The Corsair - Issue 2 (Spring 2021) by Santa Monica College

FACULTY ADVISORS Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins | Journalism Adviser Gerard Burkhart | Photo 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 A student athlete listens at the meeting for the re-opening guidelines for Santa Monica College non-contact sports programs on Fri., March 12, 2021 at Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, Calif. (Neil O'Loughlin | The Corsair)

Illustration by Carolyn Burt

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR In January 2020, my new year started with high hopes. I was receiving strong grades in my classes, was in a healthy workout routine, was eating better, and had a close group of friends I saw regularly. On top of that, I found out I had been admitted to California State University, Northridge (CSUN) for their Journalism program starting in the Fall. It was a major milestone in my life and I was eager to finish my final semester at Santa Monica College (SMC), where I was about to become a staff writer for The Corsair. My life finally felt like it was on track. On March 11, 2020, SMC made the announcement that classes would be moving online, and the following day we had our last day of on ground classes. I sat amongst my classmates, no social distancing, no masks, but with an eerie feeling of how the world was changing around us. Looking back now, the logical decision would’ve been to not attend class that day, to prevent exposure to the virus. Instead, I went to campus, looking for reassurance from my professors about how we were moving forward with the semester. One of my professors even encouraged us to remain hopeful, that we might be able to return to campus before the semester was over. Painting a picture of that first month in lockdown, I think back to the lines that wrapped through the parking lot and around Costco, arriving hours before the store even opened. Barren shelves of essentials items that had already been out of stock for weeks. People panic buying anything they could to get them through the next few weeks. Los Angeles, a once-lively city, felt empty, with streets and freeways absent of cars and traffic. The mindset at the time was to sanitize everything, keep distance, and stay inside. We were encouraged to keep our time outdoors limited, so I began going on a daily walk around my neighborhood for a change of pace. It wasn’t until a few weeks later that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a guidance recommending people to wear masks, and a few weeks after that that counties started requiring they be worn. On May 12, the day before I was set to meet with my academic advisor at CSUN, it was announced that California State University was going to have all their campuses remain remote for the Fall 2020 semester. I had known it was coming, but hearing it as an official statement added to the reality that things weren’t going back to normal anytime soon. While I was disappointed, I accepted it. At that point I thought we’d “flatten the curve” over the summer, and that by spring we’d be able to be on ground. I tried to find the positives in the situation; that I could take my classes from anywhere, and that I could return to The Corsair for another semester. But as I completed my virtual orientation of CSUN, I couldn’t help but focus on all of the things I’d be missing out on. Studying in the library, getting a workout done at the rec center, using nap pods between classes. The simple moments of getting to class five minutes before it starts, setting up your workspace, and chatting with your peers around you about how tough last night's assignment was or just checking in about their weekend. I’m reminded constantly of how lucky I am, but some days it doesn’t feel that way. College, while an incredible experience, is a challenge in itself. But there’s a balance from the academics that comes with it — a social aspect such as going to sporting events, meeting up with friends at the coffee shop, or other ways of getting involved on campus. Instead, for the past year, California college students have had their room become their one stop shop for academics and leisure time, making it harder to mentally switch from one subject to another or clock in and out of “work mode.” It’s no wonder we're burnt out. It’s hard not to feel disappointed and robbed of what could’ve been. For one year we’ve had goals put on pause and big plans cancelled. We’ve had to adapt the best we can, while being expected to produce the same results we would in person. We’re fighting for our future while trying to let go of what we had envisioned it to be. As L.A. County begins to reopen, I get flashbacks to last summer where everything shutdown again just a month later. I can’t help but think selfishly, that a rush to reopen could mean a delay in normalcy. Another year of online learning for myself, and all of my fellow students who transferred in 2020, would mean graduating from our universities having never set foot on campus. We’re trying to make the most of our education, but this isn’t what any of us envisioned getting our degrees would look like. Just because we’ve adjusted to this online environment, doesn’t mean we’re content with the hardships we’ve had to face. Editor-In-Chief Carolyn Burt

NEWS

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SMC Announces Online and In-Person Courses for Fall 2021 Carolyn Burt | Editor-in-Chief

anta Monica College (SMC) has announced that they will be offering both online and in-person courses for the Fall 2021 semester. While most of the classes will be held online, a “significant number” of in-person classes will be available to students for the Fall 2021 semester, which begins Aug. 30. In an email sent out to students, faculty, and staff, on March 15, SMC President and Superintendent, Kathryn Jeffery, shared that the decision was made based on Los Angeles County moving into the red tier. The red tier in California allows Higher Education institutions to house indoor lectures and students gatherings at 25% or 100 people, whichever is less. The red tier also allows for certain courses such as labs and studio arts to open at regular capacity. Jeffery’s also stated that “in-person course offerings may pivot back to an online, remote environment,” if COVID-19 conditions don’t improve as anticipated. To abide by protocols currently put in place by LA County, SMC is requiring all visitors to fill out a daily symptoms checklist before coming to campus.

