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CONTENT
News | pg. 3 Photo Story | pg. 4-9 Arts & Entertainment | pg. 10 Culture | pg. 11 Opinion | pg. 12 Sports | pg. 13
EDITORIAL STAFF Ashley Cox | Editor-in-Chief Shawnee Lightfoot | Managing Editor Gavin Quinton | News Editor Sarah Nachimson | Arts & Entertainment Editor Leonard Richardson-King | Culture Editor Katheryne Menendez | Opinion Editor Celso Robles | Sports Editor Maxim Elramsisy | Photo Editor Ezra Voss Melgar | Social Media Editor Rashno Razmkhah | Social Media Editor Aja Marshall | Multimedia Editor Jorge Devotto | Copy Editor
CORSAIR STAFF Jon Putman | Blake Thorton | Neil O'Loughlin | Grace Wexler | Marc Federici | Michael Beeson | Kerrington Dillon | Marlene Herrera | Brittney Ornelas | Josh Hogan | Narayan Pereda | Zipporah Pruitt | Anushka Soni | Aaliyah Sosa | Flynn Traynor | D.J. Hird | Evelyn Tucker | Giancarlo Otero Stoffels | Gladys Holdorff | Guadalupe Perez | Jibraeil Anwar | Margaret Delgado | Rebecca Hogan | Roxana Blacksea | Bryan Antunez
FACULTY ADVISORS Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins | Journalism Adviser Gerard Burkhart | Photo Adviser Sharyn Obsatz | Social Media Adviser
CONTACT Editor in Chief | corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com
SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram | corsairnews Twitter | the_corsair Facebook | thecorsairnews YouTube | thecorsaironline
WEBSITE www.thecorsaironline.com
FRONT COVER
I started The Corsair in Spring 2021 as a staff writer fresh from a Journalism 1 class. I had very little experience in this field (I ran my own “magazine” for about five minutes…) and had no idea what to expect. What I really didn’t expect was our previous Editor In Chief, Carolyn Burt encouraging me to reach for the stars and to trust my voice. Carolyn encouraged everyone to apply for Editor during the Spring 2021 semester, and even offered to help if we needed it. I never expected to make it through the interview for Editor, let alone be writing my last LEditor to you. (To be completely honest I cried after my EIC interview, I was convinced that I bombed it.) When I got the email from Ashanti offering me the position of EIC, I cried then too. The confidence that I've gained knowing that I was smart enough to be leading The Corsair meant more to me than anything could. After I accepted the position, Carolyn helped me cultivate my vision and inner thoughts for what The Corsair could look like when I took over. The confidence in my inner thoughts is something I hope to pass on to our next Editor In Chief, as it was passed on to me. Being editor comes with a ton of responsibility. You have to adapt to every change that happens. (and trust me there's a lot of it.) The ability to lead a team is crucial, and being able to stay level headed when drama is breaking out everywhere will feel impossible, and somehow manageable at the end of the day. Being an editor you come to realise that every voice is different and every staff member comes with their own needs and their own vision. But that’s the beauty of The Corsair. We’re diverse, and we all have our own styles. Even being different and diverse, there’s one thing that is clear in all of us, and that’s how much we love being a part of our team at The Corsair. We're all passionate about what we’re doing, and manage to make it fun at every turn. (Yes, even the 9am meetings are a good time.) Along with all of that, The Corsair has some of the best advisors that we could ask for. Ashanti , Gerard, and Sharyn are supportive, a little bit tough, and here to stand behind every member of the staff through thick and thin. When it gets hard having them as team to fall back on (That actually listens to what you’re saying!) is as comforting as it is rewarding. When I started the Fall 2021 semester I didn’t think I would be where I am now. I’ve learned so much being Editor in Chief; My listening skills, my skills to quickly adapt and most importantly my InDesign template have improved so much since the Spring and I have The Corsair to thank for that. This fall has been challenging, rewarding, terrifying, and exciting all at once. It’s the wildest roller coaster that I’ve ever been on and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I couldn’t have done it without my staff, my team of editors, our Advisors, and my amazing staff. Everyone involved this semester was brilliant and I can’t wait to see where life takes you. Thank you, for every lesson, every challenge, and every reward. Thank you for the opportunity to be your Editor in chief, the memories that we’ve made together this semester are enough to last a lifetime. So for the last time, I give to you, Issue 7, our Fall 2021 wrap up.
