As we celebrate the arrival of May, and all the beauties of imminent summer in Southern California, we also cheer the beginning of Santa Monica College’s (SMC) “First Amendment Month.” Throughout the month of May, SMC will be hosting a variety of interactive and educational events on campus to celebrate and educate students on their freedom of speech, press, and to practice faith sans discrimination. It goes without saying, as students of SMC’s journalism program, the Corsair staff depends on the freedoms granted by the First Amendment daily, and we lean upon its protections to help us shine a spotlight on the issues we feel our readership deserves to see. Without the First Amendment, the United States would be thoroughly unrecognizable, and the entirety of the modern media establishment would wear a different face. Adopted in December 1791, along with nine other amendments that would constitute what we know as the Bill of Rights, freedom of speech and the press carried such an importance that it was placed first above all other concerns to the architect of the Bill of Rights, James Madison. Beyond freedom of speech, the Bill of Rights would influence the lives of Americans from its ratification until today, ensuring citizens a right to bear arms, a freedom of religious practice, and outlining the core tenants of our judicial system, as well as the separation of powers between Federal and State level politics. All things considered, the structure of our society depends on a synthesis of documents and revisions, from the Constitution to the Declaration of Independence. This synthesis laid the groundwork for a young and evolving society, but few individual tenants of law carry as much weight and impact on the overall direction of our nation as the freedom of expression, whether written, spoken, or practiced through faith. It is on the foundation of the First Amendment that citizens of the United States construct their views, and access their individuality without fear of government influence. The foundation of the First Amendment has at times been the envy of the world, but as of 2019, its appeal is in flux. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a nonprofit organization which ranks nations based on their level of press freedom, the United States’ press freedoms ranked 48 overall in 2019, down from 32 in 2013. An increasing distrust of the media, paired with an annual rise in religious based hate crimes, and rising doubts about the legality of whistleblowing, has left citizens unsure as to just how much the First Amendment protects them. It is imperative to the future of the United States as a democratic nation that the First Amendment remain strong, and regain its prominence within our society, or we risk a further devolution of core protections to the American identity. Through an individually robust understanding of the First Amendment, and further, the Bill of Rights as a whole, citizens should stand united against the degradation of their rights, and seek the most equal and complete treatment under the established law as is able, without exception. As Founding Father, and third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents. There is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves; nor can they be safe with them without information. Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe.”
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with just voices and body language alone. In a brightly-lit studio in To that point, Tanaka’s class Santa Monica College’s (SMC) emphasizes the power in awareCore Performance Center, ness and using one’s voice. She female students line up in front describes a student in her class of a bank of mirrors to stretch, who, at the start of the semeswarming up for a rigorous hour ter, “was barely able to do any and a half of self-defense inof the techniques. Wasn’t able struction. The 16-week, oneto participate. Couldn’t look credit course meets on Mondays any of her peers in the eyes, and Wednesdays, and teaches couldn’t really vocalize, and students practical, hands-on now she’s leading some of the methods to protect themselves classes and is a stronger female from assault. The class aims role model, because she’s to empower students to become allowed herself the challenge more aware, confident, and safe to be brave.” in the world. Matilda Loke, a business Jennifer Tanaka, who major enrolled in the class, teaches the class, has been seems to agree. “Halfway practicing martial arts for 20 through the class, I’m more years. “I started in martial arts aware of my surroundings and when my father passed away, I feel more safe because I know and I took it upon myself to my strength,” Loke said. defend myself because I didn’t At the end of the day, the have him to do that for me class is centered on bravery. anymore,” Tanaka said. Santa Monica College (SMC) students practice self-defense maneuvers in the Women’s Self Defense course, taught by Jennifer Tanaka Students must put their all into Tanaka began her training (back left), who has been practicing martial arts for 20 years, at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica. The course, KIN PE 41W, meets practicing to get the most out of it. at White Tiger, a kung fu studio twice a week for 1.5 hours, and also comes with a semester-long provisional membership at the Kung Fu studio White Tiger, where Tanaka The class offers students the oplocated near Westwood. She is a student along with fellow SMC Self Defense Professor Blaine Eastcott. (Evan Minniti/The Corsair) portunity to practice self defense became the studio’s first female in a safe environment, while perSabrina Lagos, a student in the class, day, and through the progression of 16 weeks, student to receive a black sash, the studio’s says that, “prevention-wise, I wanted to know be more