The Corsair Spring 2023 - Issue 8

May 31, 2023 | VOLUME 125 ISSUE 8 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Reflections and Ruminations Memorial Day, Faith and Future, and an End of a Season

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

2 THE | CORSAIR

May 31, 2023

CONTENT News | pg. 3 Photo Story | pg. 4-5 Arts & Entertainment | pg. 6-9 Culture | pg. 10-12 Opinion | pg. 13-15 Sports | pg. 16

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

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

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

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

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

WEBSITE www.thecorsaironline.com

FRONT PAGE Robin Dominguez wearing POW/MIA bracelets, rests her hands on the American Flag during the Memorial Day Celebration at Los Angeles National Cemetery in Los Angeles, Calif., on Monday.

The bracelets have the names of Vietnam War-era prisoners of war or those missing in action and the date they were either captured or went missing.

(Caylo Seals | The Corsair) Read more on page 4.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Writing this final “Letter from the Editor” is a bittersweet feeling. This is my last week in the Corsair newsroom and I’m feeling mixed emotions. On one hand, I’m optimistic about what my future holds. Yet on the other hand, I’m sad to say goodbye to the newsroom and a group of incredible people that have been absolutely amazing all semester long.

Coming into this semester as Editor-in-chief (EIC), I was uncertain about being in a brand new position. I didn’t want to leave my comfort zone, being the Sports Editor in the previous semester. I was pushed out of my comfort zone when I was chosen to be EIC and I honestly couldn’t be more grateful.

This role included challenges I didn’t expect to face. For our production days every other Tuesday, I stayed late to work on the paper and would always feel so drained heading back home. There was some point during the semester where I was so drained that I felt completely burnt out. Luckily, spring break was approaching, giving me the opportunity to relax for a week and consider what I really wanted. I decided to stick with it the rest of the semester, and I’m glad I did.

Being EIC has allowed me to blossom into a leader that’s confident in tackling whatever comes my way. The Corsair staff has always been very accepting of me as a leader. Throughout the ups and downs of the semester, the staff have never given up on the paper, and in turn giving me the encouragement to keep pushing myself.

The editorial staff this semester have stepped into their roles and have been a major help as well. Despite the pressure put upon all the editors to produce, edit and get their work done, they’ve handled it well day in and day out. So much time goes into producing content for the Corsair, and the editors have always been responsive to make sure the work gets pumped out in a timely manner.

This semester has really just been a blur, and I can feel myself getting emotional writing this. I’m very appreciative to have gotten this opportunity to become a different person than the one I started out as. I’m excited to see what else happens once I transfer.

In the upcoming Fall semester, I’ll be starting my first semester at Cal State Los Angeles to work towards my Bachelors degree in Journalism. It’s something I’m both excited and nervous about transferring since it’s a brand new experience for me. If there’s one thing I learned this semester, it’s to embrace chance and new opportunities coming my way.

It’s hard to say goodbye to the newsroom that really allowed me to be myself and fall in love with journalism, but I can’t wait to see what the future holds for both myself and the Corsair. The Corsair will always have a special place in my heart and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it.

Sasha Funes

Editor-in-Chief

NEWS

May 31, 2023

THE

Illustration by Shaylee Guerrero and Presley Alexander

L.A.’s Wellspring of Creativity Shaylee Guerrero | Staff Writer

A

udio equipment, photography studio spaces and live streaming equipment are expensive investments that can take years of income to earn and buy, and the Octavia Lab at the Los Angeles Central Library has all the creative equipment necessary for free.

A library card and photo ID are needed to access the lab, as well as a signature of agreement of treating the space with respect and everyone in it.

Located at 630 W. Fifth St in downtown L.A., the lab is open Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m., and Wednesday and Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Some of the amenities available include a 3D printer, vinyl cutter, photography studio, and sewing and embroidery machines. The DIY Memory Lab is available as well, which allows one to convert VHS, cassette tapes, and vinyls to a digital format.

The DIY Memory Lab is available as well, which allows one to convert VHS, cassette tapes, and vinyls to a digital format. An orientation for the lab is given, but the Octavia Lab reinforces the message that members learn the cre-

ative process themselves.

