As we bid a final farewell to Winter rains and early sunsets, Santa Monica College’s (SMC) Spring semester is charging forward at full steam. This week, we as SMC students stand for the importance of representative leadership by hosting our annual Associated Student (A.S.) elections, and the Corsair’s Candidate Forum. Given this year’s field of twenty-five total candidates across twelve open seats, election week seems like it will it will be hotly contested. Four ‘slates’ (similar to political parties whose platforms are constructed by the students) compose most of the non-Independent field of candidates, being “Students United for Progress” (SUP), “Campus Empowerment,” “Step Up SMC” and “Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner.” Along with a small group of Independent candidates, most participated in the annual Candidates Forum on the main campus on Tuesday, March 26. As with local or national elections, this season brings us a valuable reminder of the importance of not only voting, but engaging student voters and motivating them to the polls. The SMC A.S. board receives a budget of around $1.2 million every year, which between them is spent on board member projects and initiatives, while also providing the A.S. board with a way to meaningfully impact the lives of daily students. Through this large budget, the A.S. board has achieved much in the past, from honoring commitments to use recyclable and biodegradable cutlery, to sponsoring club trips and bringing all manners of events and activities to campus. Such responsibility cannot be taken lightly, and it is paramount that students take notice of candidates and participate in this election process. A.S. provides SMC students with a chance to try their hands at governance, and provides an often internationally unique opportunity to make paradigm altering decisions within their own institutions. In practice, A.S. not only supports democratic tradition, but it acts as a preparation for students to who have intentions toward public office. As the nation has learned with the 2016 general election, 24 million youth (ages 18-29) or 46 percent of eligible youth voters casted ballots, yet in 2018 only an estimated 31 percent of the youth vote turned out. While youth voter participation is growing, it is still wholly insufficient that less than half of young people are casting ballots in a nation which claims to be a bastion of democratic ideals. Across the world, authoritarianism is on the rise, and the death of the so-called “liberal world order” seems imminent. The United States is at a crossroads, where it must decide if it will continue down the road of being a beacon of democratic thought, or turn down the much darker road of insular populism and xenophobia. Even on the smaller scale of A.S. at SMC, engagement from students and candidates is a crucial stepping stone on the path to competent and free governance, and serves as the first bulwark against authoritarianism. As the 32nd President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Let us not be afraid to help each other - let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.”
NEWS
A.S. Urges Board of Trustees to Boycott Nestlé Martha Ramirez | Staff Writer During this month's Board of Trustees meeting, Associated Students (A.S.) Director of Sustainability Brooke Harrington and A.S. Vice-President Hesham Jarmakani presented a joint statement urging the Board to boycott Nestlé products at Santa Monica College (SMC) on Tuesday, March 5. "Nestlé is a company that has shown time and time again that they lack basic levels of human empathy and environmental awareness in the face of corporate greed,” Harrington told the Board. During the following A.S. Board meeting on Monday, March 11, Harrington and Jarmakani reported that members of the Board appeared to react favorably to their proposal. "Before I had finished reading my letter, my time was up, but Chair Quinones-Perez offered me the chance to finish my statement, which I was later told was a rare occurrence,” Harrington said. Jarmakani, who originally proposed the boycott, added, "I noticed [Board member] Dr. Aminoff nodding her head while Brooke was speaking about how Nestle's subsidiary Arrowhead has been extracting water from the San Gabriel Valley." Nestlé is no stranger to controversy. From allegations of child labor to environmental harm, even documented cases of chattel
slavery, Nestlé has been at the epicenter of numerous boycotts and lawsuits. A report from Bloomberg states that in 2013, a Michigan judge "ruled against Nestlé, saying that data documenting three years of extraction by the company [Nestlé] showed a significant depletion of the area's streams and wetlands." In 2015, the Desert Sun newspaper alleged that Nestlé had been extracting water from the San Bernardino National Forest with a permit that had expired in 1988. According to the California State Water Board, Nestlé
extracts on average 62.6 million gallons of water per year from the San Bernardino National Forest alone. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, opponents have argued that Nestlé's practices could potentially cause harm to the environment and wildlife, especially in California, which has struggled with record-breaking droughts in recent years. SMC's proposed boycott would focus primarily on Nestlé's water products, specifically the Arrowhead bottled water that is sold in vending machines and the water refill
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stations located throughout campus, which also use Nestlé water. Jarmakani stated, "Our intentions with going forward [are] centered around nonsustainable practices and the denial of basic human rights." According to Jarmakani, the next step will be to prepare a formal resolution to encourage the Board to include the boycott as an action item on the agenda for their next meeting. "If the Trustees vote in favor of a boycott, the campus will then launch a bidding process (RFP) allowing outside companies the opportunity to compete for a contract, replacing Nestlé's," Jarmakani explained. The A.S. has expressed some concerns over the boycott. "I think another potential concern/consequence of this boycott would be finding alternative items to replace those that are tainted by Nestlé. This could be reflected in a potential price increase for vending machine/bookstore items," Harrington said. Harrington summarized why she believes SMC should boycott Nestlé products. She said, “As an institution that prides itself in fostering global citizenship, I believe it is imperative to hold our purchasing values to the standards we uphold for the entire school.” The A.S. Board will know if the college has decided to move forward with the boycott during the next Board of Trustees meeting, which will take place on Tuesday, April 2.
