The Corsair, Issue 5 (Spring)

I cannot remember the last time I struggled so deeply to push a button. I cannot remember the last time a green icon instigated such intense feelings of guilt and indecision.

Every time I stare at the “Place Order” button of my Instacart order, my shoulders feel heavy. My chest tightens. It’s as if my body is channeling the anxieties and illnesses that these front-of-the-line shoppers face throughout groceries stores, throughout cities, all the way to my doorstep.

I have only placed a few Instacart orders in my life, and they have all been within the past seven weeks of coronavirus-induced quarantine. My mantra whenever I click that fateful order button?

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I’ve heard this phrase on repeat lately, not just from my own mouth but from the mouths of so many other individuals. This phrase can act as a fairly reliable means of justification for taking actions that your conscious would otherwise scream at you for even considering.

This expression carries different meanings for different circumstances. While I am currently without a source of income and fearful about the stagnancy of my bank account, I have decided that my health is my priority at this time. I am fortunate enough to be able to make that choice. So, for me, this phrase enables me to stay safely indoors while allowing somebody else to risk their mental and physical health to do my grocery shopping for me.

For those essential workers in the service industry, the word “desperate” in this mantra often carries a heavier meaning. For workers at Instacart, Amazon, Target, Whole Foods, and other industries still providing customer service during the coronavirus pandemic, their income has taken priority. For some, maintaining their livelihoods is synonymous with maintaining their lives.

Worker dissatisfaction at these companies is nothing new. But, it’s easier for customers to turn a blind eye toward the high-risk workplaces of companies like Amazon when we aren’t in the middle of a global pandemic. In normal times, the “desperation” of these workers that enables them to sit quietly while their bodies and minds deteriorate due to physical and mental stress seems like a choice. If you hate your job so much, why don’t you just get another one? It’s that easy!

Coronavirus has brought a shining spotlight upon the true subjugation of service employees. Over 30 million U.S. workers have filed for unemployment since the start of the pandemic, and companies like Instacart have recruited many of these newly-unemployed individuals to their armies that currently stand on the front lines.

May 1 is historically the biggest protest day for the working class, and this year was no exception. Protestors found ways to demonstrate publicly while following social distancing protocol. Nurses, Instacart workers, and renters demanding for mortgage cancellation and moratoriums on evictions were just some of the demonstrators advocating for their causes this past weekend.

Now more than ever, these employees deserve better pay, benefits, and protections. They have always deserved for these demands to be met, but the lack of hazard pay and personal protective equipment has added much more fuel to the fire.

Fliers calling for a nationwide one-day boycott of big retailers transcended all major social media platforms, but the long-term effects of Friday’s protests are to be determined.

In all honesty, I would like to make a vow to stop contributing to these companies’ profit margins. But I am genuinely afraid to make that promise. I am afraid that my anxieties about entering a grocery store will continue to be amplified through my mind, shattering the glass on my moral compass and obstructing my ability to move in the direction of bigger-picture thinking.

I say this because I have a feeling I am not the only one struggling with morality these days. Our consumerist society has skewed our sense of judgment, and the line between getting your needs met and deeply neglecting the needs of others grows more blurred as technology advances and we become accustomed to the instantaneous nature of delivery services.

That being said, I do feel as though happy mediums exist, and I feel capable of easing into them. I’m looking into lesser-known locations within my community that may feel low-risk enough to get my groceries at for myself. I may ask a friend if they can grab a few things for me on their trip to the market. At the very least, I feel I can commit to boycotting these companies until they give their employees what they’ve asked for.

No matter where our morals and values lie, these are desperate times. We have to give ourselves grace. And yes, we have to make sure our needs are met. But in these desperate times, there has to be a way to compromise. Everything isn’t always so black-and-white.

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A.S. Passes Resolution “In Solidarity” With Jewish Students After Criticism Aleah Antiono & Tatiana Louder | News Editor & Culture Editor

The board members of Associated Students (AS) unanimously approved and sponsored the “Expressing Solidarity for Jewish Students at Santa Monica College” resolution at their Zoom-hosted board meeting on Monday. This approval comes after a week’s worth of impassioned criticism and support of the resolution from Santa Monica College (SMC) students and members of the public.

AS Secretary Nathan Silberberg authored the resolution, with intentions to “make sure [AS] combat[s] anti-semitism and… call out anti-semitism whenever it occurs.” The resolution cites the rise of anti-semitism both globally and on college campuses, and specifically calls for AS to publically denounce anti-semitic incidents on campus and advocate for anti-discrimination training for SMC faculty.

The approved resolution has undergone significant revisions from its first draft, which the AS discussed during a board meeting a week prior. The first draft of the resolution received heavy criticism by both AS directors and members of the public for its initial inclusion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of anti-semitism.

The first draft of the resolution sparked a long-winded conversation of the connection between anti-Zionism and anti-semitism under the IHRA’s definition. Zionism is a “political movement” whose “original aim

[was] the creation of a country for Jewish people” in the state of Israel, according to the Cambridge Dictionary. SMC professor Daniele Bolelli, who teaches History of Religion, spoke to The Corsair on the historical context of this conversation.

“The big difference is that whereas anti-semitism is based on hatred of Jewish ethnic identity and/or Jewish religion, Zionism is a political position,” Bolelli told The Corsair. “Whereas cracking down on speech against an ethnicity is legitimate, cracking down on a speech against a particular political stance is much more problematic.”

As an anti-Zionist identifying club on campus, members of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) were worried that the passing of the resolution with the IHRA’s definition would infringe on their rights to free speech.

“If this resolution were to be passed with no revisions… I would see it as a complete shutdown of our rights as a club and as students to voice our concerns with things going on on campus,” Divina Davidds, a board member of SJP, told The Corsair.

Supporters of the resolution spoke up during public comments of the board meeting, many of them stressing their personal connection to the resolution’s protections of SMC’s Jewish community.