“We like to remind everyone this is a learning space, so we can’t sit and teach you,” said Octavia Lab Manager Lauren Kratz. “We want you to learn these skills yourself.”

One of the more popular spaces is the music studio. Due to the enhanced soundproofing and constant updating of equipment, members also choose to use this space to edit their movies.

The inspiration for creating such a space came from universities such as USC having similar resources for students to use. College students who have this type of lab on their campus still come to the Octavia Lab thanks to the convenience and free access.

“At their schools, you have to pay and wait on a long list,” said Kratz. “Any projects you want to work on are welcome and we are willing to help if we can.”

The lab gets its name from the award-winning science fiction author Octavia Butler. She had strong ties to the library as a literacy volunteer.

“Butler’s goal was to tell others to use creativity as a tool for science,” Kratz said. “How the two can go hand

in hand for knowledge, science requires creativity.”

According to Kratz, individuals, families and companies use the lab’s tools in a variety of ways. In one instance, a father and son used the 3D printer to replace lost tracks for their toy trains. In another, a man converted cassette tapes to a digital format, in order to hear his grandmother’s voice again after 30 years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, first responders created face shields with the 3D printer, and a bridal group worked together to make decorations for a wedding.

“We had a family travel from Arizona and were having a wedding here, they needed a sewing machine on short notice and they fixed the bride's veil in time,” Kratz said.

In the future, the Octavia Lab hopes to acquire drawing tablets for digital drawing and animation, photo printers, cameras, and larger embroidery machines. As of May 1, there is a brandnew audio studio for members to livestream and record podcasts.

| CORSAIR

3

4 THE | CORSAIR

P H OTO S TO R Y

May 31, 2023

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Ba of the Los Angeles National C National Anthem.

A woman holding flowers sta tion at Los Angeles National

Photos by Caylo Seals | The Corsair

Gail Johnson (in white) with her daughter, grandson, and a picture of her son Daniel Cagle standing in front of the Gold Star Mothers and Wives Wreath during the Memorial Day Celebration at Los Angeles National Cemetery in Los Angeles, Calif., on Monday, May 29. Cagle was killed in action on May 23, 2007 during the Iraq war.

The grave of Daniel Patrick rial Day at Los Angeles Nati action on May 23, 2007, dur detonated near his unit.

P H OTO S TO R Y

May 31, 2023

THE

| CORSAIR

5

(Left) Major General Evan Dertien speaking during the Memorial Day Celebration at Los Angeles National Cemetery in Los Angeles, Calif., on Monday.

ass (left) holds her hand over her heart, next to Director Cemetery Temoc Meza (right), during the United States

ands in front of graves before the Memorial Day CelebraCemetery

Cagle adorned with flowers from his family on Memoional Cemetery in Los Angeles, Calif. Cagle was killed in ring the Iraq war when an improvised explosive device

People salute or hold their hand over their heart during the United States National Anthem. Only those who have served in the military can salute during the anthem.

Honoring the Fallen Caylo Seals| Design Editor

L

os Angeles National Cemetery hosted a Memorial Day Celebration on Monday, May 29 with hundreds honoring those who have lost their lives in military service.

American flags and flowers were lined up along the headstones where people came to pay their respects.

The ceremony included music by the 300th Army Band and remarks from L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and Maj. Gen. Evan Dertian, commander of the

Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base.

“People are coming together to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Bass. “Today is a day for us to remember all who served.”

Gail Johnson, a mother from a family with several generations of military service, presented a Wreath of Hope for Gold Star Mothers and Gold Star Wives. She lost her son Daniel Cagle in May of 2007 during the Iraq War, and

she comes to the National Cemetery every year.

“It is very heartfelt because it’s to honor the fallen, so unlike Veteran Day, these are those that served and never took their uniform off,” Johnson said.

“It is very heartwarming for me to see so many people show up to honor the fallen.”

6 THE | CORSAIR

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

May 31, 2023

A scene of the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department production of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Nile" during dress rehearsal at the SMC Main Stage on Thursday in Santa Monica, Calif.