Psalm Lee Walks down the stairs of the science building at Santa Monica College on October 21, 2021. ( Neil O’Loughlin | Corsair ) Editor-In-Chief Ashley Cox
Dec. 8, 2021
NEWS
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LA City Council Delays Vote to Criminalize Homelessness Gavin Quinton | News Editor
S
anta Monica’s picturesque beachfront property, Chess Park has recently been closed until further notice. The park once utilized by families and students has become a hotspot for crime. The iconic beachfront park by the name of Chess Park was officially closed on Oct. 28 after The Recreations and Park Commission (RAPC) unanimously voted to remove chess tables and benches from public access. Chess Park is a .29 acre plot of land mere feet away from the city’s iconic muscle beach and Santa Monica. This vote, taken at a town hall meeting, was in reaction to reports of stabbings, public drug use, and prostitution at the park. Chess Park, is another public park that was recently closed because of the homeless epidemic in L.A. county. The park is frequented by chess clubs, and groups of children in the summer months. Over the years the park has been subject to deterioration. On Monday, Nov. 15, at 12:32 p.m., a concerned citizen called the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) to report a man threatening pedestrians with a large metal pole at Chess Park. As officers arrived on the scene, the suspect ran up the block. Before
Gavin Quinton | The Corsair
Two unhoused individuals tend to their encampment spaces at Skid Row in Los Angeles, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2021.
pursuing the man, the officers corroborated reports made about the park. SMPD officers cited rampant homelessness as the biggest issue at a family-oriented park. Mark, a man who calls the streets of Santa Monica his home, spoke about the community that surrounded the park. “People from all over come down here to have a good time,” Mark said. “ Everyone is good to each
other.” Mark has been living on the city’s streets for the past 20 years. He first moved to Santa Monica from Chicago following the death of his parents. “We knew they was closing the park for a while. They don't like us being here.” said Mark. While RAPC deemed the park closed, seating and picnic tables are still accessible to the public for now.
The park's closure currently affects the park’s namesake chess pieces. The chess pieces once at Chess Park are now locked behind a padlock and fence and unavailable to the public. RAPC has voted to remove all public seating from the park. No date has been set for the official closure of the park. Roger Golden has lived on the streets of Santa Monica for the past two years, and described himself as moving from city to city as a nomad. “I am not technically homeless, I am home free. My position was a conscious decision.” said Golden. Golden shared that he frequents Chess Park. Regarding the deterioration he has witnessed take place in Santa Monica, Golden said, “the level of insanity that goes through that park is remarkable. Just sit in Chess Park for an afternoon and you will see.” Golden blames the park’s closure on lack of enforcement in Santa Monica rather than the homeless population. “It is unfair to blame the homeless population when there is no effort to contain violent criminal acts,” he said. At a public hearing on Oct. 28, RAPC reported a lack of reduction in crime near Chess Park after requesting additional resources from local police including increased patrols.
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2 0 21 I N P H OTO S
Sculptures left in classrooms from before COVID-19 closed the campus at Santa Monica College Center For Media Design on March 11, 2021 in Santa Monica, Calif.
Dec. 8, 2021
Brad Wilhite | The Corsair
On Campus
Jon Putman | The Corsair
Saef Shaik, from the Santa Monica College Men's Swim Team, prepares for his solo race in the Men's 50 yard Backstroke on April 16, 2021, in Santa Monica Calif. After being forced to shutdown for nearly a year from the COVID-19 pandemic, the sports programs such as the swim team and other non-contact sports, are finally able to compete again. Michael Goldsmith | The Corsair
Santa Monica College student and Student Veterans of America Chapter President Mahadi Haque receives his second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Mount Saint Mary’s Professor Zane Stumbrs at the Los Angeles Fire Department Crenshaw drive-through clinic on Feb. 6, 2021, in Los Angeles, Calif. As vaccines became more available, vaccination rates climbed. Students enrolled in classes on campus in the Fall Semester were required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Dec. 8, 2021
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Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair
Traffic on Crenshaw Blvd. is halted for as cars burn rubber and turn donuts. Dozens of onlookers vacate their cars for a better view as up to four cars at a time spin in circles in Los Angeles, Calif on Oct. 23, 2021.
Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair
Earvin "Magic" Johnson talks to children at the Holiday Hope at Crete Academy in Los Angeles, California on Saturday, December 4, 2021. About 400 students at the event left with bicycles and Christmas gifts after enjoying food, games, arts and crafts, and activites.
The City
Neil O'Loughlin | The Corsair
Firefighters watch from the edge of a bluff over-looking the Ballona Wetlands as a helicopter drops water on a brush fire below in Culver City, Calif. on March 25, 2021.
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Dec. 8, 2021
Marco Pallotti | The Corsair
A Black Lives Matter street mural was painted in front of the First Baptist Church of Venice on E. L. Holmes Square in Los Angeles, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021.
Jon Putman | The Corsair
A man wrapped in a Black Lives Matter flag at a memorial held for George Floyd on April 25, 2021 in Hollywood, Calif.
Marco Pallotti | The Corsair
Protesters at a pro-Palestine rally at the Israeli Consulate in West Los Angeles, Calif., on Tuesday, May 12, 2021. Tension between Israel and Palestine escalated in violence. During May, as violent protests and deadly airstrikes occured in Gaza and Israel, people around the world reacted to the dangerous situation.
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Dec. 8, 2021
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Jaime Leon | The Corsair
Tension escalates in front of "Iglesia de San Hipólito y San Casiano" as protestors attack police with hammers, rocks and other melee weapons on March 8, 2021. The International Womens Day protest was fueled by anger at President Andrés Manuel López Obrador who was endorsing a politician facing multiple rape accusations. Mexico has some of the worlds worst incidence of gender violence
Jaime Leon | The Corsair
Jaime Leon | The Corsair
Jaime Leon | The Corsair
Woman shouts with passion and anger while banging on a metal bowl in front of the Palacio Nacional at the Zocalo in Mexico City, Mexico on March 8, 2021.
Woman steps forward to spray paint the police shields creating a barrier in front of the Iglesia de San Hipólito y San Casiano in Mexico City, Mexico on March 8, 2021.
Woman ignites spray paint can and aims at police officers on the other side of the barricade in front of the Palacio Nacional at the Zocalo in Mexico City, Mexico on March 8, 2021.
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Dec. 8, 2021
Marco Pallotti | The Corsair
A composite image of entrepreneur and creator of "Elsewhere at the Madcap Motel," Paige Solomon, photographed in one of the many rooms in the motel, in downtown Los Angeles, Calif. on Wednesday, May 19, 2021.
Re-establishing the Arts
Marc Federici | The Corsair
Jacques Lesure focuses entirely upon his guitar at MFUO's first post-pandemic jazz concert at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center in Santa Monica, Calif. on Sept. 24, 2021. After nearly two years, jazz quartet MFUO is one of the first jazz concerts at the venue.
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Dec. 8, 2021
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Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair
Neil O'Loughlin | The Corsair
Neil O'Loughlin | The Corsair
Dave Matthews, leader of the Dave Matthews Band, performs at the Five Point Amphitheater in Irvine, Calif. on September 10, 2021. The concert was scheduled for 2020 but was postponed for a year due to COVID-19.
Rose Shoshana, founder and owner of the Rose Gallery, peering through a decorative plant in the gallery's outdoor space before th exhibition "All This Happened: 29 years of Rose Gallery" on April 16, 2021 in Santa Monica, Calif.
Cain Carias, also known as The Puppetmaster, poses for a photo with his two puppets, El Trieste on the left and La Smiley on the right. His puppeteering and puppets were used in the short film "El Triste" which will be playing at the Hola Mexican Film Festival at the Regal Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. on Sept. 23, 2021. Pianist Paul Cornish at his piano on April 17, 2021. He is a Jazz residenct at 18th Street Arts Center and Studio in Santa Monica, Calif. He was the recipient of the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s 2020 New Note Commission and was the winner of the 2018 American Jazz Piano Competition.