The world’s largest food and beverage company, Nestle, acts as the parent brand to numerous widely known brands. Above are a handful of those companies. (Illustration by Conner Savage/The Corsair)
SMC Faculty and Staff Prepare for AB 705 Martha Ramirez | Staff Writer Santa Monica College (SMC) held its Professional Development Day for the Spring semester on Thursday, March 14. Faculty and staff were given the opportunity to attend a workshop which highlighted the dramatic changes that will take place at SMC following the implementation of AB 705. Starting this summer, SMC will no longer offer placement exams. Instead the college will rely on students’ high school grade-point average (GPA), coursework, and grades. A panel comprised of representatives from the Math, English, ESL, and Counseling departments gathered on the Main Stage in the Theatre Arts building. Led by Professor Brian Rodas, who teaches math at SMC, the panel went into detail about how and when AB 705 would be implemented. AB 705, Rodas explained, is a bill signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017. The California Legislative Information website states the bill requires that students “enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English and mathematics within a one-year timeframe.” Furthermore, it also prohibits the use of placement exams for
Math and English. According to a study published by Columbia University’s Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness, many students who take assessment exams are unnecessarily placed into remedial Math and English courses, which in turn leads to students taking longer than the recommended two years to complete their requirements for an associate degree or to transfer. The panel discussed how in addition to offering support classes for transfer-level coursework, SMC is also planning several initiatives to assist students, including the use of embedded tutors and counselors. English professor Walker Griffy, who was one of the chief architects behind SMC’s plans to adhere to AB 705, explained that the English department stopped using placement exams last year. Griffy presented data which showed an increase in first-time college students successfully completing English 1 since then. According to data from the college, over two thousand students passed English 1 in the Fall 2018 semester compared to 1,365 in the Fall 2017 semester. “In terms of redesigning our english
classes, I feel very good about it,” Griffy said. “I think it’s the best thing for our students. I think it gives us the best chance to increase student success and close...equity gaps...So I’m excited about it.” Mitra Moassessi, who is the chair of the Math Department, explained that math placement will be determined by the previously discussed measures and by what the students’ majors are. Business and STEM majors will be placed into different math classes than Liberal Arts majors. “We have six transfer-level courses, so we have created support courses for all of them. And yes, we are hoping that it will work, but...we can’t predict what’s going to happen,” Moassessi said. Jose Hernandez, who represented the Counseling Department, said that he understood many students are concerned about being able to succeed in math classes, but that he feels confident that the use of embedded counselors will prove to be successful. “I feel like it’s our job and our role to figure out how we can support [students], keeping them here, and helping them persist,” Hernandez said.
While english and math placement tests will no longer be offered, the ESL department will still be allowed to use placement exams for ESL students. Judith Marasco, who is the chair of the ESL Department, expressed some concern over AB 705. “I think for us...the only thing we’re really concerned with is if the placement test disappears.” Although other community colleges have had success with other placement measures for ESL students, Marasco explained that the sheer number of international students, 900 according to Marasco, at SMC makes the process all the more difficult. In spite of these reservations, Marasco and the rest of the committee appear to be in good spirits about these changes. “I think that for the first time since I’ve been here,” Griffy said, “we have a center of engagement that’s happening...We’re having conversations that are really focused on the students’ success in the classroom.” AB 705 has undoubtedly brought significant changes to SMC, and not everyone is happy about them.
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Bernie Sanders Visits LA
Ryanne Mena | Staff Writer
Senator Bernie Sanders hosted his largest 2020 Presidential rally thus far during his Los Angeles visit on Saturday, March 23, in downtown Los Angeles. There were approximately 15,000 people in attendance. Public figures took the podium to address the crowd of thousands, such as singer Laura Jean Anderson, violinist Lili Haydn, rapper Tony “Tig” Wilson, Disney union organizer Artemis Bell, CWA organizer Eric Weis, California’s 17th District Representative Ro Khanna and Ohio State Senator Nina Turner. Turner walked up the stairs to the wooden podium facing the large cheering crowd, “LA, this has been quite a journey,” said Turner facing the crowd clad with Bernie signs. “What the people want is simple, we want to be able to live a good life. We want to be able to have clean water, clean food, clean air… What the people want is simple. And that this place will not be a good place to live in if it’s not a good place for all of us to live in. And the journey for senator Sanders… has been one for equality and justice for all.” A rendition of John Lennon’s Power to the People played as 2020 presidential election candidate Bernie Sanders took the stage, welcomed by a roaring crowd. “As I look around this enormous crowd, I think, not only are we going to win California, but we’re going to win the Democratic nomination,” Sanders said as the crowd started chanting ‘Bernie! Bernie!’ Sanders addressed one of the core issues
of his 2020 presidential campaign to the crowd. "This is what I believe from the bottom of my heart. If we stand together, if we do not allow Trump and his friends to divide us up, if we come together as black, white, latino, native American or Asian, if we come together it’s game and true,” Sanders said. Sanders closed the rally by saying, “So I believe from the bottom of my heart that when we stand together, when we keep our eyes on the prize, when we know where
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, campaigning for a 2020 presidential bid, speaks to supporters at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, March 23, 2019, Los Angeles, Calif. (Yasamin J. Tehrani/The Corsair)
we are going in creating a government and economy that works for all of us, when we go forward together, nothing is going to stop us. So, Los Angeles, thanks for coming out today, let’s go forward together.” The majority of the large crowd slowly started to disperse from Grand Park while
others decided to stick around to enjoy music playing in the background, purchase Bernie 2020 memorabilia, or to chat amongst other rally-goers. Emily Moscoso, a 22-year-old Los Angeles native attending college at San Francisco State University, attended the rally
with two other friends while in town for spring break. “There was a lot of different kinds of people that showed up today, which was really great to see the difference of support that Bernie’s getting,” Moscoso said. Moscoso supported Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign and is planning on voting for him in next year’s primary election which she thinks should be focused on not re-electing Trump. “Ultimately, I think this election in general is going to be about beating Donald Trump and whoever the nominee ultimately ends up being, I hope that that’s what everyone decides to ban together to do,” Moscoso said.
