The Corsair Volume 124 Issue 3

Runway

EDITORIAL STAFF

Katheryne Menendez | Editor-in-Chief

Jackson Tammariello | Managing Editor

Marlene Herrera | News Editor

Michael Zavala | Culture Editor

Sosana Shelah | Opinion Editor

Anna Sophia Moltke | Photo Editor

Sasha Funes | Sports Editor

Aaliyah Sosa | Arts & Entertainment Editor

Ee Lin Tsen | Multimedia Editor

Anna Moricz | Multimedia Editor

Neil O'Loughlin | Design Editor

Cecil Alsanussi | Design Editor

Madison Piker | Social Media Editor

Brittney Ornelas | Social Media Editor

Timothy Lewis | Copy Editor

Anthony Clingerman | Copy Editor

Conor Heeley | Copy Editor

Andrea Marcy | Digital Editor

CORSAIR STAFF

| Caylo Seals | Tyler Simms | Nick McCall | Jamie

Addison | Omar Pablo | Ethan Swope | Reis Nova kovic | Danilo Perez | Otis Vega | Tara Burrows | Co rey Fishwick | Guadalupe Perez | Rebecca Hogan | Lucian Polk | Kerrington Dillon | Jakob Walther | Emma Krul | Eva-Love Jopanda | Deshawn Pouper | Khadija Bellaftouh | Saige Washington | Brian Saurin | MyDari Baker | Richard Mendez | Drew Andersen | Kandy Barba-Downs | Josh Hogan | Brian Dockins |

FACULTY ADVISORS

Sharyn Obsatz |

Gerard

Samantha

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

If you were to ask me who I am, the answer would be convoluted. But if there is one thing I can be sure of that is my Hispanic heritage is a central part of my identity. From the food I eat to the music I listen to, the languages I speak and the norms and traditions I hold near and dear to my heart, being Hispanic makes me who I am.

My mother and father came to the United States in the early 2000s, with few prospects and only spoke Spanish. Spanish was my first language, and when I started school I was greeted with a language barrier that made com municating with others difficult. The first thing I learned to understand was when someone was making fun of me for not speaking English and calling me names. As I grew up, I mastered English, but that still didn’t fully protect me from the hateful comments I would hear directed at myself and my com munity. I was reminded of how different I was when I heard about how a co worker had made fun of my mom’s accent at work, when someone told my parents, aunts, and uncles to “go back to their country,” or when I scrolled through social media reading about when politicians labeled us as no-good drug dealers, gang members, or rapists.

The Hispanic community, like many other communities, is no stranger to bigotry, racism, colorism, and xenophobia. But this makes the blatant and perpetual hate we inflict on others in our community and others outside of our community all the more disgusting. The comments that the Los Angeles Council members Nury Martinez, Gil Cedillo, and Kevin de León, as well as Labor Federation Chief Ron Herrera, had made towards indigenous Latinx people and black people were a slap in the face to the Hispanic community at large. And even though they were exposed and are facing the consequences of their actions, it is important to remember that these vile comments did not happen in a vacuum, and are a result of a larger problem. Racism and colorism are nothing new within the Hispanic community, remnants of a cruel past of colonization. But they have unfortunately remained strong ever since, from the unconscious hate we direct towards ourselves and others, to the blatantly explicit bigoted comments I hear leave the mouths of Hispanic people all too often.

When I got the notification of the news on my phone, I was briefly brought back to a small house-like structure on a playground I frequented in pre school. As I climbed the brightly colored slide, a group of fair-skinned girls stood at the very top and spoke to me. I did not understand most of what they were saying, but the only Hispanic girl said something to me I never forgot — she called me a “changuita,” which I understood to mean monkey in Spanish. And 14 years later, I was hearing that same word come out of the mouth of one of our elected representatives, an official that represents so many people of color. If we want to ensure that we are welcoming and inclu sive to all communities, we need to call out the bigotry and hateful rhetoric that is not just directed toward us, but that which we hear directly toward others from within our communities.

Katheryne Menendez

FRONT PAGE

Model

Editor-in-Chief

Illustration by Katheryne Menendez

Future of DACA Remains Uncertain

ATexas court upheld the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals(DA CA) policy as unlawful, leav ing thousands of dreamers wondering what comes next.