Kevin Tidmore | The Corsair
A R TS & E N T E R TA I N M E N T
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Naomi Ruiz | Staff Writer
Dec. 8, 2021
SMC Wind Ensemble Live
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n Nov. 14, the Santa Monica College (SMC) Wind Ensemble teamed up with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Symphonic Band to perform their first live concert in over a year since the COVID-19 shutdown. The concert featured guest conductors Doris Dotson and Michael James. For Kevin McKeown, Director of Bands at Santa Monica High School, Adjunct Assistant Professor and Interim Director of Athletic Bands at UCLA, and Wind Ensemble Conductor at SMC and University of California, Irvine (UCI) — being able to perform live again for the Fall 2021 semester was salve for the soul. "The past year reminded us, and many concert goers, how important live music is," he said. McKeown believes that music can bring people together especially through a shared experience. "We have all gone through so much this past year with COVID-19 and with societal challenges that it’s important to see what we share in common through music performances," he said. Music does bring people together, and audience members that attended the concert were able to have that shared experience. The performance was an incredible experience that made it seem like the audience was listening to a score from a feature film. The SMC Wind Ensemble's last live concert was back in Oct. 2019, months before
Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair Santa Monica College Woodwind Ensemble performs on Sunday Nov. 14, 2021 at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California
COVID-19 changed the scene of live music performances. Typically, the SMC Broad Stage showcases two Wind Ensemble concerts per semester. However, McKeown decided to take it a little slower this semester by having one concert so his musicians could spend more time developing as an ensemble. The SMC Wind Ensemble has always been a family for McKeown since he began teaching there in 2002. "I’m a proud alumnus of SMC as well, so being able to lead a
group that I care deeply for was the most rewarding part of rehearsing again," McKeown said. The UCLA Symphonic Band is one of the groups he leads, along with the UCLA Bruin Marching Band, also known as the Solid Gold Sound. When getting to have the UCLA Symphonic Band and the SMC Wind Ensemble perform together on the same stage, McKeown said, "being able to share a concert with both of my groups was very special."
McKeown looks forward to adding more musicians to the SMC Wind Ensemble next semester, so that they can look into more advanced literature. He also hopes that their next concert includes diverse representation from composers that are not always highlighted, including more memorable compositions from deceased composers. The flexibility of repertoire is one of the best parts of hearing a Wind Ensemble, and they look forward to sharing that with the SMC
community.
Kicking Off Christmas with She & Him
Marlene Herrera | Staff Writer Sarah Nachimson | Arts & Entertainment Editor
C
elebrating the 10-year anniversary of their album “A Very She & Him Christmas,” indie folk rock duo She & Him kickstarted this year’s holiday festivities with a two-night performance at The Theater at Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles on Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 5. Actress Zooey Deschanel and singer-songwriter M. Ward lined up a family-friendly holiday program on their “A Very She & Him Christmas Party” tour. The Grammy-nominated pair first released the album “A Very She & Him Christmas” in 2011. It was the duo’s first holiday-themed special and their third album for Merge Records. Greg and Michelle, who did not share their last names, drove out from Pasadena to see the duo perform on Saturday night. "This is my favorite Christmas album,” Michelle said. “We have it on vinyl, and we play it every year since it came out.” Earlier this year, She & Him re-released “A Very She & Him Christmas” as a limited edition collectible in honor of the album’s 10-year anniversary. As described on the Merge Records
Sarah Nachimson | The Corsair Zooey Deschanel performs at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, Calif., for a Christmas-themed concert on Sat. night, Dec. 4.
website, “the deluxe edition of ‘A Very She & Him Christmas’ is pressed on metallic silver vinyl.” Adding to the vintage aesthetic, the new version of the album features Madonna’s “Holiday” and a cover of Wham!’s “Last Christmas.” Greg, who purchased the new silver vinyl, said, “we didn’t realize that it had been ten years until we saw the concert listing and we were like ‘oh my gosh we’re old’.”
