The Corsair Fall 2023 - Issue 1

SUMMER RENAISSANCE

CONTENT

News | pg. 4

Arts & Entertainment | pg. 5-7

Photo Story | pg. 8-13

Culture | pg. 14

Sports | pg. 15

Opinion | pg. 16-17

Review Column | pg. 18

EDITORIAL STAFF

Victor Chambers | Editor-in-Chief

Conor Heeley | Managing Editor

Caylo Seals | Photo Editor

Nicholas McCall | Sports Editor

Akemi Rico | Social Media Editor

CORSAIR STAFF

Nik Venet | Mikey Duro | Tracy Saysay | Bunker

King | Cebelihle Hlatshwayo | Samaiya Kirby | Blake

Harris | Lucas Weiss | Anais Mann | Danilo Perez |

Nube Gamer | Desiree Fabian | Callie Yiu | Marcela

Iraheta | Andrew Kynaston | Desiree Ihde | Amber Guerrero | Webber Bartlett | Itaza Towner | Jorge

Devotto | Antoineé Jones | Sophia Motameni | Ma-

ria Lebedev | Brooklyn Lassiter | Kai Magalhaes

| Fotue Mbiele | Justin Chia | Josephine Fischer |

Trevor Jackson | Danniel Sumarkho | Ouka Toyoda

| Josh Hogan | Taylor Smith | Rebecca Hogan | Julia

Lentz

FACULTY ADVISORS

Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins | Journalism Adviser

Gerard Burkhart | Photo Adviser

Samantha Nuñez | Social Media Adviser

CONTACT

Editor-in-Chief | corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com

FRONT PAGE

Concertgoers arrive at the Sofi Stadium to watch Beyonce perform her show, "The Renaissance World Tour," on Friday, in Inglewood, Calif. (Alejandro Contreras | The Corsair)

PAGE 2

Concertgoers arrive at the Sofi Stadium to watch Beyonce perform her show, "The Renaissance World Tour," on Friday, in Inglewood, Calif. (Alejandro Contreras | The Corsair)

From Maya Angelou to Carl Sagan, many have spoken on the importance of knowing one’s past in order to better understand their present. When I began planning for what the first published issue of this semester would look like, I thought we needed to start by establishing what happened during our break. This special edition was then devised to contextualize some of the major events that took place during the summer so we could forge a clear path ahead for the new semester.

The strikes in the entertainment industry, the conversations surrounding the use of AI in media, and the spotlight shone on women’s soccer were some of the subjects that immediately came to mind. And we couldn’t fail to talk about two figures that were inescapable during these past few months: Barbie and Beyoncé.

As the singer’s “Renaissance World Tour” made a three day stop in Inglewood, California, I thought it could be a great opportunity to document queer folks of color in Los Angeles. Doing so would allow me to introduce some of the topics I intend to bring to light during my tenure. As a journalist, I am interested in discussing the dynamics and beauty of intersectionality and in my case, that is being queer, brown, Latino, and an immigrant.

I was only 18 years old when I moved from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Los Angeles. I had just come out to my family. Ten years later, I can say that the person who arrived at LAX in 2013 no longer exists. The life I brought along with me feels so far removed from my current reality that it’s almost as if I never lived it at all. My native country of Brazil has now become more of a romanticized characterization of a foreign land in

A WINDOW TO THE PAST, A PATH TO THE FUTURE

my mind than the place of my childhood.

The years following my arrival were incredibly heavy. At certain moments, heavier than I was able to bear. Living as a brown undocumented Latino immigrant in Los Angeles with no familial support pushed me past the breaking point. And I did break. Many times. The only thing I knew to do so I would avoid completely drowning was to keep reinventing myself.

A few versions of myself later, I find myself writing my first letter as the Editor-in-Chief of an American college newspaper. That is quite a surprising achievement for someone who lived for six years as an “illegal alien,” a term I personally find incredibly inhumane. Coincidentally, 2023 is also the year I finally became a citizen of this country.

