Students struggle with voting
By Alejandra Gallo STAFF WRITER
Historically, voter turnout among college students varies from election to election but there is an upward trend in recent years.
Young adulthood is an important period for youth in terms of developing a desire for civic involvement, according to a 2020 Electoral Studies study.
Diya Agrawal, a thirdyear political science student, said she plans on voting in the upcoming presidential election on Nov. 5.
“I feel a sense of importance and responsibility because this is my first presidential election,” Agrawal said. “I know that my vote matters.”
In previous election years, there were low “yield rates” on college campuses because students were registering in high numbers, but not voting according to an Oct. 28, 2021 Tufts Now article.
“I see the urgency of getting college students to vote but I understand that voting can be very overwhelming for students,” Agrawal said. “Especially for first-time voters, students may feel that they don’t have enough resources and it may seem really complicated.”
However, in 2020, the rate of students who voted increased by 17% from 2016, according to the same article.
“There is an upward trend of students who are voting but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Agrawal said.
College students are now voting at higher rates than previous generations, according to a Sept. 30 Hechinger Report article.
Melinda Jackson, dean of undergraduate education
and political science professor, believes that many factors contribute to a decrease in student voter turnout.
“If students don’t feel excited about voting, they are less likely to vote,” Jackson said. “Building up excitement and creating a norm that it is important to vote is crucial in institutions like San José State.”
Many things can prevent college students from voting, such as students’ enthusiasm, availability of resources about the election and more, according to a National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement study.
“Intimidation is a big factor that prevents some college students from participating in elections,” Jackson said.
Educational institutions and experience are associated with voter turnout among young people, according to a Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement web page.
“A lot of new voters aren’t sure what to believe and how they can make sure they’re getting accurate information,” Jackson said.
“This often prevents them from participating and showing up to the polls.”
Misinformation can be very damaging because it often prevents voters from casting their ballot, according to this Brennan Center For Justice web page.
Jackson said she believes that there is a lot of misinformation that is on the internet and because of all the information, students don’t know what to believe.
Agrawal is an active member of SJSU Votes and helps host events to encourage students to vote.
“Institutions like SJSU can play a big role in bringing college students to the polls,” Agrawal said.
“One way students can learn about the election is through SJSU Votes.”
SJSU Votes is a nonpartisan campus student organization managed by SJSU students and faculty under the direction of the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement that hopes to educate, mobilize and make voting more accessible to students, according to the organization’s web page.
“Many college students are discouraged from voting because they have a hard time finding resources on how to participate in the election and also who to elect,” Agrawal said. “It is
“People who vote get to make decisions concerning these voters and the policies that get passed.”
Crane said she believes that if college students do not cast a ballot, the older generations will make decisions for them, resulting in college student voters being a minority.
“There are many pertinent issues on the ballot that college students care about,” Agrawal said.
Youth who voted in the 2022 midterm elections reported abortion being the top issue that influenced their vote, according to a Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning
Intimidation is a big factor that prevents some college students from participating in elections.
Melinda Jackson
Dean of undergraduate education and political science professor
also intimidating because it’s easy to feel like you don’t have the right information.”
SJSU Votes does a variety of voter education and turnout events, such as tabling or information sessions about voting that inform students about elections and candidates, according to Jackson.
“It’s important to show students in a nonpartisan way that it’s important to vote,” Agrawal said.
Donna Crane, lecturer at the department of political science, believes that college student voting is crucial.
“If young people don’t vote, then what that means is that you’re changing the denominator in the election,” Crane said.
and Engagement web page.
“Something that is different nowadays is that young populations are way more diverse, racially, ethnically and in terms of their immigration status,” Crane said.
Magnus Herrlin, a fourthyear business administration student, believes that apart from factors that lead to college students voting less, Gen Z is misunderstood.
“It kind of feels like there’s this weird juxtaposition because a lot of people view Gen Z as a very politically active group but that doesn’t translate to the voting results,” Herrlin said.
Gen Z is more motivated by issues and values, such as climate change, according
to a May 26. 2021 Pew Research Center study.
“Gen Z feels very disgruntled with the political state of the country and feels that races don’t really represent their values,” Herrlin. “They (also) can’t find a politician who will align with themselves,” Herrlin said.
