WEDNESDAY MAY 23, 2012
VOLUME 103 ISSUE 13
THE MILLENNIAL ISSUE FIRST COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25C
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa we Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
thecorsair
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CONTENTS
EDITORIAL STAFF
Nathan Gawronsky ··············Editor-in-Chief corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com Nathalyd Meza ·················· Managing Editor corsair.managing@gmail.com Andy Riesmeyer ······················· News Editor corsair.newspage@gmail.com Amber Antonopoulos ··Health + Life Editor corsair.lifestylepage@gmail.com Jacob Blackoff·························· A & E Editor corsair.calendarpage@gmail.com Mia Shilpi ······························ Opinion Editor corsair.opinionpage@gmail.com Paul Alvarez ···················· Multimedia Editor corsair.multimedia@gmail.com Michael Yanow ························· Photo Editor Anisa El-Khouri ······················· Photo Editor corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com David J. Hawkins ························Web Editor corsair.webeditor@gmail.com Nathalyd Meza ······················· Design Editor Alfredo Avila ····························· Design Staff Elham Sagharchi ·······················Design Staff corsair.designteam@gmail.com Jhosef Hern ·································Illustration corsaircartoon@gmail.com S T A F F W R I T E R S Yair Avila, Vanessa Barajas, Christian Carrillo, Peter Cheng, Chelsea Cobbs, Faye Crosswhite, Henry Crumblish, Sarkis Ekmekian, Melina Flores, Dylan Futrell, Chavi Gourarie, Erica Gunn, Robert Gutierrez, Justin Hinton, Tea Jovanovic, Luana Kasahara, Brigette Martinez, Zoryana Melesh, Samantha Perez, Mai Sims, Susanna Svensson, Christinia Sziatinszsky, Cinthia Vera, Israel Villacota, Sophia Villegas, Nadine Weiland PHOTOGRAPHERS Jose Balderas, Daniela Berzuini, Jeff Cote, Sydney Forneret, Marine Gaste, Adrian Galicia, Carrie Jesenovec, Ian-Thomas Kagihara, Asta Karalis, Linda Konde, Guy Mokia, Michael Price
adriangalicia Student life.
FACULTY ADVISORS Saul Rubin Gerard Burkhart AD INQUIRIES (310)434-4033 corsair.adconsultant@gmail.com
Tackling an issue for Millennials Nathan Gawronsky Editor-in-Chief
This semester has been one of the most tumultuous experiences of my educational career in journalism at Santa Monica College. What started as a seemingly normal semester of the usual news stories about the troubles students face over parking, fees, late nights and daunting midterms, turned into a media circus over the district’s controversial Contract Ed program. Suddenly there were daily student protests, a chaotic pepper-spraying incident that caught the attention of the national media, and an atmosphere of vociferousness among the community. For this special issue, The Corsair decided to examine the current generation, commonly known as “Generation Y” or “The Millennial Generation.” Within this issue, we’ve explored, to the best of our ability, the struggles and triumphs of a generation clamoring to find its own way amid turbulent global changes in society, technology, and culture. The Millennial Generation, which can be summed up as anyone born between the mid-80s and the late-1990s, is a unique generation is many respects. In many ways, this is a generation that has no precedent or equal like it. Born at the crossroads between a world with no Internet and suddenly ubiquitous connectivity, the current generation stands to inherit a world that bears little resemblance to any other time in history. This, however, while valid to a great degree, is not entirely true. While putting this issue together, Andy Riesmeyer, our News Editor, Nathalyd Meza, our Managing and Design Editor, and I visited the library on the main campus to sort through The Corsair’s archives, to find front pages from pivotal points in history. We chose landmark events that shook the world,
triumphs and tragedies that left indelible marks upon the generations that experienced them. But while going through the archives and reading articles written by journalists from years past, we came to see that the issues facing us today are hardly new. It left us with the distinct impression that we were reliving history in a very active sense. I couldn’t help but wonder where the journalists who wrote for The Corsair all those years ago were right now; what careers had they chosen? How many are alive, and how many have passed on? Did they imagine that we, the students of 2012, would be facing some of the very same problems they faced while they were reporters in school? In an issue of The Corsair from September 27, 1978, the SMC president at the time said that tuition might be only a year away. Surely, students today will laugh at the innocence of those times, and how far we’ve fallen from that gilded age. But consider for a moment that in that very same issue from ’78, it was reported that students were struggling to find parking, just as we do today. The Associated Students, it was reported on May 13, 1970, delayed their elections four times due to publicity issues connected to the A.S. election, and eight days of protests at SMC that were a reaction to the Kent State Ohio shootings on May 4, 1970. Looking at these articles, barely a week after our own publication cataloguing the problems that plagued the recent A.S. elections, and the weeks of coverage over students being pepper-sprayed on April 3 and the weeks of on-campus protests that followed, the sense of reliving history was visceral. The best thing I can do for this page is to write what will serve us not only for today, but also for posterity. As so-called Millennials, the access we have to history at our fingertips is virtually instant. Having the ability to relive history in the sense I’ve described above can give us a renewed sense of purpose in our generational struggle. To use music as a comparison, there are no new notes—only new combinations and interpretations of them. While this modern age may seem to be changing on a daily basis, and on a global scale, the issues we face are, for the most part, just variations on a past theme.
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
Millennials and the American Dream Peter S. Cheng STAFF WRITER
Olivia Dillard, a 21-year-old nursing student at Santa Monica College, says she once had a dream for the way her life would work out. She planned on finishing school and landing a job to buy a home. She dreamed of marriage, kids and maybe getting a dog. Dillard’s idea of the dream was a common one but now, she may be rethinking her plans. New studies about the emerging Millennial generation’s perception of the American Dream are showing that Dillard might not be alone in her skepticism. Santa Monica College Chair of Philosophy and Social Science, Christine Schultz, sees the Millennials, who are currently in there twenties, as a blindly optimistic generation. “They believe in the American dream, they are idealists,” she says. “But they don’t have much concern for their long-term futures or home buying.
They assume it’s going to happen.” In some ways, this up-and-coming group of adults are more prepared than any other American generation - they are the most educated so far. According to the Pew Research Center, a Washington DC based non-profit think tank, 54 percent of Millennials have some college education, slightly edging out their Generation X older siblings at 49 percent, and blowing away their Baby Boomer parents at 36 percent. This high education rate is partly due to the Great Recession, Schultz says. With fewer jobs available than in previous emerging generations, Millennials have more limited options beyond continuing education after high school. Schultz also thinks that the birth control pill has a lot to do with the Millennials’ penchant for success. She characterizes them as, “the first generation of truly wanted children.” Schultz adds that the
smaller families provide more resources and encouragement from their parents than previous generations. Pew’s study also shows that the Millennials don’t view themselves as particularly hard workers. Young people are the only group that doesn’t consider “work ethic” as a distinguishing factor of their generation, according to a 2010 report. Despite this, they still mirror older generation’s values in many ways, with being a good parent ranking as their most important goal. According to Shultz, Millennials are a highly educated group but with mediocre work ethic. Shultz says that one of the main concerns among Millennial job seekers is time off. In a poll conducted by ABC News and Yahoo in September 2010 only half of the population believed hard work yields success. Only 43 percent believed that this version of the American Dream was ever true. Better-educated people were more enthusiastic than others perhaps explaining why these young well-educated cohorts remain confident of their future success despite the current harsh economic environment. Dillard says that she’s skeptical of following her original path because she worries some get caught in a life they don’t want. She cites changing cultural norms and an increasing divorce rate as evidence. US census data shows that many young women are now waiting longer to marry as the percentage of unmarried women between 25 and 29 years old has increased from 27 to 47 percent between 1986 and 2009. However, Dillard is not completely negative when talking about the American Dream. She still thinks it is possible to achieve wealth and power from humble beginnings but admits it takes a combination of hard work, discipline and luck.