SMC is currently working with app developers to add the COVID-19 symptoms checklist to the SMC Go app. “There would be a visual where they could actually show an instructor, whoever, that they filled it out because on the screen it will [have] a green icon that kind of shimmers a little bit to show that they’ve done it with the date,” said Chief Johnnie Adams, head of SMC Police Department. “The reason why it has that, it’s kind of an extra protection because people can always, you know, take a photo of a screenshot, but this is kind of like a live type photo that kind of shimmers a little bit so we can see that it's actually accurate.” The schedule of classes for the Fall 2021 semester will be available to students on April 12, with enrollment beginning April 26. SMC will also be updating the search criteria when looking for classes to include online or onground classes by April 12. On Jan. 21, SMC announced that the Summer 2021 semester would be online. The college continues to offer scheduled and flexible classes in the online setting that allow students to participate in regularly scheduled lectures and discussions via zoom, as well as classes taught primarily through

A student swimmer sits in a row to herself during the student athlete meeting on the re-opening guidelines for Santa Monica College non-contact sports programs on March 12, 2021 at Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, Calif. (Neil O'Loughlin | The Corsair) Canvas, to fit students schedules more conveniently. The announcement for the Fall 2021 semester comes a year after SMC first went remote in Spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An email was first sent to students on March 11, 2020, informing them that beginning March 18, 2020, SMC would “transition as many in-person classes as possible to temporary remote instruction modalities such as Canvas, Zoom, and other platforms.” Many resources available to students will remain online for the time being such as counseling and office hours. Further information about which services will be available on-ground, will be released closer to the start of the

Fall 2021 semester. While SMC has yet to make a decision about sports for the fall semester, they are optimistic that they will be able to resume for the regular season. This comes after the news that a few low-contact intercollegiate sports would be able to return on ground on March 15, per entering the red tier. Practices for swimming, tennis, and track & field have been allowed to resume on campus, with competitions set to begin after spring break. SMC has provided a Roadmap to Recovery for students and faculty to stay up to date about SMC’s reopening. As of March 15, SMC remains in Phase 1.

Preparing for a Safe Return to Campus Erich Schroeder | Staff Writer

he Santa Monica College (SMC) Board of Trustees had a meeting on March 12 about the return of students and faculty. The meeting was led by SMC’s police chief, Johnnie Adams. It covered current and future protocols that will be implemented at SMC and the roadmap to recovery, which can be found on SMC’s website under ‘COVID-19 updates,' to ensure a safe return to campus for all faculty, staff, and students. Discussing the implementation of safety policies is the easy part, the hard part is the execution. When it comes to the incoming move from the purple to the red tier (the most restrictive of the four tiers to the second) SMC does not automatically lighten their safety standards. “It's not just, the county says okay, [SMC] has to make sure that everybody is trained, understands the

protocols, knows how to carry them out, and to have the equipment on hand to make it safe for everybody,” Chief Adams said. Unfortunately, SMC might not be as quick to lessen the safety restrictions as other Southern California colleges. “We have to compare UCLA vs. SMC, they have 25,000 employees and [SMC] has 1,800,” Adams said. Although SMC is lacking in staff, they are not slacking when it comes to knowledge and implementation of safety protocols. Luckily, SMC is on a steady pace to safely begin installing these protocols with athletes for the three spring sports returning to campus, which are track and field, tennis, and swimming. A crucial stepping stone in the return to campus is having enough supplies. Currently, SMC has close to 1.4 million disposable medical masks, enough portable hand wipe stations to put into

classrooms, and hand sanitizer pumps on all building walls. SMC has recently purchased cleaning caddies, which are carts custodians will use that carry all the supplies aforementioned. This will help them quickly clean an area or surface that was recently touched. Another product SMC has purchased to clean surfaces are ‘foggers’ — a mechanism that can clean a large area at once. In addition, SMC has upgraded all the air filtration systems to hospital-grade Mur-13 systems. If the building does not support the Mur-13 system, the school installed new portable air purifiers. “We’re really moving forward with so many different things that we are in the process of purchasing or that we already have on hand. We have also worked with the state because they do provide certain things," Adams said, referring to the 1.4 million masks. He add-

ed that SMC is constantly evaluating other businesses and how they operate in order for the school to function at the highest and safest level. When students were asked what kind of protocols they would like implemented, the answers tend to coincide with the current guidelines. “There should be a mask mandate, social distancing, and handwashing,” said Alexandra Schoch, a current SMC student. Many students feel like as long as the best safety policies are in place and masks are worn, they feel safe coming back to campus. “My outlook has always been, let’s get it right the first time, let’s make sure we have everything right, and then let's push forward,” Adams said. Students can expect a message soon from Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffrey, President of the Board of Trustees, outlining what the future will look like this fall.

