press GOLDEN GATE
november 12, 2015 issue 12
Read more about Massages on page 4
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Serving the San Francisco State community since 1927
MakerSpace engineers student collaboration BRIAN GRABIANOWSKI bgrabian@mail.sfsu.edu
A 3-D printer moved with robotic precision, as the whirring machine slowly layered plastic to create a small cat figurine. The printer is just one of the many tools available to students at MakerSpace, a new digital media studio designed to encourage student collaboration. MakerSpace is an environment aimed toward
facilitating design projects for students by providing space for teamwork and necessary equipment, according to information technology consultant Chris Novak. Novak helped set up the new space, which opened to students Nov. 6 in the J. Paul Leonard Library. In addition to the 3-D equipment, tools provided at MakerSpace include poster printers, video production equipment, art materials
and tools for working on electronics, Novak said. “People can come in and brainstorm,” Novak said. “They can check out tools, caliper rulers, video equipment and (use the) 3-D scanner. As long as they’re a student currently enrolled (at SF State) and don’t owe the library too many fees, they can use the lab and the equipment.” Makersspace Continued ON PAGE 3
BRIAN CHURCHWELL / XPRESS
DESIGN: Chris Novak, Library IT team member, and Salina Sithiporn, student assistant,
check a design before sending it to the 3-D printer in the J. Paul Leonard Library’s Digital Media Studio MakerSpace, Tuesday, Nov. 11.
DIy model caters to
student needs
C
ASHLEY BOWEN
anbowen@mail.sfsu.edu
REAM’s make-ityourself model makes it possible to assemble hundreds of ice cream and cookie combinations to satisfy any sweet tooth. With a kiosk soon to open in the center of Stonestown Galleria, the dessert franchise will join the ranks of Stonestown’s many fast food restaurants that allow customers to personalize their meal. “I myself am a huge
JAMES CHAN / XPRESS
TREAT: Alexis Garcia poses for a portrait with an ice cream sandwich at CREAM Thursday, Oct. 29. Garcia is opening a
fan of Chipotle, and I think it’s great that you can customize your items,” said Alexis Garcia, CREAM store owner. “It makes it easier, because you are going to get exactly what you want and exactly what you paid for.” The steps are simple: choose a cookie, flavor of ice cream and optional toppings. According to Garcia, CREAM, which stands for Cookies Rule Everything Around Me, has cultivated their brand to branch out from ice cream scoops on a cone.
cream Continued ON PAGE 6
new CREAM in Stonestown shopping center.
Student desire for community and health drives center BRIAN GRABIANOWSKI bgrabian@mail.sfsu.edu
SF State’s Associated Students, Inc. hosted a town hall meeting to present the progress of the new Mashouf Wellness Center construction to students Monday in the Cesar Chavez Student Center. The Mashouf Wellness Center will be a venue for recreational activity at SF State and is slated for completion in 2017, according
to the project’s website. “It’s going pretty well; we’re chugging ahead,” said Associated Students, Inc. Vice President of Facilities and Services Jordan James-Harvill. ”We have about 25 trucks a day that are taking dirt off of the construction site to the East Bay.” The Mashouf Wellness Center will be the first development of
its kind for SF State, slated to house facilities catering to not only physical health but spiritual needs as well, according to James-Harvill. “We just went through a long process doing the mission statement,” James-Harvill said. “Through that, we discovered that students want a sense of community and holistic health.”
wellness center Continued ON PAGE 2
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excavate: Mashouf Wellness Center, SF State’s new recreational center, is under construction Tuesday Nov. 10. Building construction is proposed to begin mid-December, according to Jordan James-Harvill the Associated Students, Inc. vice president of facilities and services.
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wellness center Continued from the front
Center aims to incorporate sustainability According to James-Harvill, the building aims to fulfill the spiritual side of what’s missing from the campus. ASI and campus recreation have been involved with the planning, design, architecture and layout of the new center, according to ASI President Phoebe Dye. The project broke ground in the summertime, according to Pam Su, director of campus recreation. Building construction will begin around mid-December, according to James-Harvill, who said alumnus and founder of Bebe Stores, Manny Mashouf, made a multi-million dollar investment to the project. Other funding for the project comes from students themselves, according to Dye. Dye said that ASI surveyed students about plans for a workout and recreation center about seven years ago. The Golden Gate Xpress previously reported that students first payed a $35, per-semester fee in
2010 to fund the center. The fee increased to $90 in 2012 and is expected to jump to $160 per semester by the time the facility opens, Xpress reported. According to the past Xpress article, members of the Student Union at SF State were upset that they were not consulted regarding the naming of the center. “We want the students to know that the administration did not follow school regulation for the naming of the health and wellness center,” said President of the Student Union of San Francisco Shannon Jose in the Xpress article. “We also want to stress that the students have also put in money from their wallets to fund this building, and that’s why the students have the right to be the ones to name it, or at least be given the opportunity to give input on the student health and wellness center.” James-Harvill said the wellness center project is on its
way to becoming designated Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum, which is a certification the U.S. Green Building Council awards to buildings under construction that demonstrate leadership in engineering and design. “We’re taking every step to be sustainable,” JamesHarvill said. “That’s the target – we’re heading there and are very optimistic.” It took a long time for the Mashouf Wellness Center project to be approved, according to Su. ASI conceived the project in 2008, according to the website. “ASI really did their due diligence in hiring a consultant to ask the students what they want,” Su said. “Even though we’re two different entities, we work hand in hand to make sure this will happen for the campus.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF WRNS STUDIO
FLOOR PLAN: Floor layouts of the Mashouf Wellness Center, a venue for recreational activity at SF State, located on Font and Lake Merced boulevards. The Wellness Center is slated for completion in 2017, according to their project’s website.