“Zionism is a movement for Jewish self-determination,” said Chloe Levian, a member of Students Supporting Israel (SSI), during her public comment. “The vast ma-

jority of Jewish students agree that denying Israel’s right to exist is anti-semitism.”

As the board further discussed the first draft of the resolution, in which several directors shared the same concerns as the public, AS Director of Sustainability Adriel Ghadoushi became emotional as he showed very strong support of the resolution.

“I’m really ashamed to be a part of this board that is talking about dismissing all of these valid claims of Jewish students. I don’t know why we’re ignoring these perfectly valid claims because we’re afraid of what other people will think,” Ghadoushi said.

Discussion of the resolution continued into the AS town hall on Wednesday, in which there were 76 participants of the Zoom-hosted meeting, and public comments continued on for two hours.

“If you are an anti-Zionist, you are not simply criticising anti-Israeli policy, you are

opposing the existence of the only Jewish refuge, Jewish freedom and identity, Jewish self-determination,” said Justin Feldman at the town hall. Feldman spoke early in the meeting, suggesting there are no shades of grey on such an issue, that it is black and white.

The inclusion of the IHRA’s definition has since been removed. The most updated section of the resolution is the second “Resolved,” in which AS is to condemn anti-semitic harrassment or discrimination. Silberberg said that with the revision, “whether it be on the Israeli side or the Palestinian side, this would protect both sides.”

“I think this resolution is a necessary stepping stone,” said Ghadoushi. “I believe this conversation is very far from over; this is just the beginning of it.”

This article has been shortened. For the full article, visit thecorsaironline.com.

of $6,096,757 for CARES Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students to address [their] financial needs,” Greenstein said.

Qualifications that will determine which students are eligible to receive this aid include special programs such as Pell Grant students, California Promise Grant Fee Waiver eligibility, sudden changes of circumstances such as loss of income, the unmet need amount for tuition, being enrolled in six units, and other criteria, according to the SMC Associate Dean of Financial Aid and Scholarship, Tracie Hunter.

Undocumented and international students are not eligible for this aid relief, according to SMC Vice President of Enrollment Development Teresita Rodriguez. As of May 5, about 6,400 students who qualified for a waiver have already been selected, according to Rodriguez.

The Financial Aid office will reach out to students to evaluate and confirm their economic situations primarily through Corsair Connect, via email and phone calls.

There is no application form for students to

be considered for the emergency aid. Students can only await to receive a survey, or a notification to confirm their emergency needs.

Faculty and staff have been instructed to notify the Financial Aid office of any students that have expressed financial insecurity due to the pandemic.

Once determined who qualifies, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will allocate the funds in the form of a check directly to the students. Students will receive between $250 and $1,500 within the next year. Students who did not qualify for financial aid prior to the pandemic, but had a change of income in the months since, are able to reapply, according to Rodriguez. The CARES Act relief aid doesn’t count against any other funding aid, according to SMC Vice President of Business and Administration, Christopher Bonvenuto.

“We have not received the funding as of yet, so we are unable to award. The Department of Education has given schools a year to award the funding, although we will award these funds much sooner than that,” Hunter

said.

SMC student Adrian Rocha is one of many depending on state-funded programs designed for low income households.

“I haven’t received any email yet as far I know,” Rocha said. “Since both [me] and my mother are currently unemployed by the recent outbreak of coronavirus, we’ve been scraping by with whatever we come across to help feed my little brother and ourselves.”

Linda Herrera, an SMC student not aware of the CARES Act emergency aid, had to postpone her bills and borrow $500 to pay her month’s rent.

“I grew up with not a lot of money and money insecurity so I am not as shocked and don’t feel too afraid but at times I do think... am I going to end up homeless?”

Herrera said.

Chair of the Board of Trustees Greenstein assures that SMC does “not want to leave anyone behind.” According to Greenstein, they have reached out to all faculty in order to get the most broad input to determine eligibility and need amongst students.

Justin Feldman uses a slogan as his profile picture during a Wednesday, April 29, 2020, Associated Students of Santa Monica College town hall meeting. The contentious and often emotional town hall was centered around whether criticism of “Zionism” would be tolerated at SMC. Feldman, who argued that anti-Zionism was inheritely anti-semetic, later changed his picture to a QR code that others could scan, in order to get more information regarding his opinion on the matter. (Michael Goldsmith / The Corsair)

A Check In The Mail For SMC Students

Chrissa Loukas | Staff Writer The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is providing $12 million in emergency financial assistance to Santa Monica College (SMC). Fifty percent will act as institutional support and about $6 million will be distributed to students who have been affected economically by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 27, Congress unanimously passed the $2 trillion financial aid package that President Donald Trump signed into law. According to the CARES Act, this financial aid was meant to provide assistance for individuals, families and businesses affected by the pandemic.

SMC received an official notice and general guidelines from U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos on April 9, and SMC is currently evaluating the student population to locate students with the maximum necessity, according to the Chair of the Board of Trustees Nancy Greenstein.

“SMC is anxiously anticipating [a] receipt

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SMC Board of Trustees Share Fall Developments Michael Goldsmith | Staff Writer

The true reality of Santa Monica College’s (SMC) future as a remote learning environment showed its face at the college’s Board of Trustees meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, which was held via Zoom. The discussion of possible technological shortfalls, severance of academic programs, and reopening development plans only scratched the surface of SMC’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) response.

SMC President and Superintendent Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery began the meeting by reviewing the school’s recent decision to cancel all in-person fall classes and go completely online due to the coronavirus pandemic. Jeffrey said that upon consideration for the “safety, health, and well-being of our community…it seems unlikely that a vaccine will become widely available before early 2021.” She acknowledged the difficulty this decision posed for faculty and students, stating that, “this is a heavy lift across the board for all of us.”

