The Corsair Spring 2023 Issue 2

March 8, 2023 | VOLUME 125 ISSUE 2 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Food for the Soul

Abuelitas Cooking up Mexican Cuisine Read more on page 6

EVERY COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25¢ | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE, STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1929

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CONTENT News | pg. 3 Arts & Entertainment | pg. 4 Culture | pg. 5 Photo Story | pg. 6-7 Sports | pg. 8

EDITORIAL STAFF Sasha Funes | Editor-in-Chief Conor Heeley | Managing Editor Anna Sophia Moltke | Photo Editor Antoineé Jones | News Editor Baleigh O'Brien | Arts & Entertainment Editor Taylor Smith | Arts & Entertainment Editor Michael Zavala | Culture Editor Sydney Partyka | Opinion Editor Ryan Watts | Sports Editor Jackson Tammariello | Copy Editor Dylan Dayton | Copy Editor Katheryne Menendez | Digital Editor Christina Torres | Social Media Editor Callie Yiu | Multimedia Editor Presley Alexander | Multimedia Editor Caylo Seals | Design Editor Alejandro Contreras | Design Editor

CORSAIR STAFF Isaac Manno | Jehrid Hale | Nicholas McCall | Claude Epperson | Danilo Perez | Damond Collier Sr. | Rebecca Hogan | Maria Lebedev | Rafaella Cruz Ramaciote | Victor Chambers | Aaron Wiria | Bryan Antunez | Shaylee Guerrero | Ilayda Gercek | Jorge Devotto Ordonez | Daniel De Anda | My'Dari Baker | Vanessa Daily | Ashley Chinchilla | Kevin Tidmore | Akemi Rico | Amanda Villamil-Solano | Sebastian Villamil | Torrie Krantz-Klein | Josh Hogan | Richard Mendez | Tyler Simms

FACULTY ADVISORS Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins | Journalism Advisor Gerard Burkhart | Photo Advisor Samantha Nuñez | Social Media Advisor

CONTACT Editor-in-Chief | corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com Managing Editor | corsair.managing@gmail.com

SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter | the_corsair Instagram | corsairnews Facebook | thecorsairnews YouTube | thecorsaironline

WEBSITE www.thecorsaironline.com

FRONT PAGE Abuelita Merced Sanchez, pours chicken for her mole poblano dish served to guests who attended the screening of the documentary "Abuelita's Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories" at the Fowler Museum at UCLA main campus, Calif. on Saturday.

(Jorge Devotto | The Corsair)

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Happy National Women’s Day. I am proud to be a woman and to have grown up in a household of only women. My mom, grandmother and three younger sisters have been absolute blessings in my life. I was privileged enough to grow up around different generations of women in my family. I’ve been able to learn a lot about the culture of my heritage from the generations before me, as well as see the changes each generation of women has brought to our family.

Growing up with my grandma allowed me to immerse myself in Nicaragüense women culture. From a very young age I learned how to make tortillas, how to make national dishes from Nicaragua and how to hand wash my clothes the way she grew up doing it. Though I don’t implement all the things she taught me in my everyday life, they are lessons that I cherished as a kid and that are very essential to my cultural education. Even though she was instrumental in teaching me those basic life skills growing up, she’s never let me forget that education should be my number one priority.

I was the first born child of my generation in the family, so I’ve always had pressure to complete some form of higher education. My grandma very early on made sure I was ahead of the curve. She taught me basic mathematics and cursive in the first grade. Since then, I’ve always made sure to focus on my education. I know it’s a privilege, both as a Hispanic and as a woman.

I’m considered a first generation student since neither of my parents finished college. I grew up in a single mother household, so I saw the sacrifices my mom had to make every day. She also reminds me constantly of the importance of finishing college and getting a four year degree. Though stressful at times, it’s motivating to know that when I do finally get to the finish line, I’ll make more than one generation of women in my family proud.

I’m at the point now in my education where I can transfer out of community college to a four year university. I’ll be officially graduating from Santa Monica College in June, and although I still don’t know where I plan on transferring to, I truly can’t wait for the opportunities that lie ahead in a male dominated field.

