Spartan Daily Vol. 161 No. 12

SJ celebrates Mexican independence

By Brandon Nicolas SENIOR STAFF WRITER

San José City Hall celebrated Mexican Independence Day with “El Grito,” a cultural celebratory event which included vendors, traditional Mexican dances, a flag raising ceremony and speakers on Friday evening.

According to the Library of Congress, early in the morning of Sept. 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla delivered his famous El Grito de Dolores, or Cry of Dolores, which was a spoken word delivered at a small Dolores parish church urging citizens to take up arms and fight for Mexico’s independence from Spain.

While Mexico’s independence would not come until 10 years after Costilla’s death in 1821, with the Treaty of Córdoba, his speech would be a token of Mexican independence, culture and heritage. Signed on Aug. 24, 1821, the Treaty of Córdoba gave Mexico its independence after 300 years under Spanish rule, according to Britannica.

Councilmember Peter Ortiz represents the residents of City Council District 5 which includes East San José. According to data from BestNeighborhood, Hispanics make up 50.2% of East San José.

“We’ve always [had] a Mexican Independence Day flag raising ceremony, but this is the second annual fiestas patrias [a traditional Mexican celebration] here at City Hall,” Ortiz said.

Caballos, or Mexican horse dancers, funneled into a fenced-off area in the middle of Santa Clara street between, dividing the street’s lowriders and vendors.

“We wanted to invite everyone to participate and come to City Hall where we shut the street down to celebrate the independence of Mexico,” Ortiz said. “Where you go here in San José, there is a beautiful culture and the Mexican community is part of that culture.”

SJSU alumnus Jonathan Perez works for Councilmember Domingo Candelas representing District 8.

Perez, a community representative and staff coordinator for the event, said he was part of city meetings with

the Mexican Consulate of San José where there was an effort to offer spaces for vendors during the Mexican Independence Day celebration.

The Consulate of Mexico in San José is a consular mission representing the Government of Mexico in Santa Clara County, Monterey County and the adjacent counties of San Benito and Santa Cruz.

The Consulate also aims to carry out Mexico’s foreign policy while also strengthening the expression of Mexico’s

Cruz said. “It’s a way to feel more connected to my culture.”

Cruz, originally from Los Angeles, said the celebration at City Hall brings back memories of family and home.

“Specifically for my family, I feel like they really wanted me to hold onto my culture, so I think this is a really big way to connect back and feel like I’m with my family,” Cruz said.

Selene Coss was a vendor at the event, selling bags, clothes and souvenirs to individuals on Santa Clara street.

support goes a long way.

“They should realize that a lot of us are small business vendors, and for a lot of us, this is our only income,” Coss said. “Come give it a try and come support small businesses.”

Forensic studies sophomore Talia Brown said she enjoyed looking at handmade jewelry, clothing and watching the folklorico dancers.

Ballet Folklorico is a traditional Mexican dance created by young Mexico City dancer Amalia Hernández in 1952, according to a Britannica article.

The dance includes elaborate costumes, exaggerated choreography and scenery, often including troupes of dancers representing Mexican culture and traditions through music and movement, according to the same article.

Brown said she heard about the “El Grito” celebration through her roommate and was eager to learn more about Mexican culture and traditions.

“It’s different, for sure, but it’s cool experiencing something out of my culture,” Brown said. “It’s not every day you get to experience something like this, seeing everyone come together and put this on is pretty cool.”

SJSU alumnus Fernando Corral is a fire technician who, along with other Compas Chevroleros lowrider members, parked their cars in front of City Hall for people to see.

cultural identity, according to its LinkedIn biography.

“As a person of Mexican heritage, it’s always nice to have an opportunity to share our culture with folks, whether they are from the Downtown area, West or East San José,” Perez said.

“These are communities that have a lot of Mexican residents, and Hispanic residents in general.”

He said whether attendees are of Mexican heritage or not, people from Latin America usually appreciate the food or cultural entertainment that Mexican culture brings.

“It was really nice to see the culture and all the different events and hearing people speaking the language I grew up speaking,” forensic studies junior Dalia

Coss said she was tabling at a separate event when she was approached by the host of the event and was invited to table at City Hall for the event.

“I was born in Mexico City and raised in San Francisco,” Coss said. “My heritage is Mexican and my parents are from Mexico, so this day means a whole lot to me.”

Coss said she tries to raise her children to be aware of their rich culture and heritage.

“My business imports from Mexico,” Coss said. “We want to connect that with the community and anything that has to do with the Mexican culture.”

She said it’s common for new customers and visitors to think the event is another flea market from afar, but their

“We’re with Compas Cheveroleros and we started the club around five years ago,” Corral said. “We are here celebrating El Grito, Mexican Independence Day, and it’s an honor to be a part of this with the lowrider community.”

Corral said it is in his roots and the traditions of MexicanAmericans to celebrate their families, ancestors and origin.