Photos

Cruise to Death

Rafaella Cruz Ramaciote | Staff Writer Nicholas McCall | Staff Writer ast Friday, Santa Monica College (SMC) premiered the play “Murder on the Nile,” directed

by Adrianne Harrop. The play is based on the novel “Death on the Nile”

by Agatha Christie, who also wrote this adaptation for the stage.

The story takes place on a cruise journeying along the Nile River in 1930s Egypt. The cruise begins leisurely enough, only to be interrupted by a murder, with everyone as a suspect.

During the story, the audience learns about the characters and their personal secrets.

Justin Valine, who plays Simon Mostyn, shared that he learned a lot during the process of working on this project. He highlighted the knowledge

L

about 1930s lifestyle, how people used to talk and dress up.

Valine expressed satisfaction when talking about his relationships with his castmates. He said that they were all very supportive and respectful towards each other.

“Working with my castmates has been pretty good for this show. There was no drama or anything like that,” he said. “We all had the same goal, and since we all had the same goal, we kind of formed this energy to work together and create something beautiful.”

The show is produced by the staff, faculty, and students from SMC and offers the audience a tense narrative full of drama, romance, comedy, and mystery.

“I think people should come to watch it because it’s thrilling, it’s exciting, it’s beautiful, the way that it will transport you back to the late 1930s,” Valine said.

“You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and hopefully you’ll be amazed once the murder mystery is revealed.”

Performances are held at SMC’s Theatre Arts Main Stage at the main SMC campus.

“Murder on the Nile” runs for one more weekend, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 2 and Saturday, June 3, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 4.

Tickets can be bought online and at the door. The prices are $15 for General Admission, $13 for seniors and $10 for SMC students, faculty and staff.

Saba Asgari and Justin Alexander Valine during dress re

May 31, 2023

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

THE

| CORSAIR

7

(Left) Justin Alexander Valine as Simon Mostyn during dress rehearsal.

(Below) A scene of the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department production of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Nile" during dress rehearsal.

by Nicholas McCall

ehearsal.

“We kind of formed this energy to work together and create something beautiful.”

– Justin Valine (Above) AJ Sohrabi as Canon Pennefather during dress rehearsal.

(Left) Kiana Spath as Jaqueline De Severac during dress rehearsal of the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department production of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Nile."

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

8 THE | CORSAIR

May 31, 2023

Rosa Ortaz, one of the organizers for the event, has been hosting this event for 32 years.

Photos by Alejandro Contreras

Carla Weber owner of Hunter Gatherer, specializes in textiles, fabrics, and other accessories that are hand made.

Veronica Leo (left) and Kate Jadwin (right), with their dog Fox, specialize in vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories. They combine both southern and goth fashion styles. May 28, 2023 in Santa Monica, Calif.

Vendors, Vintage, Victorian Decor: Inside Santa Monica’s Antique Market Christina Torres | Social Media Editor

T

he Santa Monica Airport Antique Market has been a tradition for more than thirty years, showcasing a range of products from colorful vintage clothing to one-ofa-kind antique furniture.

On Sunday, May 28, antique collectors, artists, and vintage vendors set their tents up at the airport’s recreational lot. Customers of all ages roamed the lot, searching for their next best find.

Vendor Ryan Meline said that the market always has a great crowd, and that he has many returning customers. “This is about my third year, and it's probably my favorite market out of most

of the markets in California.” Meline sells a variety of curated products, ranging from home decor to vintage cameras.

As the morning progressed, Carla Weber from Hunter Gatherer had sold all of her artwork. Weber specializes in (but is not limited to) paintings, tribal jewelry, and hand-woven textiles. “It’s a wide range of stuff that interests me,” said Weber. She has been vending for about ten years.

Right up the way, Veronica Reo and her dog Fox waited for customers in their tent full of vintage clothing and accessories, called Southwestern Goth. Toward the ticket booth, Andrea Derujinsky from

Resurrection Junction showcased revamped furniture along with her father’s fashion photography.

Lisa Arden and Rosa Ortiz currently run the shows twice a month. When asked about the magic of the market, Ortiz said “You can furnish a house from top to bottom in one day.”

The Santa Monica Airport Antique Market is held every first and fourth Sunday of the month at 3233 Donald Douglas Loop South. The next show will be held on June 4 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the ticket booth on site.