Sports journalism and broadcasting comes littered with challenges, however, I’m more than ready to take on anything that comes my way. I can’t wait to be able to make a difference as a Hispanic woman in this field and look forward to greater things to come.

Sasha Funes

Editor-in-Chief

March 8, 2023

NEWS

(Left) A tree fell onto a parked vehicle, crushing the passenger compartment after intense rainstorms on Feb. 25.

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Kevin Tidmore | The Corsair

Historic Weather Sweeps Southland Ilayda Gercek | Staff Writer

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nusual weather conditions slammed Southern California over the weekend with record amounts of rain, and snow.

These dramatic weather conditions are anticipated to continue this week by weather forecasters, causing flooding in low-lying areas.

“It’s way colder now than I ever thought,” Santa Monica College student Nathan Schneider said. The Los Angeles native reports that while he’s seen and experienced these low temperatures, along with bad weather conditions, in other states, they are completely new to him in his hometown.

The National Weather Service (NWS) sent out emergency flash flood warnings to Los Angeles residents Friday evening, warning them of the potential dangers of going outside and advisinged residents to avoid traveling. Most parts of L.A. county received

between six and seven inches of rain, causing the L.A. River to overflow, along with nearby roads and residential areas.

The storm brought multiple inches of snow that were visible around the Hollywood sign and the surrounding mountains.

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles reported that more rain and snow is expected this week. The NWSLA is recommending that residents of the LA area to stay alert for travel impacts and check on updated weather conditions before going out.

A number of downed trees and debris could be spotted on Santa Monica roads over the weekend. The unusual storm that started on Friday afternoon gave way to clear skies for the morning and afternoon on Sunday. While the worst is reported to be over, further caution is still advised until Wednesday.

Akemi Rico | The Corsair

(Above) The Los Angeles River flows with water from heavy winter storms, Fletcher Drive Bridge, Los Angeles, Calif., Feb. 25.

A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

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Akemi Rico | The Corsair

Cast members Sahil Desai, Ittai Geiger, and Cassie Grilley (L to R) in character onstage during Act II on Friday, February 24, 2023 with The Drunk Theatre Company at the Santa Monica Playhouse in Santa Monica, Calif.

Take a Shot With the Drunk Theatre Company

Taylor Smith | Arts & Entertainment Editor

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f students are looking for a fun place to take their friends on a Friday night, The Santa Monica Playhouse sits in the center of Downtown Santa Monica on Wilshire Boulevard and Fourth Street. As one enters the little brick building, it may seem as though they have walked right into grandmother’s house. From the striped wallpaper to the charming tchotchkes, this eclectic space is the perfect setting for its guest production of Drunk Theatre.

The Drunk Theatre Company is comprised of five cast members, Nate Deakers, Sahil Desai, Ittai Geiger, Cassie Grilley, and Oleg Trofimov, who put on a two-act improvised play based on audience recommendations and their own comedic whims. True to their name, they begin each production with one cast member taking five shots of whisky. As the alcohol starts to work its magic, they commence their unpredictable comedy show that leaves audience members shaking from laughter.

To determine who will take the five shots of whisky, a wheel is spun by an audience member. On this particular Friday night, they happen to be cel-

ebrating cast member Ittai Geiger’s birthday. His name and the words "birthday boy" were labeled on every section of the wheel.

“I got called up to spin the wheel and take a shot of whisky with him,” said Miki Matteson, the lucky audience member that was chosen. “It’s real whisky, I can vouch for that. It’s gross but amazing.”

After the wheel is spun, the cast then asks the audience for a location and the name of a made-up movie. They then join hands, shout the fictional title, and the lights go out. The show begins.

This show is not an average improv show, as the cast uses a narrative format for their production, alternating between different scenes that tell a story from beginning to end.

After the first act, the audience has a ten-minute intermission, and then the cast begins act two by taking a shot altogether. A new title and location are taken from the audience once again, and it’s on with the show.