Jeffery highlighted the many areas where the SMC community had filled the gaps for students in need, including providing free Chromebook’s for mobile computer access, creating a food pantry program capable of feeding hundreds of students every week, and staffing an emotional support hotline.

Jeffery continued by saying that, “our goal [here at SMC] is to ensure the most equitable and accommodating environment as possible.” She praised school staff

for switching their spring classes from in-person to online within days, stating that they had “performed a minor miracle.”

Dr. Jennifer Merlic, Vice President of Academic Affairs at SMC, then discussed lessons learned when it came to teaching in the new reality of social distancing.

“We’ve had a lot of input from students for faculty to not teach in a synchronic mode,” Merlic said. She instead recommended that teachers anticipate that some students would not be able to attend all classes or keep up with schoolwork in a timely manner, due to unavoidable life circumstances such as having poor internet connections or additional family responsibilities like fulltime parenting or caretaking.

Merlic also stressed how SMC’s largest department, its nursing section, has had to adapt to COVID-19. “Nursing students this spring have not been able to do [their required] clinicals…[and] until we do clinicals, we can’t graduate students.” She mentioned how most hospitals had completely terminated their existing agreements with SMC’s nursing department to accept student trainees, and those that still agreed to accept student clinicals, such as the Veterans Administration, would not commit to being able to provide them with personal protective equipment.

During the meeting’s public comments section, Associated Students (AS) President-elect Tafari Alan expressed concern over “the negative impact of online proctoring services like Proctorio.” She raised questions over equitability, pointing out

Dr. Kathryn Jeffery speaks during the Tues., May 5, 2020, Santa Monica Community College District Board of Trustees Regular Meeting in Los Angeles, Calif. The five-hour Zoom meeting centered around the school’s COVID-19 response, quarterly fiscal budget, and construction plans for a future Arts Center. (Michael Goldsmith / The Corsair)

that all students would need not just a computer and internet access, but also a working webcam and a microphone. Alan also raised questions of privacy, describing how Proctorio monitors an individual’s entire computer screen, as well as requiring the user to show a 360 degree view of their home environment.

Academic Senate President Nate Donahue also shared Alan’s concerns, stating that he would not be personally accepting of such invasive requirements if he were a current student and that he is “anti-Proctorio.”

Santa Monica College Police Department (SMCPD) Chief of Police Johnnie Adams followed with an update on the planned phases of reopening. He stated that based on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s six critical indicators, Santa Monica was “currently in phase one, [which] al-

lowed for regional options based on [the] severity” of the situation. Adams clarified that SMC could begin to reopen “in late phase two,” which would start “mainly with kindergarten through 12th grade, [and] colleges later on.”

Adams also stated SMC was in the process of creating a “dirty room,” which would allow the school to collect and store property that had been loaned out to students and faculty for up to 36 hours. The chief also mentioned plans to open up a coronavirus testing site at the Bundy campus in the near future, as well as set up an N95 mask distribution system for the SMC community.

The next meeting of the Santa Monica Community College District Board of Trustees will be held on the first Tuesday of next month, June 2, 2020. All meetings will be held via Zoom until further notice.

SMC to Continue Online Classes Into Fall 2020 Kiran Baez | Staff Writer Santa Monica College (SMC) announced on Thursday, April 30, that classes throughout the Fall semester would continue to be held online as part of the college’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic gripping the nation.

The announcement, which came in the form of a short memo, reassured students that SMC would continue to offer its more than 3,000 courses in the Fall semester, and 800 over the Summer. Furthermore, they maintained that access to many of the college’s programs and facilities would still be available, including counseling, career guidance, and equipment lending such as laptops. With the college’s campus set to stay closed over the whole period, the college asserted that the decision was not an easy one, noting that online courses are “no replacement for teaching, counseling and talking to [students] in person,” but that ultimately the safety and health of the students takes priority.

The memo also noted the college’s willingness to create classes that incorporated both in-person teaching and online learning

for subjects that require a hands-on work environment, calling them “hybrid” classes.

SMC stated, however, that this step would only be taken should legal restrictions be eased and the current situation begin to enter remission, implying that the college is generally hesitant to return to in-person learning for the time being even if the state begins to re-open. The possibility of “hybrid” classes remains unlikely for the time being, with county and city “safer-at-home” orders in place for the foreseeable future.

In a video linked within the memo titled, “SMC Misses You!”, a handful of administrators including College Superintendent and President Dr. Kathryn Jeffery, Faculty Lead Vicki Rothman, and Dean of Community and Academic Relations Kiersten Elliott re-affirmed their support and care for the student body.

“Just because we can’t physically be together, doesn’t mean we are alone,” said Hannah Lawler, the college’s dean of institutional research. The video reiterated some messages from the memo, reminding students of the resources and groups still available despite being virtual. “There are still ways

to connect with your peers and even remote leadership opportunities,” said Daniel Cha, President of Associated Students.

The decision, originally recommended

by SMC’s Emergency Operations Team, comes as the timeline of the coronavirus continues to expand. Representing the Emergency Operations Teams’ findings, College President Kathryn Jeffery cited the likelihood that a vaccine would not be readily available until 2021. She explained that SMC does not have the capability to properly monitor the health of its students, as the main reasons for the shutdown and pre-emptive decision before an announced extension of quarantine.

In a memo to SMC’s staff, President Jeffery pointed to the recently released six critical indicators outlined by Governor Newsom for the reopening of the state, saying that the college had adopted them as guidelines for their own return to in-person education. In recent weeks, officials on various levels within the state, federal, and local government, have begun to talk about the likelihood that COVID-19 will still be a major threat entering the fall. In a press conference to reporters from California’s

assortment of community colleges, California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley said the effects of coronavirus may keep education virtual until Spring of 2021.

As of April 30, California has 46,500 cases of the virus, amounting to 1,887 deaths.