“Seeing everybody celebrating this day out here is great,” he said.

“We have the horses, the music, folklorico and all the beautiful rides . . . it’s a big thing, especially in San José.”

ALICIA ALVAREZ | SPARTAN DAILY

Members of the group Alpha Folklorico Yolotli perform a traditional Mexican dance from Sinaloa, Mexico at City Hall on Friday e vening during the El Grito event.

Horseback riders trot through the street during the El Grito celebration.

ALICIA ALVAREZ | SPARTAN DAILY

Flavored tobacco stays banned

By Maya Benmokhtar STAFF WRITER

appealing to youth, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention article.

t he smoke shop on a daily basis. “We don’t know if they’re u nderage, but they do lo ok

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) upheld the state law prohibiting tobacco retailers from selling all flavored tobacco products on Nov. 8, 2022.

According to an article by the CDPH, the ban includes electronic cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, as well as tobaccoproduct flavor enhancers in retail locations in accordance with the Health and Safety Code Section 104559.5.

Although the ban has been in effect for almost a year, Barrett Spencer, Goodfellas Smoke and Gift Shop employee, said he doesn't believe the ban has stopped underage vaping.

“If anything, it’s made it worse because now kids are going out of their way to find them through other people or through sketchy sources,”

Spencer said.

Spencers said there are multiple young looking people coming into his workplace asking for banned tobacco products.

partment ( CDPH ) rohibiting ducts on a rticle includes menthol tobaccoa ncers in ccordan ce n d Safet y 5 a s been in ar, Barrett Smoke oyee, e i ng. made it ay r sources,” h ere are lookin g n to his r banned a re g oin g h en the y a pes

“Now, the youth are going out of their way when they shouldn’t be for vapes that they shouldn’t have gotten addicted to in the first place.”

Spencer said.

Spencer also said he didn’t smoke a “vape” or an e-cigarette until the age of 22, but now sees his 15 and 16-year-old cousins “puffing everyday.”

Flavorings in tobacco products can make them more

In 2021, 80.2% of high school students and 74.6% of middle school students who used tobacco products in the past 30 days reported usin g a fl av or ed to ba cc o pr oduct d urin g that time, accordin g to the same article.

In 2022 , 85.5% of hi g h school students and

81.5% of middle school students who used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days reported using a flavored e-cigarette during that time, according to the same article.

Mohammed Saeidah, another employee at Goodfellas Smoke Shop, said customers who look underage are still coming into

young,” Saeidah said. “They come in and ask for vaping vapes and vape products all the time.”

Saeidah said while the flavored tobacco ban had good intentions, it was not well thought out.

“The youth that are vaping, t hey’re already hooked,” Saeidah s aid. “You would think taking t he supply away would make t hem stop but no, somehow t hey’re still finding the products they want to feed their a ddiction.”

Sa ei dah sa id f or

some youth, it is too late and the addiction has already taken over.

Social Work senior, Selina Altamirano said flavored tobacco often had flavors that attracted the youth community, with flavors like “cotton candy.”

“I believe they implemented

the ban for a good reason, to get young people away from these types of harmful products, however, it does not seem to be working,” Altamirano said.

She also said even with the ban, she has seen people leave smoke shops with flavored tobacco products.

“I’ve seen retailers hiding them behind the counter, and if someone asks for them, they’ll sell them the product,” Altamirano said.

Retailers found guilty of an infraction could be fined $250 for violating this law, according to the CDPH.

t he ban for a g t ypes ha h owever, d o working,” Alt a s a s smoke shop s produ “ I’ve seen t hem behind t hey’ll th Altamir an o sa R etailers fo cou for t h C DPH.

Quitting vaping can be easier if one plans in advance and follows a set plan, according to an article from Smokefree Teen.

Smokefree Teen is a website that helps youth quit their tobacco use habits.

Planning to quit vaping or smoking is critical, as well as doing so at a low-stress period of time, according to the same article from Smokefree Teen.

The Department of Health and Human has a helpline for tobacco users seeking help to quit using tobacco products.

Q uitting vap if one p lans follows a set p T t hat y h a P lanning c r of time, accor S m T he De pa r and Human h tobacco users quit using tob

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CA decriminalizes plant-based psychedelics

By Nikita Bankar STAFF WRITER

California lawmakers passed a bill on Sept. 6 to decriminalize the possession and usage of plant-based psychedelics.

The measure will only apply to those aged 21 and older and does not allow personal transfer or sale of psychedelics in dispensaries, according to a Sept. 7 article from the Los Angeles Times.

The bill, formally known as Senate Bill 58, will remove criminal penalties for personal possession and use of psilocybin and psilocyn found in psychedelic mushrooms or dimethyltryptamine (DMT), used in the hallucinogenic tea ayahuasca, and mescaline, but not peyote, according to a Sept. 11 article from MSN.

