December 10, 2025 | Volume 128 Fall Issue 6 | Santa Monica College
Monica College
Inside cover
Women’s Volleyball Championship at SAnta Monica College Corsair Gym, Santa Monica, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov 25, 2025. SMC Corsair won against PCC Lancers 3-0, continuing to break the school’s home win record of 12-1.
Jordi Garcia Sosa | The Corsair
Front Cover
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass waves to people as she pushes a bike at Netflix’s and CicLAvia’s “One Last Ride” Stranger Things event on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025.
Jake Crandall | The Corsair
Back Cover
Scott Wardlaw, Altadena Christmas Tree Lane Association president, speaks to a crowd of thousands who gathered in Altadena, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2025, for the 105 annual lighting ceremony. A stretch of deodar cedar trees on Santa Rosa Boulevard is decorated with Christmas tree lights by volunteers and simultaneously turned on in a large community event to celebrate the holidays.
Jake Crandall | The Corsair
Faculty Advisors
Gerard Burkhart | Photo Advisor
Samantha Nuñez | Social Media Advisor
Sharyn Obsatz | Writing Advisor
Staff Writers
Christian Chan, Diego Villalobos, Carlos Perez, Dillon Stafford, Neal Hebrard-DeFrance, Kollin Zullo, Catherine Lighton, Daisy Juarez, Wynn Blas, Samantha Oliva, Michael Diebert, Ty’reka Ray, Jordy Emanuel Mar, Patrick Conlon, Thais Bunai, Raymond Watts, Christine Xolotl Muñoz
Photographers
Elizabeth Bacher, Jordi Garcia Sosa, Katy Santa Cruz, Micah Wilson, Juliana Frame, Fai Fong, Masie Najafi, Louis Ballard, Ana Sanchez Venegas, Danny Sanchez, Michael Knox, Kiros Nzuriwatu
Social Media Staff
Andrew Starnes, Sebastian Mathews, Daniela Landaverde, Shaylee Guerrero, Zander Vega, Aleli Amores, Robert Ruckett, Maryeloise Samoya, Eve Huerta, Seth Sirmenis, Andrea Castillo, Verna Jones
Letter From The Editor
A Final Message (But not really)
112 days, 2688 hours, 161280 minutes and 9.8 million seconds — that is my rough estimate of how long this semester has been. AKA, 16 full weeks. Sixteen full weeks as my time as Editor in Chief so far. It’s frustrating, to say the least, but it has also taught me how to be a leader. It has taught me my strengths and shown my weaknesses. There are friendships I have made in this newsroom I will remember for a lifetime. Usually, I would start off this letter with a beautiful, poetic goodbye. I don’t think that’s the approach I want to take for my final letter. Although, wouldn’t it be nice to have a dramatic exit?
Final letter of the semester, at least. I am happy to continue working as The Corsair’s Editor in Chief for the upcoming spring semester. I might regret it, considering I have a full plate of
classes —the final classes I have to take before I transfer schools. Despite that, I unfortunately like making myself suffer under pressure and deadlines. It might be because of my ADHD, or maybe because I just like a full workload. Who knows?
Even though this is our last digital edition until Spring semester, I hope everyone reading continues to follow our work through the website and our Instagram. We will continue providing the Santa Monica College community with news that’s important. I’m also excited to have a little break from College — even if it’s only for around a week. I’ll be spending time around my best friends and celebrating my Birthday! I hope you enjoy this last edition; I think it’s a good one.
Editor in Chief
Katie Easterson
Graphic from Canva
Giving Thanksgiving Day One: ‘A Huge Success’
The SMC Foundation provided more than 1,200 students with free groceries at its annual “Giving Thanksgiving” food drive.
More than 1,200 students received free holiday groceries on the first day of the Santa Monica College Foundation’s ninth annual “Giving Thanksgiving” food drive outside the campus’s Cayton Center on Monday, Nov. 24.
The foundation provided currently enrolled students with fresh produce, nonperishables and pumpkin pie. They also received gift cards and clothing.
In addition to supplying students with resources, “Giving Thanksgiving” also raises funds for the Basic Needs Program and the Emergency Grant Fund, which offers yearround support to students facing basic needs challenges, according to the SMC website.
Kayjel J. Mairena | News Editor
The foundation intends to raise $250,000 before the end of the event on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m. “We’re at right around $245,000,” said Foundation President Dr. Lizzy Moore.
Moore started “Giving Thanksgiving” in her backyard with Wendi DeMorst, the associate dean of student instructional support, in 2017. According to Moore, they originally intended to feed people with nowhere to go for the holiday, but during the pandemic, they pivoted and established a food drive.
Associated Students (A.S.) has been “Giving Thanksgiving’s” largest monetary sponsor since 2019. On Oct. 28, the A.S. Board of Directors approved a $50,000 funding request from the foundation to address increased needs, rising food costs, and the delay in social benefits resulting from October’s government shutdown.
