In January 2011, Santa Monica College student Ahmed Sayed found himself a witness to history. His hometown, the ancient city of Cairo, had erupted in mass protests against the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. The historic upheaval now known as the Arab Spring had arrived in Egypt. Sayed, open with a sharp intellect, is an Engineering major who has resided in...

People running in terror. The ringing of sirens permeates through the town as screaming people start to fill the streets."Tsunami! Tsunami!"Just off the eastern coast of Japan an earthquake of a 9.0 magnitude on the Richter Scale occurred on March 11th, 2011. The earthquake was the fourth strongest earthquake ever recorded since 1900. Futhermore, the aftermath, specifically the nuclear crisis...

It’s a warm day in the Monrovia forest as the cast and crew work on the set of Santa Monica College’s most recent short film project “Like A Rolling Stone.” The heat is encapsulated by the trees and makes it all the more challenging for the make-up department to keep the actors their foundation and wounds intact. Among them is...

In a serene setting filled with floral scents and a recording of birds chirping, water flowing, there is a calm energy in the room. There are sculptures of health deities, pure plant essences around the room, and medicinal essential oils bottled up and spread across a table. Everyone in the room whether curious or looking for healing have gathered from...

Valentine's Day is over but people from Asian countries continue to spread love. On March 14, "We have an another important day for men and boys which is called White Day," said Kana Ueda, a Santa Monica College student from Japan. On Valentine's Day In America, men give gifts to women to show their love and appreciation. However, in Japan...

Santa Monica College student Rom Mir describes secret parties, the delicate task of illegally drinking alcohol, constant hook ups, and dancing to the latest pop hits. But Mir is not describing student life in Los Angeles, she is describing life in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mir belongs to the generation of Iranians growing up in a fast changing, technologically...

To be able to park your vehicle on Santa Monica College, you must each semester pay $85 for a Santa Monica College parking permit, which don't even guarantee you a spot. It doesn't matter how long you've been waiting or how stressed you are, whoever finds an available spot first, gets it. According to some SMC students finding a spot...

As people warm up with simple dance moves, talking and laughter fills the room, causing echoes on the wooden interior. Dance instructor, Michelle Josette, hollers for everyone’s attention. She starts to warm up the crowd with positive reinforcement and funny comments as she begins to show them step by step moves. This all took place during a free Zumba class...

According to Chinese legend, once up on a time there was a terrible lion-like monster named Nian. Every winter Nian would head down the mountains and attack the villages causing terror among the people. A wise man told the villagers that the monster was afraid of three things: fire, noise and the color red. He told them to hang red...

“The Giving Tree,” “The Rainbow Fish,” and “Captain Underpants” all sparked their attention. Never before have you seen kids so elated over books. Sparkling eyes and a smile, the children’s faces lit up as they scanned each page of their favorite books. Santa Monica College students and SMC Philosophy Professor Steven Kaufman have established a Reading Mentors Program in conjunction...