CORSAIR JUNE 6, 2018 | VOLUME 115 ISSUE 07 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE FIRST COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25
OUT OF THE SHADOWS: STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
STUDENTS PLAN PROTEST AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE (P. 3) ENTITLED TO SEX: THE INCEL COMMUNITY (P. 7) L.A.'S NEW SOCCER TEAM (P. 8)
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NEWS CONTENT
EDITORIAL STAFF
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 07 •JUNE 6, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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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
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Senator Bernie Sanders presented a speech at the Justice Reform “How to make change” rally on Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 at the Million Dollar Theater in downtown Los Angeles, California.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Edward Lee
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FRONT COVER Photo Illustration By Diana Parra Garcia and Daniel Bowyer. Photos By: Helena Sung / Corsair Photo
Dear Readers, I’d like to think that the last letter from the editor represents the final piece of myself I leave behind as I move on, both from the Corsair newspaper and Santa Monica College. I can only hope that the love I developed for this school will come across in the message I have been thinking about for the past two-and-a-half years as an SMC student. My time at the Corsair newspaper has been nothing short of incredible. I would like to first give my sincere gratitude to Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins and Gerard Burkhart, who have been terrific professors, faculty advisers to the newspaper, and endless advocates for our success. My development both as a journalist and leader is largely thanks to the work of these two incredible mentors. But it would be a disservice to lack mentioning the three terrific teams I was able to work with for the past three semesters. When we call ourselves a student-run newspaper, I feel extremely proud of knowing just how much autonomy and trust our advisors give us, as making these decisions on our own truly helped us to develop from students into professional leaders. From the team that worked around the clock with me on my investigative piece about students selling classes, to the fantastic editorial team and staff that greatly expanded the scope of our coverage this semester, I feel immense satisfaction in being able to create something we can truly call our own work that helps the community. But personally, the Corsair had a purpose that I found more
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important to me — a place I can call home. SMC has undoubtedly a stellar reputation academically; they have been the number one in transfers to the UCs for 27 straight years, as well as often being the top feeder schools to other prestigious universities such as University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount University. The amount of care and resources both our school and fellow students put into our underserved communities through programs such as Black Collegians, Adelante, Homeboys and Homegirls, EOPS, and countless others also deserve nothing but the highest respect (although it is clear that there is much more work to be done for the students under threat of or experiencing homelessness as illustrated in our culture article). But I believe that there has been one problem that has been longstanding and avoided, due to how difficult it is to tackle — loneliness. You can see it in the school parking lots; students eat their food in their car. You can see it in the cafeteria and locations throughout campus; students try to finish their meal as soon as possible, trying to make the unpleasant experience of eating alone as short as possible. You can see it in the library; students stay long hours between classes despite not having anything to do. I’m sure that this does not apply to all students and faculty. But when I talk to both friends and strangers I interview, many do acknowledge the issue but often take the blame to themselves or others — ideas like, “I should be the one who’s being more proactive in being @THE_CORSAIR •
social and making friends,” “they can just join any of many clubs on campus,” “many just want to take classes and transfer to a four-year school.” Does that mean we ignore all these people that I’m sure almost all of us see and notice, but feel unable to do anything? I understand that the limitations of a community college makes this challenge feel insurmountable to many. For many four-year institutions, housing serves as a natural way for students to form close communities. Although we have fraternities as a path for some, having these resources be something students need to “opt-in” by seeking out these resources inevitably will leave many behind, especially due to many community college students having work and other responsibilities. So what can be done about this? A board member had thoughts on housing, but does not seem a practical solution to 30,000 students. A law school student told me about how their school separates their population into groups of students taking the same classes that the student government then organizes outings for. Knowing that they will not be going out with strangers, this system worked. But since we are an institution that cannot perfectly translate this solution, I can only wish that both students and administrators can come together in working out a solution to this problem. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the Corsair be a place I belong at SMC. But let’s no longer make this incredible school be for many a school “where I just need to take my classes and get out.”