It is in moments such as this one when the photo I chose to illustrate this text speaks to me the most. While that boy shares little similarities with this adult, and life in Brazil might feel quite distant from where I am now, it is a window of reference for me. I gaze into that past so I can have perspective on my present and plan for my future.

I know my intersectionality is not only my own. Santa Monica College is an incredibly diverse institution populated by students who look just like me. While holding a leadership position in a student-run campus newspaper might not seem monumental to some, I know it does to others. And I hope that I can show the latter that there is direction for those who are walking a path like ours.

My principal goal for our paper this semester is to reflect the diversity found in SMC’s student body. There are so many stories to tell, life experiences to learn about, and voices to celebrate right here on this campus. I hope to do them all justice.

Victor Chambers Editor-in-Chief

Five-year-old me captured by my mother while play-painting at school. This is possibly my favorite picture of myself. It reminds me of who I was and the happy childhood I was lucky to experience. Those years feel so distant that this boy could be a different person.

Photo by Victor's mother

SMC Film Club Is Trying to Fix the CMD

The Santa Monica College (SMC)

Film Club will introduce three initiatives this Fall semester to address long-standing issues at the Center for Media and Design (CMD) campus. Led by Betsie Garcia, former club president and SMC student, and with the support of faculty and the Expressive Technology Coalition (ETC), they are an effort to tackle equipment rental challenges, ADA accessibility, and storage space for clubs.

Garcia will be working alongside the two newly-elected Film Club presidents, Marco Gamba and Felipe Hoyos, in driving the conversation forward with the SMC Associated Students (A.S.). The club’s leadership intends to formally submit the initiatives soon after their registration with the Inter-Club Council is reviewed on September 7.

The club will focus efforts first on a proposal for creating an equipment rental library. CMD students are currently limited to using media produc-

tion equipment only during class time. Garcia explained that this heavily impacts those enrolled in the Film Program.

“Submitting any form of professional-looking media is a basic requirement of many creative majors transfer applications,” said Garcia. “So, not having access to equipment is directly affecting many students’ ability to transfer.”

The club submitted their first proposal regarding this issue in the 2022 Fall semester but it was not approved by the A.S. The organization asked for more research to be done as for logistics and support from other departments. The conversations continued through Spring 2023 but only took shape again during Summer.

The club will propose the purchase of $45,000 worth of equipment using funds from the A.S. auxiliary funds, a reserve devised to assist large-scale projects such as this one.

President and founder of the ETC,

Kat Nielsen, explained that this problem has been affecting students since 2021. The organization was created in December 2020 as a non-profit coalition at the CMD to unite the Film Club, Mediamakers Club, Acting Club, and others. The ETC will support the initiative once it is introduced to the A.S.

“We now finally have support from faculty members and expect to hear A.S.’s decision by the end of the semester,” said Nielsen. “This measure will not only benefit the Film Club but all other clubs that have equipment needs such as the Debate Club and Game Design Club, for example.”

Focus will also be directed at addressing ADA accessibility issues related to the campus soundstage which can only be accessed through a set of stairs leading to a subterranean passage and an elevator. Garcia explains that students with disabilities have shared with her that the elevator is “unreliable and not a safe escape route in

the event of a fire.” The club will submit a petition proposing the construction of a ramp as an alternative access path.

Another structural challenge affecting CMD clubs is a lack of storage space. Nilsen shared that club members currently need to store all club-related equipment and props at their own homes as SMC currently does not offer space at other campuses either. Garcia explained that this is an issue particularly impacting the Film Club as food and beverages purchased for events have nowhere to be put away.

The Film Club will continue to develop a strategy to address these issues once the rental library petition is underway.

“The CMD is my home away from home, I see how students are being affected every time I’m there,” said Garcia. “These are systematic issues within the campus that the Film club will focus on this semester.”

Victor Chambers | Editor-in-Chief

Lights on standby in a soundstage at the Center for Media and Design of Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, Calif. on Tuesday. The lights are kept closed to prevent dust and damage.

Photo by Danniel Sumarkho

Set in Motion:

Students audition for SMC's world dance performance

Students gathered at Santa Monica College's (SMC) Core Performance Center on September 1st to audition for the college's long-running dance performance, "Global Motion." The Global Motion World Company, composed entirely of SMC students, produced the show which features dances and costumes from a variety of regions around the world.