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Angelenos Vie For COVID-19 Vaccines

Los Angeles is facing a new battle in the ongoing war against the deadly coronavirus — a rush to vaccinate residents. Michael Goldsmith | Staff Writer

os Angeles is facing a new battle in the ongoing war against the deadly coronavirus — a rush to vaccinate residents. As L.A. County begins rolling back pandemic protocols, millions of Angelenos are still eagerly awaiting their turn in line to get vaccinated. Some residents have started volunteering at vaccination sites in hopes that they will get their shot earlier than expected. Santa Monica College (SMC) architecture major Lisa Jackson jumped at the chance of participating in California’s My Turn — Volunteer program. “I am old enough to remember when polio was a thing. I'm old enough to remember schools closing because of measles,” said the longtime Venice resident. “When I was in first grade, one of the little girls in my class lost her two-yearold sister [to measles]….I don't necessarily trust authority. But I do trust virologists. I do trust peer-reviewed science,” said Jackson. California Gov. Gavin Newsom put out a statement March 5 regarding the new statewide volunteer recruitment campaign, which read in part, “Volunteers can play an especially important role in supporting our vaccination efforts by serving at a local vaccination site. I encourage all Californians to join the My Turn – Volunteer effort in service to their community and together we can reach the light at the end of the tunnel.” The program is meant to “connect vaccination sites and clinics to volunteers in their area to help accelerate the administration of vaccines,” according to its website. Both medical and nonmedical volunteers are needed for tasks ranging from registration and language support to sanitizing surfaces and directing traffic. Jackson tried numerous times to volunteer for the program, only to repeatedly find that no shifts were available at vaccination sites in her area. “I think as the number of people who can be vaccinated is expanded, it's gonna get harder. Just because of the sheer numbers,” said Jackson, who subsequently became vaccine eligible when the county broadened the criteria earlier this week. “I don't think L.A. County has done a particularly bad job [in its vaccination efforts], I think it's just a really big job.” Approximitely 10% of the county’s 10 million residents have been fully vaccinated, according to data put out by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the Pasadena Pub-

lic Health Department, and the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services. That number mirrors the 12% of individuals nationwide that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says have been fully vaccinated roughly one year into the pandemic. President Joe Biden announced on March 11 that he will order states to offer COVID-19 vaccines to all adults by May 1, with the hope that Americans will be able to safely gather by July 4. Vaccination rates across the country have more than doubled over the past two months, from roughly one million shots given per day in January to almost 2.5 million shots a day over the past week, according to data from the CDC. Despite the massive increase, herd immunity is still projected to be months away at the earliest, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading epidemiologist and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Los Angeles County announced earlier this week that it has moved into Phase 1b of its vaccination plan. Eligible individuals now include healthcare workers; staff and residents at skilled nursing and long-term care facilities; teachers and childcare workers; individuals who work in emergency services, custodial services, transportation, food and agriculture. All residents ages 65 years and older are also eligible, along with those 16 years and over with underlying health conditions. Inadequate vaccine supply has forced mass vaccination sites, like the one at Dodger Stadium, which can administer upwards of 10,000 doses a day, to periodically shut down. The strain on local vaccination centers is likely to increase as more people become eligible to receive their shots. SMC’s recent announcement that students and staff can return to in-person learning this fall further highlights the hopeful uncertainty of the coming months, as Americans struggle to get back to pre-pandemic normalcy.

Dodger Stadium COVID-19 vaccination site in Los Angeles, Calif. on Monday, March 15, 2021. The stadium is one of the largest vaccination sites in the country but was closed temporarily due to short supply of vaccine doses. Millions more people are eligible to receive the vaccine now that people with qualifying pre-existing conditions can now make appointments to get inoculated. (Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair)

ABOVE: Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) workers direct traffic at the Los Angeles Fire Department Crenshaw drive-through clinic on Feb. 6, 2021, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Michael Goldsmith | The Corsair) BELOW: Vehicles wait in line next to the Crenshaw Christian Center “Faithdome” and the Los Angeles Fire Department for the Crenshaw drive-through clinic on Feb. 6, 2021, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Michael Goldsmith | The Corsair)