About 47% of newly eligible Gen Z voters are youth of color, according to an Oct. 18, 2023 CIRCLE article.
Though the American electorate has become younger and more diverse, African American college students experience racism when voting because they are more vulnerable to voter suppression laws which include inaccessible voting locations, harassment and restrictive voter identification laws, according to a March 31, 2022 BestColleges article.
“If young people vote, then the country will look closer to what youth look like and what they want,” Crane said.
In the upcoming presidential election, at least 14 states will have 17 restrictive voting laws, according to a Jan. 18, 2024 Brennan Center for Justice article.
“People need to have trust in our institutions again because people feel that politics aren’t working and their vote doesn’t matter when really voting does matter,” Herrlin said.
“It’s about changing the narrative.”
Herrlin said students don’t vote because they feel that their vote won’t count.
Students are motivated to vote but when it comes to casting their ballot, they are hesitant about the legitimacy in elections, according to an Aug. 24, 2020 Vox article.
Political science professor Melinda Jackson believes that students think their
vote won’t matter because of how competitive the state they live in is.
“In a state like California, it’s a Democratic state and won’t make a difference in the electoral college because the Democratic candidate will get the California vote,” Jackson said.
The seven swing states that will decide the election are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, according to a Sep. 30 BBC article.
“The fact that we already know that California will vote for the Democratic candidate means that it can be less motivating for college students to vote,” Jackson said.
One way that college students can participate more in national elections is by also participating in local elections, which tend to impact them more, according to Herrlin.
“Local elections impact our lives more than what happens more in our dayto-day life,” Herrlin said.
In San José, there are City Council Member and Mayoral elections set for Nov. 5, according to a City of San José web page.
“It’s important to get students to vote in national elections, but one way to encourage these students to participate in these elections is getting them to participate in the local ones too,” Herrlin said.
Young people have a very great potential to influence elections and push for issues that they are passionate about, according to a Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement web page.
“Students need to feel a sense of urgency to vote,” Agrawal said. “Our vote
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SJSU club wins a concert for San José
By Israel Archie STAFF WRITER
A San José State student club, Up & Up, keeps coming up on top after winning a live concert for the school.
The two-day competition was different colleges trying to get the most presale tickets, according to the club web page.
The five colleges with the most presale tickets each win a concert for their school which happens to be a Matroda concert this year.
Matroda is a Croatian electronic dance music (EDM) artist according to a web page from Insomniac Records.
He is also a producer who placed 29 in the Top 101 producers in 2021, which can be seen on 1001 Tracklists’s web page.
For the club to win the contest, they had to encourage students to buy presale tickets for the concert.
Up & Up club president, Suhani Kakaria, is pleased to see all of the club’s hard work paid off.
“I think it was a great moment for all of us,” Kakaria said. “This semester has been pretty hard but that moment showed us that it finally worked and we got what we wanted.”
She said she is the president
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of a club that brings students together with music, whether that be putting on concerts for students through crowd sourcing ticket sales.
Kakaria attributes the early struggles to having a completely different executive board from last semester and says that it felt like they had to rebuild the club from the ground up.
Luckily, she had help from club chairman Kasey Koehler who was excited to find out that Up & Up won the concert.
“We were competing against 80 different schools and we are a small community school,” Koehler said. “So it was a huge win for us.”
Koehler performed at an event in September, before the presale competition started.
Students from the club showcased their DJ abilities and club ambassadors encouraged people to buy presale tickets at After Hours, a live music venue in downtown San Jose.
“We basically threw a party for our presale event,” Koehler said. “I think that might have pushed us over the edge a little bit because it was a huge turnout.”
Kakaria said that another factor in their win was the fact that they focused more on social media engagement this semester.
“We were posting nonstop,” Kakaria said. “I think social media was one the biggest reasons why we won because we were posting so much.”
The social media chairs of the club would post on Instagram and Twitter on a regular basis to get people to pay attention to the competition.
The club’s members were not the only winners in all of this. Alondra Campos, a thirdyear business administration and management information systems student, won VIP tickets to meet Matroda in a giveaway contest.
“I was honestly really
shocked (because) I have never won any type of giveaway so I was super excited,” Campos said. “I have never met any one wellknown in any industry.”
Campos is a fan of Matroda but her first experience at his set was not what she had hoped for.