“Global Motion represents world dance, so it is like all dances that are foreign,” said co-director Sri Susilowati. “We have Mexican Folklorico, flamenco, Indonesian, West African... All dances from around the world are represented here, so every semester we try to bring a variety of many different dance forms.”

During the audition, students first learned moves from different dance styles including jazz, Tahitian, Indonesian, and

salsa. They were then asked to replicate them to the lead choreographers so the most suitable dance style would be assigned to each student.

All dancers who auditioned will take part in the performance. They will each learn four different dance styles and have two months to prepare for the live show which will see them donning traditional costumes.

“We are one of the few colleges that offer these performances every semester,” said Susilowati. “We prepare them [students], not just to dance in the studio, but also to be good performers.”

"Global Motion" will premiere at BroadStage in Santa Monica, California, on November 18 and 19. More information and tickets can be found at www.smc.edu/calendar/tickets-dance.php.

Caylo Seals | Photo Editor

(Above) Students perform the heel style of dance during an audition as part of several styles that will be performed in November.

(Left) Global Motion World Dance Company co-directors Raquel Ramirez (left) and Sri Susilowati (right) after the audition.

Santa Monica College (SMC) held an audition for its long running Global Motion dance performance later in the fall semester in the Core Performance Center on Santa Monica College main campus, in Santa Monica, Calif., on Friday. Global Motion is a performance of dances from all over the world, and the show takes place on Nov. 18 and 19.

Photos by Caylo Seals

Financial Crisis Aside, Picketers Won’t Abide

Taylor Smith | Staff Writer

“The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses.”

This is the quote that has been circulating the internet, stated by an anonymous studio executive and reported by Deadline on July 11, three days before actors began their own strike. “The studios and the AMPTP believe that by October most writers will be running out of money after five months on the picket lines and no work,” reads the article.

The piece sparked outrage amongst Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) members, and those on strike viewed the quotes as a negotiation tactic from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

“It’s a threat. This is calculated. The AMPTP is trying to scare folks into folding because THEY’RE scared of unions,” tweeted Cole Harrington, a director and story artist, the day the Deadline article was published.

But now as October draws near, out-of-work union members are facing the harsh reality of losing their homes.

“He said we would all be losing our apartments come October and guess what,” stated Lilly Slaydon, a Netflix writers’ room assistant who lost her job when the strike began. “That’s exactly when I’m going to run out of the savings that I did manage to crew together through my insane luck of having a steady job in this industry for two years.”

“It’s really supervillain-level evil. It’s really upsetting,” said Abby Sciortino who was working as a production assistant in the writers’ room alongside Slaydon.

The WGA began their strike on May 2, now protesting for almost 130 days, surpassing the strike of 20072008. Among their demands are revenue-based residuals, job protections, and regulations for the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

SAG-AFTRA followed suit two

months later on July 14 after their own negotiations failed with the AMPTP.

While executives like Bob Iger state the demands are “not realistic,” both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are arguing the opposite.

“There he is, sitting in his designer clothes and just got on his private jet at the billionaire’s camp, telling us we’re unrealistic when he’s making $78,000 a day,” Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA president said to Variety in response to the Disney CEO’s comments.

The most recent statement made by the WGA read, “As we have repeated from the first day of our first member meeting—and on every day of this strike-our demands are fair and reasonable, and the companies can afford them.”

According to SAG-AFTRA’s site, members must earn at least $26,470 in Covered Earnings, the gross compensation paid by a contributing employer, to receive health insurance, and 87% of members do not currently qualify.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development’s 2023 State Income Limits report states that a $26,000 yearly salary for a single-income household is considered “extremely low.” The report lists $68,750 as the median single-income household salary.

The WGA has not publicly stated how many members receive health insurance, but members must make $41,700 in covered union work a year to qualify.

However, writers and actors are currently bringing in zero income, despite the long hours being put in on the picket lines.