Opening the event, comedian Pete Lee’s warm-up set was the perfect leadin before the quirky duo. He threw jabs at the overly expensive Hollywood apartment rents and poked fun at himself and his Wisconsin roots. After Lee’s set, Deschanel and Ward began the night’s main performance with their rendition of “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole. Accompanied by a quartet of musicians and two
backup singers, they covered a large variety of Christmas classics including the songs featured on the re-released album. The duo performed the now-controversial song “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” after Deschanel gave the audience a brief and light-hearted lecture on consent. She said “consent is very important” and told the audience she interpreted the lyrics “say what’s in this drink?” as commentary to the alcohol the character within the song's story was drinking, like gin or whiskey, and not as questioning if the drink had been spiked with a drug. Deschanel declared the duo as first ever to perform this song with genders reversed and defended the artistic decision with the statement that “girls can be aggressive too.” After performing beloved holiday songs such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” the duo ended the night by performing songs from their last three albums, Volume 1, 2, and 3. Deschanal’s sweet and charming voice added to their enchanting stage presence, which garnered them a two-minute standing ovation and “encore” demands shouted from audience members.
C U LT U R E
Dec. 8, 2021
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Diwali in Los Angeles
Anushka Soni | Staff Writer
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iwali, an Indian festival, was celebrated in Los Angeles this year on Nov. 4, at the Hollywood Sikh Temple. Diwali is the festival of lights, sweets, and gossips and is typically celebrated on every 15th of the eighth month of the Indian Calendar. It is the darkest day of the lunar month. Diwali is celebrated with fancy lights, lanterns, and traditional candles called diyas. Each Indian religion has a different way of celebrating Diwali. At the Hollywood Sikh Temple, there was melodious chanting called Kirtan followed by the Path, the book of Gurbani, and concluded with Ardaas. Mr. Sarabjeet Singh is one of the temple’s Gurus. When asked why Diwali is celebrated in Sikhism, he responded with a smile and said, “Diwali is a festival of togetherness and light for us.” There are also Maharashtrian ways of celebrating Diwali at the Gurudwara, Pratibha Parab; a Maharashtrian family said they celebrated Diwali because Lord Ram (God) with his wife Sita, and his brother Laksman returned to India from Sri Lanka after 14 years in the rescue of Lord Ram’s wife from Ravan (the ten head devil God) (happened in the late Before christ era). They celebrate Diwali by doing Ganpati aarti chanting symbolizing peace, and Laxmi aarti, chanting representing their money and power. Diwali was first celebrated in 1619 when the Sikh people’s sixth Guru, Hargobind, was released from prison alongside 52
princes by the Mughals in India. The people who lived in Amritsar, North India lit up the Golden Sahib Darbar Temple for his welcome with diyas and Kada Prasad, or holy sweets. Sarabjeet said, “Kada Prasad is our holy food, and sometimes if a Sikh doesn’t take it, they might feel incomplete as it is a symbol of humanity, togetherness, and equality.” According to Mr. Singh, Langar is the serving of blessed food first started by the first gurus of Sikhism in the late 1400s. They serve it after Ardaas for everyone present at the Gurudwara despite color, race, gender, sexuality, and economic status. People could take as much complimentary food as they wanted from the buffet. The leftover food was distributed at the end of the event. The Langar at Gurudwara had five different types of sweets including Matthi (salty biscuit), Chai, two different types of vegetables, lentils, rice, roti (Indian tortillas), sweet orange rice, kheer (rice pudding), and much more eatery was there. They also served langar while people were sitting down with chaos (buttermilk) and water. There were four people with a small pack of four bowls containing the different food items. Mr. Singh said anyone could help with food, although they have to clean their feet and hands before coming into the kitchen.
Anushka Soni | The Corsair
Candles outside the Hollywood Sikh Gurudwara, on Thursday, Nov. 4, in Hollywood, Calif.
LA Eats Japanese Food Festival Michael Beeson | Staff Writer Bryan Antunez | Staff Writer
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n Sunday, Nov. 14, the Japanese Restaurant Association of America held its annual L.A. Eats Japan food festival in Little Tokyo. The festival was cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this year's L.A. Eats Japan event there were approximately 10,000 guests throughout the day, according to laeatsjapan.com. L.A. Eats Japan combined many different aspects of Japanese culture from Taiko drumming to cosplay, anime, and Japanese dishes such as Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) in order to create a rich and fulfilling experience for festival goers. Many local food stalls catered the event, Shin-Sen-Gumi Yakitori, Shake Ramen, Amami-Ya Baby Castella, Sushi Tsujita, and more. While Japanese food was the focal point of the event, other Japanese related items were represented including manga, Pokémon cards, and plush toys of famous manga characters. The festival also had a number of performances by musical groups such as Grammy award-winning artist “A Taste of Honey", a 70s disco band known for their chart-topping song “Boo-
Maxim Elramsisy |The Corsair Musical performances, a martial arts demonstration and a costume contest provided entertianment at the L. A. Eats Japan Festival in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sun. Nov., 4.