“I had gone to Hard Summer and I had gone to see him but it was extremely crowded and hot (so) I could not fully enjoy it,” Campos said. “I am excited to see him again and get a redo from the last time I saw him.”
Like Kakaria and Koehler, Campos had some good
things to say about the Up & Up club and the role they play at SJSU.
“It is a nice sense of community on campus that brings students together who all like EDM,” Campos said.
“I’m glad there are clubs like (this) on campus.”
Kakaria also shares the same sentiment of the communal aspect that this club has.
“It comes down to the team that we have (and) we have a huge team,” Kakaria said.
“Every person matters and I think that everyone worked really hard and it paid off. ”
“Teamwork is what made us win (and) every little thing helps,” Koehler said. “We have videographers, people who take photos, people who do content creation and every single section of our organization counts.”
Up & Up plans to hold the Matroda concert at the Guildhouse, a downtown gaming bar, on November 14.
With a group of 40 people in the club, it takes more than just the executive board to achieve a win like this.
‘The Wild Robot’ steels hearts
By Anfisa Pitchkhadze STAFF WRITER
DreamWorks Animation
“The Wild Robot,” directed by Academy Award nominee Chris Sanders, was a delightful film that touched my heart.
Sanders was approached by DreamWorks to make a film adaptation of Peter Brown’s book, “The Wild Robot,” according to Sept. 27 The Wrap. The film was released on September 27.
The premise of the film follows a robot named ROZZUM Unit 7134 or Roz (Lupita Nyong’o), who washed up ashore on an island inhabited by various animals. Roz tries to navigate her way through the wildlife,
only for the animals to reject and run away from her when attempting to offer several animals for help.
Her life in the wilderness becomes more difficult when she is tasked with raising a gosling. It was intriguing to see how Roz’s life would play out while raising a goose because she is a robot.
Audiences meet Pinktail (Catherine O’Hara) when Roz seeks advice on raising the gosling and it embarks a wild ride for Roz.
At first, I was skeptical about the film because I was unsure of how good the film would be once I saw the trailer.
However, it exceeded my expectations and a key part of the film’s success was to establish a firm plot that does not have any plot holes.
I found that the film had a plot that was easy to follow for audiences and every scene after another flowed nicely.
Roz is a charming protagonist who quickly wins the hearts of audiences in her journey and I was hooked.
She goes through the motions of adapting to an environment that is vastly different from hers. I felt sympathetic towards Roz because it was hard to see her try to fit in when she was much different.
Roz’s purpose is only
to help others and she is programmed to complete tasks for them.
This part of the film showed the reality of how some people are judged by their appearances and how that forms their viewpoints.
It set a reminder that we should not make assumptions about people without even getting to know them first.
As the film continues, her interactions with the island felt deeply impactful and humorous, adding layers to the story’s exploration of identity and community.
It was a smart choice to incorporate humor into the film because it made the characters likable. The animals had some hilarious one-liners and their actions left the audience chuckling.
The supporting cast of characters is also excellent, with each animal bringing their unique personality and charm.
I felt the voice actors got into their characters and portrayed them exceptionally well. They added depth and exaggeration that made their characters stand out on their own.
For example, another animal named Fink (Pedro Pascal) is initially seen as cold and cunning. Later on in the film, he starts feeling compassionate and
open towards others.
I found the animation style of “The Wild Robot” eye-catching and visually appealing to see.
The animation had a more vibrant, distinct style that makes this film unique compared to other animated films.
Sanders said the film used a hand painted appearance in inspiration of old Disney movies and movies from Japanese animator and artist, Hayao Miyazaki, according to an April 10 The Variety article.
The aesthetic of the
animation is one of the strongest suites that made the film stand out.
Seeing the animation on the big screen was aesthetically pleasing and enhanced the characters’ features.
The filmmakers also vividly brought the lush forests, mountains, crashing waves and stormy skies which made every detail of the island come to life.
The unique style reminded me of the animation used in “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” and I was pleased to see this use of animation gaining more traction.
It has everything that people look for in a film; a smooth plot line, character development and various themes.
DreamWorks’ latest film tells a touching and emotional story of coming together while touching on themes of motherhood, FA family and survival.
Sanders and the cast did a phenomenal job of bringing this film to life and will definitely leave you emotional.
