SMC’s Fall 2019 semester also represents a new chapter for us here at The Corsair. Our diverse, immensely talented team of student journalists have already begun working tirelessly to cover issues and topics relevant to the students, faculty and staff of SMC. As you read this semester’s first print edition of The Corsair on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, our country remembers the 2,996 people lost to Sep. 11, 2001’s tragic terrorist attacks. 18 years ago today, four domestic commercial airplanes were hijacked. At 8:46 a.m. eastern time, Los Angeles-bound American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center’s north tower in New York City. 17 minutes later, at 9:03 a.m. eastern time, another Los Angeles-bound commercial airplane, United Airlines Flight 175, struck the World Trade Center’s south tower. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon Building in Washington at 9:37 a.m. eastern time and United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m. eastern time. After the events of that horrific day, our ability to come together and help those in need proved second to none. Unfortunately, in the midst of today’s political divisiveness and natural disasters, it can be easy to forget this. Not only is it imperative that we stick together as a unified people, but we must care for the needs of all Americans, regardless of state or territory. One key instance in which we fell short was Sep. 2017’s Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 hurricane that decimated the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in addition to the island of Dominica. Recorded as the deadliest hurricane to hit the islands since 1998’s Hurricane Mitch, Maria knocked out more than 80 percent of Puerto Rico’s power lines. This left 3.4 million American citizens without power. Typically, when a hurricane is set to hit a state like Florida or Texas, U.S. power companies convene beforehand to fix the state’s infrastructure. In the aftermath of Maria, however, the Puerto Rican Electrical Power Authority (PREPA) wasn’t able to do something similar, citing financial constraints. Instead, PREPA hired a small, unknown private contractor as part of a deal that later incited a federal investigation. This situation became the largest blackout in U.S. history and the second largest in the world. Washington’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had its own issues with private contractors and Puerto Rico endured 328 days without fully restored power. When President Donald Trump visited Puerto Rico in October 2017, his comments raised eyebrows nationwide. “If you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina, and you look at the hundreds and hundreds of people that died - what is your death count? Sixteen. You can be very proud of all of your people,” Trump said. Maria’s death toll reached 2,978, just 18 fewer people than the events of Sep. 11, 2001. As thousands continued to die in the storm’s aftermath, the U.S. government failed to provide ample assistance outside of FEMA’s efforts. Now two years after Maria, dialogue about the storm and its long-term effects on U.S. territories have ceased. This conversation must start back up. Those impacted by Maria shouldn’t have to rebuild alone. We needed a better response from our elected officials and can still do more to help fellow Americans in need, firstly by not forgetting this natural disaster. What’s continually discouraging is that as a new hurricane season looms this Fall, our country remains divided. Shoot, we can’t even agree on the direction of Hurricane Dorian - the latest hurricane to hit the U.S. - and are devoting more attention to President Trump’s Twitter than to helping Bahamian people in despair. On the morning of Sep. 1, Trump tweeted that the state of Alabama, along with Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, would “most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated” by the storm. The National Weather Service’s (NWS) Birmingham, Alabama station quickly responded 20 minutes later, stating, “Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian. We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east.” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NWS’s parent organization, also chimed in. NOAA disputed NWS’s prior tweet and sided with President Trump. An unsigned statement read, “The Birmingham National Weather Service’s Sunday morning tweet spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time.” The head of NWS added to the confusion by stating they “did what any office would do to protect the public.” Coinciding with this political and geographic turmoil is our country’s response to Dorian itself, which has left 70,000 people from Grand Bahama - the northernmost island of the Bahamas - and Abaco Island, which lies 180 miles off the coast of South Florida, homeless. When speaking to reporters Monday on the White House South Lawn about whether or not the U.S. would let Bahamians into the country on humanitarian grounds, Trump said, "We have to be very careful.” Trump continued to state that because the Bahamas “had some tremendous problems” with people going to the country that “weren’t supposed to be there,” the U.S. should be hesitant to let Bahamians flee from their hurricane-battered homes. At the end of the day, we as Americans cannot let any one figure or establishment prevent us from assisting fellow humans in times of need. Let us reflect on how we’ve responded to tragic events in the past and place that energy toward rebuilding the areas that need it most. Remembrance and honoring of Sep. 11, 2001 and Hurricanes Maria and Dorian are not only ingrained in our nation’s unified culture, but heavily influence the local community here at SMC. More than 3,000 international students who come from over 110 countries, along with thousands of other American-born students, make SMC one of the country’s best two-year colleges. Maintaining that sense of unity is paramount at both the local and national levels, especially in today’s world.