Dream coordinator to facilitate AB 540 students’ success LINDA KARLSSON
lkarlsso@mail.sfsu.edu
CHANTEL CARNES ccarnes@mail.sfsu.edu
Undocumented students will see increased support with the impending creation of a Dream coordinator position, according to Vice President of Student Affairs Luoluo Hong. “We are excited to be able to establish this important new role,” Hong said in an email. “Reporting to the dean of students, the position will support the holistic college success needs, from application to graduation, of AB 540, undocumented and (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students.” As Dream centers are
ALEX KOFMAN / XPRESS
DREAMER: Jessica Iniguez, the
president of SF State’s IDEAS, an organization that advocates for AB540 and undocumented students, poses Tuesday, Nov. 10 in the Student Art Gallery in front of posters she created.
opening at several universities around California, the new position is SF State’s first step toward accommodating the 644 undocumented students on campus, according to Jessica Iniguez, president of Improving Dreams, Equity, Access and Success, a student organization for undocumented students. The population of undocumented students at SF State is quickly growing, according to Iniguez, who said there has been a 600 percent increase in undocumented students at SF State since 2009. “Only 5 to 10 (percent) of undocumented high school seniors continue to higher education, and an even lower percentage actually graduate college,” Iniguez said in an email. “A Dream coordinator would identify the needs of undocumented students at SF State and understand the types of barriers we face in higher education.” The California Dream Act, established in 2011, increased access to financial aid for undocumented students. In order to qualify, students must meet the requirements of AB 540, a law that provides in-state tuition benefits for undocumented students, according to a document from California Student Aid Commission and Educators for Fair Consideration. Because undocumented students are often afraid to disclose their status to others, according to Iniguez, a Dream coordinator could be a helpful resource for them. “Currently, the AB 540
advisors are also financial aid counselors, and although they do their very best to advocate and work with undocumented students, their positions are limited, and they don’t have the capacity to focus on undocumented students’ issues as much as is needed,” Iniguez said. “(Hiring a Dream coordinator) would mean that the University recognizes the presence of undocumented students on campus and the obstacles we face in higher education, that they understand that our needs are different from the rest of the students.” According to Hong, SF State only recently received the approval to move forward with hiring a Dream coordinator. “We are in the early stages of planning,” Hong said. “We are in the process of developing the job description in collaboration with students and the staff who support our Dreamer students. Tentatively, we plan to implement a search in time to hire a new person sometime in Spring 2016.” California State University, Fullerton, one of the four CSUs that have established a support resource center for undocumented students, developed the Titan Dreamers Resources Center in April 2014, according to the Daily Titan. The center provides a number of services for undocumented students, including academic, emotional and financial support. “We make sure we aren’t perpetuating the myth that only Latinos are undocumented students, and we work to educate and create a safe space for our students,” said CSU Fullerton
EMMA CHIANG / XPRESS
COORDINATE: (left to right) Janet Lopez-Galindo, Miguel Castillo, Pamela
Ortiz and Ramese Orta prepare for the UndocuWeek events occurring Nov. 16 to 20 during their weekly IDEAS meeting Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Dream Center graduate assistant Mark Hao. “I think it would definitely be a great opportunity for SF State. Having a dedicated person to be there helping and supporting the undocumented students while being a part of that process will be incredible.” Iniguez acknowledges the need for a separate, safe space for undocumented students and hopes the new position would open the possibility for it. “Eventually, and very soon after hiring a Dream coordinator, I would hope that the University establishes a space or resource center specifically for undocumented students,” Iniguez said. “This is important, because if there isn’t a space somewhere (on campus) that is easily identifiable, undocumented students may not feel inclined to visit the coordinator’s office, seek out
information or feel safe disclosing their status.” The center for undocumented students would most likely be something similar to what other schools call Dream Centers, said Iniguez. “There wouldn’t be an IDEAS center per say,” Iniguez said. “IDEAS is the student (organization) on campus for undocumented students. The center would be an AB 540, Undocumented Student Resource Center or Dream Center.” Starting Nov. 16, IDEAS will host UndocuWeek, a week dedicated to bringing awareness to undocumented students at SF State. Several events, such as a student mixer, a film screening and workshops, will be hosted during the week, according to IDEAS Facebook event page.
NEWS 3
thursday, november 12, 2015 goldengatexpress.org
3-D printers give life to student designs makersspace Continued from the front
BRIAN CURCHWELL / XPRESS
TANGIBLE: A finished cat model sits on the 3-D printer in the Digital Media Studio MakerSpace in the J. Paul Leonard Library Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Richard Ortiz, the instructional support technician at SF State’s department of design and industry, said six 3-D printers have been available to the department for the past few years. “(For students in the department, 3-D printing) has become second nature,” Richard Ortiz said. “It’s how we do things here. Students can make everything from cases that house electrical equipment to full models of objects. It allows students to see how (their designs) are going to feel in their hands.” While other departments on campus have had the same technology for a couple years, the creation of the new MakerSpace in Room 260 of the library aims to make the equipment available to all students, according to Novak. “By making (the equipment) universally
“
It allows students to see how (their designs) are going to feel in their hands. -Richard Ortiz
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accessible through the library it opens it up for everybody,” Novak said. “It opens up the chance of someone who never thought they would work with 3-D software say, ‘Wow, this is available to me,’ or, ‘I can make this work for my discipline.’ It opens it up so it
is not just for designers or engineers – it is cross-disciplinary.” Alex Ortiz, a computer engineering major, said he used the equipment at MakerSpace to complete a personal project. He just finished a prototype of CubeSat, which is a nano satellite that will be used for environmental imaging for climate research. Alex Ortiz said prototypes are an important stage in the design process. “It’s most useful for prototyping,” he said. “You can print something really quick, and it can tell if you need to make any changes later.” MakerSpace significantly reduced the time needed to complete his project, Alex Ortiz said. “We 3-D printed a prototype within a week,” he said. “(It) would have taken months without a 3D printer to prototype our design.” Library staff is available to help students learn how to use the 3-D design software and acquire the necessary skills for 3-D printing, according to Novak. Students not interested in learning how to use the software can still utilize the services offered by the MakerSpace, Novak said. “We get engineering students, (but also) people who just want to print an iPhone case with a design on it. It varies,” Novak said. “Sometimes someone comes in and wants to print something, but doesn’t want to spend time to learn the software. You can search online for a design, and we’ll print it for you.” Access to the MakerSpace is free, but students must pay for the materials needed for 3-D printing, which at the moment is about $7 per cubic inch, according to
Novak. The 3-D printer uses spools of plastic similar to what’s used for LEGOs, according to Novak, who said that the user creates a design that is programed into the printer, which then layers plastic to create shapes. Alex Ortiz said that MakerSpace can be used by anyone. “You can prototype any design you want,” Ortiz said. “It is good for non-technical people – people in a nontechnical field like art or English that want to 3-D print a sculpture. I would say the MakerSpace is a good idea. We didn’t really have this up until this year.”