The one thing that stands out while watching the show is the cast’s chemistry. The company was formed in 2017, and originally was located in San Fran-

cisco, by a group of friends looking to turn their dream into a reality. For them, improv is not a hobby. it’s their career.

When brainstorming how to get their show off the ground and bring an audience in to fill the seats, the cast got creative.

“We had a long list of ideas and at the bottom, we just had to be like, well, what if one of us gets drunk?” Geiger said.

The cast was warned by fellow actors not to take on narrative improv, and especially not to perform the already difficult task inebriated, but the cast did not shy away from what they knew would make them stand out.

They drew inspiration from the popular historical anthology Drunk History on Comedy Central, Improvised Shakespeare, and the newly trending Drunk Shakespeare.

“It’s kind of our own version of that,” said Geiger. “We can be self-independent, we can make an amazing show, and we can be as good or be at that level or that tier without having to do that thing.”

Some in the audience that Friday night had not only witnessed improv

before but had returned to The Drunk Theatre Company to see the show for a second and third time. For others, it was their first experience at an improv show.

Kristina Hansell, who is visiting from Chicago, found the show to be unique and unlike any other show that she has seen.

“The guy who took the shots? He was killing it.” Hansell said. “Loved it.

Loved the energy. Very unique. I haven’t seen any other improv show like it.

The Drunk Theatre Company’s production is entertainment that can be enjoyed by everyone. The production is interactive and intimate, leaving the audience to feel a part of the show.

The Santa Monica Playhouse is located two miles from the Santa Monica College main campus, and the show allows entry for all ages. It is the perfect way to spend time with friends, destress, and have a good laugh after a long week of school.

Tickets can be found on The Drunk Theatre Company’s website. Parking is located in a garage across the street and is free for 90 minutes. Performances take place every Friday at 9 p.m.

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A Celebration of "Mr. Soul!"

Taylor Smith | Arts & Entertainment Editor

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anta Monica College wrapped up Black History Month with a screening of the 2018 documentary film Mr. Soul! which celebrates the impact Ellis Haizlip left on Black history in American television.

Santa Monica College (SMC) ended its celebration of Black History Month with a free screening of the 2018 documentary film "Mr. Soul!" The documentary highlights the life of Ellis Haizlip, producer and first black host on a variety show. It took place at the Student Services Building and was hosted by the Associate Dean for Student Life, Thomas Bui. In the days when Black Americans were scarcely seen on the picture boxes in shag-carpeted living rooms across the country, Haizlip made his mark on the Public Broadcasting Network with his show "Soul!" The show, which first aired in 1968 on Channel 13, showcased Black artists including poet Nikki Giovanni, musician Stevie Wonder and music group Earth, Wind, and Fire.

SMC student Joanna Rose Hernandez described her experience watching the documentary.

“It was very enriching, very powerful, and I had never heard about Ellis Haizlip before,” said Hernandez. “But I will never forget because he set the tone with his platform for pretty much music and theater and art and poetry for what it is today.”

The screening was also open to SMC staff, alumni and Santa Monica community members.

“I was extremely, extremely excited that this was taking place at my alma mater,” said Leon Clarke, an SMC alumnus who returned to campus to watch the film.

Being an openly gay man himself, Haizlip didn’t shy away from controversial subjects. He brought on guests like Minister Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader with a record of homophobic and antisemitic remarks, and Georgia Jackson, the mother of the late George Jackson, to bring humanity to the controversial activist and member of the Black Panther Party.

“He was a very low-key person, soft-spoken,” said Benny Blaydes, the lead counselor at the Office of Student Life. “But the type of artists and the political people he had on the show, that was his activism, and you learn a lot about the era, about the struggle, based on what he did.”

In 1973, after four years of history-making television, "Soul!" was defunded and taken off the air as part of President Richard Nixon’s new set of priorities for public broadcasting. In an attempt to save the show, Haizlip began a campaign that encouraged viewers to write in and show their support. Despite the flood of letters from viewers inside and outside of the Black community, the show came to an end.

Melissa Haizlip, Haizlip's niece, produced, directed and wrote the documentary in order to bring her uncle much-deserved recognition for his work on the show.