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NEWS
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 07 • JUNE 6, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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CalFresh: Helping Qualified Students Get Food Damaris Lizama STAFF WRITER
"We're hungry, I'm hungry, I've been there," says Meka Webb, SMC's food security program consultant. "I had top ramen, I've gone home and had only onions and garlic in my refrigerator." Santa Monica College is striving to bring awareness to a social service that can benefit its students in need. CalFresh is a program that helps students pay for their meals. Programs like CalFresh benefit homeless and struggling students, as it can give up to $192 per month for food. Webb says that they are "collaborating with Los Angeles County Department of Public and Social Services, their CalFresh section, to help students apply for the CalFresh [program]." Associate Dean Nancy Grass and Webb have been working together to start the CalFresh event for the students at Santa Monica College. The first event of CalFresh took place at the financial aid office on May 10 at the conference room of the Associated Students office, and the counseling office (inside of the old CalWORKs office; room 101H). The event was held "to make sure that students have extra money to cover their needs when it comes to food," Webb said. "If you don't have access to food, its really hard to learn and pay attention and really have that extra motivation sometimes." Starting in the fall, CalFresh will be hosting an event to sign up eligible students, in the second week of September. Webb will be inviting their mobile unit that will be on the quad by the library to accept students through walk-ins or appointments. Once a student has applied and has been approved, then the relationship is with the student and Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) CalFresh. A semi-annual and annual report must be submitted to be able to get the CalFresh benefits. These reports are necessary so CalFresh is aware the student still needs the services. "From the May 10 event, a student was approved for CalFresh benefits, and in August they are in University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), or another fabulous school Cal State Los Angeles (CSULA). The benefits go with the student not the school they are attending," Webb said. "So they can still use it, they would just have a slightly different situation in terms of maybe they have a little bit less money because of all the expenses going to a four-year university and the commute and that would be adjusted on the DPSS site." Students are able to use their CalFresh benefits at mom-and-pop shops that take Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), because it is on the Golden State Advantage debit card. Students will be able to purchase from Ralphs, Northgate, and even high-end stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. SMC also provides additional resources to help students. Every Wednesday during the fall and spring semester, the Corsair Market provides students with free produce while working with Food Forward. Students can feel free to use any of the five pantries that are around campus at the Athletics Department, EOPS, Adelante/Black Collegian Center, Associated Student body, and the Veterans Resource Center.
Oona Wuolijoki (left) and Amanda Southworth (right) sit on the grass outside of Tilt Coffee Bar as they discuss their plans for the upcoming Die-In Protest in downtown Los Angeles, Calif. on Friday, June 1. Ryanne Mena / Corsair Photo
Students Plan to Lie Down in Protest of Gun Violence
The Die-In Protest Remembers Those Killed Since Pulse Nightclub Shooting Ryanne Mena STAFF WRITER
Inside Tilt Coffee Bar in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, June 1, Santa Monica College students Oona Wuolijok and Amanda Southworth worked on their upcoming protest that will take place next Tuesday, June 12. Their "Die-In" protest will fall on the second anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. Southworth and Wuolijoki are both members of the March For Our Lives Los Angeles organization and two of the four main organizers of the national Die-In protest in Los Angeles. “Gun violence is something that not only affects schools, but affects a lot of intersectional communities, especially in Los Angeles," Southworth said. "And I think that what we're doing right now is not enough of an effort to protect the future. And honestly, if we want to make any change, it's up to us.”