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Lizzy Moore, the Santa Monica college foundation president, assembles essential items and food for the Santa Monica food drive on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. (Jonathan Putman | The Corsair)

Guests visit the Swim Center at Santa Monica College on March 2, 2021 in Santa Monica, Calif. (William Phelps | The Corsair)

On M

Aja Marshall | Man

A squirrel roams around Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. on Oct. 23, 2020. (Carolyn Burt | The Corsair) Sculptures that were works in progress, before COVID-19 closed the campus at Santa Monica College Center for Media Design. Thursday, March 11, 2021 Santa Monica, Calif. (Brad Wilhite | The Corsair)

arch 20 of COV campu unfinish cancel in-person cl 2020. As classes conti Santa Monica Food able to resume on g same day, SMC ann and a limited numb

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An upside down bike is locked at the bike rack in front of Santa Monica College Bundy campus on Monday, March 15, 2021 in Santa Monica, Calif. (Brad Wilhite | The Corsair)

n Pause

naging Editor

021 marks the one-year anniversary of L.A. County’s initial lockdown to prevent the spread VID-19. The vast majority of Santa Monica College (SMC) is barren with the remnants of us life that tell the story of a thriving institution before the pandemic. Abandoned bikes and hed art projects are a few of many things left behind that hint at the swift move made to lasses. Life at SMC was put on pause as the college switched to virtual learning in March

inue online, human interaction on the campus is limited to a few activities including the d Drive and the work of campus police. Practices for swim, tennis, and track and field were ground beginning Monday, March 15, after Los Angeles County entered the red tier. That nounced plans for the Fall 2021 semester, where a majority of classes will remain online ber are set to return to in-person.

Two Santa Monica College students walk across campus on Friday, March 12, 2021 in Santa Monica, Calif. (Neil O’Loughlin | The Corsair)

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C U LT U R E

Thriving Online: The Gourmandise School Naomi Ruiz | Staff Writer

he Gourmandise School adapted to the pandemic by offering virtual cooking and baking classes for beginners to professionals. The business continues to thrive on the third floor of Santa Monica Place, where they’ve taught for the last ten years. Clemence Gossett, co-owner of The Gourmandise School, pastry chef, and mother of three, has taught classes since her business opened. Even though it is not a professional school, she says, "We're a school that specializes in teaching everyone how to be a more confident cook, a good baker, and just to understand the technique and the science and history behind every-

day foods." Sabrina Ironside, Gourmandise co-owner and general manager, started off with Gossett when their business was just a small one-room school for the first seven years. For the last two and a half years, they have expanded to a much larger room across the hall. Gossett picked the location in the mall due to her love for the Santa Monica community and its proximity to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. "That's always been really important to us... making sure that everybody worked with really well-sourced ingredients that were as close to the farm as possible and just teaching the benefits of buying locally,” said Gossett. “Working with the freshest ingredients possible

and understanding how their food purchases make a big difference in the local economy." The Gourmandise School's most popular virtual cooking classes during the pandemic are making Chinese dumplings and baking croissants. Gossett mentioned that they teach a two-day class on how to professionally make croissants at home Reflecting on how much their services have changed within the last year, Gosset said, "It's been different in this era to see which classes everybody feels comfortable trying from home versus which classes they were like, 'Oh, let me just try coming into the school and doing it.'" Gossett reveals that even when they

go back to teaching in-person classes, they plan to keep most of their virtual classes. People are much more likely to practice remaking dishes at home. The online environment makes it less intimidating to practice these muscle memory skills. Gossett’s history of working in food started at a young age. Her family owned a restaurant in France. She loved the idea of inviting people in and creating an experience with them, especially when she started teaching. "Getting to participate in hospitality and food at the same time and getting people to cook more at home is just...it's a really, really great feeling. I think teaching people how to make bread at home will change their life forever," she said.

Virtually Connected: SMC Club Life Evelyn Tucker | Staff Writer

f one thing was clear from last week’s Club Awareness, hosted by the Office of Student Life, it was that COVID did not dampen student’s participation in them. A total of 15 clubs attended Thursday’s meeting to promote themselves and encourage SMC students to join. Much like many social gatherings held this past year, the event was conducted through Zoom. Running a club virtually has been less than ideal and comes with its own set of challenges. Yet students in search of normalcy and a sense of connection have embraced making new friends in a virtual world. Julia Lunsford, President of the Music Club, found a place “where we can just be ourselves and not worry about the pandemic so much, and just focus on having fun while being on zoom.” Maintaining club engagement sometimes meant finding innovative ways to make online meetings interactive. Ashley Zeldin used her computer programming skills and background in the gaming industry to create games as co-vice president of the French Club. Using digitized versions of bingo and pictionary, the club helps reinforce the words students are learning in their French classes. “I think people want to practice and want a sense of community now more than ever.” said Ashika Gogna, the club’s president. Having a tech savvy team on their board has proven a blessing for the club, “I call them my goddess wizardesses” Ashika continued, “We actually have quadrupled the membership size.” College clubs provide an opportunity to meet students from foreign countries and diverse cultural backgrounds.