May 31, 2023

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

THE

| CORSAIR

9

A Night of Music, Food, and Entertainment Ashley Chinchilla | Staff Writer

O

n Saturday, May 6, media outlet L.A. Taco hosted their Taco Madness event at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes in downtown. L.A. Taco vendors had the opportunity to show off their cooking skills and celebrate their accomplishments, and event-goers had the opportunity to eat their hearts out.

The 14th annual Taco Madness festival was full of food, music, and entertainment. Live music as well as traditional dancers shared the stage. It was a ticketed event for everyone; each blue ticket was worth five dollars for one taco, and the red ticket was for drinks.

Tacos were served with different types of meats that were brought from Mexico, and some tortillas were handmade. The stands were wide, so people

in line were able to see how these tacos were made.

Recording artist Danny Lux, who recently performed at Coachella, headlined Taco Madness to close out the show for the night. Many of his followers were present, and the atmosphere was full of energy.

The plaza had spray paint artists showing off their talent by creating their images on large canvases. People who were in line to get food were fascinated by their artwork. The festival also had gift shops with stands full of antiques and other items.

“It’s my first time, there's a lot of people so it's pretty good and a lot of positivity as well,” said Olga Samayoa.

Her stand was filled with crystal rocks, jewelry, and sages. She was grateful to

be there and to have the opportunity to share her antiques with everyone.

“I sell mental health awareness gear inspired by my Latino culture because it is pretty much known that we don’t really talk about mental health in our community,” vendor Rosa Valdez said.

Her shop, Educated Chola, sells a variety of tote bags, jewelry, mugs and stickers. “I’m trying to create awareness but also have a little fun while we’re at it.”

Hadley Tomicki, one of L.A. Taco’s founders, explained how the venue for Taco Madness might have overlapped with the amount of guests that were present. It became crowded as the day went by and the line to get inside was long.

“We anticipated to have a big turn-

out until we saw the big line around the corner. We weren't necessarily sure what that was going to turn out to be,” Tomicki said.

Taco Madness pulled a higher number of individuals than what was supposed to, and received a positive reception. Due to the high volume of people at the festival this year, Tomicki said they will consider relocating elsewhere if they feel that next year will get crowded.

“We might look at whether the venue was appropriate for the size of the crowd,” Tomecki said. “So far I think we are really happy with the way things have gone ... hopefully, we do have the same turnout and keep growing.”

Danny Lux, a.k.a Daniel Balderrama (center), performing one of his hit songs.

The vendor stand of Olga Samayoa who is selling crystals, rocks, essence stick, and antiques.

Photos by Ashley Chinchilla

A taco with octopus, avocado, and cilantro from a taco stand at Taco Madness hosted by LA Taco in LA Plaza de Arte y Cutltura, in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 6, 2023.

10 THE | CORSAIR

C U LT U R E

May 31, 2023

Photos by Akemi Rico

Lo/Cal Coffee & Market is located on Pico just west of Cloverfield in Santa Monica, Calif., and in addition to caffeinated beverages they have pastries, salads and sandwiches, with indoor and outdoor seating. It's open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Local Coffee Shops: Cute But Expensive?

Akemi Rico | Staff Writer

I

t’s getting to be that time of year: finals week of spring semester. Students can be seen studying in various places around campus, including the library, the cafeteria, and in outdoor seating areas.

There are a few coffee shops within walking distance of Santa Monica College (SMC) that offer caffeinated beverages as well as pastries, sandwiches, and other snacks to fuel a hard-working brain. Although they are close to campus, they aren’t always full of students.

Bolivar Cafe is located on Ocean Park Blvd. and 18th St. In addition to the usual coffee drinks, they have a plethora of teas to choose from, along with fresh squeezed juices, sandwiches, pastries, and arepas, a Venuzuelan sandwich with various fillings.

It’s mostly indoor seating, and they are open Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and closed on Sunday.

First year student Joshua Jones works at Bolivar Cafe, and said that although many people come here to work, he knows some

of them from SMC. He relates that the shop is a little too expensive for most students to frequent.

“I think this is out of the budget a lot of the time,” he said. “So you don’t see as many students as you might think.”