Santa Monica College (SMC) Foundation President Dr. Lizzy Moore coordinates with volunteers about food arrangement at the foundation’s “Giving Thanksgiving” food drive at the campus in front of the Cayton Center at SMC in Santa Monica, Calif, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, to help fight food scarcity on campus. Kayjel J. Mairena | The Corsair
“I’ve gone to the ‘Giving Thanksgiving’ event my last two years, and I’ve seen how much relief it provides, not just to me, but to my peers. This is something that I wanted to ensure that they had enough funds to go even above and beyond,” said A.S President Ailsa Ortiz
Some students left the event with a bag full of items and a smile on their faces. Others started eating as soon as they found a seat.
“It was a huge success, and I feel like, especially for someone with a family who really needs it, this would really make my day,” said Eike Miller Gomez, an SMC art major.
At 2:15 p.m., the foundation had served more than 800 people. By 5:30 p.m., it had supplied 1,270 students with resources. “Giving Thanksgiving” is scheduled to resume on Tuesday, Nov. 25, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to Moore, they’ll be in front of the Bodega, rain or shine.
Eric Minzenberg (Left) and Sue O’ Brien (Right) pack peaches at Santa Monica College (SMC) Foundation’s “Giving Thanksgiving” food drive at the college in front of the Cayton Center at SMC in Santa Monica, Calif. Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, to help fight food scarcity on campus. Kayjel J. Mairena | The Corsair
Volunteers pack nonperishables at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Foundation’s annual “Giving Thanksgiving” food drive in front of the Cayton Center at SMC in Santa Monica, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. Kayjel J. Mairena | The Corsair
Volunteers pack nonperishables at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Foundation’s annual “Giving Thanksgiving” food drive in front of the Cayton Center at SMC in Santa Monica, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. Kayjel J. Mairena | The Corsair
A hopeful light after the Eaton Fire
Residents of Los Angeles County came together to celebrate a century-old holiday tradition for the first time since the Los Angeles wildfires.
Jake Crandall | Photo Editor
A home is decorated with Christmas tree lights in Altadena, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2025, during the 105 Christmas Tree Lane
A
trees on Santa Rosa Boulevard is decorated with Christmas tree lights by volunteers and simultaneously turned on in a large community event to celebrate the holidays.
Christmas tree lights sparkled once again in Altadena for the annual lighting ceremony on Christmas Tree Lane. Less than a year after the fires, the community came together for a historic ceremony that showcased its strength and unity.
In a 105-year-old tradition, nearly a mile stretch of deodar cedar trees along Santa Rosa Avenue is adorned with Christmas lights. The lights are turned on simultaneously in front of thousands of spectators during the annual ceremony, and the community is united to kick-off the holiday season.
This year’s festivities were unlike any the community has held in its history. Altendena
celebrated its first Christmas tree lighting ceremony since the Eaton Fire on Jan. 7, 2025, which killed 19 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Dirt lots where homes and businesses once stood bordered Christmas Tree Lane.
Numerous residents along the lane adorned their homes with Christmas lights and reindeer lawn ornaments, welcoming neighbors in for holiday parties and festivities.
Some displayed lawn signs with messages of community, stating, “Altedena Strong,” while others displayed “Altedena not for sale,” reflecting a decision many in the community are facing.
“Altadena not for sale” is a rallying cry for those in the community and victims of the fire, encouraging community members not to sell their homes and for Los Angeles to block corporations from buying up properties, to keep the tight-knit community, culture and values of Altadena alive.
According to the “Altadena not for sale” mission statement, their goal is “to help the under- and non-insured be able to stay where they are after the devastating Eaton Fire and not fall prey to predatory land speculators, and to keep the community whole through education, advocacy and empowerment.”
Jake Crandall | The Corsair
lighting ceremony.
stretch of deodar cedar
According to the Decennial Census, Around 75% of Altadena’s African American population own their homes, almost double the national average. Nearly 48% of these homes were burned in the fire, according to the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, increasing community fears over the impact on both the demographics and culture of the community.
The event is organized annually by the Christmas Tree Lane Association and its president, Scott Wardlow. Wardlow praised the efforts of volunteers who made the event possible, who continue to come year after year. The lights are put up by community volunteers, some of whom lost their homes in the fire.
Edward James Olmos spoke to the crowd through tears, saying, “All of us in Los Angeles were hit so hard. And I got to tell you, this is the most important aspect of living, is sharing right now the feeling that you have and love and understanding.”
A planned moment of silence was held for the victims of the fire lasting a minute and 19 seconds. The crowd was asked to hold phone flash lights above their heads instead of candles.
The crowd itself began to glow like tightly strung Christmas trees from their phone lights clutched above their heads. Children gently clutched their eyes together, wincing their eyes tenderly began to water, reflecting on memories from earlier this year.
The sea of phone light stars swayed in a quiet lull in remembrance of those lost, before the silence was swiftly extinguished by the Pasadena Waldorf High School Choir singing ‘We Shall Be Known’ by Karisha Longaker.