Southworth also said that at noon, they will end the protest by having everyone drop to the floor for 700 seconds to represent the approximate number of people killed due to gun violence since the Pulse nightclub shooting. "The idea is to also act as a physical reminder of what happens when there's inaction in office," Southworth said. "And it's not only these lives lost, it's human lives being lost... cause when you think about [mass shooting deaths] on the news, I think you tend to think of it as in numbers instead of as in humans... you see the number instead of the people." The idea of this national protest came from the March For Our Lives chapters in Orlando and Parkland, Florida. The goal is to “both honor the victims of the Pulse Massacre but then also keep the conversation going and the energy going," Wuoliljoki said. "We are not stopping until the amount of gun violence in this country is not this... It’s an unacceptable
reality that people die to gun violence at rates that are nothing compared to any other developed countries.” The organizers from March For Our Lives have also teamed up with the Women’s March organization. Alyssa Milano, who popularized the #MeToo movement, is one of the speakers scheduled for their rally. They also partnered with survivors of the Parkland mass shooting, such as David Hogg. As stated in a press release: “We choose to take action when our politicians will not. Because if they don’t, children that are alive today will not be alive in a year. From now on, we must fight for those we have lost and those we will if no action is taken.” The upcoming protest is planned to begin next Tuesday, June 5 at 10:30 a.m. in Los Angeles City Hall and end at 12:12 p.m. More information is available on their Facebook event page, “National Die-In Los Angeles.”
Santa Monica Breaks Ground for New Fire Station No. 1 Ethan Lauren STAFF WRITER
Community members and families gathered in the heart of downtown Santa Monica on Saturday, June 2 to watch the groundbreaking event for the newest fire station in the city. Through bond money, the city plans to spend just over $28 million on the project. Located on 1444 7th St, the new station will be replacing Fire Station No. 1 just down the block and is intended to be operational in the second half of 2020. Despite being the most active fire station in the city, the older station does not accommodate the number of firefighters in the area. Another reason why the city planned for a new building for the station is to make it seismically sound, as there are concerns that the old station will not withstand an earthquake. The new building will be three stories, have dormitories and other services, including a community room. Senior Construction Manager Sebastian Felbeck is responsible for hiring general contractors and will oversee the project in the coming years. “As a resident of Santa Monica, I can’t tell you how much it means to give the firefighters a home that’s resilient, sustainable, and really cool for the community," Felbeck said. Fire Chief Bill Walker says serving the community is their highest priority, and making people feel comfortable around firefighters helps them do their job. “It’s a public building and we want people to come in and share with us,” Walker said. “That relationship, histor-
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Ethan Lauren / Corsair Photo
Children sit in a fire engine during a groundbreaking event in downtown Santa Monica on Saturday, June 2 at the location for the newest station. Located on 1444 7th St, the station will be replacing Fire Station No. 1, which is currently the busiest station in the city and is expected to open in 2020.
ically, has always been great, and we want to maintain it and keep making it better if we can.” People were invited to tour the old station before the activities at the groundbreaking took place. Volunteers from the local Police Activities League helped children make artwork. They also passed out hot dogs and refreshments, while kids were allowed to sit in the fire trucks, including one of the oldest models in the city. A virtual reality set was available where users could experience a mock-up of the newest @THE_CORSAIR •
station. Santa Monica Mayor Ted Winterer spoke to the crowd about the project, and said he enjoyed seeing families come together. “Kids love firefighters; to see them running around with their firefighter hats and everything, it’s exciting,” Winterer said. “For those of us who are a little more grown up, it’s exciting to see years and years of work on this project finally reach a point where we got the shovel in the ground.” Construction is scheduled to start next week.
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NEWS PHOTOSTORY
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 07 •JUNE 6, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Rea Sohn / Corsair Contributor
Linda Ekbaeck having a photo shoot with photographer Kit Tran.
L.A. Mode 2018: A Preview
Santa Monica College's Fashion Program Will be Holding its Annual Fashion Show Next Monday. Ryanne Mena & Wilson Gomez STAFF WRITERS
The L.A. Mode Fashion Show is coming back for its 26th consecutive year. Santa Monica College students in the Fashion and Merchandising Department will be presenting their own clothing pieces in an upcoming show as part of completing two years in the department. This year's show will showcase 19 different collections, each unique to a student designer. The pieces will be worn and showcased by models as
they strut to music playing down the runway. SMC professors La Tanya Lewis and Jan Ardell will be leading the event, along with Lorrie Ivas as the industry liaison and Wynn Armstrong who will be helping with fashion technology, according to SMC's website. Each of the students' collections will be judged by a panel of industry professionals, some of whom include SMC alumni. The winner will receive various donated prizes from Joe Vecchiarelli, Blick Art Materials, an advisory board member, and support from the Los Angeles fashion industry. In addition to the fashion depart-
ment, whose students designed the fashion pieces, the photography and cosmetology departments will also be helping with the show. Students from the photography department will be shooting the event, while cosmetology students will be doing the hair and make-up for the models. Santa Monica College's annual fashion show will again be held at Santa Monica High School's Barnum Hall, starting at 7 p.m. next Monday on June 11. Tickets can be purchased online at smcfashion.org/fashionshow; they are $25 for the general public and $20 for students.