“It took his niece to put this together to make sure people knew who he was and the contributions he made,” said Blaydes.

Haizlip created a platform for black Americans to create art on a national platform. The documentary ends with Haizlip stating his vision of the future of American television.

“There’s been a dream of mine, and it still is a dream of mine, and that is that Black people can come together and can form a union of coexisting in an artistic world where everything can be beautiful,” Haizlip said.

The Office of Student Life on

campus has purchased the DVD of "Mr. Soul!" Students can borrow the documentary film and screen it on campus at the Orientation Hall in the Student Support Center. "Mr. Soul!" can also be found on the HBO Max streaming service.

Photos By Jehrid Hale

(Above) Santa Monica College student Joanna Rose Hernandez talking to Benny Blaydes, who selected the film and is the lead counselor at the Office of Student Life, and Thomas Bui, the Interim Associate Dean for Student Life and the organizer of this event, after the screening of the film "Mr. Soul!"

(Left) Benny Blaydes speaking after the show about the importance of the film and answering questions after the screening of the film "Mr. Soul!"

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Jorge Merced Sanchez, one of the grandmothers featured in the movie, smiles as she serves esquite — a dish made with white corn, epazote, mayonnaise, cotija cheese and dry chili — which she prepared for the rec tary screening. The film she is featured in is titled “Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories,” and was shown at the Fowler Museum at University of California, Los Angeles main campus, Calif. on Saturd

The Magic of the "

Victor Chambers | Staff Writer

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Akemi Rico | The Corsair Merced Sanchez continues serving up esquite to the crowd of people who attended the screening of the film that she is featured in.

n Saturday, March 4, around 100 people attended a screening of the documentary “Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories” at the Fowler Museum. The film highlights the significance of food within the Mexican American experience in Los Angeles. Some of the dishes of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican origin showcased in the film were offered to the audience afterward.

“The importance of food is that it brings people together,” said Ana Guzman, as she passed down tacos to a long line of attendees. Guzman, 40, is the youngest abuela featured in the documentary.

She is also part of the team at FEAST, a nonprofit concerned with promoting health and wellness in under-resourced communities.

Running under 30 minutes, the documentary highlights the topics of culture, tradition, identity and immigration. The film is centered around interviews with 10 abuelas living in Los Angeles. Each abuela, which means grandmother in Spanish, shared how food had been a part of their lives from childhood to when they immigrated to the United States.

“I loved being part of the documentary because it reminded me of my memories with my own

abuelita,” said Guzman.

Abuelita is a more affectionate and personal way of addressing one’s grandmother.

“Food allowed me to send my seven children to university,” said Yolanda Baza, speaking to the audience at a post-screening panel. “Now, I am teaching Mexican culture to my grandchildren.”

L.A. County is home to the largest concentration of people of Mexican descent outside of Mexico. According to the 2021 Census, 49 percent of the county’s population is of Hispanic or Latino descent, with Mexicans representing three quarters of that group. Regional cuisines from Mexico abound

P H OTO S TO R Y

March 8, 2023

Akemi Rico| The Corsair Ana Guzman, one of the grandmothers profiled in the movie, stands with her daughter, Jaqueline Guzman, at the screening of "Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories," at UCLA's Fowler Museum on Saturday.

e Devotto | The Corsair ception of the documenday.

Jorge Devotto | The Corsair Producer Sarah Portnoy (left) sits next to Yolanda Baza (right) who is featured in the movie, at the reception after the screening of the documentary “Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories”.

"Abuelita" in the city. These include dishes such as birria from Jalisco, moles from Oaxaca, pescado from Guerrero, and flautas from Sinaloa.

“With this movie, we wanted to promote the diversity of Mexican and Mexican American cuisine in L.A.,” said Sarah Portnoy, a USC Food Studies professor and the film’s producer. The idea for the documentary emerged as part of a multimedia exhibit curated for LA Plaza Cocina, a Los Angeles-based culinary museum focused on celebrating the food and culture of Mexico.