Though the number of cases has been relatively low compared to other states, California is expected to peak in the coming weeks.

Earlier that day, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that Los Angeles would become the first city in the United States to offer free testing for COVID-19, even if the recipient failed to show any symptoms. That day, California Governor Newsom ordered all state and local beaches shut down indefinitely - a response to a large increase of beach-goers in Orange County seen over the course of the earlier week in response to hot weather. Within Los Angeles County and City, safer at home measures have been extended several times, with the most recent one moving the deadline to May 15, and enacting a law requiring face covering in public spaces.

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A Coronavirus Miracle Jackie Sedley | Editor-in-Chief Being a doctor during a global pandemic is one thing. Being an expectant mother during a global pandemic is another thing.

But being pregnant and a medical physician in the age of coronavirus? The combination is bound to create an experience like no other.

In addition to being a doctor at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, my neurologist sister was around eight months pregnant with my soon-to-be-born nephew when coronavirus cases began to be confirmed within the United States. My sister, known to me as Jessie Sedley, but known to patients of Cedars-Sinai as Dr. Jessica Besbris, is generally a remarkably optimistic person; but the past several months have shifted her demeanor to one much more categorized by fear and protectiveness.

Even as cases began to hit triple digits, my sister was able to find comfort in the fact that there had not been any cases of coronavirus at her workplace, and could therefore “think of it as a more distant problem, something that was going on elsewhere.” She initially planned to keep working until starting maternity leave on March 13, but ended up going on leave a couple of days earlier than expected, when her place of work began seeing COVID patients.

As if expectations weren’t already altered enough, my sister gave birth to my nephew at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica a week earlier than expected. This was not because my baby nephew, Theodore Howard Besbris, was oh-so-eager to see what all the commotion was about in the outside world,

but because my sister’s doctors wanted to induce her before hospitals became even more overridden with coronavirus patients.

All family members were prohibited from being on the premises before or during labor, exempting my sister’s husband, Dan Besbris.

And once my sister moved onto the post-partum side of the Labor and Delivery Unit, Dan had just a couple of hours with Theo before he was asked to leave the hospital.

My sister was not too concerned about riding out the rest of the process alone, so long as she was discharged the following evening as expected.

At this point in the narrative, it should not come as a surprise that this plan was also thrown off-course.

“Right before I was going to be discharged with Theodore, I started noticing that he was having some breathing issues,” said Besbris.

“The pediatrician wasn’t totally sure what was going on, and wanted to keep him an extra day. That extra 24 hours in the hospital was probably, so far, the hardest part of parenting this baby… When you’re sleep deprived and have just given birth and are alone and scared, you start to doubt yourself and you kind of need that extra support.”

Thankfully, Theo turned out to be just fine and my sister arrived home to her family the following day, and has been at home ever since. While seeing the silver lining of being able to spend intentional quality time with her quarantined family, my sister is acutely aware of the ways in which the pandemic has impacted the world, some of which deeply trouble her.

Particularly, she feels sorrow for her three-year-old son, Asher. On top of adapt-

ing to having a new brother around, he lost his daily routine entirely: no preschool, no extended family, no friends, and parents who have suddenly become much more cautious.

“While we’re trying to adapt to having a newborn at home, we’re also trying to protect and support a toddler who’s really going through a horribly hard time,” said Besbris. “And so my heart’s just really broken for him at the changes he’s seeing in the world and the things he’s losing. Temporarily of course, but it has been hard.”

Luckily, Asher adores his baby brother and has taken all of his stress and anxiety out on his parents more than the newborn.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about the ways that this time will be studied when it’s over,” said Besbris. “I have no idea if it’ll mean that they’re more resilient or that they’re more anxious, or that they’re more allergic.

I just hope that… we can protect them from the burdens of this time, and find ways to bring some normalcy into their lives and lots of joy.”

Though my sister does have anxieties about inevitably returning to work at the hospital, she feels an immense responsibility as a healthcare worker to do her part once her maternity leave is up.

“My colleagues are there, they’re there every day. And many of them have young children themselves,” said Besbris. “And, that doesn’t mean I’m changing what I’m doing, I’m going to stay home and take my leave… and be with my family. But, when I think about taking a longer leave… I do feel guilty that my colleagues are there and that I’m not. And so I know I’m going to have to go back practically, financially, and

Like many other museums around the globe, the Aga Khan Museum has gone online to help aid as an artistic distraction during this time. Each week the museum provides a schedule of events to take part in, including guided tours, video lectures, concerts, and Zoom-led art projects.

The museum offers 3-D tours of some of its exhibitions, such as “Caravans of Gold: Fragments in Time”. While the 3-D model works best while viewing the exhibition as a whole rather than individual pieces, it allows the guests to get a better idea for how the exhibition has been curated. White circle outlines are laid out on the floor for guests to click on with their mouse to view the different pieces, similar technology to that used by Google Maps. From there, guests can use their cursor to hover over the blue circles that provide a detailed summary about the piece they are viewing.

“Sanctuary in the Age of Displacement,” an exhibition offered virtually on the museum’s YouTube channel, tells the stories of those who have sought sanctuary living.

What stands out about this exhibition is the artwork has been reimagined from the original works, into wool rugs crafted by artists in Lahore, Pakistan using traditional weaving techniques.

As the guests are shown different areas of the exhibition it intertwines the individual artworks such as “Untiled” by Julio César Morales, that depicts the harsh reality of a young child tucked away inside the seat of a car as a means to cross the border.

The museum has also made use of their other social media platforms, such as their Instagram account where Museum Curator Dr. Michael Chagnon was able to host an Instagram Live of the Sanctuary Exhibition.

“Our museum, like a lot of other museums, are providing digital content and online content so that those of you who are at home quarantined and self quarantined and in lock down of different kinds can still experience the arts,” said Chagnon to the viewers as he began the tour.