Those who are affected most by this strike are not the recognizable A-listers being photographed, but rather the dreamers like Guy Ambrouso, a SAG-Eligible actor with a side job in security. Not only has the Las Vegas-born performer seen his auditions come to a screeching halt, but his security opportunities also took a hit.

Due to SAG-AFTRA actors no longer promoting their work, the red car-

pet events and premieres Ambrouso usually works have been canceled. His upcoming shift for an indie film debut will be his first shift in two weeks, and he is currently waiting for his unemployment application to be accepted.

However, artists are not known for sitting around and twiddling their thumbs. Many actors have found creative ways to keep themselves afloat during these tough times.

“I am trying to re-amp my art shop that I had a couple of years ago,” Ambrouso shared. “I have, like, stickers I am working on and other little stationery accessories.”

Another creative turned entrepreneur who has kept busy is Andrea Alba Von-Buren, who broke into her first writers’ room in July of 2022 as a writers’ assistant on the CW show “Gotham Knights”.

“When the strike happened, I was in very dire need of a job,” she said. “But as many people have been struggling with, you apply to jobs outside of the industry and we’re not hearing back.”

Alba

Von-Buren feels this may be due to their resumes indicating that they are unemployed due to the strike, and businesses do not want to hire temporary workers.

While searching for opportunities, she off-handily commented that “it would be cool if someone sold iced coffee at the picket lines.” Having only drank coffee a handful of times herself, Alba Von-Buren did not expect to be that person. But with the encouragement of her roommate, she created Dean’s Coffee, which treats picketers to an iced caffeine kick while marching under the sweltering heat of the sun.

Throughout the chaos of failing negotiations, writers and actors have stuck by one another. Sciortino, who has taken up pet sitting this summer, explained the writers on her Netflix show pooled their own money and

split it amongst their support staff as a bonus to keep them afloat during the coming months without work.

“It’s really generous,” Sciortino said. “I don’t know how common that is, but I think some other rooms might have done that too. We are kind of looking out for our own.”

Anyone seeking support while unemployed due to the strike can receive help through the Entertainment Community Fund, an organization that seeks “to help those affected by work stoppages or other pauses in industry work.”

Slaydon has now turned to the organization twice, the first time during the pandemic lockdown, and states it “was an amazing stopgap that was literally the difference between me surviving and not.” She encourages those in the industry, including support staff, to apply for a grant even if they believe they may not qualify.

Alba Von-Buren cited the Green Envelope Grocery Aid, an organization that provides $100 in grocery assistance to those affected by the strike, as another great resource.

The AMPTP and WGA have returned to the negotiating table, but based on statements released by both sides, there is still no end in sight. The writers rejected the studios’ new proposal, stating “the counteroffer is neither nothing, nor nearly enough.”

Despite the real possibility of losing their homes, creatives are willing to strike for as long as it takes to receive a fair deal.

“We're looking for the long haul," Drescher said in an interview with USA Today. "The gravity of a commitment like this is not lost on any of us. It's major. But we also see that we have no future and no livelihood unless we take this action, unfortunately."

“We also see that we have no future and no livelihood unless we take this action.”

– Fran Drescher

“It’s really supervillain-level evil.”

– Abby Sciortino

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Writers Jenny Lee (L-R), Valentina Garza, and David Tolentino wait as Olivier Alerte prepares their iced coffees while they picket outside Sony Studios during the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike in Culver City, Calif. on Thursday. Lee and Garza are dressed up for the theme "Pajama Day."

Actor Barbara Lizzet Sanchez (left) takes a photo of fellow actor Lili Ortega (right) holding an iced coffee outside Sony Studios during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike in Culver City, Calif. on Thursday. They received the coffee for free at "Dean's Coffee," an entrepreneurial venture started by two writers looking for ways to earn money during the Writer's Guild of America strike.

Writers and actors on strike picket in front of Sony Studios during the WGA and SAG–AFTRA strike in Culver City, Calif. on Thursday.

Photos by Akemi Rico

"It was incredible to see us express ourselves so freely and unapologetically.”