Students interested in using the software and equipment at MakerSpace do not need to have any prior training or knowledge, according to Novak. “What we’re hoping to facilitate in the library is to have people come in say, ‘I have an idea and heard about 3-D printing, but don’t know where to start,’” Novak said. “We encourage people to come in with a project and learn. I have seen a lot of people come in that are interested, but don’t know how to do anything.”
BRIAN CHURCHWELL / XPRESS
EQUIPMENT : Chris Novak, Library IT team member, instructs Salina Sithiporn, student as-
sistant, on proper operation of the 3-D printer in the J. Paul Leonard Library’s Digital Media Studio MakerSpace, Tuesday, Nov. 11.
UNIVERSITY CRIME BLOTTER
COMPILED BY XPRESS NEWS STAFF
Sunday, Nov. 8
mental commitment University Police Department officers responded to
reports of a woman who wanted to harm herself at the Bee Garden above the Student Health Center. The woman was determined to meet the criteria for mental health detention and was transported to University of California, San Francisco Medical Center.
petty theft A holiday wreath was reported stolen in the early evening between 2 and 6:30 p.m. at Arballo Drive. The subject reported a total loss of $50 to the responding officer who filed the report.
Between Wednesday, Nov. 4 and Sunday, Nov. 8. University Police responded to 13 incidents. Here are some of the most notable. Saturday, Nov. 7
possession of a controlled substance UPD responded to reports of suspicious person who had spent more than two hours inside a campus restroom at 1:18 a.m. After investigation, police found the suspect was using illegal narcotics inside of the restroom. The 23-year-old suspect was released after he was cited for possession of narcotics, paraphernalia and an open container. Thursday, Nov. 5
brandished weapon UPD, along with SFPD, arrested a suspect who allegedly vehicle tampering UPD responded to a report of a stolen front license plate brandished a loaded firearm while following an unidentified subject at 2:36 a.m. on Pinto Avenue. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
that was stripped off a vehicle in Lot 20 of the parking garage between 10 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.
4 Lifestyle & culture
thursday, november 12, 2015 goldengatexpress.org
ALEX KOFMAN / XPRESS
STRETCH: Kelsie Gray (left), a student and yoga instructor helps Jericho Regalado (right) stretch during a free yoga
lesson Wednesday, Nov. 4. through the Holistic Health Learning Center at SF State, offered every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Massage therapy heals through touch
A
CHANTEL CARNES ccarnes@mail.sfsu.edu
SAMANTHA LUSIGNAN
Guillen, an international studies major, during free massage and yoga lessons hour Wednesday, Nov. 4.
slusigna@mail.sfsu.edu
line starts Building Wednesdays from 10 outside the a.m. to 12:30 p.m. door as Keeler said he fell in love with students the idea of Massage Hour two eagerly wait years ago and now works as a selffor their name employed mobile masseur. to be called. “I love massages – it’s a form Just beyond of meditation for me,” Keeler the threshold, a sense of serenity said. “With today’s world, we are imbues the space. Students unfurl programmed to think constantly their yoga mats and and live in our minds. That’s bodies onto the why it’s great to finally floor. Others step away from that lie face and experience down in the present Yoga and massage is an trance-like moment.” incredible way to work states as SF State on that physiological masseuses computer and psychological work the network and pain, with opening tension programming up a completely new out of their major Heather perspective of oneself. clients’ Do, 26, said spines one she had tried vertebrae at to relieve her a time. All is stress with the help -Kelsie Gray quiet and dark of marijuana in the except for the past. low rumbling of ocean sounds and “I have panic attacks from the natural light spilling through weed, but at the time I was the window. thinking that I was going to be less Health education and holisticstressed,” Do said. “But I quickly health-certified masseur Devon learned that it causes paranoia if Keeler, 21, offers massage classes you’re not in a calm state.” and services to SF State students Do said she now prefers during Massage Hour in the HSS engaging in yoga as a better
“
ALEX KOFMAN / XPRESS
RELAX: Wilburt Torres, SF State student, gives a massage to Christopher
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way to manage stress. According to Keeler, many students prefer yoga and massage over pharmaceutical alternatives to relieve stress. “Pharmaceutical options generally have short and long-term effects that are harmful,” Keeler said. “Also, these drugs tend to just deal with the symptoms, not the root of the problem. Plus, dependency happens.” Yoga instructor and Thai massage therapist Kelsie Gray, 21, said the goal of the Holistic Health Learning Center is to provide a safe space for students to heal and step into a stress-free zone. “As a yoga instructor and Thai massage therapist, I know how much the slightest touch, open arms and selfless energies can bring people to a better place, and we are so lucky to have an opportunity where we can both give and receive these things at SFSU,” Gray said. “Yoga and massage is an incredible way to work on that physiological and psychological pain, with opening up a completely new perspective of oneself.” First-time attendee and psychology major Taena Stephans, 21, said she raved about it to
her friends and would definitely recommend this campus service to other people. “I follow the SF State Cares page on Instagram, and I saw them post a flyer for this event for free massages,” Stephens said. “I’ve had a few stressful weeks, so I thought I would treat myself to a relaxing massage.” Professor Kenn Burrows has been teaching holistic health at SF State for the last 25 years. In his professional opinion, Burrows said pharmaceutical drugs and natural
methods used to relieve stress, tend to go hand in hand. “Medicine, because people wait so long to get treated, has a place and we need to recognize it’s invasive,” Burrows said. “Massage comes in to reduce and release stress. It’s not either or, it’s both. If you put it off too long, you might need some medicine. We need to be informing medicine and think preventatively – that’s where yoga comes in, and body therapy. “
“I feel like holistic alternatives is better for certain things, but I feel like, for a quicker remedy, Western medicine is the way
“There’s a lot of cultural solutions to health issues, but as a replacement, I don’t think we should have too much faith in it.”