confident, more self aware, and forming as though it were the real thing. highest rank. One of Tanaka’s fellow students what to do if I was in a certain situation. more brave than that first day,” Tanaka said. Young women have the chance to eliminate at White Tiger, Blaine Eastcott, who works Especially in college.” The National Center on Domestic and the shock factor of an actual attack, and to at SMC as a self defense instructor, recomUnderstanding how to defend oneself is Sexual Violence reports that Self Defense do so in a collaborative environment where mended Tanaka for a position at the college. a major concern on college campuses. Ac- classes offer an opportunity for women to it is okay to ask for help. She then taught her first class in 2018. “The ability to ask for help when you cording to the National Sexual Violence be prepared to slow down, stop, or entirely Students enrolled in Self Defense at SMC Resource Center, one in five female college avoid attack scenarios. A student-report based need it,” Tanaka said, “to be able to give that have a semester-long provisional membership students will experience sexual assault or examination done by Model Mugging, a self help when you can, is part of the new wave at White Tiger included in their tuition, which rape. Ninety percent of on-campus assaults defense school, revealed that 98.3 percent of the stronger female.” is an integral part of the class. Tanaka says Women's Self Defense can be found in go unreported, and 91 percent of sexual of the 60,000 graduates of said class have that her mission for the semester is to, “have assault and rape victims are women. not encountered an attack scenario at all. Of the SMC course catalog, titled KIN PE 41W. all the students have a basic knowledge and “I think the most rewarding thing is to the remaining 1.7 percent, there was an 80 There are three offerings for Fall 2019, taught understanding of self defense and have the see all the students who walk in on the first percent success rate of stopping assailants by both Tanaka and Eastcott. opportunity to train at White Tiger.”
Jon Rynn Offers Ambitious Vision for Green New Deal Michael Fanelli | Staff Writer Back in 2010, years before Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez caught the nation’s attention with her Green New Deal proposal, Jon Rynn was already pushing the plan. Students packed into a mid-size lecture hall at Santa Monica College (SMC) last week to hear Rynn speak about the Green New Deal as part of SMC’s Earth Week lecture series. The crowd overflow left many standing in the aisles. Rynn gained recognition with his 2010 book, “Manufacturing Green Prosperity: The Power to Rebuild the American Middle Class.” A doctorate in political science and a lifelong environmentalist, Rynn has been grappling with job growth and the environment for a long time. Rynn admitted that monied interests would pose a key challenge, and pondered whether it would be feasible to elect enough politicians who would support a plan like his. Rynn addressed the complexities of such
large scale legislation, but joked that if people can understand “the weird machinations of Game of Thrones,” then they can get this too. “Maybe I’m too much of an intellectual,” Rynn said, “but I like to think that ideas can actually move people.” While he celebrates the work of OcasioCortez and the youth-led Sunrise Movement for bringing the idea into the public discourse, Rynn notes that the congressional resolution is short on details. Rynn contends that his plan provides actionable items to make those goals a reality. The concept is named after Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal of the 1930s — a wide-ranging series of federally-funded infrastructure projects and programs that provided jobs and relief for millions of Americans in the wake of the Great Depression. A Green New Deal is a similar idea, a federal undertaking to raise prosperity, but with a focus on projects that address the contemporary issue of climate change. It
also aims to create more social equity through providing good-paying jobs for members of underserved communities. Rynn’s plan is six prong: it consists of three major interstate projects–an Interstate Renewable Electricity System, an Interstate High-Speed Rail System and Interstate HighSpeed Internet. On top of those, he proposes investments in energy-efficient buildings and urban structure, replacement of industrial machinery for cleaner manufacturing, and regenerative agriculture and restoration projects. Internationally, he suggests that first world countries provide industrial machinery to developing countries (to build their own Green New Deals) in return for agreeing not to destroy natural ecosystems. This exhaustive program would cost the federal government about $2 trillion a year, per Rynn’s estimation. The idea of increasing federal spending to accommodate such a massive program would be a non starter for many politicians. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham stated on Twitter, “The
Green New Deal will destroy the American economy.” On the other hand, a study published by the University of Chicago argues that programs that invest in green energy will actually save money. Rynn thinks it’s important to admit the cost of proposals like his, but to frame it the right way. He offers suggestions for how to pay for it, like creating a national infrastructure bank that creates money like private banks do, taxing the upper class and corporations, and reallocating military resources. “You’re investing in things that generate revenue,” Rynn said. “You’re going to have to go through a few waves of this, of explaining how it’s going to be possible. I don’t have all the answers for you, but I think that basically looking at it as an investment in the economy will make people more comfortable.”