Mescaline, according to an article by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation in Australia, is a psychedelic drug that can affect all five senses, alter a person’s thinking, alter their sense of time and alter their emotions.

Psilocybin, the main compound found in “magic mushrooms,” can include symptoms like hallucinations and an inability to discern fantasy from reality, according to the DEA United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Panic attacks and psychotic-like episodes may also occur, particularly if a user ingests a high dose.

Undisclosed veteran groups said decriminalization would help destigmatize psychedelics and that, in some cases, has been more effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression than traditional drugs and therapies, according to the same Los Angeles Times article.

Psychology professor, Gregory Feist, said psychologically and scientifically, decriminalization makes sense.

“Hallucinogens are the only

class of drugs that are not addictive,” Feist said. “It’s not like opioids, and it’s not like alcohol, so there’s relatively little risk. The only risk for hallucinogens is that some people who are prone towards psychosis could have a medically-induced psychotic break.”

c in og ens h at some e who are e towards o sis could have m edicall y- induced otic break.”

since most college-aged students don't receive education around safe use of psychedelics.

“As we know, any type of drug alters our thought processes, and decisions can be

p ma d e t h at l ea d to un h ea l t hy an d potentia lly l et h a l ch oices,” Woodhead said. “ That’s why it wou ld b e important to h ave some e d ucation in p l ace a roun d sa f e use o f

cannabis was legalized, that there was an increase in cannabis use disorder among college-aged students, and that does present some public health concerns,” Woodhead said. “The decriminalization of psychedelics could follow a similar pattern, where younger adults/college students use the drugs more frequently.”

a couple days after and she has to convince herself to not do them again,” Batoy said. “She said shrooms can be a lot of fun, but they really make you think.”

Batoy also said decriminalization is a good idea, as she hasn’t heard of anything bad happening to other people she knows when they do psychedelics.

c hosis g hts ng how the y process

m ation, it difficult

et er mi ne w ha t r ea l

w hat is not, to

Psychosis affects a person’s thoughts and perceptions, altering how they process information, making it difficult to determine what is real from what is not, according to Medical News Today.

c al News Today ple ps y chosis

People with psychosis may hear, see, smell, taste or feel things that are not there.

Feist also said however, psychedelics could provide numerous therapeutic benefits.

s that are not there s t edelics rous thera pe utic its.

“There’s more and more solid scientific evidence that the therapeutic use of psychedelics can be very beneficial towards some people, especially people who have PTSD, anxiety and depression,” Feist said. “Decriminalizing will make therapy easier.”

he re’s more s cientific h e chedelics can be ver y i cial i all y anxiet y said. “Decriminalizin g

m ake therapy easier.”

e filbiid

The substantial antidepressant effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy, given with supportive psychotherapy, may last at least a year for some patients, according to the John Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research.

Erin Woodhead, psychology professor and chair of Clinical Mental Health Counseling Masters Program, said there are concerns that decriminalizing psychedelics for personal use would lead to risky behaviors,

psychedelics and be prepared on campus with resources around what to do if a friend is showing unsafe behavior while taking psychedelics.”

Woodhead said a possible concern for when drugs are decriminalized is that use of these drugs will increase, and more people will use the drug experimentally.

“This was found when

sa id The d ec rimi na li za t of p sych e d e l ics cou ld foll ow s imi l ar pattern, w h ere you n a d u l ts/co ll ege stu d ents th e d rugs more f requent ly. Woo dh ea d a l so sai d i s concerne d a b out h i n d ivi d ua l s wi ll respon d any safe ty issues that c o p otentially arise from perso u se ps ychedelics.

Woodhead also said she is concerned about how individuals will respond to any safety issues that could potentially arise from personal use of psychedelics.

In a Tweet on Sept. 6, California Senator Scott Wiener, who introduced the bill, said it allows personal possession, use of small amounts of plant or mushroom psychedelics and creates a path for facilitated

C alifornia Senator Scott Wie n s possess i u se of small amounts of pl ps ychedelics c reates facilit a g roup use. veter a first re sp onders and h ea professionals,” Wi e Bill req ui Califo r Heal t an d Hu m Services A g e to e st ablish g roup exp e t o discuss and s tu ps yc hedelics while a recommendin g a sui ta framework for re g ulating d ru art from Forbes. T he g roup a iihi

"It’s supported by veterans, first responders and health professionals,” Wiener wrote. Senate Bill 58 also requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to establish a group of experts to discuss and study psychedelics while also recommending a suitable framework for regulating the therapeutic use of the drugs, according to a Sept. 9 article

The group would also investigate other issues surrounding psychedelics, including the safety and efficacy of using them to treat PTSD, depression, addiction and other mental health conditions.

Katie Batoy, behavioral science and forensic studies junior, said she had a friend tell her that doing shrooms was an eye-opening experience.