Love Coffee Bar is also on Ocean Park Boulevard, across the street from Bolivar Cafe. They offer an intriguing menu of artisanal signature drinks, with the option to add a shot of CBD to any drink. In addition to the beverages, they have an assortment of pastries and sandwiches. There is indoor and outdoor patio seating, and they are open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SMC student Marko Asaulyuk works at Love Coffee Bar. He’s a business administration major, and will transfer to San Francisco State University in the Fall.

“We have regulars here every morning, they come before classes, I know their names, I know what they order,” he said.

“There’s some students, some don’t have

money, so they just get water. And some have money from their parents, so they get something expensive.”

Groundwork Coffee is located inside of Whole Foods at Cloverfield and Pico, about a ten minute walk from the main campus.

They serve up caffeinated beverages and offer mostly outdoor seating with a few seats inside. It's open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week.

The staff here mentioned that they don’t see many students here, citing the lack of seating and the cold weather. “Maybe they’ll come back when the weather is warmer.”

Lo/Cal Coffee & Market, located west of Pico and Cloverfield, serves pastries, salads and sandwiches, with indoor and outdoor seating. It's open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sundays.

The staff agreed that there are definitely more students coming in this year as compared to last year, now that classes are back in person.

May 31, 2023

C U LT U R E

THE

| CORSAIR

11

A customer places his coffee order at the counter of Love Coffee Bar on Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica, Calif. on Friday.

Patrons work on their laptops inside Love Coffee Bar on Ocean Park Blvd.

Patrons with their dogs exit the front entrance of Love Coffee Bar on Ocean Park Blvd.

Shown here are Arepas, a Venezuelan sandwich made to order with a cornmeal dough cut open for a flank steak filling (L) and mango, avocado and cheese (R), served with a chimichurri sauce.

A Oaxacan Mocha is sitting on a the table in front of the register at Bolivar Cafe, known for it's South American influence, including Venezuelan arepas.

Patrons with their dogs exit the front entrance of Love Coffee Bar on Ocean Park Blvd.

Patrons sit and work inside Bolivar Cafe, located on Ocean Park Blvd. and 18th St. There is ample table space and wifi, along with Venezuelan arepas, sandwiches, fresh juices, coffee and tea.

C U LT U R E

12 THE | CORSAIR

May 31, 2023

Photo by Shaylee Guerrero

Ariella Rose, Club President of Chabad Jewish Club. Ariella Rose expresses passion for Judaism. In front of Santa Monica College Organic Learning Garden, on Thursday.

Ariella Rose on Her Faith and Future Shaylee Guerrero | Staff Writer

A

dding religion to education or a career path has been a challenge for Ariella Rose — balancing Jewish holidays, practices and homework. But she figured out a way to bring it into her college life.

“Being a part of the Jewish community has only led me to wanting to take on more religious practices and becoming a better version of myself,” said Rose, who is president of the Chabad Jewish Student Club (CJSC).

Before she connected with her faith, Rose planned to transfer to a UC or CSU school. This plan changed when she lived in Israel for six months.

“Once I was there, I felt very rooted in my Judaism and decided I want to go learn all about our holy book, the Torah,” Rose said. Because of this increased connection to her faith, Rose said that she has “decided to go study

at an all girl’s private Jewish school.”

Rose said she tries to apply the teachings of the Torah into her everyday life through her positivity, integrity and honesty. She applies these ideas in her environment of being the club president with her clubmates.

“The Torah teaches us to be kind, considerate, open-minded, and positive to others,” Rose said. “We speak no evil about our coworkers, we don’t judge anyone for what they may present themselves as or how they show up to work, and we make everyone feel loved.”

Religious celebrations and practices can be done over the course of many days or weeks, with Passover being the most celebrated holiday in Judaism.

Passover commemorates the story of the Israelites' departure from ancient Egypt.

“At first I found it difficult to balance work and religious practices with Passover, I couldn’t work for 4 days due to the holiday,” she said. “I couldn’t do any homework or day-to-day activities that I would normally do."

Being a part of a Jewish community has led Rose to want to take on more religious practices. “This has helped me choose my career path as I have chosen a Jewish school to attend and want to work in a Jewish community at Santa Monica College.”

Rose shared tips on how to be a good club president.