The museum’s staff is keeping busy to provide online content for guests, hoping to enrich the lives of those looking for something more than just a simple diversion, which has been greatly appreciated. “I think it’s been very very positive. The feedback I’ve received has been overwhelmingly positive. Hopefully we’re providing a service to people.

Hopefully we’re providing that educational content that some people are really looking for,” said Chagnon. “I think parents in particular are looking for enriching experienc-

Jessica Besbris and her husband, Dan Besbris, share in the joy of their newborn baby, Theodore, at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, Calif. on March 25, 2020. (Photo Courtesy of Jessica Besbris)

because it’s my responsibility. This is the career path I chose.”

As fearful and unsure as she feels about the future, the optimistic side of my sister still comes through from time to time.

Whether her faith in humanity is legitimate or just a case of wishful thinking, she believes that things will get better if individuals continue to do their part.

“I worry,” said Besbris. “But, I’m just hoping that if people continue to stay home and act in the best interest of the general public, by the time I do go back in August or September at least the first wave is passed, and that hopefully we’re mitigating the second wave so that all of us, as healthcare workers, can feel safe taking care of patients.”

Both the full-length article and the recorded interview between my sister and I are available online at The Corsair website.

Aga Khan Museum of Toronto Goes Virtual

“Untitled” by Julio César Morales is on display at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada. (Image Courtesy of the Aga Khan Museum)

Carolyn Burt | Staff Writer On April 22, the Aga Khan Museum, located in Toronto, Canada opened its virtual doors for guests to enter “a window into worlds unknown” and experience #MuseumWithoutWalls.

The museum, which opened in September 2014, is the first museum in North America dedicated to Islamic arts. It has a vast collection of both contemporary and historical art from Muslim communities around the world.

es in this moment to help focus their kids on some things that are beyond mere entertainment.”

Museum guests can look forward to the digital content remaining online once the museum is able to reopen. “This pivot towards web based technology, this pivot towards putting our content online is not something that we’re going to walk away from. This is something permanent that’s going to be with us,” Chagnon continued. “It’s a really effective way for us to continue to connect people, even if you’re not able to make your way to Toronto to see what we have on view. It’s been really a powerful way for us to really, in very personal ways, connect to our audiences.”

The museum is worth seeing in person, not only for the artwork inside, but for the architecture of the building. “Nothing can replicate the first hand experience,” says Chagnon “[but] we can provide this other realm of experience which can be equally powerful.”

Chagnon will be hosting a live virtual tour of the Museum’s Sanctuary Exhibition using the 3-D Model technology on May 6 at Noon EST. For more information visit agakhanmuseum.org

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Quarantine’s Best Friend Riley Burke | Staff Writer Current sheltering-in-place may be to blame for Los Angeles Animal Shelters quickly running out of adoptable animals.

So many people are trying to adopt or foster animals right now, that shelters are actually having trouble meeting the demand.

“They are experiencing a decreased owner surrender and increased adoptions. The decrease of surrenders and found pets is due to COVID restrictions and shelters are closed to public... so you have less pets coming in, with increased adoption interest is the resulting low shelter population right now,” said Marcy Janes, owner of Gone to the Dogs Rescue, a charity non-profit animal rescue.

According to Janes, they have been receiving at least 50 percent more foster and adoption applications than usual.

Now that a majority of people are at home most of the time, it makes sense that people are more interested in getting a pet right now. “I definitely think pets can provide so much benefit, pets can help with having routine, and it can be so calming to have a little ‘fur time’ after a rough day, and dogs can be so silly,” said Amber Sall, a social worker and representative from Santa Monica College’s Center For Wellness & Wellbeing.

Santa Monica College student, Emma Holm, who rescued a 6-year old husky named Neeko to foster from the East Valley Animal shelter in Van Nuys, CA on March 6, right as social distancing began to take effect in southern California. The dog had some medical issues, which elongated the process

of finding him a ‘forever home’.

“It was super difficult to find a new home for the husky due to his medical condition and the pandemic. I contacted pretty much every rescue in LA but all of them are pretty much out of resources as they have had to pull so many dogs out of the shelters as both LA city and shelters outside of LA has (sic) been closing shelters one after another,” said Holm. She was able to get in touch with a veterinarian over the phone, who told Holm how to treat the dog’s tooth pain.

After dedicated efforts from Holm, the dog is doing much better, showcasing the importance of foster care for dogs. “So with a lot of time and me hand-feeding him in the beginning, he went from being a super-thin wreck from the shelter, to have (sic) an amazing appetite and eating like he shouldgaining loads of weight and getting his energy back,” said Holm.

In spite of the obstacles, Holm was able to find a wonderful ‘forever home’ for the husky. “He finally found his forever home this weekend and now is heading up to Minneapolis with his new adopter,” said Holm.

On March 11, Holm picked up another dog from the Victor Valley Animal Protective League in Apple Valley, CA. This dog was a 4-month old black Labrador-German Shepherd mix named Olive that was turned in as a stray. When Holm went to Victor Valley Animal Protective League to adopt Olive, everyone was wearing masks, and she was told to come in alone to fill out documents, limiting the number of people in the building at once. Holm chose to adopt Olive perma-

nently.

Fostering is a compatible option for those who cannot commit to getting a pet permanently. The benefits are mutual, as it helps free up a spot at the shelter for new pets, allows the pet adequate preparation for their adoption with their ‘forever home’, and helps socialize the dog in a home environment, potentially giving them some experience being around other dogs. Those interested in fostering should reach out to their local shelter or rescue group as long as they are able to commit at least four weeks to their foster pet.

Unfortunately, due to such high demand, some shelters are not currently accepting foster applications.

Shelters are practicing many safety precautions right now. Most shelters are open by appointment only. East Valley Animal shelter, for example, has people wait outside, where they will bring all of the needed documents, preventing unneeded access to the inside of the shelter.

