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

The Citizen
Mark Johnson stands in front of an archival display of promotional Peralta materials in Oakland, Calif. on April 23, 2026.
Peralta’s Director of Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations to retire
June 17, 2026
A look at Peralta’s crime data
A look at Peralta’s crime data
June 9, 2026
Photo taken by Li Khan, edited on Canva
Meet the candidates for Peralta’s Executive Vice President of Student Learning and Success
May 20, 2026
Notebooks on sale at the Bookstore at Laney College in Oakland, CA on May 6, 2026.
District’s only remaining bookstore will be online for summer
May 20, 2026
A ballot drop box sits on the corner of Oak and 12th Streets in Oakland, CA. on May 14, 2026.
What to know about Peralta’s Measure A on the June ballot
May 16, 2026
Mark Johnson stands in front of an archival display of promotional Peralta materials in Oakland, Calif. on April 23, 2026.
Peralta’s Director of Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations to retire
June 17, 2026
Raha Banoo, left, shows printmaking instructor Alex Echevarria, center, and classmate Abigail Shaw, right, a print of her work in the printmaking studio at Laney College in Oakland, CA. on Monday, Oct, 6, 2025.
Laney College printmaking instructor makes lasting impression; student work on display at SFO Museum
May 2, 2026
Laney College custodian, Dwayne Jefferson, pauses for a moment from work at Laney College in Oakland, CA on Dec. 4, 2025.
Tea with Tamara: Dwayne Jefferson, custodian at Laney College
April 24, 2026
Laney gardener Bahadur Rai watering vegetables at the Laney Community Garden at Laney College in Oakland, CA on Oct. 1, 2025.
Laney College’s garden has a history of collaboration with Oakland’s immigrant communities
April 21, 2026
Laney College culinary student Miracle Law-White smiles for photo on Feb. 27, 2026 at Peralta District Office in Oakland, CA
Peralta Colleges Foundation hosts fundraising events for student programming
March 26, 2026
Raha Banoo, left, shows printmaking instructor Alex Echevarria, center, and classmate Abigail Shaw, right, a print of her work in the printmaking studio at Laney College in Oakland, CA. on Monday, Oct, 6, 2025.
Laney College printmaking instructor makes lasting impression; student work on display at SFO Museum
May 2, 2026
Featured artist Terra Wong (left) looking at "Blink" by Jillian Freiheit during the Here and Now art exhibition reception at the June Steingart Art Gallery at Laney College in Oakland, CA on April 16, 2026. Freiheit and Wong both received awards for their submissions during the reception.
June Steingart Gallery hosts final exhibition in the Laney Tower
April 24, 2026
Left to right: Gavin Piedra, Arctomy Padilla, and Mariah Pon, organizers of the Student Arts Guild, prepare for a Club Rush event.
Submissions now open for Berkeley City College student-run art show
October 21, 2025
Alexandra Tejeda Rieloff performs with her band at Etcetera Wine Bar in San Francisco, CA., on April 15, 2025.
Alumnus reflects on decades-long performing career: “it really started in Laney College”
September 26, 2025
Yunomi by Ian Bassett is one of the featured works at the new exhibition. STOKED highlights the unique texture and color of wood-fired ceramics.
National art exhibition ‘STOKED’ showcases wood-fired possibilities for Laney ceramics program
September 24, 2025
Illustration and animation by Rachel Venable
Empty Promises: The disparity of inconsistent access to menstrual hygiene
May 6, 2026
Illustration by Eliot Faine, photo background by Romi Bales.
Student journalists have temporary roles, but a permanent responsibility
February 26, 2026
A student safety aide crosses the Laney College Quad at dusk in Oakland, CA on Nov. 20, 2025.
How The Citizen covered the Laney College shooting, and why our security reporting matters
November 26, 2025
Graphic made in Canva
Dial Tones and Disengagement: A student election marked by silence
October 16, 2025
Graphic of a student journalist, using a rolled up newspaper to break the ribbon of silence.
The Citizen will not “take down” the truth
October 4, 2025
A look at Peralta’s crime data
A look at Peralta’s crime data
June 9, 2026
Graphic by Desmond Meagley
Emergency alerts sent over 20 minutes after the Laney College shooting raise concerns
February 13, 2026
A CoA counselor was told to cancel an unvetted “class” – then promoted a nearly identical one
A CoA counselor was told to cancel an unvetted “class” – then promoted a nearly identical one
October 29, 2025
An athlete looks down the dark stairwell towards the locker rooms. Illustration by Eliot Faine
The Locker Room Stall: 47 years of Title IX allegations at Laney College
March 31, 2025
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
Peralta Community College District's only student-run publication.

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

The Citizen

Front Page

Cedric Irving Jr. takes a seat at his commitment hearing at the René C. Davidson Courthouse on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Oakland, CA.

Judge orders involuntary medication for alleged Laney College shooter

Former Laney College student, Cedric Irving Jr., will receive treatment at a state hospital until he is able to proceed with his trial as the suspected murderer of former athletic director, John Beam
Ivan Saravia and Eliot Faine • May 12, 2026
Presiding judge Armando Pastran Jr. ruled during Tuesday's commitment hearing that alleged Laney College shooter, Cedric Irving Jr., be "involuntarily medicated” to regain his mental competency
Cedric Irving, Jr. leaves his commitment hearing at the René C. Davidson Courthouse on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Oakland, CA.

