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RESISTANCE ON STAGE
MARCH 04, 2015 | VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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THEATER ARTISTS BRING #BLACKLIVESMATTER TO LIFE PG. 10 MARCH IN MARCH CUT SHORT PG. 3
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CONTENT
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
EDITORIAL STAFF Alci Rengifo ........................Editor-in-Chief corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com Jonathan Ramos................Managing Editor corsair.newspage@gmail.com Jose Gutierrez .............................News Editor corsair.newspage@gmail.com Yasha Hawkins ...........................News Editor corsair.newspage@gmail.com Paulina Eriksson ............. Health & Lifestyle corsair.lifestylepage@gmail.com Jonathan Ramos .................. Opinion Editor corsair.opinionpage@gmail.com James Powel ...............................Sports Editor corsair.sportspage@gmail.com Claudius West ............Multimedia Director corsair.multimediadept@gmail.com Devin Page .... Arts & Entertainment Editor corsair.calendarpage@gmail.com Brandon Barsugli ...................... Photo Editor corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com Kira VandenBrande ................. Photo Editor corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com Juan Lopez ................................ Digital Editor corsair.webeditor@gmail.com Jhosef Hern .....................................Illustrator corsaircartoon@gmail.com William Miguel ..............Editorial Designer corsair.designteam@gmail.com
Three hikers look upon the vast metropolitan landscape of modern Los Angeles from atop the path leading to the Hollywood sign. Reopened in January after a brief period of renovation, the trail now features new security gates to benefit local residents. The trail remains one of the iconic areas of Los Angeles and Hollywood history that attract visitors including locals and tourists. (Carlos Espinosa)
CORSAIR STAFF
Tim Lee, Ryanne Mena, Ethan Singleton
Carlos Espiniosa, Alendy Galindo, Veronica Aviles, Jose Lopez, Josue Martinez, Mark Logarta, Ricardo Hernandez, Raymond Martinez, Michael Downey, Daniel Bowyev, Oskar Zinnemann, Christian Gianni Martin, Sherrie Dickinson, Kimberly Minzlaff, Julianne Oseberg, Bailey Peraita, Chiaki Kudo, Kevin Monterroso, Jocelyne Ruiz, Josh Shure, Stefanie Flores, Nerllyn Eskenassy,
FACULTY ADVISORS
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Regarding “Exotic animals banned in Santa Monica” Santa Monica City Council deserves kudos for prioritizing animal welfare and public safety by banning exotic and wild animals on the Pier. As a former long-time resident of Santa Monica, I well recall how animals were treated like disposable props. Rather than exploring lush jungles and swamps and experiencing all the sensory pleasures they are so keenly attuned to, snakes are hauled out for shock value, but manhandling even large snakes can cause serious internal injuries. Snakes shun contact with people and for good reason: They are wild animals who only suffer in the hands of humans. Reptiles have specialized husbandry needs, including spectrum lighting, heat sources and dietary requirements, which are expensive, tedious and technical. Very few buyers have the knowledge or inclination to commit to the lifelong responsibility of the animals they acquire on a whim. Snakes are relegated to eating whatever someone remembers to dump into their tanks. They usually end up living in small aquariums where they can’t even stretch out the full length of their bodies, much less move around or climb. Because they can’t vocalize pain or discomfort, it’s easy for owners who feel inconvenienced and bored by their new chore to ignore a starving, dehydrated or sick snake. Reptiles do not want to be your friend. They want to be left alone. Yours truly, Jennifer O'Connor Senior Writer PETA Foundation
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FRONT COVER Patrisse Cullors, who is enshrouded in the American flag, shouts out loud "Black Lives Matter!" as part of a spoken word piece along with Damon Turner during the rehearsal performance for "Power: From the Mouths of the Occupied" at Highways Performance Space on February 26, 2015 in Santa Monica, California. The performance aims to share with the audience the impacts of state violence on Black people. (Jose Lopez)
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR ALCI RENGIFO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The streets of Los Angeles are again boiling with the anger of the disenfranchised as another police shooting, this time in Skid Row, has again raised the question of the relationship between citizens and security forces. In this week's issue our writers and photographers capture two events where individuals express their anger against a system they feel has rejected progress in exchange for nightsticks. Our photo story features Tuesday's protests in front of LAPD headquarters protesting the shooting of an unarmed, mentally unstable homeless man in Skid Row. In our Arts & Entertainment section editor Devin Page attends rehearsals for a theater performance which brings #BlackLivesMatter to life. Yet in a world that is becoming increasingly uncertain, protesting will not be enough. If issues like police brutality, inequality, lack of jobs and discrimination anger us, then our generation must begin to form alternatives and even more important, to think. In Europe already the tremors of a new age are beginning to rattle the citadels of the established order. In Greece, where the economy collapsed in 2010, the angry and restless have voted in the radical left-wing Syriza party to power. Now in Spain the even more radical leftist party Podemos is predicted to win elections later this year. We cannot depend only on rage to make a difference, because
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outbursts of anger are momentary. Thinking and imagining is what takes hard work. In other sections of this week's issue other stories that frame the state of our modern world are explored such as the recent craziness over "the dress" on Twitter. The madness that entranced millions to ponder the color of a dress that was photographically over-exposed was a testament to our age. We are hypnotized by nothing, and obsess over what is meaningless. Our Opinion section also features new illustrations from our resident illustrator Jhosef Hern who was recently awarded First Place at the Calfirornia College Media Awards. Jhosef won for an illustration in our fall cycle where he drew Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto as a modern-day Marie Antoinette. As the times change at a fast pace, we try to keep up through our writing and graphic art. March marks Women's Empowerment Month and to commemorate we will begin to offer a series beginning next week on important women figures form history. As always, we invite you to keep up with the latest campus news and events through both our print edition and web presence. We invite you to send us your letters and comments to our editor's e-mails as well. This week's issue is full of voices demanding to be heard, we want to hear yours.