According to Janes, Los Angeles Animal Services have consolidated shelters, temporarily resulting in closing some smaller shelters. “This is probably a tricky situation because those people who are wanting (sic) to give their dog up are probably just waiting until shelters open. Once restrictions are done, my guess is that shelter populations will explode, probably more so with people going back to work and school and realizing they have created a dog with separation anxiety because they were home all the time,” said Janes.

Newly rescued Husky and black Labrador-German Shepherd mix go on a walk after being picked up from the shelter by SMC student Emma Holm. April 12, 2020 in Miracle Mile, Calif. (Photo Courtesy of Emma Holm).

Despite high demand, furry friends are not an impossible feat; persistence and patience are key.

For more information on adopting or fostering a dog contact your local animal shelter or rescue group. Information on Los Angeles Animal Services and all of their locations can be found at www.laanimalservices.com.

How to: Calm the %*@# Down Damaris Galeano | Staff Writer Self-help books are typically filled with sickening positive affirmations, foggily ethereal advice, or just straight up condescension. Sarah Night, self proclaimed “anti-guru” and author of “Calm the %*@# Down,” has, however, catered to the market of people who absolutely abhor being told what to do, the crowd that prefers their information blunt and pragmatic.

Night is not the first writer to corner this tongue-in-cheek style. It’s origins likely started in 2011 when the children’s book “Go the F**k to Sleep” by Adam Mansbach became a bestseller. After came an avalanche of sailor-mouthed books: Michael and Sarah Bennett’s “F**k Feelings,” Mark Manson’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k,” and Faith G Harper’s “Unf**k Your Brain.”

All these titles have something in common: they appeal to an audience who may not believe they actually need a self-help book.

Her first book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck,” received high praise and she even went on TED Talk in 2017 explaining her methods and why it works.

Knight has written a total of five books so

far, all within this theme.

Unlike other self-help books which tend to minimize problems, Knight acknowledges the importance of validating one’s own emotions, as “there is a reason for your anxiety, a what-if behind your worry.”

“Yes, I’ve heard of those type of books,” says David Eshleman, psychotherapist M.A, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). “In general they are just a different way to communicate the same concepts that more traditional books would communicate.

This type of book would likely reach a different type of audience that may need to have the same or similar concepts explained in different ways. It’s great marketing and can make the book more relatable as well.”

The core part of the book is knowing how to control what one can, and accepting the things one cannot. When it comes to stress and anxiety, Knight gives some blunt advice on how to harness that energy and redirect it into actually dealing with them.

“If a storm is coming, you can panic, or punch a wall, or you can batten down the hatches and start boarding out the wind,” she says.

With lovingly named titles like “This is

your brain on puppies,” and “Choose your own F%*@#venture,” this is definitely a feel good book for when you’re not feeling all that good.

Knight pulls on her own experiences and uses it to create methods like identifying your tarantulas (identifying and isolating your problems). However, one thing she makes clear is that she is not a psychologist or a doctor, and that this book is no substitute for professional medical care.

“I understand the difference between anxiety, the mental illness, and anxiety, the temporary state of mind. I understand it because I myself happen to possess a diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety and Panic Disorder.”

All in all, this book does its service to determine what is really worth freaking out about and knowing how to have a clear head to deal with it. The hilarious text that makes up the book helps, too. If being called out or cursing is a bother, a different self-help book may be a better choice.

“There are many paths that lead to the same place. I think that makes it potentially very helpful to reach more people or a more non traditional audience,” said Eshleman.

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A man vocally protests the stay-at-home orders in Huntington Beach, Calif., on May 1, 2020.

A Bonita High School Senior protests Govenor Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order on Fri., May 1 2020, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Maim Elramsisy/The Corsair)

O.C. Protestors Contest Stay-AtHome Orders Marco Pallotti | Photo Editor

A crowd of protesters hit the streets in Huntington Beach during the first weekend in May. They wanted legislators to know they were unhappy with the stay-athome orders issued by Governor Gavin Newsom. Many expressed concern that their liberty is being curtailed by the national response to the global pandemic. The police tolerated the protesters walking on to the cornered-off beach, and stood by silently.

A Huntington Beach police officer watches protesters opposing the statewide stay-at-home order, on Fri., May 1 2020.

A woman protests stay-at-home orders in Huntington Beach, Calif., on May 1, 2020.

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, near Lancaster, Calif., is closed to the public, on Mon., May 4, 2020. (Maxim Elramsisy / The Corsair)

Spring H

Marco Pallotti | Photo Editor

California Poppies flower every spring, and it’s a popular day trip for folks to head to the high desert to enjoy the spectacle of bright orange flowers carpeting the fields.

This year, with the threat of COVID-19 looming over the American population, assembling in groups has been discouraged, and both state and federal parks are now closed.

That didn’t stop nature lovers from making the drive this past weekend to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, about 15 miles west of Lancaster.

Solitary or in groups, masked or unmasked, people walked through the golden fields, enjoying the fresh air, sunshine, and the millions of poppies across the landscape.

Despite the poppy reserve near Lancaster, Calif., being closed due to COVID-19, many still showed up to see the official state flower of California, on Sun., May 3, 2020. (William F. Espinosa / The Corsair)

A line of cars parked o pandemic, on Sun., Ma

Has Sprung

on the side of Lancaster Road show that the fields of California poppies are still a powerful draw, despite the COVID-19 ay 3, 2020. (Rebecca Hogan / The Corsair)

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Visitors to the poppy fields west of Lancaster, Calif., enjoy the flowers and spring sunshine, on Sun., May 3, 2020. (Carolyn Burt / The Corsair)

Some visitors to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Lancaster, Calif., did not wear masks, on Sun., May 3, 2020. (William F. Espinosa / The Corsair)

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The heart of Santa Monica College’s (SMC) Main Campus remained empty amidst schoolwide closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thurs., April 30, 2020, in Santa Monica, Calif. (Marco Pallotti/The Corsair)

SMC’s Silent Campus Marco Pallotti | Photo Editor

On the dull gray afternoon of Thursday, April 30, the campus was gloomy and eerily quiet. Since their closure in March, both the main campus and satellite campuses have been void of students and faculty.