gie Oogie Oogie.” The event was hosted in Little Tokyo, a historic district in Downtown Los Angeles, which is the heart of the largest Japanese-American population in the country. At the center of the neighborhood is the trendy Japanese Village Plaza which is host to countless Japanese restaurants, shops, cultural centers, and religious sites. Many Japanese Village Plaza businesses catered the L.A. Eats Festival.
For many vendors, this was their first time at this event. Ulyses Arechiga is the founder of the anime collectible store Pika Dude. Arechiga sold Pokemon cards, Pokemon plushies, and other items from various anime and manga titles at the event. “I think Pokemon and anime in general is a different expression of art and culture. It encompasses everything Japan has to offer,” Arechiga said. Melvin Adams, who attended with
his group of friends, was very excited to see the love for Japan and anime on full display. For many westerners, anime is their introduction to Japanese culture. Adams hopes that people walked away from the event with a new appreciation for Japanese culture. “I hope people get back with not only what Japan was, its traditions, but also what it is now. With things like anime and cosplay, it’s becoming a lot more of what it is outputting to the world," Adams said. The festival also hosted a cosplay contest. Cosplay is the act of dressing up as a character from a fictional piece of media. Whether it’s video game characters or anime characters, cosplaying goes hand in hand with anime culture. The cosplay community is a very dedicated, traveling to various events and creating meticulously detailed costumes. Mia Madura participated in the cosplay contest. Madura said, “It feels like there’s more of a sense of community of getting to meet other people who are interested in the same thing. And obviously admiring some very talented cosplayers.” For more information on upcoming events, visit the L.A. Eats Japan offical website.
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O P INIO N What Overturning Roe Would Mean For America Dec. 8, 2021
Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair Womens March in Beverly Hills, Calif,. on Sat. Oct. 2 2021. Abortion rights are a contested issue as states like Texas and Mississippi push laws that restrict womens access to safe, legal, abortions.
Sarah Nachimson | Arts & Entertainment Editor
T
he Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) case Dobbs v. Jackson's Women's Health Organization, heard by justices on Dec. 1, is perhaps the biggest challenger to the landmark Roe v. Wade decision since 1973. The Dobbs case argues that Mississippi law banning abortion is not unconstitutional, since the constitution does not explicitly guarantee abortion access. Without proper reproductive healthcare, people with wombs lose the innate right to control their own bodily autonomy. If the current Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, hundred of thousands of people in America would lose legal abortion access. According to a 2019 research report by a team from Middlebury College, University of California San Francisco, and the Guttmacher Institute, abortion will become illegal in an estimated 8 to 13 states in post-Roe America due to "trigger laws," meaning state laws that would ban abortion but are currently blocked by Roe's precedent. Abortion, in an America with Roe intact, is still hard to access in certain states. As a bilingual medical assistant at a Planned Parenthood health center in Wisconsin, Elisa Borgsdorf, a Santa Monica College (SMC) '19 and University of
Jon Putman | The Corsair A participant of the Women's March held at the Beverly Gardens Park in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sat. Oct. 2, wears a coat hanger with a message written on it.
