The Corsair, Issue 1 (Fall)

Breonna Taylor - it’s a name we’ve seen on protest signs, newspaper headlines, and NBA jerseys.

On March 13, 2020, two months before the infamous murder of George Floyd, Louisville Police Officers served a no-knock warrant on a home in relation to drug trafficking charges. Ms. Taylor and her boyfriend awoke to loud banging at the front door. The 26-year-old medical worker would eventually be shot five times and bleed out shortly thereafter despite being unarmed.

The national uproar over the death of Taylor has prompted an unprecedented cry for her killers, Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hakison, and Myles Cosgrove, to be arrested.

More than five months later, the mounting pressure and growing size of the story hasn’t prompted criminal charges, but rather an unforeseen objectification. Breonna’s image has suddenly become victim to commercial greed.

FX, Hulu, and Vanity Fair are among those guilty. Breonna Taylor’s story has been featured on television in a recent installment of “The New York Times Presents,” and in the words of MSNBC, she has “graced” the cover of ‘Vanity Fair.’

The cover, a graphic of Taylor, was used in advertisements across social media platforms and websites, most of which were attached to a subscription link. The posts didn’t lead to a Black Lives Matter donation tool, or an activism page, but rather a credit card entry, where you could hand money to a successful magazine.

This begs the question - are multi-billion dollar corporations backing these movements because their moral compasses are pointing in the right direction, or is it because ad campaigns, research, and consumption patterns have shown it to be profitable?

In 2018, Nike released a controversial advertisement entitled ‘Dream Crazy.’ The video, featuring former National Football League (NFL) quarterback Colin Kaepernick, touted a diverse and racially-sensitive image. The 32-year-old is famed for kneeling during the national anthem at games to condemn racism and violence against Black Americans. The results were polarizing: many boycotted the brand altogether, while others rejoiced its display of diversity and social responsibility.

At face value, Nike seemed to be establishing itself as an organization willing to defend inclusive principles, even if it meant losing customers; however, the reality was much less honorable. Nike’s stock price exploded, the ad won awards, and sales rose higher than ever before. The smoke and mirrors painting the brand as progressive also hides their unfortunate reality: Nike has a disastrous track record of egregious human rights violations in its foreign factories.

Similarly, Apple came out against Trump’s immigration ban, which targeted predominantly Muslim countries in 2017. Unfortunately, the tech giant mirrors Nike’s long-standing human rights issues in their production facilities overseas. Suicide nets around their factories, gross underpayment of employees, and sexual abuse scandals are covered by snappy advertising and clean-looking products.

The activism that has been born from these tragedies gives me faith in our country and its citizens, but the idea that powerful companies are using the images of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and other murdered Black Americans, to hide their own crimes or turn a profit, is worrying.

Companies like Nike and Apple are banking on the fact that you won’t look deeper. They hope that when you see their liberal advertising and social media posts, you will label them as progressive. Vanity Fair, FX, and Hulu are monetizing the image of an innocent woman murdered at the hands of police officers, while being praised for their ‘support’ of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Now more than ever though, I am hopeful. This generation has taken to the streets in force. In times of national panic and tragedy, we have unified to fight for something bigger. These defining moments, as tough as they may be, are painting us as the group that will not stand for racial discrimination. We must remain informed, vote based on facts and reason, and give our money to companies that have the long-term interests of this country in mind.

For Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rodney King, and the thousands of other Americans who have fallen victim to police brutality, we must continue to fight.

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Santa Monica Beaches Crowded on Labor Day Allie Leeds | Staff Writer During an ongoing quarantine caused by a global pandemic that has taken the lives of roughly 190,000 Americans, and a record-breaking heatwave, people flocked to Santa Monica State Beach to celebrate Labor Day over the weekend.

A sea of umbrellas spanned across the beach. California’s COVID-19 positive case rates, hospitalizations, and deaths have been slowly declining, but local officials worried that gatherings over Labor Day weekend may cause a spike in cases, threatening the progress made.

“This weekend, we have a lot at stake,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti in a video posted to his Twitter account on Saturday, urging

Los Angeles residents to avoid gatherings with anyone outside of their household. Gov. Gavin Newsom also made a plea to the public, tweeting “your actions this weekend can literally save lives.”