On April 30, the college administration announced that classes in the coming fall semester are to be held online as part of the college’s response to the novel coronavirus. The campuses are expected to remain closed to the general public through the end of 2020.

The campus of Santa Monica College (SMC) remained deserted, on Thurs., April 30, 2020, in Santa Monica, Calif.. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in late March all SMC campuses were closed, and classes made a shift to distance learning.

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Drescher Hall at Santa Monica College (SMC) is usually packed with students, but has been desolate since COVID-19 led to the elimination of on-ground classes at the college. Thurs., April 30, 2020, in Santa Monica, Calif.

A welcome banner on the deserted campus of Santa Monica College (SMC) on Thursday, April 30 2020, in Santa Monica, California. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all SMC campuses were closed in March.

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OPINION

Native Americans Battle Against COVID-19 Paris Wise (Pueblos of Zia and Laguna) | Staff Writer Sometimes being Native American feels like you are a walking and talking mythical creature. It’s as if you’re not even a real person because Natives are mostly heard of only in historical contexts as well as only being known by their stereotypes. But those historical contexts have consequences for the present.

Colonization, genocide, assimilation, racism, and disease are all precedents as to why Native Americans are so far behind in being equipped with the proper resources to face COVID-19. Unfortunately, some of these sufferings are still part of their present day experience, creating a perpetuating cycle of inequality Natives struggle to escape.

Vanessa Brierty from the Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico has been active during this time by linking resources for the Native communities in need as well as making masks to send them.

Brierty shared that some members of the Navajo Nation have to drive 45 minutes to access water wells that are used to fill large tanks, which are then transported by that family back to their home to use for cooking, bathing, washing hands, etc. And now that there is increased need for cleaning and washing hands, getting water is a more frequent errand that can take a toll on these families physically and financially.

Some families on the reservation also have to make a two to three hour one-way drive to the nearest grocery store. By the time some of them get there, there is an inadequate amount of food and necessities left.

Brierty shared some Native communities don’t have access to the internet, and some are even without electricity i n general, but thankfully some Natives have the option to drive to certain areas where free wi-fi has

been set up for public use to those who may not otherwise have access. Families are able to use this for their children that are in school, for work, or for their tele-health appointments.

The reason many tribes all over the nation live under these conditions is because they have been set to live on desolate land known as reservations.

Clementine Bordeaux is Sicangu Oglala Lakota, a Native American tribe in South Dakota, as well as a University of California, Los Angeles Doctoral Student and adjunct faculty for the American Indian Studies program at California State University of Northridge. Bordeaux explained that the reason Native Americans are on these reservations in the first place is because of treaties that were signed between Native tribes and the US government from the late 1700’s to the early 1900’s.

When treaties were initially signed, Native people had already lost many lives because of disease and genocide brought by settlers and colonizers. Natives felt signing the treaties would protect their people and prevent further harm.

Bordeaux said, ”A lot of the treaties will state that you’re giving up this amount of land access to these resources, usually like oil and mineral access through the land, and in return we’re ensuring that the government

will provide school and healthcare.”

This sounds like a relatively fair trade except for the fact that what the government is promising is of the lowest standards for those resources, and with sub-par infrastructures. An oversimplified version of this would be paying for car insurance, but when you get in a car accident and completely total your car, you are only given a band-aid and some Elmer’s glue. Also, you’re paying for that car insurance with solid gold bars.

Technically, Natives have access to water, internet, grocery stores, and health care; but the only way that Natives can get to them is very inconvenient to say the least. These living conditions already make everyday life extremely difficult. But under a pandemic, everyday life becomes chaotic and unpredictable.

While everyone must put their trust into the good old U.S. of A. to battle COVID-19, Natives have a long history of difficulty in trusting western medicine. Brierty shared a story of how her grandfather never quite understood what doctors would tell him due to terminology he never grew up with, as well as language barriers.

“There was a point in time where hysterectomies were performed on Native women in Indian hospitals,” Bordeaux explained, “I remember my grandpa being scared to go the hospital because ‘when you go to the hospital you don’t come home.’ So there’s this internalized history that Native people have of the health care systems and the amount of viruses that impacted Native people earlier in the history of this country.”

Bordeaux has family currently living on the Pine Ridge reservation, a branch of the Lakota, where the nearest hospital is 90 miles away. This makes dealing with COVID-19, a deadly virus that requires immediate medical care, that much harder and scarier.

These people not only have to make swift decisions o n

whether or not they should make the trek to the hospital but they also need access to transportation and the ability to pay for gas.

Not only has the federal government underperformed on their end of the treaties, but they have also broken every single one in the lower-48 states. “There are no repercussions when the government breaks the treaties because Native people have been in such a precarious place.” Bordeaux explained, “we don’t have the revenue to hire lawyers. Thankfully now we have a lot of Native people going into law.”

When tribes don’t have the revenue to combat the government in court, they are forced into a corner to allow unwanted amendments to treaties that include (but are not limited to) taking away more land due to the discovery of more natural resources or implementing more control over their lifestyles.

Unfortunately, if tribes were to break treaties it would be a similar outcome, for the government would sue them and precede to keep them in court until they are bled dry of what little funds tribes have. This is what leads to Native Americans being forgotten in the background of the injustices of the US government. Or not so much forgotten as being strategically hidden and shoved away.

“Bringing attention to Native people makes people very uncomfortable because they’ve been told their whole life that we deserved to die and the government deserved to take our resources to benefit everybody…

Remembering Natives disrupts that American dream that everyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps if they just work hard but in reality the United States didn’t even pull themselves up by their bootstraps,” Bordeaux said.