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Board of Trustees Discuss Student Equity, 2019-2020 Budget Johnny Amato | Staff Writer In the boardroom of the Santa Monica College (SMC) Business Building, the 20192020 school year officially kicked off with another Board of Trustees meeting on the evening of Wednesday, Sept 4. In enrollment, SMC continues to see a decline in domestic non-residents as well as international students. “We’re nearly 13 percent behind last year,” said Teresita Rodriguez, SMC’s Vice President of Enrollment Development, in regard to the declination. “The largest decline we're seeing is in domestic non-residents.” Trustee Louise Jaffe added, “I thought the report on international education was very interesting and fairly terrifying, because we have enormous exposure to loss of Chinese students given the delightful negotiation process that our countries seem to be partaking in.” Of the major items of business, the Student Equity Plan was at the vanguard. The Student Equity Plan aims to address data indicating that SMC is not serving their Latinx and African American students as well as their white counterparts. Last meeting, a report of the Student Equity Plan was presented to the board, and the board firstly addressed the changes made to last month's summary of the plan. Chair Margaret Quiñones-Perez added her appreciation to the committee responsible for the Equity Plan before Trustee Jaffe addressed some concerns. “I was kind of taken aback to see no changes at all in any of the language” Jaffe
said. She added, “From my perspective, it would’ve been a pretty easy job for you to have modified a few sentences and in some way acknowledged at least our input here.” Jaffe continued to express her doubts on the plan’s effectivity to change “hearts and minds” and called for a continuation of actual changes. Chair Quiñones-Perez was quick to comment on Jaffe’s concerns about the language in the summary. “If you have minor tweaks that doesn't change any methodology on here, putting in a couple words in some place, then you can bring that to the board,” said QuiñonesPerez. “But I also want you to bear in mind to be fair to people’s work.” As the meeting trailed onward, the board found itself at the foot of the long anticipated presentation of the 2019-2020 Proposed Adopted Budget. The presentation itself was headed by none other than 15 year veteran of the very same budget presentations and Vice President of Business and Administration, Christopher Bonvenuto. Bonvenuto took the Board of Trustees and the audience alike on a walk through the proposed budget plans for the 2019-2020 school year. On the topic of changes in the Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF), the Hold Harmless provision the college falls under has been extended for another year. The budget is assuming a seven percent decline in non-resident full time equivalency students (Nr FTES). Since the school has not increased fees in anticipation of the decline, SMC faces a projected loss of $2.3 million. This projected drop would contribute to a now five year decline in enrollment of Nr
student signs up for a class and postpones payment, and does not return the following semester. The loss is added to the Student Bad Debt which the school continues to allow because - Louise Jaffe of the financial barriers some students have. Allowing students to use such a system has financial benefits to the school as it draws in more students thus increasing full time equivalency (FTES). Bonvenuto said, “Normally we budget $700,000 for bad debt in that area. Two years ago, that number spiked to about $1.7 million.” Anticipating this increase as a one-time event, there was no increase to the original Trustee Louise Jaffe speaks about student equity during the september 3rd Board budget of $700,000 in of Trustees meeting at Santa Monica College. (Joshua Nicoloro/The Corsair) 2018-19. Now in the 2019-2020 budget, Bonvenuto is proposing to FTES, which totals in a 16 percent five year increase the Bad Student Debt budget to $2 total drop in the population of those parmillion. ticular students at SMC. The SMC Board of Trustees voted Among the budget presentation was a unanimously to implement the 2019-2020 proposed $2 million to address the college’s budget. $1.3 million dollar Student Bad Debt. The term, “Student Bad Debt”, refers to when a
“I thought the report on international education was very interesting and fairly terrifying.”
Santa Monica to Add Sidewalks Near the CMD Amid Safety Concerns Martha Ramirez | Managing Editor The brightly-colored food trucks arrive every morning like clockwork. One by one, they pull into Pennsylvania Avenue, maneuvering their way down the narrow street, ready to entice hungry students and workers with their culinary offers. The stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue that is nestled between 26th St. and Stewart Street is colloquially known as Food Truck Alley. It is conveniently located near the northernmost boundary of Santa Monica College's (SMC) Center for Media and Design (CMD). Unlike main campus, which is located in a bustling neighborhood that offers a wide variety of dining options, the CMD is located in the industrial-heavy district known as the Bergamot Transit Village, where food options are limited. While the proximity of Food Truck Alley is a boon for CMD students, faculty, and staff, there are, however, serious safety concerns with regards to Pennsylvania Avenue, most notably the lack of sidewalks. Mike Rodriguez, who works as a parking attendant for the lot located next to the CMD
parking structure, has often witnessed people walking in the middle of the street. "You see here," Rodriguez said, gesturing to where the paved sidewalk ends. "You see this sidewalk? After here, it's not working. It's very dangerous. And the other side is the same." From the end of eOne's parking entrance all the way to 26th St, the only space for pedestrians to walk on is an uneven, narrow dirt path. Across the street, decorative plants and rocks impede pedestrians. Rodriguez added, "We're in the middle of offices, and the guys, the people, the employees, they have Monday through Friday the same process. So sometimes they're coming in a rush to get this food and they don't pay attention. It's really dangerous." A Santa Monica City Council's report from 2011 revealed that city officials have been aware of the situation for some time. The report states, "There are also public safety concerns that are unique to particular areas, such as the presence of food trucks on Pennsylvania Avenue where the absence of sidewalks can force pedestrians to congregate in the streets, at risk from vehicular
traffic." SMC student Iridian Arlene Gutierrez Perez shared a similar experience. "On the first day of class, I almost got hit by a black SUV even if I was super close to the food trucks," she said. Fellow SMC student Tobias Maramba, who lives near the CMD, added, "I try to avoid Pennsylvania Avenue when I can, especially at night. It's not even that it's unsafe, crime-wise; it's that I have to walk on the road, and with reduced visibility at night, it may create a potential hazard." According to the city's Bergamot Area Plan, the roads in the area were originally designed with the intent "to serve industry and good movement, and did not anticipate the level of commuter traffic experienced today." With the population change in the district comes the need for updated infrastructure. A city council's report dated January 2018 outlines some of the improvements the city plans to make. These include installing new sidewalks on Pennsylvania Avenue, creating a protected bikeway on Stewart Street, and improved pedestrian-oriented lighting.