On July 15, 2012, the Obama Ad ministration announced the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy through executive ac tion bypassing congressional vote. The program offered undocumented immi grants who were brought to the United States as children protection from de portation as well as limited authoriza tions to work in the U.S. DACA does not grant citizenship.

As an immigrant from Guatemala, Miguel T. had very few options to con tinue a higher education after graduat ing high school. He considered taking a job at a construction company instead of attending college and following his dreams of becoming a computer sci entist. He found a new opportunity to continue his education through DACA.

A few weeks before Miguel’s graduation in 2012, he applied for the program and he continues to renew his application every two years.

He said, “We want to work. We want to learn. DACA allows for this. It’s not a handout, it's a program for immigrant children to get an education and get to work. Yet it’s being treated like a politi cal pawn with one party using it to se cure election and the other to get back at the other party. It’s our future that’s being jeopardized here.”

Following Donald Trump’s Presiden tial election, a series of lawsuits against DACA ensued during September 2017 and on May 1, 2018 Texas and other states challenged DACA by filing the case Texas v. United States. Assigned to Judge Andrew Hanen, who ruled that the Obama administration had not fol lowed proper procedure in launching the program when he bypassed con gress and created the DACA Memoran dum.

The Supreme Court ruled on June 18, 2020 that the Trump Administra tion improperly tried to end DACA and reinstated the policy to how it operated in 2012. Judge Hanen issued a ruling on July 16, 2021 declaring that the DACA program is unlawful and ordered the (USCIS) to stop processing new DACA applications. All initial DACA applica tions that were not granted on or before July 16, 2021 would not get processed.

Only DACA renewals are allowed.

“It’s all in the air right now. I’ve lost hope on DACA if I’m being honest. I’m already exploring other options,” said Crystal Ruiz, a Psychology major and DACA recipient from Santa Monica College.

An appeal, filed on September 20, 2021, challenged Judge Hanen’s rul ing and the case moved up to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

The Department of Homeland Se curity (DHS) ruled on Sept. 7, 2022 that DACA can operate from the original policy set forth in 2012, however Judge Hanen’s previous order continues to block USCIS from granting initial pro cessing of new DACA applications.

Carmen Gonzalez, a Journalist ma jor and transfer student at Cal State Long Beach, said, “Biden and the Dem ocratic party need to put on their big boy pants and start doing anything they can to ensure DACA recipients are protected.” Gonzalez currently does not qualify as a candidate under the DACA requirements and believes the policy should be more inclusive.

On Aug. 30, 2022 the Biden Ad ministration published a new rule that incorporates DACA into federal reg ulation. The DACA policy is to remain

the same but it will incorporate DHS cooperation in demanding the depart ment provide a notice before DACA is terminated and it will not allow DHS to use information from applications to enforce removal of a person unless there is reasonable suspicion of fraud, a threat to national security or public safety.

The Oct. 5, 2022 ruling found that Texas did have a right to sue and was indeed injured by DACA. The appeals court agreed with Judge Hanen that the method in which DACA was creat ed, DACA Memorandum, was unlawful and agreed to keep the injunction order that no initial DACA application shall be approved but only DACA renewals may continue to be processed and ap proved.

The next step is for Judge Hanen to review whether Biden’s Administra tion’s new DACA rule is lawful. Experts predict that if Hanen strikes it down, there will be an appeal against his rul ing and if he rules it lawful, that ruling will be appealed as well. There is a high probability that DACA will for the third time end up at the Supreme Court where it will be met by three conserva tive justices who have made comments that DACA is in fact unlawful.

Corsairs Continue Mask Mandate

Brian Saurin| Staff Writer

On Jan. 20, 2020, The Cen ter for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the first confirmed case of COVID-19. At first, nearly everyone wanted to carry a mask with them whether or not it was required. The outbreak created an uneasy feeling and made mask-carrying essential. Over the course of several months, schools conducted classes via online platforms and the protocol was simply ‘wearing your mask when leaving the house'.

As students gradually returned to campus, the mandates for mask re quirements became a little more com plex. At this point in time, the official instructions about masks were being decided by confirmed cases of Coro navirus in the state. As those numbers were noticeably fluctuating, so was the complicated enforcement on campus es around the world.