But as many international students have opted to remain in their home countries during the pandemic, varying time zones bring their own frustrations. “Especially in an international club when board members are from different countries, I have to use the time and date converter,” said Yin Tung “Rachel” Lam, president of the International Student Forum (ISF). “I have to find a sweet spot when everyone could be up.” Undoubtedly, her flexibility and commitment to ISF saved one of SMC’s longest running clubs and ensured that it will remain active.

Amanda De La Torre from the International Education Center (IEC) understands the struggles international students like Rachel are experiencing. IEC hosts online events, such as the Weekly Mingle, every Friday in an effort to promote relationships between international students and the rest of the SMC community. Amanda notes that these events which were introduced just prior to the pandemic have actually “gained more popularity as we’ve spent more time in the remote setting.” When asked to envision a postCOVID event most students just longed

for the chance to finally see the friends they’ve made. Julia Lunsford wishes for “a big gathering where we can celebrate the glory of this pandemic being over.” “I definitely know I will be friends with some of the people I met in the club for the rest of my life,” said Ashika Gogna of the relationships she made during COVID. In a year marked by loneliness and uncertainty, connecting to strangers, albeit remotely, provided just the right bit of solace.

Illustration by Carolyn Burt | The Corsair

A R TS & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

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Remembering Loss at Bergamot Station Evelyn Tucker | Staff Writer

uilding Bridges Art Exchange at Bergamot Station Arts Center in Santa Monica is hosting an installation to commemorate those lost to COVID-19 in West LA. It consists of felt roses contributed by members of the community, one for each life lost. Experiential artist Marcos Lutyens, created this "Rose River Memorial" as a tribute that offers a visual representation of the vast death toll. “This is a project of recognition, of being able to channel grief,” continued Lutyens, “but also recognition of something that wasn’t recognized for a year.” The art installation provides a meditative space that integrates the scent of roses and soothing music composed by Yuval Ron. “This installation is pure healing for the community,” said curator and founder of Building Bridges International Art Foundation, Marisa Caichiolo. At Lutyen’s request, Caichiolio became a “godmother” of the project and immediately submitted a grant proposal to the Santa Monica Cultural Affairs’ Art of Recovery program. The initiative was launched in November of 2020 as part of the City of Santa Monica’s Economic Recovery Task Force to support public art that focuses on public health and safety, community connectedness and restorative justice, and funding displaced artists.

The Rose River Memorial, an installation by artist Marcos Lutyens exhibited in the Building Bridges Art Exchange at Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday, March 13, 2021. (Marco Pallotti | The Corsair) The project is a crowdsourcing campaign that invites the community to make roses either at home or during a visit to the installation. A partnership with Kiwanis Family Clubs, an international service organization, has resulted with students and their families in the San Gabriel Valley sending in hundreds of handmade roses as a part of their community service project. “By making something you feel like you’re doing something physical, tangible, like you’re actually in control,” said Lutyens The project offers the time and

space to reflect on the impact of this pandemic. “Everybody lost something, they lost jobs, they lost homes, they lost hope,” said Caichiolo of this opportunity to collectively grieve. “I think this installation is part of recovery.” People have included names, messages, or added a personal touch to the roses they’ve contributed. Marisa remembers how the family of Dr. Payman Simoni attached a rock to their rose, to simulate their culture’s tradition of leaving a stone of remembrance on a gravesite. “It’s been incredible, powerful, to see how important the art is for

healing the communities and especially right now it's mandatory,” said Caichiolo. In collaboration with organizations Let’s Reimagine, Marked By COVID, and The Friday Minute, the project held a virtual vigil on Monday, March 1, as a national day of remembrance. These groups have joined a collective effort calling on government officials to establish a National COVID Memorial Day. Over 150 mayors have shown support to proclaim the first Monday in March a holiday which will honor all of the American lives lost. Along with the installation at Bergamot Station, the "Rose River Memorial" includes installations at the Orange County Museum of Art, UMSL Millennium Student Center in St. Louis, and a traveling refrigeration truck in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The goal is to combine all the panels, each containing hundreds of roses, to create one giant art installation in Washington D.C. in 2022. The exhibition is free and open to the public by appointment only. An event is planned for Thursday, March 25, to move the installation to the parking lot of Bergamot Station. Caichiolo hopes city officials will attend and plans are being made to hold a small outdoor gathering that conforms with COVID regulations as well as a virtual stream of the event. Details for the hybrid in-person and virtual event will be announced soon.