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NEWS
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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A LONG AWAITED UPGRADE Library labs refitted with brand new computers for student use NERLLYN ESKENASSY STAFF WRITER As Santa Monica College begins a new year, it also brings with it a new change at the Library. Where SMC students find themselves working in front of 221 new screens as they input their usernames and passwords. Up until last semester, the computers in place were 2003 models, very old and malfunctioning. In comparison with the new Dell computers, these come with the latest web browser and basic Microsoft programs, not much of a difference. But librarian Steve Hunt encourages students to bring their "personal laptops to download software" that they need. Anne Powers, library faculty leader, compliments this change by adding that "this upgrade is much better in relation to software, screen size and performance of the monitors." Several SMC students that utilize the library computers two-to-three hours average per day said they didn't notice the adjustment. But others like Frank Callejas, a student at SMC added, "that he would have wanted the computers to have been replaced with Apple computers, instead." Unfortunately, "it is just impossible [to accommodate the library with Macs", according to Hunt, because funding is already hard to obtain. But for students that prefer to work on Mac computers, the Bundy building (offcampus) and the Arts building have
them available. Hunt says that there has "currently been a request for more technology around campus that has been sent to the college staff of VP's," who are in charge of allocating funds in high priority zones around the school. This improvement in the library was vital and necessary, according to Hunt. "We've been waiting for this change to take place and this year was our turn," he says. With the whole 'eco-friendly' movement the replacement of two hundredtwenty one computers in the library, also leave an uncertainty of what will happen with the old computers. Most of the time, the old equipment is passed onto other staff members. However, Hunt confirmed that since these computers are too old, they will be taken apart and recycled. Hunt added, that for the remainder of the semester "Librarians are here to help out with research if students need help." Future technological changes at the SMC Library are unforeseen for the time being. But Hunt is glad that enough students can now enjoy a new surprising upgrade to their daily routines on campus, for better school performance and efficiency. Hunt is also glad that SMC "helped replace the old PC's," because the funding and budget that go into place with large projects like these take time to be executed.
Joel Ruiz, 37, and Amid Hasani, 30, make use of the new computers in the Santa Monica College library on Tuesday in Santa Monica. (Jose Lopez Corsair)
Manoosh Nabavi, 27, tries out one of the new computers in the Santa Monica College library on Tuesday in Santa Monica. (Jose Lopez Corsair)
A.S. TRIP TO MARCH IN MARCH ABRUPTLY CUT SHORT JOSE GUTIERREZ NEWS EDITOR On Monday, the Associated Students took a trip to Sacramento to take part in “March in March”, a yearly event meant to bring students together behind a cause. However, the AS Directors returned home early facing disciplinary action, due to their participation in an impromptu student-led march they were not allowed to attend. This year, the “March in March” event was supposed to consist of visits with state legislators in place of an actual march; The march itself was not in the AS directors’ itinerary for the trip. Because they were not authorized to participate in a march in the first place, their advisor, Associate Dean of Student Life Sonali Bridges moved up their return flight for six hours earlier. As a result, the group returned to Los Angeles at 1 p.m. instead of at 7 p.m., as was originally planned. Bridges refused to be quoted on the record in regards to the event and subsequent happenings. AS President Ali Khan said he decided to go to the march because he had previously agreed to be there as a ‘peacekeeper’. According to Director of Community Relations Yana Demeshko, peacekeepers “just look around people, notice conflicts, try to calm people down without being physical.”
Khan said the decision to attend the march was made under last minute circumstances and was poorly thought out. “It was definitely a lapse of better judgement on our end,” he said. “We could “Had we known about the college policy violation, we of course would have taken more time, tried to communicate better with [Bridges].” have all stopped and asked [Bridges] what was going on, and why we shouldn’t go. But because of the rush and the job responsibility that we sort of threw ourselves into, we just walked away without consulting her first.” According to Khan, it was unclear that the march could not be participated in. “It was perceived as, we were defying authority; That was not the case,” Khan said. “Had we known about the college policy violation, we of course would have taken more time, tried to communicate better with [Bridges].” The AS left before they were able to visit state legislators and participate in other events, which was supposed to be the purpose of the event. Although they returned before they could fill their role as Santa Monica College’s representatives, the rest of the schools still participated in the event. “[It was] disappointing. Ethically, you feel like you have not done the job or re-
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Associated Students board directors in Sacramento on Monday March 2, for the "March in March" event; (pictured from left to right: Director of Advocacy T.K. Flory, Director of Budget Management Hasun Khan,Secretary Keisha Nash-Johnson, AS President Ali Khan, Associate Dean of Student Life Sonali Bridges, Inter-Club Council Vice-Chair Courtney King, Director of Activities Andy Koo, Director of Community Relations.Yana Demeshko.) Courtesy of Yana Demeshko
sponsibility you were elected to do,” said Khan. “So, I mean, when you have 30,000 students you represent and then two million across the state...it not only felt like we had let them down, but that SMC had let them down.” Even though the AS directors are awaiting possible disciplinary action for their decision to attend the march,
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their participation in the march may not have been illegal in the first place. Demeshko clarified that permits and liability insurance are only needed when the streets are closing down in lieu of large crowds. Since the AS directors who marched stayed away from the roads, they did not technically participate in something illegal.
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NEWS
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
CONSENT WEEK IN THE WORKS FOR SMC RN TO BSN PROGRAM
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Associated Students Trustee Daniel Kolko (left) and AS Vice President Caitlin Corker (right), two of the three organizers of Consent Month and student members of SMC's Title IX task force. (Kira VandenBrande Corsair)
YASHA HAWKINS NEWS EDITOR This April could mark Santa Monica College’s first Consent Week. Or month, rather. In light of the establishment of task forces to combat sexual assault in the White House and the University of California system, student organizations on campuses like UCLA, Arizona State University, and UC Berkeley have organized Consent Weeks to raise awareness about the issue among students. Here at SMC, Dr. Tsang established a similar task force last semester, and as a result of being on that task force, AS Board members Caitlin Corker, Daniel Kolko, and Jessica Meshkani are currently developing a Consent Month for SMC. April is the assigned month because it is Sexual Assault and Violence Awareness Month, and Denim Day falls on the 29th. A week’s worth of interactive discussions, screenings, and conscious theater would be spread out over a month when limited to the Tuesday and Thursday Activity Hours, hence the term Consent Month. However, Corker says the aim of this event is not to simply give out information. “We want people to have a conversation about it, we want it to be in classrooms. [This event is] not only to get the information, but now how do you interpret the information? How do you see us figuring this out on campus?” Much of Consent Month is not set in stone. The events need to still be approved by the administration and campus facilities, and there’s still a meeting with department chairs to determine how faculty and staff will respond to the idea. But there are plans for interactive performances from theater troupes from UC Berkeley and Oregon State University as well as a screening of the documentary The Hunting Ground at The Broad Stage. However, there is still red tape to break through, in addition to procuring funding for the troupes, because the documentary is so controversial. “There’s been discussions about ‘Is this what we want on our campus?’” says Corker. Part of the effort to engage students in this conversation begins this month with a recently finalized campus climate survey. The survey, modified from a climate
survey from Rutgers, the university chosen by the White House to pilot such surveys, will be conducted by SMC’s Department of Institutional Research in classrooms where students answer questions anonymously about their experiences on campus with sexual assault or violence on campus. According to Corker, the survey is a tool for SMC to to gain “relevant and educated responses” to what happens on campus. “The survey will give us what’s actually happening with the student population, what they’re actually feeling, whether there have been assaults on campus.” It will also indicate whether students know where to go for support if they are victims of sexual assault. By nature, a community college’s students are always in transit unless they are active on campus, which makes it difficult to distribute this type of information to students. “It’s not like we have a dormitory where we can post all of that information. We have Corsair Connect but how often do you scroll through everything on Corsair Connect?” The use of this survey is not to say that the school doesn’t track on-campus assaults, or on-campus crime for that matter. The Cleary Act requires college campuses to record all campus crime, be it burglaries, assaults, harassment, or defacement. But because reported incidents are so few, “one or two incidents that were reported on campus,” says Corker, there is as much of a chance that could be a larger problem going unnoticed as much as there is a chance that there could be no problem at all. “Right now, we don’t think there is [a problem] because nobody’s reporting that info.” Nor is it to say that there are no support services or resources for victims of sexual assault on campus. “If you go to psychological services, they’ll tell you where to go,” says Corker. “If you go to the police department, they’ll tell you where to go. We have a really good relationship with a rape treatment center here, it’s associated with UCLA. We do have the services, it’s now figuring out how to get that information out to students if they don’t already know.”