Raj Kapoor, a beachgoer on Sunday, came to Santa Monica all the way from San Francisco for a weekend getaway with his friends -- none of whom wore masks while walking down the path parallel to the beach.

“I’ve been wearing a mask when we’re coming into close contact with any stranger, mostly, but like walking out and about, I’m not afraid I’m going to catch it from some stranger,” Kapoor said.

Many visitors wore masks while walking around the pier and on nearby paths, but most sunbathers decided to forego wearing

a mask. Face coverings are required for everyone over the age of 2 when not in the water. Beach visitors not wearing masks risk receiving a fine of $100 for a first-time violation, or up to $500 for repeat violations, for ignoring the statewide and Los Angeles County mask mandates.

All Los Angeles beaches remained open over Labor Day for ocean activities including sunbathing, fishing, and using the beach bike and pedestrian paths. Beach volleyball, bonfires, group sports, and gatherings of people from more than two households are still prohibited, according to the Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors’ website.

The Santa Monica Pier also remained open and crowded all weekend, and its iconic Ferris wheel was lit up with a patriotic flag

design during the evenings, from Friday through Monday. Meanwhile, all of the rides in Pacific Park remained closed, as they have been since March 15.

Southern California also experienced a deadly heatwave over the weekend, which led the National Weather Service to recommend that people “avoid outdoor activity.”

Trails in the Santa Monica Mountains were closed through Monday after a hiker died due to heat-related illness Saturday afternoon. Record-breaking temperatures were seen in different areas of L.A. with Woodland Hills hitting 121 degrees, now the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County, Burbank tying its all-time high of 114 degrees, and Van Nuys reaching 118 degrees.

Will Rogers State Beach was filled with beachgoers escaping the heat on Sunday, September 6, 2020 in Santa Monica, Calif. People were seen mingling and cooling off over Labor Day weekend, despite the global pandemic. (Johaira Dilauro / The Corsair)

SMC Starts Second Year of Title IX Leadership Program

Michael Goldsmith | Staff Writer Santa Monica College (SMC) kicks off the semester with a program geared to educate students and shift the culture and conversation around sexual violence.

Start of article: SMC will begin the second year of its Title IX Leadership Program for Students this coming Thursday, Sept. 10.

The free series of workshops are designed to raise awareness and promote student empowerment, particularly in the areas of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects individuals from discrimination based on their sex when it comes to educational programs or activities that receive federal funding. As the U.S. Department of Education states in Title IX’s text, “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Each of the four one-hour virtual workshops will cover a wide range of issues, including healthy relationships, domestic violence, sexual assault, and intersectionality. The program begins with the orientation on September 10, followed by the first two workshops on September 18 and the last two on September 25.

“The major goals of these workshops is to educate and empower students who have the desire to lead by example,” said Linda Subias, a SMC faculty member who serves as a Human Resources Analyst dealing in employee and labor relations. “By informing and teaching others, and being a knowledgeable resource generally, [students can] be on the forefront of a ‘paradigm shift’ to change the world for the better.”

Students who attend the orientation and all four workshops will receive a certificate of completion from the SMC Board of Trustees during a virtual graduation ceremony.

Like the rest of the college’s classes and programs, the orientation and workshops will be held online.

“We find that the training is very impactful, hearing real-world situations from people ‘on the ground’ who are experts and addressing the issues head-on and in real-time,” Subias said. “Some trainees have voluntarily shared aspects of their personal journeys which help ‘make it real,’ help them relate to situations and also knit and bond the group in its common cause.”

Each session of the program will incorporate different subject matter, with each discussion being led by experts on the specific topic being covered. Santa Monica College Police Department Chief Johnnie Adams, Danilo Donoso of the SMC Center for Wellness and Wellbeing, Care and Prevention Case Manager Juliana Carranza, and Campus Ombudsperson Yvonne Ortega will headline the orientation. Other speakers throughout the two-week program include Dr. Julie Banks, the Clinical Director for the Rape Treatment Center at the UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica; Mary Nguyen, Community Advocate with the Center for the Pacific Asian Family; and Jorge Diaz,

Director of Prevention Programs and Services at Bienestar.