Water, Water Everywhere: Santa Monica Celebrates World Water Day Martha Ramirez | Staff Writer The machine is an innocuous-looking thing. No larger than a water cooler, it stands against a wall in a small conference room in Santa Monica College (SMC), thrumming like an overworked air conditioner. A group of people crowd around the machine, snapping pictures and filming on their phones. Polite interest has given way to excitement and anticipation. This machine makes water out of air, and everyone wants a taste. March 22 is World Water Day (WWD), a United Nations (UN) day of observance, which aims to advocate awareness for water sustainability. In honor of WWD, Global Village, which is an international environmental club started in Los Angeles, hosted an event Friday, March 22. Led by SMC professor Marlea Welton, the event featured a guest speaker, tips on how to conserve water, and a demonstration from Skywell, a Santa Monica-based company that manufactures machines capable of making water from air. The theme of this year's WWD was "Leaving No One Behind." According to the UN, this is in reference to their Agenda of Sustainable Development, whose goal is
"to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water for all by 2030." Guest speaker Mansour Jafarian is a former consultant for the UN. He spoke at length about water scarcity, focusing primarily on Iran. Jafarian explained that although the planet is 70% water, most of it is seawater. Although desalination technology is available, it is expensive. "That's why you don't see so many countries use that technology yet," Jafarian said. Less than one percent of the water on Earth is freshwater that can be used for human consumption. This scarcity has been exacerbated by climate change, population increase, water management, and inefficient water consumption. Jafarian cited a 2015 study, which found that more than two billion people lack access to safe drinking water. While these facts are alarming, the purpose of the evening was not to demoralize attendees. Rather, Global Village seeks to offer solutions and hope for the future. Skywell purports to be one of these solutions. Welton introduced Cindy Kujat and Isaac Taylor from Skywell. The stainless steel, water cooler-like machine is dubbed the Skywell 5T. Taylor explained that the machine mimics the water cycle by taking in air, filtering it, and then
condensing it on a cool surface to make water. The Skywell 5T has a five gallon capacity and can make about a cup of water per hour. "We are really hoping that this technology will be in a lot of homes and offices, just as much as you see iPhones," Kujat said. Skywell's larger 100-gallon model is geared toward humanitarian efforts. "A lot of people take for granted that water access or drinking water is the first thing to go in a calamity," Kujat explained. Skywell has partnered with Reach Out Worldwide, a non-profit disaster relief organization, to provide clean water to disaster zones without adding to the plastic pollution problem. The company also provided hydration stations for the recent Skid Row Carnival of Love. Over 6,000 people attended, but there were zero single-use plastic bottles used. Skywell hopes to replicate this in Santa Monica. "We have plans to maybe setup [hydration] stations in Santa Monica, working with the city," Taylor said. Their hope is to reduce, and potentially eliminate, plastic bottle use. Skywell does have its drawbacks. Most notably, it relies on humidity in the atmo-
sphere, meaning it won't work in arid climates or on days when humidity is low. To address this, Skywell has developed a hybrid version, which relies on municipal water when there isn't enough humidity in the air to generate its own water. The evening exemplified Global Village's efforts to address environmental issues in a more positive matter. Instead of acting on the existential fear of planetary decimation, Global Village wants to encourage people to help the environment out of the hope and joy that comes from knowing that every small action matters. "When people have hope," Welton said, "they feel empowered." Mansour Jafarian, poses with SkyWell’s water making machine. Jafarian is a former Legal Advisor to the United Nations. Saturday, March 22, 2019, Santa Monica College, Santa Monica,Calif. (Victor Noerdlinger/ Corsair)
PHOTOSTORY Artist Chris Fraticelli:
Once Loved, Twice Broken
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Yasser Marte | Managing Editor
The walls were covered from floor to ceiling with an explosive treasure trove of art paintings, polaroids, mask dolls, porcelain dolls, naked Christmas cards, Christmas lights, a broken television with a stuffed raccoon full of colorful sewing pins on to its eyes, and a neon light illuminating the word: God. Sitting in the middle of this mountainous bric-a-brac of eclectic work, on an old apricot sofa is artist Chris Fraticelli. “This is my apartment,” said Fraticelli. He cracks a smile. The room is a replica of Fraticelli's living room which is on display along with his first art installation Once Loved, Twice Broken at The California Heritage Museum in Santa Monica, California. Once Loved, Twice Broken is Fraticelli’s mosaic creation of shattered porcelain dolls that synthetically paste a narrative on issues on social economic oppression, capitalism, feminism, and racism. His most provocative and layered art piece Land of the Free Home of the Slave is garnished with Jim Crow dolls which discusses the government’s exploitation of African Americans living in America. “To me, these pieces, the youth has never seen these. They got buried in the forties, fifties, and sixties..they were commonplace and the old generation knows them. That’s supposed to be a black man as a clown [Jim Crow doll] and these were on people’s tables,” said Fraticelli. Fraticelli is a former marine combat engineer who worked breeching mines and explosives during Operation Desert Storm. He served five months and eventually traveled to Southern California where he worked on television programs such as The Roseanne Barr Show, The Man Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Fraticelli began devoting his time to art two years ago. “Like my apartment, everything is a mosaic and it’s kind of about expanding into different forms,” said Fraticelli. “I kind of lay them out before I glue them. I have to tell a story but I didn’t know I was telling a story until I was into it. All of them start one way and go a different direction.” Although his shattered sculptures can be interpreted as a reflection of his time in combat, Fraticelli assures that it is not. “I never put those two together but people who read or find out I was in the military - they do,” said Fraticelli. His art pieces are thickened with stories of society's festering hypocrisy and social suppression while simultaneously attempting to maintain, on the surface, tall tales of freedom and pure democracy. Fraticelli may have once served in combat for America but he continues a virtuous battle through art.