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OPINION
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
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THE DRESS THAT SHOOK THE WORLD
first photographed by the bride's mother, on her Tumblr blog on Friday asking what color it was (apparently members of the bride's family had already started a debate). Someone posted the blog on Buzzfeed and by Saturday had attracted 24 million views. What has ensued in the last few days is one of the most fascinating sociological short circuits of the decade. Blogs, message boards, Twitter feeds, have all been consumed by "The Dress." CNN, the BBC, NBC, Fox, everyone made it front page news. Psychologists, scientists, neurologists have all written articles as to why some see white and gold and others black and blue. Some articles have even pondered what seeing one of the two color selections says about your I.Q. We're still waiting for the United Nations to issue a statement (joke). I don't write from a high tower, I happily
engaged in the Dress debate, and during the Super Bowl Left Shark gained my immediate admiration. But there's little doubt that the explosion of The Dress says a lot about who we are right now. A simple truth here is that The Dress enraptured the world because it perfectly embodied the vapid times we inhabit. In a fast moving age, thinking is a real chore. The Dress requires little actual thinking, it simply provokes an immediate reaction and everyone can chime in. Deadly serious issues on the net such as Benjamin Netanyahu's speech this week to Congress denouncing negotiations with Iran (war clouds on the horizon), the assassination of a top Russian dissident in Moscow (the world's biggest country potentially destabilized), or a possible coup plot in Venezuela (serious unrest next door), elicit blissful ignorance. It's true that people have different interests. Not everyone enjoys processing political/global news, but that's part of the point, The Dress became a phenomenon because it connected everyone through its sheer meaninglessness. It had nothing to do with the arts, music, sports, or even anything provocative. It is solid proof about how we're a society that goes insane over nothing. It explains why someone like Kim Kardashian can become a pop icon by doing nothing more than turning herself into a product. Our idols are transparent and made of glass. Socially we are like moths to a flame when it comes to going nuts over memes and bizarre, fleeting fads. While we can easily blame the internet, The Dress is like a culmination of the consumerist culture that first really began in the 19th century. The great critic Walter Benjamin
chronicled the rise of glittering department stores designed to entrance the masses with fashion and objects in Paris. Benjamin described the modern world's obsession with being shallow consumers as "the sadist's mania for novelty." It is the same principle applied to human interaction in our society. I once heard a student claim that "hooking up" is better than finding a decent person because "I don't have to think, and my instincts are satisfied momentarily." I know someone who would call that person "someone with issues," but indeed, socially we all have issues and The Dress proves it. Our worship of things, of objects, has culminated in The Dress "breaking the internet" and causing fierce online exchanges that would make extraterrestrials wonder if the garment's color scheme were essential for human survival. The diagnosis by the alien observers would be that we live in a world dominated by illusion and fantasy. The fantasies consumer culture offers are made physical by The Dress. Everyone sees the color they want, and they obsess themselves with proving it, for what reason? There is none. But then again, what's the logic in waiting in line for the next iPhone? Current events matter little. Even when audiences go to see a historical film at the box office they prefer the uber patriotic fantasies of "American Sniper," where again, real thinking about the Iraq War is discarded for a shallow, macho vision of war and killing. Let's continue to obsess over The Dress, or whatever other meaningless object conquers the internet, and in the background new wars are brewing, the world is changing and we won't realize the storm has arrived until the first drops of acid rain fall on our keyboards.
of my classmates. There was no competition, no angst, no spite. No feelings of insecurity, inferiority or superiority. It was in those fourteen seconds that I was truly an American.
I asked my teacher Mrs. M, who I remember so vividly as having a motherly warmth about her, for a suitable hero. Upon my arrival she smiled, as she always did, and within fifteen seconds of my ask-
were what people referred to as ‘segregated.’ That meant that Me, Robbie and Joseph wouldn't have been able to eat together, or sit together and watch X-Men. In hindsight, I came to the realization that back then I would have been alone. That thought stuck with me. And so for the next few days, whether playing, or dreaming, or working with my classmates, I felt an indescribable weight on my heart. It was a curious, new found anxiety I’d never experienced before. I had so many more questions. But still, I continued the same way every morning. I’d stand with my right hand over my heart, though a little less tall. And I’d pledge my allegiance, but a little less loud. Until one day, after the pledge was over, I mustered up the courage to ask another question-- this time in front of the class. “What is indivisible?” I asked. “It’s what America should be,” she said. “And what is liberty Mrs. M?” And with a slight pause she replied, “well, that is what Americans should have.” And my coy, nine year old self, now dying to ask one final burning question uttered: “What is justice, Mrs. M?” And it was in that moment--the slightest moment, that I saw the omnipresent twinkle in Mrs. M’s eye, fade. “Justice is what all American’s should be treated with.” And so I nodded, and I sat. And no day therein, was ever the same. I never made the same kinds of friends, I became too reclusive. I never pledged my allegiance the same, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with thought. And I lost a bit of hope, I think I became far too rational. It seemed as if at that time, that pivotal time in my nine year old life, all the questions and values concomitant to adulthood had finally risen in my life. And for some reason, I felt less American.