“I definitely believe that alternatives to Western medicine prevent disease, while Western medicine is like putting a Band-Aid on it.”
emily zepeda, 19 biology MAJOR
seo Le roques, 25 biologyMAJOR
nicole leopardo, 25 ethnic studies MAJOR
ALEX KOFMAN / XPRESS
PEACE: Kelsie Gray, a student and yoga instructor at the Holistic Health Learning Center, practices a pose during the free massage and yoga lessons hour Wednesday, Nov. 4.
XPRESS yoursELF WE ASKED SF STATE STUDENTS:
What do you think about holistic alternatives to Western medicine?
LIFESTYLE & CULTURE 5
thursday, november 12, 2015 goldengatexpress.org
SCREENSHOT BY CREO NOVENO / XPRESS
Arm Waves: Henry
Le (right), public and urban planning major, and Nilo Amiri (left) marketing management major, practice the robot during the Hip Hop State of Mind club practice in the Gymnasium hallway Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Students break into a hip-hop state of mind COURTNEE BRIGGS
O
cbriggs@mail.sfsu.edu
CREO NOVENO
cnoveno@mail.sfsu.edu
n a glowing TV set in a quiet living room in Gothenburg, Sweden, an MC dressed in a black turtleneck and trench coat strutted across the screen. A small, 10-year-old girl sat transfixed as the MC bounced to the rhythm of the synthesizers before staring the camera down with a challenging, confident gaze. Her eyes lingered for a beat until Feven, Sweden’s top female MC, broke into a series of sharp, quick verses. Fourteen years later, Nilo Amiri remembers that scene as the moment she fell in love with hip-hop culture. “Being of an immigrant background, coming from working class areas, I just related to it in a lot of ways,” Amiri said. “I felt like it was something where I could express myself as the individual that I am.” Amiri said she grew up in Sweden the daughter of Iranian immigrants, and moved to the Bay Area four years ago. There, she attended De Anza College in Cupertino and joined 4 Elements Hip Hop, a campus club of which she eventually became president. She transferred to SF State this January as a marketing management major and said she hoped to get involved in the hip-hop community but found that the University had no existing hip-hop organization. “I just assumed, with SF State and all of its history, being the city it is, there would be a hip-hop group on campus,” Amiri said.
While searching for a club, Amiri reached out to assistant professor DawnElissa Fischer, who teaches a hip-hop creative arts and cultural studies course and connected Amiri to students with similar interests. “Hip-hop often helps people find their fit,” Fischer said. “When a new student comes to a large campus like SF State, having a welcoming and nurturing safe space like hip-hop is important.” Encouraged by her new connections, Amiri and kinesiology major Danny Dibble founded Hip Hop State of Mind, which became an official club Tuesday. The group aims to develop the idea of hip-hop as more than just dancing and rapping, according to Amiri. “We want to preserve a community and social-justice-minded perspective,” Amiri said. Dibble said he hopes to foster the community-oriented ideals of hip-hop through Hip Hop State of Mind. “I want the student organization to build connections within the hip-hop community at State, and also allow us to throw events and build connections with other schools,” Dibble said. Amiri said she also wants the group to serve as a platform for career-building skills. “I’ve learned a lot of life skills that are important for any person to have (through hip-hop),” Amiri said. “Public speaking,
SCREENSHOT BY CREO NOVENO / XPRESS
STRENGTH: Sean Morales, English major, prepares to do a helicopter during the Hip Hop State of Mind club practice in the Gymnasium hallway Tuesday, Nov. 3.
planning, organizing – I think there’s a lot of things students can gain from it.” It’s those skills that Amiri said she plans on applying to her future career. Amiri currently works with Hip Hop for Change, a nonprofit group based in Oakland that aims to educate people about social injustices and solutions through hip-hop culture, according to the program website. “Hip-hop is a great way to reach out to youth,” Amiri said. “Like we’re doing in
our student organization, we’re giving them important life skills.” Amiri said she believes her student group will serve as a hub for many people with a shared passion for hip-hop culture. “I think hip-hop is a very positive force that people all around the world can identify with,” Amiri said. “I mean, that’s how a little 10-year-old Persian girl from Sweden got into it.”
6 LIFESTYLE & CULTURE
thursday, november 12, 2015 goldengatexpress.org
JAMES CHAN / XPRESS
SWEET TOPPINGS: A
CREAM employee makes an ice cream sandwich for a customer Thursday, Oct. 29 on 16th Street in San Francisco. CREAM will be opening a new shop at Stonestown Galleria shopping center.