Jay Caanodii making his outfit pattern for the fashion
Pei Han Lee sewing her dress.
Rea Sohn / Corsair Contributor
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Leyla Vasquez looking over her design notebook.
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PHOTOSTORY NEWS
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 07 • JUNE 6, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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Rea Sohn / Corsair Contributor
show.
Rea Sohn / Corsair Contributor
Abby Kahan, Shayan Pashai, and Sarah Lucier (left to right) working hard on their patterns.
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NEWS CULTURE
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 07 •JUNE 6, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Living in the Shadows: Homelessness at SMC Up to 3,000 SMC Students Are Estimated to Be Experiencing Homelessness
Helena Sung & Wilson Gomez MULTIMEDIA EDITOR & STAFF WRITER
Twenty-seven-year-old Santa Monica College student Francisco Munoz was living in a rented house near the Los Angeles International Airport last fall when his landlord gave him and his roommates two weeks to move out. The homeowner had sold the house, but neglected to tell the tenants. "Literally in the middle of exams, I had to figure out some way for a permanent place to live, which was stressful," says Munoz, a veteran who grew up in Bakersfield. He moved to Los Angeles to attend SMC in Spring 2010, attending intermittently until deploying to serve in Afghanistan, then returning to resume his studies. “The big hurdles that I had was that my credit isn’t great, and I don’t have money saved up..." Munoz says,"...things just spiraled down from there." Munoz stayed with various friends and family, and at a veterans' homeless shelter in Hollywood. He now lives in Bakersfield. "On Sunday or Monday morning, I take the Greyhound bus to L.A., and then I couch surf while I'm in L.A. and go to class Monday through Wednesday," he says. He usually arranges a place to stay, but has also stayed at the VA Hospital in West Los Angeles — either sleeping on a chair in the lobby or outside on their grounds. No one knows the exact number of students at SMC experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. "We do not have great statistical information yet at SMC, but we are working on it," says Nancy Grass, the Associate Dean of Student Life, in an email. According to Bill Bloom, Associate Dean of Financial Aid and Scholarships, 28 students self-identified as homeless or at risk of homelessness in response to questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application form in the current school year. "The numbers are way higher than that," says Dr. Debra Locke, who oversees the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) and Guardian Scholars programs, which provide food and housing assistance, and other aid Helena Sung / Corsair Photo to students with financial and Santa Monica College student, Francisco Munoz, a veteran who experienced homelessness as an SMC student, sits with his sea bag stuffed with a backpack, books, a jacket, and towel at a bus stop in academic needs, and to foster Los Angeles, California on June 3, 2018. Munoz, who cannot afford a car, says he takes the bus everywhere. youth. In fact, the estimated number is closer to 3,000 students, says in the shadows," Locke says. "Unless "Because we are located in Santa Monica, "We don't have housing solutions, Locke, citing L.A. County Department you are aware of them, unless they self- it's a very affluent area, but many of our but we have a network of [community of Public Social Services (DPSS) research identify, you don't know." students are commuters," Locke says. providers] that do," says Lina Ladyzhenthat estimates approximately ten percent Students may be reluctant to ask for "Trying to find affordable housing on skaya, case management coordinator for of a school's student population experi- assistance because of the stigma of home- the westside, in general, is the biggest SMC's crisis prevention team. "In my ences homelessness. SMC has about lessness. "I want to be anonymous just problem we have for our students." office, it's not a referral, it's a warm hand30,000 students. to protect my own image," says a 22-yearOn May 31, the Los Angeles Home- off. I know exactly who to call... and The number could be even higher. old student who did not want his name less Services Authority (LAHSA) an- will see someone's case through until According to a Fall 2016 study on food published. "I don't want to be known as nounced that for the first time in four they're connected to a resource." and housing insecurity published by the the person who's been through hard times years, the homeless population in L.A. More attention is being paid to homenearby Los Angeles Community College or living in the back of a car or in the County decreased and is currently 53,195 lessness among community college District (LACCD), of the 5,925 students streets with nothing to eat." individuals. students. A new state law requires schools, who completed an online survey, 55 After getting evicted from his apart"The count