Juan Lopez
ALCI RENGIFO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The infamous internet meme now known as "The Dress" is a portent of our social disorder and apocalyptic rush towards dystopia. If that sounds heavy handed, consider how the over-exposed photo of a black and blue dress (and yes, it is black and blue), caused internet traffic and even social debates unheard of with more serious, urgent issues. Even our Corsair Newsroom became a battlefield where friendships and perceptions came under threat over the raging debate over what color the dress was. The madness began as the result of another act of lunacy, a wedding. To make a long story short, the member of a Scottish wedding party posted a photo of a dress,
THE PLEDGE ETHAN SINGLETON STAFF WRITER A Corsair staff writer shares his thoughts on the pledge of allegiance and whether it should be mandated in the U.S school system. And the same way every morning it began. The day’s designated leader, sometimes the teacher, sometimes a classmate, but often times myself, would raise first. They’d say “Put your right hand over your heart.” And so I did, and they too. And at our age nobody ever stopped to asked why. Despite our narrow, eight year old vocabularies, which were often tapered to “yes sir,” “no sir,” “please” and “thank you,” we never even ceased to inquire about certain words or phrases. It seemed to be something we just did. Because as Americans-- and I use the term in its broadest sense--this oration has become indicative as to who we are. We've said it at ballgames, in school functions, at organization meetings and during ceremonies. This salute, this national prayer, symbolic of Freedom, Justice and Equality is ingrained in us. I don’t even recall learning it. But I remember pledging with such pride, with such ambition. And it wasn’t because I was supposed to, either. It was because for those twelve, thirteen, fourteen seconds, I felt oneness. It was the chorus of thirty prepubescent voices singing in unison. It was the way our teacher smiled as we did so and the way our chins lifted lifted high to the sky as the room vibrated. It was the impalpable. For those fourteen seconds I felt that I needed nothing in life to succeed outside
Jhosef Hern
It was liberating. But somehow, over that summer between third and fourth grade, something changed. Like a feline I became more inquisitive, more curious. I began to ask more questions. Nothing religious really or even too deeply philosophical-- at the time those things didn't interest me much. My nine year old self was very secular in his approach, increasingly interested in things like space, time and gravity. It was important to me that I decipher between what was truth and what was fiction. I became more rational. I remember one specific instance when my teacher assigned a book report. The prompt went something along the lines of : Name and Describe one your heroes in two paragraphs. Well up to that point, besides Michael Jordan, my father and my Papa, I didn't have any real heroes. So I inquired.
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ing she had a small black book in hand. She opened up the book and showed me a photo of a man who I thought looked just like me. She told me that this man had a dream, a dream that one day people would not be judged by the color of their skin. In America? I wondered. She showed me a photo of a water fountain, sort of like the ones my friends and I drank from on the playground. On the photo were signs saying, ‘Colored only,’ and ‘White only.’ Well, we didn't have those rules on the playground. I knew, because Me and Robbie and Joseph would all drink together sometimes. Weren't those people in the photo, American? Mrs. M went on to tell me about schools and buses, movie theaters and restaurants, some of which were my favorite places in the world. She told me that years ago, back when she too was my age, these things @THE_CORSAIR •
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OPINION
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
BRUTALITY IN FOCUS: POLICE BRUTALITY IN THE MEDIA
Jhosef Hern
CLAUDIUS WEST MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Earlier this week a videotape surfaced online showing three LAPD police officers shooting a homeless man on downtown LA’s skidrow; adding fuel to the already raging firestorm that has come in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting and Eric Garner choking death among other publicized instances of officer involved deaths. In the roughly six months since the Brown shooting in Ferguson it seems as if you cannot turn on the television, radio, or log into your preferred social media account without a new story of police violence. This has led to two dueling ideas. Some say that violence by police against its citizens is getting worse while others say that the media is taking advantage of isolated incidents to gain viewers. Both sides are right but the recent up tick in reporting by the media isn't so much about ratings and profit. It has everything to do with evidence and the ability to quickly and freely share it. Take the case of Brown as an example. Though unarmed at the time, his killing was ruled to be justifiable by the Ferguson Police Department. One of about 400 such instances reported to the FBI each year. But, this number does not represent an upward trend but instead a pattern that has held steady for at least the past couple of decades. In short, police shootings should have made frequent headlines years ago. Additionally, reports of excessive force are up compared to just a decade ago, more fuel for the bad cop press machine that some think exist. Meanwhile excessive use of force has grown worse since the Rodney King beating which took place on March 3, 1991. According to national data compiled by the U.S. Department Of Justice and the FBI, police misconduct complaints, the majority of which involve excessive force has risen from about 2,000 cases in 2003 to nearly 7,000 cases in 2010. This represents a more than 200 percent increase in reported cases, far out pacing population growth, an upward trend in a nation where crime is trending down. What's worse is that the data only
represents a small percentage of cases actually reported: those cases that the departments investigating its own officers found to be "sustained", a term used in a Department Of Justice report to indicate which misconduct claims were deemed “credible” by the investigating police department. In fact, the total number of all cases reported in the U.S was about 12 times that number in 2003 with no accurate data available today. Data is another problem because there are no policies in place to insure the complete and accurate collection of information on police brutality and therefore no reliable way to truly measure the true breath and scope of Americas police brutality problem. In the case of police shootings for instance, only “Justified” kills are tracked. There is no reporting of the number of shootings that lead to charges against the officer. Instead, in most cases, instances of alleged misconduct made against law enforcement is reported to and investigated by the accused cops fellow officers. Nationwide, we are essentially trusting that reports will be handled objectively by the departments whose very reputations would be damaged by the accusations being made against their officers. Is any of this sounding absurd yet? So, in many cities across the nation including here in Los Angeles where just a couple of weeks ago 15 year old Jamar Nicholson was shot as he stood next to another child holding a toy gun there are people who do not trust law enforcement. Many people, mostly living in impoverished minority communities, have been speaking out about profiling, excessive or unnecessary uses of force and brutality for decades. The numbers, while sketchy at best are provided by local law enforcement agencies themselves and appear to support the complaints made by its citizens that there is a problem worth examining. Yet, until recently the media however
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has been, outside of the most egregious instances, mum on the topic. So, why the sudden jump in reporting? Money? Sure, but if it were all about profits then major news outlets would have picked up these very sensational stories for the sake of selling ads years ago. I’m sure that there are those in the media who would have loved to report on this issue in times past but it’s not that simple. Until recently the only witnesses to most instances of alleged police misconduct were the victims themselves and, in some cases, the word of a witnesses. Unfortunately, a case of he said she said when the he or she on the other side is a police officer is no where near good enough to create headlines in a nation whose trust of the police is second only to that of our troops. A trust that is reflected in a June 2014 Gallup poll: the same poll in which the respondents rank their trust of the media as being lower than that of everyone except for congress. No, words aren't good enough, the nation needs to see graphic examples and that's what's changing, rapidly. It's our technology, the proliferation of highly advanced eye witnesses being placed into the hands of millions of average citizens via cellphones, tablets and other readily available electronic devices that allows the average person to document and instantaneously share high quality video worldwide via social media. It is this that is feeding the 24-hour news cycle with fresh press about the actions and missteps of Law enforcement. In my opinion this has created a winning formula for all sides, yes all sides. For the victims of alleged brutality, past and present, there is the validation that comes with the increasing frequency of clear and compelling visual evidence that supports the claims that they have been making all along. Attention is forcing Americans to have the very uncomfortable but very necessary discussion about police @THE_CORSAIR •
conduct and race relations in this country. Lastly, there is the pressure that this constant flow of negative press puts on local governments and law enforcement agencies to re-examine its polices and practices, a trend that is already beginning to appear in the form of body cam implementation for instance. Even the federal government is feeling the pressure and getting involved in places such as Ferguson. For the media, there will be Ferguson 24/7 to feed the American public’s thirst for headlines related to everything police and race in America; two very popular and therefore lucrative subjects. Think race, police violence or a combination of the two doesn’t sell? You’d be wrong. Take CNN, in each of the last three years the Trayvon Martin case, The George Zimmerman trial and verdict and Ferguson charted near the top of the news services 10 ten list of most popular stories in 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. The same was true across most major American news outlets. For those not keeping score viewers, likes, shares etc. all equal the same thing, money. This may leave a bad taste in the mouths of some but I say that it’s a good day when the for profit media’s financial interest finally line up with that of a worthy social cause. Last but not least there is an upside for law enforcement. I believe that the majority of officers are good men and women who do honorable work. For them the day may come soon where those within the department who do not represent the whole of the force are highlighted and weeded out so that the whole of the force isn’t made the enemy of the communities that they are trying to serve due to the destructive acts of the few. So, it is our wireless devices and social media addiction, the same things that often utilized in frivolous ways that we owe our gratitude. A debt of thanks for facilitating a much-needed national conversation, and hopefully, change.