NEWS Effort and a college diploma no longer provide a guarantee of a success career, she says. Dillard was much more skeptical about her future job prospects before changing her major from communications to nursing. A new Rutgers University report, “Chasing the American Dream: Recent college Graduates and the Great Recession” paints a less optimistic picture of the future outlook for Millennials. Data from the study shows that only one fifth of young adults believe they will have more success than their parents. One out of three believe that, “hard work and determination are no guarantee of success,” and a quarter believed that “success in life is pretty much determined by outside forces.” Twenty-one-year-old Engineering major Ikenze Ozuah reflects the results of the Rutgers study. “It’s all about networking and not all about college then a career,” says Ozuah. Despite his doubting of higher education, Ozuah is confident in his own future; he hopes to own more than one home someday. For those SMC Millennials who plan to remain in Santa Monica, hopes of future home ownership may be bleak. Census data shows that only 29 percent of Santa Monica residents currently own a home. The median household income in the city was around $69,000 while the median home price was $985,500 between 2006 and 2010, according to the same census. Twenty-year-old junior, Isabel Bolla, feels that the classic American Dream is a historical concept. Bolla is not concerned about home ownership; she has always lived in rented apartments and plans to continue doing so. She doesn’t want to get “sucked in” to a mortgage, preferring the freedom of renting. Like many of her peers, Bolla’s only dream right now is to finance and complete her education.
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa we Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
Millennials and the NEWS
November 2012 Elections
Lissette Gomez STAFF WRITER
As the presidential election approaches, candidates are preparing to court Millenials as part of their strategy for success. President Obama relied heavily on the youth vote in the 2008 election, and is pushing his youth agenda in order to keep from losing to challenger Mitt Romney in the fall. In early April of this year, a casual President Obama took to the stage at the University of North Carolina with sleeves rolled up, devoid of a suit jacket to match his black pants. He stood on the wooden platform affixed with ‘President of the U.S.A’ seal, and emphatically shouted “thank you� to the warming crowd. In his speech he spoke about debt from student loans, garnering the attention of the crowd. “Michelle and I, we’ve been in your shoes,� said the President. “Like I said, we didn’t come from wealthy families, so when we graduated from college and law school we had a mountain of debt. When we married, we got poor together,� he added jokingly. Still, President Obama weighed in on the benefits of college education. He said, in short, that the income of a person with a college degree is twice as much as someone without a high school diploma. He encouraged the value of education saying that the unemployment rate of someone with a college degree is about half of the national average. The crowd nodded in agreement. It was as if President Obama validated that all of the time and money they had spent on education was worth it. President Obama realizes the Millenials are just as crucial to his success in winning reelection this fall as they were in 2008 with campaign stops at colleges and universities across the country. Frequent topics include student loans and debt, rising tuition and aspects of public and private education finance. At live speeches, it appears the President is reaching young voters. Obama is met with shouting applause from crowds at rallies like the one at UNC. But things may be different today than they were four years ago. According to the Daily Beast, the President’s campaign should be wary of some not so reassuring polling numbers. “Young Millennials today are dramatically less politically engaged and less enthusiastic,� said the Daily Beast. “Just 64 percent are registered to vote, compared to 73 percent four years ago. And just 50 percent of college-age youth approve of [Obama’s] performance overall; that’s five points less than their 25-to-29-year-old peers.�
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Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney has a slightly different approach to winning this years’ election and isn’t focusing on the youth vote as much as his opponent. According to his newly released $1.3 million dollar ‘Day One’ advertisement campaign, he is driving home a three-point plan. The plan is said to include approval of the Keystone Oil pipeline program, an introduction of tax-reform and the dismantle of President Obama’s health care law. In short, Romney’s plan is about energy, economy, and health care. Romney’s forecasts cutting income, investment and corporate taxes and eliminating the estate tax. In addition, Romney wants to return health care decisions to individual states, and create incentives for more efficient health care delivery; a tactic much different than state-sponsored “ObamaCare.� Millenials who are voting are vocal about their opinions on the candidates. “Obama’s plan is confusing to be honest,� said political science student Isaac Murillo. “I see that his aim is the youth vote, but what else does he plan to do? I know it’s out there and he’s said it, but I feel like it’s all over the place, and confusing!� Murillo said, laughing. Nearby student Jessica Camacho couldn’t disagree more. “Obama is a president for us, for the young, college students. His plan has our best interest in mind,� she says. “Whereas I never heard Romney once mention student loans, tuition, or anything in his plan for education. So in this case I don’t know how you can go against Obama.� So what effect does Santa Monica College have on the upcoming election? “I don’t think SMC does much to encourage students to vote,� said Camacho. “I think that college students tend to think that they don’t have a voice or that what they think isn’t as important as a 40-year-old much more informed person. And I think colleges just stand back and don’t really say or do much to contradict that view,� continued Camacho. “I think the Occupy movement is the biggest acknowledgement of student voters, because it involved so many college students across the country. It was a huge opportunity for young people to really have a voice and I think that actually might have a say in the election because now there are so many more politically-involved students that want to say what they couldn’t at the Occupy movements,� stated Murillo. Members of the Associated Students have spent time encouraging students to register to vote by setting up voting campaigns on campus. Voting day this year is Tuesday, November 6, 2012.
SMC: Then and now
Henry Crumblish STAFF WRITER
Santa Monica College, located between Pearl St and Pico Blvd has beckoned students in search of higher education since its inception in 1929. SMC is now home to over 30,000 students, and boasts a long list of diverse alumni from Laila Ali to Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Monica Lewinsky.While academic achievement has always been the primary goal of SMC students, SMC also excels in promoting a diverse campus. The college has had so much success in attracting students from different backgrounds, that identifying a typical student is difficult. In addition to SMC being the number one transfer school in the state, it also boasts the largest population of international students of any community college in the nation. The majority hail from South Korea, China, and Sweden, all of which have over 100 students enrolling at SMC annually, according to numbers released by the school. "Americans don’t realize how good the education system is here,� said Taynara Moura, who came from Brazil to further her studies in Liberal Arts and Humanities at SMC. Moura learned about the organization of student government, and has applied to be the ambassador for President and Superintendent Dr. Chui L Tsang. The diversity in backgrounds and personalities has aided in shaping the college’s identity and reputation. This variety is reflected by the numerous clubs found on campus; the Black Collegians, the Latino Student Union, and the Iranian Students club, to name a few. With rising tuition costs, recent cuts to education, and California’s volatile public school system, an increasing amount of students have found themselves turning to SMC to further their studies, according to studies conducted by the school. David Alas, a 24-year-old Cognitive Science major, is a typical SMC student with a notso-typical past. Alas is an army veteran who served two tours of duty in Iraq and enrolled in classes at SMC after returning to the U.S. “The first year was tough, I won’t lie. I didn’t get along with anybody except fellow veterans, and usually the older students,� said Alas. According to the college, in 2007 the average age for an SMC student was 25.06, but dropped to 24.4 in 2011. Students 24 and younger account for 71.2 percent of the student population. But Alas doesn’t agree, “I very rarely meet students who are around the same age as me,� he said.“It was difficult transitioning from someone who used to jump out of