“As the president of Chabad Jewish Club, it is important to set aside time to ensure the plans of our club,” Rose said.

“If it’s important to you, you’ll make the time to run the club to the best of your ability.”

OPINION

May 31, 2023

Ilayda Gercek | Staff Writer

I

THE

| CORSAIR

13

The TikTok Ban Threatens the Future of the Internet

n recent years, TikTok has become a cultural phenomenon, capturing the attention of millions of users worldwide. The video-sharing app has been widely popularized, especially among young adults and teenagers, and has been an essential part of popular culture. Now, a bipartisan agreement in the Senate is threatening to ban the app.

The primary reason for the proposed TikTok ban was the concern that the app could be a threat to national security. Officials have raised concerns about the app's data privacy practices and its potential for spreading misinformation. While it is true that any app or service that collects user data can pose risks, the risks associated with TikTok are blown out of proportion.

In fact, TikTok is not the only app that collects data from its users. Many popular social media apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, collect user data. The difference is that TikTok is owned by a Chinese company, and according to politicians, this is the root of the concern regarding its security risks.

However, the idea that TikTok is being used as a tool for Chinese espionage is not supported by available evidence.

“TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, U.S. user data with the Chinese government. Nor would TikTok

honor such a request if one were ever made," TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress.

TikTok gained a lot of popularity during the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown. The TikTok ban initially became a hotly debated topic in the United States in 2020, with the Trump administration threatening to ban the app altogether.

This came amid concerns that TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, could be a threat to national security.

Though, it seems like Trump and his fellow Republicans have a vendetta against TikTok for other reasons. A majority of TikTok users are a part of Generation Z, who are also starting to make up a big bloc of voters. TikTok gives them an ideal platform to band together and advocate for their political opinions.

A hilarious example is when TikTok users trolled the Trump

campaign in 2020 into expecting a massive rally crowd in Tulsa. Users inflated the number of people registered to attend the event. It led to the Trump campaign bragging about more than a million people trying to attend the rally, until the day of the event, where only a few thousand actually showed up in person.

In response to Trump, ByteDance began negotiations with U.S. companies to form a new entity that would operate TikTok in the United States.

The proposed deal involved Oracle taking a stake in the company. CEO Chew testified that “U.S. TikTok data is stored by default in Oracle’s servers,” meaning that Oracle provides secure cloud services for TikTok's U.S. operations on American soil. Only vetted American personnel can control access to the data.

The proposed ban is condensed into Senate Bill 686 also known as the Restrict Act. However, if approved, it would not only lead to a potential TikTok ban.

While TikTo k

seems to be the first target of Congress, the bill would give the Secretary of Commerce the power to shut down any online entities from a list of foreign advisories they deem a national security risk, China being one of them.

The bill would allow the government to control a variety of relevant media in whichever way they like. In addition, under the bill, the government can impose criminal penalties on people in the U.S. for violations of the Restrict Act. The government setting its eyes on banning TikTok is shady for another reason, as some politicians in office hold shares in companies such as Meta, which could benefit from the downfall of TikTok. U.S. lawmakers are unfortunately not banned from investing in any company, even if those companies might be affected by their decisions.

At this point in time, the future of TikTok and cyberspace in general in the U.S. remains uncertain. Congress seems focused on bringing in restrictions, while American users are rooting for the app. Since the hearing of CEO Chew before Congress, Americans have rallied against the Restrict Act. The ban will upset loyal users of the app that spend their days either consuming or creating content.

Reach out to your elected officials if you want to make your voice heard to stop the Restrict Act.

Illustration by Presley Alexander

14 THE | CORSAIR

OPINION

May 31, 2023

Aging Gracefully

Illustration by Presley Alexander

Rafaella Cruz Ramaciote | Staff Writer

M

edia is always growing, developing, and adapting in accordance with contemporary culture and standards. Few cultural tokens maintain influence and importance over many years — but Barbie has.

It is beautiful to observe Barbie's journey and the development of her image. A big icon like her, that has such a wide influence on kids and adults, has the responsibility to have a positive impact on those people.