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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
PARKING POLL PAULINA ERIKSSON HEALTH & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
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To be able to park your vehicle on Santa Monica College, you must each semester pay $85 for a Santa Monica College parking permit, which don't even guarantee you a spot. It doesn't matter how long you've been waiting or how stressed you are, whoever finds an available spot first, gets it. According to some SMC students finding a spot can take up to 1.5 hours which has actually cause some people to miss class. SMC drivers gives you their thoughts on the parking issue and what they think SMC could do to improve the parking situation.
SYDNEY HOLT
ARIEL RAFALIAN
how long does it take you to find a parking
how long does it take you to find a parking
spot?
spot?
If you get here before 7.30 in the morning you will find a spot immediately but if you get here at 8, you're screwed. It can take about an hour for you to find an available spot so pretty much until your class is over.
It depends on how early I get here. 10 or 15 minutes if I get here early enough. If not then maybe a 30 or 45 minutes. it's a long time.
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what do you think the school could do to improve the parking situation?
what do you think the school could do to
Since there are so many cars here the only thing they can do is add more parking. They can't make less cars so all they can do is make more space for parking. I also love parking structures that indicates available spots so that could be really helpful. I think that the space counters that they use are not very accurate, they could be a little bit better.
improve the parking situation?
A new parking lot. That corner over there by Pearl street they should add a lot there. I also think that lights showing available spots would be very beneficial. It would save a lot of time.
NICO FILOSETA
VLADA ROKHLAN
how long does it take you to find a parking spot?
how long does it take you to find a parking
It depends on what time I arrive but usually it takes me from an hour to an hour and a half.
spot?
IMG_5583.jpg
what do you think the school could do to improve the parking situation?
Oh my god, I actually missed class yesterday because I spent the entire class period searching for parking. It is really bad.
IMG_5587.jpg
what do you think the school could do to improve the parking situation?
I think maybe regulate the permits and only give out a certain amount of permits instead of anyone being able to get one. The best thing would be if there's only the same amount of permits as there are parking spaces.
Prioritize better. Instead of building a media center build a parking lot. Just an idea!
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8
PHOTOSTORY
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Tanya Lucia Bernard steps on stage with the other artists joining her during the rehearsal performance for “Power: From the Mouths of the Occupied” at Highways Performance Space on Thursday in Santa Monica. The performance aims to share with the audience the impacts of state violence on Black people. (Jose Lopez Corsair)
VOICES RAG FROM THE STAGE TO T STREETS DEVIN PAGE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Che Turay stands on stage along side the others during the rehearsal performance for “Power: From the Mouths of the Occupied” at Highways Performance Space on Thursday in Santa Monica. The performance aims to share with the audience the impacts of state violence on Black people. (Jose Lopez Corsair)
In the wake of "Black Lives Matter" protests, a group of young black people stood before an audience to tell their stories of their experiences with the police. Reliving past trauma and hurt, they told their stories that they thought they buried in the past. Donning "Bulletproof: #BlackLivesMatter" t-shirts, the group performed their monologues, some sounding like horror stories. "Power: From The Mouths Of The Occupied" performance piece put on by Patrisse Cullors, Damon Turner, and a group of eight young African American individuals, debuted to a packed audience on February 27 at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica. The project started in Kalamazoo, Michigan with a different cast, the plan being that a new cast will perform in each city. This past weekend it was in Los Angeles. Not everyone in the piece had been physically brutalized by the police. Rowan Lucia Bernard said, "I wasn't beaten to death or near death, I was physically unscathed but spiritually marked." While protesting for justice for Ezell Ford during the LA Marathon, police pushed protesters back, forming a barrier
Local artists share their personal stories of state violence and its impacts as part of a rehearsal performance for “Power: From the Mouths of the Occupied” at Highways Performance Space on Thursday in Santa Monica. (Jose Lopez Corsair)
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between the runners and them. Some runners put up a fist or chanted that they were with the protesters; however, some let out searing yells and thanked officers for protecting them. Bernard asked, "Protecting them from us?" Another performer Povi-Tamu Bryant recounted the story of her encounter with police detectives while trying to catch the man who sexually assaulted her. Bryant wasn't wearing underwear at the time of the assault and the detective asked, "Is that something that you do often?" "This is not what justice feels like," she said before the audience. After the first half, a video played, resonating voices spoke about their experiences with police brutality, and a familiar voice from the performance played. "My name is Mark Anthony Johnson and my preferred gender pronoun is 'he.' In 2012, my home was raided by the Los Angeles Police Department. I woke up to a fully armed squad of LAPD officers, guns drawn outside of my bedroom door because they said I fit the description." Voices cut over each other, more names, more cracked voices in despair over the impact that state violence has had over
Mark-Anthony Johnson stands on stage in the spotlight as he shares how state violence has impacted him as part of his rehearsal performance for “Power: From the Mouths of the Occupied” at Highways Performance Space on Thursday in Santa Monica. (Jose Lopez Corsair)
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PHOTOSTORY
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
9
AGE E O THE their lives. Over the hurt voices in the background of the video was nature shots, destinations, luxuries, freedoms that everyone should get to enjoy. Carefully planned, the faces that appeared were those of white people laughing, enjoying themselves, not a worry in the world. "No matter how many suits and ties you got, no matter how many degrees you got, you're still a nigger," said one voice before Cullors chimed in. "We Charge Genocide in 1951," Cullors said. She continued, "It is sometimes incorrectly thought that genocide means the complete and definitive destruction of a race or people. The Genocide Convention, however, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1948 defines genocide as any killings on the basis of race or in its specific words, 'Killing members of the group.'" The young men and women continued their monologues, some of them interconnected because they've known each other. Some of them, however, were interconnected because of the similarities in their stories. One of the most chilling of all was that of Jasmine Richards who was left shot and bleeding on the concrete after a party that went wrong.