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perfectly good airplanes to sitting in a classroom hearing kids straight out of high school complain about how hard their lives were,� he said.Alas found that the Veterans Resource Center helped him get reacquainted with civilian life. The VRC provides information regarding scholarships for veterans, and plans community outings such as fishing trips. “It took me a while to readjust, but now I don’t have any difficulties socializing or getting along with others. If anything, my friends are always shocked at how I always strike up random conversations with people anywhere, anytime,� said Alas. Moises Perez is a second-year SMC student who took a year off after high school due to complications in acquiring his diploma. Perez, a full time student, credits his collegiate academic success to a newfound outlook on life and sense of motivation, though he didn’t always see it that way. “In high school I eventually just gave up and told myself I was going to go to a community college,� said Perez Perez has a different view of the student body than Alas. “I see tons of students here every day, and I used to assume they were all here at SMC as a last resort like I was. It was only until I realized my thinking was flawed that I was able to better relate to my fellow students,� said Perez. While it’s true that SMC’s open admission policy grants higher educational opportunities for those who don’t excel in high school, not all are here because they have no other options. Film major Christophor McGovern was accepted into the New York Film Academy out of high school but chose to come to SMC to get his general education requirements out of the way. “I could have gone to New York right after graduating but I chose to attend SMC classes because of the reputation of the campus and the economical class prices,� said McGovern. Aside from the teaching staff and the unique variety of classes found at SMC, many students enroll at SMC for the equivalent of a university education at an affordable cost.In recent weeks, various student protests against budget cuts and tuition increases have raised questions about how affordable classes will be in the future at SMC. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the amount owed in student loan debt has surpassed credit card debt in the U.S., and has students thinking about their education expenditures more than ever. Alas says, “I’m having an amazing time here at SMC. If you’re not, you’re doing something wrong.�
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
Millennials may be rejecting religion, study says. 3 | NEWS
Justin Hinton
STAFF WRITER
Twenty-year-old Santa Monica College student Chris Guisa looks like every other Millennial. He has a mustache, the latest in trendy clothing, and most notably, he’s texting on his phone. But just because Guisa looks like your run-of-the-mill Millennial doesn’t mean he thinks like them. He is bucking a trend among more and more young American adults – he is religious. Guisa is a practicing Catholic. Millennials are a brash group of techsavvy young adults born after 1982. They love iPhones and Facebook, and can hardly remember a time when the Internet wasn’t king. The Baby Boomers and Generation X’ers have had their time; it is this generation of “tech babies” that is shaping America’s future. While these Millennials are shaping the future of the nation and the world, they’re going about it a totally different way than their previous generations— more and more without the guidance of organized religion. A recent survey conducted jointly by Georgetown University and the Public Religion Research Institute shows college aged Millennials are more likely than the general population to reject religious affiliation. The finding also states just less than 40 percent of
those studied say that the Bible is a book written by men and is not the word of God. Not only are more and more Millennials rejecting religion as their parents and grandparents knew it, but the study also claims that 62 percent of those studied believe that present day Christianity is “judgmental.” That’s a drastic change from a country that was founded on the phrase “One nation, under God.” So, what are the reasons for this trend? Is this tech generation so busy and enamored with other options that taking part in religion has been put on the proverbial back burner? Millennials, who are the most ethnically diverse generation in the nation’s history, are more open to religious freedom and diversity than their past generational counterparts. According to Jesus Juarez, a religiously unaffiliated 19-year-old SMC student who didn’t grow up in an overly “religious” household, the steady decline in religious affiliation among Millennials could be due to the perceived cultural demands religious devotion entails. “People just aren’t as committed these days,” he said. And although Georgetown University’s
recent study may suggest religion is taking a backseat in the younger generation, Delis Alejandro, Pastoral Associate and Director of Outreach and Pastoral Care at St. Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica, sees it differently. Alejandro claims that St. Monica’s Young Ministering Adults group has “good attendance” numbers and that they haven’t seen a decline in young churchgoers. “St. Monica’s is a big regional church and specifically outreaches to those in their 20’s and 30’s,” she said. But even churches like the popular St. Monica’s are adapting to the future generations’ desires like adding more music to their services. Alejandro says she thinks that the addition of a band that plays more updated songs helps keep younger generations interested. “They want music, liturgy, and lyrics that speak to them,” she said. While St. Monica Catholic Church has employed these creative methods to increase church membership, Alejandro said the Catholic Church has noticed a decline in membership for younger generations. Alejandro hints that this issue may lie on the shoulders of the parents. “There is always a hesitancy in this
age range,” she says, “and a lot of these young adults were only baptized, or they were only involved in their early years, and that was it.” Guisa, who grew up in a devout Catholic family and recently did his first confession, agrees with Alejandro’s sentiment. “Maybe their parents just didn’t talk about religion,” he says when referring to his Millennial brethren. Said Guisa, “A lot of my friends were taught religion, but now they don’t practice.” “Future generations,” he added, “are more interested in listening to Justin Bieber than in practicing religion.” It is possible that these future generations—including Millenials— are replacing organized religion with celebrities and media. A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reports that Millennials “consider money, image and fame more important than values like self-acceptance and being part of a community.” For Chris Guisa, though, this trend is one that won’t be affecting him. “When I’m having problems in my life, I pray,” said Guisa. “I really am grateful. It has made a huge difference in my life.”
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa we Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
OPINION
Is education still worth it?
Samantha Perez Was there ever a time in Generation Y’s educational career where we did not hear the phrase ‘go to college’? That was the norm since kindergarten; study hard so you can get into a good college, get a degree so you can get a great job, and then finally, you can live happily ever after. For most students, those all-nighters and early mornings have been fueled by the idea that their hard work will pay off in the long run – that it would all be worth it when the American Dream was achieved. James Truslow Adams’ definition of the American Dream went, “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each, according to ability or achievement.” Adams defined the term in 1931 and the idea has not changed, even though times certainly have. As Santa Monica College Sociology Professor Guido Del Piccolo put it, “the American dream is based on the idea that if you work hard enough, you will make it. If we can get people to believe that, then they do indeed work very hard and their hard work enriches others far more than it enriches themselves. Because we believe it, we continue to pursue it.” What Generation Y has been taught is that through education, the American Dream will be achieved, and that lesson was not 100 percent wrong. Two generations ago a moderate lifestyle was achieved with a high school degree, yet now Gen Y must earn a Master’s degree to not only live like their parents but to live better than them. “It’s pretty much guaranteed that you won’t improve your standard of living if you don’t pursue education, though there are some anomalies,” said Del Piccolo. Those anomalies were people like Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, and Steve
Illustration by Jhosef Hern
STAFF WRITER
Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple. They dropped out of college and became billionaires. These people, according to Professor Del Piccolo, were in the right place at the right time with a “certain set of skills,” and cannot be considered a consistent path to success for this generation. Having said that, most of us probably will not become mega millionaires, much less billionaires. But through education, our chances of improving our standard of living are better if we stick it out. With the economy in the tank and the
job market being as volatile as it is, this ‘work hard and be rewarded’ state of mind cannot be guaranteed. In Reuters Senior Personal Finance Correspondent Linda Stern’s article “Generation Y: Educated, underemployed, and in debt” she stated, “Gen Y is a smart, educated and agile cohort. Its members are socially networked and digitally savvy, but they have been seriously set back by a troubled economy.” Graduating classes of have been shocked to find that the jobs they’ve been working
towards are not hiring, and they get stuck paying the price tag of their degrees, regardless of their unemployment. So, if you paid say $40,000 for a degree but only find a minimum wage job, is that degree worth it? “If the purpose of education is only to increase an individual’s standard of living and get them into particular jobs, then the answer is no. If the purpose of education is larger than that, and it’s not just about the jobs we get, but rather how we think and how we act as citizens, then perhaps,” explained Del Piccolo. In an ideal world, people would go to college and earn degrees to become better and well-rounded individuals, but the fact is that we go to college to get good jobs and earn more money. Eighty-six percent of students are enrolled in college or university for those reasons while just five percent attend to better themselves. Contesting the current norm is the first step to real change. If there is anything that recent protest movements have taught us, it is that there are always people who do not agree with the norm and will take action against it, and they are the ones who enact change. “Even when we question it, we often don’t have the tools to imagine things any differently and therefore we begin to engage in the same behavior. We continue to act as if the American dream is real even when we don’t believe it,” said Professor Del Piccolo. When we stop putting emphasis on the monetary value of degrees and higher education, only then are those pieces of paper actually worth something. When the American Dream is either altered or replaced with an individual’s idea of what they should strive for, their own idea instead of society’s, then higher education is worth every penny.