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Democratic Candidate Brings Yang Gang to LA Eric Martinez | Staff Writer Trump supporters stood shoulder to shoulder with hardline Socialists, united in their cheer for their new hero. “Yang Gang, Yang Gang, Yang Gang!” The mantra erupted from the mouths of hundreds of supporters who stood in Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles on Easter Sunday to listen to the keynote speaker of the night, Democratic Primary Candidate Andrew Yang. Yang is a newer and lesser-known candidate in the 2020 race but has been slowly drawing support from both sides of the aisle. Although he is a Democrat, Yang’s platform aims to appeal not only to liberals and Democrats but to conservatives and Republicans as well. The rally featured a series of speakers followed by Yang himself, who addressed the cheering crowd. “We automated away 4 million jobs in the swing states,” Yang said, a fact that he attributes as the main reason for Trump’s win in 2016. Yang’s speech consistently tried to reach across party lines by calling out to both Democrats and Republicans in the audience and stating that he stood for the entire American people, not any one party. But Yang’s proposal for a Universal Basic Income is perhaps his most notable policy proposal. Yang’s plan, “The Freedom Dividend,” would give U.S. citizens $1,000 every month, a plan that Yang claims would be supported by historical figures such as Thomas Paine and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Indeed, Paine proposed a similar ideal in a 1795 pamphlet and Dr. King argued for a universal basic income in his book “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” Yang’s speech ended with a hopeful call to action for the audience to bring more people into the fold and increase Yang’s polling numbers. The atmosphere had the strange resemblance of a Trump rally mashed together with an Elon Musk press conference. Drones flew overhead while the speakers made inside jokes and flung curses at the rich and powerful. Part of Yang’s popularity stems from internet culture. Jake Epstein, a student at El Camino College, said, “I’ve been following Andrew Yang since the memes started popping up and then it just kind of snowballed into me showing up here.” Yang has been able to capture the power of the internet to galvanize supporters. Yet despite his connection to them, many like Epstein feel that he won’t win. "He has no chance whatsoever but you have to give support to someone who's actually trying," Epstein said. Though some consider Yang’s chances as nonexistent, there were plenty of supporters who see him as the candidate they always wished for. Janet Young, a volunteer for Yang’s campaign, feels that he will beat Trump if he can win the Democratic primary.
“[This is] the first time I’ve ever given or volunteered for a campaign, Young said. "I believe in him that much.” Young was not alone in being new to political organizing. Several of the volunteers were working on a campaign for the first time and even the event coordinators had never contributed before. Yang has his competition cut out for him. Beto O’Rourke visited Los Angeles last Saturday before a stop in Yosemite National Park to announce a massive Climate Change plan, and now that former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., has officially entered the already crowded race, newcomers like Yang face an uphill slog. But even in the crowded race for the Democratic primaries, Yang has been able to get people from all walks of life, ideologies, and political opinions to come out and support him, an undeniably impressive feat for someone with no political experience.
At Right: 2020 Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang supporters during the Humanity First Tour in Los Angeles on Monday, April 22, at Pershing Square Park in Los Angeles. (Yasamin Jafari-Tehrani/ The Corsair) Below: A poster of 2020 Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang held by supporters at the Humanity First Tour in Los Angeles on Monday, April 22, at Pershing Square Park in Los Angeles. (Yasamin JafariTehrani/ The Corsair)
2020 Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang during his visit to Los Angeles on Monday, April 22, at Pershing Square Park in Los Angeles. Yang expresses his concerns about the impact of Technology on labor and the job market in the years ahead, which requires a public policy that guarantees general prosperity despite mass joblessness. His promise on the issue is ‘universal basic income’ which offers American adults $1,000 a month. (Yasamin Jafari-Tehrani/ The Corsair)
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Swimming to State Championships Martha Ramirez | Staff writer Santa Monica College's (SMC) Men's Swimming team won the Western Conference championship on Saturday, April 20 at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center in Santa Clarita, California. SMC finished with 710.5 points, while Ventura College scored 621 points. This is the Corsairs' first conference championship since 1990. The Men's team won nine individual events and three relays. Matt Holt, who won both the 500-
yard freestyle and the 1650-yard freestyle, was awarded Swimmer of the Meet. Head Coach Brian Eskridge was also chosen as Western State Conference Coach of the Year. The Women's team won fourth place, improving from last year's seventh place finish. State Championships will take place this weekend, from May 2 to May 4. Six individuals and all five relays qualified on the men's side, while three individuals and four relays qualified on the women's side.