Though SMC’s Title IX Leadership Program was created independent of state mandates, California Community Colleges have been integrating similar programs since Governor Jerry Brown signed California State Legislature Assembly Bill 620 into law in late 2011. The bill mandates that, “governing boards of community college districts...adopt or provide for the adoption of rules and regulations governing student behavior.” The bill also requires, “the governing board of each community college district to designate an employee at each of their respective campuses as a point of contact to address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faculty, staff, and students.”

Anyone interested in attending SMC’s program can get more information on the school’s website, under the Student Support tab titled “Title IX Leadership Program for Students.”

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A New Normal for Local Farmers Markets Caroline Leff | Staff Writer Even during these unparalleled times, the line to get into the Santa Monica Farmers Market begins to build and grow robust by as early as 6:45 a.m. Restaurant owners, chefs, and patrons alike patiently wait in a line - six feet apart with masks on - for up to an hour to go into the Farmers Market.

Laura Garcia, a Venice local who has been an advocate of fresh sustainable food since long before the pandemic, regularly commits to the wait time.

“I want to help the local economy. The idea of having food flown in from halfway across the world is horrible for the environment,” Garcia said. “The weather is so perfect for all of our foods, so why not have something that is grown 20 miles away as opposed to something that is picked early and processed to make it look fresh?”

The Santa Monica Farmers Market has been a well-respected and highly-trafficked market since it was established in 1991, supplying fresh produce, flowers, and animal products to some of the most well-known and highly-acclaimed restaurants in Los Angeles. Farms come in from all over California to hold a spot at the exceedingly competitive market.

Kimberly Duenas, an employee from Millikan Family Farms in Santa Barbara, has seen people that are both pro-mask and anti-mask at the Farmers Market. Most people seem to be adjusting well to safety measures of staying six feet apart, wearing masks and gloves, and following barriers and signage; many are more supportive and grateful now-

adays.

“More people are coming out and saying that they’ve never been to the farmers market before,” Duenas said. “They always had this preconceived notion that farmers’ markets were too expensive. Now they live and eat healthier with local food right at their fingertips.”

Amidst a global pandemic and the recent California wildfires, the agricultural industry in general and farmers markets in particular are faced with some dramatic changes, compromised health, low wages, and destruction of crops. Farmworkers - most of whom are undocumented from Latin American countries - that have already endured economic burdens from the pandemic are in no place to turn down work, even if the air quality is declared inimical.

Victor and Araceli Gomez, siblings from Monaka Farms in Paso Robles, have had to accommodate to the pandemic by changing protocol for their farmers and their crops.

“The smoke and air quality is horrible, the wind brought in a layer of fog and dust.

We did continue to work because people still needed us and orders needed to be fulfilled even if our health is being compromised,” Araceli Gomez said. “There is no other option.”

Victor Gomez described the evolution in his crops as a result of the climate change, “For us, more heat has developed more flavor.

The Heirloom tomatoes can get sunburnt on the skin so they don’t look as pretty, but they taste great.”

Stories like these are not few and far between; though some of the changes have

A Logan’s Gardens farmer at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Saturday, September 5, 2020 in Santa Monica, Calif. He a knee proudly displaying his array of edible plants. Logan’s Gardens, located in Silverlake, is believed to be the only Black-owned nursery in Los Angeles, Calif. (Johaira Dilauro / The Corsair)

Victor Gomez of Monak Farms at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Saturday, September 5, 2020, unpacking produce. A “For Lease” sign is seen in the back. Santa Monica, Calif. (Johaira Dilauro / The Corsair)

been life-altering and financially straining, buyers and sellers continue to show up weekly to engage in their ritualistic market practices.

Kathleen Davis, a Santa Monica resident for over 40 years, has been going to the Santa Monica Farmers Market since she settled down in the city. Her shopping experience has been drastically changed by COVID-19 health protocol - especially after she was told “you touch, you buy” by a farmer. She’s also grown nostalgic of sellers who she has not seen for months now.