OCCUPY WALL STREET:
Dead or Hibernating? Dylan Futrell STAFF WRITER
For Joshua Hillsburg, Occupy Wall Street meant hope. Hope he badly needed. An 18-year-old pharmacology student, he spent many nights tossing and turning in bed, worrying about the obstacles that lay ahead of him – mounting college expenses, an uncertain job market, and flagrant abuses of power in the highest echelons of society, to name a few. He admired “the 99 percent” fighting the good fight in Zuccotti Park, reassured that their plight resonated with his own worries. “The movement really spoke to me on a fundamental level,” Hillsburg said. “It felt like I found my voice.” After hearing about the Occupy L.A. protests, he drove five hours from school in Santa Barbara – after class, of course – just to attend. He was sure that this was going to be a defining moment of his age, a moment where his generation finally took the future into their own hands. Or at least that is what he had hoped. There is probably no better expression of Gen Y frustration and concern than the Occupy movement. The protests started last September with Occupy Wall Street, and in the following weeks and months
spread across the country like wildfire. But the furor of Occupy’s discontent has passed. Now, little more than eight months later, the movement has all but disappeared from the national dialogue. Most were quelled by authorities; be it by baton or by eviction notice, the largest protests were crippled by the end of the year. Police intervention, however, was not the only problems the movement faced. Hillsburg, once an adamant supporter of the movement, admits that he lost interest. “I lost sight of the goal,” he said. “A lot of people were shouting from their soapboxes, but I didn’t see much getting done.” And he is not alone. A recent NBC/ Wall Street Journal Poll shows that public support for the protests has almost halved since the movement’s peak in November, from 29 percent to 16 percent. The group simply could not agree on a focused strategy. Protestors’ goals have ranged reasonable – like the passing of more stringent tax laws for the rich and the lowering of student loan interest rates – to absurd, such as abolishing capitalism, borders, and foreign debt entirely. “Everyone, myself included, seemed to have a different idea of what we were actually protesting,” Hillsburg said. “The
people who knew what they were talking about were drowned out by those who didn’t.” However, Michelle Pederson, a UCLA student who has attended multiple protests including Occupy L.A., says that is the nature of the beast. “People have a right to protest,” she said. “Some are louder than others, but the Occupy movement is all-inclusive.” However, Occupy’s leaderless structure has led to an inability to directly enact political change. Conversely, Tea Party protesters have profoundly impacted the Republican Party, for better or worse. Tea Partybacked candidates are forcing their way into congress, usurping more moderate candidates and pushing their brand of right-wing politics. The Tea Party has left the streets. Right now, they’re stuffing envelopes, registering voters, updating the phone banks – in other words, they are getting their act together for Election Day. Most Occupy protestors would rather disembowel themselves before taking cues from such a diametrically opposed movement, but it is a way to move forward. But there may be another route. While the movement has lost steam since
it reached critical mass last year, it may have found hope right here in Santa Monica. The developing saga of Contract Ed presents an interesting opportunity. The Occupy movement and the fight against Contract Ed are kindred spirits: both claim to want equal opportunity and the destruction of wealth privilege. In essence, the Occupy movement has piggy-backed onto the recent Contract Ed protests, with impressive results so far. Maybe the future of Occupy doesn’t lie in massive, vaguely defined protests. By laserfocusing on select issues on a local scale, the movement could enact more change than it ever did in its previous incarnation. But, no matter how you look at it, whether the movement itself is truly dead, or only in hibernation, it is undeniable that underlying spirit of the movement will live on. When asked about the protests in a recent interview, President Obama said that they are “one vivid expression of a greater anxiety.” Hillsburg and most of Generation Y would be inclined to agree. Whether we identify ourselves as the 99 percent or simply as college students trying to scrape by, our discontent, our frustration, and consequently, our hope, is far from gone.
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
OPINION
Immigration Reform for the Global Good Faye Crosswhite STAFF WRITER
Illustration by Jhosef Hern
As the Presidential election quickly approaches, the topic of immigration reform has become a hotly contested source of debate. Should we strengthen and reinforce our borders? Should we close our colleges’ doors to foreigners in desire of higher education? Should we deny families hope for a better life, simply to preserve opportunities for our own? The sanctity of the American Dream is slowly dying and we, as Americans, are to be held responsible unless we strive for change. Though we, as the human race, belong to nearly two hundred different countries throughout the globe, we belong only to one world. We are all citizens of the Earth, and should conduct ourselves accordingly. In 2007, Santa Monica College launched a Global Citizenship initiative that appeals to such a cause. The program is intended to prepare students for life in the new millennium. “Such preparation includes awareness of the social, cultural and environmental transformations taking place in our world of unprecedented global interconnection, attitudes of tolerance and respect for diversity and of anticipation and adaptation toward global change,” its website states. Colleges and universities should continue to foster leniency on immigration policies, if only to increase healthy academic, athletic, and artistic competition, and push students to strive for excellence, rather than coast through an undergraduate program without any kind of stimulation. The DREAM Act, established in 2007, proposes to do just that. Under the DREAM Act – which has yet
Zoryana Melesh STAFF WRITER
President Obama’s recent endorsement of gay marriage has triggered a lot of speculation in the media as well as talks among people on how this will affect the voters and his re-election bid. The economy is in recession, education is not getting enough funding, and California is facing a massive budget deficit. Nonetheless, all eyes moved from such important issues affecting our everyday life to a social issue affecting only a minority. Dr. Ellen Antoine, Political Science Professor at SMC believes this recent move by Obama will not affect the voters much if at all. What it will do is those who were supporting him already, like the Millennials, will ensure them showing up
to pass in the United States Senate – illegal immigrant youths will be offered a path to citizenship, the benefit of in-state tuition, and certain government subsidized student loans, if requirements are met. Among the requirements, students will become eligible if they entered the United States under the age of fifteen, maintained residence in the United States for five consecutive years, have graduated or obtained a GED from a United States high school, and abide by our country’s laws. Qualified students will have to complete at least two years of college or military service in order to continue a path towards conditional citizenship. In turn, an increased focus on higher education of immigrants has the potential to boost the global economy as a whole. “We absolutely believe it’s important for opening up economic opportunities,” Thomas Rudin, senior Vice President of the College Board, told USA Today. A recent study conducted by the College Board found that “roughly ten states which offer tuition aid to illegal immigrants generally saw increased revenue by enrolling these additional students, rather than financial burdens caused by an influx of immigrants paying cheaper tuition.” Michael Mandel, chief economist for Business Week magazine, agrees that access to higher education will eventually lead to a more stable, affluent global economy. “It should not be the case that toys and cars can move from country to country more easily than people do,” he wrote in a recent article. “Instead, pulling down barriers that impede immigration should be our long-term goal. Immigration policy should facilitate the movement of people, just as trade policy facilitates the movement
of goods.” Mandel explained that immigrants who are given access to higher education have the propensity to earn far more in the job industry than in their home countries, citing that immigrants from Mexico who receive a college degree can earn up to ten times more in the United States than in their native country. “This seemingly incomprehensible result makes more sense if you realize that an influx of immigrants is little different than native-born Americans moving to a new city, or even a spate of children reaching working age,” Mandel notes. “In each case, additional workers will create new jobs by their spending on food, housing, entertainment and the like, even as they take existing jobs.” Mandel argues that although countries could incur heavy education and healthcare costs for such immigrants, their future contribution to the workforce and economy as a whole will far outweigh any previous financial burden. On its website, SMC boasts over 3,000 international students from more than a hundred countries. Without this significant contingency, our school would be only a shell of its former self. In our modern world, it is vastly important to celebrate international diversity, as we students and faculty have so much to share and learn from cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and educational perspectives. Without question, SMC should continue to encourage students from abroad, first generation Americans, and even those who are not legally declared citizens. It will
Illustration by Jhosef Hern
undoubtedly strengthen our legacy in years to come, and afford endless opportunities to those who yearn for a better life through education. America was founded on a principle; an idea that the pursuit of freedom and happiness should reign over all of its inhabitants, whether legal or not. In the words of President Barack Obama, “we are the first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea – the idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. That’s why centuries of pioneers and immigrants have risked everything to come here... the future is ours to win. But to get there, we cannot stand still.” In an age of such global interdependence, how can we not accept each other as our own? It is time to break down these barriers in order for humankind to prevail.