Alonso Escobedo from the SMC swim team practices for the upcoming State Championship in San Jose, Monday, April 29, at SMC in Santa Monica. (Yasamin Jtehrani / The Corsair) The SMC swim team prepares for the upcoming State Championships in San Jose, Monday, April 29, at SMC in Santa Monica. (Yasamin Jtehrani / The Corsair)
Sana Shoket from the SMC swim team practices for the upcoming State Championships, Monday, April 29, at SMC in Santa Monica. (Yasamin Jtehrani / The Corsair)
The Santa Monica College (SMC) swim team practices for the upcoming State Championships in San Jose, Monday, April 29, at SMC in Santa Monica. (Yasamin Jtehrani / The Corsair)
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Club Row Gets Marvelous Joshua Gonzalez | Staff Writer Loud, upbeat pop music, a variety of carnival-style games, and a peculiar half-dozen Spider-Man and Deadpool doppelgangers greeted students on the Santa Monica College (SMC) quad last Thursday. Although admittedly a confusing sight to the uninformed, it didn’t take long for student representatives to pitch their clubs to those who lingered around for the festivities. The Inter-Club Council (ICC) held its 97th biannual Club Row event on April 25. For years, Club Row has been a fixture to SMC’s spring and fall semesters as a promotion opportunity for nearly 70 clubs on campus, and as an avenue for students to socialize and have fun. The significant number of clubs on campus meant competition was fierce. Clubs had to exercise different strategies with their respective booths to entice the most students. While most clubs opted for the tried and tested trio of food, flyers, and freebies, others took a more creative and interactive mindset. The usual suspects took an unusual approach, like the Art Club’s henna tattoo stations, and the Music Club’s live performances; but some STEM clubs also engaged attendees with creative flair. The Astronomy Club booth was decked out with model rockets and physics devices such as Newton’s Cradle and magnetic levitators, all flanked by rocket standees decorated with photos from the Avengers films. Kimberly Lopez, Vice President of the Astronomy Club, explained that they were trying to do their best to recruit new members during this Club Row because of their plans to provide more opportunities for their members going forward. “We’re starting to get internships from JPL [NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory] and other space agencies,” Lopez said. According to the JPL’s website, their internship is a mentoring process wherein “students are partnered with JPL scientists or engineers.” Lopez went on to point out their club’s “hands-on learning” focus would be a beneficial precursor to the internship
process. A crowd stood at the Robotics Club’s interactive booth and watched two students holding controllers. Eager to get a prize, the duo was intensely focused on trying to stack as many cones as they could with their robots. Robotics Club President Ebony Warren also said that they were intent on recruiting new members because of their plans to represent SMC in robotics tournaments. “We’re planning on joining competitions next fall. We’re actually looking for donations to get the parts that we need. We wanna start a university team, we’re just trying to raise the funds for that,” she said. Despite the effectiveness of these eye-catching attractions, some clubs chose to rely on traditional, active methods of reaching out to the students themselves. One of these clubs was Students Supporting Israel (SSI). SSI members draped in Israeli flags walked along the quad, many holding pro-Israel signs, actively trying to raise awareness for their cause. SSI Social Media and Marketing Director Abigail Yosian explained their approach to this semester’s Club Row. “We’re engaging people in conversation,” said Yosian. “We’re asking them if they know anything about Israel. We offer a lot of free merchandise with Israeli slogans on them. We offer a lot of pamphlets…we are here to be a pro-Israel voice on campus. We promote peace, we promote coexistence, and we promote unity,” Yosian added. While the numerous clubs on campus may have taken different approaches, they all shared expressions of gratitude and enjoyment for the ICC’s organization of the event. “It’s really cool to see all the other clubs kind of unite and just show appreciation for your club, and just show awareness of what the clubs are,” Lopez said back at the Astronomy Club. Nathan Silberberg, the Communications Officer for ICC, was pleased at the event’s boisterous enthusiasm. “It’s been beautiful,” said Silberberg, who had spent most of his morning setting up the event with his fellow ICC officers. “Every club is here representing and I’m so happy."
