Wildfires are blazing across Southern California. Thousands of Southern California residents have been displaced from their homes and communities – including the San Fernando Valley and Pacific Palisades right here in L.A., two areas filled with people from the Santa Monica College (SMC) community. Yet, despite the graveness of the California wildfires, our nation’s attention continues to be dominated by the words and actions of President Donald J. Trump in Washington D.C. An impeachment inquiry launched by Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi against President Trump is ongoing. The 45th President of the United States is accused of illegally pressuring Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, who is running for the Democratic nomination in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. One person described as having “firsthand knowledge” of President Trump’s business with Ukraine filed a complaint against him in August. The complaint stated that White House officials believed to have seen the President exploit his power for political gain. That person’s identity is protected as a whistleblower, someone who exposes information in a private or public company about activities considered to be illegal, unethical or incorrect. In response, President Trump said the impeachment inquiry would benefit his 2020 re-election campaign and referred to the whistleblower as “crooked.” Perhaps less surprisingly, he called out the media once again, this time for covering the complaint filed by the whistleblower. But President Trump’s divisive rhetoric, unfortunately, is nothing new. After Northern California’s Camp Fire in August 2018, a blaze that was recorded as the deadliest wildfire in modern California history, Trump tweeted, “There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor.” The President used California’s natural disasters of 2018 to prove a political point. He then added in a separate tweet, “California wildfires are being magnified & made so much worse by the bad environmental laws which aren’t allowing massive amounts of readily available water to be properly utilized.” President Trump’s lack of knowledge about the circumstances of the California wildfires showed here. A spokesman for the California state fire agency said that crews battling fires around the state hadn’t experienced water shortages, and attributed the high intensity of wildfires to prolonged fire seasons as a result of climate change. Essentially, the President’s remarks did nothing to help people experiencing natural disasters in 2018 and his rhetoric this year hasn’t been any different. One thing that Americans recovering from natural disasters need is empathy, which they’ve repeatedly gotten the opposite of from the President. 2019’s impeachment inquiry and his controversial response to that claim come at a time when the nation’s focus should be placed elsewhere. More attention should be granted to citizens in need, like residents of the nearby San Fernando Valley and Pacific Palisades communities. The Valley’s Saddleridge Wildfire, now 92 percent contained, burned nearly 8,800 acres and forced an estimated 100,000 people to evacuate from areas across Granada Hills, Porter Ranch and Sylmar. A brushfire blazed up a Palisades hillside Monday and charred at least 40 acres, affecting approximately 200 homes. As Southern California residents – some of whom attend or work at SMC– recover from the destruction, they need all of the support they can get. Wildfires have burned more than 280,000 acres in California. President Trump declared a state of emergency in California on July 27 and authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help disaster relief efforts, but hasn’t properly thought about how the rest of his actions and rhetoric impact American citizens, especially those impacted by California wildfires. His actions led to the impeachment inquiry in Washington. His continued divisive rhetoric serves as a constant reminder that our country’s leader lacks the understanding necessary to unite people in times of crisis. The thousands of people affected by natural disaster endure so much and are left to pick up the pieces. Victims can’t effectively do so without guidance at the top, and shouldn’t need to face all of this alone.
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Confederate Flag Placard Sparks Controversy Ryanne Mena, Dorothy Alexanian, Aleah Antonio, Dakota Castets-Didier | Corsair Staff “PARKING FOR CONFEDERATES ONLY, ALL OTHERS GO BACK NORTH,” read a placard found on the desk of Inter-Club Council (ICC) Vice Chair Gabriella Montgomery. A photo of the placard went viral on the unofficial Santa Monica College (SMC) Facebook group on the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 17. The phrase, positioned around a Confederate flag, sparked debate and calls for Vice Chair Montgomery to step down from her position. Jonathan Flores, the SMC student who took the photo and made the Facebook post, went into the Associated Students (A.S.) office to speak with a director when he spotted the placard. Representatives of multiple clubs addressed the issue during the public comment portion of the ICC meeting held hours later that day in the Humanities and Social Science (HSS) building. Tom Ralter of the Democratic Socialists Club (DSC) was the first student to request Montgomery’s resignation from the ICC. “When someone is elected they don’t
just speak for themselves anymore, they speak for the people they were elected by… When someone that we pay to represent us engages in speech or behavior that is damaging to this school, that is hateful toward the students of this school, then I think they should step down,” said Ralter. Joe Hempelmann of the Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club seconded this notion during the meeting. “This campus is really inclusive and there’s space for everyone, and to that extent, hatefulness and intolerance can’t be a part of the discourse here,” said Hempelmann. “For that reason, the GSA seconds that [Montgomery] should step down.” Members of the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) club, of which Montgomery is the Vice President, came to her defense. The club’s secretary Nico Acevedo compared the Confederate flag placard to “gay flags,” also known as the LGBTQ pride flag. “If there’s gay flags in the office, then she should be able to put a joke right there in her office. So, I mean, I really think it’s the same thing,” noted Acevedo. “If you don’t think it’s the same thing, then you’re a hack.” Acevedo’s comments drew reactions from
others in attendance at the ICC meeting, including SMC Student Trustee Brooke Harrington, who addressed the matter by saying, “The Confederate flag is a widely recognized symbol of oppression and hatred, whereas the rainbow pride flag is a universally recognized symbol of pride and acceptance, so there is a difference.” Montgomery made a three minute comment, explaining during the ICC meeting, “the content of what I had up, just to inform you guys, was a joke. It’s called satire. The point of comedy is that it’s offensive.” Reactions continued on to the next week at the A.S. Board meeting on Monday, Oct. 21 at the Cayton Center. Public comments, which allot two minutes per speaker, took an hour and 15 minutes. The Corsair spoke with Montgomery the following day, where she further explained the story behind her controversial placard and stated that it was given to her as a joke by a friend the day before the photo was posted on Facebook. “And so, when I got it, I was like, ‘this is so hilarious,’ and every time I saw it, it would make me laugh again, so I put it on my desk,” said Montgomery. “And I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal.”
