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

The Citizen
Illustration by Gabriel Hongsdusit, CalMatters
How California keeps transgender student athletes on the court as bans unfold across the country
December 2, 2024
(Photo by Eli Pluma on Unsplash)
Laney classified employees organize annual toy drive
November 27, 2024
Three candidates vie to lead CoA instruction
Three candidates vie to lead CoA instruction
November 26, 2024
Paulina Gonzalez-Brito shares a laugh with The Citizen staff during the publication's public forums held Sep. 23. Area 2 voters re-elected Gonzalez-Brito this month, according to unofficial results from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.
Paulina Gonzalez-Brito to retain Area 2 seat
November 24, 2024
Students can access primary care, birth control, and STI testing at no cost through the Laney health clinic, which is now under the leadership of Baywell Health.
Laney health clinic gets new provider
November 19, 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
A new space for LGBTQ+ students has popped up on the Laney College campus. The Queer Community center will host events and offer resources to LGBTQ+ members of the Peralta community.
‘We’re here, we’re in school, we have dreams’: New Laney queer center offers safe haven for LGBTQ+ students
November 20, 2024
Citizen Staff Writer Eliot Fane pays a visit to PCCD's cat community. Photos by Stevie Campos-Seligman.
The Feline Freaks Come Out at Night:  Peralta District Office’s Nocturnal Neighbors
November 3, 2024
Peabody Award-winning journalist Candice Nguyen captivated a crowd of student journalists Saturday as she recounted her life and career. Nguyen, who was born and raised in Oakland, said journalism gave her the "structure and purpose" to stitch her life back together after a chaotic childhood.
Peabody Award winner inspires students
November 1, 2024
Who are Peralta’s student trustees?
Who are Peralta’s student trustees?
October 31, 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
In Director Chelsea Bo's first feature-length film, half-sisters Harper (left, Chelsea Bo) and Georgie (right, Ava Acres), thrown together by circumstance and a weak blood relation, must untie the knots in their relationship. The film won "Jury Prize Feature" at the Alameda International Film Festival last week. (Courtesy: Paxeros)
No Right Way, Chelsea Bo’s hard-hitting emotional rollercoaster about the complexities of sisterhood, shown at Alameda International Film Festival
February 29, 2024
©Netflix 2023. Fair Use Disclaimer: This image has been used in good faith for the purpose of review and critique under the terms of "fair use". Under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" of copyrighted work for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research.
Queer Black History: A review of ‘Rustin’
February 28, 2024
Muffler’s first headlining performance at the Golden Bull in Oakland, CA on May 24, 2023. From left to right: Wes Allerd, TJ Gardea Jr., Gaby Aravjo (Photo by Lylah Schmedel-Permanna/The Citizen)
Your next favorite post-punk band includes two Peralta students — an interview with Muffler
November 6, 2023
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 19, 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 8, 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

PCCD

Paulina Gonzalez-Brito shares a laugh with The Citizen staff during the publication's public forums held Sep. 23. Area 2 voters re-elected Gonzalez-Brito this month, according to unofficial results from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.

Paulina Gonzalez-Brito to retain Area 2 seat

Incumbent trustee prepares to tackle finance, facilities
Romi Bales, Staff Writer • November 24, 2024
Gonzalez-Brito also reflected that their focus was not actually on the election, but rather getting the district financially stable.
Peralta’s financial outlook is ‘negative’ according to Fitch Ratings

Peralta’s financial outlook is ‘negative’ according to Fitch Ratings

New report outlines PCCD’s upcoming fiscal challenges but maintains AAA status
Ian Waters, Staff Writer • November 14, 2024

Credit rating agency Fitch Ratings downgraded its rating of the Peralta Community College District (PCCD)’s financial outlook in a 2024 annual report, due to concerns over the district’s projected...

PCCD's financial future got an honest look at the Oct. 22 board meeting. From left: Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson, Chief Operating Officer Greg Nelson. (Photo: Kristina Hoessl/The Citizen)

‘The sky’s already fallen’: Peralta’s grim financial future and past mistakes overviewed at 10/22 trustee meeting

Kristina Hoessl, Staff Writer • November 14, 2024
District officials warned the board about the impacts that a new state funding formula will have on the institution's already shaky financial outlook.
Abdul Pridgen. (Source: 9/24 PCCD Board of Trustees Meeting livestream)

New hybrid safety model proposed for Peralta Community College District

Peralta safety director suggests employing ‘sworn and non-sworn’ personnel
Ivan Saravia, Staff Writer • October 3, 2024
The proposed hybrid model is a new development in the district's efforts to restructure its approach to campus safety following the 2020 death of George Floyd. PCCD currently contracts with Marina Security Services to provide unarmed security districtwide.
New Student Trustee Pierce Byrne takes the oath of office at the Sep. 10 meeting of the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees.

New student trustee, $325m budget and more at 9/10 meeting for PCCD trustees

Li Khan, Editor in Chief • September 24, 2024
In addition to approving this year’s budget, the board also swore new Student Trustee Pierce Byrne.
The Peralta boardroom. Photo was taken before current Board President Paulina Gonzalez-Brito stepped onto the board. (Photo: Peralta Colleges SmugMug)

Sinead Geneva Anderson runs for Peralta board against Area 2 Trustee Paulina Gonzalez-Brito

The Citizen makes plans for public forums, endorsement
Desmond Meagley, Associate Editor • September 17, 2024
A challenger has stepped forward in the Area 2 Peralta Community College (PCCD) Board of Trustees election.
New contract approval process to reduce delays, confusion

New contract approval process to reduce delays, confusion

Ivan Saravia, Staff Writer • August 28, 2024

After collecting constructive feedback from district employees, the Peralta Community College District (PCCD) announced plans to improve the system by which district contracts are processed. The improvements...

A rendering of what a renovated Laney Theater could look like one day. The $29 million project is on hold until the state approves designs for a functional fire alarm system for the aging campus. (Source: BuildPERALTA website)

Big money is being spent to upgrade Peralta’s facilities. How’s it going?

Trustees get update to $945 million bond program
Li Khan, Editor in Chief • July 29, 2024
Some projects to upgrade facilities are on standby while others have moved forward.
Sharon Serrano overviews Peralta's $945 million bond program, which funds many much-needed repairs and facilities upgrades across the district.

Bond update, student trustee vacancy, and new blue phones at 6/25 meeting for trustees

Li Khan, Editor in Chief • July 29, 2024

As summer classes kick off at Peralta Community College District (PCCD), the PCCD Board of Trustees tied up loose ends in its last meeting for the fiscal year, held June 25. The meeting included a status...

Raymond Quan, one of two candidates turned down for the Vice Chancellor of Human Resources role, answers a question at his public forum.

PCCD fails to hire permanent HR head

Andrea Epps tapped for interim VC of Human Resources
Desmond Meagley, Staff Writer • July 21, 2024
PCCD Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson turned down two candidates for the position earlier this month.
PCCD offices. (Photo: Li Khan/The Citizen)

Board bears down on budget at 6/11 meeting

District faces $11.2 million deficit
Romi Bales and Li Khan • July 10, 2024
The district is facing a $11.2 million budget gap for the upcoming fiscal year.
A cap at the Laney College commencement ceremony on May 24 reads in Spanish, "This is for my mom who gave me everything." (Photo: Marcus Creel/PCCD)

Graduations, resignations and more: PCCD Trustees wrap up school year at 5/28 meeting

Romi Bales, Staff Writer • June 17, 2024

The Peralta Community College District (PCCD) Board of Trustees convened on May 28 to bid a fond farewell to the school year. As the meeting opened with the board’s routine reading of a statement...

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