Vol109 issue010

CORSAIR

CLUB REVELERY

MAY 06, 2015 | VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

FIRST COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25

EXTRACURRICULAR GATHERING AT THE QUAD PG. 6

WORKERS MARCH ON MAY DAY (PG. 4)

ARTIST ANDREW HEM BEGINS SCIENCE BUILDING MURAL (PG. 8)

A HISTORY OF CINCO DE MAYO (PG. 10)

GABRIEL MIRANDA SWIMS TO CHAMPIONSHIP (PG. 11)

THE CORSAIR • THECORSAIRONLINE.COM • 1900 PICO BLVD. SANTA MONICA, CA 90405 • (310) 434-4340

2

CONTENT

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

EDITORIAL STAFF Alci Rengifo ...............................Editor-in-Chief corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com Jonathan Ramos......................Managing Editor corsair.managing@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

A wrecking crew demolishes the former women's locker room and Physical Education complex on Tuesday as part of the ongoing construction projects on campus. (Ramses Lemus)

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 ...........................Design Editor corsair.designteam@gmail.com

CORSAIR STAFF

FACULTY ADVISORS

Carlos Espinosa, Alendy Galindo, Veronica Aviles, Jose Lopez, Josue Martinez, Mark Logarta, Ricardo Hernandez, Raymond Martinez, Michael Downey, Daniel Bowyer, Oskar Zinnemann, Christian Gianni Martin, Bailey Peraita, Chiaki Kudo, Kevin Monterroso, Jocelyne Ruiz, Josh Shure, Nerllyn Eskenassy, Tim Lee, Ryanne Mena, Ethan Singleton, Michelle Melamed, Jose Luis Balderas

Saul Rubin & Gerard Burkhart

FRONT COVER

AD INQUIRIES:

Sigma Chi Eta member William Wagner plays ring toss during Santa Monica College's Inter-club Council Club Row: Renaissance Fair on Tuesday.

(Daniel Bowyer The Corsair)

corsair.admanager@gmail.com (310) 434 - 4033

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dreamt is the only word that ends in a-m-t.

With 1,025,108 other words in the English language, what are the odds? One in 1,025,109, actually. Learn even more earning a bachelor’s degree at National University. Online.

On campus. Non-profit.

Don’t think you have time to learn something new?

You just did.

Los Angeles Campus 5245 Pacific Concourse Drive (310) 662-2000

Keep learning at nu.edu/transfer © 2015 National University NU15_2371

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

So here we are a few days after the Mayweather-Pacquaio fight that was touted as the fight of the century and yet yielded the bore of the decade.

We live in a society that demands spectacle in larger doses to keep itself from being bored. What should be astounding isn't that the fight turned out to be such a disappointment in terms of bone-crunching boxing, but that so many people were willing to pay $100 to see it.

To see what all the fuss was about I watched the fight for free on YouTube on Monday morning here in the Newsroom.

In this week's issue we feature several pieces that touch on some of the spectacles obsessing us. Multimedia Editor Claudius West takes a look at the boxing circus that gripped the TV-hypnotized world's attention.

In this age of spectacle the show can become drenched in blood very quickly.

While everyone was still debating the fight, in Texas a "Draw Muhammad" contest organized by lunatic paranoiac Pamela Geller was interrupted by two gunmen who were shot down by police. In this week's issue Oskar Zinneman dissects the toxic attitudes of Islamophobia which is a bizarre phenomenon infecting many parts of Europe and areas of the United States.

In times of instability, it is easy to pick out specific groups and raise hysterical accusations. This was common during the rise of fascism in Europe when anti-semitic fantasies were promoted by movements looking for easy excuses to very serious problems. As with the Charlie Hebdo killings in Paris, the response to the incident in Texas is more spectacle as Geller calls @THE_CORSAIR •

for more "Draw Muhammad" events while denouncing Islam as some kind of inherently murderous thing. This line of thinking only breeds more ignorance and ignorance is dangerous in unstable times.

Zinneman does well in exposing the irrationality behind blind hatred for Muslims, and indeed, any group.

I offer in this issue an interview with Adam Ham, the local artist who has graced a section of the Science building with a new mural depicting a young figure standing in a serene sea before being assaulted by a major storm. It was a fascinating, short interview because it was a reminder of the solitary role of the artist. Ham immerses himself in his work and speaks like a man who's sole purpose is to paint.

We should all be so lucky as to work doing something we love. In an age where students are rushing headlong into degrees and careers they feel provide automatic, financial stability, someone like Ham proves that with dedication and practice, it is possible to work in your vocation.

A lesson from Ham and artists like him for students is the necessity to take the time to work in what we love to do. In the society of spectacle, where showing off and attention seem to be part of the great denominator of worth, we should appreciate the opportunities that let us pursue our real interests. The things that really matter in this cold age are the little ones, and part of that means having real freedom.

ALCI RENGIFO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE

NEWS

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

3

A.S. APPROVES FUNDING FOR DREAM SCHOLARSHIP AND DOCUMENTARY PROJECT YASHA HAWKINS NEWS EDITOR On Monday the Associated Students approved $30,000 for the Dream Scholarship, and $15,274 to produce a documentary. They also approved the implementation of a new $5,000 lunch voucher program.

Initially, the plan was to approve restoring funding to the scholarship, which serves AB-540 students on campus. After much consideration of scholarship proposals that they may receive by Wednesday, the final day to send proposals, and whether other scholarships could still be funded if they did receive more proposals, A.S. agreed to triple its funding.

AB-540 allows students who don’t have legal status but have attended high school for three years and graduated to attend a community college or a school within the CSU or UC systems as residents, greatly reducing their cost of education.

In 2011, AB-540 students were allowed to receive aid from the state, which excludes federal grants but includes scholarships.

There are roughly 1,000 AB-540 students on campus that this Dream Scholarship would serve.

Patti Del Valle of the Adelante Program and former Dream Scholarship winner Cynthia Magaña presented the item. “Paying for books, transportation, food, and rent was quite a burden,” said Magaña, who had

to resign her position on the board at one point to support her family.

According to Del Valle, roughly 50 students applied last year and received awards from $500 to $1,000.

“We want more to apply and we want to get the word out because a lot of times students still think they’re not eligible to even get scholarships here,” said Del Valle.

“The food pantry is necessary because we have more than 500 homeless students on campus, a lot of AB-540 students who can’t get any funding, international students who have trouble getting jobs A.S. also approved $15,274 in funding for equipment, insurance, and location usage to film a documentary on immigration.

Proposed by Director of Student Assistance Hamza Sabri, the goal of the documentary is to contribute to the ongoing discussion about immigration and race in America by providing an international perspective.

“I’ve seen a lot of documentaries,” said Sabri during the meeting. “Most perspectives are anti-immigraton or the American

A.S. President Ali Khan (left) speaks at the ICC meeting next to the Director of Student Assistance Hamza Sabri at Santa Monica College on March 31, 2015. (Jose Lopez The Corsair)

perspective, per se.” Sabri plans to hire professionals to shoot the piece and handed out film finance packages to the other A.S. board members.

