The Corsair Issue #3, Spring 2020

All hail technology.

With a widespread illness invading countries worldwide, businesses closing their doors left and right, and panic-inducing coughs and sneezes occurring on the daily, now is the time when many of us need the support of our loved ones. However, social distancing and lockdown protocols ordained by our local governments are making face-to-face interaction as difficult as it is to get your hands on a roll of toilet paper.

Once again, all hail technology.

As a journalistic publication, we at The Corsair hold ourselves to the same standard as any other news outlet; to report on local, national, and international events with integrity, inclusivity, and accuracy. And when Santa Monica College (SMC) decided its best defense against COVID-19 was to close its doors entirely and move all classes and services online, The Corsair was by no means locked away within the college’s walls.

Conversely, The Corsair was met with one of the greatest tasks I have been faced with during my time on the paper. From the minute that SMC decided to cease on-campus classes, students began looking to us for information about the status of their educational experiences. Faculty began heading to our website to see what intel we gathered from college administrators. Community members began relying on us to provide up-to-date coverage on business closures, city ordinances, lockdown protocol, and any myths about coronavirus that needed busting.

Now more than ever, our audience needs our website and social media accounts to be constantly updated. Without hesitation, The Corsair jumped into action. We have made sure to upload new content to the website daily, push breaking news updates on Instagram and Twitter, and produce some lighter podcasts and articles to give people a break if they are feeling overwhelmed from coronavirus coverage.

While we on The Corsair staff all miss our newsroom dearly, our bi-weekly meetings are still effective via Zoom calls. While we all wish we could congregate in-person to process the unpredictability of our current circumstances, our constant conversations via WhatsApp Messenger are still allowing our coverage to be cohesive.

Spending my days hunched over my laptop, thinking about my newborn nephew I cannot currently see and my mother who is still required to attend work everyday, I could really use a day in the newsroom amongst my staff. I could really use a pat on the shoulder from my peers, an in-person conversation with my superb advisers, and a nice whiff of a freshly-printed newspaper.

But, in the meantime, all hail technology. In the midst of this pandemic, The Corsair is a grounding force for me. I hope that our integrity, our inclusivity, and our accuracy when it comes to reporting can be grounding for everyone reading. We will make it through. We will get by, with a little help from our virtual friends and electronic devices.

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International Students Step Into New Territory as COVID-19 Continues to Spread James Shippy and Karoline Berg | Staff Writers

English major at SMC originally from Burma, expressed, “some of us are thousands of miles from home and everything is changing by the minute and flights are getting cancelled.” She also lamented that she feared going outside because of bigotry

of going home last week because she felt safer being in her home country.

“It was difficult leaving LA so soon, and felt weird leaving at this time as I already got so used to my life there,” said Paulsen.

Paulsen, among many other students

return to the U.S. in fall.”

Although many students are making the choice to leave, there are also those who As colleges across the country close feel like staying is the best option. Lea their campus and switch to online format Yang, a former SMC student from Taiwan, due to COVID-19, many students fear the who now studies public relations at Caliunknown. International stufornia State University, Fullerton, dents face an even more unpresays she feels a greater risk of condictable outlook as they graptracting the virus traveling back to ple with the choice to stay in Taiwan than staying in California.