Gay marriage debate distracts voters during presidential election to vote, and those who weren’t supporting Obama, “will intensify the dislike for him, but not made a big difference,” says Antoine. On April 27, Political Science Professor at SMC, Christine Schultz, was invited to speak at the annual Rocky Young Lecture, the topic being Generation Y. In an interview with the Corsair, she reiterated her point abvout the Millennials' general disinterest in politics, and therefore it is unlikely many of them will show up to vote. “Even if you convince me the Millennials would get interested in politics, they would hit Gen X. We could have a lot of conflict in government between these two generations for decades to come,” says Schultz. Obama’s main focus is to get the Generation X vote and the Millennials’ vote. Generation X would vote for him anyway, and many supported gay marriage even before Obama’s speech, according to Antoine. “But the problem with the Millennials, who comprise 29 percent of all eligible voters, is how
unreliable they are.” Obama's support for this issue is going to push the Millennials to vote for him. “It's a question of getting them inspired again,” believes Antoine. The voter turnout is highest among voters over 60 years of age. There had been some speculation that Obama’s support of gay marriage could alienate African American voters, but a slew of black celebrities who endorsed gay marriage, topped with the NAACP endorsement of gay marriage, have put most of those fears to rest. But, this is not the most important issue. “The major issue right now is the economy affecting voting in elections,” Professor Antoine says. “Conservatives use social issues only during their campaign.” Gay marriage in itself is not a national issue, but a state issue. Therefore there is little the President can do about this when elected. But what does and should matter is his plan to deal with the economy. It is not the social issue of gay marriage that should concern most SMC students
about these coming elections, but the economy and the funding for education that is cut every year in California. It is the solution the next president will come up with to solve funding woes in education that will really have an impact on students’ lives. Media is well known for playing a large role in the elections and having the power to influence our opinions and shape our realities. It could be speculated that Obama’s timing is no mistake and is a well planned political move. According to the New York Times, 67 percent of those surveyed by the Times and CBS News since the announcement believe Mr. Obama’s move was, “mostly for political reasons,” and the rest believed it was “mostly because he thinks it’s right.” Whether for politics or not, what is important right now is that those who support him go out and vote, since the voter turn-out is usually higher among older age voters than the younger Millennials.
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MILLENNIAL
Drake Morton, 24. Undecided
PORTRAITS
Photos by Michael Yanow
9 Matt Sapar, 20, Business
Karla Kultemberg, 20, Political Science
Ruby Ross, 19, History
Maria Rosario Johansson, 25, Liberal Arts
Oscar Rodriguez, 26, Engineer
Mingyu Lee, 23, Economics
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa we Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
ALL CHILDREN, EXCEPT MILLENNIALS, GROW UP
Christina Sziatinszky STAFF WRITER
a child, the world seems full of possibilities and never-ending adventures. Then the time comes to transition into adulthood. Becoming an adult demands a certain level of independence, which can often mean working tiresome hours and following a tedious daily routine of all work and no play. “All children, except one, grow up,” wrote Sir James Matthew Barrie in his classic tale of the fictional character Peter Pan, an eternally young boy who embarks on endless adventures and ultimately refuses to grow up. In current times, however, it seems that Peter Pan is no longer the exception, as Millennials are often branded the “Peter Pan generation” due to a reluctance to “grow up.” “To some, Peter Pan represents a belligerent stance on growing up, and this label was applied to Millennials in reference to living with their parents for longer periods of time than prior generations,” says Joan Snyder, a trained speaker and expert on career and college preparation for Millennials. “It is the mindset regarding life and work that has linked the Peter Pan label to Millennials,” she says. “This generation has a passion for endless opportunity, and strives to connect their ambitions for adventures in life to their ideal career.” The idea that Millennials sustain a childlike mentality
is no fault of their own, according to Laura Guild, a psychology professor at Santa Monica College. Guild believes that parents are partly responsible for their children’s delayed onset of adulthood. “It has been suggested that it is the mindset of growing up as their parents did that this generation is rejecting, rather than growing up itself,” says Guild. According to Guild, parents of Millennials are predominately from the Baby Boomer generation, which initiated a significant change in parenting style. “It was more childcentered and focused on the emotional adjustment of the child, rather than education and financial independence,” she says. Guild claims that these parents and their children often have closer relationships than the generations before them. Some parents, who continually support their children well into adulthood, are known as “perma-parents.” “They have difficulty letting their children grow up and take responsibility for themselves,” says Guild. “Some parents of this generation fostered expectations in their children of entitlement without having to work hard for goals, narcissism, and rejection of social convention.” Millennials are also associated with Peter Pan because of delays in their transition to adulthood, which has traditionally included career, marriage, and family.
“Fifty years ago, someone was considered an adult by the age of 20,” says Guild. “That meant they were married or engaged, finished with their education, and close to starting a family.” Recent 2012 studies, conducted by the Pew Research Center, indicate that the number of new marriages in the U.S. declined by five percent between 2009 and 2010. In 1960, 72 percent of adults 18 and older were married, whereas in 2011, only 51 percent were. “The age of adulthood has been getting steadily later ever since,” explains Guild. “People are waiting to finish their education, get married, and have children until their late 20s, on average.” A January article posted by Forbes Magazine states that the U.S. Census Bureau found an increase in Millennial women ages 20 to 34 who have never been married. This, however, does not mean that they do not sustain relationships and start families. Fifty-nine percent of these women feel that simply “living together is a legitimate lifestyle,” even if they have children, which indicates that marriage has become less of a priority for this generation. According to the same Forbes article, most young adults say that the sluggish economy has prolonged the coming-of-age decisions regarding school, marriage, parenthood, and careers. Guild also attributes economic turmoil as a
primary factor responsible for the Millennial generation’s reluctance to grow up. “Due to the current economic situation, 85 percent of kids who graduate from college end up having to move back home with their parents,” says Guild. “This prolongs a period of financial and emotional dependence.” The Pew study indicated that 53 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds still live with their parents, or had to temporarily move back in recent years. Seventy-eight percent of these young adults say that they do not have enough money to carry out the life they had planned. Snyder believes Millennials are simply misunderstood, and negatively criticized for their alternative views on life. “I think that most articles you read today about Millennials are negative, and place blame on their determination for flexible work conditions and constant feedback,” Snyder says. In her opinion, the generation cannot be faulted for desiring the fairy tale of endless adventures. Snyder claims that Millennials are the key to unlocking advancements in science, technology, health care, and social engagement, and that they will dominate the global workforce by the year 2020. “My stance is that the organizations of the future are the ones who need to adapt the Millennial mindset,” Snyder says.
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
Marine Gaste | Corsair Santa Monica College film studies ma jor Gockan Ilbay, 20, satisfies his lunchtime pizza craving.
UNHEALTHY FOODS ABOUND DESPITE RISING HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS Susanna Svensson STAFF WRITER
In the 1970s, dinner time was sacred. It was an opportunity for family members to gather around the dinner table, talk about their days, and enjoy home-cooked meals together. Presently, however, busy schedules often drive the Millennial generation to forgo traditional mealtimes and eat on-the-go. Many Santa Monica College students, often busy with work and school, fall under this category. “I forget to eat breakfast,” says Suzzie Weslien, a business management student at SMC. “Back home in Sweden, I always ate breakfast, but here I don’t have a real kitchen, so I usually buy my meals. I have been really unhealthy, but I do prefer to cook because it’s both cheaper and healthier.” Millennials live in a world where highcalorie, high-fat foods are not only relatively cheap, but also more readily accessible. Fast food restaurants that always appear open seem to abound on every street. For previous generations, fast food was not as widespread as it is now, and portion sizes have also increased considerably. “Most of what I know about healthy eating I learned from my mom; the rest is just common sense,” says Weslien. “I do also eat that unhealthy burger and pizza, because unfortunately, the unhealthy food is cheaper.” From 1997 to 2006, the processed food industry has been consistently expanding, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce Industry Report. Farm-fresh foods are often less accessible than foods found in bags, boxes and cans at the grocery store. “Understanding Nutrition,” a nutrition textbook used at SMC, states that processed foods have lost valuable nutrients to sugar, fat, and salt, which are linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes when consumed in excess. “Here in the United States, most of the fast food you buy is pretty unhealthy compared to what I am used to,” says Weslien. Though health awareness is often promoted in the media, obesity is more common than
ever. According to “Understanding Nutrition,” in 1993, the obesity rate was less than 15 percent for most of the U.S. By 2008, it was between 25 and 30 percent for over half the states in the country. A report released this year by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development states that in 2011, the obesity rate increased to 33.8 percent. A sign of the obesity epidemic can also be seen on television, where shows like NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” A&E’s “Heavy,” and the CW’s “Shedding for the Wedding” fill primetime spots. For previous generations, these spots were filled by traditional family shows like “Little House on the Prairie,” “The Waltons,” and “The Love Boat.” The variety of diets and diet pills available has increased along with obesity. From Atkins to Jenny Craig, to Weight Watchers to the Master Cleanse, extreme and fad diets have become common for Millennials like Weslien. “I tried the Nutrilett diet once, and I will never try it again,” says Weslien, referring to a diet that consists of low-calorie soups and shakes as meal replacements. “I wanted to see how long I could stand it, which was about a month. I lost about eight pounds, but once I started eating regularly again I gained the weight back quickly. Now, I go for good meals and exercise.” Despite the omnipresence of processed and fast foods, a health-conscious trend is also emerging for Millennials. Raw food, vegan and vegetarian diets have become more mainstream, and research has shown a connection between vegetables and fruits and a decreased risk of cancer. “There is evidence that some types of vegetables and fruits in general probably protect against a number of cancers,” according to an extensive report from the American Institute for Cancer Research. “I try to buy salads and healthy sandwiches, the only fast food that isn’t made of fat and sugar,” says Weslien.