“We should all be able to have water. We should all be able to have food. We should all be able to have the care that we need to help us out and a lot of us aren’t getting that.” said Brierty. “When things like this happen, we are the forgotten people and that’s unfortunate because a lot of people want to be Native. It’s romanticized. Then it’s like, ‘okay live like us. Understand the hardships that we face and at that point would you still want to be us?’”

Unfortunately, in the midst of a pandemic, there is zero time to make up for these past traumas and wrongdoings that have taken place for over hundreds of years. It may not even be in our lifetime or while our current government is structured the way it is that we see a sufficient amount of reparations and justice towards Native people. Although no one was equipped to handle COVID-19, the fact that Native Americans got held back at the start of the race is proof that they are the most vulnerable and may struggle the most to battle COVID-19, as well as survive through it.

Illustration by Dana Binfet

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SMC Athletics Department Moving Forward

Late afternoon, in the 11th week of spring semester, the campus of Santa Monica College (SMC) is deserted, on Thursday, April 30 2020, in Santa Monica, California. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in late March all SMC campuses were closed and classes moved to online only. On Thursday, April 30, the college announced all the fall semester classes will be online. (Marco Pallotti/The Corsair)

Missael Soto | Staff Writer Across the Santa Monica College (SMC) Athletics Program coaches and athletes are looking to move forward and continue to adapt to the restrictions that were put on the sports world.

Teams watched their season come to an abrupt end earlier this March with the cancellation of the rest of the season. SMC Women’s Tennis team was heating up approaching playoffs finishing with a record of 7-2.

“The extra work the players were putting in was certainly pointing towards an exciting finish” said Jay Molsing, assistant coach of the SMC Women’s Tennis team.

Molsing describes the end as “very tough on the team, coaches and players alike.”

However, they aren’t alone in feeling

upset. Spring semester is also extremely crucial for fall athletics in preparing for the upcoming season. The SMC Men’s Basketball team would have begun their spring training April 20th but are now having to work on their own with limited resources.

“It’s an activity where to really get the most out of it, you need other people to interact with in the game and you still need the basketball court” said Joshua Thomas the head coach of the Men’s Basketball team when describing one of the challenges the team is facing.

Thomas also mentioned the new difficulties during the recruiting process despite having two new commits joining next season.

“It’s harder because you can’t really see the players play … during April we would’ve watched 500 - 700 kids play. So it’s important for coaches to have been recruiting all

year.”

The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) instilled a temporary ban on face-to-face recruiting on March 19th in light of the state and federal guidelines related to COVID-19. The CCCAA would later extend that ban on April 7th until further notice.

For Thomas and others like head football coach Kelly Ledwith, the spring period is used to zero in on recruits who they’ve shared interest in and invite to meet with them in order to get familiar with the staff and campus.

With the ban on face-to-face recruiting they had to work through different avenues.

Thomas has held virtual visits where he interacts with the players virtually, showing prospects what SMC has to offer them, not only through its basketball program but academically as well.

For Ledwith he’s been communicating with the recruits via texts, phone calls and social media.

“Right now we’re at the stage where we’re going through with these recruits and getting them enrolled into the college… getting them counselor appointments to sign up for the proper summer and fall classes,” said Ledwith when asked where the program is in the recruiting stage.

As of now fall sports remain open, the CCCAA hasn’t made any official statements regarding the fate of fall sports, despite classrooms going online.

In the meantime, coaches will continue to work with student athletes both incoming and returning, preparing for the unbeknown future. Ledwith says “Through different methods.. we’re preparing ourselves as if we got a season to play.”

SMC Basketball Coach Joshua Thomas Scores National Honor Deshawn Pouper | Sports Editor Santa Monica College (SMC) basketball head coach Joshua Thomas was named one of 50 most impactful Junior College basketball coaches nationally. This achievement comes on the heels of coach Thomas finishing his third season leading the Corsairs, which includes back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. In the Corsairs’ first season under coach Thomas, 2017-2018, SMC finished with a 3-22 record.

His 2018-2019 season went better, along with earning his first 20-win season, he also led the Corsairs to the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Tournament, their first appearance since 1988. Not only did SMC make an appearance, but they made a deep run going as far as the elite eight round.

Thomas’ team included up to nine freshmen, and with all of them returning for the

2019-2020 season; his team was poised to make another run at the state title. Although the team fell short of those goals, there is no denying the improvement that has gone on under coach Thomas tutelage going from 3 wins to a 21-9 record.

“It was great to be recognized that way is awesome… however, this recognition that I got is really not limited to just myself. It’s nice being noticed for that but I have to first thank the actual student-athletes that’s the biggest thing,” coach Thomas said. “Every assistant coach that we have [including] Devon Richardson, Justin Maidenberg, Ben Doran all those guys have been very instrumental in our program.”

Coach Thomas recognized that his assistant coaches are important when it comes to player development, offensive and defensive game plans, and recruiting. He also acknowledged his team managers and their contributions to the team behind the scenes.

Santa Monica College Head Coach Joshua Thomas discussing, and drawing up a play to his team during a timeout of the Regional Finals. Santa Monica, CA March 7, 2020.(Kevin Tidmore / The Corsair)

Although a state championship is something that coach Thomas eyes, he also has a goal of getting his players scholarships.

His motto “Hoop-N-Ship” is something he preaches to his players, it’s about his players playing basketball for a championship while also playing for a chance to get a full-ride scholarship to a Division I school. Seven of his eight sophomores are on track to grad-

uate this spring, with one of his players, Elias King, fielding scholarship offers from five different Division I schools.

In his three years coaching at SMC, coach Thomas has left an impact on his players whether it is on the court or off the court.

The next challenge will be winning a state championship which has evaded Santa Monica College since 1972.