In some cases a covid test is mini mal. Particular locations now require you to show proof of a vaccination or require a booster before attending said

location. Speaking to multiple stu dents on the various campuses here at SMC, these are general responses to how masks are felt upon being worn in class. “I don't mind wearing a mask. I feel more comfortable wearing it, espe cially now that people have ‘moved on’ from Covid in a sense so they are less cautious. In terms of a small classroom I prefer wearing a mask just to be safe”, Santa Monica College (SMC) sopho more, Aamna Munnee said. Also getting the opinion of someone who doesn't mind wearing the mask but has a rea son to believe they shouldnt be worn is Andrew Langrudi SMC sophomore.

“Personally, I like to not wear masks in the classroom as it covers half my face which doesn't allow true face-to-face teaching … I'd rather see my teacher smile or make facial expressions along with other students in the class."

There are certain protocols that must be followed on school campuses. Although, within the classrooms on any campus, lies the opinion of the profes sor about the required masks. Statis tics professor Safaa Dabagh’s opinion is built upon her family's multiple en counters with the virus. She has a mu tual understanding of the mandate but

allows her students and herself to have the utmost freedom. “I don't enforce it, whoever wants to wear it can wear it and whoever doesn’t want to wear it doesn't have to. It should not be en

forced and it should be a choice. It's just my responsibility to make sure if me or my children are sick, we stay home and not transmit any sickness to anyone else.”

Marlene

Professor Aric Martin gives instruction to his musical theatre student Ayinde Ross on Monday, October 10th at Santa Monica College (SMC), Santa Monica, Calif. All SMC students and faculty are required to wear masks indoors.

Tyler Simms | The Corsair

Students Supporting

One of the most significant times of the year for the fashion industry in California is Los Angeles Fashion Week (LAFW). A four day event of Spring Season 2023 shows, held at Lighthouse Los Angeles Thursday, Oc tober 6, 2022 through Sunday, October 9, 2022. This year, The SS23 LAFW shows were sponsored by Mercedes Benz and the Asian Journal; being sponsored by the Asian Journal, the in clusivity of East Asian fashion designers from several different countries showcasing their never- before- seen designs for the upcoming Spring season was groundbreaking.

Starting the week off with An Only Child by Maxwell Osborne, a popular streetwear designer featured in Vogue, set the tone for what was expected from the following shows. Opening day two of LAFW was Xiao Fen Couture, grasping what is expected of the Spring season with pastels and floral lace gowns. The first of the designers sponsored by the asian journal, coming from the Philippines, Chris Nick; One of the youngest and fast-ris ing designers invited to LAFW 2022 displays his minimalistic yet groundbreaking designs for SS23. Nick’s designs stray away from what is normally expected for the Spring season and makes use of blacks and whites only. “This collection is inspired by nine ties minimalism and grunge, and you know, it takes notes for my most favorite piece of clothing, which is the tuxedo.” Nick says in regards to his showcased collection.

Caylo

Corsair

Above, model Shana Hu walks the runway wearing a pleated dress, for Francis Libiran's Spring/Summer 2023 Collection, during the Los Angeles

Sosana Shelah | Opinion Editor

Diverse Designers

Behind the scenes of these remarkable shows are hard-work ing freelance stylists, dressers, makeup artists, and etc. Santa Monica College students, both those who participate in the fash ion club on campus and those who are simply passionate about fashion were present in the audience and behind the scenes. SMC Fashion student Kenzie B. was working behind the scenes of multiple shows as a dresser spoke on her experience and said, “This looks good on a resume, one, and two, it is where I want to be in my career. I love the fast pace of the runway.”

President of the SMC Fashion Club, Kimberly Mortinson was present in the audience Friday, day two of the shows and shared her thoughts on the collections being showcased. “Francis Libi ran and Chris Nick were definitely my favorites shown so far.. The platform heels and the mermaid inspiration for the beauty were really nice.”

LAFW came to a close October 9, 2022 with Demobaza as the only show on the final day of the four day event. The SS23 col lections were diverse in terms of colors, makeup, and aesthetics, along with the designers who were invited this year as well.

Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair Former Santa Monica College student and basketball player, T-Time the Lion waits in line for design er Xiao Fen's show at Los Angeles Fasion Week

Model

The Mini Night Bazaar of 626

Musicplays throughout the venue as you walk by the various vendors providing Asian-based food with a Western twist. On Oct. 1, 2022, The 626 Night Market Mini was held at 1324 5th St, Santa Monica in a lot ac companied by about two dozen ven dors from 1:00 p.m - 10:00 p.m.

