Corsair spring volume 115 issue 06 by Santa Monica College Corsair Newspaper

CORSAIR MAY 23, 2018 | VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE EVERY COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE

THE CHURCH IN OCEAN PARK HOSTS LGBTQ+ PROM

ISRAEL PALESTINE DEBATE (P. 4)

IS TRUMP GOOD OR BAD FOR AMERICA (P. 10) MEET THE SMC SPORTS GAMBLER (P.11)

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VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 •MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

EDITORIAL STAFF EDWARD LEE.................................. Editor-in-Chief

corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com

LAUREN LABEL............................ Managing Editor HARLEY PHILLIPS............................ Design Editor DANIEL FARR..................................... News Editor TREVOR SCHOCK..................... A&E/Culture Editor NICOLAS JOHNSON............................ Sports Editor PYPER WITT....................................Opinion Editor THANE FERNANDES............................ Photo Editor DIANA PARRA GARCIA..........Opinion Photo Editor ZANE MEYER THORNTON.........Sports Photo Editor MATTHEW MARTIN...................News Photo Editor EMELINE MOQUILLON...Social Media/Digital Editor JENNIFER NYSTROM......Social Media/Digital Editor HELENA SUNG............................ Multimedia Editor

CORSAIR STAFF Zeynep Abes, Yasmine Da Silva, Wilson Gomez, William Wendelman, TheoVerdier, Ryanne Mena, Ruth Iorio, Reed Curtis, Oskar Zinneman, Nicole Washington, Martha Virginia Russel, Kayla Hardy, Isai Palacios, Heather Creamer, Hannae Izumiguchi, Elijah Cuffee, Dylan Cortez, Damaris Lizama, Claudia Vardoni, Ashutosh B Singh, Clyde Bates Jr, Ethan Lauren, Earl Agustines, M. Fernanda Rivera, Roy Garza, Michelle Ayala Zane Meyer-Thornton / Corsair Photo

ADVISORS ASHANTI BLAIZE-HOPKINS

A Tarantuala crawls out of Diana Terranova's mouth during the Los Angeles National History Museums 32nd Annual Bug Fair. Terranova performed this act to educate the crowd on the misconceptions of how dangerous tarantulas are. The Bug Fair took place on May 19, 218.

...... Journalism Advisor

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

gerard burkhart.........................Photo Advisor

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Edward Lee

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Editor-in-Chief

Dear Readers,

FRONT COVER Top Photo: (From left to right) Kate Babbe, Nicole Johnson, Sarah Zeitzew, Amy Woodfine, and Tony Hokenson have a group photo taken before the annual LGBTQ+ Prom outside of The Church in Ocean Park in Santa Monica California on Friday May 18, 2018. Bottom Photo: Couple Amy Woodfine (left) and Tony Hokenson (right) hold hands outside the interfaith Church in Ocean Park in Santa Monica California on Friday May 18, 2018.

Photos By: Matthew Martin/ Corsair Photo Design By: Diana Parra Garcia

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Monica College, have. It should not be something that we take for granted; rather, we should realize that this opportunity provides us something that should embolden us to extend to communities beyond our own. At the same time, we should realize that the local issues are often those that directly impacted the most. If you have taken our staff writer’s argument in our article last issue, “The Most Uninformed Generation,” to heart, our articles on the A.S. meeting and internship fair should be of high interest to you. Our A.S. correspondent’s coverage of the meeting focusing on more classes using open educational resources, or free online textbooks for students, is something I would like to commend our Associated Students for promoting. As a student who has a biology class that makes use of such a textbook and course materials, I believe that developing these programs/free course materials for classes in SMC would make the difference of having our students being able to pay for rent or food. Environmental issues also played a particular role in our print edition, as we cover the mixed reactions towards our school’s

The second-to-last print edition of the Corsair newspaper this semester is underway at the time this editorial is being written. At the same time, national news continues to rush through at dizzying speeds, from the pending North Korea summit in threat of being canceled to the 60 killed in Gaza to the volcanic eruption at Hawaii. Despite the attention these national headlines grab from all of us, we at the Corsair strive to do our best to cover the local news that may often go unnoticed as a consequence. That is not to say that these international and national issues do not hit home to our community in Santa Monica. The incident in Gaza struck a chord in many of our students, who felt compelled to hold, from what I have read, a mostly civil discussion on the enduring Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Although some have expressed that the discourse was not helpful, I am happy to hear, and agree with, those that believe that continued dialogue is important. This ability to have a frank and cordial debate where both sides listens to the other is a rare opportunity that we, as members of a multicultural and richly diverse school like Santa

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transition to paper straws, as many found them to be much less practical. But it is almost always the case that if we want to make meaningful changes to important issues like the environment, there are growing pains and sacrifices we have to make. After all, there is basically no one who wouldn’t want for us to be a sustainable, ecofriendly society. The question is how much sacrifice and inconvenience we are willing to face to make those changes we know for a fact benefits our society. As the sports season ends, I believe that our sports editors really had their creativity shine this print issue, being able to truly delve into topics beyond coverage of the games our school’s sports teams played in (as important as they are!). All three articles in our print edition features individuals who all represent the diverse and fascinating aspects of our school, from a sports gambler to a 48-year-old football player to a wushu world junior champion. Our reporters have truly been able to dive deep into the lives of these individuals, and I am proud to know that we truly captured snapshots of SMC that we can forever have on paper.