Entertainment: Essentially Essential

Sam Plascencia | Multimedia Editor

s Los Angeles remains the heart of the entertainment industry during the pandemic, the question is raised as to whether people in the industry are deemed essential workers within the current vaccine distribution rollout. In March 2020, entertainment production was brought to a halt due to national COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. In June, the state of California and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health authorized their return to work at a time when only “essential” industries were allowed to operate. Since then, entertainment production crews have worked 60-70 hours a week on set to create a variety of entertainment content. As Los Angeles reaches a year into the pandemic, the rollout of vaccinations is on the rise. It's evident that herd immunity from the virus is a shared goal for the future. The Center for Dis-

ease Control and Prevention makes recommendations to federal, state, and local governments regarding who should get vaccinated first. Currently, the vaccine distribution in L.A. is governed by a series of tiers which include: 1a, 1b, and 1c. Tier 1a distribution includes healthcare personnel and residents in longterm care facilities. Frontline essential workers and people aged 75 and older are considered in Tier 1b. Lastly, Tier 1c includes people aged 16-74 with underlying medical conditions and “other” essential workers. The essential workers in 1c range from those who work in the food industry to transportation logistics. These jobs that were deemed essential enough to continue to work are now essential enough to receive the vaccine. Ultimately, there’s an unclear distinction between who is deemed an essential worker during the pandemic. Entertainment industry workers were deemed essential enough to begin pro-

duction yet have not been specifically listed under Tier 1c. The difference between the entertainment industry and other essential workers may be that hospital, grocery store, and restaurant employees are “subject to the general public who are at a much higher danger rate. [Whereas] the entertainment industry has had very vigorous testing protocols and a much more confined exposure,” said Colleen Haley, a camera assistant for the Showtime television show, “The L Word: Generation Q.” Select productions are allowed to continue as long as strict protocols are followed. Haley said the main adjustment she’s seen in her job is “primarily in the use of personal protection equipment (PPE).” This requires workers to wear a CN95 mask and a face shield, as well as arrive to work early in order to receive a nasal swab PCR test. “The difficulty of working with the PPE is very much countered with gratitude at the fact that I'm able to work and be around

people and feel like a normal person again.” According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 2,741,577 vaccines have been administered as of early March. “I sure wish we could all get it soon and fast. I do appreciate that they're taking it in stages and giving it to the more vulnerable and essential people. I would never try to jump the line and get it before anybody who was more deserving of it,” said Daisy Smith, a camera assistant on a project for Apple TV+. Even though all signs point to the entertainment industry being essential, there has been no official word as to their vaccine eligibility date. This leaves the entertainment industry with the big question of: when? Even if entertainment industry workers aren’t able to receive the vaccine under Tier 1c, they will be eligible for the vaccine by May 1, along with all American adults, according to President Biden.

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P H OTO S TO R Y

Mayly Tao, owner of DK's Donuts, displays a variety of donuts in Santa Monica, Calif. On Friday March 12th, 2021. Tao has been helping her family store since she was 6 years old. (Jorge Devotto | The Corsair)

Sweet Relief Jorge Devotto | Staff Photographer Allie Leeds | News Editor

K’s Donuts & Bakery, located in the heart of Santa Monica, California, has been in owner Mayly Tao’s family for 40 years. The bakery stays open all day, and employees spend 22 hours each day crafting specialty donuts from scratch. Their menu has over 120 types of donuts, from traditional donut flavors to croissant-donut hybrids. They offer pick-up and delivery, and customized pastries. Tao has helped out in the bakery since she was 6 years old, and when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she decided to give back to the community. They have donated and delivered sweet treats to over 5,000 first responders during the year the pandemic has lasted. DK’s Donuts never had to shut their doors. They have been allowed to operate as an essential business under local regulations and are continuing to sprinkle out their baked sweets to the community of Santa Monica.

The "Sky Princess" donut, made at DK's donuts. The family store of 40 years has never closed, even when pandemic started in the U.S.

Display counter at DK Donuts shows a variety of sweets made everyday.