A need-based food voucher program was also approved. The effort to implement it had been going on since winter semester, and it was originally supposed to be a food pantry where students could take 10 items at a time. The trouble with this original idea was that there was no space on campus for a full pantry.

“The food pantry is necessary because we have more than 500 homeless students on campus, a lot of AB-540 students who can’t get any funding, international students who have trouble getting jobs,” said A.S. President Ali Khan. He and Sabri, in collaboration with Associate Dean of Student Life Sonali Bridges, Vice President of Student Affairs Mike Tuitasi, campus eateries Eat Street and Campus Kitchen, and campus financial aid offices, worked to make the project possible.

“Food pantries around the LACCD have

clothes, food, and other products. It’s not just food,” said Khan. He said the vouchers would allow A.S. to offer students direct assistance like other local community colleges. However, when they first roll out, students will only be able to use them on the main campus.

The vouchers are valued at either $5 or $10 a piece for use at on-campus eateries, which will return the vouchers to A.S. for reimbursement on Fridays. Students can receive a maximum of two vouchers per week. Each voucher will have a serial number and will be handed out in the A.S. office when eligible students present their student identification cards.

Initially, there will be 500 vouchers for eligible students to receive until next year, when the new A.S. Board can decide whether or not to continue the program. Eligible students will ultimately be confirmed when A.S. receives a list of eligible students from the EOPS office. The funding or number of vouchers can be increased according to demand.

Doers Do CSULB Summer Sessions 2015

Two 6-Week Sessions May 26 – July 2 (S1S) July 6 – August 14 (S3S)

One 12-Week Session May 26 – August 14 (SSD)

More than 75 Online Summer Classes No formal admission to CSULB required

Enroll on a “space available” basis

Earn units toward your degree

Register Now! (800) 963-2250 x 60001 | info@ccpe.csulb.edu www.ccpe.csulb.edu/summer

#DoersDo @CSULBInterSessn

California State University, Long Beach College of Continuing and Professional Education SS_SantaMonicaCollege2v_Ad2_S15.indd FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT1 US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

@THE_CORSAIR •

/THECORSAIRNEWS Lorinda Owens•

3/4/15 4:12 PM /THECORSAIRONLINE

Ad size: 7.5 in. X 5 in.

Santa Monica College

4

NEWS

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

CALLING FOR CHANGE ON MAY DAY

Workers from various backgrounds march in solidarity to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Protestors carried a large American flag through the streets of Downtown Los Angeles during the May Day protests on Friday. (Kira VandenBrande The Corsair)

JUAN LOPEZ & ALCI RENGIFO DIGITAL EDITOR & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Josefina Funes took to the streets of L.A. on Friday to make an appeal to President Obama.

Around the world May 1st is observed as a day of the workers as labor unions, populist organizations and rabble rousers take to the streets to protest everything from low wages to government policy. And while the streets of countries like Turkey and France saw clashes on the streets between militant labor groups and police, in Los Angeles May Day was a calmer but no less passionate affair.

Various activist groups took to the streets of downtown to make their voices heard.

Among them was Funes, an immigrant rights activist who marched to support groups denouncing police brutality and to show her solidarity with the protesters in Baltimore.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but the President called people who were protesting 'deliquents,' well I would like to tell the president that I have never been arrested, I work taking care of disabled people. And those of us who protest for civil rights are not delinquents," said Funes.

"Police abuses are well-documented on video," she continued. "They attacked an unarmed person and the African Americans fought back. They kill unarmed people and so they are the ones who are delinquents."

Funes shared how she has carefully studied civil law and believes the police have been violating the law through their actions. Funes also called for greater rights for immigrant workers in the United States.

"What we are asking is for immigrant relief for those who don't have documents. Thank god I have my documents and my children are American citizens. But I ask for them to fix the situation for those who don't have their papers."

To President Obama she issued the message "raise your head with honesty president Obama, because honest people are not afraid to show their face anywhere."

Personal care worker Josefina Funes sells flags and other items to demonstrators at May Day rally in Downtown Los Angeles. (Juan Lopez The Corsair)

Drinking the kool aid The dangers of Islamophobia

OSKAR ZINNEMANN STAFF WRITER In our modern world, there seems to be a fine line between hate and free speech in regards to Islam. This fine line has been the subject of intense debate between moderate Muslims and right wing anti-Islamic pundits. Over the years, groups like the Center for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have been advocating for better understanding and treatment of our Muslim population, while other groups such as American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) have fought back against what they see as “the Islamization of America.” AFDI is just one of the many American anti-Islam groups that uses social media and advocacy to “warn” us of the threat of Sharia law in the US and the “danger” that Muslims pose for a “civilized society.” Naturally, AFDI has been classified as a hate group.

One of AFDI’s latest media exploits has now gained a lot of attention, adding more debate over freedom of speech. They are now attempting to spread a “cautionary” message addressing the perceived antiSemitic factor of Islamic culture, and have been releasing ads that are nothing short of propaganda. This decision was rightfully met with backlash from New York’s

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), who argued that the ads are offensive and inflammatory. On April 21, however, a New York judge ruled that the MTA must allow AFDI to run the ads.

The ads in question, which are harshly critical of Muslims, contain messages like “Islamic Jew-Hatred, it’s in the Quran,” and “in any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man.” Other ads called Adolf Hitler “the leader of the Muslim world.” Basically, AFDI wants us to believe that all Muslims are savage Jewhaters who are inherently dangerous. And hundreds of thousands of people in New York are going to see these hateful and ignorant messages.

Of course, one would obviously see this debate as a “freedom of speech issue.”

Perhaps it is, but nobody is necessarily telling AFDI not to have their own opinion. One could also see this as a “First Amendment issue.” It is not. The First Amendment of our constitution states, “Congress shall make no law that impedes free speech.” Until the federal government punishes the AFDI for producing the ads, their first amendment rights have not been violated. Don't bother

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

trying to make this a free speech issue. MTA should have every right to decide which ads it will run.

As for the ads themselves, they are wrong on many levels: First, they are most certainly trying to inspire prejudice against Muslims as opposed to raising awareness about anti-Semitism. I would imagine that a real anti-Semitism PSA wouldn't try to single people out or specifically target just one perpetrator of hatred. A real message against anti-Semitism would be more sensitive and intellectual.

Second, you can cherry-pick a nasty passage from ANY religious text to make all its followers look evil. You can very easily claim that “Christians hate gays,” or “Jews hate women” by citing religious texts, but would you be 100 percent correct? No, you wouldn’t. By doing this, the ads don’t do a good enough job of properly identifying who the real “Jew-haters” are, as if to suggest that there are no Muslims that don’t hate Jews, which is very untrue. Third, the messages in these ads can be misinterpreted very easily. Somebody even more ignorant than an AFDI member could see the ads and think, “wow I guess its okay to hate Jews!” Even the MTA argued that the ads would incite violence against Jews. Not only that, but who’s to say an angry extremist wouldn’t target Jews because of these ads?