According to a representative from the city's Planning and Community Development Department, "The installation of new sidewalks on Pennsylvania Avenue…are all components of the Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Improvements Project. We will be completing outreach over the next few months and anticipate completing design by mid-2020 and beginning construction by mid-2021. The timeline is based on having to coordinate with Caltrans because the project is partially funded with federal dollars." SMC officials are also aware of the food situation at the CMD. Ferris Kawar, SMC Sustainability Manager, said, "SMC is trying to develop options for food to satisfy student's needs at CMD but it will be a little while before we have details on what kind and where." There is still a long way to go before more food options are available at the CMD and sidewalks are installed in Food Truck Alley. In the meantime, Kawar suggests exercising caution when walking on Pennsylvania Avenue.
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SPECIAL REPORT
Eighteen Years Later...
Dakota Castets-Didier | News Editor Where were you on 9/11?
This evocative question has haunted the American psyche for eighteen years since the events of September 11, 2001. Eighteen years ago this year, I was in Lago Maggiore, Italy celebrating my mother’s birthday. I was eight. We’d gone to Europe that Fall to visit family and attend a wedding, and we stayed a couple extra days to celebrate. My parents were having dinner on the patio of our cousin’s home while I played about the regal Alpine home until I saw it. The television had been left on Italian CNN, and on the screen, the north tower of the World Trade Center was on fire. My mother still tells the story to this day: “He ran out of the house screaming, ‘Mommy! Someone attacked the twin towers!’” and our lives would be changed forever. On this eighteenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, most of us have an answer to this question that comes immediately to mind; it has become a part of our consciousness, but for some Freshman at Santa Monica College (SMC) this Fall, they may not. Time has passed, and now a new generation rises, born into a world that was already influenced by the terror of that day which so fundamentally altered the course of the United States in an instant. It is for this reason that on this eighteenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we remember the day and how it changed us. It all began with a picturesque, nearly cloudless sky on a lateSummer morning in New York City. Two French documentary filmmakers had been granted permission to shadow the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in Lower Manhattan for their upcoming film. While filming the FDNY investigate a gas leak, one of the documentarians, Jules Naudet, heard a loud sound and swung his camera toward the sky just in time to catch American Airlines Flight 11’s fatal collision into the north tower of the World Trade Center. It was 8:46 am. Around the same time above North West New Jersey, United Airlines flight 175 was in the process of being hijacked. As first responders poured to the north tower of the World Trade Center, United 175 took a turn for the North, and at 9:03 am struck the south tower of the World Trade Center. Parts of United 175’s engine crashed through the tower with such force that it was thrown through the building, landing six-blocks away. 157 people were killed instantly aboard the aircrafts, and many more would soon perish within the building. At about 8:50 am over Ohio, American Airlines flight 77, carrying 64 passengers was hijacked. Hijackers forced passengers into the back of the aircraft, where unbeknownst to them, passengers made phone calls to families and law enforcement describing the situation. While this was happening, President George W. Bush was visiting students in Sarasota County, Florida, reading to them before a sign that read “Reading Makes a Country Great.” At approximately 9:10 am, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card approached the President and whispered into his ear that a second aircraft had just hit the World Trade Center. President Bush would remain seated, silently following along with the reading children for
seven minutes after being given the news. He would spend a total of 20 minutes with the children before addressing the press and being taken to a secure location. At 9:37 am, American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, collapsing part of the building and killing 125 people on the ground and injuring many others. The crash was witnessed by many on the premises and around the building, and the media quickly began covering the scene. At 9:45 am, United States airspace was shut down Within an hour, the United States had been attacked thrice. In New York, both towers of the World Trade Center were burning, and there were reports of people who were trapped above the firelines 70 to 90 floors up who were jumping from their windows. Just over an hour after the first impact, the north tower of the World Trade Center collapsed at 9:59 am, enveloping the surrounding area in a cloud of smoke and debris and killing many inside who were unable to escape, including some first responders At 10:03 am, United Flight 93 which had been hijacked some 30 minutes before, crashed in Somerset Country, Virginia just 80 miles away from Pittsburgh. United Flight 93 carried 44 passengers, most of whom, it appears in retrospect, participated in a revolt against the hijackers aboard the aircraft. Recordings from the blackbox and flight data show that the hijackers were perhaps just moments away from being overcome by the passengers, who’d been made aware of the 9/11 attacks by private phone calls they had placed after the hijacking had occurred. Using an aircraft foodcart to attempt to batter open the cockpit door, passengers continued their attempts despite extreme maneuvers carried out by the hijackers to dissuade them. Those same extreme maneuvers would eventually put United Flight 93 into an unrecoverable dive, and led to its eventual crash. It is still disputed to this day whether the passengers made it into the cockpit or not As the country grappled with the crisis, many returned home from work, and children were sent home from schools across the country. At 10:28 am, the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed, destroying a Marriott Hotel located at the base of the towers in the process. Many more were trapped inside. All told, 2,996 people died on September 11, 2001, 19 of which were hijackers. Many more would die in the years to come from exposure to toxic chemicals thrown up by the buildings, and injuries sustained during the response. The United States would quickly look to assign blame, and would place it upon al-Qaeda who also claimed responsibility, beginning the “War on Terror,” which would see the U.S. invade Afghanistan for the refusal to extradite Osama Bin Laden and the refusal to oust al-Qaeda. This conflict would eventually engulf Iraq, and spread throughout the Middle East. September 11, 2001 will be a mark of grief for the United States forever, and its long-term consequences manifest today,as they will tomorrow. It is important to remember that such an event defined the birth of a new age for the United States and the West at large; an age of conflict, paranoia, and secrecy. As it is within the minds of its people, the United States has been in a state of emergency since the attacks.