“I am proud to be Indigenous and to represent the Mayan culture in the USA,”

said Elsa Maria Chan. She added that she dreams of returning home to pass down her traditions to her grandchildren.

The abuelas featured in the documentary are all aware of their legacy. Merced Sanchez was a central figure in the campaign that got the L.A. City Council to pass a measure decriminalizing street vending in 2017.

“We made history,” said Sanchez. “My colleagues might not always know who I am, but I know who I am, and my granddaughters know it too.”

Jorge Devotto | The Corsair Merced Sanchez, featured in the movie, makes her mole poblano dish by first pouring chicken before adding the sauce. Attendees of the film screening had the opportunity to taste food made by the grandmothers.

Akemi Rico | The Corsair Elsa Maria Chan, one of the grandmothers profiled in the movie, serves mole poblano to attendees after the screening of the film "Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories," at the Fowler Museum at UCLA on Saturday.

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SPORTS

March 8, 2023

w Nicholas McCall | The Corsair

Caylo Seals | The Corsair Santa Monica College Corsair setter Camden Higbee (left) and opposite Luis Garzon (center) attempting to block a spike by Long Beach City College Viking Matthew Pennala ( right) during the first set of a home game in Santa Monica, Calif., on Friday. The game resulted in the Corsair's defeat: 3-0.

Santa Monica College Corsairs' Men's Volleyball Head Coach Liran Zamir talking to Camden Higbee during the match against the Long Beach City College Vikings on Friday, at Corsair Gym in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 3-0.

Corsairs Struggle Against Long Beach Vikings "Obviously they are at a higher level than us, but we still have to put up a fight."-Javier Castillo Dylan Dayton | Copy Editor Ilayda Gercek | Staff Writer

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n Friday, March 3, the Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs men's volleyball team played their ninth game of the season against the Long Beach City College Vikings. The Corsairs, coming off of a dominant 3-0 victory against the Santa Barbara Vaqueros, were looking to capitalize on their momentum heading into this week's matchup.

The Corsairs were defeated 3-0 by the now 6-1 Vikings, but not without putting up a fight.

While they were not able to capture the same magic that they had last week, the Corsairs put together a valiant performance. Outside hitters Nate Davis and Kane Schwengel had seven kills each.

Nicholas McCall | The Corsair Santa Monica College Corsairs' Beikwaw Yankey, Kane Schwengel, Javier Castillo, Enkhtur Tserendavaa, and Nate Davis during the men's volleyball match against the Long Beach City College Vikings at Corsair Gym in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 3-0.

The Corsairs played a smart and scrappy offense that awarded them free points in all three sets. The defense from the starters was adaptable and changed focus based on the hot hand of the opposition.

Aggressive serving was the primary strategy, with the Corsairs’ coaching staff working tirelessly to bring up the intensity during games and high pressure situations. Head coach Liran Zamir said he wants his players to push their physical boundaries by forcing opposing defenses to react quickly in hopes of catching them off guard.

“We try to be aggressive on the serve on purpose," he said. "Sometimes there can be the price of hitting out or the net, but having that opportunity to

catch the other team out of their system is worth it.”

One player in particular who expressed this kind of aggressive energy was libero Javier Castillo. He placed his body on the line during defense, racking up eight digs. His effort was the catalyst for an improved and rejuvenated defense in the second and third sets compared to the sluggish defense in the first set.

“We all just kind of realized that at the end of the day it's just another team on the other side of the floor," said Castillo. "Obviously they are at a higher level than us, but we still have to put up a fight."

Outside hitter Beikwaw Yankey chose to reflect on the game by ac-

knowledging both the positive and negative aspects of the match. Appreciating the positive energy the team kept up throughout the sets, Yankey is excited for the rest of the season with his teammates.

“We kept it up in the huddle, every time we were gonna lose a point, we’d just pick each other up again," he said.

"I really like the energy some of them have."

The Corsairs have ten more games left in their season, with the next match taking place on Friday, March 10 against the El Camino College Warriors in the gym on the SMC main campus at 6 p.m.