At Right: The racoon with color sewing pins on its eyes is part of artist Chris Fraticelli exhibition “Universal Mental Liberty.” The racoon was part of Fraticelli's apartment and from his previous work on the television show "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo." This can be seen at the California Heritage Museum in Santa Monica, Calif. On Friday, March 15, 2019. (Yasser Marte/The Corsair) "BMMM! (Blowing My Motherfucking Mind!)" is the twenty-first art installation by artist Chris Fraticelli. It took 225+ hours to make There are over 200 individual ceramic figurines used. This art piece is on display at the California Heritage Museum in Santa Monica, Calif on Friday, March 15, 2019. (Yasser Marte/The Corsair)
Artist Chris Fraticelli sits inside “Universal Mental Liberty,” a room at the California Heritage Museum, which is an actual re-creation of his living room at home, March 19, 2019 in Santa Monica, Calif. Fraticelli has an eclectic collection of art work, home photos, masks, a naked Christmas card, and a television with a racoon inside from the “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” Reality TV Show. (Yasser Marte/The Corsair)
This close-up of a Jim Crow doll's head is part of artist Chris Fraticelli's piece "Home of the Free Land of the Slave," which is on display at the California Heritage Museum, Friday, March 15, 2019, in Santa Monica, Calif. Jim Crow dolls were once used to humiliate the African American community. "They got buried in the forties, fifties, and sixties...they were commonplace and the old generation knows them. That’s supposed to be a black man as a clown [Jim Crow doll] and these were on people’s tables,” said Fraticelli. (Yasser Marte/ The Corsair)
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PHOTOSTORY
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Director of Student Assistance
Director of Budget Management
E L E C T I O N S
President
Secretary Biraj Gurung Year: Freshman Major: Nursing Slate: Step-up SMC Skander Zmerli Year: Junior Major: Business Administration & International Law Slate: Campus Empowerment
Daniel Cha Year: Sophomore Major: Political Science & Philosophy Slate: Campus Empowerment
Nathan Silberberg Year: Sophomore Major: Political Science & Philosophy Slate: Campus Empowerment
Director of Community Relations
Pan Pan
Director of Activities
Yongha "Eric" Hwang Slate: Students United for Progress
Lucia Aguilar Cole Year: Sophomore Major: Political Science & Economics Slate: Students United for Progress
Vice President
Tatiana Quiceno
Carla Claure Year: Junior Major: Environmental Engineering Slate: Students United for Progress Ching Yi Yu Year: Sophomore Major: Business Administration Slate: Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
Magally Aburto
Director of Instructional Support
PHOTOSTORY
Director of Publicity
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Student Trustee
Director of Student Advocacy
Huaermu Zhuoma Year: Sophmore Major: Business Administration Slate: Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
Jeremy Thurman Year: Sophmore Major: Computer Science Slate: Independent Candidate
David Alexander Contreras Year: Senior¬ Major: Graphics Design & Art Slate: Freedom Voice
Natalie Lim Year: Freshman Major: Political Science Slate: Students United for Progress
Jisoo Kim
Director of Outreach
Omzee Pitchford-Martinez Year: Junior Major: Graphic Design Slate: Students United for Progress
Director of Sustainability
Tafari Alan Year: Junior Major: Graphic design Slate: Students United for Progress
Girard Dela Roca
Lucas Alexis Regules Year: Freshmen Major: Political Science & Sociology Slate: Independent Candidate
Minh “Summer” Le Year: Sophomore Major: Business Economics Slate: Campus Empowerment
Brooke Harrington Year: Sophomore Major: Environmental Studies Slate: Students United for Progress
Hunter Baoengstrum Year: Freshman Major: Geography Slate: Students United for Progress Angel Rading
CULTURE
Jordan Peele Holds a Mirror Up to Us in “Us”
Saxophonist Kim Richmond and the K Project Band
Stan Misraje | Staff Writer
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Evan Minniti | Opinion Editor What do red jumpsuits, patriotism, Hands Across America, evil doppelgangers, throat stabbings, the end of the world, and Tim Heidecker all have in common? They all populate the world of Jordan Peele’s sophomore horror outing, “Us”. The film follows a middle class black family, the Wilsons, on vacation in Santa Cruz, California. The mother, Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o), is anxious about returning to Santa Cruz after a mysterious event in her childhood took place there. After a long, disappointing first day to their vacation, four identical clones of themselves appear in their driveway. What ensues is a violent, bloody, but often bitingly hilarious satire of race, class, and how Americans are taught to remember both societal and personal memories. Peele has outdone himself here. “Us” is scarier, funnier, and somehow more personal than his justifiably acclaimed 2017 debut “Get Out”. Functioning as a character study of both Adelaide and her doppelganger Red, “Us” allows Lupita Nyong’o to give the best performance of her career so far. Nyong’o effortlessly alternates between sympathetic, fearful, and downright sinister. This film is her film. Nyong’o carries “Us” from the moment she appears on screen, and her performance coupled with Peele’s smart
script is a marriage made in hell. She perfectly embodies not only the murderous struggle between Adelaide and Red, but also their bizarre case of yin and yang. The two child leads, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex, deliver admirable first performances where they too have to do a similar balancing act. Winston Duke and Tim Heidecker both provide a lot of laughs, but Duke brings more to the table (granted Heidecker has a much smaller role). Peele is excellent at tonal shifts. He knows when to provide comic relief, but he also knows how to lull the audience into a false sense of security. There are a few moments where Peele ambushes his seemingly, laidback comedic scenes with crimson slasher horror in a way that doesn’t come off as a cheap jump scare, but as a profoundly revolutionary development in horror-comedy. The film score, composed by “Get Out” alum Michael Abels, is critical to the tone of the film. Consisting of sharp string arrangements and high pitched operatics, the score creates a profoundly unsettling feeling. The score is anxietal, mirroring Adelaide’s fears. The ending of “Us” will leave you shattered. It is scary, funny and oh-so subtly moving. Don’t wait for Netflix, see it in theaters while you still can.