Representative Judy Chu, (D-Calif.) from California’s 28th congressional district took the stage and praised the ceremony for showcasing the community’s resilience, saying, “This year’s lighting ceremony is more than a celebration. It’s a moment of healing and triumph. I did not know at the beginning of this year whether we would have this ceremony.”
Chu discussed the devastation of the fire, going on to praise the community’s giving spirit while grieving their own losses.
Chu said, “Your work lights up the biggest holiday event in the country, but more importantly, it lights our way forward.”
The crowd counted down from 10 before flipping a switch that illuminated the lights strung on Christmas Tree Lane, adorning towering cedar trees, glowing gently over the tightly packed crowd. A projected message of “Altadena Strong” was projected against the back of the stage as Olmos bowed his head.
Jake Crandall | The Corsair
Actor Edward James Olmos speaks at the 105th Altadena Christmas Tree Lan elights ceremony.
Jake Crandall | The Corsair Thousands gather in Altadena for the 105 Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony.
Jake Crandall | The Corsair Thousands gather in Altadena, on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2025, for the 105 Christmas Tree Lane lights ceremony.
Thousands gather in Altadena, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2025, for the 105 Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony. A stretch of deodar cedar trees on Santa Rosa Boulevard is decorated with Christmas tree lights by volunteers and simultaneously turned on in a large community event to celebrate the holidays.
A memorial tree was also featured on the lane, adorned with white lights as well as 19 green ones, representing the victims of the Eaton Fire.
Reflecting on the loss of the fires, Olmos said, “Remember, we memorialize the love and the understanding that we have for those of us that are not here.”
Adjacent to the stage, The Walt Disney Co. held an event where children could meet some of their favorite Disney characters. Disney also helped replace and add additional string lights that illuminate Christmas Tree Lane. According to the Walt Disney Company, Disney has committed $15 million to help the recovery of the Los Angeles wildfires and is putting $5 million toward the reconstruction of the Altadena Charles White Park. Over 60 Disney employees lost their homes in the Eaton fire.
Wardlow brought out the Skidmore family on stage, a family whose volunteer contributions on Christmas Tree Lane stood out. The family lost their home in the Eaton fire, but continued to work towards helping their community.
People walked down Christmas Tree Lane once the ceremony ended, joining in on holiday festivities, including hot cocoa and a person in a Grinch costume selling balloons. Many walked the Lane admiring the lights and the festive house decorations out front.
People lined the block for a chance to peek at the popular Christmas Tree Lane Model Train House, which featured numerous replica model trains. Robert Caves, owner of the house, transformed his backyard into a complex series of mini rail lines where enthusiasts from around the community come to participate in their model train hobby.
The museum has become a community staple attraction known for its outgoing members and intricate model train displays featuring real life trains. Some of these include scenes of California and Disney’s famous monorail.
Many praised the museum for keeping the trains chugging and showcasing a unique part of Altadena culture. As the one year anniversary of the Eaton fire approaches many questions remain on the future of Altandena, but the famous Christmas Tree Lane and community celebration is here to stay.
Jake Crandall | The Corsair
A person dressed in a Grinch costume sells balloons during the 105 Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony in Altadena.
(Top) Jake Crandall | The Corsair
A home is decorated with Christmas tree lights in Altadena, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2025, during the 105 Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony.
(Left) Jake Crandall | The Corsair
A model train car adorned with Christmas trees at the Christmas Tree Lane Model Train House, a popular attration, with a line forming up the block to view the house.
Jake Crandall | The Corsair
Judy Chu, (D) from California’s 28 congressional district speaks to a crowd of thousands who gathered in Altadena, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2025, for the 105 Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony. A stretch of deodar cedar trees on Santa Rosa Boulevard is decorated with Christmas tree lights by volunteers and simultaneously turned on in a large community event to celebrate the holidays.
The Corsairs Eliminated from Playoffs
Dillon Stafford || Staff Writer
The Santa Monica College women’s soccer team in the first round of playoffs against
The Santa Monica College (SMC) women’s soccer team, slated as the No. 13 seed in the playoffs, suffered a heartbreaking upset in the first round of playoffs against the Citrus College Owls, the No.19 seed, on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
The Corsairs previously faced the Owls twice in the 2025-26 season, losing the first match 2-0, followed by a sweeping 6-1 victory. With each team handing the other a loss, rivalry tensions were high coming into Wednesday’s contest.
Just twenty minutes into the first half, Citrus scored their first and only goal, which slipped through the hands of SMC goalie Jaiden Bolosky. Citrus maintained control of ball-possession and attacking plays during the first half. However, SMC truly came to life in the second half
SMC dominated ball-possession throughout the entire half, and with only 15 minutes remaining in the match, SMC capitalized on a penalty kick scored by Lyric Gomez-Muniz. Gomez-Muniz’s goal tied the game at 1-1 going into overtime.