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VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 • MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

NEWS

Associated Students Discusses Classes Using Free Online Textbooks Textbook prices are a difficulty for many college students, open educational resources are a potential solution. Reed Curtis STAFF WRITER

At the penultimate meeting of the 2017-18 Santa Monica College Associated Students board, professors Fariba Bolandhemat and Angie Misaghi were invited to speak to board members and students about how they can save money on textbooks by taking classes that use open educational resources (OER) materials. OER is a catch-all term for freely accessible, open source educational resources that include courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge. Students can access OER through web portals such as oercommons. org and openstax.org. Bolandhemat began her presentation by explaining that California colleges and universities began to investigate how to use OER to alleviate cost strains on students after the State Assembly passed the College Textbook Affordability Act of 2015 (AB 798). The bill established a process by which California schools could be provided the guidelines, requirements and processes to submit proposals for local textbook affordability programs. They can receive up to $50,000 to implement their program and report on the student savings created by the program. Each institution was required to create its own plan to implement textbook affordability by "encouraging faculty to implement the resources available and implement the material in their courses to increase student success." To reinforce her point, Bolandhemat said that "going back 12 years -- the

Reed Curtis / Corsair Photo

Santa Monica College (SMC) english professor Angie Misaghi demonstrates the utility of Open Educational Resources (OER) at the May 21st meeting of the SMC Associated Students board. Misaghi said that she likes OER because, on top of the fact that they are free, they allow her to customize her course material on the fly to suit her classroom needs.

prices for college textbooks astronomically increas[ed] in relation to other costs like child care and other resources needed for college students." Additionally, Bolandhemat cited a 2014 consumer report, which indicated that 65-percent of college students chose not to purchase required course materials because of their high cost. She used those statistics to show that, when forced to make a choice between buying textbooks or buying necessities like food and childcare, students usually chose the latter. English Professor Angie Misaghi, who has used OER for several years, shared her experience with the materials. "One of my first goals is to make sure my students always have access to the materials," Misaghi said, "Because I know that they're more likely to do the reading and show up prepared if they can get [course materials] easily. Not just [regarding] accessibility, but also affordability." Misaghi said that she prefers the open source nature of OER because "if there's a chapter I don't use that much, I can take it out -- I have the ability to change [the textbook] as much as I want, even put in my own materials." She also said that the fact that the books were online allowed students to use materials more effectively. "That's one of [OER's] most commented on positive features, [students] don't have to remember to bring [their textbook] -- they can just pull [the book] out on their phone and do the reading easily." To check which classes at SMC have OER materials available, the website www.cool4ed.org has resources to find the materials and courses that utilize them.

Internship Fair Offers Students Wide Opportunities From radio stations to health care, there's an SMC internship for everyone fall or spring semester, with an average grade of 'C' or better. Exceptions can be made on a This semester’s internship case-by-case basis, including fair went down on Santa Monstudents returning to SMC after ica College’s main quad on a brief hiatus. Tuesday, May 22, with 80 emParticipating companies and ployers, including non-profits, nonprofits at the fair showoffering a wide range of work cased a spectrum of work opexperience. Internships offered portunities, from radio stations, could be accepted for school hospitals, tech, and even small, credit, but some pay hourly local manufacturers. wages. Representatives of KJLH raAt SMC’s Career Services dio greeted students near the Center booth, Faculty Leadlibrary. The station, owned for er and fair coordinator, Vicki over 50 years by Stevie WonRothman, and staff offered studer, offers both summer and fall dents how-to-intern flyers and internships, and a line of stuawarded free swag bags and tdents queued to sign up. Sumshirts to students who visited mer staff often accompany and three fair booths and reported help DJs at community events, back on their experiences. “If while fall interns often focus you’ve gotten a card from a rep on corporate tasks, from office at the fair, call or email them work to commercial sound edimmediately, and let them know iting. it was great to meet them, and SMC alumna Alicia Dunams send them your resume," Rothsought interns from office and man said. "After that, leave it marketing staff to social media Fernanda Rivera / Corsair Photo up to the employer to get back toVolunteer & Outreach Coordinator at 1736 Family Crisis Center, Michele Nadeau (right), talking workers and travel coordinators to a SMC student you.” for her burgeoning publishing about volunteering opportunities on Santa Monica College main campus in Santa Monica, California on Tuesday, May To get a goodie bag, SMC bi-22, 2018. and leadership training business. ology student Adriana Lopez apA complete list of participants, Rothman said that before or any student’s major. plied for a paid summer intern- after landing an intern position, There’s also an online intern- including contact details, can be ship with SEALab, and if hired, students must attend a career ser- ship class on SMC’s school por- found at the SMC Career Counwould work with kids and the vices orientation session to start tal, which awards one unit of seling office or by contacting Inpublic. Her friend Nancy San- the credit process. Most SMC credit per 60 hours of unpaid ternship Coordinator Lisa Moss chez applied to Heal the Bay, departments offer an internship intern work, or one unit per 75 at 310-434-4337. where she learned that California class specific to their majors, but hours of paid interning. pipelines often run under the San there is also a general counselParticipants must be students Andreas fault, and could be dam- ing internship course that can be in good standing at SMC, such as aged in a major earthquake. tailored via career services to fit having six SMC units in the past Ethan Lauren STAFF WRITER

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VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 •MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

SMC and UCLA: Israel-Palestine Debate Israel-Palestine debate sparks tension amongst students