Judge delays commitment order of alleged John Beam shooter

Former Laney student Cedric Irving Jr.’s placement in state hospital is delayed pending a decision whether to have him involuntarily medicated. He remains at Santa Rita Jail until a decision is made.
Nathaniel Delgado, Rachel Venable, and Eliot Faine • May 8, 2026
At Friday’s hearing to determine suspect Cedric Irving Jr. 's placement at a state hospital, the prosecution and defense did not agree on whether to involuntarily medicate him.
Cybercriminals threaten public release of student data from Canvas security breach

Cybercriminals threaten public release of student data from Canvas security breach

Just a week and a half before finals, Canvas has been hit with a second cyberattack. Peralta’s solution is to “cut off access.”
Rachel Venable, Eliot Faine, and Ivan Saravia • May 7, 2026
On May 7, Peralta Community College District students and faculty who logged into Canvas received a message from an international hacking syndicate, threatening to release users' private data unless a “settlement” is negotiated.
Public Defender Sydney Bird Levin and defendant Cedric Irving, Jr. sit at Irving's mental competency hearing at René C. Davidson Courthouse on March 13, 2026 in Oakland, CA.

Mental competency decision for Cedric Irving Jr. delayed a second time

Fourth mental health evaluation not yet conducted by prosecution-selected doctor; Defense raises concerns over “excessive” and “unusual” circumstances.
Rachel Venable and Ivan Saravia • March 13, 2026

Oakland – Prosecutors from the Alameda County District Attorney's office were not able to schedule a fourth mental competency evaluation in time for Cedric Irving Jr.’s fifth court appearance, delaying...

Irving's first appearance in court was at the Wiley W. Manuel courthouse in Oakland, CA on Nov. 18, 2025.

Court Proceedings Suspended for Alleged Laney College Shooter

Cedric Irving Jr., the suspected murderer of Laney athletic director John Beam, made his third court appearance since the Nov. shooting
Tamara Copes and Ivan Saravia • January 14, 2026

Oakland - All proceedings in the hearing of Cedric Irving Jr. for the murder of former Laney College Athletic Director, John Beam, have been suspended pending an evaluation of Irving’s "mental competency,"...

A community memorial for late Laney College Athletic Director John Beam sits outside the Laney College Fieldhouse in Oakland, CA on Nov. 17, 2025. The memorial has attracted mourners, tributes and messages of grief since Beam was pronounced dead on Nov. 14.

Laney community describes “commotion” and “tension” during Nov. 13 college lockdown

In the days following the shooting death of John Beam, Laney College students and employees spoke to The Citizen about their experiences during, and in the aftermath of, the campus lockdown.
Tamara Copes, Staff Writer • November 21, 2025

Oakland – Thursday marked one week since the shooting death of Laney College Athletic Director John Beam at the campus’ Fieldhouse. The Peralta Community College District first alerted the community...

Longtime head coach for the Laney College Eagles, John Beam, retired in 2024 from coaching, but stayed on as the Director of Athletics.

Laney College Athletic Director John Beam, dead at 66

Beam was fatally shot Thursday at the Laney College Fieldhouse. Over his coaching career, Beam worked with more than 2,500 students, coached over 500 games, and sent more than 30 student athletes to the NFL.
Romi Bales, Copy Editor • November 14, 2025

John Edward Beam, 66, has died at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA., following a gunshot wound sustained at Laney College campus Thursday. The Oakland Police Department announced that Beam died at 10 a.m....

Calder Storm waves a trans flag over a crowd of counterprotestors at a rally for trans youth outside of a Kaiser Permanente clinic in San Francisco on July 25, 2025.

Trans youth and families face hard choices after Bay Area clinics pause gender affirming care

Over the summer, Bay Area medical centers and clinics Stanford Medical and Kaiser Permanente paused gender affirming surgeries for youth under 19 years old. Now, parents of transgender kids are facing some new, hard decisions. Some are even making plans to leave the Bay Area, which is known for its vibrant queer community.
Desmond Meagley, via 91.7 KALW • October 30, 2025
“Last summer, our trans daughter, she said, ‘Hey, is Project 2025 for real?’” Steve Stone, the father of a trans high school student, recalled. “And I said, ‘Yeah, that's what they want to do.’ And she said, ‘Great. So when are we leaving the country?’”
Graphic of a student journalist, using a rolled up newspaper to break the ribbon of silence.

The Citizen will not “take down” the truth

The Citizen is Peralta’s only student-run news publication. We serve all four colleges as a watchdog. Just like professional newsrooms, we take accurate reporting very seriously.
Eliot Faine, Multimedia Editor • October 4, 2025
Over the summer, The Citizen received multiple emails that claimed we had published libelous articles. The authors of the emails alleged they were reaching out on behalf of their client, Tim Thomas, Peralta Community College District’s former Executive Director of Public Safety.
Peralta Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson introduced her recommendation to merge Laney College and Merritt College at a recent district professional development day. Historically, Laney and Merritt were once two campuses of one school -- Oakland City College.

BREAKING: Peralta chancellor recommends merge between Merritt College and Laney College

In her FLEX day address, Gilkerson said the colleges may become “Oakland City College” in a move to “prune” and grow the district
Ivan Saravia, News Editor • August 15, 2025
Peralta Community College District Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson announced Thursday that she will recommend that the Board of Trustees approve a merger between Laney College and Merritt College. Her announcement came during a staff development day for Peralta district personnel. 
Laney athletics members line up for their turn during public comment.

April 8 Peralta Board of Trustees Brief: students say no to cuts, resignation incentives approved, and 2025 Employee of the Year Awards

The district settles resignation incentives across various union groups as a way to save money in the long-run
Nelzy Gonzalez-Zaragoza, Staff Writer • April 22, 2025

The Peralta Community College District convened for a Board of Trustees Meeting on April 8, where several athletic department leaders, student-athletes, and cosmetology students showed up for a passionate...

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