Ironically, these ads seem more like a throwback to Nazi propaganda.

I’m not denying that there is plenty of @THE_CORSAIR •

anti-Semitism in certain Muslim communities, but I refuse to believe that their hatred is religiously motivated. I’m also not denying that the information that is presented in these ads is true, but like I said, this is cherry-picking. For every negative fact you dig up, I could find just as many positive facts about Muslims, or any other social group for that matter.

There are extreme Muslims in parts of the world who do want to harm us, but there is no merit for a deceptive media campaign against our fellow Americans, even if they belong to the same religion as our enemies. You can quote Hamas’ own hateful rhetoric, but it still, despite what you may think, cannot be attributed to all Muslims.

As an American of Jewish heritage (with family members buried in Israel,) I could not be more disgusted with AFDI and its leader, Pamela Geller. I feel ashamed that her group is trying to “defend” people like me and I don’t believe what she’s trying to sell us. I don’t look over my shoulder everyday and expect some “savage” to come attack me. I walk past Muslims every day – at work, at school, and around town – and I see no reason to be afraid. I see the AFDI’s work as jingoistic hatred disguised as a call to action against anti-Semitism. Believe it or not, you can speak out against antiSemitism without succumbing to Islamophobia.

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE

OPINION

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

5

IN THEIR SHOES

Understanding police brutality by experience

In response to the ‘On Baltimore’ opinion piece in last week’s issue, that I was solely quoted from my Facebook, it seems there has been a misunderstanding. When I wrote “Until #blacklivesmatter, all lives won’t matter…” I was referring to the obvious situation in our country with African-Americans getting the short end of every stick. Whether it be the stigmas that we are “lazy,” or “violent” animals or the reiteration of our public education system that fails to execute decent standards. Most of us have lived within areas that simply do not give a damn.

I would say that there is not much to “cringe” at, except for the fact that as a nation we are as strong as our weakest link. And right now, black lives are the weakest link as they have always been at risk in one form or another. We have been demoralized in the media, locked away for standing up for what is supposed to be justice, and like the Watt’s riots (that actually links with an uproar in Chicago), and the Rodney King Riots, the Baltimore riots are not to “hurt everyone around you.” We know that even a punch to the face of the same people pinching our pockets and our minds will not stop racism in this country. Until one group of people are freed of injustice, yes, everyone else’s lives are just as at stake as ours, no one is safe where everybody is not safe.

Sincerely, Jazmine B. Heard

William Miguel The Corsair

CLAUDIUS WEST MULTIMEDIA EDITOR As the residents of Baltimore begin the process of recovering, it is important to put the situation into its correct context. The burning of Baltimore was not about Freddie Gray, any more than the riots in Ferguson were about Mike Brown or the riots in LA were about Rodney King. It’s simply about hopelessness and survival.

We live in a nation of bullet-point thinkers. That is, we are conditioned to take in information in sound bites. So, instead of examining why it is that people who were peaceful just a week earlier would suddenly take to the streets, we simply call them thugs. That explains it right? Instead of examining the circumstances that would lead so many people to the acts of frustration that were witnessed last week, we focus instead on the few who looted stores and the fire at the CVS pharmacy. Instead of seeing these peoples as human beings who are desperate and hurting and focusing on who it is that we as a nation can address our fellow people, we reduce them to subhuman caricatures. After all, if you label them something other than people than you don’t have to hear their voice.

The truth is that Baltimore and the struggles that those who took to the streets last week endure are far more complicated than the over simplified and sensationalized conclusions that are being drawn in the media, and by extension, in the minds of many American’s who don’t live in the shoes of these citizens. My own story parallels in many ways to those who took to the streets in Baltimore.

A few days later my friend delivered to my home a batch of cookies as a peace offering after the stereo was found, in the same home that I’d never stepped foot in.

I was born into a bay area homeless shelter. My home was a broken one and had been for a couple of generations. I was raised mostly by my sister, the first portion of that upbringing being in some of the poorest neighborhoods in the city.

The schools were poor and the resources were scarce. Getting healthy food required a trip across town. Opportunities to leave the neighborhood, let alone the city, to experience other culture and locales were few for me and none for others from my background. Even when I did get out and met others I found that those of other cultures weren’t as open to understanding and working with my people as I was theirs. I felt isolated. I felt my color, not my content of character. I felt walled off from the main of society and all of the opportunities that being a full fledge citizen affords.

I had my first experience with discrimination when I was 10 years old. I was playing

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

with a kid in a predominately white neighborhood. We’d played at school and in the neighborhood fairly regularly until one day the kid broke the news to me that he could no longer play with me because I was black. A few months later, the mother of another friend of mine came to my home to politely inquire about a stereo that had gone missing from the home that I was never allowed into. A few days later my friend delivered to my home a batch of cookies as a peace offering after the stereo was found, in the same home that I’d never stepped foot in. This was my first experience with covert discrimination.

I walked out to investigate to find that the light was in fact coming from an LAPD helicopter, lighting the way for several officers with guns drawn. Our crime? Being the wrong complexion in the wrong neighborhood.

In May of 2006 a family member of mine was shot and killed by the LAPD. The official story of the department was that he was a drug dealer who was caught making a deal and later grabbed an officer's gun.

The stance of my relatives is that he was stopped and harassed by officers without cause. That he was handcuffed when the alleged struggle took place and that the shooting was therefore unnecessary. They believe that he was executed. In 2006 I dismissed the story as completely ridiculous.

By 2009 however, I’d seen Oscar Grant shot in the back while handcuffed, lying face down and being restrained by other officers.

I’d also myself experienced many instances of discrimination and brutality.

In 2006 I was pulled over by a CHP officer on a rural central California road. As the officer approached my vehicle a call came over his radio alerting him to a suspected drunk driver. Instead of either writing me the speeding ticket that I admittedly deserved he took my keys out of the ignition and pursued the suspected drunk driver.

When I voiced my displeasure with the officer's actions I was beaten and pepper sprayed by the officer. When I attempted to make a complaint against the officer and requested that the devise the officer was suppose to be using to record the stop be reviewed, I was told that it had malfunctioned. In the end I was released without any charges.

I worked for Los Angeles Unified School District for nearly a decade. In that time I was approached and harassed by LAPD several times. On one occasion, I was having lunch with my boss at my place of employment while in uniform when a light came peering through the window. My boss and I walked out to investigate to find that the light was in fact coming from an LAPD @THE_CORSAIR •

helicopter, lighting the way for several officers with guns drawn. Our crime? Being the wrong complexion in the wrong neighborhood. Even after the officers verified our credentials we were questioned about our criminal backgrounds and whether or not we were on parole or probation. At no point did any officer who responded that evening apologize for the misunderstanding.