America or attempt to rush back “I think if I have family here [in home to familiar surroundings. the U.S.], then yes I would leave Santa Monica College (SMC) LA and stay at my family’s house, has roughly 3,000 international but since I’m an international stustudents, making up approxident, it’s safer. I don’t bring any mately 10 percent of the student potential risk back to my counpopulation, from all over the try.” Yang has lived in LA for the world and many of them have last two years and has not traveled been affected by the current back to Taiwan since 2017. circumstances brought on by Another student who has made COVID-19. While some stuthe decision to stay is Julian di Bri, dents have chosen to go back a business major from Sweden. He to their home countries, others believes his family is safe and has are choosing to stay in Los Anenough government-provided regeles. sources back home. He also fears Under normal circumstancthat if he went back to Sweden it es, international students are could possibly alter his student allowed to take up to six onvisa status. line units per semester, while “There might be a chance I can’t nine units must be on-ground travel back, and then basically to maintain their F-1 visa stathere’s no option for me to continSanta Monica College (SMC) quad empty on a weekday at noon in Santa Monica Calif. Taken Wednesday, March 18, 2020 (William tus. SMC along with numerous The ue my studies. I will have thrown F. Espinsosa / The Corsair) other colleges and universities away all my money.” di Bri has one across the country have omitted the pre- associated with the outbreak. who have chosen to go home, are leaving more semester before attempting to transvious limit of six online units. With this “Seeing my fellow Asians, people of behind apartments they are still paying fer to a 4-year university here in America. change in requirement some internation- my race, getting verbally and physically for. Due to travel restrictions they are also Be sure to click here for our brief, but al students have decided to return to their abused in public adds a burden to my wor- risking complications when re-enrolling detailed conversation about how di Bri home soil to finish their classes online. ries,” said Thet. “I do not want to go out.” for the fall semester. When addressing this is coping with a global pandemic while For some students, traveling back home 22-year-old sociology major Maria issue, Paulsen said, “I will continue my studying abroad. is not an easy transition. Sharon Thet, an Paulsen from Norway made the decision school online, and if it is possible, I will

Quarantine: A Full-Time Job for Unemployed SMC Students Kodi Mabon | Staff Writer As cases of COVID-19 increase, colleges and universities have begun to shut down to help further prevent the spread of the virus.

This global shut down has brought tons of panic, questions, and for many, unemployment.

Many Santa Monica College (SMC) students not only attend and study at school but work on campus, and for most this is their only source of income. Many are no longer able to provide for their families, which raises the effect of food insecurity and housing insecurity.

“It’s really been affecting me in a nega-

tive way. It’s made everything get canceled, including my job that I completely depended on for my classes,” said SMC bookstore student worker Chole Wong. “While I do not despite the importance of cancelling social activities and self-quarantining during this time… it has brought me a lot of harm and loss.”

SMC students who are under federal work study did not receive emergency pay once campus closed down. Many student workers rely on filing for unemployment benefits, given the exemptions of tax dependents under the newly passed Coronavirus Stimulus Package.

“The virus has impacted my ability to

work on campus and while I understand that it is a precautionary measure… I wish SMC did something akin to [emergency pay] for the sake of the students who rely on work study such as students like myself,” said third year SMC student Alexandra Azuike.

To help battle food insecurity, schools and restaurants are now setting up times for parents to bring younger students to receive free lunches as food insecurity has increased, according to Fox News. Cable companies like Spectrum are offering free wifi for students so they can keep up, as many don’t have access to keep up with remote classes.

According to CNBC, California alone has up to one million claims in unemployment

in the past two weeks and is expected to raise more. More businesses are being shut down across the state, which includes a lot of students filing for unemployment at a higher rate.

Students like Wong and Azuike hope that society pulls together under these conditions.

“I just hope that with all the actions we’ve been making, the spread of this virus will be controlled soon and less people will be harmed,” said Wong. “More importantly, I hope people who are in the same situations as I am can get the help they need and the society can work together and truly help each other, instead of thinking only about themselves and being selfish.”

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Ed Mangus instructs students in the Introduction to Photography class on the Santa Monica College (SMC) main campus, in the morning of the first day after the college’s adminstration announced plans to initiate online classes in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, in Santa Monica, California, on Thursday, March 12th 2020. (Marco Pallotti/ The Corsair) Flex Day as a preview of a Corona virus vacated SMC campus? On Tuesday, March 10, Sergio Mechoulam, 25, an SMC animation student from Mexico City is the sole student in a 76-workstation lab at the SMC CMD campus. (Glenn Zucman/The Corsair)

Police officers at the entrance to S on Monday, March 16th 2020. (M

A Pandem Marco Pallotti | Photo Editor It took a while for us to recognize the danger of the coronavirus outbreak, but once we did things began to change quickly. On Tues., March 10, a college Flex Day, most of the classrooms were empty as the professors were in meetings. By March 12, many students attended school, though the word from the college administration was that most classes would be online for a while. But during the weekend, everything changed.

On Mon., March 16, the City of Santa Monica closed the pier, and by the following morning, St. Patrick’s Day, all the bars were closed, and only a few businesses were open.

After that, it was obvious life was going to be very different for a while.