The Night Market is inspired by the bazaars of Asia, with most of the food being inspired from both Asian and American cultures. This has pro vided for some the creation of crazy fusion foods. With many of the ven dors recurring, each night market helps create a strong community of vendors, as well as introduces a vari ety of new food to the community of Santa Monica. The 626 Night Market first started ten years ago in Arcadia, naming itself after the area code of the San Gabriel Valley. A booth for Be The Match; a non-profit organization founded in order to help those suffer

ing from blood-related diseases to find their life-saving match, was also pres ent during the event. Led by Shri-Lina Bundalian, they aim to raise awareness for those that are unlikely to receive the proper blood donation and bone mar row transplants. They do this in order to close the gap between a low and

high chance of getting such donations. Bundalian also mentioned how Be The Match can be found in almost every 626 Night Market to help bring aware ness for the people that are at higher risk of never receiving a blood donor.

One of the most popular and recog nizable vendors at the night market

was Sunday Cafe, which has been a part of the 626 Night Market for about ten years, said Josh, one of the vendors working for Sunday Cafe. “The Night Market is also a good way to get your products out there and try new foods.” he said. The Sunday Cafe provides several different sweet and refreshing drinks served in oversized baby bottles that are eligible for free refills.

"The 626 Night Market can also be a nice place to connect, meet, and en gage the community as well as support small businesses", said David Monter roso, a vendor from Hawaiian Honey Cones. This vendor sells J-shaped ice creams that are also one hundred per cent organic, gluten-free, and imported from Hawaii.

The 626 Night Market Mini will make another appearance on Oct. 8 and 9 from 1:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. at 1324 5th St, downtown Santa Monica.

According to James Seto, event man ager for the 626 Night Market Mini, they have over two hundred different vendors to choose from, making each of the events a bit more unique than the last.

(Below)Mathew Nguyen grills lobsters at 949 at the 626 Night Market in Santa Monica on the 1st October in the early af ternoon. 949 is consistently seen at many of the events that this traveling market host throughout California.

A flagship food festival makes its way to downtown Santa Monica.

Freddy, one of the many goers at the event, holds a just made Crab Fries from one of the vendors. Santa Monica, Calif.

A nonprofit vendor from Be The Match change the pace at the event. Calif. October 8, 2022

Michael Zavala | Culture Editor

Vendors pour drinks at a fresh juice bar at the 626 Night Market

Jorge Devotto

Corsair

Jorge Devotto The Corsair

Reis

Jorge

Corsair

Corporations Capitalize on Hispanic Culture

Brittney Ornelas| Social Media Editor

This September and October, as members of the Latinx com munity gather to celebrate and embrace their culture during Hispanic Heritage Month, another group decided to join in the festivities: corporations. Brands like Target, Bar bie, Peloton, Macy’s and DC Comics are launching their very own Hispanic Heritage Month campaigns. In a new business strategy phenomena dubbed “social justice marketing” companies attempt to take a stronger role in fight ing social issues with varying degrees of authenticity and success.

"Multicultural Marketing has cer tainly evolved, especially over the past several years. While I believe most Cor porations have their best intentions in mind, some may be considered 'tone deaf' and/or 'insensitive,' at times re inforcing stereotypes,” Santa Moni ca College Public Relations Professor A.J Adelman said. “It's the job of their Advertising, Marketing and Public Re lations agencies to counsel clients to ward campaigns that represent diversi

ty, inclusivity and equity for all."

Barbie is introducing a new Dia De Los Muertos Collection consisting of two new collectible dolls designed by Mexican designer Benito Santos. According to Barbie, the collection features a doll fashioning a “bespoke black dress with white and crimson de tails, a dramatic mermaid hemline, and a cropped bolero jacket." The collec tion also includes a ken doll wearing a traditional charro attire with long tight embodied pants and a bolero Jacket. Benito Santos had drawn inspiration for these dolls from the widely cel ebrated Hispanic holiday Dia de los Muertos showing the dolls with their face painted.