– Camila Lopez

Concertgoers arrive at the Sofi Stadium to watch Beyonce perform her show, "The Renaissance World Tour," on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (Alejandro Contreras | The Corsair)

Victor Chambers | Editor-in-Chief

Beyoncé’s “Renaissance World Tour” made a stop this past weekend at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Most of the 200,000 fans who attended the three sold-out dates dressed according to the visual aesthetic set by the singer herself during the tour’s 57-show run.

Fans sporting beaded cowboy hats, large ruffled capes, and disco ball dresses could all be found outside the venue. The fashion was defiantly queer, unrestricted by any idea of gender-specific clothing items. Although black, silver and white were the predominant chosen colors, creativity and diversity prevailed across the board.

The concert’s theme was devised in support of Beyoncé’s 2022 eponymous album, mirroring that project’s celebration of the ballroom and voguing communities of the early 1990’s. Fundamental elements of both these cultures were prevalent throughout the entire two and a half hour set, most notably in the visuals produced for it.

“This tour was all about creating a safe space for queer people of color,” said Camila Lopez, a second-year Santa Monica College student who attended the September 1 show. “And that’s exactly what she achieved. It was incredible to see us express ourselves so freely and unapologetically.”

LGBTQ+ pioneers Honey Dijon and Kevin Prodigy, and new icons such as Honey Balenciaga Gonzales join Beyoncé onstage in the effort to recreate the atmosphere of that era, one birthed by the queer Black and brown community in New York and Chicago.

Fans caught on to the visual direction from the very first tour date on May 10 in Stockholm, Sweden. Since then, it has become a habit of most concert-goers to dress up for the show. The singer posted on her Instagram story on August 22, asking attendees to wear their “most fabulous silver fashions” so the venue would look like “a shimmering human disco ball each night.” And Angelenos did abide by that guideline.

(Left) Beyonce fans arrive at Sofi stadium before the concert begins on Monday.

(Right) Concertgoers arrive at the Sofi Stadium to watch Beyonce perform her show, "The Renaissance World Tour," on Friday.

Beyonce fans arriving at Sofi stadium before the concert begins in Inglewood, Calif. on Friday. Many fans are dressed in silver per the artists' request.

Photo by Akemi Rico

Photo by Alejandro Contreras

Photo by Akemi Rico

Photo by Akemi Rico Beyonce fans arriving at Sofi stadium before the concert begins in Inglewood, Calif. on Friday. Many fans are dressed in silver per the artists' request.

Concertgoers arrive at the Sofi Stadium to watch Beyonce perform her show, "The Renaissance World Tour," on Friday, in Inglewood, Calif.

Photo by Alejandro Contreras

Concertgoers arrive at the Sofi Stadium to watch Beyonce perform her show, "The Renaissance World Tour," on

on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif.

Photo by Alejandro Contreras

Concertgoers arrive at the Sofi Stadium to watch Beyonce perform her show, "The Renaissance World Tour," on Monday.

Photo by Alejandro Contreras

(Far left, left, above, and right) Beyonce fans arriving at Sofi stadium before the concert begins in Inglewood, Calif. on Friday. Many fans are dressed in silver per the artists' request. (Akemi Rico | The Corsair)

Photo by Akemi Rico

Beyonce fans arrive at Sofi stadium before the concert begins on Monday.

Concertgoers arrive at the Sofi Stadium to watch Beyonce perform her show, "The Renaissance World Tour," on Monday.

Photo by Alejandro Contreras

Beyonce fans arriving at Sofi stadium before the concert begins in Inglewood, Calif. on Friday. Many fans are dressed in silver per the artists' request.

Photo by Akemi Rico

Beyonce fans arriving at Sofi stadium before the concert begins in Inglewood, Calif. on Friday. Many fans are dressed in silver per the artists' request.

Beyonce fans arriving at Sofi stadium before the concert begins in Inglewood, Calif. on Friday. Many fans are dressed in silver per the artists' request.

Beyonce fans arriving at Sofi stadium before the concert begins in Inglewood, Calif. on Friday. Many fans are dressed in silver per the artists' request.