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Trumping The Vaccine Ashley Cox | Digital Editor

he misconception that vaccinations are dangerous is a topic that has swirled through the public for years now. In a Texas A&M Survey taken between May 28 and June of 2020, it was found that more than 31% of the American population had no intention of getting the COVID-19 vaccine. More and more “anti—vaxxers” pop up all over the globe, spreading opinions that usually have little scientific background. Today, misinformation spreads faster than ever. Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are just beginning to crack down on paid advertisements that masquerade as news stories. This comes as a relief as false narratives have been perpetuated by social media users for years. One of these perpetrators who spreads “Fake News” is former president Donald Trump. The Washington Post reports that Trump spread over 30,000 falsehoods as an active president — most of them coming from his last year. The cruel display of leadership came to a roaring head when news broke that Mr. Trump and his wife had,

in fact, received a COVID-19 vaccination in January 2021. In Oct. 2020, former President Trump and former first lady Melania Trump broke the news that they had contracted COVID-19. After Trump had spent months comparing COVID-19 to “the common flu”— he contracted it. “It’s going to disappear. One day it’s like a miracle — it will disappear,” Trump said during a White House press conference on February 27, 2020. The opposite couldn’t be more true. As of March 2021, 523,000 Americans have died as a result of COVID-19. It comes as no surprise since Trump shelved the playbook for global pandemics in Jan. 2020, that the Obamaera administration left him. Trump’s bolstering ego and desire to be loved by the American public outweighed his sense of morality. After months of downplaying the virus and casting health officials to the side to serve his own purpose, he had the audacity to keep his own vaccination a secret. Trump’s loyal followers, who represent the America that was 50+ years ago, are by far the most wary of the vaccine — claiming that the vaccine will be “mandatory” and will be

used for surveillance over the American public. With Trump publicly supporting these falsehoods from his supporters, and mocking Dr. Fauci among others who were ready to spring into action regarding COVID-19 to begin with, this becomes a major problem. The decision to privately vaccinate himself and his wife Melania is a serious slap in the face to our healthcare workers and those who have tirelessly fought COVID-19 since day one. I have personally lost two of my dear friends to COVID-19. One of those friends was a diehard Trump supporter, who at the end of his life came to regret all of the decisions he made regarding COVID-19, and Trump himself. Loss is something the American public has learned more about over the last year than they should ever have to. With current president Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Vice President Mike Pence all getting COVID-19 vaccinations in the public view, the news of Trump skulking within the White House back in January to receive his, fills me with ire. Not only do Trump’s false claims about COVID-19 deserve the most

strife; his attitude toward the entire pandemic is careless. He didn’t deserve a vaccination when so many are truly at their wits end with this pandemic. How many Americans haven’t hugged a loved one in months, because of the pandemic? How many more have to suffer because of the callous nature of one man? Too many people are suffering from this virus. Whether it be emotionally, physically, or mentally, the American public has paid their dues. Mr. Trump in no way has even come close to paying any sort of dues, rather, he spent his time in the White House boasting about how “under control” the virus was. Yet when the going gets tough, he vaccinates in secret and throws his loyal followers to the wolves. Trump's ego & his lack of wherewithal regarding human compassion proved to be a deadly combination for the American public. We have been the ones who have had to suffer, because of the cowardice of one man who didn’t believe in the virus in the first place. For more information on COVID-19, visit the CDC website.

Illustration by Sarah Nachimson | The Corsair

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Back on Track: The Return of SMC Athletics Taylor DiPrimo | Sports Editor

anta Monica College (SMC) athletes can finally take a breath of fresh air as sports return on ground on March 22. After a long and stagnant wait of uncertainty, SMC is beginning to prepare for a new chapter in their Athletics Department. On Friday, March 12, the Santa Monica Police Department held a meeting on ground at Santa Monica College for both students and faculty to attend. The meeting, hosted by Officer John Adams, detailed the latest safety precautions students must abide by in order for the return of sports at SMC to run both smoothly and efficiently. The Track, Swimming, and Tennis teams will get a head start as Los Angeles county enters into the red tier. These non-contact sports will gain access to compete after the athletes have been PCR tested both before they are allowed back to practice and 48 hours before each match. It is also mandatory for players to be wearing masks on the sidelines at all times. Officer Adams’ goals for the return are clear, “We have decided to be extra cautious because we want [students and athletes] to succeed.” The protection of the students and faculty is their main concern. To ensure the athlete’s safety, they have implemented visitor screenings before games, specific areas to park, and ways to practice while simultaneously minimizing cross traffic. As of right now, fan attendance will not be allowed back so they can opti-