YASHA HAWKINS NEWS EDITOR A crowd of 300 gathered Tuesday morning at LAPD headquarters on Spring Street to protest the recent LAPD shooting on Skid Row of a mentally ill homeless man known as “Africa” after he supposedly reached for an officer’s gun. In response, protesters shouted “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!” and “Black Lives Matter” in the second protest for the Skid Row shooting. Protesters staged a “die-in” outside the police station in memory of Mike Brown, while others played horns, drums, and cowbells. Signs read “Jail Killer Cops,” “Justice For Brother Africa,” and “End the Police State,” capturing the “us vs. them” mentality surrounding police-involved shootings. As all this happened, police blocked front and rear entry into the building to keep the crowd under control. They gave no comment on the protest. After a performance of "Power: From The Mouths Of The Occupied" on Sunday, a performance piece discussing police brutality, news broke of the tragedy that is the killing of "Africa."
Instead of just immediately sending for an ambulance to take her to the hospital, an officer asked her, "What gang are you from? Why are you here? Who shot you?" Richards thought she would be saying her last words. Cullors joined in the performance too, performing with Turner. She wrapped the American flag around her body and chanted,"Black lives matter," while Turner delivered powerful spoken word, the verses fast, the message resounding throughout the audience. It was clear throughout the performance that some of the monologues were hard to read, but the audience supported them anyway. The most joyous part of the evening was the song performances participated in by the whole group, singing and dancing to Nina Simone's "To Be Young, Gifted and Black." After the hardships throughout the performance, the group smiled and laughed with each other and recovered from the tears it took to get through the piece. While the performance is over, the message will be carried on throughout the country.
Patrisse Cullors, who was behind the performance piece and has also spearheaded #BlackLivesMatter, assembled a group to go down and protest the LAPD's actions involving the killing of "Africa." The incident has sparked outrage. While the video of the shooting has gone viral, people have taken their discontent to social media and to the streets. For some, police-involved shootings are cause to keep up one’s guard. “If you’re black and homeless, now you have to worry about being killed,” said Mecca, a protester who refused to give her last name. “They were very upset,” according to Corsair photographer Veronica Aviles, “and there to make a stand.” Protesters of many different backgrounds made known their discontent with police practices during arrests. Africa’s death comes at a time when communities still see the handling of the cases of Ezell Ford, Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, and countless other Black men who died in officer-involved shootings, as injustice. While body cameras were used in the incident, their footage has not been released because of the ongoing investigation.
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A shirtless man holds a microphone and African flag as he confronts Los Angeles police officers outside LAPD headquarters on Tuesday. Protestors demanded that officers face charges in the recent shooting of homeless man Charley “Africa” Robinet on Sunday in Los Angeles. (Veronica Aviles Corsair)
Kelly Kunta protests in front of the Los Angeles police department after the recent killing of homeless man, Charley Robinet, also known as "Africa". Robinet was shot and killed by LAPD on skid row on Sunday. Kunta was acquainted with Robinet since 1980 and said that he “marches against the injustice that is happening by the police". (Veronica Aviles Corsair)
Students from UCLA and Santa Monica College lie down in protest of excessive police force in the Los Angeles Police Department on Tuesday at LAPD Headquarters. (Veronica Aviles Corsair)
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
THE DUFF: JUST ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE BAILEY PERAITA STAFF WRITER The trials and tribulations of high school. The "DUFF" is a newly released teen comedy based on a book by Kody Keplinger “The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend” about your run-of-the-mill, stereotypical troubles of name calling and bullying in high school, just with a millennial twist. Directed by Ari Sandel, known for "West Bank Story" and "Wild West," uses jump-shots often to emphasize the humor and condescending nature of others in the film. With a new spin on an old story, the actors featured are generally unknown with a few exceptions of Ken Jeong, also known as Mr. Chow from "The Hangover" and Allison Janney from "American Beauty." The use of smart phones, apps, social media, and sharing are hugely a part of the film to emphasize how fast embarrassing videos can get around and how it is a staple in this generation's activity. Bianca, the brilliantly witty yet theatrically "ugly" is the protagonist of all the issues of social media, cyber-bullying, fitting in, and unable to utter three words to her crush. She’s known as "The DUFF," or "Designated Ugly Fat Friend." She’s comfortable with her two, obviously attractive and talented friends. They’re popular, pretty, and invited to all the cool events in high school, unlike Bianca. Everyone knows it’s the strangest trio of friends, but she chooses to find acceptance in it. Eventually the film informs that every one has a "DUFF" or is the "DUFF" in a group. Even celebrity Kylie Jenner was
recently seen in Los Angeles sporting an “I’m somebody’s DUFF” t-shirt. However, Bianca doesn't realize she’s the DUFF of her group until popular jock and long time childhood friend of hers, Wesley, points it out at a party. Strong acting is featured from Bianca, her mother, and her academic advisers in the film; however, the same can't be said for her colleagues. The acting was especially bad in the case of antagonist Madison, where lip gloss and a scowl wasn't enough to deliver the harshness of a bully in high school. Bianca's experience knowing now that she’s a "DUFF" thematically parallels to her mom’s divorce seminar expertise with the five stages of divorce; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptable to show that we all go through an emotional relationship or attempt at any time of our lives. The issues are timeless. The parallel to her mother’s divorce advice is a clever device because it helped guide you throughout the movie. They also used a wide range of editing in figures such as arrows, text boxes to show messaging and info graphics for an explained sense of humor featuring explanations about each character as they are introduced into the film. This made the exposition a sort of visual guide. The downfalls of the film were the overt use of Hollywood airbrushing. It exaggerated aesthetic; the ultra slim and tall body types, and perfect physical features that high school students don’t have. It had a huge focus on beauty which is problematic enough in our society. There isn't a