Photo by Akemi Rico

Photo by Akemi Rico

Photo by Akemi Rico

Beyonce fans arrive at Sofi stadium before the concert begins in Inglewood, Calif. on Monday.

(Akemi Rico | The Corsair)

The Mexican Invasion

If the summer of 2023 taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. Spain won the women’s world cup, and then one of their stars was kissed, against her will, in front of the whole world. Hollywood went on strike, and Barbenheimer (or Oppenarbie, depending on who you ask) brought crowds back to theaters in droves.

However, if you pay attention to music, you probably know that the true star of the summer wasn’t soccer or cinema. It was regional Mexican music. And rather than having a few breakout hits, this summer was a breakout season for the genre.

For those who aren’t familiar with regional Mexican music, this “genre” is really a catch-all label for styles that originate from the folkloric music traditions of both rural Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. Composed of a number of different sub-genres, from banda, grupero and Norteño to the newer Corridos Tumbados, the term loosely defines the influential styles of latin music that are popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

When asked about his favorite genre, SMC student Angel Mendoza said, “ Probably Corridos. You know, they're really interesting to listen to. And if you do understand Spanish, you probably relate to the lyrics.”

While these genres, especially cor-

rido, can be traced back through the centuries of Mexico’s folk traditions, the recent explosion of interest in these artists and their work is largely due to social media. Bandas, like Grupo Firme and Grupo Frontera, and artists like Peso Pluma, have been extremely tech savvy.

Through their label MUSIC VIP, the Tijuana-based Grupo Firme has produced almost 90 music videos, one for each of their singles, demonstrating how crucial they view YouTube as a means of reaching their audience. Both Grupo Firme and Grupo Frontera have massive followings on TikTok, with 5.3 and 1.9 million followers respectively, which they have leveraged to expand their reach to younger audiences.

The groups teased their joint music video for the single “El Amor de su Vida” on TikTok at the same time, and Grupo Frontera has taken an especially collaborative approach. Eight of their nine tracks on the Billboard Hot 100 have been features or have featured other artists.

The undeniable champion of the regional Mexican music scene this summer was Peso Pluma, real name Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija, hailing from Zapopan, Jalisco. Of the 23 Latin songs to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 this summer, Laija wrote or co-wrote 13. His trademark is the “corrido tumbado”,

which is a newer, more highly produced version of the “corrido”, poetic ballads that Mexican musicians have been belting out for centuries.

“It's like incorporating corridos with modern day Latino music. It's becoming a lot more open-minded. A lot of Mexican artists are coming out now, their music is becoming a lot different than it was before,” said SMC Student Omar Villeda.

Just a few years ago, no one could have seen this sudden rise in the broad appeal of regional Mexican music. For the first five decades of the Billboard Hot 100 ranking, there were only 10 songs that made it onto the list. In the two decades before 2020, there were 117 Latin releases that made the Hot 100, with 2 taking the top spot. Since 2020, over 150 Latin tracks have made the list, with 53 breaking into the top 100 in 2023 alone, as of September.

A few years ago, American artists faced very little competition from international or non-english artists. At the time, one in seven tracks on the top 100 are Latin. This summer has proved to American listeners, and music fans around the world, that the regional Mexican artist is not just “regional”. They can become global superstars, and they can compete with english-language tracks for listens, and critical acclaim.

Conor Heeley | Managing Editor

Illustration by Victor Chambers

Corsairs Win First Game of the Season

On September 1, a pleasantly overcast Saturday evening, the SMC Corsairs beat the Victor Valley Rams at home in a nailbiter, with a final score of 31-28 in their opening game of the year. Returning from a weak 2-8 season, the Corsairs were determined to shake off last year’s losing streak to bolster a promising start to the year.

Victor Valley took an early lead, running back the initial kickoff for an 85yard touchdown by Rodney Harris. The Corsairs answered right back with a two-play drive, culminating with a 69yard connection between quarterback Michael Cruz and wide receiver Myles Parker.

By halftime, the score was tied at 14-14, with Rams quarterback Miguel Larlos throwing a 26-yard touchdown pass early in the first. At the end of the second, with three and a half minutes left Cruz hit Parker once again for a 25-

yard conversion to even the score.