Grocery stores were suddenly sold out of water, toilet paper, flour, dried pasta, and many other staples. People began wearing masks in public, and social distancing became the norm. The streets and freeways became almost empty, and beaches and parks were shut down.

We don’t know yet how long this situation will last, but it already seems that all of April will be like this, and possibly May too. Perhaps even longer.

It feels that life will never be the same after we’re through this unpredictable period.

A man wearing a mask talks on the phone as he walks through downtown Los Angeles, on Wednesday, March 18th 2020. (Fernando Duran/The Corsair)

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Santa Monica Pier, during its first day closed because of the Coronavirus pandemic, in Santa Monica, California, Marco Pallott/The Corsair)

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After people realized the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic, grocery stores were suddenly sold out of water, toilet paper, flour, dried pasta, and many other staples. (Kiran Baez & Marco Pallotti/The Corsair)

A couple walk through a Farmers Market in Santa Monica, California on March 21, 2020. The Center for Disease Control recommended people maintain at least six feet of distance in public places and avoid gatherings of more than ten people.

(Maxim Elramsisy / The Corsair)

The 10 freeway in Los Angeles, California devoid of rush hour traiffic March 25, 2020, the sixth day since California governer, Gavin Newsom’ issued a safe-at-home order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. (Maxim Elramsisy / The Corsair)

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The USNS Mercy at dock near the Vincent Thomas Bridge, in the Port of Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday, March 31st 2020. (Maxim Elramsisy/The Corsair)

Sailors aboard United States Navy Hospital Ship Mercy arrived at the Port of Los Angeles, California on March 27, 2020. (Maxim Elramsisy/The Corsair)

US Navy Brings Mercy to LA

Tatiana Louder | Culture Editor The scope of the COVID-19 pandemic in Los Angeles has been an unpredictable one to measure, and it just got an eight-hundred-ninety-four-foot addition. On it’s fifth day in port in San Pedro, the USNS Mercy, a naval hospital ship normally docked in San Diego, continues to be fully active and receive patients as Coronavirus patients continue to check into local hospitals.

Care options for patients taken into the ship’s medical facility include all but obstetrics, pediatrics, “open-heart or bypass surgery and can’t treat patients undergoing chemotherapy,” according to United States Naval Institute.

Their site notes that the ship hosts a 1,000-bed hospital, and it will act as a “transfer facility” for those already in nearby hospitals. An ambulance will transfer those in need. Mercy’s sister ship USNS Comfort made the Hudson River her new home as of March 30, docking to aid those in New York, New York. Added together, the ships provide 48,550 tons of grace and solace.

A man looks at the USNS Mercy after it arrived at the Port of Los Angeles, California on March 27, 2020.

(Maxim Elramsisy/The Corsair)

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Now Playing, On a TV Near You Tatianna Louder | Culture Editor What does twenty bucks buy in the COVID-19 economy? Well, it can buy 23.8 rolls of toilet paper. While it’s probably smart to stock up on those, another Andrew Jackson can be used to stream one of several major motion pictures - still in theaters - at home.

Amazon’s “Prime Video Cinema” feature allows streamers access to films currently in theaters. “Buy Movie HD 19.99,” boasts the yellow-highlighted button before a purchase. With a halt on businesses that has left many unemployed for the foreseeable future, the value of these flicks is to be determined by viewers themselves.

“I feel in a way it’s worth it, because you are spending way more money at the movies than to see it at home,” says Maria Rivas, SMC child development major. Rivas said she would spend the money for Disney’s “Onward”. A standard Netflix membership

costs $9.99, and a premium membership, which allows members to stream on up to 4 screens in HD or Ultra HD, comes in at $16.99. An Amazon Prime membership is $12.99 for its pay-per-month option and $6.49 monthly for students, while Business Insider states Hulu’s premium caps at $11.99.

The three main streaming giants offer viewers more options than a person could viably watch- even in a self-quarantine.

For double the cost of a subscription, at-home movie goers have a choice of one of just seven titles, including “Birds of Prey”, “Bloodshot” and the premiere of “The Invisible Man”. Autumn De Wilde’s 2020 version of Jane Austen’s “Emma” is also available for home viewing. This is the first time Prime is offering such a service, so whether audiences will drop the dough for the at-home cinematic experience remains to be seen.