On yet another occasion, a sheriff ’s deputy in Palmdale stopped me as I rode a bike home that I’d just purchased about 10 minutes earlier. The officer who was so energized during this stop is the same officer who, hours earlier, showed up to the home of a friend of mine who’d reported a burglary that had occurred while he and I were at work. He didn’t even want to take the report.

Now later in the evening, Barney Phife didn’t even recognize me.

Today, my family’s story about what happened to my relative doesn’t seem far-fetched at all. Just a month ago in South Carolina Officer 1st class Michael Slager was videotaped shooting an unarmed black man in the back as he was running away from the officer. Videotaped evidence of what lower class and minority citizens have been experiencing and complaining about seems to surface daily.

All of the above stated, those who wish to make Baltimore, Ferguson, and other places solely about the police are completely missing the point. It’s living one's entire life at the bottom of the barrel; scraping and clawing just to get ahead, desperately trying to believe against all evidence to the contrary that there is hope. If you just work hard enough, if you allow the system to work, if you are polite and in step with societies expectations, that you to can live the “American dream” just to realize that, in areas like Baltimore and Detroit, there is no hope for upward mobility.

The above conditions always lead to revolt. It happened in Greece recently; Egypt too. In America these people weren’t called thugs they were romanticized as heroes.

Make no mistake, the color is different, so is the part of the world. But, their motives are the same. Though there will always be some who have malicious motives in general, people don’t just wake up and decide that they want to destroy things, kill all cops, or do any of the other trivial things that we make up in our heads to keep from actually having to address our obvious failure to recognize the grievances of the poor in this country. These people, people like myself, just want to live. I hate to say this but most lower class people want far more but will accept at least that. So, when Baltimore burns it would be wise to take more away from the unrest than the simple idea that these colored people are just violent criminals. It's time to accept that maybe these people have valid issues that need immediate attention.

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE

6

PHOTOSTORY

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

A Row of

Clubs JONATHAN RAMOS MANAGING EDITOR The task seemed easy enough for Griffin Williams: find the Santa Monica College clubs that match the riddles on the sheet of paper in order to win a prize. Putting his neurons to work, WIlliams began his quest for answers to phrases such as, "The alchemists of olde, are in row with the new, visit ye their concoctions, a tincture and brew (which alluded to the chemistry club)." His goal was to retrieve a star from each club associated with a specific riddle, with the opportunity to receive a prize depending on how many codes he could crack. With all but one of the brain teasers deciphered, Williams proceeded to visit the chess club, which he was able to match with the riddle, "If you fancy yourself able to score points, you are in position to collect pieces." After brief, inexplicable reluctance from the chess club to award Williams a star, he attained the final piece to his puzzle, ending his first "King's Quest" through SMC's Club Row on Tuesday.

"I wanted to do a scavenger hunt but I wanted to call it a quest," said Courtney King, Vice Chair of SMC's Inter-Club Council and organizer of the entire event. She explained that the name for the game was chosen due to the Renaissance theme of Club Row. "We've given away a lot of bracelets and water bottles and shirts. It's been really good and a way to make this whole event super interactive which is great."

The theme of Renaissance itself, according to King, was chosen after it was voted on by clubs who had been presented alternative options.

As far as the layout of the event, King's goal was to make it so that every club had a fair chance at recognition by students. "I wanted it to be more inclusive and not as spread out. Some clubs had complained about being put down by the library before so I just made it a non-issue."

On display for the event were the usual staples of Club Row such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Generation of the Future Club as well as

newcomers such as the Car club and Improv club.

As clubs like the Chemistry club and the Nursing Program demonstrated live experiments and photo opportunities, the Engineering club joined the fun by constructing and testing a catapult, or trebuchet, built from scraps by members. Reign DeRenzo, member of the DIY Engineers club, says the club has high hopes of one day building a fully operational Go-Kart with the same technology being used in their prototype model on display. The club plans to fund the project with the budget A.S provides it, as well as applying for the Grit grant which would help fund batteries, metal, and other materials needed for the project.

In attendance for the event were the current A.S president, Ali Kahn, as well as his newly elected successor, Jesse Randel.

"I've been at SMC for two years now, I've never seen a turnout like this before," said Kahn speaking on the growing interest of Club Row. Due to the date of Club Row being changed from April to May, Kahn said it was crucial that a tribute to Cinco de Mayo was necessary, leading to the several food vendors appealing to the hispanic population on campus.

Randel praised King's organization of the event. "I think she really did a great job. I loved the renaissance theme. It seems like everyone played along with it really well."

On the necessity of clubs at SMC, the future A.S president said, "It's highly important. You have to get the students involved and the students need a recreational getaway to distract from classes, give them some stress relief."

As clubs began wrapping up their day to garner interest, Kahn expressed his admiration for the clubs' efforts. "These clubs are very self-servant. They take care of themselves really well...a lot of this they put out all on their own so much credit goes to the clubs.

They're well organized, a lot of them are really smart, they're creative as you can see and I think they're having a good time."

Jack Cai (left) participates in the unicorn ring toss alongside Sigma Chis Eta club member, Rushi Vyas (right) at Santa Monic (Alexandra Abdelaziz)

Phi Theta Kappa members Hijab Giuiwani, Andrea Gonzales and Veronica Oleynik horse around during Santa Monica College's Inte Renaissance Fair on Tuesday. The club promotes SMC college students to get scholarships and volunteer. (Yulia Magurdumova)

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

@THE_CORSAIR •

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

7

Jordan, a member of the honor society Phi Theta Kappa, shows off his juggling skills as a "jokester" during Santa Monica College's Club Row event on Tuesday in Santa Monica. (Luis Baza)

ca College's Inter-club Council Club Row: Renaissance Fair in on Tuesday.

Generation of the Future Club President Trae Smith (left) and member Melvin Hakimian (right) race in the bounce obstacle course during Santa Monica College's Inter-club Council Club Row: Renaissance Fair on Tuesday. The obstacle course was to mirror the club's purpose of working with children by allowing participants to feel like kids again. (Alexandra Abdelaziz)

er-club Council Club Row:

Adelante Club member Leoisee Azurdia sells churros at Santa Monica College's Inter-club Council Club Row: Renaissance Fair on Tuesday. (Alexandra Abdelaziz)

International Student Forum members Giorgio Khachwagin (left), President Simone Zinna (middle), and Victor Chang (right) capture the attention of people at Club Row by selling boba while dressed in costume at Santa Monica College on Tuesday.

(Allie Matthews)

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

@THE_CORSAIR •

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE

8

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

PHYSICAL GRAFFITI Andrew Hem sets out to give Science building a face lift

ALCI RENGIFO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF For an entire week local artist Andrew Hem labored in a crane overlooking Santa Monica College as he changed the face of the Science building. With brushstrokes of color he turned a barren wall into an image of a hooded teen standing in the ocean.

"Dr. Tsang and people were saying that there were so many blank walls and they wanted more color in them.

And I was one of their top candidates," said Hem on Saturday while taking a break from finishing the first half of the project.