Ryanne Mena and Wilson Gomez STAFF WRITERS

The desks made a circular formation filled with students who were waiting for the discussion to start at 11:30 a.m. in room 204 in the Humanity and Social Sciences building. At two desks placed in the middle of the circle sat discussion panelists, Justin Feldman of Santa Monica College's Students Supporting Israel (SSI) and John J. Abughattas of UCLA's Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), who is a former SMC student. A single game of rockpaper-scissors decided who spoke first, which Abughattas won. Though the tone of the discussion was respectful, the tension in the room was palpable. The speakers went through the history of the region through the eyes of their respective people. Feldman argued that the land rightfully belongs to the Jewish population, while Abughattas argued that, “over 700,000 Palestinians were forcibly removed from their homes,” therefore making the disputed territory Palestinian. At around noon, the two-way discussion opened up to allow audience members to ask questions. It was here that the tensions really began to boil over, as people on both sides felt they were being attacked and mischaracterized. The agreed-upon rules stated that only the person holding a marker that was passed around would be allowed to speak. That didn’t last as Olivia Taha, an SMC student from Palestine, spoke out of turn and grilled Feldman about his claim to having gone to Palestine. Taha also told her story about being denied the ability to marry her Jewish

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Ruth Iorio/ Corsair Photo

Jonah Wolf Ragir says that "the way Israel behaves is central to why I left the Jewish religion" to a crowd of onlookers on Tuesday May 22 2018 at the Santa Monica College main campus in Santa Monica, California.

fiance to which Feldman replied, “I want you to marry the man you love - but as a micro-minority - we want to preserve our way of life - 70 percent of our people are intermarrying and their grandkids are not identifying as Jews. This is going to sound radical but this is essentially genocide without blood.” The final question was asked by SMC student, Shir Atias, who served in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Atias said, "We need to listen to each other and understand that if Israel acts like

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she acts, there’s a reason for that and we act just for defense - there could be peace if we just understand each other.” SMC student and A.S. Vice President-elect, Hesham Jarmakani, said he attended the event because: “As a very, very proud Arab individual - I felt inclined to come by to observe what’s going on, to voice my opinions about what’s happening in Israel and Palestine. Cause when 62 individuals are dying on one side and one IDF officer is bruised, you tend to have to ask a

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lot of questions, morally and ethically; that’s my opinion.” In conclusion, Jarmakani said, “The fact that we are able to bring people from both sides of a very, very well-renowned conflict that has been standing for decades and be able to put them in a room together and allow them to converse in a civil manner. It really does speak volumes about the multicultural base that forms SMC.” For the full article, visit thecorsaironline.com

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VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 • MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

CULTURE NEWS

Garifuna Int'l Indigenous Film Festival, a Platform for Marginalized Groups The festival returns to Venice to unite people from all around the globe through short films, documentaries, photo exhibits, lectures, and symposiums.

Screenshot from the film “What’s your number lil alex”, Courtesy of Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival.

Pyper Witt OPINION EDITOR

The Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival (GIIFF) returns for its seventh year to Venice, California from May 25 to June 3. The festival will bring

screenings occur during the weekends: support and unite our people,” Sideroff said. “A place they can come for their May 25-27, and June 2-3. The art exhibits portraits by Sej voices to be heard. This is part of the Saraiya, “Faces of the Indigenous,” which reason why the symposium exists within will be available throughout the two the media platform. We all want to be weeks. able to experience peace. We all want The featured films are not limited to to experience healing.” any particular indigenous groups in For the first time, GIIFF has received general. Rather, there will be documen- a mini-grant in honor of the sixth year taries and short films from all around that the California Dept. of Mental Health the globe. has partnered with the festival. This “This is the uniting of nations,” said means that all the funding doesn't come Freda Sideroff, the founder GIIFF. There straight out of the founders pocket, alwill be movies with stories from the lowing more funds to provided for those Solomon Islands, Turkey, Germany, who attend. Tickets cost $8 for students Canada, and West Australia, just to name and $25 for the general public. Those a few. Marginalized groups have their interested can find more information on perspectives told through media such as the festival's Eventbrite page or “Dangerous Crossings,” a short film website,garifunafilmfestival.com. directed by Amr Salama, that teaches “Our film festival is so rich," Sideroff about the dangers refugees face as they says. "We are looking for a home, and cross the Red Sea. hoping to partner with educational in“What's Your Number,” by Sigal Erez, stitutions to be able to screen these films is about an encounter with a Holocaust and for students to be able to receive survivor and a young African-American credits for them." boy. There will also be “First to Go,” by Myles Matsuno, a short story about one of the first Japanese fathers that was sent to the internment camps throughout the U.S. after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, told by his daughter and great grandson. “We have a film called ‘The Gathering,’ by Micki Decoff, about the death penalty,” states Sideroff. “About the innocent adults who end up on death row. [Decoff] will be receiving our lifetime achievement award for her work in social justice.” Along with the award, art exhibits, documentaries, and short films, there will also be a lecture and a symposium. The first lecture will kick off the festival on May 25, led by Ron Wilkins on the African presence in Mexico. Wilkins will be using his photographic work to present his lecture, which should run for about 45 minutes. The symposium is on the following day at noon, focusing on the mental health and well-being of the indigenous people. “Our indigenous people are in need of a platform, and our platform with Courtesy of Elliot Spencer the film festival exists to be able to

plenty of short films, documentaries, along with art and fashion exhibits to showcase the art of preserving indigenous cultures. The festival is a five-day event located at the Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave, over the course of two weeks. The film

