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Merritt College updates its online resources for undocumented students after The Citizen finds outdated information from 2022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

Politics

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?

Each college acknowledged a desire to protect queer students, but institutional approaches have varied.
Romi Bales, Staff Writer • March 14, 2025
On Jan. 30, 2025, the Trump Administration issued two executive orders restricting trans and non-binary people from accessing gender affirming care and spaces. This has left the trans and non-binary community feeling vulnerable, raising questions within the LGBTQ+ community at Peralta about the impact of these executive actions and what colleges are doing to protect their students.
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

Up until Feb. 10, undocumented students seeking resources via Merritt’s website were not given the proper information for the state-mandated “Dreamer Liaison” at Merritt College.
Lylah Schmedel-Permanna • February 20, 2025

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are now permitted on college campuses, including Peralta community college campuses, following the Trump Administration’s reversal of a federal policy...

An audience in academic regalia watches a graduation ceremony. One graduation cap reads, "All that I am & hope to be, I owe to those who believed in me[.]" (Photo: Marcus Creel/PCCD)

Gilkerson quells Pell grant fears during federal freeze: “This executive order does NOT impact your financial aid”

A White House memo mandating a freeze on all federal grants left students nationwide concerned about their financial aid.
Desmond Meagley, Editor in Chief • January 29, 2025
A pause on federally funded grants would not impact student financial aid, the Peralta Community College District (PCCD) informed students Tuesday. The district’s reassurance came during an uncertain moment for the future of publicly funded institutions nationwide.
Laney community reflects on 2024 election results

Laney community reflects on 2024 election results

How is the Laney community responding to the new president-elect? (Spoiler: Mixed emotions.)
Rym-Maya Kherbache, Toni McGhee, and Gabriela Garcia • November 24, 2024
The Laney College community is reacting with mixed emotions and some strong commentary to the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
Voter registration display at Laney College library entrance. Photo by Kristina Hoessl.

Worried that you missed the voter registration deadline? Same Day Registration is still an option

Kristina Hoessl, Staff Writer • November 3, 2024
U.S. citizens who are California residents can register to vote up until Election Day using Same Day Voter Registration.
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.
Brougham (left) and Warren (right) at the Japanese Tea Garden in SF, circa 1975. (Photo courtesy of Tom Brougham)

Former LGBTQ trustee reflects on past activism and Peralta politics, opines on chancellor search

Tom Brougham, former trustee, urges board to choose a chancellor committed to 'maximizing future educational opportunity'
Timothy Lane, Opinion Editor • October 28, 2023

The Peralta Community College District (PCCD) Board of Trustees was once the political home of a groundbreaking local gay politician, Tom Brougham. Brougham, 80, worked for the City of Berkeley until his...

CA bill would alter Brown Act requirements for elected student representatives at California Community Colleges

CA bill would alter Brown Act requirements for elected student representatives at California Community Colleges

Lylah Schmedel-Permanna, Staff Writer • May 1, 2023
A controversial bill recently passed through the California State Assembly Higher Education Committee that could change Brown Act teleconferencing requirements for student body organizations at community colleges. The bill will be heard next by the Assembly Local Government Committee on May 3. 
Former Student Trustee Accuses Trustee Nicky González Yuen of “Tactics of Intimidation”

Former Student Trustee Accuses Trustee Nicky González Yuen of “Tactics of Intimidation”

Shiloh Johnston, Editor in Chief • March 2, 2023

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY Update 2:45pm, March 3, 2023: Following the publication of this story, an anonymous submission to the Citizen Secure Leak portal pointed out a public comment made...

February 14 Board of Trustees Meeting Recap

February 14 Board of Trustees Meeting Recap

Ken Lester, Managing Editor • February 23, 2023

The Peralta Community College District’s (PCCD) Board of Trustees convened on Tuesday, Feb. 14 for their regularly scheduled meeting. Issues covered at the meeting included discussions on district...

Kevin Jenkins: From School Trustee to the Town Stump

Kevin Jenkins: From School Trustee to the Town Stump

Luke Wrin Piper, Consulting Editor • February 22, 2022

Kevin Jenkins is a dangerous kind of elected official – he is both young and experienced. He is the kind of leader that can leave a room full of students feeling heard; who is unassuming and approachable,...

Board of Trustees change of guard facing difficult 2021

Board of Trustees change of guard facing difficult 2021

Heartfelt and tumultuous meeting, a fitting end to the year
Luke Wrin Piper, News Editor • December 10, 2020

On December 8th, the Peralta Board of Trustees began their meeting with the acknowledgment of Meredith Brown and Karen Weinstein, who are stepping down from their positions as trustees after eight...

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