"I walked around and debated doing either the wall on Pico or this wall. I slept on it and I think this was the best one because of the composition I made," he explained.

Hem himself received his AA in Liberal Arts at SMC before making his name in the local art scene. "I went to the Art Center in Pasadena after SMC, but I couldn't have survived without doing the fundamentals here. It developed and refined my skills as an artist."

"There's a lot of people doing the wrong thing and going straight to art school," Hem went on. "Going to a college like SMC is a must to dabble, to take introduction to painting classes and it's really affordable too."

The full mural on the Science building will depict a young figure in two scenarios. One is the character hooded, standing in a serene pose, which is the one Hem completed over the weekend. The next section will be the hooded figure standing in a full storm.

The full idea developed in Hem's mind during a trip overseas. "I was in Australia during the summer, I was in the desert and I couldn't sketch. I was brainstorming and writing everything down on the plane. That's when the concept happened," he said.

Preparing the mural is also a scientific process in itself. "I tried to get the exact size of the head and structure, once I get the head perfect everything becomes easy. You can map out where the chest goes, the belly button. I also like to exaggerate proportions, it's my style," he explained.

For Hem the mural is a reflection of his own relationship with his adventurous sister. "We're total opposites. Last week someone told her to go to Cuba and the next day she got her ticket. I travel too but for me I need to plan five months in advance."

Laboring high above the campus, Hem has a lot of time to think and lose himself in the work. "I like to make sure every color is right. I like to mix the colors and make sure they look good."

While painting Hem likes to wear headphones with music streaming through Pandora. There is no specific preference, he will paint to whatever the airwaves emit into his ears. But while painting in his studio, Hem uses another form or aural background. "I like to Netflix movies and let them play for hours. I've probably seen everything on Netflix.

I did a whole painting while listening to an entire season of Orange Is The New Black." The work was a glacial sea based on a trip he made to the Arctic.

Hem appreciates the fact that in a world where painting for hire usually means following someone else's demands, SMC gave him full liberty to paint his vision for the Science building wall. "There are a lot of organizations that I do murals for and they want to 'art direct' you and tell you how it's supposed to be done. I think that takes away from the artist's voice."

"I appreciate SMC for believing in my vision," said Hem before getting back to work high above the campus, lost in his world of paint and storms.

Santa Monica College Alumni and muralist painter Andrew Hem works on the painting covering both sides of the science building facing the Art Complex on Thursday afternoon. (Scott Bixler The Corsair)

Ecofeminist screening mixes gender and environmental issues DEVIN PAGE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR It's not everyday you get people from different political movements all rallying together around one central cause.

Black Lives Matter, transnational activists and environmentalists all came together to celebrate women. Any privilege from other attendees was checked at the door for this moment of recognition.

On Saturday, for the 2nd Annual Global Ecofeminism Conference hosted in Santa Monica College's HSS 165, there was a short film screened that brought to light the happenings at the International Women's Day Rally in March.

Student filmmakers at SMC shot the documentary as a part of a project for Global Girl Media, one of the featured presenters at the conference along with AF3IRM and Mujeres de Maiz. Francesca Guerrini, a Media Trainer for Global Girl Media led the group of girls and taught them how to film, interview, and edit.

The documentary marked a historic day that hasn't previously been filmed. In fact,

AF3IRM has been doing this kind of work for over 25 years but this is the first time the world will be able to see it.

The International Women's Day Rally invited over 70 organizations to march for women's empowerment. Women, men and trans allies sought to tell the stories of the women around the world who are currently being oppressed.

Guerrini said, "The hardest part is to convince a young girl that she has a story."

"Having an audience to tell your story adds to your empowerment," she continued.

The documentary talked about stories that aren't heavily shown in the media. This is what the members of AF3IRM, a feminist organization, call genocide.

AF3IRM National Chairperson Jollene Levid said, "The reason that we call it that is because we're seeing a global trend of women being killed off like the women of Guatemala who were massacred by the military or through structural programs that are slowly starving and killing off

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

women and children around the globe."

The issues addressed in the film extend from poverty wages and motherhood to reproductive justice and gentrification.

Levid explained that Ecofeminism is not a new groundbreaking theory. She said, "Ecofeminism is important to us women of color, us transnational women, because from the first time the conquistadors stepped foot on our family's land, in my case the Philippines, ever since that time our survival has been dependent and tied to the survival of the land."

Ecofeminism in a nutshell has been described as an initiative that combines ecologist movement elements and feminist movement elements as they have overlapping goals.

"If you think about indigenous resistance 500 years ago, 1000 years ago, that's ecofeminism. Whether that shows in antimining campaigns in the Philippines or anti-gentrification campaigns in Boyle Heights," said Levid. "We have had to be ecofeminists to survive."

The film itself read more like a multimedia project that the girls were doing, but that didn't take away from the message itself.

"It's all inter-related, and the fact that we call this place Mother Earth from indigenous peoples to today, it's not an accident," an interviewee said. @THE_CORSAIR •

The rally showed people coming together for a greater cause, holding signs with pro-feminist affirmations. Women of all backgrounds and even men who are self-proclaimed feminists joined side by side, hand in hand.

Student Greening Program Director for Sustainable Works Kaya Foster said, "I've never heard this before in my life but there were women in Spanish 'Viva Palestina!' You don't usually hear groups say 'this isn't my issue but because it's your issue it's my issue.'"

After the short film screened all of the student filmmakers shared their reflections on participating in the film as well as the film's overall message.

One of the filmmakers, Anabelle Dowd, read a scripted reflection, "The ecofeminist lens enables us to understand the complexities of urban life and connectivity between us human beings, the world we live in, and the necessity of nurturing these delicate relationships."

The inclusivity of the movement is what drew Anabelle to her peers and fellow feminists. Everyone is made to feel like their problems are important. She continued, "Ecofeminism does not render any perspective useless or inferior to one another."

Another filmmaker echoed her sentiments and said, "Even though our stories are individual, we are not alone."

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE

NEWS

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

SMC STUDENTS SHARE THEIR PLANS FOR MOTHER'S DAY

9

PAULINA ERIKSSON DESK EDITOR One tradition that seems to occur in most families around the world is the day when we show love for our mothers. SMC students, from different places in the world, give you their thoughts on Mother's Day. They share how they are going to celebrate with everything from dinner to long distance calls this coming Sunday.

Name: Kevin Garcia Major: Animal Science Hometown: Mexico City

Name: Estefania Baltzer Major: Nursing Hometown: California

Name: Louisa Zhai Major: Bio Chem Hometown: China

Name: Satndra Singh Major: Neuroscience Hometown: India

In Mexico we celebrate Mother's Day on May 10 which is the same day as here in the U.S. I think it is a good tradition.

However, I think moms should be celebrated everyday and not just that day, but it is definitely a good thing to have one day to remind us to appreciate our mother.