Marine Gaste | Corsair Santa Monica College environmental studies ma jor and vegetarian Stephanie Lauren Johnson McCall, 24, eats homemade pea soup for lunch.
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa we Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
HEALTH INSURANCE ATTAINABLE FOR MILLENNIALS HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
Vanessa Barajas STAFF WRITER
Health insurance was once difficult to come by for Millennials after age 19, when young adults were removed from their parents’ plans, but several options are now available for this generation to attain health care. The Affordable Care Act, signed by President Barack Obama, went into effect on Sept. 23, 2010, allowing children to be covered under their parents’ plans until their 26th birthday. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the ACA includes children who are not filed as dependents on a parent’s tax return, those who no longer live with the parent, and those who are not full-time students. However, the ACA only affects insurance companies who currently offer dependent coverage, and does not require employers to offer coverage to dependents, although most do, the DOL reports. Santa Monica College student and parent Karen Chesne is in favor of the ACA. “We should be able to do this,” says Chesne. “[Health insurance] is really expensive, and most kids don’t make enough money to pay for their own insurance.” Chesne has a 21-year-old daughter who works two jobs. “[My daughter’s] job offers health insurance, but she’s currently under her dad’s insurance, and it’s cheaper, so she’d
rather stay under his plan,” says Chesne. If young adults do not have access through their parents, they can either receive health insurance through an employer, or purchase an individual policy that offers a high deductible at a lower rate. However, according to the DOL, 30 percent of young adults are uninsured, the highest percentage of all age groups. Many jobs do not offer benefits to people who work less than full-time, which, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act, is determined by the employer, and not directly defined by a certain number of hours. For young adults who are full-time students trying to make ends meet by working a job, it can be difficult to obtain insurance through an employer. “The uninsured rate among employed young adults is one-third higher than older employed adults,” according to the DOL. Varying depending on geography, age, medical history, and other factors, prices of health insurance are not set. However, an individual can search and compare rates online using websites such as eHealthInsurance. “It’s very important,” says Will Shanley, a spokesperson for United Health Care, referring to young adults having access to health insurance. “It’s something that when you need it, you definitely want to have it.”
According to the DOL, one out of every six young adults has a condition that needs treatment, or that they might be unaware of. “Many people think they’re very healthy because they’re young, but having health insurance coverage is very important, especially in a catastrophic event,” says Shanley. It is commonly thought that most foodservice jobs do not offer benefits. “United Health Care is working with the National Restaurant Association,” says Shanley. “It varies based on the individual employer. Usually the professional job [or] union job, but not always [the] part-time or seasonal job, is offered some benefits.” SMC student and parent Shirin K. Jam has a son, a student at Cal State Northridge, who was removed from her insurance plan when he turned 19. With the new Affordable Health Care Act, he was able to return to his parents’ plan. “I’m happy about it because our insurance is very expensive,” says Jam. Jam worked for the government in Europe for over ten years, which enabled her to receive health benefits at a low monthly price without paying for individual visits. “It was very interesting for me because we have a monthly payment, and we still need to pay co-pay here,” says Jam. According to the DOL, under the ACA and Treasury guidance, “the value of any
employer-provided health coverage for an employee's child is excluded from the employee's income through the end of the taxable year in which the child turns 26.” This tax benefit is effective whether the extension of the coverage is voluntary or a requirement. “The provision for being 26 years old or younger is a great overall strategy to improve efficient health care,” says Shanley. “If a parent works for a company that offers health benefits to dependents, it’s a very cost-effective way [for a dependent] to have coverage.” This situation holds true for full-time SMC student Brittany Hujar, 23, who works part-time. “My hospital visits cost about $100 per visit, co-pay is $20 per visit, and my prescriptions are $10 each. But I have emergency care and I’m fully insured,” she says. Hujar says she does not purchase insurance through her job because it is cheaper to go through her father. “Once I get taken off my dad’s insurance [after reaching the age limit], I’ll either get insurance through the same insurance company, or go through my work, whichever is cheaper,” says Hujar.
Illustration by : David J. Hawkins
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
Working hard to realize their dreams, students punch in
HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
Chavi Gourarie STAFF WRITER
Diverse across every demographic, Santa Monica College students have one thing in common—they are on the move. This school is but a stop on the way to the future. Faced with a dismal job market and inflated tuition prices, students are worried, but not deterred. They are continuing to head for the future promised to them. Time will tell if their aspirations will be realized, or if this will be the generation to see their dreams become the American nightmare of debt and disappointed expectations.
Asta Karalis | Corsair Graphic design ma jor Amanda Van Duyse works at Amandine Cafe in Los Angeles. Like Raquel Orozco and Chris Hussey, not pictured, Van Duyse is one of many Santa Monica College students who are often at work when not in class.
RAQUEL OROZCO
CHRIS HUSSEY
RECEPTIONIST
FOOD RUNNER
Twice a week, after dropping her two-year-old daughter Natalia off at daycare, Raquel Orozco walks the few short blocks down Pico Boulevard to SMC for class. On the days she does not attend school and on weekends, she takes the bus down to the Santa Monica Pier, where she works for the Pacific Park Amusement Park Department. School is Orozco’s “me time.” She spends a few leisurely moments in the locker room between her two fitness classes. She wears a black baseball cap with a long, dark ponytail trailing behind it. Her cheeks are barely flushed from her last class, and there is always a hesitant smile waiting when she speaks. Except for the three-month maternity leave she took after Natalia was born, she has been working nonstop at the same job for the last five years. She uses the money to help pay for rent and food. This semester is her first back at college since her baby was born. Three years ago, she was studying broadcasting and loving it; that is, until she found out she was pregnant. The pregnancy raised to the forefront tensions between her Mexican-American family and the father’s Orthodox Jewish family. His family was unsupportive, primarily due to the fact that Orozco wasn’t Jewish, and her mother was hurt that she had never met his family. Orozco went to a doctor to find out her options. The doctor fumbled momentarily before asking if she was ready to hear what he had to tell her. “Let’s get it over with,” she answered. “Your first baby is fine,” he told her. She was carrying twins, but the second one was inactive, and had stopped growing. She would have to keep carrying both babies throughout the pregnancy. Abortion at that point was a risk to both Orozco and the healthy baby. At first, Orozco continued
school, but soon found that it was too much, both physically and emotionally. She was carrying both life and death inside her. On Sept. 8, 2009, after a long and painful labor, Natalia was born. “When she came out, it was so unreal, hearing her cry,” she says. “It was amazing, and also the scariest moment of my life.” Orozco didn’t look when the nurse reached inside her and pulled out the remains of her second baby, which the hospital later discarded. She returned to school, but withdrew a few weeks into the semester. Her life consisted of “work, baby, work, baby, work, baby,” she said. She moved into her own apartment when Natalia was around one, but decided to move back in with her mom after a year. She says it was tight financially, and had to rely on her mom often, asking for rides in emergencies, like when Natalia was throwing up excessively and needed to be taken to the doctor. Last winter, Orozco took a communications class and passed with an A. It felt great. “That was my motivation to continue,” she says. Now, she is taking five units, and plans to get a degree in broadcasting. “I want a future for myself, and for my kid,” she says. “I want to be an example for her. I want to be a mom with an education.” She hopes to “eventually jump into a career, a job that pays better, with benefits,” so that she can provide Natalia with the skills she needs to succeed at school. Orozco hopes that the internship required for completing her broadcasting degree will open doors for her. But right now work, school and Natalia all keep her busy. “You just think about what’s in front of you,” she says. She thinks about the future she is envisioning, and then smiles apologetically. “I’m a work in progress,” she says.