The third ended up being the most exciting quarter. Joey Acclardo of the Corsairs started it off with an 80-yard conversion, getting the crowd into the game and gaining a lot of momentum. The Rams answered back with running back Teshawn Cleveland converting on a three-yard rush. With three minutes left in the quarter, Corsairs kicker John Corum scored the last points of the quarter with a 32-yard field goal to put his team up three points above the Rams.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, one yard away from the end zone, the Rams went back to Cleveland once again and were rewarded with another touchdown, putting them up four points. But on the very next possession, quarterback Cruz ran the ball twelve yards for a touchdown, putting the Corsairs up four and ultimately winning the game.

Lucas Weiss | Staff Writer

Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs Steven Johnson, Ayden Martinez, and Nehemiah Means during halftime at the opening game against Victor Valley College Rams on Saturday Sept. 2, 2023 in Santa Monica, Calif. The teams were tied at the half 14-14. The Corsairs won the game with a final score of 31-28.

Santa Monica College Corsairs during the opening game against Victor Valley College Rams on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs won with a final score of 31-28.

Photos by Elizabeth Bacher

Does Greta Gerwig Hate Men?

Taylor Smith | Staff Writer

Greta Gerwig's one billion dollar hit "Barbie" has shaken the media with its representation of the patriarchy and modern-day feminism.

In the Mattel-inspired film, Barbie Land is a fictional world in which women own homes, hold roles of leadership, and support one another regardless of size, color, and gender identification. The Kens of this universe essentially exist as arm candy to the Barbies, ad-

miring and supporting their partners with a smile and a wave.

The fantastical universe is stirring quite the controversy among viewers, begging the question, "Does Greta Gerwig hate men?"

Conservatives across the country, including Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens, have shared their outrage with the film.

Although Owens decided not to view the film based on reviews, she still holds

strong opinions, which she shared on her podcast. "We are living in a world that is increasingly anti-man," Owens said in an interview with the Daily Wire. "While we are pretending that women are suffering under the foot of the patriarchy, what's actually happening is that toxic feminism has risen to the top and is actually oppressing men with movements that make entirely no sense."

Those who claim Gerwig's playful, fictional land is anti-man are missing

the point of this summer's blockbuster. While "Barbie" does push feminist ideals, it doesn't exclude men from the narrative. Barbie compares our real world and the fictional one, with Barbie Land exhibiting the opposite of Americas current thriving patriarchy.

Rather than America’s oldest white, male president, leading the Barbie Land is a Barbie of color played by Issa Rae. Alongside her is an all-female Supreme Court, a stark contrast to the United

Photos By Josephine Fisher

Isla Muñoz, 4, at the World Of Barbie Exhibit in Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023

States Supreme Court on which only six women have served in America’s history.

Women stepping into positions of leadership is a relatively new concept for America, with the first female representative, Jeannette Rankin, being elected to Congress in 1916. This came almost 130 years after our constitution was ratified. There are still 18 states in the United States that have never elected a female governor, including the very liberal state of California.

Outside of government, women have spent hundreds of years shattering the plastic ceiling.

With the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote in 1920 came an upsurge in women breaking traditional gender roles. Myra Bradwell helped to open doors by becoming oneof the first female attorneys in America and fighting the battle against gender discrimination. In the years following, women traded in being teachers, nurses, and secretaries, for male-dominated fields such as medicine and law.

Gerwig herself broke records with this feature becoming the highest-grossing opening week end for a film directed by a woman and snatching the title of Warner Bros.’ highest grossing global release, surpassing “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II.”

Despite these milestones, it is unrealistic to assume that we have left the patriarchy behind, as it is still alive and well.

Barbie does not set out to implement the idea that women should take over the world and leave their husbands at home but instead points out that neither men nor women should hold the reins of power, but rather share it.

While conservatives may disagree, the patriarchy is not only harmful to women and the queer community but also puts restraints on cis-gendered men as well. When men are forced to take on the role of “breadwinner,” they are pushed to isolate themselves from their families and their community.