is important, but the most like SMC, to allow enrolled homeless percent experienced housing insecurity ment for making excessive noise, the important thing is that when a student students to use its shower facilities and 18.6 percent experienced homeless- student began living in his car. "I wasn't is identified as homeless that they get without enrolling in additional classes, ness in the past year. able to pay rent anymore," he says. "I the services they need," says Susan Fila, such as athletics. Under federal education guidelines, would park in parking garages and not who oversees SMC's Health Center and "I could have easily dropped school "homeless" is defined as "lack[ing] a very frequented LA streets... I'd put black the Center for Wellness and Wellbeing. to focus on work, but I told myself, 'No, fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime fabric up [in the car windows] so people SMC provides a wide range of re- I have to get through school because it's residence." Students are considered ex- couldn't see in." Currently, the student sources to various student populations, the right path,'" Munoz says. This fall, periencing homelessness if they are couch is staying with his girlfriend in Koreatown including food pantries and programs Munoz is transferring to UC Santa Cruz surfing, living in their car, in a shelter, and gives her money for rent. like FLVR and The Corsair Market, meal majoring in anthropology. “I’m willing or outdoors, Locke says. The lack of affordable housing is one vouchers, book vouchers, and other as- to speak on [homelessness] because I “Many of our homeless students live factor in the homelessness crisis. sistance. know my experience is one of many." 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OPINION NEWS
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 07 • JUNE 6, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
From Support Group to Misogynistic Radicals
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Entitled to Sex: The Incel Community
Wilson Gomez STAFF WRITER
The term “Incel” was originally created by a selfidentified queer woman in Canada in the early nineties. Incel is made up of the two words “Involuntarily Celibate,” which she believed was a nicer term than being called a “virgin.” As an awkward and shy person who had difficulties finding a date, she wanted to create a support group where people in similar situations could be there for one another. After leaving the group, she thought it would fade away into obscurity. In reality, the group not only grew larger but became radicalized. In 2014, self-described incel Elliot Rodger killed six people before killing himself. Before opening fire on a UC Santa Barbara sorority Screenshots collected from online forums of the Incel community. house, Rodger uploaded a video to YouTube where hatred of women is to misunderstand he explained his motivations. He the issue. They don’t just want to have wanted to kill the sorority sisters as sex with a “Stacy,” “retribution” against all the a term they use to refer to attractive attractive women that he felt entitled women who are out of their league. They to. In his mind, dating him wasn’t a don’t want a choice, it was a privilege. woman who has had sex with another One of the most common responses to finding out about incels that I’ve seen man before, much less one that has had several previous is to handwave it partners, which they call “roasties,” away by saying, “they just need to get laid.” To think that simply having because they believe that the more sex a woman has the sex will solve their deep more her vagina resembles a roast
beef sandwich. This eliminates the “they just need to get laid” solution. What they want is to be worshipped. What they want is a woman who is “pure” and “innocent,” but at the same time aggressively sexual, but only with and for him. There are people who join incel forums because they are looking for people who are just as unlucky in finding love as they are, but instead are encouraged to kill themselves and as many
women as possible. Incels hail Elliot Rodger as a martyr and openly discuss the ways they would torture and kill women who have rejected them. It got so bad that Reddit, a popular online forum, had to ban the incel subreddit because it was so extreme. Alek Minassian, who killed nine people by running them over with a van last month in Toronto, was inspired by Rodger. Just before he went on his rampage, Minassian posted on Facebook: “The Incel rebellion has already begun!... All hail the supreme gentleman Elliot Rodger!” I don’t bring up this issue to make you afraid of every awkward, single man you see, but rather as a warning to not fall for the inevitable attempt to normalize these beliefs. We’ve already seen President Trump try to normalize the alt-right by saying that some of them are “fine people.” Over the next couple of years, you will no doubt see influential people try to paint incels as sympathetic victims rather than holding them accountable for their disgusting, misogynistic views the same way Richard Spencer made white supremacy trendy by calling it “alt-right.” Let’s not let that happen with incels.