Student volunteers representing the Art Club give a temporary stenci at Santa Monica College. (Oskar Zinnemann/The Corsair)
Student bystanders are deeply immersed in a game of Jenga outside of the Anthropology Club during Club Row Spring 2019 on Thursday, April 25, at Santa Monica College. (Oskar Zinnemann/The Corsair)
Students from the Robotics Club demonstrate the capabilities of ba Santa Monica College. (Oskar Zinnemann/The Corsair)
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A student from the Astronomy Club prepares a rocket display at their booth during Club Row Spring 2019 on Thursday, April 25, at Santa Monica College. (Oskar Zinnemann/The Corsair)
il tattoo with an airbrush to a fellow student during Club Row Spring 2019 on Thursday, April 25,
asic robot models during Club Row Spring 2019 on Thursday, April 25, at
Toby Kamish (center), a member of both SMC's Chabad Club and Students Supporting Israel, joins in on an impromptu ‘Palestinian-style’ dance, or ‘dabke,’ started by Hesham Jarmakani (left) and other students from Students for Justice in Palestine, during Club Row Spring 2019 on Thursday, April 25, at Santa Monica College. (Oskar Zinnemann/The Corsair)
A sergeant from the Santa Monica College Police Department (SMCPD) tries his hand at a high-striker game, courtesy of the Associated Students (AS) during Club Row Spring 2019 on Thursday, April 25, 2019 at Santa Monica College. (Oskar Zinnemann/The Corsair)
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Does Stacks House Stack Up?: Pop-Up Museum "Teaches" Financial Literacy Martha Ramirez | Staff Writer Four punching bags sway gently in a large, white-brick room. Rows of bright yellow boxing gloves adorn the adjacent wall, waiting to be put on. In the corner, a makeshift boxing ring stands, beckoning passersby to "get off the ropes" and "knock debt out." This is not an actual training gym. It is the Debt Boxing gym – the first room in the latest pop-up museum, Stacks House, to hit Los Angeles. The pop-up, aimed at educating young women on financial literacy, opened its doors on April 17. According to their official website, Stacks House claims to be "a ground-breaking experiential pop-up with a purpose, designed to promote financial independence and help close the gaps between women and wealth in America." Stacks House is the brainchild of financial guru, Farnoosh Torabi, and marketers, Kindra Meyer and Patience Ramsey. In an article published in Refinery29, Meyer and Ramsey both recall growing up with financial difficulty and cite their families' struggles as the motivation for creating Stacks House. Rather than addressing the political and societal structures that form wealth inequality, however, Stacks House merely relies on trite, pop-feminist slogans to offer the illusion of empowerment. In a press release, Meyer stated, "We want to show women that wealth-building
Tarpley Hitt rides a mechanical piggy bank at Stacks House on Tuesday, April, 16, in Los Angeles. This room encourages attendees to ‘Take the reins’ of their financial future. (Danica Creahan / The Corsair)
doesn't have to be boring…We're making financial literacy simple, sexy and social." "There's a lot of financial content out there," a spokeswoman for Stacks House said, "but it's overwhelming, it's dry, it's not written in a way that speaks to women… So we're changing the conversation."
Inside Stacks House’s ‘Debt Boxing Gym,’ the opening photo-op room inside the new walk-through pop-up experience, Tuesday, April 16, in Los Angeles. Stacks House focuses on money and teaches on subjects such as financial literacy through various rooms like this one. (Danica Creahan / The Corsair)
Attendees are encouraged to walk through several money-themed rooms, such as the Debt Boxing Gym, where you can "knock out your debt aggression," and the Retirement Rodeo, where you can ride a mechanical piggy bank in order to "learn the value of compound interest." Between the two are the Money Showers, where attendees can enter stalls and "shower" themselves with money. "It's also visually meant to evoke abundance," the spokeswoman said. "Women should want a lot of money. That's okay." Though the exhibits are advertised as interactive learning opportunities, in reality, they're merely photo-ops for Instagram. With advice such as "buy fewer green juices" and "do your own manicures," Stacks House seems less concerned with providing actual financial information for young women and more concerned with attracting the attention of Instagram influencers. Paradoxically, though attendees are encouraged to save money, Stacks House also wants attendees to visit their Gold Bar and drink to their personal financial victories. Even more brazenly, after telling women that one way to save money is by doing their own nails, Stacks House also offers a 10% discount for mani/pedis at a neighboring salon. Perhaps the most comically grotesque aspect of Stacks House is its complete lack of self-awareness. Located in downtown Los Angeles, in an area that is on the cusp of gentrification, the juxtaposition between the pop-up and the surrounding area is an inadvertent representation of the widening
wealth gap in America. This is not the financial district, where gleaming buildings stretch into the sky. It is not LA Live, where elegant restaurants and hotels dot the streets. A handful of blocks north of Stacks House, the landscape transforms from breweries and art galleries into all-too-familiar sights: rows of tents where homeless Angelenos live, run-down truck repair shops, an older man pushing his ice cream cart along graffitied streets. Stacks House regurgitates the oft-repeated lie that simply working hard and believing in yourself will stave off financial hardship. It never addresses the institutional reasons behind wealth inequality nor does it offer any legitimate financial advice. The only valuable lesson Stacks House teaches is how not to spend $38. For students interested in increasing their financial literacy, Santa Monica College (SMC) has a wealth of resources available. In addition to several free workshops on personal finance, SMC offers several relevant classes, including Financial Planning for Students, Introduction to Investments, and Income Tax Preparation. The business department has also compiled a list of online resources, including budgeting tools, a student loan calculator, and advice on managing credit. The final personal finance workshop of the semester will take place on Thursday, May 9, during activity hour. Students may contact Professor Jenny Resnick for more information.