The competition between top streaming

services lies in which app offers which titles.

With their standard subscription, Hulu members have access to award-winning dramas like “Love and Mercy” and “50/50” as well as “Fun with Dick and Jane”. According to Cinema Blend, Hulu subscribers can mark April 1 on their calendars for the arrival of both “Kill Bill” films, “Paranormal Activity” and many more, while films like “Dude, Where’s My Car”, “Diana” and “Finding Steve McQueen” will be available for those who drop the dough for a Starz premium add-on.

Including its own plethora of originals, Netflix is currently home to a wild list of trending shows and films. Holding down the number one spot is “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness.” For less tiger-filled options, Netflix Original limited series “Self Made” and “Pandemic” are also available.

According to Den of Geek, while Netflix isn’t currently enjoying a show-craze like it

has in the past with series like “Stranger Things”, offering every season of shows like “Community” and each movie in big franchises like “Lethal Weapon” starting April 1, leave viewers with plenty of options.

Amazon Prime, in addition to its Prime Video Cinema, continues to offer classic series in their entirety like “Sex and the City” and their own successful original series such as “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Current fun movie classics include “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “Pretty in Pink”, while viewers can look forward to both “Carrie” movies and “Wayne’s World 2” starting April 1.

According to “Variety”, patrons very well may see opening restrictions and health and safety measures pushed into the movie-going experience upon the re-opening of movie theatres. What remains to be seen is how this will affect the flow of streaming.

SMC Music Department Rocks Through Campus Closures Chrissa Loukas | Staff Writer In the wake of the coronavirus, the SMC Music Department was severely affected as the challenge to transition such physical classes was immense. Performances were forced to cancel, along with some music classes. Now, they only meet online as they continue to spread the power of melody but it is not the same.

The Music Department at Santa Monica College (SMC) is home to many aspiring musicians. The curriculum prepares students to transfer to four-year institutions, or to gain an Associate’s Degree in the Music Major. COVID-19 has altered this process, as it has sent everyone away from all SMC campuses.

SMC music major Nicole Rocha said, “I miss everything. The practice room and engaging with my fellow applied students. We helped each other a lot. We wrote music together and were each other’s critics and fans.”

In the second week of March, President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery announced in one of her online messages that many classes were moving to remote learning, “in order to limit the potential transmission of COVID-19.” By March 15 all SMC classes transitioned online “for the remainder of Spring 2020 Semester,” said President Dr. Jeffery.

“I understand how the recent change might have initially seemed to be a daunting undertaking,” said President Dr. Jeffery who is a classical musician herself, with a Bachelor of Music Education from Oklahoma State University.

Dr. Brian Driscoll, Music Department Chair said, “These are incredibly stressful times for all of us—teachers, students, parents… everyone.”

President Dr. Jeffery praised the music department as she said “I am very impressed with the resilience everyone has shown, and I am extremely proud of how faculty and students are together finding a new rhythm, harmonizing and making music in inspirational and innovative ways.”

According to Dr. Driscoll, their “instructors have been going above and beyond to make sure that both the learning about music and the experience of making music continue for students and the community,” although they are unable to physically meet for lessons and rehearsals.

Taking classes, practicing and being around scholars with

similar interests, Rocha said “It made me always want to be better and practice and be just as good as my fellow classmates.”

Many were skeptical about how music classes could work online, but in the end Dr. Driscoll affirmed everything worked out better than what was expected.

“I thought for sure once all classes went online that the applied music program would have to be canceled,” Rocha said, “due to the fact that we do a lot of collaborations and focus on live performances.”

The online transition was mostly successful for the department, however, some students struggled to adapt and even thought of quitting.

“The transition was pretty hard for me,” said SMC music major student Aviana Tiara Brown, “especially for my Music Fundamentals class, which was already pretty hard. I was really allowing the fact that I had to show up to class every week hold me accountable. With the class moving online, it really made me frustrated and made me want to give up. I’m glad I didn’t though.”

Classes such as Theater Arts 52, Advanced Production - Musical Theatre and Music 78, Jazz Ensemble were forced to be cancelled due to their performance element. Performance events, a key element to the curriculum, are regularly rehearsed and showcase the student’s melodic skills. “The Power of Music” which was prepared by the Santa Monica College Symphony Orchestra was one of the many events that got cancelled.