The key to SMC’s reinvigorated success during the second half was offensive intensity and numerous intercepted passes. The Corsairs wielded complete control of midfield, creating many passing opportunities and shots-on-goal near the Citrus goalie box.
Both overtime periods told much the same story as the second half of the match, but neither team was able to score a goal. SMC kept up their fast-paced play and ball control, but the Owls defense proved equally energized and shut down any threats.
Santa Monica College goalkeeper Jacinda Hevesy-Rodriguez (1) is consoled by assistant coach Yosemite Cruz after a missed goal kick during the double overtime penalty shootout against the Citrus College Owls in the 3C2A playoff opener on Nov. 16, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost to the Owls, 5-4, in a dramatic penalty shootout. Tom Rosholt | The Corsair
Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsair a penalty shoot out after the first Stadium, Santa Monica, Calif.,
SPORTS
Playoffs in Thrilling Penalty Shootout
team suffers a heartbreaking defeat against Citrus College.
More and more pressure built with each passing minute. SMC’s Julia Bailey and Citrus’ Alyssa Quiroz each received yellow cards for “unsporting behavior,” as well as the Citrus assistant coach for “dissent by word or action.”
After 120 minutes of play, the game came down to a penalty shootout. The intensity progressively rose with each subsequent goal. Some fans covered their eyes and faced away from the field, refusing to watch the high-stakes showdown.
Both SMC and Citrus made their first four penalty kicks, leaving just one to determine the fate of the game. That’s precisely when disaster struck.
SMC’s starting defender, Sekai Sardinha, had her penalty
blocked by Citrus goalie Liliana Miramontes. It was none other than Miramontes herself who subsequently stepped up and scored the final penalty, ending the game 5-4 and capping SMC’s season.
In the post-game huddle, head coach Aaron Benditson said, “We did everything in our power,” and that penalties were “the worst way to lose this game.” As Citrus players and supporters jumped for joy, SMC players hugged one another amidst many tears.
Corsair middle Kobe Aguliar (#20) walk past Citrus College Owls celebrating after defeating the Corsairs in first match of the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Championship at SMC Corsair Calif., on Wednesday, Nov 19, 2025. The SMC Corsairs tied to Citrus College Owls during the match, and lost to the Owls in penalty kicks (5-4). Jordi Garcia Sosa
Santa Monica College Corsair Erika Bautista (11) dribbles past Citrus College Owls during a match on Nov. 16, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs were eliminated in the first round of the 3C2A playoffs, losing to the Owls in a penalty shootout, 5-4. Tom Rosholt | The Corsair
Santa Monica College Corsair Ariana Maldonado (21) scores a penalty kick during double overtime against the Citru College Owls in the first round of the 3C2A playoffs on Nov. 16, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs were eliminated after losing to the Owls in a penalty shootout, 5-4. Tom Rosholt | The Corsair
ARTS AND CULTURE
LAST CicLAvia Ride of 2025
Mayor Karen Bass joins CicLAvia and Netflix in closing Melrose Avenue off to cars for ‘Stranger Things’ bicycle event
Nastassia
Melendez | Assistant Editor of Arts & Culture
Cyclists ride past a poster for Season 5 of Netflix’s Stranger Things on a car-free Melrose Avenue during Netflix x CicLAvia
on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif. The event celebrated the release of the fifth and final season of
Normally gridlocked, Melrose Avenue turned into a sunny “upside down” on Sunday, Nov. 23, as nearly three miles was closed to traffic for CicLAvia’s last event of the year, this time in partnership with Netflix to promote the upcoming fifth season of “Stranger Things.” From Fairfax to Vermont, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and thousands of Angelenos filled the avenue on bicycles, scooters, rollerblades and on foot, celebrating community, health and the joy of reclaiming public space.
Residents from across Southern California came to ride and celebrate. Cyclists in “Stranger Things” cosplay rode alongside families with children on training wheels, and their bikes.
Some of the most memorable scenes in Stranger Things involve kids pedaling furiously through danger. On Melrose, the only danger was battling the lines for a chance at a free donut from Voodoo Doughnut, a “Demodog” from Pink’s Hot Dogs, a “Stranger Things” promo tattoo from Generation8Tattoo, or a buzzcut from Ace of Fades LA.
Santa Clarita resident Melanie Whitney said the Netflix partnership drew in her family from an hour away. “The ‘Stranger Things’ event brought us out.
Our whole family loves it. My daughter, and our friends that we cosplay with, are all meeting up here,” Whitney said.
The music from the main stage pulsed across the blocks as local officials joined CicLAvia leaders for the Open Streets event. Bass encouraged the students of Santa Monica College to embrace the city on two wheels, saying,
“Everybody should get out and ride and have a wonderful Sunday, whether you’re officially a part of CicLAvia or not.”
-LA Mayor Karen Bass
Bass connected the event to the global spotlight Los Angeles will soon face. “In just about eight months, we will have the world here for the World Cup, and I hope that we have events like this all across the city,” she said.