“After she did the drugs, she said they’ll be on her mind for

“If a drug does not endanger others, I don’t think decriminalizing them is a bad idea,” Batoy said. “For example, decriminalizing meth would be bad, because people do crazy things with it.”

According to Men’s Journal, the bill will need final approval from the state Senate before heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature. If signed into law, it will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

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Correction

On Thursday, Sept. 14, the Spartan Daily misrepresented the results of the CSU Board of Trustees' vote. The correct result was 15-5 in favor of the tuition increase.

The Spartan Daily regrets this error.

INFOGRAPHIC BY MAYA BENMOKHTAR & ALICIA ALVAREZ

This year’s Spartan Fest was a ‘Blxst’

By Lamar Moody STAFF WRITER

San José State's campus was packed with music-hungry students on Thursday night.

When the doors opened at 7 p.m. the Provident Credit Union Event Center filled up quickly, as students made their way to the front of the stage to see Los Angeles-based hip hop and R&B artist Blxst perform, with special guest Bino Rideaux.

Adriana Loya, forensics science junior and Los Angeles native said the concert was the main event of her night.

“I waited all day for this concert. I couldn't even focus in class today because I was thinking about turning up at the

concert tonight,” she said.

Blxst and Bino Rideaux have recorded a total of three albums together titled “Sixtape,” “Sixtape 2” and “Sixtape 3”.

Spartanfest Fall ‘23 was an ice breaker for students, allowing them to get acclimated to on-campus college life.

The opening DJ set the tone for the night. At the beginning of the concert the DJ played a mix of hip hop and R&B songs and students immediately started dancing and singing along.

When Blxst and Bino finally hit the stage and started performing they had a nice, smooth and melodic tone, both showed great stage presence as they moved around the stage, interacting with students on

both sides of the arena.

About 30 minutes into the concert, I looked around and saw some people leaving early. I just assumed they weren't really familiar with Blxst’s music.

The handful of students who left early made it easier to enjoy the concert because it created more space for students to dance to the music. It also allowed more people to get near the front of the stage and get a better view of the artists.

The duo performed for about an hour, and the majority of the songs they performed were from their album “Sixtape 2”. They played “Program,” “Pop out” and “Accountable,” but the one song they performed that stood out to me the most was “Road Runnin.”

This song is significant to me because I feel like a road runner at times. I’m always on the move, whether it's going from one job to the other or from school straight to work, then back home.

Blxst and Bino’s music reminds me that it takes hard work hard to achieve my goals. Their music also motivates me, as they represent the city I'm from, Los Angeles.

Blxst and Bino have taken over the Los Angeles music scene. When Blxst and Bino collaborate it’s always a good time.

Overall the concert was fun and everyone had smiles on their faces. I was glad everyone got to experience Blxst and Bino

perform because in San José, I always hear Bay Area hyphytype music. It was nice to hear a different type of sound and different beat selections. That easy-going tone of Blxst is much different from the “hyphy” turn up sound of the Bay Area. Blxst and Bino's sound will make you want to hit your two-step and vibe out with no care in the world.

1. SJSU students cheer at the beginning of Spartan Fest at Provident Credit Union Event Center.

2. Bino Rideaux & Blxst perform ‘Wake It Up.’

3. Bino Rideaux raps on stage at the Event Center.

4. Three students take a selfie at the barricade.

5. Blxst hypes up the crowd.

PHOTOS BY IRENE ADELINE MILANEZ

‘Drag Brunch, After Dark’ lights up SJSU

1 2

4 3 6

5

| SPARTAN DAILY

#1: Drag king "Mudd" performs their last set of the night for SJSU's Drag Brunch, After Dark.

#2: "Lisa Frankenstein" dances to the song "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn.

#3: Drag performer Obsidienne Obsurd dances for their first set of the night.

#4: Emjay Mercury, a drag king, thanks the audience near the end of the night.

#5: SJSU students in attendance cheer for the drag performers in the Student Union Ballroom.

#6: The performers come together for a photo-op at the end of the event.

Mitski deconstructs 'sad girl' music

By Bojana Cvijic SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Japanese American singer/songwriter Mitski is back with her latest release, “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We,” an ode to love and its complications through the crooning sounds and winding hills of Americana.

Mitski is an artist that has grown exponentially in popularity over the last three years.

With the social media app TikTok helping a wider population discover all kinds of different music, Mitski has gained a massive fanbase because of it.

Mitski and everything surrounding her life became of interest to a bigger fanbase who were so deeply connected with her music and lyrics, relating it back to their lives and creating a connection that is parasocial in nature.

So much so in fact, when Mitski politely asked on X for fans to not use their phones at her shows as much, the backlash was swift.

People felt entitled to Mitski and her music after her popularity grew, but to be honest, this was always something she dealt with as an artist.

Contemplating retirement during the height of her career, she announced in July she signed a new record deal with her label Dead Oceans, announcing she wasn’t going anywhere.