“Many of our ensembles have had programs planned for quite a while,” Dr. Driscoll said, “even if they only had four weeks to rehearse this semester.”

SMC students used to hear musicians rehearsing acapella and instruments playing as they walked throughout campus. Today, silence blares while students attend school online.

Illustration by Carolyn Burt

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OPINION

Should We Take Out the Take-Out? Paris Wise | Staff Writer The continuing progression of how the country is handling the COVID-19 pandemic has California currently in a “Stay at Home” order, along with at least 30 other states. People are not to leave their homes unless they are doing an “essential” activity. These essential activities include, but are not limited to, allowing people to go to the grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants (for pick-up only).

Along with this order, people have been advised to maintain proper cleanliness procedures (i.e. washing hands, coughing into elbows, etc.), as well as maintaining a six-foot distance from others. It is understandable that places like grocery stores and pharmacies stay open during this time as people need food, medication, and other basic necessities that these locations sell.

However, restaurants have seemed to be put at the front line alongside these establishments. This is not out of a need to provide Americans with food, but rather because of the need to support restaurant workers and small businesses. While big chain corporations can still be profiting, it is the “mom-and-pop” restaurants that are either losing money or - at best - breaking even in order to keep their employees afloat.

According to an article in the New York Post by Jennifer Gould Keil, restaurants throughout New York that depended on dine-in customers are only seeing about ten percent of their overall sales since the restrictions led them to do delivery and take-out only. Restaurant owners have taken to starting GoFundMe pages in order to continue to pay for operations, as well as help aid workers who are unable to receive government financial assistance.

If people are to follow the rules of social distancing and what our leaders have been advising us to do to slow the spread of COVID-19, they should easily conclude that restaurants should close completely.

Before I go on, it should be known that I have worked in the restaurant industry for over seven years as a server, bartender, and manager. I am currently out of work as the restaurant I was recently working at closed down in order to put the safety of our employees first. I completely understand first-hand how this pandemic is crippling to restaurant workers as many others have shut down, or otherwise reduced workers’ hours. I, along with many other restaurant workers, now have to navigate through the stress of figuring out how to financially survive for the next unknown amount of time through this pandemic. I understand why people still need and want to work.

With that being said, how can we as a society follow these safety guidelines while we are still being given the freedom to indulge in take-out food? Why is this

promotion of support magically exempt from all of the fears our government and health officials have been warning us of?

On March 20,

a coalition of chain restaurants took to Twitter to announce a movement that took place on March 24. The movement encouraged people to go to at least one restaurant on March 24 to support the restaurant industry through ordering take-out or delivery. Another is happening on March 31. They’re calling this movement “The Great American Take-Out” and adorned its’ branding in a purposefully-patriotic red, white, and blue aesthetic because this is America and you can’t take away our take-out!

A movement with the best interests of restaurant workers, or in this case the owners of said chains, seems to clash with the interests of our country’s current situation.

In fact, just a day before the movement was to take place, Gary He of the New York Eater wrote an article on a how a popular restaurant called Carbone initially had plans to execute safe social distancing for its’ pick-up patrons, until the plans were overridden by high pickup volume causing a very crowded sidewalk. It got so crowded that local law enforcement had to intervene to enforce safe social distancing. Although this restaurant was just in New York, the Great American Take-Out movement was nationwide.

When Garcetti announced his Safer at Home order he encouraged going for walks and getting outside; however the mayor has since changed this tune as he took to Twitter to announce he has now closed public parks, beach parking, and sports recreational centers and scolded Angelenos for “packing beaches, trails, and parks.” In a previous tweet that same day he had reminded Angelenos that “outdoor activity is only allowed when practicing physical distancing.” This serves as an example of a freedom the mayor had given people and then took back once it did not work, as beaches and parks in LA County are now closed entirely. It is unknown whether or not these packed public spaces cause further spread of COVID-19, but if they did, the mayor’s stricter restrictions are no longer nearly as preventative as they could have been.