Target is partnering with over 90 smaller Latin owned brands. Target de scribes the motive behind their cam paign as a hope “to show recognition to Latino communities during Latino Heritage Month and beyond — offer ing products that bring our guests joy while spotlighting Latino-owned and founded brands.” The objects being sold range from graphic tees sport ing the phrase “corazon latino,” ear rings spelling “chula,” and "Millennial

Lotería."

Peloton is leading 3 bilingual ridesto-tunes from popular Latin artists. In addition to these classes, the company advertised a donation of $100,000 to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, a part nership they are continuing.

Macy's is running a charitable cam paign to benefit the Hispanic Federa tion by asking customers to donate and round up on purchases. Macy’s chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, Shawn Outler, issued a statement on the company’s behalf saying “recogniz ing the contributions, culture, and im pact of Hispanic/Latino Americans is integral to Macy’s mission of building a brighter future for our colleagues, cus tomers, and communities.”

DC Comics released new covers to popular titles with the titular heroes sporting different Latin-American foods. One such cover features Green Lantern holding a Mexican flag with the eagle and corn. This cover paid homage to "Madre Patria", a famous mural in Mexico by Jorge Gonzalez Camarena. DC later decided to change the cover to the Green Lantern holding a bag of Ta males, a traditional Mexican dish, with

a flag that reads "Viva Mexico" in the background.

These ideas from the corporations themselves have also caught the atten tion of SMC students. Diana Ventura, first-gen SMC student, says “I actually like the fact that they are representing the Hispanic community, now they are trying to be more equal giving a taste to let everyone know that we all matter, so I am glad that they are doing this and that people from other cultures get to see our culture.” When asked about how they felt about these campaigns all of a sudden being supportive of the Hispanic culture SMC student David Garcia said “I think I’m in between with all this, we obviously live in a white so ciety so we love equality, progress is progress, they definitely are backhand ing off this culture but nevertheless it’s good.”

The strategies these companies have approached to gain a wider audi ence has definitely given them press. Target, Barbie, Peloton and Macy’s marketing team have done their job and reached their desired audience and will continue to advertise Hispanic heritage throughout October.

Illustration by Andrea Marcy

Emma Krul| Staff Writer

MyDari Baker| Staff Writer

The Dangers of Party Culture

drinks. For men, it occurs after five.

Party

culture in America esca lates and becomes more chaot ic year by year. As the party cul ture grows, so do the dangers that come along with it. For years, col lege students have glorified the party life, neglecting the negative effects that it could have on college students.

There should be awareness of these undermining dangers that could have a major impact on one’s life in the future. Peer pressure, for instance, is a start. Young adults who enter college are ex cited to get the full experience. There fore, some of these individuals give in to the pressure of partying, thinking that they need to partake in drinking and drugs to have fun.

Some students indulge in excessive drinking and experimenting with drugs while taking precautions; however, oth ers do not. In that sense, students who are more reckless with their partying often do not think about the conse quences of their actions. As a result, these individuals are more susceptible to experiencing the effects of alcohol poisoning, driving while under the in fluence, and succumbing to peer pres sure in relation to drug use.

To make matters worse, party cul ture appears to be at a high around the holidays. Specifically around Hallow een.

Statistics show that college stu dents consume more alcohol on Hal loween compared to an ordinary night. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, binge drinking for women occurs after four

On Halloween it is reported that students drink about six alcoholic beverages, which is almost double the amount of what they consume on a regular weekend. Nine percent of men and almost seven percent of women who consume more than their average amount of alcohol on Halloween, expe rience black outs.

“Halloween parties are supposed to be a time to have fun and get drunk. There is no time to think about conse quences as long as you’re living your life,’’ Santa Monica College (SMC) stu dent Chelly Avila said.

Driving on halloween following the amount of alcohol consumed, is even more of a risk. From 2013 to 2017, it was reported by The National High way Traffic Safety Administration that 158 people died of fatal car crashes as a result of drunk driving. 42% of the drivers were reported to be under the influence.

“I feel like some people don‘t know their drinking capability and some people can get too drunk and not know where they’re going and wander off. Anything can happen at parties,'’ SMC student, Lakayla Price, said when asked her opinion on partying during the Halloween season.

Having fun in college should not come with life changing consequences and effects. So whether you’re party ing on Halloween weekend or a normal weekend, it is important that we make responsible decisions for not only our safety, but everyone else’s around us.