After moving to Nashville early last year, “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We” clearly shows the city’s influence on Mitski’s sound in this record.

Slow strung guitars and quiet piano notes echo throughout the album, sounding like a winding road down through the countryside.

The further Mitski gets in the journey she’s taking us on, the more lucious the soundscapes get.

Not only in the soundscapes, but through her lyrics we find that her winding road down through the countryside is her way of expressing

“The

all of her inner turmoil and feelings as a human being trying to navigate the world as best as possible.

In the opening track

“Bug Like an Angel,” Mitski ruminates over the narrator’s rueful mistakes and broken promises while touching on the issue of alcoholism.

“When I'm bent over, wishin' it was over / makin' all variety of vows I'll never keep / I try to remember the wrath of the devil / Was also given him by God” reminds me that Mitski’s power is in her writing, the most beautiful prose over sensations that can only be described as gut wrenching.

In “I Don’t Like My Mind,” Mitski reminisces

album review

Artist: Mitski Release Date: Sept. 15, 2023

Rating:

Genre: singer/ songwriter, alternative

over a bad Christmas, it felt like she opened up my head and stole a memory straight out of my mind.

“I don't like my mind, I don't like being left alone in a room / With all its opinions about the things that I've done / So, yeah, I blast music loud, and I work myself to the bone.”

Her brilliant writing about the idea of stuck memories we cannot forget continuing to haunt us, became the quick winner of the album.

“And then I get sick and throw up and there's another memory that gets stuck / Inside the walls of my skull waiting for its turn to talk.”

She continues the idea of a haunting past on the track “When Memories Snow,'' accompanied by a chorus of vocals that sound straight out of heaven.

“When memories snow / And cover up the driveway / I shovel all those memories / Clear the path to drive to the store / And when memories melt / I hear them in the drain pipe / Drippin' through the downspout / As I lie awake in the dark.”

Mitski has been placed into the trope of “sad girl music” where mostly female and queer artists are pigeonholed

into a category of “sad” and “depressing,” labels that Mitski herself has rejected.

In a video interview with Crack, a pop culture magazine based in Europe, Mitski reacted negatively to the label of her music being released as a “big day for sad bitches.”

“It was reductive and tired like 5, 10 years ago and it still is today ... Let's retire the sad girl schtick, it’s over. Sad girl is over,” she said in the Jan. 19, 2022 interview.

In a small but loud way, Mitski reiterates what she’s always said, her music is a story, but it’s her music. It means so much more than just being sad or her lyrics making you feel like you need to go to therapy.

Her music is not made for us to so deeply project our own lives onto.

With that being said, I cannot lie and say that Mitski isn’t the artist of my life, because she is.

My problems are not hers and when I listen to her words it’s not just about being sad– but to hear a story, to help me navigate the more difficult aspects of my life.

I adore the way her music makes me feel, but there was a moment in my life where I lost my love for her music.

It almost felt like a chapter closed, where her popularity exceeded what I had expected, where Mitski seemingly became everyone’s favorite, and her music was bastardized into a trope of “sad girl music” for TikTok edits.

Her previous release, 2022s “Laurel Hell,” showed her versatility with her sound and in her lyrics, with more synthpop beats and upbeat arrangements.

With this release I felt like it was time for me to move on. Her music in the past with more seminal albums including “Puberty 2,” got me through some of the worst hardships in life, so I thought maybe it’s not what I needed anymore.

Then with “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We,” I realized I still loved Mitski in a completely different light.

I stopped associating her with hardships and troubling times in my life, whether I was sad or not sad, in love or not in love, she reminded me of broken relationships from my past, I realized that just like Mitski, I’ve moved forward in life.

I’ve loved and lost and like her, choosing love is the best thing anyone can do ever in their respective

ILLUSTRATION BY JOANNA CHAVEZ

lives.

In “My Love All Mine,” Mitski chooses love tenfold, crooning about her love manifesting into the moon for her partner.

“My baby here on earth / showed me what my heart was worth / so, when it comes to be my turn / could you shine it down here for her?”

In her artist biography on Spotify she wrote "The best thing I ever did in my life was to love people. I wish I could leave behind all the love I have after I die, so I can shine all this goodness, all this love that l've created onto other people.”

Mitski shows that she understands love and the emotions surrounding it, both the bad and good.

My loss of interest in her music wasn’t just a loss, but me realizing that I could listen to her normally without such a strong attachment to certain memories in life.

I too was reminded that no matter what, I’m always going to choose love and whatever in the world comes along with it.

Mitski chooses to love freely and unflinchingly, because it’s all we have.

Land is Inhospitable and So Are We”

I love celebrating my Hispanic heritage

grasping at the smallest of strings to be different and special.

Alicia Alvarez

PRODUCTION EDITOR

I am a disgrace to my Mexican heritage.