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Kim Richmond’s well earned notoriety stems from educating, arranging, and performing which puts him on par with some of the best. Some of his musical contributions include credits with Stan Kenton, Frank Sinatra Jr., Smokey Robinson, and many others. Part of Richmond’s success has been in writing film music. As an orchestrator, he worked in the music department for hit ‘80s TV show “Knight Rider.” For those who don’t remember, the show featured a talking car driven by TV icon David Hasselhoff. Contrary to this level of commercial success in film music, not all of Richmond’s acclaimed achievements are rooted in widescale commercial success; some are high culture. His band, the Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra, has rich textural elements one could normally expect to hear when listening to a composition somewhere between Duke Ellington and Wagner. “I never was in on the commercial end of, or the film end of, doing that with my orchestra,” says Richmond. On the subject of the future of acoustic and orchestral music in the film business, Richmond explained, “The whole recording industry has been affected greatly by electronics replacing acoustic music, and so I think everybody is feeling it from top to bottom and we just regret the fact that acoustic music is not in the forefront of film and TV music and soundtrack music, so it’s kind of a drag. But the last year it feels like it is coming back a little bit." Richmond’s career as a professional musician started to blossom with a perfor-
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mance on Eric Dolphy’s classic “Illinois Concert” (released on Blue Note). The opportunity to play reed instruments surfaced during Richmond’s final year at the University of Illinois. The performance not only elevated his career at an early age, but it also provided him with a critical learning experience. “I was trying to figure out some things on my own, and I never took classes in jazz or anything. There were not any classes,” says Richmond, then going on to describe the session with Dolphy's band that enhanced his musical education. “They were setting up with Eric’s group. I went over to the piano and was trying to find out these voicings, and the pianist came up to me from Eric's group and tapped me on the shoulder, I think he wanted to warm up, and said ‘you want me to show you some voicings.’” Richmond says that in the moment, he knew exactly what he was going after—"So he sat down at the piano and showed me a lot of stuff and that was Herbie Hancock. He was not well-known then. It was 1963. He really helped me in about 60 seconds, showing me some things that I have been looking for. He really took me to another plateau,” says Richmond with a grin. Richmond fuses the music of Hancock with his colleague, Kimberly Ford’s, expertise in the music of Joni Mitchell, and they develop some exciting combinations. Their group is called the K-Project Band, and they performed at Santa Monica College’s Performing Arts Center (PAC) on March 8, but will have future performances around the Santa Monica area for those who wish to check them out.
Kim Richmond, a member of the K-Project Band, performed at Santa Monica College’s Performing Arts Center on March 8, 2019.
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ENTERTAINMENT
A Spotlight on an All-Women's Car Show: "Yes, I do know how to drive a stick"
Mila Greenberg | Staff Writer
Linda Dannels left her 14-car garage on Saturday morning in her 1955 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday to attend the all women’s car show for her sixth time, unaware she’d be taking home an award that same day. The Automobile Driving Museum (ADM) in El Segundo hosted their sixth annual All Women’s Car Show and Vintage Fashion Exchange on March 23. Young women ate french fries from the Ruby’s Diner food truck, while others occasionally stopped by to compliment and admire a baby blue 1966 Ford Mustang. Meanwhile, other attendees rummaged through the countless racks of vintage dresses inside of the museum. Throughout history, the automobile has served as a symbol of masculinity. The freedom of the open road, the car's horsepower, driving stick shift, the technical know-how for restoration and tinkering—all of these experiences have predominantly been understood from the perspective of the male driver. Women, in contrast, were relegated to the passenger seat and have been the target of stereotypes that portray them as uninterested in cars and even as bad drivers. Dannels, a long-time participant in the all women’s car show, calls these stereotypes “BS.” Dannels explains that “If you look at the ads for cars back in the ‘50s, actually even today, they usually show a woman in the ad. Women have a lot of decision-making power when it comes to a car.” Dannels, along with 11 other women, won an award
“some women have never worked on a car, some women have, so we’re all learning together.” Many women agreed that this car show is all about inspiring other women and girls that they can do whatever they want to do, that they can be in the automotive business and be respected. Dannels doesn’t just wait around until March to show off her knowledge at the show, she likes to show it off year-round. “My Halloween costume is a witch on a broomstick and it says ‘yes, I do know how to drive a stick.’”