When Green Lantern meets Thanos: Deadpool 2 Review

Wilson Gomez STAFF WRITER

Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment

But this time, Deadpool's heart is in the wrong place... The “Merc with a Mouth” is back. Just as he promised in the post-credit scene of his first movie, he’s brought along time-traveling X-Men -- including Cable, played by Josh Brolin who recently played Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War.” Some might find the crass humor offputting, but those who were fans of the first movie will definitely enjoy this one, as it retains that same sense of humor. Additionally, there are plenty of X-men and Deadpool comic book references to make hardcore comics fans happy. True to the comic book character, “Deadpool 2” continues the tradition of making fun of pop-culture. Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) pokes fun at everything, from dubstep to “Frozen,” as well as Reynolds’ Green Lantern movie. “Deadpool 2” is fairly standard for a superhero movie, though it does try to inject a bit of heart by continuing to build on the relationship Wade has with his girlfriend, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). The rest of the film revolves around Cable’s mission to hunt down a mutant boy from the past in order to prevent a future tragedy, while Deadpool attempts to save the boy. While Deadpool has FOR

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done a good job of portraying its characters as comic-accurate as possible, don’t expect the same from Cable, whose laughably convoluted comic book origin is altered heavily for his big-screen debut. Cable’s more serious demeanor serves as a good counterpoint to Deadpool’s joke-a-minute attitude and is the butt of a joke or two that stabs fun at the dark and grim tone of DC’s extended universe of films. It’s difficult to balance the irreverent humor integral to a character like Deadpool with the more serious tone that the story is trying to tell, but the movie pulls it off for the most part. Weasel (T.J. Miller), Blind Al (Leslie Uggams) and Dopinder (Karan Soni) also return as Deadpool’s gang of misfit friends, joined by the X-Men Colossus and NegaSonic Teenage Warhead. “Deadpool 2” also adds Zazie Beats as Domino, a mutant who has the power of being incredibly lucky, and several obscure X-Men characters that comprise this movie’s version of X-Force, including Rob Delaney as Peter, an otherwise normal guy who thought it would be fun to join. It also includes a blink-and-you’llmiss-it cameo by a certain A-list celebrity. For the rest of this article, please visit thecorsaironline.com US

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NEWS PHOTOSTORY

VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 •MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

2018 LGBTQ+ Prom

Matthew Martin / Corsair Photo

Amy Woodfine (right) gets her makeup done before attending the annual Westside LGBTQ+ Prom at the interfaith Church in Ocean Park in Santa Monica California on Friday May 18, 2018. The interfaith church has held “Queer Proms” in the past, but this year was the first that the prom’s sponsor, Young People Creating Change (YPCC), partnered with the Princess Project Los Angeles (PPLA), Benefit Cosmetics, and Teen Vogue to produce the event.

Matthew Martin/ Corsair Photo

An Instagram influencer (right) takes a photo with LGBTQ+ youth after doing her makeup before the annual Westside LGBTQ+ Prom at the interfaith Church in Ocean Park in Santa Monica California on Friday May 18, 2018. The interfaith church has held “Queer Proms” in the past, but this year was the first that the prom’s sponsor, Young People Creating Change (YPCC), partnered with the Princess Project Los Angeles (PPLA), Benefit Cosmetics, and Teen Vogue to produce the event.

Amy Woodfine (right) shows off the new dress that she bought for the annu sponsor, Young People Creating Change (YPCC), partnered with the Princ

Youth, Brands, and InfluencersAttend Westside LGBTQ+ Prom First Annual Westside LGBTQ+ Prom in Santa Monica provides a safe space for young adults Helena Sung and Heather Creamer MULTIMEDIA EDITOR and STAFF WRITER

A huge pink shag rug and makeup stations draped with glittering fabric transformed the dais on the second floor of The Church in Ocean Park in Santa Monica, California into a makeshift beauty bar. A small army of makeup artists wearing bright pink t-shirts from Benefit Cosmetics bustled around, applying a little glam to prom-goers who had signed up for free makeup sessions before the start of the 1st Annual Westside LGBTQ+ Prom that occurred this Friday, May 18. "Her skin is, like, perfect," said makeup artist Alicia Peters, referring to 19-year-old Sarah Zeitzew, who sat in a pink director's chair as Peters whisked a makeup brush around Zeitzew's deliFOR

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cate features. "She's flawless." Wearing an elegant black lace, twopiece gown, Zeitzew and her equally dressy friends drove up from the South Bay to attend the prom. "This is my first prom," Zeitzew said. "My friends were going and I wanted to go too." Amy Woodfine, 17, brought her boyfriend, Tony Hokenson, 19, as her date. "I heard it was an LGBTQ prom, and I'm a member of the LGBTQ community, and it seemed like a fun thing to do," she said. In addition to local youths, the event drew big names such as Benefit Cosmetics, who invited several Influencers that participated in the makeup sessions and posted photos and videos to their Instagram accounts. "This is like the coolest project ever," said Annie Ford Danielson, Global Beauty Authority of Benefits US

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Cosmetics, who flew down with eight of her staff members from San Francisco. "We rallied the troops and wanted to get involved. It's right up our alley. It's about being your best self and just having fun." A beauty news editor from Teen Vogue flew in from New York for the event, but declined to comment when asked about their interest in covering the prom. Hairstylists from the Aveda Institute of Los Angeles were also on hand to curl and style the prom-goers' hair. "I really like my look," said Zeitzew, admiring her hair and makeup in a handheld mirror. "I wish I could re-create it." A few of Zeitzew's friends struggled to hold back tears as they took in the whole experience. "It's so amazing and [prom] hasn't even started yet," said •