California Los Angeles (UCLA) ‘21 alumnus, shared her personal observations on differences in abortion access she noticed working in both the relatively progressive California and the politically rightwing state of Wisconsin. Although she described policies surrounding abortion in Wisconsin as "technically legal and unrestricted," in comparison to stricter states, there are still some regulations she notices at work which make abortion access difficult. One specific law in Wisconsin Borgsdorf cited is the 24-hour waiting period. Anyone in the state seeking an abortion must first hear counseling and information facilitated by an abortion provider. Then, patients need to wait a full 24 hours before they can receive the proce-
dure, according to Borgsdorf. Borgsdorf said that Wisconsin has an older trigger law which bans abortions. If the court overturns Roe, that opens the door for states like Wisconsin to prevent legal, safe abortion access. "I think having Roe v. Wade still intact for now is honestly one of the most important ways, especially in Wisconsin, that people are still able to access abortions at all," she said. Even with Roe still intact, anti-abortion state leaders try to prevent rightful reproductive justice. In an earlier SCOTUS case this year, Whole Woman's Health v. Jackson, justices refused to block a Texas law banning most abortions after six weeks and calling on civilians to report those seeking abortions. "That just shows you, I think, how important ac-
cess to abortion is," Borgsdorf said. "How much more complicated it is than simply abortion being allowed or being not allowed." If the SCOTUS passes Dobbs v. Jackson's Women's Health Organization, effectively overturning Roe, they’d force those seeking an abortion to resort to extreme measures. That includes traveling unnecessarily long distances to states where the procedure would still be legal or attempting an unsafe illegal one themselves. Undoubtedly, overturning Roe will result in economic burdens and health crisises for the post-Roe population seeking proper reproductive healthcare.
13 S P O R TS 11 Corsairs Recognized as All Conference Players
Dec. 8, 2021
Celso Robles | Sports Editor
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n Nov. 19, the Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs football team announced that 11 players made the 2021 Southern California Football Association (SCFA) All Conference list. If a player makes an All Conference list, they are awarded as one of the best players at their respective positions based on their quality of play throughout the season. Players who make the list are placed on the 1st All Conference team or 2nd All Conference team based on their performance and honored with one of the 15 player slots on offense or defense for each All Conference team. The 11 Corsairs who made this year's list were recognized as some of the best players in the American Pacific League, which has six teams total. The Pacific League is one of the six leagues with six teams that make up the SCFA. The SCFA is split up into a National Division and an American Division and SMC is in the Pacific League of the American Division. The SCFA in totality is made up of the 37 community colleges that offer intercollegiate football programs in California. Four SMC players were recognized as SCFA 1st Team All Conference players. Those players were Running Back Hassan Biggus, Wide Receiver Tariq Brown, Running Back Josiah Neos, and Quarterback Sam Vaulton. Both Neos and Biggus ranked seventh and eighth in total rushing yards
Jon Putman | The Corsair Santa Monica College Corsairs freshman runningback Josiah Neos (8) reaches out for more yardage as he is being tackled by a West L.A. defender on Nov. 20, 2021 at Santa Monica College.
in the Pacific League with 267 and 297 yards respectively. The two running backs rushed for a combined total of ten touchdowns in nine games this year. Vaulton ranked first in the Pacific League in passing completions (165), completion percentage (58.7%), and total passing yards (2,234). He was the only quarterback in the Pacific League to throw over 2,000 yards this season and did so in just eight games. Sophomore Wide Receiver Tariq Brown set out to make All Conference before the season even began. "That was one of my goals I had written down before our season started," said Brown.
Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair Santa Monica College Corsair players celebrate after scoring the go ahead touchdown against L.A. Valley, at Santa Monica College on Sat., Nov. 6, 2021.
"It just makes me proud that I was able to accomplish that." Brown led the Pacific League with 56 catches and 844 receiving yards. His parents had high expectations for him entering the season. Brown also credits his late grandfather as motivation towards accomplishing his goal. "My grandpa ended up dying halfway through our season," said Brown. "That motivated me a lot...I had a lot of people rooting for me and I just didn't want to let them down." The SCFA also recognized seven other Corsairs as SCFA 2nd Team All Conference players. Those players were
Wide Receiver Gunnison Bloodgood, Long Snapper Nathan Hall, Defensive Lineman Rashad Lawrence, Kicker Tommy Meek, Linebacker Maximillian Palees, Defensive Lineman Tanner Vagle, and Offensive Lineman Jacob Wooden. Brown also shared how rewarding it was for him and 10 other teammates to be recognized as All Conference players. "I was very happy and shocked and surprised that [so] many people from our team made it," said Brown. "[It's] a reflection of the hard work we put in all year."
Jon Putman | The Corsair Santa Monica College Corsairs sophomore Tariq Brown (10) on Nov. 20, 2021 at Santa Monica College