A woman shows off her 1966 Chevrolet engine in the lot of the Automobile Driving Museum on Saturday, March 23, 2019 in El Segundo, Calif. at the All Women’s Car Show and Vintage Fashion Exchange. (Mila Greenberg/The Corsair)
for having one of the “Top 12 Most Impressive Cars.” Not only did the event feature a car show with solely woman-owned cars, but it also shined a spotlight on an all-female restoration team. According to founding member Cynthia Hernandez, the team started last February when the ADM bought a mintcolored 1955 GMC pickup truck and “the museum thought it’d be fun if they got an all girls restoration team to restore it, so at this show last year they put out a sign-up sheet next to the old truck and anybody that
was interested could sign up.” Aimee Wyatt, another founding member of the team, explained how they started out with 20 women, but have gone down to “about 10-ish who show up on a regular basis, it’s a lot of work and some women are traveling from far and they have lives, you know.” Lisa Biggers, an Automotive Service Excellence Technician who works in a Hot Rod shop, is part of the core all-female restoration team who carries a wealth of information in her tool box. Hernandez explained that not everyone is as experienced as Biggers,
Linda Dannels stands next to her 1955 Oldsmobile Holiday 88 at the All Women’s Car Show and Vintage Fashion Exchange on Saturday, March 23, 2019, located at the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo, Calif. Dannels, who has attended the event for six years, proudly holds up her “Top 12 Most Impressive Cars” award. (Mila Greenberg/The Corsair)
Santa Monica Restaurants Validated by Return of Michelin Guide Theo Greenly | Staff Writer
Butcher Miguel Ortiz cuts into a 45-day dry-aged prime rib roast at the butcher shop inside of Belcampo Meat Company, Thursday, March 21, 2019, on Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica, Calif. Ortiz is one of two head butchers at this location, and has been working there for over two years. (Nicole Haun/The Corsair)
On the second floor of a brightly lit Santa Monica food court, a woman in a white chef’s coat and black apron slips behind an inconspicuous door marked ‘Private.’ Inside is Chef Dave Beran’s intimate restaurant, Dialogue. The 18-seat dining room, worlds away from the touristy food court just outside its door, offers a 20-course tasting menu for $225. Fine dining restaurants are on the rise in Santa Monica, and the world is paying attention. The Michelin Guide—widely considered the world’s most prestigious restaurant review guide—upset many Angelenos in 2010 when it abruptly stopped reviewing L.A. restaurants after only two years in the city. But the 2019 guide will cover the entire state of California, with many Los Angeles and Santa Monica restaurants in the running. Beran is a critically-acclaimed chef who worked at Alinea, a Michelin-starred Chicago restaurant whose menu includes edible helium balloons made from sugar, a salad presented in its own soil, and a lamb dish served with 86 accompanying flavor pairings. He opened Dialogue in 2017 and quickly became a major player in Santa Monica’s burgeoning restaurant scene. The kitchen staff moved with speed and
precision as they sliced vegetables in preparation for the night's service at Dialogue. “It’s this perfect little pocket right here,” Beran said as he listed off top restaurants in the neighborhood. “Obviously there’s the tourist spots, but outside of that there’s little gems tucked everywhere. I think it’s starting to fill in as an exciting dining scene.” The Michelin Guide books began in France in 1900 to provide chauffeurs with dining options to take their bosses. Since then, the guides have sold over 30-million copies: more than ‘The Betty Crocker Cookbook’, ‘The Joy of Cooking’ or ‘The Old Man and the Sea’. Joel Slabo is a manager at Belcampo, a restaurant and gourmet butcher shop that exclusively serves meat from its California farm. Slabo said that Michelin’s return is “ a good move forward for the dining scene as a whole. The west coast gets ignored a lot, and L.A. itself gets talked down on for not having much of a very good food scene.” Michelin’s former director, Jean-Luc Naret, told Esquire Magazine in 2010 that "the people in Los Angeles are not real foodies. They are not too interested in eating well but just in who goes to which restaurant and where they sit." But impressions are changing. At an event
for the Society of Professional Journalists last Wednesday, the executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, Norman Pearlstine, announced that “Los Angeles has become the food capital of the nation.” Inside the cozy interior of Dialogue, Beran said that Santa Monica “feels like early 2000s Chicago… when Chicago had its whole dining explosion... You had a few staples and known places, then all of a sudden over the course of three years, it exploded with all these restaurants and chefs.” The Michelin Guide rates restaurants on a three-star system. A single-star review can cement a restaurant’s reputation as worldclass; three stars can catapult it to international stardom. "There’s always gonna be people who... are slighted by the number of stars they get, and there are other people who are surprised by the stars they get. And, at the end of the day, that aspect of it really doesn’t matter," Beran said. "The fact is, there’s this globally recognized guidebook that looked at California and said ‘this is an area that had enough talent that it warrants more recognition.'" The Michelin Guide California 2019 will be released at an event in Huntington Beach in early June.