- Melrose Ave: Stranger Things 5 “One Last Ride” event
Netflix’s hit show.
Elizabeth Bacher | The Corsair
A man eats a Stranger Things Demogorgon themed Donut from Voodoo Donuts at Netflix’s and CicLAvia’s “One Last Ride” event on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025.
Jake Crandall | The Corsair
ARTS AND CULTURE
Events like this aim to raise awareness in addition to the festivities; District 13 Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez says they’re urgent.
“Not only is this something visionary from CicLAvia, but it also makes a lot of common sense,” Soto-Martinez said. “A lot of folks might not know this, but last year in the city of Los Angeles, more people died of traffic violence than homicides. That should be unacceptable.”
District 5 resident Chris Bissonnette appreciated the car-free zone as he watched his children pedal past. “My kids love to bike,” he said. “It’s an awesome opportunity to get outside and just get some biking in.” He pointed as they rode past.
“There’s my kids right there, biking, freely, safely, without having to worry about cars.”
-District
5 Resident, Chris Bissonnette
Soto-Martinez biked to the event himself, telling Bass onstage, “Something Mayor Bass and I have in common is that we love to bike.”
There’s truth to cycling’s benefits, including improved cardiovascular fitness, reduced stress and decreased exposure to air pollution. On streets closed to cars, those benefits are accessible to nearly everyone — from experienced cyclists to families pushing strollers.
For CicLAvia, which has now hosted 64 events throughout the county, the mission remains the same: put people first.
“This is the 64th time we’ve done this, we open up streets for people biking, walking, rolling on your roller blades,” said CicLAvia board member Catherine Geanuracos. “We’re all about reclaiming space for people from cars on our streets,” Geanuracos said. “CicLAvia is about people coming together to make our city and our county and our community a better place.”
Elizabeth Bacher | The
Armando Ramirez, dressed as the Demogorgon from the Netflix show Stranger Things, drives a stylized pedicab during Netflix x CicLAvia - Melrose Ave: Stranger Things 5 “One Last Ride” event on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, on a car-free section of Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif. The event celebrated the release of the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things.
Elizabeth Bacher | The Corsair
Woman dances on roller skates at the Netflix x CicLAviad : Stranger Things 5 “One Last Ride” event which welcomed not just cyclist but wheels any kind to celebrate the release of the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things, on Melrose Ave in Hollywood, Calif., Sunday Nov. 23, 2025. (Above)
Danny Sanchez | The Corsair
Cyclists ride past a mural of Kobe and Gianna Bryant on a car-free Melrose Avenue during Netflix x CicLAvia - Melrose Ave: Stranger Things 5 “One Last Ride” event on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif. The event celebrated the release of the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things. (Below)
Corsair
ARTS AND CULTURE
A person rides a bike at Netflix’s and CicLAvia’s “One Last Ride” Stranger Things event on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. Jake Crandall | The Corsair
ARTS AND CULTURE
“It’s an opportunity for all of us to imagine our streets in a way that prioritizes people over cars,” said Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) General Manager, Laura Rubio-Cornejo, who was there gathering public feedback.
“We are looking for input on the city’s first ever mobility action plan, where we are laying out a building map for what transportation advancement should be in the city over the next 20 years,” Rubio-Cornejo said, encouraging residents to visit the Vermont hub where an LADOT booth was stationed, “we want to make sure that that plan reflects your priorities, your needs,” she said. “We are investing transportation dollars in the way that really provides transportation services you need and prioritize.”
District 5 Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky reflected on years of planning. “When my team and I first sat down with the Melrose business improvement district a couple years ago to talk about what they wanted to see happen to Melrose, to help revitalize it. It was all about bringing people back to this iconic space,” Yaroslavsky said. “Helping to support local businesses, plant-
ing trees, making it safer for people to get on their bikes. And this day is sort of emblematic of what peak activation looks like.”
Daniel Farasat, president of the Melrose Business Improvement District, highlighted the district’s recent rebranding. “With the help of councilmember Yaroslavsky,” Farasat said, “we’ve renamed the area the Melrose Art District, so please go out there, enjoy some of the street art.”
Along Melrose’s extensive avenue of vintage shops, restaurants and street art, business owners welcomed the foot traffic. Some offered special deals, while others pulled racks of clothing onto the sidewalk.
“Melrose has been an iconic street. It’s gone through a lot of trends,” Farasat said, “but one thing that’s kept in common is that we focus on street art and independent retail and wanted to say thank you to all the elected officials for all their help and making this happen and all the support they give us and helping us revitalize the street.”
Lindsey Horvath, representing LA’s 3rd District,
praised the event’s ability to bring neighbors together. “I have been to so many of the CicLAvia events before in my time on the board of supervisors,” she said. “To see it grow and to see you all here and make community connection is really what this is all about.”
Local resident Bianka Aguilar came out to show her “Stranger Things” costume, but noticed the event was more than a reason to dress up. “Because they blocked out all the streets, you can walk, or you can get your bike, you can bring out your pets and just hang out. I love it,” Aguilar said.