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Nicole Johnson, 22, a trans woman wearing a long, red gown. "I'm trying hard not to cry." Johnson's friend, Kate Babbe, was happy for her. “This is her first opportunity to attend prom as a girl since she hadn’t transitioned when she was in high school," Babbe explained. "She feels like she’s missed out on a lot of her life because of being trans, so this is sort of like a second chance for her.” Then, the makeup artists, hairstylists, and influencers left, allowing the young prom-goers to have their own prom experience. The dais was cleared and replaced with a DJ to start a night of dancing. About 30 youths attended this year's LGBTQ+ Prom, according to one of the prom's organizers, Wendy Zaw. For the rest of this article, please visit thecorsaironline.com

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VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 • MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

PHOTOSTORY NEWS

Matthew Martin/ Corsair Photo

ual LGBTQ+ Prom to her boyfriend Tony Hokenson (right) outside the interfaith Church in Ocean Park in Santa Monica California on Friday May 18, 2018. The interfaith church has held “Queer Proms” in the past, but this year was the first that the prom’s cess Project Los Angeles (PPLA), Benefit Cosmetics, and Teen Vogue to produce the event.

Matthew Martin/ Corsair Photo

A detail shot of Amy Woodfine’s stilettos as she is getting her makeup done before attending the LGBTQ+ Prom being held at the interfaith Church in Ocean Park in Santa Monica California on Friday May 18, 2018.

Matthew Martin/ Corsair Photo

(from left to right) Nicole Johnson, Sarah Zeitzew, Kate Babbe, and Amy Woodfine come outside to take prom photos together after getting their hair and makeup done, courtesy of Benefit Cosmetics, at the interfaith Church in Ocean Park in Santa Monica California on Friday May 18, 2018. The interfaith church has held “Queer Proms” in the past, but this year was the first that the prom’s sponsor, Young People Creating Change (YPCC), partnered with the Princess Project Los Angeles (PPLA), Benefit Cosmetics, and Teen Vogue to produce the event.

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VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 •MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Pico Block Party-Empowering Youth Voices

Claudia Vardoni STAFF WRITER

Pico Block Party is a community arts festival held by the 18th Street Arts Center that promotes youth voices by getting them involved in the community. The block party was held for the third time Saturday, May 19 from 3-6 p.m. when the 18th Street Arts Center opened its doors to the community. It was a day that featured events for the whole family with art workshops, musical performances, artists’ open studios, and food trucks. On Saturday, there were musical performances throughout the day that showcased talents and created a nice atmosphere at the event. One of the first performances was by the Santa Monica College Music Department’s Jazz Vocal Ensemble. One of the organizations participating was the Brighter Future Charity, a nonprofit that promotes growth in youth with autism along with community understanding. Their charity helps those with autism by letting them take part in the organization to sell their crafts and taking part in community events. The purpose is for them to learn financial skills and give them a chance in life that they might not otherwise get. It helps them build social skills, confidence and helps spread awareness within the community about autism. Ray Tate, 22, was one of the charity’s participants who got to showcase his talents at the event. Tate was there to sell his crafts with a toy-theme, mainly key-chains and necklaces. It is free for the kids to sell their crafts and it provides a way for them to have an income while being a part of the community. “It’s a lot of fun to sell my jewelry here,” Tate said. Santa Monica Library was at the event to inform people about the free events and workshops that are going on in the Santa Monica community. Kids are encouraged to participate in the programs they offer, such as homework help and reading clubs. The library also has a teen

Matthew Martin/ Corsair Photo

Santa Monica College (SMC) sophomore and member of the SMC Jazz Vocal Ensemble Andy Hernandez performs a classic song by Harry Connick Jr. track during the Pico Block Party festivities that took place at the 18th street Arts Center in Santa Monica, California on Saturday May 19, 2018. The Pico Block Party is a celebration of artists and cultures of the Pico neighborhood in Santa Monica with the festivities primarily focusing on youth artists and empowering youth voices.

tutoring services, financial literacy, and wellbeing workshops. They partner with with the Homeboys and Homegirls club at SMC, and sometimes host the club's fundraising events in order to support their mission in promoting personal growth for previously incarcerated students. Pico Youth and Family Center strongly believes in still helping young people over 18 that need assistance. Julian Ayala, music consultant at the organization,

advisory council which promotes leadership and serves as a voice of teens in the community. “It helps youth develop productivity in society,” said Ivy Weston, librarian and teen services supervisor. Pico Youth and Family Center, a local non-profit of Santa Monica, was another organization promoting the young performing artists. The organization aims to help kids find jobs, transfer and get out of gangs. It offers many different programs to those ages 14-24, such as

believes there should be more programs that can help, since the cut-off age is usually 18 for most services. “You still need help getting your life together. You don’t stop needing help just because you’ve turned 18 and that’s what we’re here for,” Ayala said. For the rest of this article, please visit thecorsaironline.com

Paper Straw Initiative at SMC Invokes Student Reactions

"Paper straws should not be a thing unless they function comparably to plastic ones." Heather Creamer STAFF WRITER

During the Santa Monica Sustainability Fair on April 17, Plastic Free SMC announced that they had convinced all campus vendors to swap out plastic straws for compostable paper ones. This change swept over campus shortly after, invoking mixed reactions from many students. Plastic Free SMC had been planning the changes for several months, and was able to persuade vendors on campus to take the paper straw initiative. The current vendor SMC uses for paper straws is called Karat, an ecofriendly disposable paper and plastic foodservice products provider. The information page for the straws can be found at karatcup.com, but does not include information on pricing or distribution. The Associated Student Finance Committee held a meeting on May 16 when they granted “Approval for Sustainability for Paper Straws”, that purchased the new paper at a cost of $268.00. But since the straws were replaced on campus before this date, it is unlikely this is the first purchase of these new straws. Students at Santa Monica College do not seem to have a problem with eliminating plastic straws, but with the quality FOR

