A protest sparked in Santa Monica, Calif. in response to police brutality and racial injustice on Sunday, following multiple demonstrations taking place throughout the country in the last few days. These protests started in Minneapolis on May 26, the day after the killing of George Floyd by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25. Protests have occurred in Los Angeles since May 27, taking place in downtown Los Angeles (L.A.) and Beverly Hills and turning violent in some areas.

Peaceful protesters marched through Santa Monica, on Sunday, May 31, 2020. Later, looters converged in the downtown shopping area and broke into stores and stole merchandise.

Classes and support services were moved online from campus mid-March, and students have been home for almost 3 months.

Thousands protest the death of George Floyd, on Friday, May 30, 2020, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Downtown Los Angeles was the scene of protests over the death of George Floyd, on Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Amid the rising concern of the coronavirus outbreak, changes have been implemented that put restrictions on the way daily life is lived including how people are now celebrating their birthdays.

Parks and Rec fans got a treat early into US quarantine when the sitcom returned for a special new episode that was filmed via video chat.

The already-vulnerable world of the arts is taking more hits per COVID-19. Viruses thrive from crowds, as do arts and culture.

In response to the COVID-19 Social Distancing Order, The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, SMC’s shared performance Hall, began their Broad Stage at Home initiative, which includes weekly live music performances and Poetry readings streamed on the The Broad Stage Facebook page.

As stay-at-home orders ease, California Governor Gavin Newsom has given Californians an indication of when professional sports can reopen. In a statement by Gov. Newsom, he announced that pro sports could make a return as early as the first week of June without the attendance of fans.

When Santa Monica College (SMC) made the decision that the spring semester was going to be completely remote through the summer, some international students made the decision to travel back to their home countries whereas others decided to stay. International students in the United States now lead an uncertain future as SMC among other schools, announced the fall semester will be online and the US borders are still closed due to COVID-19.

As people across the country are searching for ways to stay active in quarantine, Santa Monica based fitness studio, BoxUnion, has found a way to bring their classes straight to their community members homes.

The PPE shortage has inspired community innovation. CrashSpace is a collection of volunteer hackers, programmers, builders, makers, artists and people who generally like to break things and see what new things they can build with the pieces.

When socio-political issues come in the form of a tragedy, such as the evolving Ahmaud Arbery case, colleges and universities often provide a breathing ground for expression and discussion.

For the first time in 98 years, the Hollywood Bowl is cancelling its summer season.

The SMC Nursing Program will continue virtually during Fall and the clinical classes that were previously cancelled during spring, will resume gradually. Incoming applicants will remain on hold until further notice, as safety is prioritized amid pandemic. Both the administration and students face unprecedented challenges.

A question on many California State University (CSU) transfer and current students' minds about what is going to happen for the fall semester was answered on Tuesday, May 12. CSU Chancellor Timothy White announced that CSU institutions will be holding most of their fall classes online and keeping nearly all their classrooms closed, with a few exceptions.

California Community Colleges (CCC) filed a federal lawsuit this past Monday against the Department of Education and Secretary of Education Betsy Devos over the eligibility requirements of receiving emergency funds provided to educational institutions through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

After nearly a month of lighting up shores from Baja California to Santa Cruz, the bioluminescent waves have faded. The phenomenon, which drew national media attention, entertained thousands of people eager to see the rare spectacle despite California’s beaches being closed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Along several beaches, some local police gave up trying to enforce beach closures due to the large crowds.