Horvath tied the collaboration into the day’s theme, saying, “I’m very glad to see ‘Stranger Things’ here on the streets, and while the world that we live in right now can feel like the ‘upside down,’ we do know that it’s events like this that bring people together.”
“It takes all of us,” Horvath said. “It’s not just us up here on stage, it’s you showing up. It’s you demanding this space. It’s you reclaiming these streets that makes a difference.”
-Nastassia Melendez
People ride bikes at Netflix’s and CicLAvia’s “One Last Ride” Stranger Things event on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. Jake Crandall | The Corsair
ARTS AND CULTURE
Betsey Johnson came to SMC to answer students’ questions, speak about her beginnings, and share what’s to come.
Betsey Johnson brings her whimsy to SMC
By Kyla Downey | Arts & Culuture Editor
Mannequins dressed in black and pink petticoats dotted Room 183 in the Student Services Center as Santa Monica College (SMC) students shuffled inside, eagerly awaiting the fashionable guest speaker, who was soon to arrive.
At the end of the hallway leading into the room was a table that held a cheetah print mannequin dressed in a black corset. Fashion students signed in as Lorrie Ivas, the lead faculty of the fashion department at SMC, zoomed around the auditorium to prepare and ensure that everyone eager to see guest speaker Betsey Johnson was present.
On Monday, Nov. 17, Johnson arrived at SMC on a stormy day to speak and answer questions that students had been longing to ask.
Ivas stepped on stage in her Betsey Johnson coat patterned with spiders and lined with black fur to present Johnson. “I think we are the luckiest people in the world right now; everyone in this room,” Ivas said.
A few moments later, Johnson appeared on stage with orange flowers in hand. She wore a white dress covered with her own illustration of a woman in a pink dress, acces-
sorized with a black tutu, bright pink shoes, and stacked bangle bracelets up her wrists.
Ivas was a fan of Johnson for 35 to 40 years before the two even met. “For absolute years, like when I was in school, she was it,” Ivas said. She described a large notebook she created filled with Betsey Johnson memorabilia, including original advertisements from Women’s Wear Daily, articles from Vogue, and photographs taken by Robert Mapplethorpe.
Ivas said she and Johnson nearly connected several times, describing them as “near misses.” They finally met in an eye doctor’s office a few years ago and immediately hit it off. Ivas invited Johnson to speak at SMC, and Johnson said, “Do you think they (students) would want to hear from me?”
Ivas said her mission was to show Johnson how deeply she influences SMC students, designers, and professors’ lives. Ivas hopes Johnson can see SMC as a home. “The feel that SMC is her, like home school, you know?”
“She gave me craft, my purpose,” Ivas said.
Johnson said she got her start at Mademoiselle Magazine
after winning a contest. “I grew up knowing New York was where I needed to be,” Johnson said. Mademoiselle selected 20 girls from across the country and flew them out to New York for a month.
The entire process took about six months, and in addition to fashion-focused interviews, where they were asked about what they did and didn’t like in fashion, the girls also had fun exploring the city and staying out all night. “We were influencers,” Johnson said.
During her time with Mademoiselle, Johnson was assigned to the fabric editor, DJ White. “You want to design, you got to cut and sew,” Johnson said. Referring to fabric and design, Johnson said, “It’s got to be in your hands as well as your head and heart.”
Johnson continued calling on students in the audience as hands shot up. She reflected on her favorite eras, noting the 1960s because of “that newness, that primitive, that first time out with my stuff,” and the “‘80s because it was rock n’ roll.”
One student asked how Johnson stays unapologetically herself, to which she joked, “I know what it is; it’s the
Fashion designer Betsey Johnson signs copies of her memoir, titled Betsey: A Memoir, co-written by Johnson and freelance writer Mark Vitulano, shortly after her talk concluded in the Student Services Center. (Nathan Hanson | The Corsair)
ARTS AND CULTURE
Fashion designer Betsey Johnson carries an umbrella and flowers shortly before she revisits the stage after changing her wardrobe halfway through her talk SMC students (Nathan Hanson | The Corsair)
ARTS AND CULTURE
double Leo,” referring to her astrological chart. She also gushed about her supportive community of women and girls, who remind her of what makes her who she is. Still, she said she remains fearful of the reactions to her work.
Johnson connected with former SMC student Makayla Rowles, who flew from New York to hear Johnson speak. Rowles attended SMC from Fall 2023 to Spring 2025 before moving to New York. “I also just like was really drawn to the city and also the creative world here and the fashion world here,” Rowles said.
Rowles was 11 when she discovered a Betsey Johnson purse in a thrift store, sparking her love for sourcing and creating vintage fashion. She has previously sold pieces at flea markets in Los Angeles.