Chris Hussey has dreams of changing the world, starting with Southeast Asia, and specifically Indonesia. He is an American who grew up in Singapore, and although he has been here for two years, he speaks about "this country" like it still surprises him. Tall and tan, he is neatly dressed in shorts and boat shoes. He takes 16 units and works four days a week. The closest thing he has to a day off is on Wednesdays, when he has class from 1 to 5 p.m. Next fall, he will be attending UC Berkeley, where he will pursue a degree in international development. Eventually, Hussey plans to start his own non-profit global venture fund, investing money in undeveloped economies. "There are a lot of global venture funds putting money into these economies, and they're making tons of money from it," he says. "I don't want to be making millions of dollars," he says, and explains that he doesn't believe in making a profit. "I’m a communist." But he has a long way to go before he can establish his non-profit. "You have to have money to start a non-profit," he says. For now, Hussey is a food runner at The Cheesecake Factory. "It's not what I want to be doing for the rest of my life, obviously," he says. "It's just a college job." He started as a host, greeting and seating patrons, and hopes he will soon be promoted to server. He likens his job to school, as he must study and take tests to move from position to position. Before this job, he worked at Hollister. He says that folding clothes for six-to-eight hour shifts may look easy, but it hurts mentally. At The Cheesecake Factory, he is "making people happy," and learning how to
talk to customers. "You learn to turn on, not exactly the charm, but the humility," he says. The money he makes goes toward his expenses and tuition. "I'm subsidizing my father," he says. "He never asked me to work; I made that choice myself." Hussey is the oldest of three siblings, and he knows that putting them all through college is a burden on his father. After Berkeley, Hussey plans to live in Indonesia for a year. His mom's family is Indonesian, and he plans to focus his studies in Southeast Asia. He does not believe you can effect positive change as an outsider, so he plans to "become an insider." After that, he might continue school for international law, or get a master’s degree. He believes education should be free, but acknowledges that it is not a feasible solution. "Not in this country," he says, adding that if education were free, it would allow students to focus on their dreams. Whether or not Hussey qualifies for financial aid, he will have to take out student loans to pay for school. Then, he will have to get a job to pay them off. "It makes you a robot, trying to make money to live,” he says. One thing Hussey dislikes about his job is that people seem to do it just for the money. "I was raised to be nice to people without wanting money from them," he says. But for now, it beats folding Hollister sweatshirts, and it is a learning experience for him. Hussey knows he will never look at retail clerks or waiters the same way. "Everyone should work," he says. "Everyone should get a really crappy job."
14 CORSAIR CALENDAR ‘La Mode 2012’ May 24 @ 7 p.m. California Market Center Fashion Theater 110 E. 9 St., downtown Los Angeles $25 (310) 434-3005 ‘RENT’ May 24 @ 8 p.m. (preview for $10) May 25 – 26 & June 1 – 2 @ 8 p.m. May 27 & June 2 – 3 @ 2 p.m. SMC Main Stage $20 $18 (students/seniors) $15 SMC (students/faculty/staff) (310) 434-4319
‘Next Wave L.A.’ May 26 @ 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. May 27 @ 2 p.m. The Broad Stage $30 – $95 $24 - $76 (children/ students/seniors) (310) 998-7782 www. losangelesballet.org Those Folks X Warm Brew May 27 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. (T-shirt release) Station 26 2665 Main St., Santa Monica 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. (after party and concert) The Good Hurt 12249 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles 21+ $3 (ladies) $7 (gents)
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
SANTA MONICA TRIES TO FORGET AN “INKY” PAST Jacob Blackoff A+E EDITOR
It came as a surprise that Venice Beachborn black amateur skateboarder, Blake Johnson had no idea who Nicholas Rolando Gabaldon was. Times have shifted a lot since Gabaldon was accredited with being one of the first black surfers of his era, and while his untimely death involved few, it affected many. “Times are changing,” said the Black Surfers Association's Rick Blocker. “The world has come together. This is one planet, and we are all one people now. Activities like surfing move the world to slowly overcome distinctions that people use to divide us.” Earlier this year in February, Nike commissioned Richard Yelland to bring the Gabaldon’s tragic but inspirational story to the silver screen. The documentary's title, ‘12 Miles North’ heralded to the 12-mile paddle that the surfer allegedly undertook from Santa Monica’s segregrated Inkwell beach, to the pier in Malibu on a regular basis. Through the use of Facebook and other social networks, Nike was able to draw an audience of vastly different demographics. While there are different brands associated with different demographics, we are all considered one race now-a-days,” Johnson said. “We are skaters, and skating [like surfing] has become part of mainstream culture. I actually miss the days when skaters and surfers were the outcasts,” he added in reference to the late 1990s, when it wasn't as societally accepted to be a thrill-seeker. Born Feb. 23, 1927, Gabaldon was described as a charismatic lovable fellow, who
would not let the prejudiced society he belonged to tell him otherwise. He loved school, surfing and his country. In 1945 he served in the navy, aiding his country across seas to defeat one of the most infamous racists of all time, Adolf Hitler. A year later, Gabaldon would return home to the unconquerable hatred he left behind: segregated swimming pools, water fountains and beaches. In this battle, he would not be as triumphant. The times of Jim Crow and the laws left in effect made the normal functions of life for a black person very difficult. Just as there were designated water fountains and bathrooms, The Inkwell was a 200 square-foot parcel of Santa Monica's coastline designated for “colored people.” Nestled between Bay St. and Bicknell Ave., the small section of beach was not only vulnerable to violent discrimination, but was also subordinate when it came to the best surf conditions. Gabaldon discovered his passion by first engaging in simple body surfing, a practice of using your body like a beacon to shoot across tides. A true surfer will explain that you must know the feel, taste and sound of a wave before you can ride it. " The capricious ocean so very strong, Robust, powerful; can I be wrong? Pounding, beating upon its cousin shore, Comes it clapping, rapping with a mighty roar. The sea vindictive, with waves so high For men to battle and still they die. Many has it taken to its bowels below;
Without regard it thus does bestow Its laurels to unwary men. With riches taken from ships gone by, Its wet song reaches to the sky To claim its fallen man-made birds And plunge them into depths below With a nauseous surge. Scores and scores have fallen prey To the salt of animosity, And many more will victims be Of the capricious, vindictive sea. O, avaricious ocean so very strong Robust, powerful, I’m not wrong, Pounding, beating upon your cousin shore. Come you clapping, rapping with a might roar." -Nick Gabaldon May 31, 1951 Santa Monica Evening Outlook
One week after Gabaldon submitted this poem to his SMC English professor, his elusive words would become actuality. Smashed between the pillars beneath the Malibu Pier, the young surfer died. He was just 24 years old. In the 1940s, Santa Monica was segregated like much of America, and compared to a Coney Island type of get away for people from surrounding areas. Surfing was an emerging popular pastime among young white men, and they wanted their beaches kept “white.” A determined Gabaldon caught wind of an amazing swell near the Malibu Pier - 12
miles North of Santa Monica - and stories of a “brotherhood of surfers” where skin color was outweighed by passion. With no other means of transportation, Gabaldon set off for Malibu in the only fashion he knew - he paddled out. According to Rhonda Harper, the woman responsible for a lot of the film's research and proposing the city of Santa Monica to make a plaque in Gabaldon's honor, he was likely accepted amongst the surfers in Malibu. Through her efforts, Harper was successful in her proposition, and the city of Santa Monica unveiled the plaque on what was once a segregated beach on Feb. 7, 2008. Times are different now, people are divided by subcultures and lifestyles, with an array of races intertwined. Interracial marriage is more prevalent, and while prejudices still largely exist, they are not part of popular culture. This summer, go out and have fun. Reflect on all the things you take for granted, and remember no matter how bad things may seem at the moment, someone has probably endured worse in the past. This story pays homage to a man's unfortunate death, but more importantly celebrates his courageous life. Nick is buried across the street from SMC's naïve cultural melting pot of students at the Woodlawn cemetery, his story should not be forgotten.