A
cream Continued from the front
ssociate professor of hospitality and tourism Bo Ferns said fast-food chains opt for an interactive relationship with consumers to engage them in customized mass production. The make-it-yourself model involves less labor to put out the product than a sit-down restaurant as well as less training for the front-line workers. “It allows consumers to engage in the production process,” Ferns said. “Our overall culture, and especially this generation of consumers, are looking for an experience, uniqueness and ability to personalize a product that’s just for them.” Garcia, who first opened the CREAM in the Mission District in August 2014, said the franchise made the decision to open a store in Stonestown Galleria about a year ago because of the mall’s constant foot traffic and the prime location the mall gave her. The shop will be centered right in between the two escalators in front of the main
stonestown shops offer personalized experience entrance and is the first business to occupy the location, according to Garcia. Garcia said she plans to open Nov. 21, but may be delayed to Dec. 5 depending on approval from contractors and health inspectors. She also said this CREAM will be the first one ever located in a mall as a kiosk. “I think having it at a mall, a block away from a university, is good for our brand and for people to actually experience what we have to offer,” Garcia said. “Nutrition-wise for us, you have the option to get toppings or no toppings, more sugar or less sugar. In addition to that, we have gluten-free options and vegan options, so we do cater to most people.” Rochelle Anicete, a fourth-year microbiology major at SF State, has worked as a crewmember at the Chipotle in Stonestown Galleria for over a year. She said after she got hired, she started to notice different food joints of the “make-it-yourself style” popping up, such as Blaze Pizza and Built Custom Burgers. She said that
although customer-service wise, it can get For each of the franchise’s openings, hectic, the trending personable way to order CREAM has offered free ice cream food is more valuable than traditional food sandwiches to the first 3,500 patrons. The services. promo has drawn huge crowds “When people are in line, of people who’ve waited you get to actually interact, in line for up to three whereas, with McDonald’s, hours, according Our overall culture, and it’s just robotic in handing to Anderson. She especially this generation over the food,” Anicete said they won’t said. “I just want be doing the of consumers, are looking customers to know same elaborate for an experience, that just because we’re grand opening for uniqueness and ability wearing a hat doesn’t the Stonestown to personalize a product mean we’re different. franchise. that’s just for them. We’re the same people, “Sometimes, just trying to make money.” people like knowing -Bo Ferns Jaime Anderson, an what’s going into their independent marketing food, and they feel like contractor for the Stonestown they know better if they CREAM, said that previous are choosing the toppings CREAM openings have been extremely and ingredients,” Anderson said. “CREAM busy. She said their crew expects nothing isn’t your typical Baskin Robbins and less than pandemonium for this grand instead allows you to be your own chef, and opening. their combinations are endless.”
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8 OPINION
thursday, november 12, 2015 goldengatexpress.org
press U GOLDEN GATE
STAFF EDITORIAL
Inaction is not an option in the face of racism
NASHELLY CHAVEZ
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF nashelly@mail.sfsu.edu
DARCY FRACOLLI
MANAGING EDITOR dfracoll@mail.sfsu.edu
RISTI TEWOLDE
ONLINE SUPERVISING EDITOR tewolde@mail.sfsu.edu
EVA RODRIGUEZ
ART DIRECTOR erodrig2@mail.sfsu.edu
HARLAN FROST
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR hfrost@mail.sfsu.edu
EMMA CHIANG
PHOTO EDITOR echiang@mail.sfsu.edu
AVERY PETERSON
NEWS EDITOR averylp@mail.sfsu.edu
CREO NOVENO
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR cnoveno@mail.sfsu.edu
KALANI RUIDAS
LIFESTYLE & CULTURE EDITOR kruidas@mail.sfsu.edu
REID CAMMACK
OPINION EDITOR reidcamm@mail.sfsu.edu
VINCENT FAUSONE IV
SPORTS EDITOR vfausone@mail.sfsu.edu
GENESIS CHAVEZ-CARO COPY EDITOR gchavezc@mail.sfsu.edu
LULU OROZCO
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR ohlulu@mail.sfsu.edu
JOCELYN CARRANZA
ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR jcarranz@mail.sfsu.edu
JESSICA NEMIRE
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR jdn@mail.sfsu.edu
RACHELE KANIGEL
PRINT ADVISER kanigel@mail.sfsu.edu
JIM TOLAND
FACULTY ADVISER toland@sfsu.edu
SCOT TUCKER
PHOTO ADVISER tucker@sfsu.edu
EVA CHARLES
ADVERTISING & BUSINESS echarles@sfsu.edu
ARUN UNNIKRISHNAN I.T. CONSULTANT arun@mail.sfsu.edu
SAMANTHA LOPEZ CIRCULATION
SHAWN PERKINS
STUDENT GRAPHIC DESIGNER ggxads@sfsu.edu
WRITE US A LETTER
The Golden Gate Xpress accepts letters no longer than 200 words. Letters are subject to editing. Send letters to Reid Cammack at: reidcamm@mail.sfsu.edu
ABOUT XPRESS The Golden Gate Xpress is a student-produced publication of the journalism department at San Francisco State University. For more information or comments, please contact Nashelly Chavez at: nashelly@mail.sfsu.edu
niversity of Missouri President Timothy M. Wolfe handed in his resignation Monday after football players and a graduate student rallied against his inadequate response to a string of racist incidents. “This institution is a source of pride for the state and beacon of hope for many young people from all walks of life, and it has been my honor to lead it,” Wolfe said in a press release issued by the university. “This is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but I made my decision based on what I believe is right for the University of Missouri.” Wolfe’s resignation is a clear indication that merely not being racist isn’t enough anymore. Our society will no
longer accept a culture that turns a blind eye to hatred and injustice. In the case of the University of Missouri, black students said they were subjected to verbal harassment on campus and also cited an incident where a swastika was painted with feces on a dorm wall. Graduate student Jonathan Butler went on a hunger strike to protest the administration’s feeble response, according to the New York Times, and 30 members of the school’s Division I football team said they would refuse to practice or play until the president stepped down. The Times reported that missing a single game could cost the university over $1 million. “I already feel like campus is an unlivable space,” Butler said in an interview with The Washington Post. “So it’s worth sacrificing something of this grave amount, because I’m already not wanted here. I’m
already not treated like I’m a human.” Earlier this year, the San Francisco Police Department came under fire for its failure to discipline nine officers, who were accused of trading racist and homophobic text messages, in a timely manner. The department discovered the text messages in 2012, but waited until earlier this year to begin proceedings against the officers involved, according to the San Francisco Examiner. Ian Furminger, the only officer named in the scandal, called the texts “dry humor,” that were “jokes among friends and nothing more,” in an interview with The Examiner. We have realized that the culture of casual racism fostered by so many “harmless jokes” is the foundation of something much more sinister, in the wake of the deaths of Michael Brown, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner and countless
others. The stereotypes that this kind of banter reinforces drive a wedge into our society. How can we expect minorities to live in a society that constantly reminds them of the horrific struggles they’ve been forced to endure in the pursuit of civil liberty? A student shouldn’t have to starve himself to bring attention to the harassment endured on a college campus. But here we are, still working to eradicate the racial decay, still working to bring racial justice to our nation. If the bureaucrats that move the cogs of this nation won’t heed the pleas of a man willing to starve himself, then hit them where it hurts the most — their wallets. We need to take a lesson from the solidarity the University of Missouri students displayed. We need to take a stand against people in positions of power who close their eyes to racism.