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of the paper straws that SMC is using. “Paper straws are not practical, plastic straws are bad for the environment. Solution: Dare to put your lips on the edge of a cup. It won't kill you,” says Ian Nelson, an SMC student. “That said, giving people straws that do not work is silly. Paper straws should not be a thing unless they function comparably to plastic ones.” Other students feel more strongly about the environment and voice less concern with the straws. “500 million straws are thrown away every day in the US. Plastic straws are single use items, but they last forever. Whether you like it or not, they're going to be banned in many places, so if you use straws, but don't like paper straws, just get your own reusable one,” says Caro Vilain, SMC student. “I personally don't have to worry about not having a straw because I was born with lips, they do a pretty good job at letting me drink out of a cup.” Many students have proposed alternatives, including better quality paper straws, pasta straws, metal straws, and even no straws at all. “I think straw-less lids would be better than the paper ones -- I care about the environment, but the paper straws are atrocious.” says Mariah Reynolds, another SMC student.

Helena Sung/ Corsair Photo

Violet Paley, a former Santa Monica College student, being interviewed by a reporter in her apartment in Los Angeles, California on April 26, 2018. Paley, who dated the actor James Franco, accused the actor of sexual misconduct.

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VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 • MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

OPINION NEWS

Time To Grow Up America

America still struggles to depict sex and violence in media. Earl Augustines STAFF WRITER

As much progress as Americans have made in how they discuss sex, there are still areas that lack progress, such as sexual education. We've even progressed in how we treat violent media, even though we've taken some steps back in some cases. But I find it ridiculous how our country cannot properly set a standard for both. American sexual education is terrible. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization devoted to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States, only 24 states are mandated to teach about sex. Some states can choose whether or not teach sex ed, and when they do, they do it in detrimental ways. For example, out of the 24 states that have to teach sex ed, only 13 states legally require the curriculum to be medically accurate, and only two states prohibit the promotion of religion during sex ed. Additionally, 36 states allow parents to opt-out their children from sexual education, 12 states are required to talk about sexual orientations, and 27 states stress the importance of abstinence. Eight states are required to be culturally appropriate and unbiased, and only 18 states must provide information on contraception methods. According to a report by the European Parliament Policy Department C about the implementation of sexual education in schools, they found that kids learn about sex through other sources like mass media. Instead of children learning about sex in safe environments like school, they're learning about sex from the internet. Furthermore, there's the high amount of violence America seems to let pass. Before anything, let me say this: there is nothing wrong with violent content so long as we're still capable of telling between fiction and reality. I've even had to defend my own love of video games like Grand Theft Auto and Mortal Kombat. My problem isn't how violent the content is, but with how much we are willing to allow and how we treat it compared to something like sex. Take the "Hunger Games" for example, where the main character takes her younger sister's place to fight other kids in brutal battle royale to the death. The movie was rated PG-13, so you'd think FOR

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Illustration By: Allison Slenker

that the violence would be toned down. Granted, there's not a lot of blood and gore, just a lot of stabbing, cutting, impaling, and neck snapping. It is a movie, it does have different liberties and standards when it comes to what kind of content is acceptable. So we look towards other kinds of media like television, which, when it comes to children, has become more restrictive. First off, not many actionoriented shows are produced, and even US

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if shows do involve action, it leans more towards comedy. For example, in "Henry Danger," the titular character becomes a sidekick to a superhero; and while there are plenty of brawls to be had, the show makes constant jokes even during the more dramatic moments. Essentially, we've grown up and we're starting to treat violence with more maturity, but we haven't fully extended that to sexual content. When there are arguments against •

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something like sexual education, ranging from "for the children," or "it should be taught by parents," we often picture sex as some sort of taboo. We hide what is generally accepted as a natural part of life and constantly shame those who want to portray those moments. We should extend the progress we've made on topics like violence in media to sex, so we are able to tell what is suitable to show and who is allowed to watch.

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NEWS OPINION

VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 •MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Donald Trump

Trump Pushes America to Progression Nicole Washington STAFF WRITER

President Trump is good for America. From a liberal-leaning female, this may seem an odd sentiment. I do not propose that he is a great President, I will leave that debate to time and history to decide. I propose that he, during his campaign and presidency so far, has been a catalyst in creating a culture of engagement in policy and politics. Engaged citizens and awareness is crucial for the overall good of the United States of America. President Trump has been and continues to be a source of controversy. Post-election, there was a constant sentiment of surprise across party lines. People were surprised not only because of his background, but also because of the controversial message he spoke to so many citizens. To many, the election of Trump created fear and concern. To many, they felt that the United States went backwards. But did we go backwards, or did President Trump's rise to the presidency bring to light ideas that have been simmering in the hearts of many Americans? The United States has seen a rise in hate crimes consecutively over the last several years, with the FBI reporting that 2016 saw a rise in crime of just under 5% from the previous year, 2017 showing a rise of 20% in major cities. More than half of the crimes reported were based on the victim’s race. Hate crimes are crimes motivated by racial, sexual, or other prejudices. These reports can include acts of violence, but can also include hate speech and other forms of non-violent harassment. This rise in hate crimes can be attributed to divisive speech and emboldened citizens who feel more comfortable voicing their opinions, or at least that is how many feel. When speaking with SMC students about the election of President Trump, many not only felt surprise about his election, but also about his win emboldening many citizens, whether or not it was intentional. However, since his election, we have also seen a rise in rallies and protests. Popular and widely publicized rallies include those of white supremacy and those of the #Blacklivesmatter and #Metoo movements. Of the 8,700 protests recorded by the Crowd Counting Consortium, nearly 75-percent were protesting against Trump or his policies. Activism is on the rise, and that is always a good thing. The divisive culture can be looked at negatively, but it can also be seen as a discussion that is finally being had. FOR