“I miss my favorite florists Jeff and Chulio that have been part of the Farmers Market for over 20 years. They have not returned since the pandemic hit,” Davis said.

Logan Williams from Logans Gardens is thriving and sales have skyrocketed since the beginning of the year. Logans Gardens is a family-owned nursery that sells over 1,000 varieties of rare and edible plants. He

sees a correlation between the increase of sales and the amount of time people have had on their hands these past several months.

“My grandma always gardened, my mom always gardened, but I never did it,” said Williams.

A lot of flexibility is needed as adjustments are ever-changing. The industry itself is in constant question of how to take the next, right action. How do you keep the farmers and patrons safe without compromising sales?

How do you create a friendly, low-anxiety environment? Which way do you direct foot traffic, and are outside food and beverages allowed in? All of these are questions that farmers markets are still facing in this new normal.

The Santa Monica Farmers Market is held on Saturday at Arizona and 3rd Avenue and on Wednesday at Arizona and 2nd Street, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m, both days.

Eric Hester of Weiser Farms at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Saturday, September 5,2020. Hester helps a customer pick out their famous magic potatoes, while wearing latex gloves and a mask. (Johaira Dilauro / The Corsair)

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Hair salons and barber shops were able to resume indoor operations at 25% capacity as of August 31, 2020. Sylvia Garay works at Danny’s Barbershop on National Boulevard in West Los Angeles on Friday, September 4, 2020 in Los Angeles, Calif. (Yasamin Jafari Tehrani / The Corsair)

Hair Salons and Barber Shops Make the Cut

Hair salons and barber shops were able to resume indoor operations at 25% capacity as of August 31, 2020. Danny’s Barbershop on National Boulevard in West Los Angeles on Friday, September 4, 2020 in Los Angeles, Calif. is one of many to reopen indoors. (Yasamin Jafari Tehrani / The Corsair)

Maxim Elramsisy | Photo Editor California Governor Gavin Newsom issued new reopening guidelines on August 28 for businesses across the state.

Under these plans, all hair salons and barber shops were able to reopen with considerable restrictions as of Monday, August 31. Indoor shops are permitted to operate at 25% capacity, and shops that had already moved their chairs and shears outdoors are urged to continue doing so. Employees must wear masks, practice social distancing when possible, and comply with all other COVID-19 health protocol Hair salons and barber shops were able to resume indoor operations at 25% capacity as of August 31, 2020.

Sylvia Garay works at Danny’s Barbershop on National Boulevard in West Los Angeles on Friday, September 4, 2020 in Los Angeles, Calif. (Yasamin Jafari Tehrani / The Corsair)

mandated by the state.

LA’s unemployment percentages hit double digits in April, and have barely gone down more than 3% since.

Officials are grappling with how to increase economic activity while maintaining public health measures aimed at reducing COVID-19 infections. K-12 schools are now able to offer in-school services to students that experience the highest need for in-person learning. But gyms, retail spaces, theaters, general education, and businesses deemed “non-essential” are still waiting for permission to open and instructions on how to open safely.

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Massive crowds soug ing heatwave. (Rebec

Santa Monica Pier Sunday, September 6, 2020. Santa Monica, Calif Beach crowd escaping the heat by camping out under the pier Labor Day weekend. (Johaira Dilauro/The Corsair)

Heating up: Labor Day Weekend’s Historic Highs Maxim Elramsisy | Staff Writer As California continues its struggle to control the COVID-19 pandemic, the global climate crisis is rearing its head. A historic heatwave recorded some of the highest temperatures ever registered in Los Angeles. As many public areas remain closed, large crowds gathered at beaches, raising health concerns after similar gatherings over Memorial Day weekend led to an increase in Coronavirus cases.

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ght refuge at the beach in Santa Monica, Calif. on Sunday, September 9, 2020 as Los Angeles County had a record breakcca Hogan / The Corsair)

Although Pacific Park was closed, there was no shortage of holiday weekend visitors at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, Calif. on September 7, 2020. (Michael Goldsmith / The Corsair)

Beach goers enjoying a Santa Monica Beach during Labor Day weekend Sunday, September 6 2020 in Santa Monica, Calif. A view of the crowds through the flowers. (Johaira Dilauro / The Corsair)

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World Stage Performance Gallery Los angeles Califº. Host Rock the vote and online jazz concert to promote voter registration. Vocalist and Pianist Carmen performs for Rock The Vote September 6, 2020. (Kevin Tidmore/The Corsair).