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PHOTOSTORY
“Whatever type of art you want to express, whatever you want to do, we’re here, we’re open, as long as you find us.” - Rialyn Espinosa
A small pop up shop named Indi Aesthetics selling accessories made of beads at the Generation Bloom event in Los
Generation Bloom
Jackie Sedley | Culture Editor
Natalie Lai shows off a glimmering dress by Denise Torres.
From the outside, the rustic brick walls of the Los Angeles warehouse hardly appear as though they could house anything beholding an ounce of creativity inside. However, an open doorway exposes just enoug h fluorescent light to intrigue an onlooker to investigate what lies indoors. Within a minute of entering the space, one finds themselves enshrouded with light, color, and an endless display of originality. On August 31st, a newly-established art collective known as Generation Bloom put on their first event, cultivating a simple warehouse space into a hub for creativity. Hosting a duel fashion show and art exhibition, Generation Bloom kick-started their initiative with hopes to provide a safe space for lesser-known artists to display any and all types of work. Created by two California Polytechnic Pomona graduates, Generation Bloom comes about at a time where more and more people are choosing to channel their inner creative. With so many artists tapping into their potential, the current artistic scene is presenting a mixed bag of opportunity and competition for the spotlight. Co-creator Rialyn Espinosa hopes that her project will generate an all-inclusive, collaborative community among artists where they can feel encouraged to share their crafts. “First and foremost, I think a lot of people…get discouraged after a while of things not happening with their art and I kind of just want people to not give up on that aspect,” said Espinosa. “I think in this day
and age, a lot of p support each other not judged, and I t The organizatio an art exhibition in of Generation Blo from the next. Jus of safety and supp “It’s just such a that,” said artist an what it did really Like I’m doing thi lovely skin care lad It feels like a very Around 8 p.m., most immersive po six unique designe From diverse fabr exactly what Espi Some models were to get involved afte seeking their invol Considering tha was quite impress Sutton’s passion fo
s Angeles, Calif. on August 31, 2019. (Fernando Duran/The Corsair)
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Joelle Tessari taking photos in front of some of her art pieces displayed on the wall of the gallery.
Artist and graphic designer Margaret Salazar displaying and explaining her work to potential customers.
m Cultivates Creativity
people just want to create communities and a way to and feel comfortable in an environment where they’re think that’s really important.” on’s first-ever event incorporated a fashion show and nto one space. As inclusivity is the overarching goal oom, every work of art and line of fashion differed st as intended, many featured artists received a sense port when putting out their art. a cool, by-artists-for-artists group…we need more of nd graphic designer Margaret Salazar. “For this event, great was just having a bunch of different booths… is book[making] stuff, and then I’m right next to these dies and then we’re right next to an air plant person… y safe space to just be in…everybody’s welcome.” , the crowd was directed into another room, where the ortion of the night began: the fashion show. Featuring ers, no artist’s collection seemed to tell the same story. rics to diverse models, the show seemed to embody inosa sought out to create through her art collective. e Santa Monica College (SMC) students, who chose er Espinosa reached out to SMC’s fashion department lvement. at this was Generation Bloom’s first event, the turnout sive. Because of both Rialyn’s and co-creator Sarah or art and design, any profit made off of the event will
be donated to either public schools or arts education programs around Los Angeles county. Because the project strives to allow a space for local and unknown artists to feel seen by fellow artists and the greater surrounding communities, Espinosa hopes to attract all different types of creatives from all different backgrounds. She does not simply want to cater to her friends or to those who already have an established following; rather, she is open to collaborating with anyone who has a desire to display their talents. “There’s events like this, but you have to know someone or something and that’s kind of a hard aspect of it, or it’s kind of focused on a very specific type of thing, and that’s not what I wanted to do with this type of group,” said Espinosa. “Whatever type of art you want to express, whatever you want to do, we’re here, we’re open, as long as you find us.”
“It’s just such a cool, by-artists-for-artists group…we need more of that.” - Margaret Salazar
Kristen Rivera shows off Rialyn Espinosa's authentic look.
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SMC's Black Collegians Program Kicks Off 30th Year Eline Millenaar | Staff Writer Leader of Santa Monica College’s (SMC) Black Collegians Program, Sherri Bradford, welcomed a large crowd of students into the Lecture Hall on main campus on Thursday, Sept. 5. In the 30 years of the program's existence, she had never seen a turnout this large to one of their events. Hosted by the Black Collegians Umoja Community of SMC, Thursday's event was the program's first of the school year. Umoja is a Kiswahili word that means unity, which signifies their mission to enhance the cultural and educational experiences of African American students. According to Black Collegians Club President Quenarii Lampkin, SMC stands out above the other Umojo communities in the state. “The program has been around for so long that it just has been more developed,” said Lampkin. “This makes this program a prime example that other programs across the state try to follow.” For many attendees, their interest was sparked by one of the Black Collegian’s Community (BCC) orientations in August. SMC freshman Tiani Joseph said that she came for a sense of community. Other students attending the welcome event echoed Joseph’s sentiments. “I wanted to find other black kids, because I didn’t have a lot of those at my high school,” said Joseph. When SMC counselor Chris Baccus
introduced himself to the students, he reiterated the importance of the community. His involvement with the BCC started about 20 years ago, and he believes the program grew this much because of the students who dedicated their time to it. “This program gets you the resources that you need to help yourself,” said Baccus. “We want to help everyone be successful, because we’re a community.” The BCC also offers priority enrollment, book vouchers, and scholarships to students that join. The program also connects accepted students with specific resources and dedicated counselors under the BCC. According to the counselors, being part of the program can also open the door to opportunities outside of the campus. During Thursday's event, the BCC highlighted the importance of having African American professors and counselors that African American SMC students can relate to. One example of this is Dr. Nicole Woodard, who shared her story with the students at the welcome event. Thanks to the support of the BCC, she was able to get her life back on track and obtain her associate’s degree at SMC. She is now a psychology professor, educating students at the same college that started her own journey. “Statistics show that there's a gap," said Lampkin. "Minorities don’t achieve as high as others. Programs like this give us all the resources that we need. As a black student, I have no excuse to not do well, because I have all this support behind me.”