According to a June 2021 study performed by the Survey Center of American Life, 28% of men under the age of 30 reported having no close social connections and 18% reported having no more than one person they could turn to outside of their immediate house-

hold for help.

The patriarchy enforces an order in which men must work, provide, and exhibit no emotions outside of strength. This is as unhealthy for men as the “quiet and subservient” role is for women.

It is important to note that the voice of the film, Margot Robbie’s Stereotypical Barbie, is exactly as described: stereotypical. Barbies of all ethnicities, sexualities, and sizes are seen on the big screen, but their stories are not the leading voices.

Gerwig herself is a white female director and can only express feminism through her own experiences as a white woman.

Women of color have historically been left out of previous waves of feminism, and it is imperative to remember there is more than one narrative to consider.

“Barbie” has inarguably sparked a conversation about feminism and questions as to what it means to be a feminist. In continuing the conversation, we must listen to those whose experiences differ from our own.

The truth of the matter is humans should be encouraged to equally feel, dream and live a unique life that is fit for them because gender roles are not onesize-fits-all like Barbie’s wardrobe.

Simply put, “Barbie” is a comedic rollercoaster that holds a funhouse mirror up to the world we live in, showing a feminist fantasy. It is not meant to be taken too seriously, as fantasy can not be a reality, and was created for the little kid inside of us all who dreams of a better future.

“My hope for the movie is that it’s an invitation for everybody to be part of the party and let go of the things that aren’t necessarily serving us as either women or men,” said Gerwig in a New York Times interview. Media can only ignite a flame of change, and it is up to us, the viewers, to take the message and run with it. It is up to us to rally together and tear down the Mojo Dojo Casa Houses. And it is up to us to take a look around and make sure no one is left behind.

So let us join Barbie Land in waking up from the patriarchal brainwashing, turn up some Indigo Girls, and ride our Barbie dream cars into a new wave of feminism where everyone is Kenough.

Isla Muñoz poses for a portrait holding a Mermaid Barbie.

“My hope for the movie is that it’s an invitation for everybody to be part of the party and let go of the things that aren’t necessarily serving us as either women or men”

- Greta Gerwig

Director Angel Manuel Soto's modern live-action adaptation of “Blue Beetle” quickly became a fan-favorite after its August 18 release. The movie delivers messages of socioeconomic disparities and the power of identity. Fans ride a rollercoaster of emotions with Jaime and the Reyes family, ultimately falling in love with the movie and its protagonists. Soto’s “Blue Beetle” has the potential to create more than just a ripple in the entertainment industry.

Known for her roles in “Mean Girls” on Broadway and “The Sex Lives of College Girls”, Reneé Rapp surprised newer fans by switching her focus to music. From the lighthearted yet angry lyrics of “Poison Poison” to the heartbreaking queer experience discussed in “Pretty Girls”, Rapp’s debut album surprises with its diverse moods and lyricism. The project perfectly encapsulates the struggle of finding emotional maturity as a young adult.

In “The Good Witch”, 23-yearold English singer-songwriter, Maisie Peters, explores the highs and lows of growing up in an ever-changing world. She tells a life story that might not be relatable to some but that offers emotional resolution. By the end of it, one is left feeling the same sense of power that Peters has found for herself.

Pixar’s “Elemental” displays a masterfully animated story that leaves moviegoers thinking about the tearful reality of immigrant families. Although marketed as a romance between opposites, the heart of the project lies in the integration of Asian immigrant experiences into its overarching narrative.

Yellowface - R.F. Kuang; May 16, 2023

Although the topic of this satirical thriller is controversial, Kuang’s newest novel tackles racism in the publishing industry in a fastpaced and riveting narration of an irredeemable protagonist. As an outside look into the realities of being an author, the too-true commentary makes for a worthwhile read.

Elemental - Peter Sohn; June 16, 2023

Blue Beetle - Angel Manuel Soto; August 18, 2023

Snow Angel - Reneé Rapp; August 18, 2023

The Good Witch - Maisie Peters; June 23, 2023

Illustration by Victor Chambers

Desiree Fabian | Staff Writer Amber Guerrero | Staff Writer