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Endgame:
Courtesy of Marvel
The Avengers Legacy Snaps to Conclusion Josh Hogan | Staff Writer "Avengers: Endgame" opened in local theaters April 25, breaking box office records. A staggering earning of $1.2 billion worldwide was reported as of Sunday morning, as thousands of movie theater chains scrambled to add more showtimes to accommodate ticket demands. Leading into the highly anticipated opening weekend members of the cast including Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow) and
For once it feels like there is no coming back. 'I keep telling everybody they should move on and grow. Some do. But not us.'
Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), along with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, were honored with the placing of their handprints in cement in front of the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on April 23. The world-wide red carpet premiere at the LA Convention Center, where thousands of fans from around the world camped out to catch a glimpse of the cast. The El Capitan theater kept the enthusiasm going by offering a 65 hour Marvel movie marathon, screening all 21 Marvel movies leading up to "Avengers: Endgame." The three-hour Marvel film did not disappoint. This movie is everything audiences hoped for and more. Rotten Tomatoes is giving it a 96 percent approval rating, and CinemaScore gave it an A+. On opening night, audi-
ence members could not keep quiet. They were gasping, yelling, sighing, and cheering at every turn. Fans nodded at every detail as Marvel tied up loose ends from previous storylines and filled in blanks that were left in each character's timeline. This film had the audience so engaged and connected that three hours passed in no time, and not one person in our sold-out mega-theatre left their seat for a bathroom break. Without giving too many spoilers, the movie picks up after last year’s "Avengers: Infinity War.' Thanos, the supervillain, destroys half the population of the universe including several Avengers, using the "infinity stones" and the snap of his fingers. The superhero group is left defeated and grieving the loss of friends and family. For once it feels like there is no coming back. "I keep telling everybody they should move on and grow. Some do. But not Courtesy of Shutterstock
us." says Steve Rogers early in the movie. Sadness, anger, and resentment fill the lives of the heroes as they try to move on with their lives amid what seems to be Thanos’s victory. However, the story picks up a glimmer of hope amid the misery. In "Infinity War's "last scene we saw Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) disintegrating, as he sent a signal to Captain Marvel just before he turns to dust. In "Avengers: Endgame," Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) answers his call and shows up to help the remaining defeated Avengers. There are some truly hilarious scenes involving the lifestyle that one Avenger has adopted to cope with his loss. There are also reappearances of former key and beloved characters. As an audience member, to be surprised by this was a huge part of the experience. The twists will have you invested in this movie from the start, although it does help if you see "Avengers: Infinity War" first. The impressive presence, camaraderie, and roles of the many female superheroes will also have you cheering. To quote the late Stan Lee, “Excelsior!” and thank you, Marvel!
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LA Celebrates the Life of Nipsey Hussle Catherine Lima | Staff Writer A young woman on the 757 Los Angeles Metro bus headed south from Hollywood watches a music video of late rapper Nipsey Hussle in which his killer is seen next to him. “It really be ya own people sometimes,” she says as she shakes her head from side to side. This is one of the many reactions of the community members in South Central Los Angeles after Hussle was fatally shot in front of his clothing store on Sunday, March 31. Nipsey Hussle, born Ermias Joseph Asghedom, the rapper didn't follow the paths of other artists who rose to fame and moved out of their humble beginnings. He stayed faithful to his community and was determined to build it up by acquiring real estate on Slauson Ave. and Crenshaw Blvd. Here, he opened up his clothing store, The Marathon, selling clothes that promote the Crenshaw community. Hussle’s plans for further improving the community included his support for Destination Crenshaw. According to their website, Destination Crenshaw will include community gathering spaces, landscape and street improvement, and hundreds of locations for commissioned artwork. It
will be a 1.3 mile long outdoor cultural experience that celebrates the black community of Los Angeles. Marqueece Harris-Dawson, District Eight Councilmember of the City of Los Angeles, is a public partner of the Destination Crenshaw program. In a statement, Harris-Dawson mentions that Hussle was an icon and West Coast hero for his support in the
program. He also adds: “As a father, brother and son, Nipsey was a rock helping to build an empire that will continue through generations. Nipsey will always be remembered
for delivering a pure, authentic Los Angeles sound; his numerous philanthropic efforts; his innovative, community-focused business mindset; and his humble heart.” At the intersection of Slauson and Western Ave., Elisha Bryant and Shedric Hunter share their support by selling T-shirts of the late rapper. On the front, a side profile of Hussle with the year of his birth and the year
Illustration by Pyper Witt
of his death. Bryant said, “A lot of times people have been rapping, but they haven’t been saying
anything and what he was saying was such unity. It was life-changing. I mean, we’ve had people come out here and buy shirts from babies in strollers to people in their nineties, who actually get it.” Thousands of members of the community went out to support his family during the funeral procession that was held after his memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on Thursday, April 11. At the intersection where the fatal shooting occurred, community members of the Crenshaw District waited patiently for hours to see his hearse pass through. To get a clear view, some climbed the traffic lights, others sat on top of their cars and some even stood on rooftops. As the hearse came rolling through, the crowd cheered and chanted in unison, “Nipsey! Nipsey!” “As an elderly black man and having seen America over a period of approximately 75 years, I think the man was like a light in the dark,” said Hunter. “And when you turned that light on, it not only lit up the whole room. He lit up the whole entire world. That was his mission on Earth. When have you ever seen something like this in your lifetime?”