Quenarii Lampkin, President of the Black Collegians Club at Santa Monica College, stands in front of the Black Collegians & Latino Student Services Center on Thursday September 5, 2019 at the main campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. This Thursday was the Welcome event of the Black Collegians Community that celebrates their 30th anniversary this year. (Eline Millenaar/The Corsair)
After the introductions of the counselors and board members, a statement of their community agreements, and instructions on how to join the Club, the welcome event finished off with a game of Kahoot. With the program going into its 30th year for the Fall 2019 semester, the Black Collegians Program is ready to continue promot-
ing the success of African American students by providing resources that are specific to their culture. Students interested in applying for the Black Collegians Program may visit SMC's Black Collegians website or visit the Black Collegians Center, which is located in the Student Services Center on the second floor.
"Lift the Mask" Screening Breaks Stigma Around Mental Illness Aleah Antonio | Staff Writer From psychology students to film majors, the Science Complex (SCI) 140 lecture hall overflowed with an audience eager to view the mental health documentary, “Lift the Mask,” on Sep. 5, days away from National Suicide Prevention Week. The screening, co-hosted by Santa Monica College (SMC)’s Active Minds Club and the Quell Foundation, focused on bringing stories of mental illness to light in order to help eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health. The documentary focused on six participants who shared their own experiences with mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, depression, and ADHD. Not only was the screening meant as a stigma reduction activity, but it was also intended to be an educational experience for its audience. “I think the biggest takeaway from watching [the documentary] was how many bits of misinformation the film was able to correct,” said Lisa Golden, project manager for SMC’s Mental Health Grant and co-advisor for the
Active Minds Club. “It’s truly important for people to learn more about things that are traditionally scary and mysterious," Golden said. "I appreciate all the opportunities in the film to correct myths and falsehoods.” Much of the film shines a light on various forms of treatment for individuals, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and medication. Following the screening, members of the audience were invited to a panel discussion that included Renee Wilk, executive director of the Quell Foundation, Tanya Griffiths, a participant in the documentary, Dr. Danilo Donoso PsyD., SMC staff psychologist, and Camille Horrigan-Slajus, Student Wellness ambassador and president of SMC's Active Minds Club. During the discussion, students and parents had an open conversation with the panel on various mental health topics. A major theme in the discussion was the importance of cultural representation in films about mental health. Communities of color
often have disparities in emotional support compared to white communities, as well as taboos surrounding mental health conversations. “Watching the film, I felt very connected to everybody," said Yesenia Diaz. "However, I felt it could have been more open about different cultures, backgrounds, and races.” Renee Wilk agreed with Diaz's sentiment, recalling stories of the documentary participants with similar struggles. However, she felt that this further served the intention of the film itself. “That is the point of this film,” explained Wilk to audiences. “To encourage the conversation.” Parents were curious as to how to support a child with mental illness, a topic that Griffiths is well-versed in. As shown in the documentary, Griffiths is the mother of teenager Claire, who was diagnosed at a young age with bipolar disorder. She, as well as other members of the panel, encouraged therapy as an option for children.
Griffiths emphasized the importance of compassion and humanization. “It’s helpful to just listen and sit with them instead of trying to fix them,” said Griffiths. “Lift the Mask” is the first part of a documentary produced by the Quell Foundation, an organization dedicated to reducing the amount of suicides, overdoses, and incarcerations of people with mental illness. Wilk went on to explain that the second part of the series intends to provide a safe space for stories from the first-responder community, who have the sixth highest suicide rate by occupation. SMC offers a wide range of resources for people in regard to mental and emotional health, not just during National Suicide Prevention Week, but all year-long. The Center for Wellness and Wellbeing offers counseling services, consultations, and therapy sessions to students. Programs such as Adelante and Black Collegians also offer their own in-program therapists available to students.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Latin Wave Twilight Concert Strikes Chord in Pier Audiences
Jackie Sedley | Culture Editor On any given day, the Santa Monica Pier hosts a wide variety of visitors, from the local Los Angeles native to the overseas tourist. However, the Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Summer Concert on August 28th served to acknowledge the beauty and appreciation of cultures different from one’s own. Running with the theme of “Local Meets Global,” this week’s evening event served to emphasize Latin culture. Hosting the infamous Helado Negro as headliner, and featuring Banda Las Angelinas and Latinx performer San Cha, audiences found themselves enshrouded in the melancholic yet uplifting energy brought about by Latin-
inspired melodies and performances. The turnout seemed to be a cultural melting pot; while many visitors came out in support of Helado Negro, others just seemed drawn by the emphasis on music unfamiliar to them. For some audience members, the theme led them to face the lack of cultural diversity they have experienced in their own lives. “I’ve never really experienced having different cultures connect together…different cultures coming together as one…so I think [the concert series] is a good idea,” said first-time attendee Violet. For other crowd members, the night’s cultural inclusion struck an unexpected personal chord. Promoting diversity on a more public scale through a positive lens
seemed to particularly resonate with audience members of Latin background, thus heightening their connection to the music. “I kind of like this [week’s] music better, because honestly I kind of grew up with it,” said returning concertgoer Christopher Moraga. “I know how to dance to it a little.” In addition the cultural diversity seen in the crowd, the somber tones and enticing lyricism also appealed to a wide variety of age demographics. “It’s a family event,” said Boxed Water Mass Marketing Manager Thomas D’Agostino. “We also got great people anywhere from 20 to 40 to 50 years old, it’s a great mix of people.” Amidst the emotionally-riveting music and captivating performances, other attrac-
tions of the event were somewhat overlooked. The comedy stage, for instance, was a lesser-acknowledged pocket on the Pier. Nevertheless, visitors seemed to appreciate the inclusion of the stand-up stage, as it further emphasizes the diverse interests observed by attendees. “Culture is culture, do everything you can,” said attendee Lucas Serventi when asked about his thoughts on the concert stage. “Embrace all of it.” The Santa Monica Pier will continue to host the Twilight Concert Series on Wednesdays for the entirety of September. Continuing with cultural themes, the next four weeks consist of “Middle East Beats,” “Island Tides,” “Aussie Splash,” and “Japanese Vibes.”