Johnson inspires Rowles because “the idea that it’s never too big and there’s always going to be someone who appreciates your art and your creativity, like, even if you feel like it might be too much.” Rowles said Johnson always show-
“You want to design, you got to cut and sew,” Johnson said. Referring to fabric and design, Johnson said, “It’s got to be in your hands as well as your head and heart.”
cased confidence, stayed true to herself, and never conformed to trends.
Rowles had the opportunity to speak to Johnson one-on-one, and they exchanged contact information regarding potential future work. “I don’t know, like I literally had like a gut feeling that I had to be there,” Rowles said.
Rowles currently attends LIM College in New York, studying fashion business management and minoring in styling.
About an hour into the talk, Johnson left briefly for an outfit change. Meanwhile, Brenda Cooper, stylist for 1990s sitcom, “The Nanny,” answered questions. Cooper used many Betsey Johnson pieces on the iconic and fashionable character, Fran Fine. “When dressing is intentional, it is transforming,” Cooper said.
Cooper said she especially loved styling Johnson’s looks for the show.
An audience gathers to watch a talk given by fashion designer Betsey Johnson, hosted by Santa Monica College (SMC) Fashion Design professor Lorrie Ivas.(Nathan Hanson | The Corsair)
A table with an assortment of items sits at the entrance of the Student Services Center during a talk given by fashion designer Betsey Johnson (Nathan Hanson | The Corsair)
ARTS AND CULTURE
“Be totally yourself,” Johnson said. She stood up and told the audience to be free and expressive because there’s nothing to lose. “Don’t be afraid.”
Ten minutes later, Johnson returned to the auditorium in a dress patterned with her illustrations, a parasol in hand and a belt wrapped around her waist. She held up her shimmering pink bag shaped like a corset as the audience murmured and smiled.
Throughout the talk, Johnson stressed the importance of change and how transformative it can be. She said she couldn’t think of a change that doesn’t seem perfect, and that when something bad happens, to try and make it a positive thing. “If it’s not good, you have to make it good somehow,” Johnson said.
Johnson continued on about her muse: her daughter, Lulu Johnson. “Lulu was always with me; she was tucked into my belt.” Additionally, she announced a new collection set to drop next fall, emphasized the importance of optimism, and spotlighted two vintage pieces — the only designs of hers she still owns.
Two students walked down the steps of the auditorium to the stage where
Johnson and Ivas sat. Johnson stood up and admired Bridget Southam, who wore a Johnson design from the 1980s: a black dress patterned with white spiders and matching shoes. Natalia Gutierrez modeled Johnson’s “foot sweater,” a bright red sweater covered with yellow footprints. Johnson technically owns only three of her designs, but she lent the third design, a sparkly coat, to singer Chappell Roan.
“I want my jacket back,” Johnson said as the crowd laughed.
Johnson urged Ivas to keep answering questions, but after running about 20 minutes over schedule, the talk came to an end.
“Be totally yourself,” Johnson said. She stood up and told the audience to be free and expressive because there’s nothing to lose. “Don’t be afraid.”
Fashion designer Betsey Johnson, left, embraces Santa Monica College (SMC) Fashion Design professor Lorrie Ivas, right, on stage in an auditorium in the Student Services Center, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, on the SMC campus in Santa Monica, Calif. (Nathan Hanson | The Corsair)
Cosmetology student Isabella Silverman blow dries a clients hair. The class
Caroline Monte | Corsair
Caroline Monte
Cut, Curl, Create
(L-R) Instructor Jilla As-
guides student James Fick practicing styling techniques during class on Thursday, October 25.
Mannequin heads used for practice sit on a shelf in the cosmetology department.
(Left) Cosmetology student Damaris De Los Angeles cuts 12 inches of hair off of Cristina Gonzalez to donate to cancer patient wigs.
Leila Flores, 20 photographs her progress on a mannequin head.
sadi
Monte | Corsair
Denisse Lopez Hernandez | Corsair
Denisse Lopez Hernandez | Corsair
Caroline Monte | Corsair
OPINION
A Look Back at 2025 Dodger Season
Video Editor | Rafael Lopez
Reflecting on the 2025 Dodger season as they became back-to-back world champions.
Nowthat the dust has settled and it’s been a couple weeks since the World Series ended, I have found myself with open evenings that were once filled with baseball, but now are filled with reflecting on the 2025 MLB season — specifically the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2025 season. This was the first season that I followed from beginning to end.
During the 2024 offseason, the Dodger lineup looked promising with free-agency signings like Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Michael Conforto, Hyesong Kim and Roki Sasaki. The team looked unstoppable in the beginning of the 2025 season. With these players being added to an already stacked lineup, it looked like the Dodgers would run away with the trophy. But in reality, the Dodgers’ 2025 season would be a roller coaster with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
First stop of the season was Japan, where the Dodgers had two exhibition games against two teams from the NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) league: the Hanshin Tigers and the Yomiuri Giants. The Dodgers lost to the Tigers 3-0 but defeated the Giants 5-1. To start their regular season, the Dodgers had two games against the Chicago Cubs in the Tokyo Dome, a familiar scene for Japanese players on both teams. The Dodgers took both games in Japan, with scores of 4-1 and 6-3.
