Best Culture Photos for 2025

Armando Ramirez, dressed as the Demogorgon from the Netflix show Stranger Things, drives a stylized pedicab during Netflix x CicLAvia - Melrose Ave: Stranger Things 5 “One Last Ride” event on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, on a car-free section of Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif. The event celebrated the release of the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things. (Elizabeth Bacher | The Corsair)

Melanie Whitney, dressed as Max from the Netflix show Stranger Things, during Netflix x CicLAvia - Melrose Ave: Stranger Things 5 “One Last Ride” event on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, on a car-free section of Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif. The event celebrated the release of the fifth and final season of the hit show. (Elizabeth Bacher | The Corsair)

Ryan Factoria from Westside Impact Project talks about the concentration of overdoses in Los Angeles countyat the (Re)Creating Our Future: Substance Abuse, Community Trauma, and Radical Healing at Santa Monica College (SMC) on Thursday, Nov 13, 2025, Santa Monica,Calif. (Tom Rosholt | The Corsair)

Woman dances on roller skates at the Netflix x CicLAviad : Stranger Things 5 “One Last Ride” event which welcomed not just cyclist but wheels any kind to celebrate the release of the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things, on Melrose Ave in Hollywood, Calif., Sunday Nov. 23, 2025, (Danny Sanchez | The Corsair)

Santa Monica resident Mike Williams (L) and Santa Monica College (SMC) student Zohar Oriana (R) create beaded bookmarks during a traditional beading workshop held on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2025, at the SMC Student Equity Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The workshop was one of several events held by SMC Indigenous Scholars for Native American Heritage Month. (Elizabeth Bacher | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College (SMC) first-year kinesiology major Jimena Pacheco (center) creates a beaded bookmark during a workshop held on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2025, at the SMC Student Equity Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The traditional beading workshop was one of several events held by Indigenous Scholars for Native American Heritage Month. (Elizabeth Bacher | The Corsair)

Cyclists and fans attend Netflix x CicLAvia - Melrose Ave: Stranger Things 5 “One Last Ride” event on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, on a car-free section of Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, Calif. The event celebrated the release of the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things. (Elizabeth Bacher | The Corsair)

People ride bikes at Netflix’s and CicLAvia’s “One Last Ride” Stranger Things event on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Jake Crandall | The Corsair)

Tamako Sekine (cq), dressed as Sailor Moon from the anime of the same name, poses for the camera at Club Row on the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif., Thursday, October 30, 2025. Many people showed up in costumes for Halloween to browse club booths and eat free food. (Juliana Frame | The Corsair)

Basil Vautrin (cq) poses for the camera while talking to prospective club members at Club Row on the campus of SMC in Santa Monica, Calif., Thursday, October 30, 2025. Many of SMC's clubs had booths at the event, with free goodies, food, and contests. (Juliana Frame | The Corsair)

Luna Matias (cq) poses for the camera at the Indigenous Scholars event, Thursday, November 13, 2025 on the campus of Santa Monica College, in Santa Monica, Calif. The event included a gathering for Indigenous students, games, and food. (Juliana Frame | The Corsair)

Mexican folk dancers of the Tradición Dance Company perform at the opening of the LA Metro A Line extension Friday, September 19, 2025, in Pomona, Calif. The press conference included their performance with live music as well as speeches from both those who worked on the project and community leaders.

Jasmin Page (cq) poses for the camera at her employer, the Los Angeles Film School's booth on the campus of Santa Monica College (SMC), Thursday, October 9, 2025 in Santa Monica, Calif. Many smaller local colleges advertised themselves to prospective transfer students from SMC. (Juliana Frame | The Corsair)

Marlon Meikle, admission from The New School Parsons Lang Performing at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Fall College Fair at the Main Campus in Santa Monica, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (Masie Najafi | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College (SMC) Pre-Health Professions Association (PHPA)attended with a Halloween theme during the Club Row event at the main campus of SMC in Santa Monica, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. PHPA is a student-led organization dedicated to informing SMC students interested in healthcare about the various fields within the healthcare industry. (Masie Najafi | The Corsair)

Bunny pauses for photo at Santa Monica College Associated Students event Bunny Break were 5 students can enter bunny pit for 3 minute intervals to pet bunnies at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif., Tuesday Dec. 2, 2025, (Danny Sanchez | The Corsair)