Patrons of the "Twilight on the pier" concert series on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica Calif. enjoy a drink inside the 21 and over section as they watch the headliner "Helado Negro." (Joshua Nicoloro/The Corsair)
Spiderman and Disney Part Ways
Josh Hogan | Staff Writer
Marvel fans are in an uproar. In August 2019, it was reported that Walt Disney Studios and Sony Pictures could not reach a new agreement regarding future Spider-Man films. Sony bought the film rights for the Spider-Man character in 1999, and in 2015 Sony Pictures signed a deal with Disney’s Marvel Studios allowing Sony to keep the film rights to Spider-Man while Marvel brought Spider-Man into the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) as an Avenger. Sony and Disney worked together on two SpiderMan films, and both were produced by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. Spider-Man also appeared in three MCU films. Their most recent movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home, became Sony’s highest grossing to date, earning over $1.1 billion. Disney Studios President Kevin Feige said that the company no longer has any
involvement in future Spider-Man films. Disney had hoped that future Spider-Man films would have a "50/50 co-financing arrangement between the studios,” with the possibility to extend that deal to other Spider-Man related films and appearances. Sony rejected that 50/50 deal and did not give a counter offer; instead, Sony hoped to keep the terms of the previous agreement, where Disney would receive only 5% of a Spider-Man film's revenue. Disney refused. According to Hollywood Reporter, without a new agreement, this will be the end of Tom Holland's Spider-Man as an Avenger in the Marvel Universe. It was also reported that two more Spider-Man films are in development now, with the hope of having Holland and director Jon Watts return for both. However, Marvel will not be a part of these projects. There can be no reference to the Avengers or any Marvel character or storyline. Marvel fans are outraged by Sony’s
unwillingness to negotiate . Sony Pictures said the media has "mischaracterized" recent discussions about Kevin Feige's involvement in the Spider-Man franchise, and expressed disappointment over Disney's decision to not continue receiving merely 5%. They also confirmed that Feige would no longer be the lead producer on the next live-action Spider-Man film. Speaking at the 2019 D23 Expo, Feige said that the deal with Sony was always difficult and he knew it would be short-lived. “We got to make five films within the MCU with Spider-Man: two standalone films and three with the Avengers,” said Feige to Entertainment Weekly. “It was a dream that I never thought would happen. It was never meant to last forever.” Tom Holland added that while the future of Spider-Man would be different outside of the MCU, he would continue to play Spider-Man. Holland.
“Basically, we’ve made five great movies,” said Holland to Entertainment Weekly backstage at the D23 Expo. “It’s been five amazing years. I’ve had the time of my life. Who knows what the future holds? But all I know is that I’m going to continue playing Spider-Man...It’s going to be so fun, however we choose to do it.” The Spider-Man franchise is currently Sony’s most valuable, and Spider-Man: Far From Home became the studio’s highest grossing movie of all time. Sony still holds the movie rights to Spider-Man and to connected comics characters. While as of now the door is said to be closed on Disney and Sony negotiating a new deal, there have been hints at a resolution in the far future, including CEO Vinciquerra claiming “it’s a long life” when asked about the split. The studios have until mid-2020 to strike a deal, so Spider-Man’s fate isn’t sealed yet.
