Greetings Peralta Community! Welcome to issue #11 of Peralta Gems. This issue contains important information about the District response to COVID-19 so please read closely. But before we get to that, I want to reflect on "community." The District frequently states, "The health and safety of members of the Peralta community remains our top priority." And that is absolutely true. Community can seem abstract and removed, but it is not. We are the Peralta Community. We are real people: Chancellor Regina Stanback Stroud, Laney College Bursar Kihn Tran, College of Alameda student Jaylan Campbell, you, me, all of us. And while there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Peralta community, we know concerns about the spread of this novel coronavirus are significant. From canceling face-to-face classes, moving up Spring Break, to closing the campuses and working remotely, we are the people for whom these decisions are being made. Thank you to everyone for your flexibility, positive attitude, and continuing support in these stressful times. --Mark Johnson