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Trump is Bad for America

Reed Curtis STAFF WRITER

During President Obama’s terms, there was a possibly false sense of progression in the United States that caused many to be surprised about the amount of prejudice that ensued during and after President Trump's election. People are talking, and not just about celebrities, but about politics, with grassroots movements concerned with public policy. This year, we have already seen many protests, including several local ones by

see that my optimism was hopelessly misplaced. President Trump seems dead set on dismantling the system of interWhatever good Trump may do going national cooperation that represents the forward, his presidency has already been root of American political power. disastrous for American political power After the fall of the Soviet Union, the and influence abroad. United States was the world's only suWhen Donald Trump was elected the perpower, the U.S. economy was by far 45th President in a shocking upset, experts the largest in the world, and the U.S. had and laymen the world over attempted to both the means and the will to construct figure out what a Trump presidency would a truly international economic and political system. Through agreements conducted through the framework of the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, and other non-governmental organizations, the U.S. established itself firmly as the leader of that international system. But due to Trump's ill-advised decisions to pull out of the TransPacific Partnership, the Paris Climate Agreement, and most recently, the Iran Nuclear Deal, our international partners have serious reason to doubt the U.S.'s commitment to the very system that we established. The current international framework in which the United States operates is based entirely on the idea that, if two or more nations make an agreement, the involved parties will abide by the terms of that agreement. Without this central conceit, that countries will deal fairly with each other, international diplomacy cannot function. Since World War II, it has been understood that if you make a deal with the Americans, they will abide by the terms of that deal. Due to the scale of the U.S. economy, those deals were often unequal; but other countries could at least rest assured that when push came to shove, the U.S. government would abide by the terms of its contracts. The United States owes much of its dominant global position to our ability to operate within the framework of international law. Illustration by Diana Parra Garcia and Nicole Washington Because of the size of the U.S. economy, it has been historically in our interest to use that framework to push look like. Though liberals and the Amer- for an increasingly integrated global ican political elite immediately launched economy. into a histrionic fit of self-pity, with leftFor the rest of this article, please visit leaning newspapers printing stories with thecorsaironline.com headlines such as New York Daily News's, "Wide Revulsion Signals National Nightmare," or Huffington Post's, "Nightmare: President Trump," the reaction from much of the country was that of cautious optimism. I was one of those optimistic people. I was willing to believe that Trump's divisive and vulgar campaign was a well orchestrated performance, tailored to capitalize on a historically divided American political landscape. I was willing to believe that once elected, Trump would become "presidential." Over a year into his presidency, I can

high school students who will be the next generation of voters. A conversation across the United States has been started. Emotions are high and people are uncomfortable with the state we are in. A lobster sheds its old shell and grows a new one only when it has become so uncomfortable it has no choice. The United States citizens are at such a point of conflict and discomfort that a change, or a new shell, is the only option. We are at an impasse that will (hopefully) lead to rapid progression toward equality and unity.

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VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 • MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

SPORTS NEWS

Feeling Lucky?

Sports betting now legal outside of Nevada Daniel Farr NEWS EDITOR

Tommy Henninger, a business major at Santa Monica College, has decided he wants to become a professional sports better. "I am good at this and I understand the risks it comes with - I spend about six hours a week doing it," Henniger said. "I will be transferring to California University, Long Beach, in the fall to earn my bachelors degree in business, but sports betting will still be something I still practice throughout my college career." Sports betting has been illegal federally (excluding a few states) since 1992, when Congress passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). But New Jersey's recent challenge against this law in a court case led to a Supreme Court decision on Monday, May 14, ruling that outlawing sports betting was in violation of the Tenth Amendment. Due to the nature of sports gambling, there is no guarantee that those in the industry will make a profit or even get their money back, but Henninger claims he has made a profit throughout his career. "I actually have a positive career earnings. I am up almost 4,000 dollars." Asked if he bets daily Henniger said, "I can't really tell my strategy, but I wouldn't say everyday. It's a very tough business I wouldn't recommend it; most people lose." Due to Henninger living in California his whole life and recently turning 21, he has unique ways of placing his bets. "I have been betting online so it's real easy, but it's actually licensed in Curaçao," he said. "You can either get a check sent to your home or get a direct deposit, but they do take a small percentage away

Daniel Farr/ Corsair Photo

Santa Monica College Business major, Tommy Henninger places a sports bet online.

may not consider taking a step back, but Henninger is the latter half. "Some qualities I have that help me win are I know sports really well, big math guy, and I hate losing more than I like winning." He has put nearly $1,000 on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the last month or so. "I have some money on Lebron, I bet $300 on the Cavs to beat the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA playoffs, which they did." Henninger

every time you cash out." Although Henninger has made a profit up to this point, he has had his share of losses and close calls. "I bet on the Super Bowl, I bet $600 on the Patriots to win $300." He was unpleasantly surprised at the outcome of the big game. "That day I lost $600, but you have good days and bad days." The Patriots were 2:1 favorites. After a tough loss, people may or

said. "Before the playoffs started, I bet $500 on the Cavs to win the Eastern Conference Finals." Henninger believes sporting events become more entertaining once money is wagered,"I have a positive career earnings," he said. "Why would I stop, might as well keep going if I can't lose." For the rest of this article, please visit thecorsaironline.com