Jazz Musicians Unite Against Racism Parys Hall | Staff Writer

On Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, The World Stage and Just Jazz presented “Jazz Musicians Unite Against Racism,” the second performance in an ongoing virtual series. The event took place at the iconic World Stage venue at Leimert Park in South Los Angeles, and was streamed via Facebook Live to over 1,000 viewers.

Five-time Grammy award-winning pianist Billy Childs kicked off the show with his trio, followed by many other talented musicians such as four-time Grammy-winning percussionist Munyungo Jackson, Grammy-nominated sax player Bob Sheppard, piano prodigy Jamael Dean, and Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Carmen Lundy. The event was curated and hosted by jazz industry media professional and KCRW jazz program DJ LeRoy Downs.

The event sought to bring awareness to the issue of racism and encourage people to make a difference by voting in every election. Downs’ dream of “using music to do his part in a beautiful and peaceful way, while bringing people together,” was further solidified.

Above: World Stage Performance Gallery Los angeles Calif. Host Rock the vote and online jazz concert to promote voter registration.

Percussionist Munyungo Jackson performs for Rock The Vote September 6, 2020 (Kevin Tidmore/The Corsair)

Left: World Stage Performance Gallery Los Angeles, Calif. Host Rock the Vote and online jazz concert to promote voter registration. Jonathan Richards bassist for Percussionist Munyungo Jackson band performs for Rock The Vote September 6, 2020 (Kevin Tidmore/The Corsair)

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Remembering the Legacy of Chadwick Boseman Josh Hogan | Staff Writer The actor Chadwick Boseman died on August 29 at his home in Los Angeles. His wife posted on his Instagram saying that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2016, which he had been fighting for four years. He never spoke about his cancer diagnosis to the public.

Boseman successfully fulfilled the long time dream of many African-American moviegoers to see a Black superhero on the big screen leading their own movie in his role as the titular character in 2018’s “Black Panther.”

Boseman had admired the character T’Challa and Marvel’s “Black Panther” comics since his time as a student at Howard University, where he worked at an African bookstore. When he received the opportunity from Marvel to portray T’Challa, who was the leader of his African homeland Wakanda, he knew this role would have symbolic significance to Black audiences.

Boseman said he “embraced the role with a statesman’s pride and devotion.” Critics claimed “Black Panther was a cultural sensation, the first major superhero movie with an African-American protagonist and the

first to star a majority Black cast.” Boseman made Black Panther one of few fictional characters to have a symbolic mantra recognised worldwide. “Wakanda Forever” is a statement of respect and hope for a promising future where people of color are given the opportunity to excel, prosper, be acknowledged, and live in peace.

Another cultural shift was this superhero movie becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of all time making over $1.3 billion worldwide; bringing a feeling of representation, hope, pride, and empowerment for the Black community around the world.

Boseman also had a powerfully positive impact on culture through his roles as Jackie Robinson and Thurgood Marshall. His impact on the big screen has changed how many young people see themselves and their futures.

One can hope that the impact of his death will change the attitudes of young people to healthcare and colorectal cancer screening.

Statnews.com says “an American Cancer Society Study shows that currently one in five cases of colorectal Cancer diagnosis are in people ages 20-54.” This trend toward younger people being diagnosed with latestage colorectal cancer is increasing. People

under 45 do not have a strong awareness of this cancer since it has historically been thought to affect people over 50.

Thank you Chadwick Boseman for redefining and fortifying respect to the image of people of color, and for giving us a universally recognized role model. Thank you for the lives that will be saved through the new awareness of colorectal cancer in young people.

It is no surprise that people around the world are calling out to honor Chadwick Boseman by not recasting King T’Challa in

the Black Panther Sequel set for release in May 2022.

Chawick Boseman: November 29, 1976August 28, 2020.