The controversy came as a shock to the ICC Vice Chair as she didn’t expect the placard to offend anyone. “If you’re offended by that, okay… that’s your right to be upset about it, but I think people should think twice before they jump to conclusions… I don’t support the Confederate flag,” said Montgomery. “I was making fun of the Confederate flag. People said they don’t think it’s funny, that’s their opinion. Like, what’s funny is subjective.” On the subject of the YAF’s club secretary comparing the Confederate flag to the pride flag, Montgomery said, “He might have misspoke, but I think [that] people were misinterpreting what he meant… His comparison wasn’t to compare the hatred and the history behind the Confederate flag to what the pride flag means. His point was to say that it’s something political. It’s something that some people might not agree with.” When asked if she regrets placing the placard on her desk, Montgomery said, “I don’t regret laughing at it, I still think it’s funny. I regret putting it up because I didn’t think that it was going to offend people. If I genuinely thought it was going to get this type of reaction I wouldn’t have put it up, but it did.”
“I was making fun of the Confederate flag. People said they don’t think it’s funny, that’s their opinion. Like, what’s funny is subjective.” - Gabriella Montgomery
(Left) Placard reading, “PARKING FOR CONFEDERATES ONLY, ALL OTHERS GO BACK NORTH,” positioned around a Confederate flag, on Inter-Club Council (ICC) Vice Chair Gabriella Montgomery’s desk in the Associated Students (A.S.) office at the Cayton Center at Santa Monica College, on Thursday, Oct. 17 in Santa Monica, Calif. (Ryanne Mena / The Corsair) | (Above) ICC Chair Natalie Lim (left) and ICC Vice-Chair Gabriella Montgomery (right) at an Associated Students Board meeting in the Cayton Center at Santa Monica College’s main campus, in Santa Monica, Calif., on Oct. 21, 2019. (Conner Savage / The Corsair)
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SMC ShakeOut Off-Key at the PAC
follow along with the loudspeaker’s direction, and her and her fellow classmates all “walked Santa Monica College (SMC) joined 639 straight out.” During the drill, music professor Sumy other California colleges and universities for the 12th annual Great California Shake- Takesue took on the responsibility of directOut last Thursday, Oct. 18. Since 2008, the ing students away from the glass windows ShakeOut has acted as an opportunity for and into the parking lot. Some students apCalifornians to practice safe procedures in peared hesitant to follow instruction, to which preparation for a potential earthquake. In Takesue responded, “There’s always a wise addition to educational centers, businesses, guy, remember this is not for fun.” Accordhotels, and many other organizations also ing to Professor Takesue, all PAC professors received emails informing them of what to participate in this yearly event. All six of SMC’s campuses participated do during the drill. When asked if she felt like the drill was being taken seriously by students, she responded with, “No.” Professor Takesue was one of several professors who directed her students outside at the start of the drill. “It says you’re supposed to duck and cover, but then you’re supposed to bring everybody out, so duck and Music professor Sumy Takesue (left) helps her student Spencer William (right) with his cover doesn’t make music classwork in the parking lot of Santa Monica College's Performing Arts Center any sense,” said as they wait to return to their classroom during the Great ShakeOut 2019, a statewide Professor Takesue. earthquake preparedness drill, on October 17, 2019, in Santa Monica, Calif. (Andrew “We don’t have any Boone / The Corsair) place to cover under in this year’s Great ShakeOut, including the anyway, there are no desks.” Professor Takesue was not the only faculty Performing Arts Center (PAC), which houses member to bring up the lack of available The Broad Stage. As soon as the Great ShakeOut alarm space to cover oneself under if an earthquake rang, students evacuated the buildings and were to hit PAC’s campus. Dr. David headed out toward the main quad and parking Goodman did not duck, nor did any of his lot of the PAC campus. This went against students, because of lack of adequate space the direction of the announcement, which underneath any of their desks. When asked informed students and faculty to “duck, cover, if he attempted to duck and cover, Dr. and hold” before moving outside. One of Goodman said that he directed his class to the first students to exit their classroom, dance, jokingly adding, “Sorry, I’m not a SMC freshman Frances Tollman said she rule follower” before elaborating on his was not given any specific instructions to serious thoughts about the drill’s ineffectiveJackie Sedley | Culture Editor
ness. “I don’t want to say anything is not useful, but we know that we can’t get underneath the desks,” said Goodman about the Great ShakeOut’s “duck, cover, and hold” instructions. “You couldn’t begin to get under.” While some students were told about the drill prior to Oct. 18, others were informed the day of, either by professors or by the announcement itself. For some students, like Windham Messinger, he could not remember if anyone had mentioned the drill in his previous classes. However, he did recall that no information was given to him as to where to go if he were to show up late that day. Therefore, when he arrived late to class on the day of The Great ShakeOut, he found himself inside of an evacuated building with no idea what was going on. “I literally just showed up, walked in, and was very confused about why everyone was outside,” said Mess- Students exit Santa Monica College's Performing Arts Center inger. “There was just an open door, during the Great ShakeOut 2019, a statewide earthquake preand I walked in, and I was like ‘every- paredness drill, on October 17, 2019, in Santa Monica, Calif. (Andrew Boone / The Corsair) one’s gone.’” Despite personal thoughts and feelthat we do this so that the next time there’s ings from students and faculty, officiators of the event felt as though the PAC’s a real time, they already know where they’re drill went smoothly. The campus’s acting headed,” said the PAC building monitor. building monitor for the day, who wished to “Because if they have no idea what’s hapremain anonymous, felt as though everyone pening … they’re not going to know visuwas taking the drill “very seriously.” There ally even if they can objectively understand were supposed to be two building monitors whats happening.” Just prior to the sounding of the final conducting the day’s event, but the other announcement that signified the end of the monitor was not in for the day. Therefore, drill, a student was seen wandering through the present building monitor took full rethe halls of the PAC main building. When sponsibility of checking the evacuated buildthe building monitor notified her that the ing, confirming that nobody was left in any campus was still in evacuation mode, she of the rooms and that all students and faculty responded with, “Oh, we are? We’re in remained outside of the PAC. evacuation?” “Having gone through the steps, although it's redundant and boring sometimes, I think
AI Technology Nails Parking Violators Drew Andersen | Staff Writer Parking officer Jonathan Rosas patrols Santa Monica College’s (SMC) parking structures every day, checking to see if each vehicle has the required valid permit to park within the designated spaces marked by white lines. Hundreds of student and staff vehicles stream in and out of the four major parking structures on campus each school day and night. Rosas's job is to identify which vehicles are in compliance with SMC's regulations and which are not. Rosas cites vethicles that do not have a valid permit, are parked outside the white lines, or are parked backwards in the designated slot. These the most frequent violations out of the 30 that are on the list of citable
parking violations. Now, Officer Rosas's patrol task is made easier. SMC has implemented a new parking permit system called iParq. Rather than mailing out decals to be displayed on car windshields, parking permits are now digital and assigned to the vehicle by its license plate number. Rosas operates computer-enhanced vehicle for patrolling the parking structure that resembles a golf-cart. Mounted on the roof are two cameras that are programmed to read license plate numbers as the vehicle patrols each parking level. The onboard computer is programmed to zero-in on each license plate as it drives by. What the camera sees is clearly displayed on the dashboard mounted monitor. Like a simple video game, when a violation is detected, an alarm is sounded — bong-bong
— and a red circle is appears around the license plate number in question. The full plate number appear in green in a distinct window on the video monitor. The patrolman stops. He consults his handheld wireless device linked to his dashboard computer, and types in the plate number to confirm whether or not the car has a permit. Officer discretion allows the patrolman to make adjustments. Student with expired plates or parked in staff spot, for example, may be given just a warning. Once a violation is confirmed and entered into the computer, another wireless device kicks into action and the citation is printed. Placed on the vehicle’s windshield, the parking ticket details the violation details and options for paying or contesting the citation.