COURTESY PHOTO BY SUHANI KAKARIA
San José State Up & Up executive board members wear matching jerseys for the presale party at After Hours.
“The Wild Robot” Rating:
Directed by: Chris Sanders Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal Genre: Science fiction, animation
ILLUSTRATION BY ANFISA PITCHKHADZE
Coldplay’s next phase is sparkling
By Alejandra Gallo STAFF WRITER
Coldplay’s new album “Moon Music” was released on Friday, and it transported me to outer space.
The band’s new album was woven with strong sounds of guitar and drums while still managing to make it romantic and hopeful. Which is similar to the songs I grew up listening to.
Coldplay hinted that the 10th studio album may be their last, according to a Thursday BBC article.
This news is upsetting because the band has rarely disappointed me and always hits the spot with their easy-going songs, such as “Viva La Vida” and “A Sky Full of Stars.”
However, the album doesn’t disappoint and comes in at 44 minutes long and features 10 tracks.
The album starts with
“MOON MUSiC” with Jon Hopkins, which initially seemed like a song I’d listen to while studying because of its relaxing instrumental tune.
This track made me feel calm and set the mood for the rest of the album that I would listen to.
After two minutes and 53 seconds into the song, Coldplay finally displays their everlasting charm with lyrics like, “But I’m trying to trust in the heavens above / And I’m trying to trust in a world full of love.”
It then transitions to the second track, “feelslikeimfallinginlove,” which I was humming for the rest of the day and swaying in my chair as I did homework.
The lyrics, “Oh, it feels like / I’m fallin’ in love / Maybe for the first time / Baby, it’s my mind you blow,” makes this song timeless with its sentimental feel.
It’s irresistibly romantic, light-hearted and care-free because of the relaxing guitar
album review
songs and lead singer Chris Martin’s soft voice.
“WE PRAY” has euphoric sounds and the overlap of its contributor’s voices makes them blend together nicely.
This song features English rapper Little Simz, Nigerian singer Burna Boy, PalestinianChilean singer Elyanna and Argentinian singer Tini,
Similarly, “WE PRAY” was filmed on Grafton Street in Ireland after a show, with fans happily singing and dancing to the song, according to this Irish Examiner article.
“GOOD FEELiNGS” with Ayra Starr is a classic feel-good song that reminds me of early 2000s music, which emphasizes Coldplay’s allegiance to their
The band’s new album was woven with strong sounds of guitar and drums while still managing to make it romantic and hopeful, which is similar to the songs I grew up listening to.
according to a Thursday The National article.
I enjoyed this collaboration because since this song was more upbeat than the other ones, the different collaborators’ voices just put it all together.
The music video echoed nostalgia because it reminds me of Coldplay’s 2015 “Hymn For The Weekend” music video featuring Beyoncé singing parts of the song, since it was filmed in locations around Mumbai.
style, similar to “Yellow” from 2000.
The seventh track “iAAM” is a fast-paced song and we’re immediately hit with the verse, “I got this feeling and just what it is, God only knows / I got this feeling and I think I'm seeing thunderbolts.”
This song has a repetitive pattern of drum sounds at the beginning, which I like because it complements the softer guitar notes at the end.
“ALL MY LOVE,” is a beautiful confession of love that had me thinking of the one person I love the most.
The lyrics, “We’ve been through high / Every corner of the sky / And still we’re holding on together,” addresses the difficulties of any relationship and the battles that must be overcome in this sentimental song.
The album concludes with the song “ONE WORLD,” which is a very hopeful and peaceful song.
Elements like birds chirping at the beginning, a soft strum of a guitar and piano keys are used.
The chorus, “In the end, it’s just love,” ties this album together and is the perfect conclusion because of its romantic tone.
Even though some may call this album ‘out of touch’ because of the positivity and romance, it is a much-needed escape from daily stressors.
By the end of the album, I've arrived back on Earth but I’m still on “Moon Music” because this album made me feel all the best emotions of nostalgia, love and hope.
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEJANDRA GALLO
Gentrification sinks its teeth into food
By Charity Spicer STAFF WRITER
Food gentrification is anywhere you could imagine that involves food whether it be foodie TikToks and Instagram reels, farmer’s markets or the menu of a local restaurant.