Illustration by Carolyn Burt

Food Trucks Return to Mainstreet Santa Monica After an Extended Hiatus

Drew Andersen | Staff Writer Main Street Santa Monica is a popular attraction for Santa Monica College (SMC) students. The two-mile stretch offers students dozens of places to eat, drink, hang out, and have fun with friends. The California Heritage Museum (CHM) on Main Street, near Ocean Park, began a Tuesday evening tradition curating colorful food trucks in their parking lot.

This tradition came to an abrupt stop in March 2020, with the lockdown in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. City Hall banned food trucks and restricted most food and drink commerce along Main Street as a public safety measure to stop the spread of the killer virus.

Once exiled from Main Street, the food trucks are now slowly returning. The food trucks are mandated to follow health measures such as requiring social distancing, only serving people with masks, and providing hand sanitizer.

The food trucks provide the community a variety of take-out food. The specialty cuisine the trucks offer are New England

Customers at the food trucks outside the California Heritage Museum on Main Street, Santa Monica, Calif., on Tuesday, August 25, 2020. The food trucks were last here in March, and because of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on public gatherings could not return until this evening. (Marco Pallotti/The Corsair)

lobster rolls, Cuban plantains, California tacos, Japanese sushi, and Korean kimchi.

On summer evenings, patrons bring their goodies from the food trucks and dine picnic style on the green lawn by the CHM. Patio

seating is available at the adjacent Victorian for gracious noshing. The Tuesday Evening food truck event takes place between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. A portion of food truck sales are contributed to the Museum fundraising

effort that serves the community as a non-profit culture center.

Food trucks are a staple in the Los Angeles lunchtime culture with its origins as mobile taco stands and hot grilled food dispensaries.

They serve breakfast and lunch on many construction sites and factory workshop street venues. The food quality and kitchen standards often earned them the wisecrack term “roach coaches.”

Around 2008 this all changed. Food trucks became a pop-up food event that catered to tech-savvy workers around the exploding digital venues. Exotic and hip fusion cuisines are introduced. Fresh food fare represents the diversity of the Asian, Caribbean, African-American, and Latinx cultures in Los Angeles, along with the basic American grub like bacon and eggs or burgers. The truck exterior is often colorful advertising art reflecting the food’s national origin or mouth-watering cuisine. A fun, circus-like atmosphere is created when the food trucks arrive en masse. On the one block of Pennsylvania Street by SMCs Center for Media Design displayed this food truck carnival of flavors prior to the Corona campus shut down.

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Turhan Douglas: Through the Highs and Lows Missael Soto | Staff Writer Turhan Douglas, head coach of the Santa Monica College Women’s Volleyball team, is a decorated champion who holds an impressive trophy cabinet that he has earned throughout his volleyball career, both as player and coach.

During his collegiate career, he won multiple titles including the state crown while playing for Pierce College in 1987 and made All-Conference first team the following year.

Douglas then took his talents to Long Beach State University (LBSU) where he won a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title, defeating the well-respected University of Southern California (USC) team in 1991.

Douglas also led Pierce College Men’s Volleyball team to two South Conference titles and was named Western State Conference Coach of the Year (1998-99) nearly a decade after his own accomplishments at Pierce; this time as their head coach.

Eventually, Douglas would land the job as USC’s Men’s Volleyball head coach in 2002 after being the assistant coach for the previous three years. He replaced two time Olympic gold medalist and his former rival Pat Powers.

“The first day I got the job (assistant

coach) at USC I walked into the office and on my desk was a 1991 second place trophy.

I said, ‘Hey coach I have the first place trophy at my house!’ he just laughed” Douglas recalls.

This season coach Douglas and the Corsairs hope to move forward coming off last season’s disappointing result where the Corsairs fell to a 2-20 record overall and went 2-10 in their conference.

“We had 8 returners that didn’t return for various reasons which left us with an all-freshman team who took a lot of licks but I thought improved over the course of the season” says Douglas when recounting on the Corsairs 2019-2020 season.

With every new low however, comes a lesson and for coach Douglas that was one of the greater takeaways from last season.