OPINION
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Eating Disorders Need To Be Addressed by the Education System Jackie Sedley | Staff Writer A class of middle schoolers forms a single-file line in front of a scale in the center of a gymnasium. Some look eager, others ambivalent. A few seem fearful. As students take their turns, a teacher announces numbers as if the children are about to begin a boxing match. And for some, this declaration does foreshadow an upcoming battle. As conventionally thinner girls and boys confidently compare numbers, one bigger-bodied student hides away in the corner, fighting with her inner critic and hoping none of her classmates jump into the ring as well. In middle schools across the country, the Body Mass Index (BMI) testing protocol plays out almost ceremoniously. Though Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims that the test intends to create a weight census and ensures privacy when collecting data, this is often not the case. As numbers are announced and peers generally praise each other for lower numbers, students are often left to look at their bodies in a critical way: potentially for the first time in their lives. BMI assessments are just one example of how body-centric our culture is, propagating an emphasis on physical appearance with little consideration for effects on mental health or self-esteem. A 2005 study conducted by Professor Dianne NeumarkSztainer of the University of Minnesota discovered that over half of teenage girls and nearly a third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors that
support the diagnosis of an eating disorder. As of now, while the United States offers grants to its schools for obesity prevention programs and nutrition education, none exist for eating disorder-based education or prevention programs. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, eating disorders affect roughly 30 million people yearly and have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness; it is unjustifiable that schools are not mandated to educate their students on these diseases. Equally shocking is the lack of screening programs on campuses designed to detect disordered behavior and offer treatment referrals. Eating disorders are about more than just the food. Eating disorders are about more than just the body. According to research conducted by the Johns Hopkins Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Program, the most common age of eating disorder onset is between 12 and 25 years old. With this in mind, society would benefit from eating disorder-focused programs at all levels of education. Within elementary and middle schools, this would ideally include body acceptance programs, the de-stigmatization of weight, teaching the signs of eating disorders, and offering means of seeking help. At the college level, screening programs should be accessible to all students, and courses concerning the psychology of eating disorders should be offered. Eating disorders can be triggered by a wide range of factors: genetics, trauma and sociocultural ideals, to name a few. Therefore, educational programs and screenings would allow those affected to more comfortably
address their struggles. For those who may not necessarily have an eating disorder but enact disordered behaviors or hold negative body image, early educational involvement has the potential to alter these attitudes. There are resources pertaining to diagnosis and care on Santa Monica College’s campus. The Health Services office has recently begun installing MindWise Innovations Kiosks on campus, a screening system for various addictions and disorders that will offer statistics about one’s diagnosis and resources to contact. Additionally, the Center for Wellness and Wellbeing offers psychological counseling and pamphlets for both outpatient and inpatient eating disorder
recovery programs. According to the Eating Disorders Coalition, every 62 minutes at least one person dies nationally as a direct result of an eating disorder. While education may not significantly reduce the rate of diagnosis, it could very well cause a decrease in the rate of death. And though everyone may not have an eating disorder, most people in society experience some degree of disordered eating or struggle with body acceptance. In order to develop a resiliency to a weight-obsessed, diet-enforcing culture, children must understand the consequences of striving to meet society’s unreachable expectations.
(à la, free public college tuition). While Sanders has been adamant about this campaign tactic, other candidates seem to shy away from campaigning to younger audiences. Younger voters became a controversial topic in considering whether targeting younger generations actually pays off in elections. Many believe that young people will show up to events and showcase their opinions, but will not actually show up at the polls to cast a ballot on Election Day. Unfortunately, many statistics have historically backed up this idea. According to electproject.org, voters aged 18-29 have the lowest turnout of any age group. In 2016, only 40 percent of this age group voted. 60 percent of 30-44 year olds, and nearly 70 percent of 45 and above voted. Clearly, the lowest voting rates are coming from young voters. This can all change. If younger voters can prove that they will legitimately vote, there’s no reason that the opinions of college students can’t be heard and honored by every single candidate in this election. What can be done so that college-aged students can both express
their opinions, wishes, and desires, and convince politicians that it is worth listening to them? Firstly, everyone should register to vote. Young people cannot possibly even begin to convince anyone that they will vote unless they are in fact registered. Additionally, if you are not yet 18, but will be by the time that the election rolls around, it should be of note that you can actually pre-register to vote beginning at age 16. Visit iwillvote. com to register! Second, students should work on what they’re good at! Utilize social media. An article on CNBC last week mentioned that social media executives working for Joe Biden’s (possible) upcoming campaign were pulling social media stats to advise Biden on appealing to young voters in his campaign. Social media is a platform, a center stage. Have a voice. Use it. Next, stay informed. Watch or read the news. Be able to hold your own in a conversation about political events. This is a pretty easy (and fascinating) way to impress
older voters and political aficionados. Knowing where the country actually stands on certain issues is also an important step before jumping in on the discussion. Get as involved as possible. Although this can seem daunting, you can start simple. This could be something as active as showing up to a rally, or as mellow as signing up for an at-home phone banking session (when the election is closer). Phone banking is a chance for you to speak with voters and inform them, and yourself, on the election. Additionally, phone banking also takes place over text now! It’s so easy, and you can do it from anywhere. Finally, get excited! Seriously. This election is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to work on the change that they want to see. Politics may seem intense at times, but elections are the time to actually have, and use, your voice. This is what Democracy is all about!
Illustration by Pyper Don Witt
Young People, Let's Use Our Voice!