I repeated this mantra into mirrors, windows, bodies of water, anything with a reflective enough surface to see my disappointing self.

However, after years of internal discovery and educating myself, I stopped believing I was a disappointment to my ancestors.

Forcing myself to confront my biracial identity crisis and learn all aspects of my Hispanic culture was the best thing I’ve ever done.

I’m the textbook stereotype of a Latin woman with thick hair, dark eyes and a light tan. My name carries the slightest hint of an accent that Starbucks baristas never seem to get right.

Despite this, I felt I was parading myself around in a facade of assumed culture and identity. I was an imposter. I didn’t fit into my skin.

Experiencing the identity crisis of growing up biracial isn’t a unique experience.

Around the nation, 24.8 million Americans identified as multiracial in the 2020 census, according to an Oct. 8, 2021 article by the Washington Post. I can’t imagine that I’m the only one who struggled with their cultural identity, yet I never heard anyone else express the same sentiments.

No one in my social circle talked about how they were grappling with being accepted by a community they couldn’t relate to but also belonged to. It felt wrong calling myself Mexican, like I was

I was able to skirt many instances of racist remarks thrown at me and horrors of being discriminated against. I was perceived as white, which gave me some semblance of privilege. For that, I am grateful, but it came at a cost.

Growing up in limbo between being too white for one side of your identity and being too brown for the other can tear someone apart.

No one was ever surprised when they saw me with either one of my parents. I was stereotypical enough to look like my Mexican father’s daughter and just white-washed enough to walk around with my midwestern mother without a second glance from others.

blond hair and surfer slang was the standard, I stuck out.

The friends I made were never outright cruel, but they made it clear that I was different.

These girls had Mexican dinners every night, listened to songs I couldn’t understand, had quinceañeras and a family party every weekend.

I desperately wanted to be like them. My teenage self longed for a sense of culture andcommunity. As I sat daydreaming in my bedroom, I thought of all of the experiences I was lacking. All I knew about my culture was that we have a holiday called Día de los Muertos and we like the famous singer Vicente Fernández.

Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated in Mexico to honor the dead

language. As I grew, I came to understand why. My father was “othered” in his youth. He was surrounded by peers in his formative years that didn’t look or speak like him.

My father was one of the only non-white children to attend his prestigious high school, which he could only afford to go to because of the generosity of a stranger. He sheltered his children from any stories of racist remarks he received as a child, but I have no doubt they were hurled at him from time to time.

In my father’s effort to protect us however, I became othered.

I didn’t speak Spanish. I had never heard of half of our cultural dishes. My 15th birthday wasn’t celebrated with a quinceañera. I didn’t celebrate Mexican holidays.

I was embraced in my culture for the first time in almost two decades, hundreds of miles away from the border I grew up next to.

I wasn’t called a “fake Mexican,” like my ex-boyfriend branded me, as I navigated through my identity crisis and culture shock.

I stumbled my way through learning my cultural language. The four years of Spanish classes in high school were absolutely useless. I still have no idea how I passed the AP exam for it.

While my grammar still isn’t perfect and I don’t always understand when someone speaks a bit too fast, my Spanish has vastly improved. I can proudly report that I can survive a day in a Spanish-speaking country without whipping

lack of proper educational resources and inclusion.

Many Mexican children who were born in the United States might feel like they have no true connection to their heritage. Translating tax documents to your parents is a much different experience than growing up on a rancho or in the bustling cities of Mexico.

We even are separated with our title, Chicano, a description of our unique experience.

Oxford English Dictionary defines Chicano as a person living in the United States of Mexican origin or descent. This title felt as though I was further separated from my family’s motherland, but still gave me an identity.

Being torn between two countries and cultures, holding love and pride for both, but not truly belonging to either can push anyone to feel like an imposter.

With Hispanic Heritage Month just beginning, I’m reflecting on this journey of learning to love my stereotypical Mexican appearance without feeling like I’m parading around in a costume.

I grew up 40 minutes north of the Mexico border in Southern California, yet I didn’t learn my family’s native language until I left home for college.

My childhood consisted of American dinners, Disney Channel and ballet dancing. Unlike some of my friends, I had no personal or emotional connection to Mexican culture until I was a teenager.

The title “no sabo kid” plagued me when I entered high school.

“No sabo” refers to a young person with Hispanic heritage that doesn’t speak or understand Spanish and was used as an insult, according to a Sept. 16 article from NBC.

“No sabo” is a poor and incorrect conjugation of the phrase “no se” which means I don’t know.

I gravitated toward the other Latin girls in my classes, wanting to find a home around people who looked like me. Coming from a coastal Southern California town where

and welcome back to the world of the living for a day, according to a Oct. 27, 2022 article from the New York Times.

The only culture in me was my name. I carry the name of a grandmother I never met. Even if I had met her, I would have never been able to understand her.