OPINION
A Summer of Sobering Up Conner Savage | Multimedia Editor This summer was the first summer in four years that I spent mostly drug and alcohol free, and it truly changed me for the better. For a little bit of context, I have struggled with drug and alcohol abuse since my freshman year of high school. These last two years I’ve definitely been a pothead. This is something that is neither new nor terribly shocking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “by 12th grade, about two-thirds of students have tried alcohol and about half of 9th through 12th grade students reported ever using marijuana.” But this summer was when I decided to stop using drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism, my only coping mechanism. This helped open up the world to me
Dakota Castets-Didier | News Editor It is now the end of 2019’s long and arduous political Summer. The G-7 has come and gone, having met in Biarritz, France earlier this week, and the nation’s that constitute it are no closer to effectively dealing with many of the myriad issues facing the democratic world than they were before. With the United States continuing to oppose any involvement in climate change meetings, and the United Kingdom on the brink of a “no-deal” Brexit, tensions were high. In the end, the leaders of the two nations arguably most under the microscope provided more questions than answers. The two nations most tied by history, language, and culture seem to have become the worry of the Western world. For the United States, the 2019 G-7 was not unlike the previous summits attended by the current administration. Gaffes and confusion were the words of the weekend, with President Donald Trump expressing second thoughts on escalating the trade war with China (which was later walked back by a member of the President’s staff as a “misquote”), and later suggested Russia be readmitted to the yearly summits, to which he was immediately rebuked (Russia had been suspended from the then G-8 in 2014 for their annexation of Crimea, they then chose to leave the organization permanently in 2017). The U.S. delegation also continued its habit of skipping climate-change related meetings, even signaling they thought their time was better spent elsewhere. Wrapping up a weekend comedy of errors, President Trump claimed that the U.S. and China had spoken by phone and were ready to start economic negotiations again. Beijing responded that there had been no such call.
because for the first time in a very long time I wasn’t numb, or just existing, or being generally emotionless and sedentary. I came to the realization that for as long as I can remember all I have ever wanted to do and have done was to try to fit in. I used drugs and alcohol as props to accomplish this. Which means that I haven’t been living my own life. With all of this floating around in my head, my mental health definitely got worse before it got better. Which opened a whole can of worms. Despite the transparency, availability, and willingness of society to help, those two words, mental health, are still so heavy to me. It still feels weird to
discuss them. Especially as a man, I have been taught, whether by society or peers, to suck it up, show no emotion, feel no emotion, to make the hard decisions and keep my cool. Even when not everything’s alright or even when nothing is right. And yes, I know that times have changed. And thankfully my perception has changed. With summer coming to a close recently, here are some lessons I learned from my first sober summer. Mental health and learning healthier ways to control emotions such as anxiety is a lot more important than I thought. Constantly using
Fallout of the G-7
Despite all of it, there was a ray of light for advocates of a closer relationship between the United States and Iran. French President Emmanuel Macron invited Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to the sidelines of the G-7 meetings, and began a process of facilitating an eventual meeting between President Trump and his Iranian coun- t e r part Hassan Rouhani. President Trump has signaled he would be open to such a meeting if “the conditions were right,” and also going so-far as to say the U.S. did not support regime change in Iran. Whether this represents a potential for cooling of the tensions sparked by the U.S. exiting the “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” (known by President Trump as the “Iran nuclear deal”), or likely just sly maneuvering by a Europe clearly still interested in maintaining the terms of that agreement remains to be seen. For Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom, the weekend was much more subdued, or as subdued as a country about to leave an International union in which four of the other states at the table are members of. Gone were the typical gaffes and jokes, Johnson appeared to embrace his role as Prime Minister, though he still slang blame toward the European Union for the breakdown in negotiations as Brexit hurtles toward its no-deal deadline. Despite his blaming, he was careful to lace in that the United Kingdom would remain open to future trade expansions with the European Union. Prime Minister Johnson’s week got considerably more exciting after his return from
the G-7 though, as on Wednesday, Johnson petitioned Queen Elizabeth II to use her ceremonial power of “proroguing” Parliament to suspend the coming session in early September, when representatives are returning from their summer recess. Under this proroguing, Parliament will not reconvene until October 9, just two weeks before the deadline for the United Kingdom and the European Union to come to an agreement and avoid the dreaded “no-deal” Brexit, which would see the United Kingdom split-off from the European Union without an established economic or defense infrastructure. This curious decision to invoke the British Crown’s power comes just a day after Johnson reiterated his commitment to see the United Kingdom leave the European Union by October 31, with or without a deal. The situation places the British Monarchy in a precarious position, as it has been their tradition to remain apolitical, and drags the Queen into the conversation. After three years of discussions on Brexit, negotiations have not progressed, and by choosing to prevent the meeting of Parliament, Prime Minister Boris Johnson all but assures the invocation of Article 50’s October 31 deadline, which would expel the United Kingdom from the European Union with no deals in place for the future. This gamble by Boris Johnson is defended by an idea that when there is no time left, both sides will have to come together in order to reach a deal. One wonders, even in the best of circumstances, could a hastily thrown together plan be outlined and implemented in
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drugs and alcohol really limits your abilities and motivations to move forward in life. True friends will always be there to support you and always want the best for you. The world is a whole lot better when you can feel, whether it’s an adrenaline rush from talking to your crush or sadness from seeing your friend having a tough time. It means you are alive. Oh, and if you like getting high, and if you may always want to get high, the key is to find more constructive ways to fill the void, whether it’s an internship or simply eating a candy bar. I hope that in writing this I can show some of you, even if it’s just one of you, that you are not alone and can get through this and that things really are better on the other side. Illustration by Janet Ali
the two weeks Parliament will have in session before the deadline? It seems unlikely, and the fallout will affect all of Europe and effect markets across the globe in a time of already rife uncertainty. Further, issues with border checkpoints and accessibility for the Irish, which will remain in the European Union should a no-deal Brexit occur, illustrating an imminent situation of uncertainty both on the European mainland, and the British Isles. Under current arrangements should a no-deal Brexit go through, the border between Ireland (not a member of the United Kingdom, would stay in the European Union), and Northern Ireland (member of the United Kingdom) would become a customs border with checkpoints. History tells us that such a situation in untenable at the Irish/Northern Irish border, as checkpoints have led to violence and unrest in the region many times before. No member of G-7 escaped attention throughout the week, but drew much attention to a $20 million package sent to assist in the fighting of Amazon fires. The decision was made with unity across the members, but leads one to question just how seriously the member states are taking the crisis in the Amazon, and then more largely, climate change. The Amazon is the worlds’ largest rainforest, and it is being consumed at an alarming rate (an unprecedented 80,000 fires have sprung up in 2019), while coinciding with the effects of increasing climate change. While the gesture is surely nice for the image of an organization with the perceived power of the G-7, one frets not much will be done on a budget that doesn’t even account for a quarter of the cost of a single fifth generation fighter jet like the F-35 ($94 million - $122 million per unit).