THE HUNTING GROUND Opening up the discussion about college sexual assault DEVIN PAGE A&E EDITOR It was time for a documentary about campus sexual assault. Imagine you’re accepted to your first choice school, with no worries in that moment, just feelings of excitement and anticipation. You’re not aware of the big scary world out there, at least not until you have to face it. The place you might now call home could become your worst nightmare. In "The Hunting Ground," director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering, both from "The Invisible War," paint a clear picture in your head, that of a blissful ignorance. The movie starts off by showing Youtube videos of girls’ reactions to their college acceptances which ranged from ecstatic screams to hysterical crying. The documentary was very statistic heavy. Think 1 in 5 undergraduate women or even 1 in 33 undergraduate men will be sexually assaulted while in college, and only 5% of these rapes will be reported. Even more shocking was the low numbers convicted of any crime or wrongdoing by the schools or police. What was even more telling about these statistics is where the underreporting comes from. Women and men come forward, tell their institution’s administration, and in order to keep sexual assault statistics low (for some completely nonexistent) they sweep it under the rug. Despite the subject matter at hand, the film never leaned on being one-sided. Victims of campus sexual assault, former deans and professors, and even some col-
lege presidents were featured and interviewed in the film. This film comes at an opportune time, months after President Obama has put pressure on our nation’s schools to abide by Title IX laws, protecting and giving rights to those students who experience sexual assault. The timing was right, the message was right, but the statistics every five minutes and the panning back and forth between the personal accounts and different subtopics in campus sexual assault was headache-inducing. Everything was all encompassing, it tackles every facet of sexual assault on a campus you can think of, from frat parties to entitled football players, to the weird freaks who can’t catch a clue. The film touches on residential campuses, so if you go into the movie thinking, “well what about my community college?” then you might want to take the messages that you can and apply them where they may. Dick and Ziering preceded the Invisible War (sexual assault in the military) with this movie after screening the movie at college campuses when people blatantly point out the need for a documentary about campus sexual assault. Two of the main personal accounts featured in the film are those of Andrea Pino and Amy Clark who used the title IX laws to hold their alma mater UNC Chapel Hill accountable. The pair used their knowledge and passed it on to help other students battle their school's dismissive practices. The film does a good job of reminding us that not all men are bad, and in fact, 8% of
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Courtesy of Lionsgate
need for another girl having a movie tell her that she might be fat in comparison to her friends. Other than that, the universally relatable topics seemed to just be cyber-bullying, name calling and stages of emotions throughout. However the film has the theme of owning your individuality with underlying static characters who do not change their habits as well as Bianca who attempts to change but realizes that owning her quirkiness is better than faking to be something she’s not to achieve acceptance from any social hierarchy or boy in high school. The film also features a voice over of Bianca’s inner monologue to display her true feelings and internal issues that we all experience. Bianca even goes to the lengths of unfollowing her friends on
social media; that’s millennial friendship ending right there. The "DUFF" makes an overt effort to be a cool movie with a fast-paced cinematography and emphasis on how people are addicted to their phones. Needless to say that this generation is dependent, but the film goes out of its way to feature technology in almost every scene if not every other scene. This film has been rumored to be this generation’s “Mean Girls” with quotable lines such as “You go Glen Coco” and “Is Butter a carb?” However, it just proved to be a well-produced movie with a template of “Easy A” and “Not Another Teen Movie.” They made an effort, however the film featured more situational humor that wouldn't cut it to be timeless.
college men will commit sexual assault and are responsible for up to 91% of sexual assault crimes on campus. The need for education on this subject was not lost on the film. Where the education needs to start is questionable in the film though, as there is a lot of victim shaming surrounding colleges. Picture one scene of a frat in retaliation to whistleblowers chanting outside of a sorority dorm, “No means yes, yes means anal.” Not only are the accounts of the women horrific, but even more disheartening was the different administrations responses to the outcries of the women and reported sexual assaults. Questions followed like, “Were you drunk? how were you dressed? why didn’t you try to fight him off? Did you say no? How did you say no?” Claims from men were treated as even more of a joke by administrations and not recognized. According to this approach, if you are a man then you are expected to have more willpower than a woman and that non-consensual sex doesn't happen between two men or even two women. Featured were the main offenders of this problem, schools like Swarthmore, USC, Harvard, Notre Dame, and of course, where Pino and Clark went to school, UNC Chapel Hill. Dick and Ziering had no problem highlighting these colleges, including famous incidents of college presidents ignoring the problem, and also the infamous case with college football player Jameis Winston. In the Q&A after the screening, there were questions like “Isn’t rape a crime?” that elicited the biggest face palms; however, some people actually asked thoughtprovoking questions that brought the issue full circle. Pino started off by saying that anyone can do what she did. "I was just 20 years old and I had the library and I had my classroom materials and that's how I did what I
did," she said. The first question was from the facilitator of the Q&A, "How are you prepared to deal with the backlash from the film?" Pino responded, "I was more terrified when I was on campus and I was dealing with this all the time. I was more likely to be targeted when people knew exactly where I was." While Pino and Clark have come to terms with the film being made, there are still some girls from the film who have not publicly come out about their assaults yet. One audience member asked, "What is the legislation that you're trying to pass and is it federal or local?" The short answer is both. Clark responded, "One of them that we can talk about is a federal bill that is a bipartisan effort, six republicans and six democrats, 'who ever saw that coming?'" The act comes from Washington and is called the CASA Act (Campus Accountability and Safety Act). The act's ramifications will introduce an incentive for universities to abide by federal laws rather than just go with a plea deal or affect federal funding of the universities in violation of federal law. Another audience member asked, "What about prevention?" Clark answered "There's no silver bullet solution because when you're stepping in the minute that something's about to happen it means that somebody's already thinking that that's an okay thing to do." Clark believes education should start earlier in schools and by no means should the bystander approach be touted as the solution to sexual violence. It was also asked if "The Hunting Ground" would be screening on college campuses. The movie is booked to screen at 50 college campuses nationwide and 600 requests to screen the movie have followed.