The Catch-22 of American News Consumption
Earl Agustines STAFF WRITER
If there's one thing I've learned in my time in the Corsair newspaper and journalism classes, it's that news stories, above everything else, need to make people care. Whether it's about a small neighborhood or a major national event, the first thing you need to do is make people want to read your story. H o w e v e r, we might've reached a point where our news consumption is doing more harm than good. To make one thing clear, I am not discounting nor discouraging the work of any journalists or news sources. The stories they tell that range from covering violent crime, racism, political blunders, Trump, international events, and even celebrity scandals are important to talk about and discuss. Take the story regarding the African-American Yale student who got the cops called on her because she fell asleep in the wrong common room, or the two African-American guys who also got the cops called on them because they were in a Starbucks without
buying anything for a few minutes. Then there's political coverage, which has become one of the most popular topics in recent years. This is once again both good and bad. It's good because the public now has an active interest in our politics and want to know what's going on within their government. However, it can be bad because people are filtering the news they want, instead of being encouraged to see a different narrative, they are adamant in confirming and de-
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fending their own beliefs, especially on social media. According to a 2017 survey done by the Pew Research Center, about 67 percent of Americans get their news from social media. I bring this up because it helps explain why many people have skewed and one-sided views on things like politics, race crimes, and regulations. Due to the nature of their algorithms, social media platforms tailor content to fit our views. Every click you make, and @THE_CORSAIR •
every story you follow, helps social media platforms build around you and your views. This fuels your confirmation bias by providing stories that verify your beliefs, whether they're credible or not. This is a complicated situation we find ourselves in. Our news consumption is as high as it's ever been, but people are choosing their own narratives to follow. Various news sources all provide their own view onto a situation, but don't encourage nor provide other views. It's not going to be easy to solve this, since Americans are encouraged to follow Illustration By Pyper Witt their own paths, but I believe there are a few ways we can at least mitigate these issues. One is to consume news with a hint of doubt and look at other news sources to see their views, no matter how much they go against your own. Another way is to find sources that are completely factual with as little bias as possible. It ultimately comes down to how much you, as the reader, are willing to do the research.
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NEWS SPORTS
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 07 •JUNE 6, 2018 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
The City Welcomes LAFC Dylan Cortez STAFF WRITER
The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is making their presence known, not only in Major League Soccer (MLS), but in the city of L.A. itself. LAFC is off to a very strong start in MLS as number four in the Western Conference, just two wins behind the number one seed, Sporting Kansas City. This is nothing short of an impressive beginning for a team that is brand new to the league and city. The team's announcement caused instant buzz around Los Angeles. Although L.A. is home to the LA Galaxy, the city itself has never had a soccer team. The city of Carson is the home of the LA Galaxy, which is located approximately 20 miles away from L.A. “MLS teams have come to Carson to play, but this is the first time they have ever been able to say, ‘Hey, this is L.A.,’ and this actually brings the sport to the people of L.A.,” says Salvador Reyes from the LAFC Lucky Boys. The team's Banc of California Stadium is located in the heart of Los Angeles, sitting right next to the Colosseum. The stadium welcomes 22,000 people, and falls nothing short of everything L.A. is made of. The energy inside and out of the stadium is nothing like the city has ever seen before. Tailgating at an LAFC game feels more like a community event rather than small groups of people heading to the game early to have some drinks. The LAFC supporter groups that are part of the 3252—a section of the stadium in which supporter groups sit—make sure that tailgating before the games is an experience you will never forget. The Black Army 1850, Cuervos, District 9 Ultras, Expo Originals, and
Zane Meyer-Thornton / Corsair Photo
Los Angeles Football Club fans celebrate the teams 2-0 victory against the Minnesota United Football Club at Banc Of California Stadium on May 9, 2018.