“We issued about 460 citations in the past month using the new iParq system,” said Johnnie Adams, SMC's Chief of Police. Officer Rosas covers the main parking structures in two-and-a-half hours. The SMC parking structures allow between 2000 to 3000 vehicles each day on the main campus. The main campus on Pico Boulevard has lot 4 with 800 parking spaces, lot 3 with 1200 spaces, and the newly opened Student Services Center has 550 underground spaces. Each parking structure requires a parking permit. SMC implemented the iParq system this fall, and students can purchase permits through the Corsair Connect website or the Bursar’s office on main campus.
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Ernest “Undocubae” Rocha Speaks About Owning Your Narrative Eline Millenaar | Staff Writer Owning your narrative and forming your own identity. This is what Santa Monica College (SMC) students came to learn when they filed into the Lecture Hall on Thursday, Oct 17. Some of them are undocumented students. Many of them have friends who are undocumented. Most of them have parents or grandparents that immigrated to the United States. The bilingual chatter died down as the attention was directed to the keynote speaker of the Undocumented Student Week of Action, Ernesto Rocha. Ernesto Rocha is an activist, organizer, motivational speaker, and UCLA graduate. Rocha is also known as Undocubae, which stands for Undocumented Before and After the Election. He adopted this name after the 2016 elections to state that he still had the same status, regardless of the political change. Merely three days after the election, tweets streamed in from Trump-supporters, saying, “Come and get him ICE. Obama can’t help him now.” In spite of opposition and threats, Rocha did not keep quiet, choosing instead to give a TEDx Talk titled “I am NOT My Status: An Undocumented Immigrant’s Perspective.” Rocha recounted his journey to the United States. He described how his mother became a single mother to six young children after his father passed away when he was two years old. She took him and his siblings across the U.S. border in what Rocha called “a long camping trip, but without the Patagonia gear.” After three days of walking, swimming, being chased by dogs, and run-ins
with ICE patrol agents, they arrived in the United States. Karla Herrera, one of the organizers of the event on behalf of the IDEAS club — a support group for undocumented students — was deeply moved by Rocha’s story.
off!” he said. “Well, tell that to the undocumented, queer, poor folks.” For years, he woke up at 4 a.m. to take several busses to try to get to school on the other side of the city. He would sleep in the library, couchsurf, and shower at the uni-
On October 17th, 2019 at 11:45 Earnesto Rocha speaks on Immigrantion in life and education in his talk called “Undocubae” to students of Santa Monica College in the Humanites and Social Sciences building. (Sara Clark / The Corsair)
“I was crying the whole time,” Herrera said. “When he started talking about how his family migrated to the U.S., that’s when I started tearing up...I think it’s a little similar to my own family’s story as well.” Rocha’s story continued as he adjusted to his new life in the United States, attended school, and made friends. After graduating high school, he received a scholarship for UCLA. “This is it, right? You get into a good school, all your hard work is going to pay
versity’s gym. He worked three jobs to help his mother sustain herself, while struggling to keep his grades up. “I was exhausted, tired, stressed, and coming out as gay.” he said. “All of a sudden, you have a C minus.” After several semesters, he received a letter from UCLA informing him that his scholarship had been revoked because he had not recorded on paper that he was undocumented. He needed to pay several thousand dollars that week in order to stay
in school. He went around campus with a converted mayonnaise jar asking for donations. He raised the needed amount, and paid his tuition with the coins and small bills given by his friends and classmates. “I still have that mayonnaise jar as a reminder that I needed to tell UCLA that I was going to stay,” says Rocha. Despite the efforts to collect his tuition, Rocha had to drop out of college when his brother was deported. His family was kicked out of the little apartment they were living in, and they had run out of money. One of the SMC students who attended the event stated that she can relate to Rocha’s story. Jennifer, a Communication Studies major, is an undocumented student in the process of becoming an U.S. citizen. “The struggle is money,” she said. “If you don’t have a work permit, you can’t work, or if someone gives you the opportunity to work, they will pay you what they want to pay you.” Rocha’s mental health further declined after his family’s struggle. He described how he broke down and spiraled into excessive drinking. The turning point came when he decided to let go of everything that kept him in a negative cycle. He learned to find his freedom and his identity in himself instead of his status. This is the message he now wants to give to other people, including the students in the audience. SMC student Kevin Martinez thought this to be very inspiring, stating. “He makes you feel like you have to be better and work better for future generations.”