Gentrification is generally defined as the process of popularizing property in under-developed areas resulting in the influx of wealthier residents and pushing out the existing, poorer residents, according to The Economics Review.
However, gentrification doesn’t just apply to property. Food is one of the hottest subjects that has been affected by gentrification.
The Bay Area has been long known for its diversity and rich history of immigrant communities which is visible in the most popular local restaurants, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
San José has gained a reputation for being a hub of diverse restaurants across different communities.
East Side and Downtown San José are home to some of the most beloved Mexican restaurants in the area. For example, they are notably known for taquerías, birrierias and panaderías.
Outside of that, you can also find your next tamale fix in the back of someone’s car in a Walmart parking lot.
Some of the best Vietnamese phở, bún bò huế, and bánh mì in the area can also be traced to
spots in San José, according to a Sep. 24 San Francisco Chronicle article.
Not to mention, Cupertino and Sunnyvale are renowned for their Asian and Middle Eastern restaurants spanning from Korean BBQ to shawarma and falafel.
These restaurants have notably gained popularity because of social media foodies revealing some of the Bay Area’s best-kept secrets.
While some people of color in the community may argue that this exposure is a positive thing for businesses to grow and expand, I beg to differ.
As a biracial person whose parents come from completely different community backgrounds in San José, seeing the effect food gentrification has had on local businesses from both viewpoints is quite intriguing.
My dad is white, grew up in a Protestant-Christian household and lived in the suburbs of South San José.
Whereas my mom came from a Mexican-American family and grew up in a barrio (Spanish-speaking neighborhood) in San José.
Both my parents love to eat and cook Mexican food, but their past experiences and cultural differences are drastic.
Growing up in an interracial family, I was used to eating a lot of American food like burgers and barbeque, but I also ate and helped cook enchiladas, tostadas, tortillas, frijoles and arroz all the time.
As my food palate has
changed and developed so have some of my family’s favorite Mexican restaurant preferences, and not in a positive way.
So-called “hot” salsa is mild, asada is dried out and bland, and frijoles taste watered down at many of my former favorite restaurants.
There may be multiple reasons for this, but my main observation is white people discovering Mexican food staples and businesses catering to their taste preferences.
I am all for people trying to diversify their food choices, and appreciating and understanding different cultures, but the appropriation of these cultures is far more common.
I’m reminded time and time again that no matter how much white people educate themselves, privilege and ignorance is still deeply ingrained.
A couple of weeks ago, I came across an Instagram reel of a queer white person, Leo Niehorster, who claimed they had discovered “queer food.”
This was essentially just food from different ethnic communities—which erased cultural significance and the history of colonialism affecting their perspective.
Niehorster has since taken the post down because of significant backlash and corrected themselves in a July 22 Instagram reel.
Despite their efforts to educate themselves, this is a perfect example of the gentrification seen in restaurants all over the Bay
Area and the rest of the United States.
Friends of mine have increasingly seen food from their own cultures continue to be appropriated by white people in San José.
This causes them to struggle to order their go-to dish because the menu has been translated to English — not to mention the overinflated prices.
Additionally, Chinese food in America specifically has fallen prey to the notion of under inflated food since white people commonly regard it as unhealthy and not worth the price.
An instance of this is when the Dough Zone Dumpling House menu changed its system of ordering as well as its descriptions and names of the food.
I noticed this change once more white people were
increasingly eating at the restaurant in Cupertino.
Six years ago, SJSU students Alison Hope Alkon and Yahya Josh Cadji published a paper in the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research entitled “Sowing Seeds of Displacement: Gentrification and Food Justice in Oakland, CA.”
This paper highlighted the problematic elements of “green gentrification” and its affect on marginalized communities.
Green gentrification is the idea that sustainability and food justice is only fronted by white people and is used to draw in wealthy people into an area and drive out low-income communities, according to Alkon and Cadji.
Fernanda Cortes, a Mexican social media influencer, regularly calls
out food gentrification in modern Mexican restaurants and the changing taste of jalapeños.
This can only be addressed if people recognize these patterns as actual gentrification of minority cultures’ food and not just a changing business for profit.
There is nothing inherently wrong with preferring one food over another, but actively inserting yourself into someone’s culture and attempting to potentially change their food to your own liking (whether you are aware of it or not) is completely ignorant and outright racist.