Leading ladies should stand on their own CHANTEL CARNES ccarnes@mail.sfsu.edu
Between 8 and 11 p.m. on Thursdays, I am not to be disturbed. I have my kettle corn next to my blackberry Izze and a big plate of nachos. With my feet propped up, I turn on the television, and the night begins: ABC’s “Thank God It’s Thursday” lineup, featuring two of my favorite Shonda Rhimes shows, “Scandal” and “How To Get Away With Murder.” Although both of these shows feature a strong female lead who represents power and success, the shows portray their relationships with men as a form of validation. The drama in each of these shows is so intense that I stare at the television screen every Thursday, gripping the edge of my seat and waiting for the commercial break to end. While I want to congratulate Rhimes for breaking viewership records, I’ve always been uneasy about the characters the lead actors play. In ”Scandal” and “HTGAWM,” the leading ladies, while powerful and successful, are emotionally unstable — without a man, these women are completely helpless. Television producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes has taken over ABC, producing some of the best television dramas with some of the highest ratings on network television. Each show often brings in over eight million viewers, according to Entertainment Weekly, and I can’t go on Twitter without my newsfeed flooding with #Shondaland and #TGIT tweets every Thursday. When women in television are in a position of power, their success usually comes with a price. Time and time again on
i can’t breathe because i’m waiting for you.
GRAPHIC BY EVA RODRIGUEZ
our television screens, we see that women are not allowed to be successful without a man by their side. In real life, women are independent and have the power to make their own decisions, but in popular television shows like “Scandal” and “HTGAWM,” that is not the case. Women watch these shows and are conditioned to believe that, in order to achieve a certain level of prosperity, they must satisfy society’s misogynist view of the world and gain the approval of a man. Kerry Washington plays the irresistible Olivia Pope in ”Scandal.” Even though she is powerful and successful, she seems to be nothing without a man by her side. Pope is the president’s mistress and finds any excuse she can to justify sleeping with a married man. Every move she makes is either dictated by a man or done to please a man. The lack of respect she has for herself is completely disgusting.
In order to keep her sleazy affair with the president, she is willing to sacrifice her integrity and her job. Pope works hard to tackle her task, but she tends to put men first. After jeopardizing her dignity in the past four seasons, her decisions are now completely made upon the approval of a man. This is a trend in many of the Rhime’s television dramas that star women. In “HTGAWM,” Viola Davis plays the devious, yet powerful attorney and law professor, Annalise Keating. Keating embraces strength, but lacks independence. She is completely mentally and emotionally beaten down without a man by her side. Throughout the show, she spends her time begging for attention from her husband and the man she was sleeping with. She implies that she does not know how to make it in the world without them. In both “Scandal” and “HTGAWM,” the lead characters are portrayed as women who only
know how to be a mistress to a man. I would enjoy seeing a show that valued a strong, independent woman making her way in the world on her own. Men are great, but television tends to get it confused — men are not the key to a woman’s success and happiness. I would like to see television give women more credit. We are fearless and self-empowering all on our own. There is nothing wrong with showing a woman next to her man, but when television decides that she is nothing without him, then we have a problem. Television attempts to use women’s emotions as a form of weakness, instead of a sign of character, and there is always a man in a higher position of power. Watching Rhime’s best television dramas excites me, but they are also a reminder that, in the eyes of society, women are at the bottom of the food chain. We are seen as bossy, but never the boss.
OPINION 9
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Closeted relationships breed shame EVA BARRAGAN
evbarrag@mail.sfsu.edu
’ve never dated a married man, but I imagine it feels a lot like dating someone who is in the closet. Coming into one’s own sexuality can be a beautiful experience. “Coming out” is a time when you are first starting to welcome your
ILLUSTRATION REID CAMMACK ILLUSTRATION BY BY REID CAMMACK
own sexual preferences and learning to accept and embrace your most authentic self. Being out and dating someone who is still “in the closet,” however, can not only make you question your own sexual desires, it can also be detrimental to your well-being. A year ago, I found myself stepping out of the heteronormative closet, all while dating a girl whose actions were slowly, but surely, pulling me back into the closeted darkness. Olivia, whose name I’ve changed in this article, talked to me about her desire to date girls like she was getting paid for it. She had dabbled with the idea of dating girls in the past and had even dipped her feet in the pussy pool once or twice before, but for all intents and purposes I was her first female lover, and she was technically mine. Initially, I thought I was okay with being with someone who was still in the closet, but as time went by, I began to resent her. I began to resent myself. I hated that I allowed myself to be in a relationship that forced me to feel like I was hiding a part of my life that to me, felt so natural. Dating her was the first time I ever felt like a secret, and it was a dirty feeling to say the least. Olivia was, to borrow a phrase from journalist Jeremy Helligar, chronologically a woman but a girl to the bone, and the three months I dated her were the most mentally and emotionally exhausting of my life. According to Science Daily, “lesbians, gays and bisexuals (LGBs) who are out to others have lower stress hormone levels and fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression and burnout, according to researchers. Cortisol is a stress hormone in our body. When chronically strained, cortisol contributes to the ‘wear and tear’ exerted on multiple biological systems.” Being romantic in private with Olivia and pretending at times like we were merely acquaintances in public caused me to develop severe anxiety and irrational insecurities. Olivia and I couldn’t hold hands or make eye contact for too long, and on social media
Reid It and Weep is a weekly column highlighting the frequent disappointments in contemporary pop culture.