SMC Hosts Second-Annual Undocumented Student Week of Action Dana Binfet, Dorothy Alexanian, Aleah Antonio | Staff Writers From October 14-18, Santa Monica College’s (SMC) Dream Program hosted its “Undocumented Student Week of Action” for the second year, with support from the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA). SMC Dream Program Counselor Sergio Belloso explained that SMC participated “in (the) Undocumented Student Week of Action to provide support, encouragement, empowerment, and resources to undocumented students and strengthen allyship for students on campus.” The Undocumented Student Week of Action kicked off with an open lab offering application assistance for California Dream Act (DACA) recipients, helping students to stay on track with paperwork into the fall semester. On Oct. 15, the Student Services Center hosted two workshops centered around mental health resources for undocumented students. The center also offered a CHIRLA presentation about policy updates
to DACA and how student advocates can get involved. Melody Klingenfuss, the host of the workshop and a statewide organizer for the California Dream Network — a group within CHIRLA dedicated to college activism — focused the seminar on the upcoming Supreme Court decision regarding the renewal of DACA. During the presentation, Klingenfuss covered the impact of the Supreme Court decision by elaborating on best and worst case scenarios for DACA recipients. If the Supreme Court chooses to revoke DACA, recipients could be at risk of deportation or unable to use their license and other identifying documents. However, it’s possible DACA could be amended to allow renewals, or even reverted back to its original form. The decision will be announced between January and June of 2020. “We do not have access to the judges, the only thing we have is the ability to give information to the people who are affected or who know someone who’s affected,” said Klingenfuss. “The whole purpose is to ac-
tivate [students], get them involved, and get them ready to join events and spread information.” CHIRLA plans walkouts and marches in support of DACA renewals as the Supreme Court hearings draw nearer. Klingenfuss stated that long term organization goals revolve around the 2020 elections and census. “Those are our big plans — to mobilize the vote, and to get out the word for the census.” On Wednesday, Oct. 16, SMC’s Dream Program had a Week of Action Resource table in the quad to “provide more knowledge and information about the resources (available) for students,” explained Communication Students Professor Julie Chekroun. She was one of the many professors who helped greet students at this interactive touch point on campus. Cherkoun explained that the table wasn’t just a resource for undocumented students, but it opened up doors for “students who are willing to become allies to the cause… because it’s not just something that affects a group of students, it affects all of us.” Ernesto Rocha was the keynote speaker for the weeklong event. Rocha is part of the
Community Coalition, an organization in South LA that works against, violence and poverty trying to better social and economic conditions and influence change in public policy. Rocha has a TEDx Talk where he speaks about what it’s like to be an undocumented immigrant. The last event of the week was an “UndocuALLY Training” held on Friday, Oct 17, 2019. This was an opportunity for any SMC student, regardless of their citizenship status, to learn more about the program and become undocumented student allies. The Undocumented Student Week of Action ended with students taking initiative and showing support. Belloso explained that “in addition to getting tangible information and resources, students who participate in these events will hopefully get the sense that they belong at SMC and in higher education, that their experiences and identity matters and is of value to our campus and society as a whole, that there is hope regardless of the political climate in our country, and that SMC is actively trying to provide support to them.”
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The Martin Espino’s dancers and muscians perform on Indigenous People Day on Tuesday, Octob The Corsair)
(Above) Santa Monica College (SMC) students participate in the performance of the Martin Espino’s dancers and muscians at the celebration of the Indigenous People Day, at the main campus of Santa Monica College. | (Below) The instruments used during the Indigenous People Day celebration.
SMC Celebrates its First-Ev John Roth | Staff Writer Santa Monica College (SMC) celebrated its first ever Indigenous People’s Day event on main campus with live music and interactive dancing. Rather than observe Columbus Day, many students opted to observe Indigenous People’s Day in remembrance of the cultures negatively affected by Europe’s conquest of the Americas. During the event, which took place on Tuesday, Oct. 15, students were encouraged to use the celebration to represent anything they are proud to be. The Indigenous People’s Day event was hosted by invited special guest musician Martin Espino, leader of Mexika a group of authentic indigenous dancers performing “Sounds of Ancient Mexico.” Students from a wide variety of different cultures gathered on the quad of SMC’s main campus as the band’s drummer, Erick Barraza, warmed up. For some students, the event was something they planned on attending, and many wore Mexico’s soccer jersey to represent their home country. Other students were simply intrigued by the sounds of the percussionist preparing. Freshman Koutn Hagopian stood alone waiting for the event to start. “I’m in an Anthropology class and my professor actually recommended it,” he said. “So I thought I would just check it out.” The two female performers were the first of the five dance members to enter the event space, soon followed by the three male members. Once given a quick introduction by Carla Claure, the Associated Students (A.S.) Director of Activities, the performance began. The members did a cultural dance while playing handmade indigenous instruments that consisted of hollowed out
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(Above) A Martin Espino’s dancer performs on Indigenous People Day, at the main campus of Santa Monica College. | (Below) A Martin Espino’s muscians performs on Indigenous People Day.
ber 15th, at the main campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. (Eline Millenaar /
ver Indigenous People’s Day turtle shells, bamboo, and whistles called “Ocarinas.” After the first round of dancing, Espino asked for five volunteers from the crowd to join the band to play drums. More than the requested amount of students rushed the dance floor with raised hands. The performance picked back up with students now involved and the crowd noticeably larger than before the event had started. Between dance performances, Espino would come to the mic to educate listeners, asking students not to divide as a society. “I don’t believe in the word diversity; you can hear the word divide in it,” Espino said. He added, “We are all more alike than different, so why focus on the differences?” Espino encouraged students to look in the mirror and find themselves. SMC student Bryan Sanchez was ahead of the curve, sporting a bright black Mexico jersey with green and red accents. Hanging from his neck, laying against the center of his chest, was silver medallion. “My abuelita gave me this medallion when I visited her at her home in Hildago Tula, Mexico,” he said. The event ended with Espino inviting all that would fit on the dance floor to join in a final “friendship circle dance.” SMC students ran to the dance floor for a spot in the circle. The dancers and students all gathered in a circle hand-in-hand, headed by Espino. Espino lead the circle around, instructing students to kick when he kicked. The dance ended with the circle coming to a knee and bowing to the ground. Walking away from the event with a group of friends and video footage in his iPhone, Bryan Sanchez shared what he took away from the celebration. “The event makes me want to be the best Mexican I can be as a man in America,” Sanchez said.