RC Everbeck: Ageless Wonder

An inside look of the oldest football player in SMC history Nicholas Johnson SPORTS EDITOR

Many people in recent memory have had opportunities to make a name for themselves early on in their careers. The majority achieves great success in their prime, while others set theirs in motion during their later years. Rarely has anyone been able to do both in a gap of three to four decades apart, and that is what RC Everbeck has done at the age of 48. Having attended USC from 1991-95, Everbeck graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance with filmmaking as his minor, and is currently an actor and producer in the film and television industry, a career spanning three decades. He starred in films like Zimbabwe and Lie Detector, but his first acting job was in the 1990 classic Pretty Woman, appearing in a memorable scene as a store clerk who took off his tie because Julia Robert's character wanted to give it to her wealthy boyfriend. He has lived in Santa Monica for 15 years, and just completed his first year on the SMC football program. Before last season, Everbeck said he hasn't played football in 30 years, his last game being in high school at the age of 17. Though he received multiple scholarship offers for football and track and field during his youth, he did not end up pursuing them because he was already hooked by acting. When asked about if there was any regret about not continuing his football career, Everbeck said, "The regret sure, it's gonna be funny that in two years from now I'm gonna be like, 'Yeah, I played college football last season.'" When asked about how he got into the program at the age of 47 last year, Everbeck said, "I was just taking a class

Helena Sung/ Corsair Photo

Santa Monica College student (SMC), RC Everbeck, a 48-year-old player on SMC's football team, poses for a portrait at the Corsair Stadium at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California on May 22, 2018. Everbeck played safety in his first season.

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at a time...then my friend told me that I should come play football," he said. "I was like 'I can't, I already used up my eligibility', but he goes, 'Nah, it doesn't work that way. If you've never played football or played a sport at a two-year school, you got two years for life,' and I was like 'really?' Head Coach Kelly Ledwith spoke on how he met Everbeck and described what his work ethic meant to the team. "RC was already part of the program when I joined last spring, and I just started coaching him as we went through the spring workouts," Ledwith said. "I was impressed by his work ethic and desire to learn everything he could about the game and how we wanted to do things." Everbeck explains, "I'm up at 3:45 in the morning, and I'm at the track at 4:15, and I workout until seven - so every 12 hours during the week I'm doing another heavy workout - I think a lot of athletes have that mentality. You find out what the shortcomings are, and if you're a true athlete you work on that." The football player will return for a second season on the football program next semester, saying how student athletes his age can do things that many believe are impossible to do. "I've said this before, but in The Edge, Anthony Hopkins said to Alec Baldwin, 'What one man can do, another can do.' If you're looking at me, I'm one man that's done it, so you can do it too," Everbeck said. "I'm reliving glory days and I'm making them right now." For the full article, visit thecorsaironline.com

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NEWS SPORTS/ADS

VOLUME 115 ISSUE 06 •MAY 23, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

From Russia, With Swords A Russian Prodigy Comes to SMC to Teach the Wushu Way

Ruth Iorio/ Corsair Photo

Former Wushu World Champion Amina Materukhina practises on the football pitch at Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, CA on Thursday May 17 2018.

Ruth Iorio STAFF WRITER

At 13, Amina Materukhina became a Wushu World Champion. Now the Russian National is at Santa Monica College with a mission to share what she's learned. Wushu - the Chinese term for martial arts - is both an art form, and a full contact sport which comprises largely of traditional Chinese martial arts. "It's not just about the physical. It's mental. It's how you think, how you live, how you deal with life. Wushu made me who I am today," 25-year-old Amina Materukhina says as she strolls onto the football field at Santa Monica College holding several swords and a long wooden stick. Having become a Wushu World Champion at age 13, Materukhina is now at Santa Monica College to start the school's first Wushu club, Wushu SMC. Competitive Wushu is composed of two disciplines: Taolu (forms) and Sanda(sparring). A athlete versed in Wushu will be proficient in fighting, grappling, acrobatics, stances, kicks, punches, throws, sweeps, as well as being able to handle both short and long weapons - such as Materukhina's striking, elegant long sword, now slung over her shoulder. Materukhina was born in Moscow, and her parents - who work in education - were fans of martial arts. They sent both her and her brother to a Wushu class - but Amina was the one who excelled when she started at the age of four. By the time she was six, she entered a free, government-run, full-time Wushu school. She then crammed a traditional education alongside Mandarin classes, training in many of the social, mental, spiritual and cultural aspects of Chinese culture and thinking, and hours of Wushu. FOR

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The training was intense. Materukhina enjoyed it, but was aware it was a lifestyle of discipline and dedication. "If you sleep less than eight hours, you can't perform," she said. "You can't drink alcohol. You must eat well. You stay focused." At the age of nine, Materukhina won her first International Junior Championship in China. In 2006, Materukhina became the Wushu World Champion at the age of 13, and the first Russian to hold the title. At nineteen, Materukhina competed in her final world championship, and then left competing professionally to enter Moscow State University, where she gained a degree in Economics. She started to teach Wushu, and found out that she had a gift for sharing her knowledge with students. Two degrees later, Materukhina decided to take on a new challenge: America. In 2017, Materukhina entered Santa Monica College to start studying Kinesiology. "It makes it more interesting because I'm studying in a language which is not mine," she explains. After finding support and encouragement from the professors in her department, Materukhina came up with the idea to start a Wushu club at SMC. For the rest of this article, visit thecorsaironline.com

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