Hazel Siff | Staff Writer As the 2020 election looms ahead, America is entering a sweet spot of time for young voters to express their interests, passions, and concerns. So far, there are 15 Democrats and one Republican who are in the running for President in our next election. Yes, that’s right: 15 Democrats. This is a chance for young people to express to those candidates what they want out of these politicians’ campaigns. This is the time to tell them what will get the younger generation’s vote. There are two very important components to this equation: first, express what is wanted, and second, actually commit to voting. Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist, is running again. A prominent argument amongst Democrats in Sanders’ 2016 campaign for the presidency was whether the younger generation of voters actually vote. Sanders has been known as the candidate that appeals to college-aged voters and has made many a campaign promise to this group while on the campaign trail
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SPORTS Repeat Winner in the 2019 Los Angeles Marathon ǀCORSAIR
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Blake Atwell | Multimedia Editor SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Kenya’s Elisha Barno dashed towards shining blue Los Angeles marathon tape with his arms extended. Barno won his second L.A. Marathon in three years, defeating fellow Kenyan John Korir by seven seconds for the closest finish in the 34-year history of the race. As Barno dropped to the ground in disbelief, he couldn’t help but smile. Korir knelt beside him with a Kenyan flag draped over his shoulders, and the two countrymen rose moments later as champions. Barno sped past Korir with 150 meters left and finished with a mark of two hours, 24 minutes and 11.83 seconds. 32-year-old Ethiopian Askale Merachi dominated the marathon’s final six miles and placed first on the women’s leaderboard with a record-setting time of two hours, 24 minutes and 11.83 seconds. Dating back to when the “Stadium to the Sea” course was put into place for 2009’s race, no runner has placed a faster time. Merachi took down Lidiya Grigoryeva’s previous record set in 2006 by almost one minute. Korir (2:11:52.29) and Mexico’s Juan Luis Barrios (2:11:59) rounded out the men’s top three. American Tyler McCandless (2:14:57) finished 11th. Behind Merachi, Kenyan Cynthia Jerop broke the finish line next (2:25:54.41). Lucy Karimi, also from Kenya, placed third (2:26:15.42). American
ings at Dodger Stadium, wheelchair and handcycle athletes starting just after 6:30 a.m. Professional women (6:45 a.m.), professional men (6:55 a.m.) and the rest of the marathon’s field took off next. Along the marathon route, athletes traversed through L.A. landmarks such as City Hall, Little Tokyo and the Dolby Theater. By close to 9 a.m., Barno and the other marathon leaders filed onto Ocean Avenue along the Pacific Ocean. A field of nearly Runner Laetitia Guyot (left) of Santa Monica, Calif. crosses the finish line at the 34th Los Angeles Marathon, Sunday, March 24, 2019, in Santa 24,000 runners feaMonica, Calif. Guyot finished with a time of 3:59:30.The 26.219 mile race began at Dodger Stadium and ended in Santa Monica. (Tanya Barces- tured elite athletes sat/The Corsair) from Mexico, Ukraine, Kenya and Lindsey Anderson finished sixth with a time 24.11 seconds. Kirui, age 30, won both the Ethiopia. More than 3,000 young athletes of two hours, 26 minutes and 16 seconds. 2016 and 2018 marathons. ran 2019’s marathon as part of Students Run Weldon Kirui of Kenya, who attempted In men’s and women’s wheelchair, Joshua LA (SRLA), an after-school fitness and wellto become the first athlete to ever win the Cassidy (1:31:47.67) and Katrina Gerhard ness program. L.A. marathon three times, earned fifth place (1:56:22.03) took home first place honors. with a time of two hours, 13 minutes and
Marathon participants began their morn-
A Cinderella Story for Corsair Basketball nament. Head Coach, Joshua Thomas was at the helm of this success, “I never played college basketball, I never played varsity high school basketball and I’m a college head coach,” said Thomas. He began his coaching career at Riverside City College under Hall of Fame Coach John Smith. “I really didn’t have any coaching experience. As a matter of fact, I had zero… but somebody gave me a chance, somebody gave me the opportunity and through the years I was able to grow and mature as a coach.” In just his second year at SMC, Thomas has turned this program around. “What (Front row, from left) Lucas Zeemen (#11) and the Santa Monica College Corsairs’ coaches Ben Doran, Devon Richardson, Head Coach Joshua Thomas and Justin Maidenberg at the CCCAA Men's Basketball Championship quarterfinals playing the City led to our success is, honCollege of San Francisco Rams at Ventura College on Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Ventura, Calif. The Rams beat the Corsairs, estly, one hundred percent 67-63. (Tanya Barcessat/The Corsair) the players, our staff…that’s Cristian Vasquez | Sports Editor joy, accomplishment, tears, and sweat. The really the big difference, we got players that Corsairs managed to jump back from a losing really fit my needs. They go to class, they From a 3-22 record in 2018 to a 20-12 season of just three wins to an unprecedent- are responsible students, responsible citirecord with a Regional Finals championship ed run in the playoffs this season that culmi- zens,” said Thomas. and an appearance in the Elite 8, the Santa nated in a loss in the quarterfinals against Many players had incredible stats this Monica College (SMC) men’s basketball College of San Francisco in the Elite 8 Tour- season. Sophomore Marcus Harris (#24) was team say goodbye to a season filled with
one of the leaders during the postseason. Harris put up 48 total points during their four postseason games, 20 of which he made against Riverside City College in the Regional Finals. Center, Kyle Young (#15) also made an impact this postseason, putting up 44 combined playoff points. Thomas awaits the conclusion of the March Madness Tournament in the following weeks, which will allow Division I and II schools to begin recruiting talent from schools like SMC. “All of our sophomores will sign, Marcus Harris, Kyle Young, Lucas Zemen (#11), Jordan Wilson (#5) …teams’ seasons are ending, teams are starting to shift their focus to recruiting so we have been dealing with a lot of phone calls and even meetings with coaches.” As his players prepare to continue their careers elsewhere, Thomas leaves them with words of motivation. “I always tell my students, ‘you guys are students first’, and you know, one day the ball is going to stop bouncing whether or not you choose to stop playing, or age, or health… I say the education is important. ... As long as you have that drive and you keep that motivation, I think anything is possible for anybody in this world, you can do anything that you want, you can be anything you want… if I could do it, these young men can do way more.