It is clear that social distancing was not the priority when creating “The Great Take-Out.” It is exacerbating the problem we are trying to get rid of by concentrating

the foot traffic of take-out into one single day. As Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti allows restaurants to stay open, how long is it until the plan fails just as it did at Carbone and just as it did with people going outside? Garcetti has said that even if you are young and asymptomatic, our city is still in a position to pass on that infection to at least two more people and we need to bring that number down.

This means that a restaurant worker may be asymptomatic and can potentially pass the

vir u s on to whoever handles the food once it leaves the restaurant.

In terms of health codes and sanitation amid the coronavirus, there hasn’t been a clear statement on whether or not rules are being strictly enforced in restaurants.

Therefore, how can people really know if it is safe? Well, they can’t. Even on the CDC’s website there is very limited information and guidelines on food safety in food retail establishments. A common quote people are using from the CDC is, “Currently there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19. Therefore, we do not believe there is a need to conduct environmental testing in food settings for the virus that causes COVID 19 for the purpose of food safety.” However, in that

same section the site says, “With the detection of the coronavirus in asymptomatic people and studies showing survival of coronavirus on surfaces for short periods of time, as an extra precaution, food facilities may want to consider a more frequent cleaning and sanitation schedule for high human contact surfaces.” This not only contradicts their earlier statement but it puts all of the pressure on restaurants to figure out how to properly and safely operate in the midst of a brand new and developing disease.

The only restrictions the Garcetti has put on restaurants is that people cannot dine-in and can only order for delivery or take-out.

In fact, he encouraged people to go support local restaurants in this fashion. However, there was initially very limited enforcement on these restrictions as Garcetti placed the responsibility on Angelenos to report any restaurants that aren’t following orders. Now Garcetti has partnered with City Attorney Mike Feuer to enforce that any “failure to heed the [Safer at Home] order is a misdemeanor that can result in fines or jail time.”

The harsher consequences put fire under businesses that do not follow city-ordained restrictions, but this still leaves sanitation requirements wide open and people can only hope that the establishments are doing their best.

So the question lies, why are restaurants still open? Although there are restrictions, it is a mystery as to why exactly the mayor hasn’t shut down restaurants entirely. Is it to further limit hoarding and shortages at grocery stores? Is it to support our city’s economy? We don’t know.

Illustration by Dana Binfet

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Sports World Calls Timeout as COVID-19 Makes Its Impact on the Nation Deshawn Pouper | Sports Editor With the United States in a panic state to flatten the curve of the coronavirus, the National Basketball Association (NBA) community -- and the sports world -- began to see the infectious disease hit closer, and closer to home. Beginning March 11, before a Wednesday evening game between Utah and Oklahoma City, the contest had to be stopped and postponed due to news that a player from the Utah Jazz, Rudy Gobert, tested positive for coronavirus.

The league decided that night to suspend the season, putting it on a 30-day hiatus. The next morning, fans and season ticket holders received a letter from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stating how the league was going to operate moving forward, and their sentiments of contributing to spreading the virus: “The Hiatus will last at least 30 days, and we intend to resume the season, if and when it becomes safe for all concerned.”

It was this first domino that made the

rest of the sports world fall in line. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) followed suit, cancelling all conference tournament games that were in play, and later decided to cancel the highly anticipated NCAA March Madness national basketball tournament. It was unprecedented given the reputation of the NCAA, but the circumstances called for extraordinary measures.

With the state basketball tournament ongoing for California community colleges, the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) decided to cancel the remainder of the tournament in its elite eight round. They also went ahead, and cancelled the remainder of winter sports, and spring sports with hopes of giving those players another year of eligibility.

Next came Major League Baseball (MLB), as they suspended their spring training camp, along with spring exhibition games, and the start of opening day.

On March 12 the National Hockey League (NHL) suspended their season, and just

like the NBA they were on the brink of their postseason. Major League Soccer (MLS) went ahead and suspended the rest of their season as well. For the National Football League (NFL), they were in a unique situation with the start of the new league year, and also the start of free agency. So, the NFL suggested teams find alternative options to talk to players, instead of the traditional face-to-face visits that happen during free agency. Teams also had to find ways to acquire physicals for their new players, since they closed down their team facilities and there weren’t any team doctors available to complete the physicals.