My father didn’t teach any of his children Spanish. My mother, a white woman from Illinois with the best intentions, tried to teach six-year-old me Spanish from a big yellow picture book. Considering neither of us knew how to pronounce the words, it went as well as you can expect.

I learned to sit quietly at the dinner table during holidays with my father’s side of the family while my tías and tíos gossiped around me. I was an outsider in a place that should have been my home.

I don’t hold anger or resentment against my father for not teaching my brothers and I our native

I wasn’t Catholic. I wasn’t even fully Mexican, just biracial.

I wasn’t good enough to call myself Mexican.

That’s what I told myself every time I struggled in my Spanish classes in high school. I would cry in my tia’s guest room after visiting my grandfather and step-grandmother because I couldn’t speak to them without a translator.

This translator was a cousin named Cielo. Her name means sky or heaven, which I find fitting, as she dragged me into my own form of heaven when I moved closer to her at 19.

After I moved to San José for my sophomore year of college, I quickly latched onto Cielo. She was my lifeline and connection to the culture I was frantically searching for.

Cielo’s house became my sanctuary. Her parents became mine while I was away from home. She became my tutor for folklorico, a traditional Mexican dance. My tío and tía became my Spanish professors.

out Google Translate.

I found myself cradled in supportive love the longer I resided in San José. My partner, family and new friends encouraged me to embrace my Mexican heritage. They patiently tutored me in language, recipes, dance and acceptance.

Instead of being excluded and taunted, I was brought to holidays with extended relatives. I was pulled into a dance company that remains steadfast in their mission to teach me, one of the most uncoordinated dancers of their ranks, how to move my folklorico skirt just right.

My identity crisis was swept away far easier than I expected as soon as I surrounded myself with an accepting community.

The hardest realization was that I was never a disgrace to my culture, I was just surrounded by people who treated me like one.

Growing up a “no sabo kid” is not a crime against my ancestors, but instead a

The right to your Mexican heritage isn’t given after meeting a list of unattainable qualifications. It isn’t a job application that you pray is accepted. Being a part of Mexican culture is a learning process. Being biracial isn’t a crime against your family.

Oh, and to that ex-boyfriend; screw you. I worked hard to learn and love my Mexican side, and no one can ever take that from me again.

ILLUSTRATION BY TRACY ESCOBEDO

Growing up in limbo between being too white for one side of your identity and being too brown for the other can tear someone apart.

Follow Alicia on X (formerly Twitter) @alicialvarez02

Canilao's

Commentary:

Pick-six cost SJSU its' second win

By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In one of San José State’s best defensive performances of the season, it was the offense that led the Spartans down in a 21-17 loss to University of Toledo on Saturday night.

SJSU was in control of the game up until the middle of the third quarter, but a string of bad offensive plays prevented the Spartans from getting the win.

“The first half we were rolling and we had the momentum, but in the second half they started making adjustments,” said SJSU quarterback Chevan Cordeiro. “They started bringing more pressure, switching up coverages. We just couldn’t capitalize.”

SJSU’s offense played well through two and a half quarters as the Spartans held a 17-7 lead in the middle of the third quarter.

The play that ended up changing the direction of the game came after Toledo cut the SJSU lead to 17-14 with six minutes left in the third quarter.

With the Spartans backed up on their own 15-yard line, Cordeiro dropped back and threw the ball to junior wide receiver Nick Nash. Nash stopped three yards short of the right side line and Cordeiro threw the ball into the hands of Toledo cornerback Chris McDonald who returned the interception 25 yards for a touchdown.

It looked like there was a miscommunication between Cordeiro and Nash as Cordeiro threw the ball towards the sideline, expecting Nash to run an out route.

Head coach Brent Brennan said that Nash was partially fouled on the play that led to the interception.

“It’s frustrating because we’re winning the game and the deciding touchdown is an interception,” Brennan said. “I thought Nick Nash got like hugged the first eight yards (of the route) and then got thrown out of the way.”

Rockets escape Spartans

By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER

San José State allowed 229 rushing yards and blew a 10-point secondhalf lead in its 21-17 loss to the University of Toledo on Saturday night at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio.

The Spartans (1-3) had a 10-point lead

SPARTANS 17

ROCKETS

in the third quarter, but gave up 14 second-half points while the offense failed to score in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback

Chevan Cordeiro surpassed 10,000 career passing yards in Saturday’s game, but the milestone was overshadowed by him throwing what would be the gamelosing pick-six in the third quarter.

“We just didn’t make enough plays down the stretch to get it done and that’s just devastating,” said SJSU head coach Brent Brennan.

The Spartans’ defense shut down Toledo (2-1) in the first quarter. The Rockets’ offense mustered up 15 first-quarter yards

and went threeand-out in both of their possessions.

After SJSU recovered a muffed kickoff return, Cordeiro found junior tight end Dominick Mazotti for a 20-yard touchdown pass to put the Spartans up 10-0 with just under 7 minutes left in the second quarter.