it appeared to everyone that we were best friends, not lovers, so I longed for the moments when we could be behind closed doors and grew anxious when we weren’t. Only a few of our close friends knew were were dating. To the world outside our closeted bubble, we were single and ready to mingle, and I often feared Olivia would take advantage of that. Another aspect of our relationship that gave me anxiety was my fear of outing her, which is why I’ve changed her name in this article. Even if I wanted to tell my coworkers or people outside of our close circle of friends that I was dating someone, I couldn’t. I was a secret, and hearing Olivia acknowledge me as merely a friend broke my heart every time. I’ve never had a “coming out” moment. I never posted a Facebook status saying “I’m gay,” and to the untrained eye, I am as straight as they come. For me, exploring my sexuality has always been a fluid experience. I like who I like, and there’s not much else to it. I’ve never attached a label to my sexual orientation, nor have I told my family about my relationships with women. Heterosexual folks don’t feel the need to “come out” to their parents, so why should I? I am not ignorant to the fact that there are some individuals whose circumstances simply do not allow them to be out. I am fully aware of the fact that, for some people, coming out means being disowned from their family, kicked out from their homes or even sent to pray-the-gay-away therapy. I understand that everyone’s coming out process is different, and while I don’t regret my relationship with Olivia because it taught me a lot about myself as a person, if I had the choice to date someone who was in the closet again, I wouldn’t. It has taken me 23 years to come to terms with every aspect of myself, and I refuse to let another individual make me feel insecure or ashamed of it. Dating someone in the closet taught me how to keep secrets, but from now on, the only secrets I will be hiding are my own.
‘Rich Girl’ Gwen appropriates again REID CAMMACK
reidcamm@mail.sfsu.edu
I imagine Gwen Stefani lives a pretty simple life. She sleeps in every morning, gets up to shower off whatever diseases Blake Shelton gave her the night before, and then looks in the mirror and decides how racist she wants to be that day. Recently, Stefani has gone with a more toned-down racist aesthetic. Her ridiculous Harajuku Lovers clothing line isn’t as big as it once was, so it’s difficult for Stefani to really spread around how racist and culturally insensitive she truly is. Luckily, she's found a new outlet to express herself in. Last week, Harajuku Lovers expanded into dog clothing, with a line exclusively at Petco. Harajuku Lovers originally started when Stefani released her 2004 album “Love. Angel. Music. Baby.” and hired a group of Asian women to follow her around while promoting her album and new Harajukuinspired look. Stefani’s Harajuku look and the styling of the four
women went on to become a successful clothing and perfume line. A white pop star appropriating another culture isn’t anything new. Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Madonna have been doing it for years. But only those with pure, unfiltered ignorance like Stefani and Miley Cyrus go that extra step and fully drown themselves in the culture and use their people as props. Stefani’s Harajuku girl entourage was comprised of her background dancers, who followed her around during interviews. The four women reportedly spoke English but were only allowed to speak Japanese in public. They constantly wore schoolgirl uniforms, which San Francisco comedian Margaret Cho compared to blackface. Time Magazine even criticized Stefani for treating the women
like “puppets” and “pets” when she renamed them Love, Angel, Music and Baby after her album title.
ILLUSTRATION BY REID CAMMACK
I don’t know why people always brush over Gwen Stefani’s racist past. Whenever I mention her name around my friends, there’s always mention of how she never ages and they want her to start making quality music again. No one ever says,
“Remember when Gwen Stefani was racist as hell, treated women of color as props and went on to make a huge brand out of it and no one batted an eye?” Now, Stefani’s new dog
clothing line may not be racist in itself, but the clothes are based off of Stefani’s Harajuku line; a line that’s based off of stereotypes and a time when Stefani used women as props. Her Harajuku Lovers line still uses the Love, Angel, Music and Baby caricatures as their main design, and the advertising for the canine clothes uses the four Harajuku girls as well. Unless you think your dog is really into cultural appropriation, you should probably stay away from Stefani’s doggy couture line. And on the off chance that your dog actually is into cultural appropriation, you should probably get a new dog. No human or dog should be dressing up in clothes that are based off Stefani’s racist idea of having a cutesy, Japanese prop entourage. I just wish Stefani put as much energy into her current music as she does into her racist clothing line. If she did, maybe her music from the past three years wouldn’t have flopped.
10 SPORTS
thursday, november 12, 2015 goldengatexpress.org
Swimmers race toward club recognition for upcoming semester
H AARON LEVY-WOLINS / SPECIAL TO XPRESS
BACKSTROKE: Dedrick Boyington, business marketing major and president of the SF State swim club, does the
backstroke in the pool at the Gymnasium Friday, Nov. 6. The swim club is expected to launch in spring semester.
AARON LEVY-WOLINS / SPECIAL TO XPRESS
LIFEGUARD: Dedrick Boyington (right), junior in business marketing and president of the SF State swim club, stands with Wyland Kelly (left), a junior in communications at the pool in the Gymnasium Friday, Nov. 6.
JESSE SAETEURN essej@mail.sfsu.edu
idden in the back of the Gymnasium is a swimming facility where SF State swimmers dive into the water and complete laps, hoping for a new swim club in the upcoming spring semester. Dedrick Boyington, a junior at SF State, said progress is being made and the swim club is almost official. “I’ve been working with the sports club managers, filling out the required paperwork to become officially established,” Boyington said. “We aren’t there yet, but we are making great progress.” Boyington is the main organizer of the club and has been dedicated to turning it into a reality. He came up with the idea of starting a swim club at the beginning of the year and said he has been working meticulously to establish it. If the swim club is established, Boyington will become the president of the club. He has already assembled five individuals who are committed to being part of the club’s leadership team and said he has has more than 50 interested potential club members. “To start the swim club, we had to establish five positions – a club president, vice president, treasurer, safety officer and advisor,” Boyington said. All of the progress might not have been possible if it wasn’t for the support of Aquatics Student Manager Malia James and Aquatics and Safety Programs Coordinator Ben Forchini, Boyington said. “Dedrick (talked to) me about starting a swim club, and I was like, ‘Let’s go. I’ll help you out – let’s do it,’” James said. “This semester, we’ve been working on collecting names, putting in the paperwork, finding the officers and getting everything done, so I’ve just been really helping him facilitate the process.” James said he believes having a swim club would be very beneficial for students. “I just really want students to have a team to come out and swim with,” James said. “It’s not just an individual sport, but it’s such a good team sport
as well, so it would just be really awesome to have a swim community on campus.” Aquatic student lifeguard Allison Moody said she has been very active in helping support the club’s development. “I was petitioning at the theatre department – I was telling the drama club that we should get the word out there, and I know a lot of theatre students who’d like to join too,” Moody said. “I think a really good way is to get some marketing going – get some posters or maybe shoot a short commercial.” Boyington, James and Moody all said they agreed
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We’re creating a community on campus through the swim club for making new friends and improving our swimming techniques.