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Fashion Week Struts Into L.A.
(Top Right) Models line up after walking the Charbel Zoe Couture collection at the Art Hearts Fashion show during Los Angeles Fashion Week on October 17, 2019 | (Top Left) Guest chatter before the runway show at Art Heart Fashion’s LA Fashion Weekin Los Angeles, Calif.
(Bottom Left) Rachel Ford, a model walking for Vegan Fashion Week wears garments by Vegan Tiger, a South Korean based brand during Vegan Fashion Week on October 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, Calif. | (Bottom Center) A model walking at Vegan Fashion Week gets some last minute touch ups from a make-up artist on October 14, 2019 | (Bottom Right) A model walks the runway wearing designs by Charbel Zoe Couture at Art Hearts Fashion show (Anthony Mayem//The Corsair)
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Dotan Saguy: From SMC to Esteemed Creative Shayn Almeida | Staff Writer For many artists, photographers, creative writing and journalism students, the idea of being published can often seem like a childhood fantasy. However, when hearing about the progression of Dotan Saguy, students eyes are often opened to the myriad of possibilities available to anyone who’s willing to put in the work. Saguy took a project for The Corsair newspaper and turned it into a publishing deal and professional photography career. Being born in a small kibbutz, five miles south of the Lebanese border, and growing up in a small village outside of Paris, Saguy attended computer engineering school in France before traveling to the US and living in New York. He then moved to California, where he founded - and eventually sold - a small e-commerce company. Looking back at Saguy’s journey, his story is a testament to how many paths one might have to travel before eventually finding
their true calling. After selling his company and taking some time to be with his family, he decided to pursue photography professionally. Feeling that he needed more training, Saguy decided to attend Santa Monica College (SMC) and to involve himself with the journalism program. It was at SMC where Saguy began a project documenting the locals of Venice, CA., that would eventually become a published book called “Venice Beach - The Last Days of a Bohemian Paradise." "The whole photojournalism thing really helped me see things from a different angle," said Saguy. "It made me see Venice Beach as a culture to document, as opposed to a series of single photos that I was taking." After leaving SMC, Saguy attended Photolucida, a nonprofit organization that “provides platforms to expand, inspire, educate and connect the photography community,” according to the website. Every other April, Photolucida hosts an industry-affiliated "Portfolio Review Festival."
It was here at the Photolucida festival where Saguy was able to connect with the German Publishing company Kehrer Verlag, who would publish Saguy's first book. Since having his first book published, Saguy has been featured in publications such as National Geographic and The Los Angeles Times. In addition to shooting and working on his new book, Saguy has lectured at schools, done educational videos, and currently hosts street photography workshops for both Momenta and Leica Akademie. Saguy's upcoming book, “Nowhere to go but Everywhere," follows the life and challenges of a modern-day nomadic family who lives and tours the world in a mini-schoolbus. The book will be published by Kehrer Verlag once again, and is set to be released in early Spring of 2020. Santa Monica College will be hosting a lecture by Saguy entitled, "From Street Photographer to Photojournalist" on the main campus in Stromberg Hall (HSS 165) this coming Tuesday, October 29, at 11:15 AM.
Muir Woods Mural To Be 'Reimagined'
Located at the cross-section of Ocean Park and Lincoln Boulevard, the Muir Woods Mural depicts the California state tree, the Redwoods. (Marco Pallotti / The Corsair)
Juliana Wingate | Staff Writer All the chairs were taken at the second-floor community room at the Santa Monica Public Library on Wed. Oct. 16. Serving up her own birthday cake, art therapist and peace activist Marissa Rubin greeted attendees of Santa Monica CityTV producer Madeleine Gallagher's film, "Art and Activism." As part of the station’s “Wave” series, the film explored the impact that artists have on local communities with respect to environmental justice. It featured artists like Mary Kelly and Ron Finley, as well as Marissa’s husband, Jerry Rubin. "This is why we exist - to bring issues to the community,” said CityTV station manager Russ Maloney. The screening brought attention to the “Save the Muir Woods Mural” campaign, spearheaded five years ago by the Rubins and “Curious City” Columnist Charles
Andrews, who wrote about the mural's uncertain fate in the Santa Monica Daily Press. The Rubins are passionate about preserving local art through community outreach. The campaign presented an opportunity to fight for the mural's message of preserving nature in addition to public art. "[The mural] beautifies the integrity of Ocean Park Boulevard,” said Jerry Rubin. The Muir Woods mural, originally painted by Jane Golden in 1978, has depictions of Redwood Trees inspired by the acclaimed naturalist John Muir. The mural’s message connects to the prevlaent topic of climate change. Located at the cross-section of Ocean Park and Lincoln Boulevard, at the newly named Michelle And Barack Obama Center for Inquiry and Exploration (MBO), the mural's future is at stake. “Our respectful activism will win the day,” Jerry Rubin said. The campaign’s Facebook page collected signatures of support from commu-
nity members, in addition to gathering endorsements from Santa Monica city agencies like the Task Force on the Environment and the Recreation and Parks Commission. Members of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) board and former Santa Monica mayors have also expressed support. At the SMMUSD board meeting the next day, Superintendent Dr. Ben Drati introduced the District’s Chief Operating Officer, Carey Upton, to present the staff’s recommended action for the school’s exterior walls. That recommendation pledged to engage community members in a collaborative process to create a new mural but also emphasized the dangers posed by the mural’s lead paint. “The challenge is that if we were to repaint this mural, we would have to take it down to the concrete,” said Upton. In his public comments to the board, Jerry Rubin and other Santa Monica community members expressed the homegrown support and love for the mural.