The season opened much like it looked on paper: the Dodgers dominating, but not without some struggle. With the pitching line up looking ter-
rifying, the one thing that weakened it was injuries. Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonslin, Sasaki and Snell all went on the injured list early in the season.
The pitching rotation at the beginning of the season consisted of Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Sasaki, Glasnow and Dustin May — a healthy five man rotation. But by June, it had shifted to Yamamoto, Clayton Kershaw (who came back after a toe injury in 2024), May, and then bullpen games, where relievers pitched an inning or two to cover a full game so the starters could have a day to rest. The Dodgers went from a five-man rotation to a three-man rotation—four, when counting the bullpen games.
While the situation looked bleak, reinforcements eventually came as pitchers were returning from injuries. As mentioned earlier, Kershaw rejoined the rotation in May after recovering from a toe injury and still pitched well in his eighteenth year in the majors. In June, Emmet Sheehan came back from Tommy John surgery. A surgery named after the first baseball player to get this type of surgery Thomas Edward John Jr. back in 1974—a procedure where your UCL is reconstructed and is scary for pitchers because it is a gamble if they can ever return and pitch like they used to before the surgery. Fortunately for the Dodgers, pitchers have come out of the surgery and done well, like Sheehan, who helped out the Dodgers rotation.
Shohei Ohtani also returned to the mound in June. Like Sheehan, Ohtani
Rafael Lopez | The Corsair Dodger fans looking up and taking pictures as confetti flies by them, some fans trying to catch some in Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025
OPINION
had also undergone Tommy John surgery. Ohtani’s story is special because yes he could hit homeruns like nothing, but this was his second Tommy John surgery, and there was some doubt if he could return to how he was with the Los Angeles Angels. When Ohtani came back to the mound and was still able to throw 100 mph, it made his $700 million contract look like he was being underpaid.
The Dodgers finished the regular season with a 93-69 record, which isn’t bad, but it begs the question: why were they losing games? Well there’s a lot of reasons, one big one being that the timing was never right. When the bats were hot, the pitching couldn’t keep up — and when the pitching performed well, the bats often went cold and asleep.
There was a noticeable pattern during the season: the Dodgers consistently struggled against pitchers with high ERAs — something a “super team” like the Dodgers shouldn’t be doing. Another low point came when the Dodgers were swept twice by the Angels, once at home and once in Anaheim. In all six games, the Angels came away with the win.
Conforto, a free-agent signing who looked promising early on, began to look lost at the plate. Although he had a few bright moments, they were overshadowed by long stretches of poor performance. He ended the season with a .199 batting average, which isn’t great, and because of that, Conforto was not included on the playoffs roster..
Mookie Betts also struggled for much of the season, but was able to turn it around toward the end. Betts missed the games in Japan due to illness, and when he returned to play, he had lost 20 pounds. On top of that, he was also learning a new position, moving from his usual spot in right field to shortstop. The illness, weight-loss and position change are some reasons fans speculated why he didn’t have his best year at the plate. Even so, Betts made up for it with great defensive plays— and despite everything, he still had key moments, including a clutch hit in game six of the World Series which helped secure the Dodgers win.
Another reason for the Dodgers’ record was the bullpen. The relievers had a lot on their plate, making regular appearances to support starters, and having to pitch a full game leading to an overused bullpen. So when they had to make those regular appearances, they were not at 100 percent. But this problem didn’t seem to go away after the pitching was back to a five man rotation.
You can see this reflected in Yamamoto’s stats. Out of his 30 starts, he won 12 and lost eight, but ended the year with a 2.49 ERA, which landed him third place in Nation
al League Cy Young voting, an award given to the best pitcher in MLB. While Yamamoto did have his bad days, there were times when the offense or bullpen couldn’t back him up.
The bullpen was a real problem toward the end of the season. One game that immediately comes to mind was on Sept. 6 against the Baltimore Orioles. Yamamoto had a fantastic start to the game, going almost nine full innings without allowing a single hit, but that came to an end after a home run from Jackson Holiday. With the score 3-1, out went Yamamoto and in came the bullpen, only needing to get one more out..
Blake Treinen came in and immediately allowed a double, hit a batter, and walked another. It went from bases empty with two outs to bases loaded, still with two outs. Treinen then walked another batter, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to 3-2. Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts pulled Treinen out of the game and brought in free-agent pickup Tanner Scott. Scott allowed two more runs to score, blowing the lead and giving Baltimore a 4-3 win.
To read more about the Dodgers 2025 season visit the Corsair website.
Illustrations by Jenna Tibby
Rafael Lopez | The Corsair
Dodger Fans walking down Left Field Plaza some getting food or drinks, others trying to get to their seats. A banner honoring pitcher Fernando Valenzuela as the walk by in Los Angeles, Calif., on Monday, Nov 3 2025,