I think Mother's Day is a pretty good holiday to remember our mothers. People sometimes forget about their mothers but this is a day where you can celebrate our moms and they can feel appreciated.

I think it's a good tradition to have a day to appreciate our mothers. We celebrate it on May 10 in China as well but since I'm here I can't celebrate it with her. Since I came to the U.S. every Mother's Day I'm away from her so I just send her flowers and call her and say “I love you” or something like that, it always makes her happy. Back in China we usually go out for dinner or me and my dad cook for her and make sure she does not have to do any household chores that day. Sometimes I also buy her some gifts that she likes.

I think it's actually a pretty nice tradition.

Back where I'm from they don't really have an official Mother's Day but they definitely have a big emphasis on respecting your mom and making sure you take care of her.

Especially when you get older. Over here you become independent a lot earlier than in India. Over there you're still taking care of your mother when you're 25- 30 and here, when people turn 18, they're out. But I think it's a pretty nice holiday to have like one day to remember to emphasis relationships.

I'm definitely going to celebrate it this year, I do it every year. We always celebrate it by taking my mom out for dinner.

Tutoring Wanted .

Calling all grad students looking for jobs next fall! We are looking for 3 awesome tutors w/exp in science and music to help implement a phenomenal home school program for our 3 boys (Brentwood). If you are energetic, enthusiastic, flexible & interested, please send resume to cr@j5residence.com. Approx hrs 7:30am ‑ 12pm , M‑F. THANK YOU!

Help Wanted .

Contact lens wearers needed for clinical studies. Bausch & Lomb is con ducting two studies, individuals participating will be reimbursed for their time and their eyes comprehensively examined and monitored. Please email if interested along with copy of your prescription to dreldridge@drdavideldridge.com.

Apartments for Rent .

10905 OHIO AVE, Los Angeles, CA 90024 1+1, Single + Bathroom. Amenities: Intercom Entry, On‑site Laundry and Parking, Pool, Close to UCLA. Manager: 310‑477‑6586 1134 N. SYCAMORE AVE., Los Angeles, 90038. Intercom Entry, Elevator, On‑Site Parking, On‑Site Laundry, View of Hollywood Hills, Balcony,1 BEDROOM+ BATHROOM. 323‑467‑8172

This year we're gonna make a little banquet for the mothers at my church so it's going to be really nice.

I think this holiday could have some negative affects though. For people who have mothers it's going to be a very happy day but for some people who maybe don't have any parents or a mother it's going to be kind of a gloomy day.

Apartments for Rent .

11640 KIOWA AVE, Los Angeles, CA 90049. Balcony, Elevator, Dishwasher, Parking On‑Site, Laundry, Intercom Entry, Central A/C, Heated Pool, Close to UCLA. 2 Bdrm + 2 Bath, 1Bdrm+1Bath. 310‑826‑4889 11666 GOSHEN AVE., Los Angeles, 90049.

Intercom‑Entry, On‑Site Laundry, On‑Site Parking, Elevator, A/C. Close to UCLA. 310‑312‑9871.

One Bedroom + Den + 1 Bathroom.

Single +1.

11730 SUNSET BLVD.,1 BDRM / 1 BATH‑JR Exec‑1BATH Amenities: Rooftop Pool, Deck, Intercom‑Entry, Parking, Onsite‑Laundry, Close to Brentwood Village and UCLA. Manager: 310‑476‑3824

My mom doesn't give me love to get something I return like material wise. It makes her more happy when we make sure she knows that we love her and express our love for her so appreciation is definitely more important than gifts.

Apartments for Rent .

2220 Beverly Glen Blvd. Roof‑top Jacuzzi. Control access, parking, on‑site laundry, elevator. 1 bed / 1 bath, Single/1bath. Close to UCLA/Century City. 310‑552‑8064 274 S. La Fayette Park PL., LA. Amenities: Control access, on‑site parking, on‑site laundry, granite countertops, A/C, Wifi, easy freeway access, fitness center, balconies. One bedroom+one bathroom.

Manager: 213‑382‑1021 320 N. LA PEER DR., Beverly Hills, CA 90211 1 BDRM / 1 BATH & 2 BDRM / 2 BATH Amenities: Intercom‑Entry, Elevator, Pool, Onsite‑Laundry,Parking Manager: 310‑246‑0290

550 Veteran Ave. Two bedrooms + two bathrooms. Control Access, 125 N. Barrington Ave, LA. Amenities: elevator, dishwasher, on‑site parking, Intercom entry, on‑site laundry, on‑site laundry. Close to UCLA. on‑site parking, A/C, elevator, Manager 310‑208‑5166 balconies, pool, close to UCLA. Two 8725 Clifton Way, Beverly Hills. Amenities: bedroom + two bathroom, one bedroom Control access, elevator, parking, close + one bathroom. Manager: 310‑476‑2181 to shops/restaurants. on‑site laundry.

1343 Carmelina Ave., LA, CA. Amenities: One bedroom + Den + two bathroom.

Manager: 310‑276‑1528 On‑site laundry, on‑site parking, balconies. Two bedroom + two bathroom.

2600 Virginia Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404. Amenities: on‑site parking, on‑site WESTWOOD Grand Opening! LA’s laundry, dishwasher. 3 bedroom + 2 finest most luxurious apt rental. Every bathroom. Manager: 310‑449‑1100 extra luxury. Custom cabinets, granite countertops, stone entry, pool, health 1409 Midvale Ave. Single+bathroom. club, spa. Low move‑in. 1350 S. Control Access, pool, parking, dishwasher, Midvale Ave. Los Angeles. Available on‑site laundry, elevator. Close to UCLA. 2+2, 1+1. 310‑864‑0319 Manager 310‑478‑8616

THE MISSION

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

You don't have to buy any expensive gift, you can just take her for a walk, go out for lunch and just to spend time with her.

advertising information deadlines

rates Weekly, 1-4 wks, to 20 words $20.00/wk ...each additional word 0.45 Monthly, 5+wks, to 20 words $16.25/wk ...each additional word 0.35

payment Please make checks for Corsair Classifieds payable to "The UCLA Daily Bruin." We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Allow 5 working days for mail payments.

address

Corsair Classifieds 118 Kerckhoff Hall 308 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90024

@THE_CORSAIR •

Thursdays at 12 noon refund policy

A client may receive a full refund if and only if they cancel their line advertisement before the ad insertion deadline (Thurday before publication at 12 noon).

Once an ad begins running, no refunds or credits will be offered. A client may cancel their advertisement(s), but will not be eligible for a refund or credit.

office hours

Monday-Friday 9am-4pm

website

www.dailybruin.com/classified

phone

(310) 825-2221

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE

10

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Cinco de Mayo Made in America

JUAN LOPEZ DIGITAL EDITOR Mariachis, piñatas, tequila shots, ice-cold Coronas and Tecates, margaritas, guacamole, mustaches, ponchos, sombreros, and Taco Tuesdays! These are staples of what the American consciousness thinks about when they think about Cinco de Mayo.