Expressing a shy but hopeful admiration, Calvin, a fifth-grade student at John Muir Elementary School, said, “It’s very beautiful and represents a great thing." During the SMMUSD Board’s deliberations, Board Vice-President Jon Kean expressed his preference for Golden to lead the mural's re-work. As board members commented, support grew for an amended resolution. “Those walls belong to the community,” said SMMUSD board member Oscar de la Torre. “We have to give respect to the people living in that neighborhood.” A resolution was passed unanimously stating that staff must expeditiously contact Golden with an offer to lead the mural’s ‘reimagining.’ The Board emphasized that supplemental funding must come from the local arts communities who’ve pledged their support. “I believe that this can be a rebirth of public art in Santa Monica,” Kean said as the meeting came to a close.
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Spider-Man is Back in the Marvel Universe Josh Hogan | Staff Writer After Walt Disney Studios’ and Sony Pictures’ brief split, the two studios have since found a way to get back into the Spider-Man business together. In late September, Disney and Sony renegotiated how they would share the Spider-Man intellectual property and reached a new agreement allowing Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to return again as co-producer for the third Marvel SpiderMan film. Tom Holland will also be returning as the iconic web-slinger. According to the new deal, Marvel and Disney will receive 25 percent of the profits in exchange for Feige producing this third project of the Spider-Man film series. SpiderMan will also appear in a future Marvel Studios project. In an Oct. 4 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that Tom Holland was the savior of Spider-Man’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland reached out to
Iger and the CEO of Sony Pictures, Thomas Rothman, in an effort to help get both companies negotiating again. “He basically ... cried on the phone,” Iger joked. “No, not really, but it was clear that he cared so much, and we care a lot about him. And he’s a great Spider-Man. I felt for him and it was clear that the fans wanted all this to happen.” Iger spoke with Disney team members before ultimately calling the head of Sony to try and stop their “Spider-Man standoff.” He felt driven to end the debate by
his respect for both Holland and for fans. “Sometimes companies, when they’re negotiating, or people when they’re negotiating with one another, they kind of forget that there are other folks out there that actually matter,” said Iger. “There’s a whole Parker family out there (to think about).” Holland is still contracted as the lead in two more Spider-Man films. After the recent agreement was made, Marvel Studios’ Feige publicly spoke of his joy for the reunification. “I am thrilled that Spidey’s journey
in the MCU will continue,” said Feige. “I and all of us at Marvel Studios are very excited that we get to keep working on it. Spider-Man is a powerful icon and a hero whose story crosses all ages and audiences around the globe. He also happens to be the only hero with the superpower to cross cinematic universes, so as Sony continues to develop their own Spidey-verse you never know what surprises the future might hold.” That being said, as Sony moves forward with their own Marvel Universe projects, with titles like “Venom 2” and “Sinister Six,” Disney/Marvel also pursues their own direction. There could be a “call and answer” between the two franchises as they acknowledge details between the two paths in what would loosely be described as a shared detailed universe. The third Spider-Man film is scheduled for release on July 16, 2021. Welcome home, Spidey! Illustration by Andrew Boone
L.A. Comic Con Pays Tribute to Stan Lee Anthony Mayen, Tatiana Louder | Staff Writers
A Cosplayer dressed as the “Suicide Squad” rendition of Harliey Quin poses for a photo at Los Angeles Comic Con (Anthony Mayen / The Corsair)
Nerd culture took over the Los Angeles Convention Center for 2019’s LA Comic Con during the weekend of Oct. 11-13. A vast array of festivities awaited attendees within the exhibition halls, such as guest panels, comic book vendors, unique artist booths, film memorabilia and creative fan cosplays of favorite characters. 2019’s LA Comic Con marked the first
year without its founder Stan Lee, who passed away at the age of 95 in November of 2018. Lee created many famous Marvel Universe characters, like Iron Man, Thor, Cyclops, Daredevil, The Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man. Fans mourned the death of the superhero pioneer at the convention, and focused on his instrumentality to universal nerd cultures within the science fiction, video game, and Japanese Otaku communities, as well as his influential contribution to the overall comic book industry. Pow Entertainment, Stan Lee’s media production company, set up a memorial wall within the exhibition halls for fans to write a message to the late comic book creator. “I know that the loss of Stan Lee was felt very profoundly among the fanbase,” said Westin Norm, dressed as Captain America. “I actually met the man once and I am very honored to have done that.” One of the headlining events was an afternoon screening of Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room” and a talkback with Wiseau on the film. Wiseau, who gained infamy for his 2003 film which he wrote, directed, and starred in himself, began his talkback with a five-second silent contemplation in honor of Lee. Respectfully acknowledging Lee’s absence, Wiseau reminded his audience that there would be no LA Comic Con without Lee. Wiseau chose the Comic Con talkback scene to make a few other announce-
ments of his own. His upcoming horror film, “Big Shark,” is expected to premiere within the first few months of 2020, and a staged Broadway production of “The Room” is in the works, wherein Wiseau will reprise his role as Johnny for at least two nights. Dates for the play are to be determined. Wiseau also suggested some life advice for attendees, “Happy life?” said Wiseau. “Just be optimistic, and you’re better than internet, number one. Number two, have respect for your friends, save money, and do whatever you want to do.” In typical “The Room” screening fashion, the audience was very active as
the film’s nefarious plot unfolded. They screamed “Close the door!” each time one of the characters simply neglected to. They threw plastic spoons at the screen each time the infamous picture frames donning stock images of spoons appeared. The film finished to cheers. At the end of each day, the LA Convention Center’s empty halls were littered with lost costume pieces. Outside, a parade-like array of cosplayers filled the sidewalks near the Staples Center post-con. The next Comic Con-presented event, “Storytelling in Media,” will take place in San Diego, California on Oct. 26.