Top five influences on the Millennials Robert Gutierrez STAFF WRITER
The Millennial generation has seen many changes. During this era, society has broken racial barriers, reached towards gender equality, and has drastically progressed in the world of technology. It is because of some key members of society that we have been able to change so drastically in such a short amount of time. Steve Jobs left his mark on the world before his untimely death in 2011. Jobs was responsible for co-founding the electronics giant, Apple. He was the genius behind the iPhone, iPad, and the Mac. Jobs gave technology a “coolness” factor, turning utilitarian electronics into sleek items that were more popular among the youth. He played a major role in making technology more accessible and attractive to the masses. “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.” –Steve Jobs, as quoted in The Wall Street Journal, 1993. Oprah Winfrey overcame both gender and racial barriers by becoming one of the most influential and wealthi-
est black women in the world today. In 2008, she aided in the Obama campaign as one of his main benefactors. She was able to remain relevant by transforming her show over the years, focusing in on issues that affected society at the time. Oprah went on to become one of our nation’s most powerful women, and for many years was the only African American billionaire in the world. She has turned her name into a global brand, with her own show, channel, magazine, and online shopping site. “What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life, but in other people’s lives.” -Oprah Winfrey, in an interview with the Academy of Achievement, 2010. Shepard Fairey emerged from the underground world of graffiti, and his art was mostly popular amongst the skateboarding subculture. His first mainstream success came from a drawing entitled “Andre the Giant has a Posse,” which featured a profile of the late entertainer. The meaning behind the Obey movement was to open people's eyes
to the fact that we were so obedient to higher powers without ever questioning them. In 2008, Fairey drew a portrait of President Barack Obama, captioned “Hope.” The portrait went on to be a symbol of the Obama term. “It is only possible for society to evolve in a positive direction with a healthy balance of honoring both needs of the individual, and promoting basic human rights and equality of the collective.” -Shepard Fairey, in an article he wrote for the Huffington Post, November 2011. Lady Gaga, born Stefani Joanne Angeline Germanotta, came into the music industry and quickly took the world by storm. She is currently the most popular person on Twitter, with over 24 million followers. Her loyal fans, which she has nicknamed “Little Monsters,” have fueled her rapid rise to fame. Gaga used her music to spread awareness on global issues such as immigration, gender equality, and gay rights. She started her own foundation called “The Born This Way Foundation,” which promoted individuality and strived to eliminate intolerance. “Every bit of me is devoted to love and art. And I aspire to try to be a teacher to my young
fans who feel just like I felt when I was younger. I just felt like a freak. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm trying to liberate them, I want to free them of their fears and make them feel that they can make their own space in the world.” -Lady Gaga, during a 20/20 interview, 2010 Mark Zuckerberg's billion dollar social networking site known as Facebook has been one of the only of its kind that has managed to stick around, while others like MySpace and Friendster have ultimately phased out. Through Facebook, Zuckerberg has allowed users to keep connected with friends and family all over the world, in an easier fashion. Facebook had an “it” factor that allowed it to be attractive to its users by constantly progressing and updating to suit the demands of a tech-savvy generation. “When you give everyone a voice and give people power, the system usually ends up in a really good place.” -Mark Zuckerberg, during an ABC interview with Diane Sawyer, 2010
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Wednesday May, 23 ‧ Santa we Monica College Volume 103 Issue 13
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Those Folks street wear, a “lifestyle brand”
Nadine Weiland and Jacob Blackoff STAFF WRITER & A+E EDITOR
On Abbot Kinney, one of Venice Beach's most prominent boulevards, a hand protruded above the crowd of designer-garbed individuals and slapped a sticker on a 'No Skateboarding' sign. “Those Folks” was now loudly displayed in place of the “No.” The stickers could be seen everywhere, - shop windows, traffic signs, trash cans – without much more explanation than a website. But who were “Those Folks?” Richard Massie, 24-year-old founder and creative director of Those Folks, has lived in Venice his whole life. Though he was exposed at a very young age to violence and drugs, and grew up alongside a prevalent gang lifestyle, his passion and love for skateboarding has been a savior. Those Folks started in June of 2008 as a simple blog of pictures and entries portraying the beach lifestyle Massie and his friends lived. Now they use the site to promote music events, art shows, T-shirts, sunglasses, stickers, pins, and anything else that they collaborate on or create. In order to inform people about upcoming events and sales, Those Folks has utilized social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, as well as their blog thosefolks. com. Additionally, they distribute stickers all over Los Angeles as a cost-effective way of advertising, and to create a buzz for their brand. Four years ago, Massie suffered a tear to his Meniscus while skateboarding in Costa Mesa. It was during a slow recovery that he came up with the idea for the brand. While unable to skate for over a year and half, Massie stayed busy by helping out at Rogue Status/DTA, a clothing and skateboard shop in Venice, and his main sponsor at the time. “I wasn’t sure what I was trying to do,” said Massie. “But I knew that I wanted to do something that would benefit my friends and make my family happy.” The owners of Rogue Status/DTA noticed something different about Massie, and inspired him to follow a similar path as them, fueling the young skateboarder's ambition. “Those Folks is like a village,” exclaimed Johan Esbensen, co-founder of Rogue Status/DTA. “Whenever you live in a big city, you get lost in it. I've got a village of people I can trust, and Those Folks are those people.” 21-year-old Mike Alsobrook, a fellow member and coordinator of the brand, described them as “a collection of skaters, musicians, and talented young artists of all mediums.” According to Alsobrook, the term “Folks” was a reference to the group's friends and families. While most of the brand's members grew up together, their circle continues to grow. “We are a work collective, and all we are doing is chasing our dreams,” said Massie. Aside from producing product and hosting events, Those Folks has made commercials for their clothing, and skateboarding videos promoting their closest friends which they upload on their Youtube channel. Massie and his partner/media director, Tiimo Schulze have been developing an online store in order distribute their items through the Internet. Currently, they have been selling their products via various events, and through associates who have
their own clothing or skate shops. So far, merchandise has been available at particular locations, and on the release day only, adding to the exclusiveness of the brand. Alsobrook explained that only a certain number of items are produced. When they sell out, the company moves on to new designs. Massie added that Those Folks is not a traditional brand, as there is no specific number of members. Friends, family, and anybody else they're associated with are considered “Folks.” “This family was growing before it even became a brand,” said Massie. “Anyone can start a clothing line, but not every brand is a lifestyle. This is our life.” At the moment, Those Folks is planning an event with the Santa Monica based rap group Warm Brew, in order to promote the group’s debut album 'Kottabos,' and drop an exclusive collaboration T-shirt. The event will take place on May 27, and will start with the T-shirt release at Station 26 in Santa Monica, followed by an after party and concert at The Good Hurt on Venice Blvd. Previous events held by Those Folks included an art show that featured the works of various associates, with a performance by childhood friends and up-and-coming West Los Angeles based rappers, Chill Black Guys. According to Massie, Those Folks tend to “keep it in the circle,” as they also had CBG perform at the release of a limited edition sunglass collaboration with Crap Eyewear. The glasses would go on to catch the eye of rapper Lil' Wayne, and he proudly sported them in a music video featuring Bruno Mars entitled ‘Mirrors.’ Those Folks is trying to set a good example for younger kids in the neighborhood. “We are trying to push young people to use their talent,” said Alsobrook. “There is nothing worse than wasted talent.” As of now, no personal profits have been made from sales, as every penny earned goes straight back into the brand and future projects. “New brands are created every day,” said Massie. “You can say there is competition everywhere, but that's only if you choose to see it that way.”
All photos courtesy of Those Folks.
Those Folks uses strickers as a cost effective marketing stragetegy.
Derek Koda films skate clips for the Those Folks YouTube channel.
Richard Massie at Venice Beach.