“Sometimes as a coach you can take kids for granted … you know, we’d come off a championship season and you think everyone is going to be ready to go but you lose track of them during the off season and then life happens … as a coach you have to make sure that you are keeping everyone together and keeping them focused on what their goals are” said Douglas.

It was obvious that there was a lot of work to do for coach Douglas and his team.

Despite the COVID-19 shut downs back

SMC Volleyball Head Coach Turhan Douglas calls a timeout to speak with his players as they trail Cuesta College. Sept. 19, 2019. Santa Monica, Calif, (Photo by Kevin Tidmore)

in March, coach Douglas was able to successfully finish his recruiting right before college athletics were brought to a halt, bringing him a new group of talent to the squad.

Coach Douglas had plenty of confidence when he spoke about his team and new recruits. “I think it’s the best class the school has ever recruited … I’ve been coaching junior college so long and SMC over the years and I’ve never seen anything this good” said coach Douglas reassuringly.

You’ll find he’s not the only one who feels this way about the team either. His recruits also show a high level of trust in themselves and his coaching ability.

“You can see just how passionate he is about the program and about us and in a coach that’s so important… the team were building is just so amazing and its definitely going to be different from all the past years” said Mackenzie Wolff one of SMC’s latest star recruits.

While the schedule for the 2020-2021 season is yet to be determined, you can rest assure that the SMC Women’s Volleyball team will be ready. Under coach Douglas we can look for new highs from this team and a successful season like we’d seen in previous years.

R.C. Everbeck: Age is Nothing But a Number

Deshawn Pouper | Sports Editor At the age of 50, playing a physically demanding sport such as football isn’t the most common thing you’ll see. For 50-yearold Santa Monica College (SMC) football player R.C. Everbeck, he is the rare exception. Everbeck started playing high school football as a junior back on the east coast for Medfield High School in Medfield, Mas-

sachusetts, where his season ended after suffering a gruesome injury. He and his family then moved across the nation to Oak Harbor, Washington where he continued to play football. After High School, Everbeck decided to accept a scholarship from Washington State’s decathlon team.

Growing up, Everbeck’s father was a teacher so in the summers, when he was off from school, they grew their own food. “We

were a poor family, we had to grow our own food in the summer [then can it] to eat in the winter,” Everbeck said. However it wasn’t considered labor to him, it was what they did, “for vacations we didn’t go to Disneyland and stuff, we went to the woods.”

Being the son of a teacher has helped him in the classroom, as he’s earned a 4.0 GPA at SMC. He has previously earned a Finance degree from the University of Southern California (USC) before attending SMC, where he is minoring in Film. Before attending USC, Everbeck began his career in the movie world as he made an appearance on the classic romantic comedy “Pretty Woman.”

After doing two movies, Everbeck said, “I’d always known I was going to be an actor.”

Although he enjoyed pursuing an acting career, watching football season or track season from afar gave him an itch to go back and find out what could be. He even said he “ached” for it. While following the Hollywood dream, he then made his decision to go back to college and attend USC. The two years off from athletics made it difficult for Everbeck to make his comeback, and his age made it even tougher. To get into shape in both a fast and effective way, he joined the USC club rugby team, noting “it was a lot of fun.” A few years after finishing at USC, Everbeck decided to return to school

again, this time at SMC. While attending SMC, he was approached with an opportunity to coach pole vaulting for Track and Field.

Almost going forward with the opportunity, one of Everbeck’s friends convinced him to play football, making him realize that he couldn’t see himself coaching track.

Because Everback played at the NCAA level before, he was unsure if he would be able to play at SMC. However, SMC Athletic Director Reggie Ellis reassured him that he was still eligible, marking the rebirth of Everbeck’s career as a student-athlete.

While Everbeck’s career as a football player for the Corsairs is over, we’ll have to wait and see what he does next as he is currently rehabbing a surgically repaired shoulder he injured during the season. What we know about the “ageless wonder” is that, if it seems impossible to one person, it’s never impossible for R.C. Everbeck as he continues to show that age is just a number.

#49 R.C. Everbeck leads The Corsairs as LA Harbor College and Santa Monica College players shake hands at the end of the game at Corsair Field on Saturday, October 19. (Sandi Garcia/The Corsair)