An Comic fan writes a message at a memorial wall dedicated to the legacy of late Marvel Comics writer and Los Angeles Comic Con founder, Stan Lee. (Anthony Mayen / The Corsair)
OPINION
Blind Eyes and Genocide Dorothy Alexanian | Staff Writer The first time I remember having the atrocities my relatives survived explained to me was through a reprimand. My dad reworked the “Eat your food, there’s starving children” line into “Eat your food, Meds Babi (Great Grandpa) had to boil horse s--- during the genocide so he could eat the undigested oats.” Another story I heard was about the sparrows; how my great grandpa used his slingshot to kill and eat them whole while trying to survive an unforgiving desert (later in his life, he would rescue sparrows from cats and punish my dad and uncles for shooting them down for fun). I learned about the genocide, also known as the Meds Yeghern (Great Catastrophe), through family. My formal education taught me nothing about the genocide until 11th grade: an aside mentioned in two dry paragraphs. It’s not my intention to rehash what’s been proven more eloquently and thoroughly. Historians from around the world, Turkey included, have published acknowledgements of the Meds Yeghern, outlining its categorization as a definitive case of genocide. The Turkish government, however, refuses to acknowledge the Meds Yeghern as a genocide. Their education system paints Armenians as traitorous defectors and a threat to the Ottoman Empire; and they continuously lobby foreign governments to prevent the spread of public knowledge about the genocide. Recently, Turkey’s Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has sought to minimize the experiences of Armenians during WWI, while severely punishing those who speak out against their narrative. Armenians around the world look to the issue of genocide acknowledgement as a unifying cause, and many still harbor the same animosity towards Turkish people as their great grandparents. Attempts at Turkish-Armenian diplomacy have been largely ineffectual since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and Armenia’s subsequent independence. Armenian history during the time of the USSR isn’t rosy either. While the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was neutral with Turkey, decades of second-class citizenry for Armenians and other ethnic minorities living in Turkey during the time helped paint the backdrop for a string of anti-Turkish terrorist attacks in the early 1980s by Armenian liberation groups. Since 1991, territorial conflicts, the lack of sustainable energy in Armenia, and a permanently closed border have led to little diplomatic progress between the two countries. When Turkey attempted to join the European Union, a requirement for their
acceptance was acknowledgement of the licly stated that the Meds Yeghern fits Armenian Genocide. In 1991, Turkey the definition of genocide and should be refused to open their border gates until historically recognized as such, the fedArmenians waived their attempts at inter- eral government hasn’t. And while infornational genocide recognition. Neither of mation about genocide is part of required these policies resulted in an agreement. U.S. curriculum, only 15 states’ education The term “collective trauma” defines systems actually mention the Armenian the psychological effects on a large group Genocide at all. or society common after a traumatic event. An argument often made against the It’s often intergenerational, and continu- American government’s acknowledgeously influences how a group of people ment of the Armenian Genocide is that the responds to threats, relates to out-groups, relationship between Turkey and America and forms identity. Perpetrators of collec- is too essential to our operations in the tive trauma Middle East, respond in and bringing a myriad of up the genoways: denial, cide would reconstruconly serve tion, erasure, to antagoor acceptance nize our ally. of responsiHowever, due bility. Victim to Ankara’s groups comrepeated nonmonly grasp observance onto trauma of U.S. polas part of an icy, there’s ethnic idenno longer a tity that spans strategic rePrint by Roxanne Alexanian, using a photo of members of the Armenian over a dias- Revolutionary Federation (also known as Dashnaks) from a book lationship bepora. published by the Ottoman government in the 1920s. According to the tween Turkey According artist, “There are a bunch of these photos in the book. But I looked at and the U.S. to a study ti- them as heroes defending their families and their country rather than outside of tled “Collec- terrorists. This was one of the images from the book so I layered the NATO agreescreenprint of them over a map of old Armenia (that is now Turkey). I tive Trauma printed the dashnaks in transparent ink so that you can see the map ments. Relaand the Social through their skin. The map lines mimic veins – the country is in their tions between Construction Turkey and of Meaning” by Gilad Hirschberger, “His- America are already deteriorating, and so torical closure may convey benefits for are the Realpolitik arguments of strategic both victims and perpetrators when clo- genocide denial. And even if things were sure is part of a reconciliation process...In great between us, in the words of New Jerthis case, closure may indicate a symbolic sey Representative Christopher Smith durdeparture from the past that entails the ing the proceedings of H.R. 398, “Friends construction of consensual memory about do not let friends commit crimes against the conflict.” humanity or refuse to come to terms with Armenian and Turkish officials alike them once they have happened.” The rehave stated that the discussion of the sult of perpetuated ignorance is repetition, genocide (or lack thereof) shouldn’t be an and today, genocide continues in the poliissue when it comes to establishing basic cies of Prime Minister Erdoğan. normalization policies between the two As of Oct. 9, the Turkish army is incountries. However, the events of the ear- vading the disputed “safe zone” near the ly 20th century are still fresh in the minds autonomous region of Rojava on the Syrof Armenian and Turkish citizens alike, ian-Turkish border, currently occupied by as well as descendants of the Armenian the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and diaspora who have kept the history alive. millions of civilians. The SDF, who have The understanding of the genocide is fun- previously assisted the U.S. in anti-Islamdamental to the relationship between Ar- ic State (ISIS) campaigns, are a coalition menia and Turkey on both a country-wide of predominantly Kurdish militias native and individual level. Without the recog- to the area. The Turkish government has nition of mistakes, there will not be trust a history of discrimination and violence between the two countries or their people. against the Kurdish people, which they Without a “construction of consensual justify today by conflating the entire ethmemory,” misinformation will continue, nic group with terrorists. Turkey claims prejudice between the two groups will that their plans to clear the area of its curcontinue, and the patterns that lead to rent inhabitants is to make room for the large-scale violence will not be taken seri- relocation of three-million predominantously before it’s too late. ly-Arab Syrian refugees currently livWhile many states, cities, and orga- ing in the country, raising alarms about nizations in the United States have pub- possible human rights violations and the
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past pitfalls of declared “safe zones.” The SDF has criticized the idea as a form of demographic war. President Trump pulled U.S. support from the area, and has so far refrained from assisting either side of the conflict that’s ensued. Representatives and pundits across the political spectrum quickly condemned Trump’s decision as a betrayal to a source of loyal support against the ISIS (and a wrench thrown into U.S. efforts to continue suppression of ISIS). However, it fits into a pattern of America’s indifference towards the contingency of ethnic cleansing and war crimes committed by our global allies. Another hesitation comes from the idea of America opening a proverbial can of worms with genocide recognition; if our government were to censure the actions taken by the Ottoman Empire in 1915, they’d set a precedent and would have to reflect on America’s extensive history of similar crimes against indigenous people or the long history of chattel slavery. Or maybe even reflect on some acts today that are cut from a similar cloth – the kind a hairsplitter wouldn’t define as actually ‘genocidal’ – like mass incarceration, internment camps, or the separation of families at border facilities. Maybe some reflection is a good thing. Turkish lobbyists frequently plead with the American government not to “throw stones in glass houses.” However, if hidden within those fragile aphorisms are centuries of prolific massacre, I’d argue it’s time some glass was shattered. Genocide isn’t necessarily the result of decades of conspiracy; sometimes it’s just the right combination of greed, paranoia, apathy, and a lack of oversight. Official Turkish record still maintains that the strategic killing of civilian Armenians was entirely geopolitical. Unless we retrace the steps that pushed “national security concerns” over the edge into wholesale slaughter, it’s going to happen again. It already is in Rojava. American acknowledgment of the genocide -- one that comes from the federal government -- would bolster a globally-recognized historical record of the event. It would help improve preventative education about genocide in America, and it would further the discussion for a mutually agreed upon history between the perpetrators and victims of collective trauma. The Armenian Genocide has been studied as a defining event in the history of human rights violations, and needs to be recognized as such. Establishing accountability for the past is essential to preventing a continued cycle of genocidal acts from being swept under the rug. No more band-aids on bullet wounds.
