care and spaces. These executive actions have raised questions within the LGBTQ+ community at Peralta about what the colleges are doing to protect their students.
LGBTQ+ students are feeling “fear and hesitation” under Trump. What’s Peralta doing about it?
March 14, 2025
Abdul Pridgen sits down for a chat with The Citizen regarding public safety, how Peralta's security model currently works, and his plans for a new model.
Interview and security updates with Peralta’s Interim Executive Director of Public Safety Abdul Pridgen
March 1, 2025
A sign reading 'No human is illegal' in the R-building at Merritt College. As of Jan. 21, ICE agents are now permitted on college campuses.
Merritt College updates its online resources for undocumented students after The Citizen finds outdated information from 2022
February 20, 2025
The pieces shown in Clay, Paper, Wood are crafted by advanced Laney students across many mediums. The gallery offers a tranquil space in the center of Laney College’s campus.
Laney Art students get crafty in new gallery show
March 10, 2025
New CoA President wants to be a role model for students
New CoA President wants to be a role model for students
December 12, 2024
Laney's student body president, Frida Veliz, wants to help connect students to the resources she didn't have access to when she first started college.
New ASLC President Builds Community
December 11, 2024
Cheryl Lew has been an instructor in the Culinary Arts department since 2012 and was tenured in 2015. Her focus is on baking and pastries.
Multi-layered, highly decorated pastry chef Cheryl Lew brings culture and chemistry to Laney’s culinary department
December 11, 2024
Laney Engineering Department Chair Mallory Barkdull tallies points as her students pit their soccer-playing robots against each other. The friendly tournament challenges contestants to learn design and coding skills through play.
Robot soccer teaches students nuts and bolts of engineering
November 26, 2024
The pieces shown in Clay, Paper, Wood are crafted by advanced Laney students across many mediums. The gallery offers a tranquil space in the center of Laney College’s campus.
Laney Art students get crafty in new gallery show
March 10, 2025
Native American photographer Dugan Aguilar spent decades documenting the lives of Indigenous Californians through his camera lens. His collection of work is on display now at the Oakland Museum of Califoria. (Shown: “Mimi Mullen (Madiu) Grand Marshall,” 1997 Greenville Gold Digger Days Parade)
This Indigenous art exhibition is free for Laney students
January 27, 2025
A seven-year relationship ends in a tumultuous fight in Jeffrey Lo's "A Kind of Sad Love Story," performed live at the Laney Theater last month. Shown: Maya Wooten, Jesse Savoey
‘It started with an argument about bags’: Laney Theater performs A Kind of Sad Love Story
December 8, 2024
Merritt Librarian reimagines 'alebrijes' sculptor’s life in new picture book
Merritt Librarian reimagines ‘alebrijes’ sculptor’s life in new picture book
May 30, 2024
College of Alameda jazz professor Glen Pearson demonstrates his musical talent on his classroom piano. He's one of the newest members of the Count Basie Orchestra, a historic 18-piece jazz ensemble that took home a Grammy this year.
The humble Grammy-winning pianist leading CoA’s music program
March 4, 2024
Incumbent Area 2 Trustee Paulina Gonzalez-Brito, pictured here in The Citizen's newsroom, has what it takes to stay on the Peralta board for another four years.
EDITORIAL: Keep Paulina Gonzalez-Brito on the Peralta board
September 25, 2024
Staff Writer Desmond Meagley stands in the very spot where a security guard confronted him last month: the doorway of the men’s restroom in the Laney College Library. Meagley, who is transgender, tried to report the incident, but reached a dead end when an administrator told him he would need the security guard’s name.
The Catch-22 in AP 3435, Peralta’s Harassment Protocol
May 20, 2024
Social Media Editor Isabelly Sabô stands in front of the door to The Citizen's newsroom. Sabô is an international student from Brazil.
We’re not just ‘rich kids on vacation’: The journey of an international student
May 5, 2024
(Photo: Glen Carrie/Unsplash)
Student elections open today. Has voter information been ‘widespread’?
April 9, 2024
The state flag of California flies underneath the American flag on the west side of the Laney College campus. Behind, the Tribune Tower, which once housed Oakland's daily print newspaper, sits in the city skyline. Both California and the United States have open government laws that establish the public's right to information, but the Peralta Community College District consistently lags behind in comprehensively fulfilling requests for public information made by student journalists at The Citizen. (Photo: Li Khan/The Citizen)
We sued our district over public records and won. Here’s what we learned
February 22, 2024
The American Straight A Academy helped students in China receive transfer degrees from the Peralta Community College District without paying international tuition or setting foot in California. The for-profit company, registered in Dallas, Texas, has not disclosed how much students pay for the experience.
Investigation: A look at the for-profit Chinese business that sold Peralta classes overseas
October 30, 2024
Investigation: Over half of PCCD conflict of interest disclosures nowhere to be found
Investigation: Over half of PCCD conflict of interest disclosures nowhere to be found
September 17, 2024
The Citizen Investigates: International Travel
The Citizen Investigates: International Travel
July 25, 2024
Sunshine Week 2024: Spotlighting public records
Sunshine Week 2024: Spotlighting public records
March 17, 2024
The UC Berkeley chapter of End Overdose at Sproul Plaza in Berkeley on Jan. 23, 2024. The organization passes out free fentanyl test strips to students, and gives other organizations training on Narcan usage. (Photo: Juliana Yamada/CalMatters)
Narcan at California colleges: Are students getting overdose medication?
March 8, 2024
Peralta Community College District's only student-run publication.