There is Actually an International Emergency...It’s Called Climate Change
Illustration by Pyper Witt
Hazel Siff | Staff writer Climate change is wreaking havoc on the planet. Climate scientists have adjusted the "point of no return date" from 2100 to 2050. The U.N. has announced that they know for sure that arctic temperatures will have risen at least three to five degrees Celsius (37-41 degrees Fahrenheit) by then, with devastating effects globally. Despite its imminent importance, climate change seems to be a topic that drifts breezily through media headlines, only brought to the public’s attention when another big disaster happens. The disasters are not going to stop. In fact, they are only going to occur more often. Climate change is permanent news, it is the emergency of the century, and it is an international one. Droughts. Wildfires. Earthquakes. California disasters alone have cost the
country billions of dollars in repairs in each of the past four years, according to National Geographic. And that's just in California. Las Vegas is just one of many heavily inhabited areas that cannot continue to sustain pumping water. America is still reeling from the devastations of recent hurricanes, including those in Puerto Rico and North Carolina. These are only a few of the recent catastrophic natural disasters in the US. The Earth is going through a man-made mass extinction, the Holocene Extinction. Fifty percent of individual animals have been lost since 1970 according toThe Guardian. Sharks—which survived the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction that killed the dinosaurs— are going extinct because of humans. Elephants? Giraffes? On the way out. The ocean is acidifying. Reefs are dying. Ice caps are crashing down. Islands are drowning. Humankind is rapidly approaching either an end or a massive change. However, at the presidential
level, change is not only not happening, environmental actions have in fact hugely regressed under Trump’s administration. A basic search on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website shows that there has been no new data provided on carbon emissions in the United States since 2017, shortly after President Trump took office. While this may be unsurprising, it is also ludicrous and absolutely unacceptable that Americans are restricted from access to crucial information paid for by their very own tax dollars. An April 17 “Message From the Future,” published by The Intercept and narrated by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, illustrates a brief history of America’s understanding of and actions towards climate change. The video begins by illustrating that Exxonmobil, one of just 100 corporations that contribute 71 percent of global carbon emissions (according to the Carbon Majors Report), spent the 1970s and 80s researching climate change. Exxon gained understanding of the emitters of greenhouse gases, and reported it to the government. The oil corporation then subsequently invested millions of dollars in covering up this information, painting climate change, which was then called global warming, as a hoax. Why would big companies like Exxon not care about their own planet melting into ruins? Because big businesses are making big dollars in taking down the environment, one natural disaster at a time. No matter how high gas prices get, Americans will likely keep paying those prices. No matter how
many forests are knocked down to host methane-producing cows, Americans are still buying burgers from McDonald's. The current generation might not get a chance to raise their children, but hey, at least these companies get to make billions right now! However, there is an alternative. OcasioCortez fast-forwards to what a future under the Green New Deal (GND) would look like. This deal is the real deal. GND would bring new jobs to America, jobs that focus on having the entire country produce power with the use of sustainable energy sources. Transportation would be overhauled, with electric cars replacing gas-powered ones. GND is a comprehensive plan for the functioning of the entire country, complete with a higher minimum wage, greater job security, affordable housing, and free higher education. The changes need to happen now. Turning off your lights when you leave the room is far from enough at this point. Small changes are not going to save the planet. America is a democracy, and though the power of a vote can sometimes be lost in translation, your ballot is still powerful. The 2020 election is coming, and many major candidates, including Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, and Elizabeth Warren, have pledged their support for the Green New Deal. Do your research, and cast your ballot with care. Do not stop learning everything you can about climate change. Knowledge is power, and so is understanding that climate change is permanent news.