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ARTS & HEALTHSTYLE
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
11
THE TAO OF JOHN MAYER Men's Volleyball head coach wins by keeping an even keel KEVIN MONTERROSO STAFF WRITER JAMES POWEL SPORTS EDITOR Santa Monica Corsairs men's head volleyball coach John Mayer is the picture of a calm Friday night as the small corner of the world around him is not. The blue and white are behind two sets to one heading into the fourth set against their burgeoning rival the El Camino Real Warriors. In the huddle, Mayer speaks to his players, motioning his commands like a general, his faithful soldiers listening. The Corsairs come out for the fourth set and pull ahead. The raucous crowd cheers on the Corsairs as they take the lead, his players react as if they had just won championship point and yet on the bench Mayer is still exudes serenity. This is the serenity of a man who lead the Corsairs to their first appearance in the California Community College Athletic Association state finals since 1981 last season and has the blue and white off to a 7-1 start this year. During practice the day before, a white board stands in Corsair Pavilion. On it is written, "Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on the days you don't feel like doing them." - Dr. J. Mayer does this before every practice, in an attempt to spark a conversation between his men. "One thing our team did was meditation before games and after some prac-
tices," said Stanley Keats, a former player for coach Mayer who is now playing professionally in Greece. "Most coaches only work on physical aspects of the game but mental aspects are just as important." A coaches demeanor is always important towards how his players will act, and it seems that what Mayer gives to his players, they hand right back to him, respect and honesty. Mayer himself is a product of the community college system. He spent two years at Pierce College and won state championships both years he was a Brahma. He then proceeded to transfer to Pepperdine University and won the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship in 2005. However, the seeds of Mayer's coaching career were planted well before he stepped onto the Volleyball court. Both of his parents were teachers Practice begins and the team discusses the game before, a 3-2 win over the Santa Barbra City College Vaqueros. They discuss how.... Then Mayer moves on to the next game, and what their preparations ahead of them. For Mayer practice is the rehearsal for the next championship match. "Practice is where you put your time and work in, and you can't go into a match trying to fix things, you have to be pre-
Santa Monica College Volleyball Head Coach John Mayer talks with his team in between sets against El Camino College on Friday in the Pavillion at Santa Monica College. (Scott Bixler Corsair)
pared and ready to go," said sophomore outside hitter Taylor Tattersall. Mayer believes practice is a guided discovery, where the group figures out what they want to get better at. "It doesn't matter how much I know, it matters how much they know. The more they can say it, the more they will understand it and do it," Mayer said. The team is coming off a successful season that marked a turn around for the men's volleyball program. After a 4-13 2013 season, the Corsairs fought their way to the state finals only to fall to the Orange Coast College Pirates. "We wanted to win it, we were bummed to lose, but it was a good experience", describes coach Mayer discontentedly. "The accomplishment was just the daily stuff you go through". One key loss to the team however, is
Keats Stanley, who is now playing professionally in Greece, according to Coach Mayer. Keats was among the stat leaders, and one of the go to guys. "[Mayer] pushed us to work hard in practice everyday and we had fun doing it. He somehow remains calm when big games get crazy which helps the players on the court stay calm and confident as well," said Keats. Keats was among the leaders of the team, and he described it as being natural, which helps him now that he is playing professional. Balance in a team is key for success, and that is something that Mayer says they have this year. "We don't just have one guy, last year it was really obvious with Keats Stanley and Taylor Tattersall, but now any night it can be somebody else, making us more balanced," Mayer said. (CONT'D PAGE 12)
WE START AS STUDENTS WE LEARN BEYOND THE CLASSROOM At CSU Channel Islands
WE SERVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEN WE TAKE ON THE WORLD
working side-by-side with professors, non-profit leaders and professionals is an opportunity for every student. They bring theory into practice. They learn how problems can be solved. These are more than field trips or internships to put on resumes. These are the lessons on which to build careers. SERVICE-LEARNING: CI students volunteered to assist a community women’s shelter as part of the United Way Ventura County’s Day of Caring 2014. Service-learning is a direct expression of the University’s mission and a critical component of the curriculum and programming. During the 2013-2014 academic year, CI students served more than 22,500 service-learning hours, engaging more than 1,570 students in academic service-learning.
LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE Learn more at go.csuci.edu/smc
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12
HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 04, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
WOMEN'S TENNIS DEFEATS ANTELOPE VALLEY
Santa Monica College freshman women's tennis player Sammy Xiao hits the ball back to Antelope Valley player Tyzia Norman during the Corsair's 9-0 victory over the Marauders on Tuesday. (Brandon Barsugli Corsair)
ETHAN SINGLETON STAFF WRITER With the western winds behind them, the Santa Monica Corsairs sailed by the Antelope Valley College in both womens' tennis singles and doubles yesterday afternoon, defeating the Marauders 9-0. The winds coming off the Pacific Ocean appeared to have an effect on the balls at the end of the singles matches. "It was drifting," freshman Shawntel Patterson of the Corairs said. "My balls
would go out and into the net." It didn't take long though, for the Corsairs to adjust to the wind and put on a display of their speed, power, and finesse. However, as the winds began to whip up, freshman Lauren Voiers was tasked to hold off the lone challenge from Marauder feshman Karly Britton but finished off the final singles match with a lob counter serve.
“I’m glad we won as a team,” Voiers said. When asked to anticipate the wind's impact on his personnel's performance, Joe Watts, third year coach of Antelope Valley said, "The wind? It's what we play in-- in an environment like this. In the valley, it's windy everyday." Nevertheless as women’s doubles began, the brisk pacific winds picked up again and the Lady Corsairs set sail. Navigating ship were duo freshman Mayra Jovic, and sophomore Izabel Nazdracheva. Jovic, who played with a poised-- and in some ways dismissive demeanor, found no in difficulty communicating with ‘Naz’ the powerhouse. Together, their performance was veteran-like. They played a slow match, controlling the tempo from the first serve. And after shutting down the Marauders in the third of a three match-to-nothing win in women’s doubles, Naz and Jovic jokingly alluded to a 1999 Lakers championship team. “Who’s Kobe?” both girls jested, before laughing off the elementary idea entirely. “A little windy, but we made the adjustment and dealt with it,” Corsair head coach Richard Goldenson said. When asked about what one could take away from a dominant win, Goldenson said, "We're always looking to improve. [We can] serve harder and move faster." The Corsairs are 4-2 overall and 2-2 in conference and are now tied for first in the Western State Conference with Glendale Community College's loss to Santa Barbara City College on Tuesday. AVC's fourth straight loss drops the Marauders to 1-7 overall and 1-3 in conference. The Corsairs will face the Vaqueros next Tuesday.
THE TAO OF JOHN MAYER (CONT'D FROM PAGE 11 )
Tattersall is a returning sophomore, who along with Keats was one of the guys who carried the team. "Its a great return for us... and you'll probably see him getting the most attempts this year," says Mayer. Taylor recounts last year as a great season, in which the team had a tribal connection, on and off the court. He recalls his best advice by coach Mayer, "Simple vs complex." Tattersall explains that Mayer is a very quiet person, but one who can get his point across in a very direct way. "During games he is calm and composed, he is not one of the guys to yell at you or screams and makes you run a lot. He'll approach the situation in a nice calm manner," Tattersall said. As the game point in the fifth set is shown on the scoreboard in favor of the Corsairs, the blue and white bench rises, and the ball is set. Tattersall is set up at the net and goes for the kill. It falls to the floor The Corsair bench and their fans erupt. Coach Mayer raises a simple fist in the air, enjoying his team's victory.
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