Tobi Balma,
C/U Branch Liaison to Cerritos College

Cerritos College
Grand Opening of The Falcon’s Nest
March 1, 2022

Members Tobi Balma and Sue Carruthers represented the branch at the Grand Opening of he Falcon’s Nest. As part of our community involvement.  Branch members donate food and clothing.

The Falcon’s Nest provides centralized support services for students facing basic need insecurities. This is accomplished through access to on and off campus resources, community collaboration, and advocacy that ensures a student’s educational success.

The Falcon’s Nest is a network of resources that support meeting the basic needs of students, including a free campus food pantry modeled after Trader Joe’s with an assortment of healthy, fresh food and vegetables.  The Falcon’s Nest also offers clothing (Franco’s Closet), hygiene support, emergency aid resources, and housing resources, among other services.

Emergency aid assists students in meeting financial needs as a result of an unexpected event or emergency. The purpose of this program is to assist students in staying enrolled in college and progressing toward graduation. The Falcon’s Nest will explore a variety of resources available to students through on and off campus referrals.

Cerritos College News

Thank you to our branch member and Cerritos College representative, Norma Rodriguez, for her enlightening presentation at our November meeting. She explained about her work at the college and spoke passionately about her increasing concern for the many international and undocumented students that her office serves. These students are among the most dedicated and high performing on the campus. In our changing political climate, they are now fearful and feel threatened. Some have given personal information to the government for the promise of becoming “Dreamers” under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival act of President Obama. They fear this could soon lead to reprisals and even deportation for themselves or their families.

While California has the highest nationwide percentage of international students, it has put into effect a number of safeguards for them and their personal information, as well as legislation that grants some of them instate tuition rates at all state schools. On Tuesday, November 22^nd, Cerritos College students, joined by some trustees and staff, held a candlelight vigil on the campus to declare that it become a “sanctuary campus”. This is a similar philosophy to that adopted by over 30 “sanctuary cities” across the nation, including Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Proposed policies on campuses, similar to those adopted by cities, would not allow ICE officers onto campus without a warrant, campus police would not enforce immigration law and student information would not be shared. A variety of support programs and services will be provided to threatened students at Cerritos College.

The future still remains uncertain, but these are important protective steps being taken in California’s higher education institutions for students pursuing education and their future success. On campus, the President, college staff, students and faculty are organizing awareness and support. The state of California is taking a proactive stance and the chancellors from the three largest educational sectors (UC, CSU, and Community Colleges) have written a letter of concern to president-elect Trump.

AAUW Student e-Membership Sign Up

Because Cerritos College is a College member of AAUW, all students qualify for free student affiliate e-membership.

SO PLEASE, if you know any students attending Cerritos College, please refer them to Tobi for their FREE AAUW National membership!

Did you know that Cerritos College is often featured in film, television and commercial productions? Recently, Mattel shot its new Barbie commercial in the Science lecture hall and Falcon Stadium. The unscripted ad was filmed with hidden cameras. It is a great commercial to inspire all girls to dream big.  Isn’t that all we hope to do?

Watch the clip here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1vnsqbnAkk