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SPORTS Santa Monica College Police Department Raises
ǀCORSAIR
THE
Money for Special Olympics Over Breakfast
Cristian Vasquez | Sports Editor The Santa Monica College Police Department (SMCPD) left their daily routine of vigilance for a morning of aprons, coffee, eggs and pancakes. SMCPD teamed up with the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) to raise money for the Southern California Special Olympics on Tuesday, April 23. The event was held at The OP Café, where customers gathered in the small 37 seat restaurant as SMCPD Chief Johnnie Adams and his staff served up warm cups of joe. OP Café general manager, Ron Knoll aided the officers and supervised his staff to ensure the fundraiser went well. “We are donating 20 percent of the proceeds. Officers are helping to serve and were just having a lot of fun raising money for the Olympics, which is a very special project for the chief of Santa Monica College PD. I used to do this in college so it kind of brings back old memories. You know for
me, it’s nice to engage with the community. Not only do I see people from Santa Monica College, but I actually see some people from the neighborhood too and I think that’s important since we’re basically neighbors,” said Chief Adams. Captain Vince Carter was among those officers serving up smiles. “When you do this type of event, when you’re helping someone out for a good cause, it just makes you happy inside. I think we need to do more of this. Sometimes we just have to take a deep breath and remember what’s important, giving back is important,” said Carter This was the first year that SMCPD partnered up with LETR thanks mainly to Chief Adams. He had participated in similar fundraising events with past departments and felt the need to bring it to the SMC community. Representatives from the LETR set tables in front of the café with information regarding their cause to
Santa Monica College Police Officer Albert Echeverria serves breakfast to customers during the SMC Police Department fundraiser for the Southern California Special Olympics, at The OP Café on Tuesday, April 23, in Santa Monica. (Tanya Barcessat / The Corsair)
At Left: Former Special Olympians Eddie Mack (left) and Ryan Jay Muir eat breakfast at The OP Café on Ocean Park Ave. to support the Santa Monica College Police Department fundraiser for the Southern California Special Olympics, at The OP Cafe on Tuesday, April 23, in Santa Monica. (Tanya Barcessat / The Corsair)
raise money for the Special Olympic games. “We have a partnership with law enforcement, and this is the first year we have collaborated with Santa Monica College Police Department,” said representative Laura Mayo. Three athletes were on scene savoring a warm egg breakfast. Track runner Eddie Mack, bowler Ryan Muir, and bowler, swimmer, and runner Jordan Nicole Wall sat outside the café greeting customers as they entered. “On my birthday it is going to be 36 years [of competing in the Olympics],” said Mack with a smile. Wall was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of four and said her motivation comes
from, “Kids with special needs, kids who have leukemia cancer. I had that since I was younger.” The Special Olympics were founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of former President John F. Kennedy and senators Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy. That same year, the first ever Special Olympics were held in Chicago. The games are held every two years with alternating summer and winter games. The 2019 games were most recently held from March 14-21 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The 2021 games are set to take part in Sweden.
A Season of Turnaround for New Head Coach Kelly Ledwith Deshawn Pouper | Staff Writer After being promoted as interim head coach seven games into the 2017 season, Kelly Ledwith has accepted to become the official Head Coach of The Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs football team for
the 2019 season. Ledwith got his start at Fresno State as a student assistant. His first coaching job was at Cal Lutheran University. After that he went on to have four other coaching jobs, which included a stop back at Fresno State as a graduate assistant.
Coach Kelly Ledwith (center) runs drills with Santa Monica College football players on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at Santa Monica College. (Deshawn Pouper/The Corsair)
After a 4-6 record in 2018, Coach Ledwith noted that the past season was a "total rebuild" only having 12 Sophomores and 85 Freshmen on the team that suited up. This left him with what he pointed out was "basically an entire new team.” Ledwith admits that a few games got away from the team last season, but feels optimistic about the team’s ability to learn from those losses. Going forward through spring training, Coach Ledwith and the Corsairs have 74 players that are actively on the roster from last season and players who are waiting to finish transferring to SMC. There are also hopes of filling out the roster with 15-30 recruits to make the team more diverse and experienced. Last spring coach Ledwith had 11 recruits, which wasn't enough as there were other holes to fill at other positions on the team. While the coach does want to find as many good recruits as he can, he also wants to be able to fit the team needs, and the needs of the program. In the past, The Corsairs have held events like Super Saturday, where they host recruits and their parents to be shown around the
campus, facilities, and the program. Super Saturdays are for the recruits to get a feel for the campus and experience what the SMC football program has to offer. The continuity has helped coach Ledwith in his day-to-day operations. Last spring as interim coach, he was able to get jerseys, helmets, and other equipment without knowing the team's needs or budget. Now that he's familiar with SMC’s class system, he can help direct his players to campus resources. Having a number of returning players is an advantage for the football team. "We've got players at every position this spring which wasn't the case in previous years," said Ledwith. The team can look forward to developing their strength and skills which Coach Ledwith accredits to the number of assistants on his staff. Their annual Spring Mix-Up will be held on Wednesday, May 29 at the Corsair Field where the offense will take on the defense.