The icon who used to represent an unrealistic beauty standard and a superficial and shallow personality is now representing and including a diversity of races, cultures and identities. Barbie is helping young people understand how to respect others and is reinforcing truly feminist ways of thinking.

In her 1994 autobiography ''Dream Doll: The Ruth Handler Story”, Barbie’s creator said “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.”

Highlighting Barbie’s empowering

philosophy and inclusive representation is an awesome promotion for the Barbie movie coming out on July 26.

The movie is giving the doll a renewed spotlight, and using representation as marketing is a great angle to get the love of the public.

Barbie has the chance right now to redefine her brand. Disconnecting Barbie from the dumb blonde stereotype could permanently establish her as a feminist icon who can achieve anything. Barbie is a successful woman who can have any career, and is represented by dolls with diverse races and body types.

Last month, Mattel expanded Barbie’s inclusivity by releasing the first Barbie doll with Down syndrome in collaboration with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). In a post on Barbie’s official instagram account, president and CEO of NDSS Kandi Pickard affirmed that “this means so much for our community.” The power of inclusion should never be underestimated.

But has Barbie always been such a feminist toy?

In 1997, Aqua released the song “Barbie Doll,” which, while not officially associated with Barbie, captures the way that many millennials and older Gen Z children viewed Barbie. The song describes a completely different idea of what Barbie stands for today.

Memorable lyrics from the song are “I’m a Barbie girl in a Barbie world, life in plastic, it’s fantastic” and “I'm a blonde bimbo girl.” These illustrate a superficial girl that does not care about increasing her knowledge, only about her appearance.

Moreover, the lines “make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please” erase all agency, personality and competence from Barbie’s image. She is portrayed as a character who needs a man to make decisions for her, whose only desire is to please her boyfriend.

The upcoming movie Barbie characterizes the doll as a woman capable of everything. She is no longer a ‘blonde bimbo girl’ that can be played with by a man. Margot Robbie, the actress who plays Barbie in the movie, shared her view on the character in a video interview with Vogue.

“She owned her own car, she owned her own house, she had a cute boyfriend but he was kind of like an accessory.” Robbie said. “She can do all these things and she was doing it back in the time when women couldn’t even have their own bank accounts.”

In addition, her co-star, Ryan Gosling, who plays Ken in the film, in an interview on The Tonight Show shared that he sees his character as merely another one of Barbie’s accessories.

What is interesting about his comment is that even such powerful women as Barbie are often linked to a man's image. But Gosling’s commentary suggests a subversion of gender roles in the film. Barbie is an outstanding woman that does not rely on a guy to save her and she accomplished her goals independently and made her own path. She represents the idea that any woman can reach any goal they establish for themselves. Women are enough, and it is about time for Hollywood's productions to illustrate that.

OPINION

May 31, 2023

THE

| CORSAIR

15

Illustration by Alejandro Contreras

AI Invades the Music Industry My'Dari Baker| Staff Writer

A

rtificial Intelligence (AI) is making waves in multiple industries. One, in particular, is the music industry. AI music generators have been going viral for their controversial ability to use artists’ voices and to cover another artist’s song, or to make an entirely new song.

Last month, TikTok user Ghostwriter977 uploaded a song to social media platforms and music apps called “Heart on My Sleeve.”

Ghostwriter977 used AI to mimic the vocals and sounds of Drake and The Weeknd, getting millions of plays before being taken down.

On behalf of the artists, Universal Music Group (UMG) pulled the track on every platform, although the sound can still be found online. UMG released several statements calling AI-generated content “infringing” and “a violation of copyright law.”

It is unfair to musical artists to have their sound and voices ripped off by technology. While the use of AI in the music industry can bring a creative and unique outlook, its use should be regulated to protect artists’ creative output and livelihood.

Financial exploitation is a primary concern. Artists face the unfair possibility of having their voices used without compensation to cover AI-generated songs.

“It’s like me taking a book and creating another book based off the artist’s writing style and making money off their name. So it’s not okay,” said Santa Monica College student Preston Halbert.

However, others argue that the songs being created using an artist's voice to cover them by AI is no different than if the labels were to make the songs themselves.

“The things about labels is for example, Snow White, the voice

actor got her voice copyrighted

by Disney. She was not allowed to sing for anything unless it was for Disney,” said SMC student Alejandro Garcia. “So what makes that different from AI? You get profit but not as much as you wanted to receive.”