But what exactly is Cinco de Mayo about?

The club president and vice president of Santa Monica College's M.E.Ch.A. (Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlan) group Lily Och and Jose Medina weighed in on the state of Cinco de Mayo.

Medina, as well as many other interviewed, said that a lot of people have mistaken the holiday for Mexican Independence Day, which is on September 16, and predates Cinco de Mayo by 40 years. "It’s loaded with stereotypes, I’m not too happy with it, but I’m happy it’s at least being celebrated," said Medina.

Och said "Isn't it the Mexican Revolution?" in describing what she's heard from others. "Like today, Taco Bell was having free tacos in the morning," said Och. Much like many other holidays, Cinco de Mayo has been appropriated by the consumer culture to justify partying, days off, sales, and well, mostly partying. What most don't know about Cinco de Mayo is that its roots not only tie to history, but are deeply rooted in both California history and the American Civil War. History off the books When most American public school students study the Civil War in history class, they learn about the North and the South and (incorrectly) that the war was fought over slavery. What history lessons don't often cover is the importance of Mexico and the French intervention during the Civil War.

Dancers from Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company perform at La Plaza de Cultura y Arte in Downtown Los Angeles on Sunday as part of a Cinco de Mayo celebration. (Juan Lopez The Corsair)

this whole story about Cinco de Mayo fell into my lap," said Bautista. "I wasn’t even looking for it.”

As many people are told in California, it was once Mexico. Prior to being annexed into the United States during the California Gold Rush, California, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas were all part of Mexico.

When California was adopted into the United States, the Californios were able to define a constitution that allowed women property rights, abolished slavery, allowed citizenship to all races, and required all important documents be made in both English and Spanish.

Once the United States went into the Civil War, the Californios put their support

Jasmine Rodriguez and Ashley Ramirez of Ballet Folklorico Flor de Mayo hold up reproductions of Spanish-language newspapers from the Civil War era during a play on the creation of Cinco de Mayo at La Plaza de Cultura y Arte in Downtown Los Angeles on Sunday. (Juan Lopez The Corsair)

UCLA professor of medicine Dr. David Hayes-Bautista did a presentation about his research into Cinco de Mayo at the La Señora Research Institute, which is a villa on the grounds originally owned by some of the original Mexican land owners of Santa Monica, the Marquez family. He was drawn to the history by chance as he researched dwindling poplulations in California Mexicans in the mid 19th century.

“In the history books, Latinos disappear after 1848," said Bautista. "What were they dying of?”

He read the death and birth announcements in Spanish language papers of the time. "But in the columns around them,

behind the North, as evidenced by periodicals of the times taking note of donations to the northern cause in publishings by Las Juntas Patrióticas de Señoras Mexicanas, a group Bautista considers one of "the first feminist groups in California."

It was during this time that Napoleon III of France, who was sympathetic towards the South during the Civil War, decided to move into Mexico to overthrow president Benito Juarez and install Maximilian I of Austria in what would become known as the French Intervention. Battle after battle, Mexico lost and the word spread throughout California of the impending occupation.

On May 5, 1862, the Mexican forces of

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

2,000 at Puebla were able to defeat 6,000 soldiers of the French army to score the first big victory against the invaders, delaying French occupation for over a year.

Again, word spread to California where American Mexicans celebrated the victory in traditional American revolutionary period garments and music, singing anthems in both English and Spanish.

In California, Cinco de Mayo continued to be celebrated every year. “Every cinco de mayo, they were basically making a public statement to the world, here is where we stand on the issues of the Civil War,” said Bautista.

Welcome to the melting pot After the Civil War, the memory of the celebration stayed alive until the last families who were alive to see the war died at the turn of the 20th century. When the Mexican Revolution came, it brought more immigrants north into California.

"They arrived here, they saw the last of the Californios doing this thing on Cinco de Mayo," said Bautista. "They realized it was a good community organization event, [but they] had no idea why the Californios were celebrating it."

The immigrants imposed on Cinco de Mayo traditions they brought from their regions, like mariachis, evocations of Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata, and dancing adelitas.

“Those generations who had physically been there, even as children were dying off, and this stuff wasn’t in the history books, I mean you don’t learn this in California history," said Bautista. "We didn't know it began as a civil rights statement."

Relaying the message Ernesto Marquez was born in 1924 in Santa Monica. His great, great, great grandfather Francisco Reyes was a soldier that came with an expedition to settle California for Spain. “We were here from the beginning,” said Marquez.

“There’s no evidence it was once Mexican and Spanish anymore,” said Marquez. He was unaware of his own ancestors' involvement in Cinco de Mayo until Bautista informed him of his research.

"Ernie only knew they celebrated because his grandpa said you had to," said Bautista.

"It never got captured, it was never formalized, so it became a memory.” @THE_CORSAIR •

Bautista pointed to the turn of the 20th century as a period that America tried to hide California's Mexican past.

“When Pasqual Marquez’s wife died he willed Canyon School to the LAUSD, he did so with the stipulation they celebrate Cinco de Mayo every year,” said Bautista.

"His family was very involved in the creation of Cinco de Mayo as a public event, yet even in his own family that history had gotten lost.”

Four years ago with the release of his book, "El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition," Bautista began working on a play with Ballet Folklorico Flor de Mayo, led by director and SMC dance instructor Raquel Ramirez.

Their production includes music inspired by music from the Civil War period and the costumes are reproductions of clothing found in photos from the region during that period.

"All of the different things that happen in a country make the steps or the music change," said Ramirez. "Even though the music is a little bit different now or the steps have added to it, they're still the foundations that we've seen in the past."

Seira Greenwood is a student at UCLA and an SMC alumni who still does stage management for Global Motion on occasion.

Being of Guatemalan descent in California has given her a unique view of Cinco de Mayo.

"I always heard 'this used to be Mexico' but never looked into it," said Greenwood.

"I was like that’s not my culture, that’s not my history, but as an American, that is your culture, that is your history."

Ballet Folklorico Flor de Mayo put on a production of the play the weekend before Cinco de Mayo at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes in Downtown Los Angeles, next to Plaza Olvera. Ximena Martin, the senior curator of public programs at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes said that with events such as this "we get a chance to realize how important Latinos are to Los Angeles and California history. It’s an opportunity for families to learn about their culture and keep traditions alive through family.”

The president of the Palisades Historical Society Eric Dugdale was present at Bautista's lecture at the former Marquez estate, he said "A lot of us don’t know why the streets are named what they’re named or what’s gone on where we are. it’s important to be connected with where you live, you can love it more if you know it better."

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE

SPORTS

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

INTO THE DEEP

SMC swim champ Gabriel Miranda on his life and plans BRENDA CRUZ STAFF WRITER Standing behind the starting block, headphones on, focused, adrenaline coursing through his body, the smell of chlorine intensifies, and water reflects from his goggles as Santa Monica College freshman mid-distance swimmer Gabriel Miranda prepares to dive in.