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-dedrick boyington
that having a swim club would encourage more students to consider attending SF State. “It would be nice to have a competitive team too,” Moody said. “There’s teams like basketball, wrestling and soccer, but we don’t have a swim team, and I know a lot of my friends check out SF State and say ‘Well, there’s not a swim team, so I might just go somewhere else.’” Boyington also said he believes the swim club will help foster a sense of community at SF State. “I want people to have fun and see them proud of being a swimming Gator,” he said. “We’re creating a community on campus through the swim club for making new friends and improving our swimming techniques.” Boyington added that by getting involved, club members will have the chance to do fundraising, public relations, organization, administration, fiscal management and program scheduling. “I would love to leave a footprint on the San Francisco State campus and create a club that has a positive impact on student life,” Boyington said.
sports 11
thursday, november 12, 2015 goldengatexpress.org
QING HUANG / XPRESS
HONORED: SF State
President Leslie E. Wong (right) honors Kevin Anderson (left) 2015 Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, during the SF State 2015 President’s Dinner and Alumni Hall of Fame Celebration at the Ritz Carlton Friday, Nov.6.
SF State alumnus honored for Maryland athletic success DAVID CURL
dcurl@mail.sfsu.edu
When Kevin Anderson picked up a phone call from the SF State Alumni Association, he didn’t react, because he thought someone was playing a practical joke on him. Once Anderson, the athletic director at the University of Maryland, realized he was being honored by his alma mater with an Alumni Hall of Fame induction, he said he had to immediately shut the door to take in the entire situation. “It was an emotional moment,” Anderson said. “To be considered with some of these other great people is humbling. To even be in the same room with them means everything to me.” Anderson masterminded a 2014 move for the University of Maryland from the Atlantic Coast Conference to the Big Ten Conference – a move that offered more financial and exposure opportunities for the school, according to Anderson. “The Big Ten is being viewed in 26 different countries,” Anderson said. “We go from being a regional program in the ACC to the Big Ten, where we are not only nationally viewed but internationally.” Anderson also created “The Maryland Way Guarantee,” a policy that promises lifetime degree opportunities for all student athletes, even those no longer playing, according to the Big Ten Network.
For Anderson, the Maryland Way is part of a larger movement to take better care of student athletes. “We have a responsibility to help them out,” Anderson said. “We’re mentoring them. We’re molding them, not as athletes but as people.” Anderson was honored at the SF State President’s Dinner and Alumni Hall of Fame Celebration this past weekend for his achievements along with fellow alumni Major General Barbara Lavis Brannon, Honorable Mu Sochua, Sherry Hirota and Daniel Sullivan. SF State President Leslie E. Wong spoke of the pride in the SF State community and how the University’s alumni never stop their hard work. “The sun never sets on an SF State alum,” Wong said. Despite dealing with the transition onto the larger national and international stage, University of Maryland teams have experienced tournament success under Anderson’s leadership. Since he took over six years ago, Maryland programs have won four National Championships, appeared in five National Championship games and made 11 Final Four appearances. Before taking the helm at Maryland, Anderson experienced success at other programs, namely Oregon State University and the United States Military
Academy at West Point. The baseball team Anderson oversaw as athletics director at Oregon State University won two consecutive College World Series titles shortly after his departure. After Oregon State’s success, University of Oregon reinstated the baseball program, according to Anderson. During his second year as director of athletics at West Point, Anderson took the women’s basketball team to the school’s only NCAA basketball tournament appearance. Anderson may be a symbol of SF State’s success today, but he recalled his first class at SF State where he was overmatched by the 15 books assigned by political science professor, Kay Lawson, whom Anderson would later describe as a mentor. “I got the syllabus that day and I thought, ‘There’s no way she expects us to read this all,’” Anderson said laughing. “Yep. She expected us to read it all. And I retook that course.” Anderson went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in political science. According to Anderson, Lawson pulled him aside and praised him for his commitment to success for taking the class again and finishing it the second time. Another lasting SF State memory for Anderson was getting to play for football coach Vic Rowen in 1974, he said.
“Vic molded my life,” Anderson said. “I owe him.” Anderson recalled a game against University of Nevada, Reno that was particularly memorable because of a key blunder he made. “I laid a great block,” he said. “Our running back, Rusty, ran for what would’ve taken his game total to a spectacular 100-yard performance. They whistled me for a foul, which I disagreed with, and on the sidelines Vic said to me, ‘No, you clipped him.’ Rusty finished with 98 yards.” During Anderson’s acceptance speech, he acknowledged the current SF State Director of Athletics, Charles Guthrie, as someone SF State should be
proud to have and who is doing wonderful things for the school. He said Guthrie was his mentee. Guthrie said he has nothing but respect for Anderson. “He’s one of the top dogs,” Guthrie said. “He really is one of the big guys out there.” According to Anderson, his success is not what makes him happiest at the end of the day. He said what really matters to him is getting to see his former athletes live fulfilling lives. “It’s not the four years with me on the field that matter,” Anderson said. “It’s every day after that. It’s when I meet their family and hear about their career. I’m blessed to have had an influence on these people’s lives.”