Toledo’s offense showed life in its final possession of the first half. Rockets’ quarterback Dequan Finn capped off an 18-play, 98-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jerjuan Newton to close the gap to 10-7 going into halftime.

SJSU looked to have turned the corner early in the third quarter after

senior running back Kairee Robinson bulldozed his way for a 15-yard touchdown rush to take a 17-7 lead.

On the ensuing possession, Finn drove the Rockets 63 yards on eight plays ending with a 15-yard touchdown rush from Finn to cut the deficit to 17-14.

Later in the third quarter, Rockets’ cornerback Chris Mcdonald returned an interception for a touchdown off of Cordeiro to put Toledo up 21-17. Cordeiro, who refused to comment on the interception after the game, broke a streak of 117 consecutive passes without an interception. The Spartans’

offense struggled in the fourth quarter after the interception, failing to put points on the board. On SJSU’s last possession, Cordeiro was sacked on third-and-10 and Brennan elected to punt with 1:58 left in the game. “We had three timeouts and I thought our defense was playing well,” Brennan said about the decision to punt. “We didn’t want to give them the ball inside our 40-yard line and give them a short field.”

Toledo ran out the clock on the next possession and sealed its second consecutive win.

SJSU has now lost three of its last four games. The Spartans’ 1-3 start

is the worst start under Brennan since 2018 when the team went 1-11.

SJSU will start conference play on a short week as the Spartans are scheduled to play Air Force at 7 p.m. on Friday at CEFCU Stadium.

The Falcons are undefeated and beat Utah State 39-21 in their Week 3 matchup.

After throwing the picksix, SJSU’s offense sputtered as Cordeiro completed 7 of 14 passes for 52 yards and was sacked three times.

SJSU’s offense has struggled to find consistency this season partially because of an inconsistent lineup that has had to fill holes game by game.

Junior tight end Sam Olson went down in the second quarter with a knee injury and did not return to action during Saturday’s game. Brennan announced on Monday that All-Conference wide receiver Justin Lockhart will require surgery for an undisclosed injury and will miss the rest of the year.

SJSU’s schedule doesn’t get any easier and will need its offense to step up during conference play.

The Spartans open up Mountain West Conference play against Air Force who has one of the stingier defenses in the conference. The Falcons currently rank No. 1 in the Mountain West in total defense and have allowed just 4 touchdowns this season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SJSU ATHLETICS

SJSU quarterback Chevan Cordeiro (right) throws the ball to running back Kairee Robinson (left) in the Spartans' loss to Toledo last Saturday.

Spartans tie Lancers at home

By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The San José State women’s soccer team played to a stalemate as the Spartans tied with California Baptist University 0-0 at the

Spartan Soccer Complex last Thursday.

SJSU (2-3-3) recorded 11 shots with 6 on goal, but couldn’t find the net. The Spartans lost the possession battle as Cal Baptist (5-1-3) controlled the ball 53% of the time.

Sophomore goalkeeper Bente Pernot was a bright spot, blocking all 6 of the Lancers’ shots on goal. Pernot is second in the Mountain West Conference with 39 saves this season.

“It was a tale of two different halves,” said SJSU head coach Tina

Estrada. “We had a very good first half and they had a very good second half. This was a good matchup. I think both teams are pretty similar. I thought it was an overall even match and you can kind of see the score line prove it.”

The Spartans had opportunities in the first half to score, but couldn’t convert. SJSU’s closest shot came in the 32nd minute when senior midfielder Sabrina Weinman got off a shot to the right side of the goal, but was saved by Cal Baptist goalkeeper Noa Schumacher.

At the end of the first half, SJSU had 6 shots on goal.

The Lancers came out of halftime more aggressive. Cal Baptist controlled the ball for a majority of the second half and had 10 total shots.

In the 46th minute, Cal Baptist forward Kaylee Hauck received the ball outside the left wing of the box and kicked a right-footed rainbow shot that missed wide right.

The Lancers had another opportunity to score in the 72nd minute. Defender McKenna Ray found space just

outside the left wing of the box and fired a laser to the right side of the goal. Pernot went full extension to block the ball out of bounds and prevent a decisive goal.

“I think as a goalkeeper, you have to deal with any shot in whatever way you can,” Pernot said about the save. “The Superman save was the way to deal with it in my head and that’s what I chose to do.”

SJSU didn’t record a shot on goal in the second half, leading to a tie when the final buzzer sounded.

“I think our defense had a good performance

because we had a shutout,” Pernot said. “I think we learned a lot about ourselves throughout the preseason about keeping our composure on our backline.”

The Spartans will open up conference play against the University of New Mexico at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Spartan Soccer Complex, a rematch of the 2022 Mountain West Championship semifinal.

San José State junior midfielder Taylor Phillips takes a shot in a tie against California Baptist University at the Spartan Soc cer Complex last