Alex Serbowicz | Digital Editor

mize creating a safe environment for these athletes first and foremost. “Right now we’re not planning on having any spectators - but that can change,” Officer Adams continued, “If we are going to have fans back, we would have to make sure we have the proper maintenance staff that’s there to clean hightouch points like in restrooms and seating areas…just so we have people properly distancing and everything is under control.” Brian Eskridge, the Aquatics Director and Coach of the Men’s and Women’s Swim team at SMC, is eager to start practice on Thursday. He feels confident about the return and was excited to see his team for the first time in over a year last Friday. “I feel pretty good about it. We’ve been talking about this for a long time,” Coach Eskridge continued, “It’s been a tough process, but we’ve put in a lot of work. Some of the hardest parts were not knowing when we were coming back - like in the fall, we had a lot of these plans and protocols set but we didn’t know when we would be able to start.” Their trainers organized a practice routine for the Swim team that would comply with the Los Angeles Public Health Department’s safety guidelines. Since they are not able to wear masks as they perform, they will be put into socially distanced groups or “pods” of 5-6 with specific exit and entry points at the pool. As locker rooms remain closed under city restrictions, they are required to show up in their suits. The SMC Swim team is the only

Chief Johnnie Adams, of the Santa Monica College Police Department, concludes his briefing to Santa Monica College athletes about the re-opening procedures for non-contact sports on Friday, March 12, 2021, in Santa Monica, Calif. (Jon Putman | The Corsair) program in Los Angeles County that will compete in upcoming meets. Despite unique challenges, optimism remains the definitive feeling of the week. “It has put us all in a pretty good place… It’s tough because I feel like we’re completely starting over, but at the same time everybody’s in the same situation. I think we’ll be able to get back into it very quickly once we adapt to these changes” It is evident that the coaches and athletes want to get back on track as soon as possible. After things are proven to be running smoothly and the statistics for cases in Los Angeles County improve, the objective is to continue this process and provide thorough instructions to proceed for each given sport. Other facilities, like the indoor gym, remain closed for the time being due to

ongoing county restrictions. However, there is discussion as to how Santa Monica College could provide their students with a new experience by creating an outdoor gym setting to prevent any potential threat of exposure. An entire year-long process to get to this point has created a very eager community of athletes who want nothing more than to pick up from where they left off. The truth is that if these rules and regulations as reported are not complied with, the possibility of ending back at square one will be inevitable. Officer Adams confirms that “When we take all of these different steps, we can stay safe during this unprecedented time.” Committing to practicing mindfulness and creating good habits will be the true test to ensure the continuation of this process moving forward.

Fans Back in the Stands

outhern California has yet to free itself from the grips of the coronavirus. Social distancing policies and restrictions continue to play a major role in how people live their lives. Professional sports are not exempt from this reality. Sports fans nationwide have mostly been prohibited from stadiums. This left fans desperate to return and watch their favorite teams. However, on Friday, March 5, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California was dropping down from the purple to red tier. Beginning on April 1, outdoor sports in California can sell tickets and admit fans at a reduced capacity, determined by California’s four-color coded tier system. This is great news for California baseball fans, as this policy change will allow the Los Angeles Dodgers to

sell 20% of the seats in their ball park. Additionally, the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, and Oakland A’s all announced plans for having spectators on their Opening Day. It should be noted that fan attendance is conditional. As long as California counties can stay within these tiers, Major League Baseball (MLB) can have fans in their stands. Additionally, MLB teams in California must follow and enforce strict social distancing guidelines. “On behalf of Dodger organization and its fans, we want to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Governor Newsom, his staff and the many others who have worked tirelessly on these revised guidelines which provide a blueprint for California outdoor sports venues to re-open to fans… Safety is paramount, and the Dodgers continue to work with local officials and Major League Baseball to finalize

protocols to protect players, fans and staff.” said Stan Kasten, CEO of the Dodgers, on March 5. The National Basketball Association (NBA) also announced plans for allowing fans to return. According to a press release by the NBA on March 11, fan attendance will depend “on a variety of factors, including coronavirus guidelines that vary from state to state.” None of the California NBA teams have released new plans for stadium attendance, leaving their seats empty until further notice. The announcement of reopening outdoor stadiums is a sign of relief for many. Dillion Gjeloshaj, a Whole Foods employee in Santa Monica, had interest in the reopenings. “I’m so down for baseball to come back...I’m all for going to a baseball game. As long as people can be respectful of each other and the Stadium

can enforce social distancing.” Not everyone shares the same sentiment. Sheryl Luna, a lifetime resident of Hollywood said, “Honestly, I’m okay with people going to Dodger games, but transmission is still a big concern for me…I know people are getting vaccinated and cases are going down, but that doesn’t mean people can’t get the virus,” said Luna, “I think I would’ve liked California to have waited until after May 1, when [President] Biden said all Americans can get a vaccine. But either way, I don’t think opening up is necessarily bad.” While California took a big step forward by easing some restrictions on outdoor sports venues, it’s clear that the state will need more time to make decisions for indoor stadiums. But allowing people the opportunity to return to sporting events is a step in the right direction.