I want to fly/Can you take me far away, the chorus of Macklemore's Wings reverberates through his ears, blocking the outside ambiance, keeping him focused.

The tone of the song "helps me to do my best," Miranda said.

He stands above the pool of East Los Angeles College before the men's 500 meter freestyle at the California Community College State Championship. It is the first of two state championships he will win this weekend.

São Paulo, Brazil- 6,600 miles away from the vibrant city of Santa Monica- is where Miranda's footsteps began.

Learning how to swim at the age of three,

Miranda picked up the mechanics of the sport early on. He began swimming competitively for Centro Olímpico de Treinamento e Pesquisa at the age of seven.

He spent the next three years in Brazil swimming for Corinthians Paulista, a "huge and strong team," according to Miranda.

Departing Brazil with hopes and aspirations to become a bigger and better person, Miranda left São Paulo with only a portrait of family and friends, letters, and necklaces given to him by his role model, his mother.

His search led him to the sunny shores of Southern California where Miranda decided to come to SMC for three reasons: location, reputation, and weather.

Miranda continued to improve throughout the season, pushing himself more and more not just to cut down his swim time, but to prove he is the best of the entire state.

“He is the hardest worker in the pool, whatever you want him to do, whatever he needs to do and just go do it and then he is not going to lose.” said SMC swim coach Brian Eskridge.

Miranda is pleased with the support he is receiving from coaches and teammates.

The strong relationship he has acquired with both of his coaches the last few months have played a big part in his achievements.

"I strive for success in both academic and athletic aspects of life at the moment because I want to be the best. Standing out from the rest is important to me," Miranda said.

Outside of the pool Miranda is a dedicated student. He plans to pursue a major in Business. He plans to develop a strategy where in the near future he can manage his own business.

As of now Miranda plans to continue swimming while setting bigger goals. One of his hopes and aspirations is to get recruited by a university with a Division I program where he can expand his career.

"I will one day swim for Arizona State

Life is complicated.

Time

to get

REAL with your

DIABETE S

A study at USC is evaluating a lifestyle intervention for young adults with diabetes. Compensation is offered.

http://chan.usc.edu/real (323) 442-4817 diabetes@chan.usc.edu IRB #HS-14-00332

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

11

Gabriel Miranda poses for a photo during swim practice at the Santa Monica College pool on April 28, 2015 in Santa Monica, California.

(Jose Lopez The Corsair)

University, Florida Atlantic University, or Hawaii," said Miranda.

I was trying to fly without leaving the ground, Macklemore's words run through Miranda's mind.

Back on the diving edge of the pool, the racers are ready for the moment. Miranda is thinking about "not losing because I want my coaches to be proud of me."

The buzzer goes off and the race is on, thoughts must now be actions.

Starting strong in the 500 yard freestyle event Miranda kept the lead until the end finishing with a time of 4:30.79. Miranda began his 200 yard freestyle event trailing his contender from American River Brandon Sayers, it wasn't until the last 50 yards when Miranda broke through the water finishing in 1:38.65.

Give me a star to reach for/tell me what it takes and I'll go so high.

Gabriel Miranda prepares for the Men's 200 Freestyle at the Swimming and Diving State Championship Meet held at East Los Angeles College on May 1, 2015 in East Los Angeles, California. Miranda took first place with a time of 1:38.65. (Jose Lopez The Corsair)

CHAMPIONSHIP CULTURE John Mayer and Co. leads volleyball to glory JAMES POWEL SPORTS EDITOR Santa Monica College Corsairs men's volleyball head coach John Mayer couldn't remember exactly when he knew that the 2015 edition of the blue and white could take the state championship.

It was somewhere in the preseason non traditional tournaments when two of the returning sophomores Taylor Tattersall and Luis Palos showed their growth over the offseason.

"You could see Tattersall, who was good for us last year, looked more dominant and Luis Palos just looked more comfortable," Mayer said. "Having two returners like that was huge and bringing in two pieces like [freshman] Daniel Vaziri and [freshman] Harrison Hodgin is like wow, that's a lot of good players. You could see the potential for a really good team."

To say it was a really good team would be an understatement.

The Corsairs dropped two games the entire season and only one of those came in conference play.

SMC finished first in the state in hitting percentage and in service aces and had a 13 game winning streak. Of course, hoisting the school's first men's volleyball state trophy since 1981 is a nice bonus.

Ostensibly, the program's success is derived from the John Wooden-esque culture Mayer has built over his ten years at the helm of the program.

"We stress trying to have a gym full of learners," Mayer said. "It's not what you are when you arrive, its what you are when you leave."

It is the crucible of this training arena that forms a young athlete. @THE_CORSAIR •

Though, a culture can only succeed if the players within it accept it and Mayer's boys bought in with their last penny.

The captain, sophomore transfer Frankie Manes, lead from the bench as a reserve.

His voice was often the loudest on the Corsair half of the court and could always be found in the center of a huddle.

Tattersall lead from the court, he could be counted on to provide the game winning spike or a combo stuff block to turn the momentum of a match.

"We really stress each day as a chance to get better and the guys buy into that.

That creates a great culture," Mayer said.

Despite the regular season for the record books, the focus of the returning sophomores was to get over the hump of last years state final loss.

"Last year's loss was like a pin in my back, the whole year, pushing me to get better every day," Luis Palos said in his exit interview.

Mayer's players first culture extends to even the smallest aspects of the team.

As they were honored for their state championship win at Tuesday evenings Board of Trustees meeting, Mayer yielded the floor to allow each member of his team to announce the school they would be attending next year.

After players dropped the names of Concordia University, Pepperdine University and New York University Law, Mayer dropped a bomb.

He's leaving SMC to take over the Loyola Marymount University sand volleyball program. Yet, in Mayer's way the announcement was but a blip in the festivities of the day.

He walks into the horizon, leaving behind a legacy of growth among student athletes and glory in the trophy case.

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE

12

SPORTS

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 10 • MAY 06, 2015 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

APPLY to the

PRESIDENT’S AMBASSADORS PROMOTE COLLEGE LIFE. ENCOURAGE CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT. CHAMPION ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.

www.smc.edu/ambassadors

Applications DUE Monday, May 4, 3:00pm Submit applications to Deirdre Weaver, Director of Student and Alumni Relations, at 1510 Pico Blvd., (just west of 16th Street).

Genesis Smith of Santa Monica College recovers quickly after his triple jump event during the SoCal Prelims Saturday at Cerritos Community College in Norwalk. Smith finished with a jump of 13.38 meters which advanced him to the SoCal Finals next week at Cerritos Community College once again. Smith was the only Corsair athelete to advance out of a team of nine as the team faced multiple injuries. To see the full story go to www.thecorsaironline.com (Michael Downey The Corsair)

!

DLINE A E D N TIO APPLICA

MAY 12 @ 11:15 at the QUAD

FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

@THE_CORSAIR •

/THECORSAIRNEWS •

/THECORSAIRONLINE