The Citizen
Peralta Community College District's only student-run publication.

The Citizen

Events

Laney Engineering Department Chair Mallory Barkdull tallies points as her students pit their soccer-playing robots against each other. The friendly tournament challenges contestants to learn design and coding skills through play.

Robot soccer teaches students nuts and bolts of engineering

Engineering students at Laney College get to have a ball while learning coding and design basics
Sam O’Neil, Staff Writer • November 26, 2024
“This class is not like other classes where we just sit in the classroom listening to the teacher trying to give a lecture, but this class is actually hands on,” Wells said. “Everybody is always engaged.”
New district chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson delivered an impassioned speech introducing herself to PCCD at Spring 2024 Flex Day. Other keynote speeches, performances, info sessions, and trainings were held throughout the day. (Photo: Faiza Ali/PCCD)

Spring semester kicks off at districtwide Flex Day

New chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson delivers personal introduction
Ivan Saravia, Staff Writer • January 31, 2024
PCCD Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson gave a personal introduction to Peralta, while state chancellor Sonya Christian showcased her vision for California Community Colleges. Laney geography professor and biogeographer Mark Rauzon gave a presentation on the effects of climate change in the Bering Sea.
A crowd gathers underneath the Laney Construction Canopy as Karl Seelbach, Laney’s Carpentry Department Chair, speaks at the ceremony. The new tiny home, pictured on the left, was donated to the Shelterwood Collective. (Courtesy: Filomeno Tomas)

Laney Carpentry Department finishes fourth tiny home project

Sam O’Neil, Associate Editor • November 18, 2023

A new tiny home has been built by the Laney College Carpentry Department. The department held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the tiny home Oct. 11 in the Laney Construction Canopy. The final project...

(Image by Randi Cross/The Citizen)

BCC holds events for Undocumented Student Action Week

Emily Tenorio Molina, Staff Writer • November 14, 2023

The week of Oct. 16 marked the seventh annual Undocumented Student Action Week across community colleges in California. Berkeley City College (BCC) held a series of events centering the undocumented student...

From The Ground Up inside of the Berkeley City College Atrium. (Photo by Emily Tenorio Molina/The Citizen)

BCC Art instructor Juana Alicia honored by the San Francisco Art Commission

Emily Tenorio Molina, Staff Writer • September 21, 2023

Berkeley City College Art instructor and Bay Area muralist Juana Alicia Araiza was celebrated for her decades-long contribution to the arts by the San Francisco Art Commission (SFAC) “Dreaming in Color”'...

A graduation cap with the words "Wake up your dreams and make it true" glued on the top, along with paper butterflies and a flower

District-wide Latinx graduation held in-person for the first time

Tamara Copes, Staff Writer • June 7, 2023

On May 18, over 60 Latinx students adorned the stage at the first-ever in-person Raíces, the Peralta Community College District (PCCD) Latinx Graduation Celebration. Held at Laney College this year,...

An image of lavender-colored tassels in the foreground and rainbow pins in the background.

This is Intersectionality

Reflections of an aging queer rights advocate on Peralta’s Lavender Graduation ceremony
Timothy Lane, Staff Writer • May 30, 2023

On May 5, 2023, the Peralta Community College District (PCCD) held the first-ever district-wide Lavender Graduation ceremony for LGBTQIA+ graduates from the district’s four community colleges. I am a...

The Citizen receives the General Excellence Award at the 2022 Northern California Journalism Association of Community Colleges Conference

The Citizen receives the General Excellence Award at the 2022 Northern California Journalism Association of Community Colleges Conference

Emily Tenorio Molina, Staff Writer • November 5, 2022

On Saturday, Oct. 22 The Citizen won accolades from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) at the 2022 Northern California conference. The newsroom accepted awards in three categories...

RAÍCES online graduation ceremony showcases Latinx excellence

RAÍCES online graduation ceremony showcases Latinx excellence

Justin Burrows, Staff Writer • June 3, 2022

The RAÍCES graduation, which translates in Spanish to “Roots” graduation, is Peralta Community College District’s annual graduation celebration for Latinx and Chicanx students.  The ceremony...

Carlos Cruz (foreground) celebrates a goal that put his team ahead 1-0. (Ken Lester/ The Citizen)

Oakland Roots’ development team dominates in home opener at Merritt College

Project 51O remains undefeated and is leading the USL League Two Southwest Division after their first 3 games
Ken Lester, Staff Writer • May 25, 2022

Project 51O, the development team for Oakland Roots, opened their USL League Two home schedule at Merritt College on Sunday with a dominant 4-1 victory over Central Valley Fuego FC II. According...

Laney Self Care Fair aims to make health and fitness fun

Laney Self Care Fair aims to make health and fitness fun

Free event takes place this Wednesday, April 13, at noon in the Laney Quad
David Rowe, Associate Editor • April 11, 2022

The Laney Wellness Center, which has been hosting a weekly series of “Wellness Wednesday” events since February 16, is planning an expanded health-related event this Wednesday, April 13, from 12...

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The Lavender Project hosts first event since pandemic began

Ulysses Smith, Staff Writer • November 2, 2021

Elves, horses, lions, and lavender. The LGBTQ+ oriented support group, The Lavender Project, came together for a Halloween themed costume brunch. The coalition of LGBTQ+ faculty, administrators, staff...

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