Illustration by Janet Ali
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New Coach on the Block
Jinea Cole | Staff Writer
It's Santa Monica College (SMC) Aquatics coach Brian Eskridge's time to make a splash. SMC has a new head coach on the diving block, and his name is Brian Eskridge. After working as a part-time staff member for the last ten years, Eskridge recently accepted a full-time position as Head Director of SMC's Aquatics Department. Starting as an assistant coach for the men's water polo team in 2009, Eskridge moved up the ranks to become head coach in 2015. He's also coached the Men's swimming and Women's water polo teams. Eskridge never settled on being the assistant coach for the Men's and Women's swimming team. He also took over the Men’s swim team in 2015 and the Women’s swim team in 2018. Now, he is finally getting the chance to show his leadership qualities and change the perception of the Women’s Water Polo team, which went 1-11 last year. When asked about his new position as the official head coach and his road to get there, Eskridge stated, “It’s been a journey working with the department, working part-time for ten years, and going through the interview process, but getting that call was a relief." In terms of expectations for this year, Eskridge said, “We are trying to get better as a team this year. We have some newcom-
ers who haven’t played the sport before. So, just trying to get them better and ready to compete." Ideally, Eskridge wants to win games, but it's been a struggle to do so over the last couple of years. Eskridge used a lot of keywords such as "improving" and "getting better" to describe his vision for the team. He wants to show his team that as they progress, they can be competitive in the future. The support of the upperclassmen who have seen the ups and downs of the program could be a benefit as he tries to get the underclassmen to buy into the program to help grow the culture of the swim team. Lastly, Coach Eskridge was asked about some key components he has done this year that’s different from any other year for the Women's Water Polo team. He responded, “Just wanting the girls to buy into the program. No matter if you have experience or not, everyone is held to the same standards, which is to work hard and do whatever it takes to make the team better.” Coach Eskridge has made it his goal to change the culture and rebuild the Women’s water polo team. Their season began Saturday, Sept. 7 in the L.A. Valley mini-tournament against Pasadena City College and San Diego Mesa College with two losses.
At right: Santa Monica College (SMC) swimming Head Coach, Brian Eskridge, at the SMC pool on Tuesday, September 10, in Santa Monica, Calif. (Yasamin Jtehrani / The Corsair)
Corsair Football Wins Big
Deshawn Pouper | Sports Editor Coming off of a poor performance in a scrimmage against West L.A., the Santa Monica College (SMC) football team looked to bounce back against Southwest College. They finished the game with a score of 32-6. The Corsairs elected to kick the ball off to start the game and their defense answered the bell. SMC’s defense was stout on the first drive, forcing the Southwest Cougars to turn the ball over on downs. That gave their offense good field position to start their first drive, which ended in a walk-in touchdown by No. 2 Melvin Hicks. The Corsairs’ defense came to play against the Cougars. SMC came out of their second defensive series with a safety. That drive in particular set the tone for what would be a long night for Southwest. An energetic SMC unit played with
Against Southwest awareness and actively got to the ball carrier. On the next possession, Southwest gave up another safety to SMC due to the Cougars’ quarterback fumbling the ball in his own end-zone. Early in the second quarter, Southwest scored a touchdown on a 55-yard pass as they tried to gain some momentum. SMC was able to bounce back with an interception late in the first half to stop their momentum. That allowed Hicks to score his second touchdown, ending the first half of the game with the Corsairs leading the Cougars 18-6. The Corsairs stout defense continued as they forced the Cougars to punt on back-to-back possessions to begin the third quarter. SMC’s special teams wasn’t looking good at first, as they had some struggles in the second half. They started out with consecutive mishandled punts, which forced the punter John Rybus to try and get the first down himself. The offense also sputtered a bit, not playing with the same swagger they had in
the first half. To end the third quarter, SMC quarterback Jack Faringer fumbled the ball. The play could’ve ended in a Southwest touchdown, but the ball carrier tripped. The offense bounced back in the fourth quarter with touchdowns from receivers Dajone Averett and Lawrence Rawlings. The Corsairs had a commanding 32-6 lead over Southwest. With just over six minutes left in the game, Southwest had no chance. At what seemed to be right on cue, the Corsairs intercepted another pass from Southwest, which brought them to a total of six forced turnovers with 5:38 left in the fourth quarter. This was a strong outing for SMC. It was the fast start the Corsairs needed and were looking forward to. The defense showed how stout they can be, displaying an ability to bend but not break and not allow teams to score. SMC’s offense also showed capability to bounce back from occasional slumps. The Corsairs will look to continue their
strong start when they face Desert College on September 14. UPCOMING GAMES: On Sept. 11, the SMC Women's Volleyball team will face off against LA Harbor. On Sept. 13, the SMC Women's Cross Country team and Men's Cross Country will be competing at the So Cal Preview tournament. Also on Sept. 13, the SMC Women's Water Polo Team will be playing against Cerritos College.