The difference between AI and the Snow White voice actor is that she had an option for her voice to be used. Although the voice actor of Snow White might not have gotten a fair pension for the use of her voice, she was aware of what Disney was doing. Artists who fall victim to the use of AI voice generators don’t have that luxury of knowing about their voice being used or getting compensated for it.

AI generated music also has the potential to damage an artist’s reputation. An artist could hypothetically be canceled if their voice were used in a song with problem-

atic or insensitive language. With AI technology, an artist's career could be jeopardized by lyrics that they did not write.

Despite the effects that it can have on an artist's reputation, some artists have expressed an interest in producing AI-generated music.

Independent electro-pop artist Grimes recently announced on Twitter that she supports people who want to use her voice to make new music. She offered a 50% split of royalties if an AI-generated song using her voice became profitable.

“Feel free to use my voice without penalty,” she wrote.

AI music generators may be an interesting creative asset, but it comes with certain dangers that could significantly affect the music industry, and it is clear that something as powerful as AI should be used with caution.

SPORTS

16 THE | CORSAIR

May 31, 2023

Photo by Nicholas McCall

Santa Monica College Corsairs' Kane Schwengel (center) receives a serve during the men's volleyball match against the Moorpark College Raiders on Wednesday, April 12, at Corsair Gym in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 3-0.

Trials and Tribulations for Men's Volleyball Ryan Watts | Sports Editor

T

he Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs men's volleyball team finished off their season as the eighth seeded team in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Southern California regional playoffs. They had a 7-5 record in the Western State Conference south division and 10-10 record overall.

In their final game on April 21, the team played against the Long Beach Vikings, losing 3-0. This season saw the Corsairs going back and forth between winning streaks and losses. Head coach Liran Zamir said that despite the ups and downs of the season, he is happy with the end result.

“We played our hearts out, and we did pretty good,” he said.

He mentioned that although this wasn’t the best season they’ve had, it was a good season and that the team did well with what they had and had good resolve. He described this season as a building block for the SMC culture for next year's team.

Zamir mentioned how proud he was when the team made the playoffs although he wanted them to go further and mentioned they can keep up this success by “keeping the culture and energy all around.”

Outside-hitters Nate Davis and Beikwaw Yankey were named to the all-conference first-team, while outside-hitter Kane Schwengel made it to the second-team. Javier Castillo won libero of the year, leading the state in digs, and middle-blocker Jonathan Pritchard committed to playing at UC Santa Cruz next year.

When asked about his favorite team memory, Zamir mentioned “how we always want to beat Santa Barbara,” saying they defeated them twice. He hopes to improve the team by replacing the graduating players and filling empty spots they will leave behind.

He describes the culture of SMC volleyball as professional, where players approach their practice with competence, “attending practice on time …

listening to their coaches, and being a good teammate.” Players also help with fundraising and bring in connections of their own to the team.

“It's essential to be a great person and a good teammate, that is one of the things we put emphasis on,” Zamir said. “We want the guys to be positive throughout and leave negativity outside.”

When talking about team success, Davis said it was hard for the team to get knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. Some of the challenges they faced during the season dealt with chemistry issues, with new players having to fill positions and other players having to switch roles.

“A lot of confusion that could affect team chemistry and how we play, you wouldn't have guessed that,” he said.

Davis said one improvement that the team could have made was on academic eligibility, and that if other players stay on top of that, they could go from being an underdog to a champi-

onship-bound team.

His favorite memory this season was the first set from the Long Beach City College game. Despite the loss, Davis said that it was “the most fire I've seen from the team.” He added that in high-stakes situations like that, the team would often get too excited and make mistakes, but in that instance, the team was super focused.

Davis said that even though he won't be returning next year, the players from the recruiting class have that same drive and passion he has when it comes to volleyball.

“It's something that you can't really teach at this level, you're either dedicated and have that drive to succeed and be better, or you don't,” he said. “All the players have it, I saw some of the most incredible work ethic I've seen on any team.”

He hopes for the next team he hopes he instilled the drive for the team to be better, “but they already had that in spades.”