Some notable players and coaches who have tested positive include: two unnamed Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets Forward Kevin Durant, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, Detroit Pistons Forward Christian Wood, three unnamed members of the Philadelphia 76ers organization, and two unnamed New York Yankees minor league players. The first one of the NFL

to test positive is New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.

The NBA has discussed the possibility of resuming the season mid-to-late June, but with more players, coaches, and front office members testing positive for coronavirus, the timeline is being jeopardized with each and every new case.

Sports fans across the nation and around the world are having to cope with the inability to watch their favorite team or sport. Some fans were getting ready to watch their favorite basketball or hockey team get ready for playoffs, while some were getting excited to see baseball finally come back on opening day. College hoop fans were ready to fill out their brackets for March Madness, watching and hoping they picked every team right.

For now, the adrenaline from the exciting rush of watching our favorite teams is gone, but during this time without sports, fans are relying on old highlight tapes, and video games like NBA 2k, or Madden to get their daily fix.

Taking Back His Shot: Ja’Shawn Chisel Paris Wise | Staff Writer Ja’Shawn Chisel, 20, is a basketball player from Denver, Colorado currently playing for the Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs and stepping into his sophomore year. Chisel had a successful first season by being a key component on the team and he doesn’t only plan to continue to grow and improve on the court, but off of the court as well.

Chisel’s love for the game has been with him throughout his whole life, but it wasn’t until his Sophomore year in high school that he began to take it more seriously. He drew in a large following from his hometown causing him to gain some recognition, and support from other players that helped him see his potential. Although Chisel was receiving scholarship offers from colleges and expectations for his success continued to grow, his career went on a year long pause right after high school.

After facing difficult circumstances, getting involved with the wrong crowd, difficult situations left Chisel with scholarships and opportunities being taken away from him, pushing him further into those situations. Chisel was in a position where he knew he had to return to a more positive and therapeutic outlet, which was basketball. This also put Chisel in a position to want to become a mentor. As Chisel was searching for a school to attend where he

could revive his career and get a fresh start he landed upon SMC, being attracted to all it had to offer as well as its close proximity to the beach.

Head coach Joshua Thomas of the Corsairs said Chisel came in with many great qualities being one of the most competitive players on the team, having a high level of athleticism, always cheering for his teammates, and being someone who always wants to win. “He’s very passionate about playing and very passionate about winning and playing hard so he’s very vocal and those are all good traits that I really like about him and our staff likes,” said Thomas.

Chisel admits when he first joined the team that he has since evolved and excelled in learning patience, humility, and teamwork. On coming back after a year long break Chisel elaborated, “Just learning how to play with new teammates, getting used to the physicality of the game, you have to put in a whole lot more work than you would expect.”

Thomas explains Chisel’s progression throughout the season by highlighting that he’s proud of Chisel’s ability to adapt, taking on the role that his team needed from him. Chisel came in wanting to focus more on scoring but what the team needed was a defender, and a rebounder. Coming into a team of experienced players, “I think for him it was trying to find that balance of where does he fit in and trying to find his

value in and pretty much what he brought to the team,” said Thomas.

As 11 players are leaving the team next year, Chisel has the opportunity to step into a leadership role, which he is ready to take on. “There are going to be a whole lot more freshmen coming in so the goal is to get them on track really early and make sure that everybody’s on the same page so we can go win the championship,” Chisel laid out.

Chisel’s motivation stems from his family, his city, and most importantly those who are looking up to him. “You can overcome any situation. If you want to do something, you just have to put your mind to it and you can do it,” said Chisel.

Chisel views the team as a brotherhood as he recalls a message from one of his high school coaches, “You go to war for your brothers. You don’t play for yourself.

You’re playing for the name on your jersey.” Chisel’s desire to impact others is not only apparent through his own words but also through what his coach sees in him.

Thomas “I think he’s going to have a lot of people who are going to look up to him and he’s passionate about helping others.

I feel like the sky’s the limit...He’s just an amazing young man and I just see nothing but greatness in him.”

“It’s going to be a movie,” said Chisel as he sets a high standard for the upcoming season.

Photo: Ja’Shawn Chisel takes a free throw during SMC’s game against East Los Angeles on November 27th, 2019. at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs fell short 87 - 82 at home and are currently at 6 - 2 on the season. Ja’Shawn would finish the game with 5 points.(Michael Waas / The Corsair)