The Lucky Boys are the five supporter groups that keep the stadium roaring all 90 minutes. The five groups put you in an environment that is hard to come by in the United States. Jesse Cortez, a member of the District 9 Ultras, says, “Every game we lose our voices, but it is all worth it”. Pablo SantaCruz, also from the District 9 Ultras, has traveled to three away games with the team and claims, “LAFC is the heart of Los Angeles, it's
a community. LAFC is something that brings all of us together.” SantaCruz also claims that LAFC has an effect on the youth of L.A. because “you can tell every kid here either wants to grow up to be like the players, or be something better.” The energy in the stadium is something you can expect while attending a game somewhere in Europe. Carsten Cramer, the Director of Marketing and Sales for Borussia Dortmund (BVB), said, “We feel related to the many Spanish and
American people in Los Angeles celebrating and loving football, and it makes us very, very proud we got the invitation from LAFC.” LAFC’s next league game for the people of L.A. to enjoy will be held on June 23rd against Columbus Crew Soccer Club. Soccer fan or not, LAFC games are for everyone, and are almost guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience for all.
A Hopeful Season for The Rams Dylan Cortez STAFF WRITER
With a young, ambitious head coach that has all the right tools to bring them back to the playoffs, the Los Angeles Rams will be a huge threat to any team in the NFL this upcoming season. “We’re going to win games,” said Marcus Peters, the newly acquired ProBowl cornerback, to the NFL Network. “When you’ve got a running back like I do, when you’ve got a front-seven like I do now, all you can do is keep making plays. Give the ball back to Todd [Gurley] so he can do his thing. Give the ball to Jared [Goff] so he can do his thing.” Although the team had no first-round draft pick for the second year in a row, their future looks bright. They will be led by head coach Sean McVay, who is the youngest head coach in the NFL. As a first-year head coach at such a young age, he was able to prove he was fit for the job by taking his team straight to the playoffs. In January, the Rams named Jedd Fisch the senior offensive assistant coach. His experience includes the quarterback coach for the Seattle Seahawks and interim head coach of UCLA in 2017. You will probably see a very fast-paced offense from Coach Fisch and McVay, especially with a player like Todd Gurley II in the backfield. Gurley has rushed for 3,296 yards in just three seasons with an overall average of 4.7 yards a carry. Gurley is not only a threat when handed the ball, but was targeted 87 times last season and ended the season with 64 receptions. Such an outstanding performance from Gurley earned him the Offensive Player of the Year award for the 2017-18 season. Quarterback Jared Goff is also
becoming a huge threat to any defense that stands in front of him. Goff ended last season with a 62.1 percent completion rate, which only falls 2.2 percent short of Tom Brady. Goff is also very young, as this is only his second season in the league. The Rams had 11 draft picks for this upcoming season, seven of which were defenders. R o o k i e defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo who was one of the seven drafted defenders recently broke his foot and surgery was n e e d e d . Okoronkwo was the 160th overall pick in the draft and had a fighting chance at making the starting line up since two of their outside linebackers had been released from the team. The defense is still one for opposing offenses to take caution of, especially with the new trades of Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, who has shown that he can compete with any receiver in the
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Illustration By Diana Parra Garcia
league. Talib is a very aggressive player who has also found himself in trouble throughout the past few seasons. Talib also found himself on the NFL’s top 100 players list ranking #53 overall, right in front of another new addition to the team, Ndamukong Suh who was ranked #61. There is a saying in the football world: “Offense wins games, defense wins championships.” Now that the Rams has a defense, now it's just time to see if they @THE_CORSAIR •
can perform. The Rams are coming up on the 20-year mark since they have won their only Super Bowl title. Hopefully, Coach McVay can end this streak and make the city of Los Angeles proud of the team that has always been theirs.
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