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SMC Football Loses Homecoming Game to LA Harbor Deshawn Pouper | Sports Editor
Santa Monica College quarterback Zach Yanda (#12) mentally prepares himself to lead the Corsairs to a victory over LA Harbor College. (Sandi Garcia / The Corsair)
The Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs faced the Los Angeles Harbor College Seahawks on Oct. 19, 2019 in a homecoming celebration, but the festivities were short lived. Coming out in their first offensive drive, the Corsairs had garnered some momentum gaining yards and stacking up good runs from running backs Ricky Hambright (#1), and Trevontai Thompson (#32) until they were forced to kick the field goal and settle for three points. It was a good start but not the result they ultimately needed to keep their momentum going. For the next two drives on offense, it was a collapse as quarterback Zach Yanda (#12) threw an interception, and special teams managed to mishandle the snap on a field goal attempt. Turnovers, along with a number of penalties, was something the team failed to avoid throughout the game, giving LA Harbor extra opportunities to score points with not very much distance to travel.
Corsair player Anthony Nesmith (#21) squeezes by the defenders for the run. (Sandi Garcia / The Corsair)
New Findings Surrounding Samohi Alumnus-Turned MLB Pitcher Tyler Skaggs Deshawn Pouper | Sports Editor Following the death of former Santa Monica High School (Samohi) student and standout pitcher Tyler Skaggs on July 1, 2019, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) have new information involving an employee for the Los Angeles Angels, the team which Skaggs pitched for. New information implicates the Angels Director of Communications Eric Kay as being a provider of illegal opioids for Tyler, according to an ESPN report. Skaggs died in his Southlake, Texas hotel during a team road trip, wherein they were scheduled to play the Texas Rangers. Based on the toxicology report from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner, Tyler Skaggs’s official cause of death is a mix of “alcohol, fentanyl, and oxycodone intoxica-
tion with terminal aspiration of gastric contents,” and was ultimately ruled an accident. The ESPN report also states that Kay admitted to illegally buying six oxycodone pills, three of which were given to Skaggs “a day or two” before the Angels went on their Texas road trip. The Corsair attempted to reach out to the Athletic Department for SAMOHI, but were directed to Dr. Ben Drati, the Superintendent of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD). His statement reads, “Tyler Skaggs was a wonderful student and SAMOHI baseball player who went on to have a professional career on his dream team, albeit for only a short time. He was an upstanding citizen in the community and visited the schools he attended to inspire and motivate our students. The cause of his untimely death does not change the favorable memory we
have of him. Our thoughts and love continue to be with Tyler’s family and friends.” Tyler had an outstanding athletic junior year for the Santa Monica High School Vikings, having a total of 1.11 earned-run average after striking out 89 batters, walking 22 batters, and giving up 44 hits. That same year Ocean League, Southern California’s high school division, inducted him as Player of the Year. After graduating in 2009, the Angels drafted him. As the DEA investigation is still ongoing, there is still more information that may be revealed. The MLB has decided to wait until their investigation has concluded before making any rulings on what the Angels’ punishment will be for their involvement in the death of the 27-year-old athlete. Graphic by Deshawn Pouper
The defense also contributed to the loss through miscommunicating, committing penalties, and allowing LA Harbor to seemingly do whatever they wanted on offense. It was a tough outing for them. Early in the season they proved to be a solid unit, but with a 31-24 loss in week five to Victor Valley, and now another loss where they gave up 30-plus points to LA Harbor, SMC has faltered. Now, over the course of games this season, the defense has seen itself on the field more because of the offense failing to get things going. That could be the end result of any defense if the offense is failing to keep the ball in its possession, and the players on defense find themselves on the field a lot more, then they will start to tail off at some point. This loss wasn’t just bad for the sake of it being Homecoming, but the Corsairs now have four games left in the season and should start looking towards fighting for playoff hopes. The next four games will be crucial as they are against Allan Hancock (10/26), Pasadena City (11/02), Santa Barbara (11/09), and LA Pierce (11/16), all conference opponents that will determine if they deserve a spot in the playoffs. The Corsairs will have to improve quite a bit in a short amount of time, starting with offense where there’s talent, but it’s a matter of putting it all together and taking care of the football. Head Coach Kelly Ledwith and the Corsairs are going to have to learn from past games and move forward, starting Oct. 26 with 4-2 Allan Hancock, who have outscored their opponent’s 225-111 in their season.