NAMED NATIONAL FOUR-YEAR DAILY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR FOR 2020-21 IN THE COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION’S PINNACLE AWARDS
Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022
Volume 159 No. 22 SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
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PHOTOS BY NICK ZAMORA | SPARTAN DAILY
Above: Lifelong activist Dolores Huerta raises her fist in solidarity with working-class people and calls on the audience to do the same on Tuesday evening in the Student Union Ballroom. Below: About 300 San Jose State community members raise their fists in response to Huerta’s call to action and organization for the future.
Dolores Huerta speaks at SJSU Ninety-two-year-old activist says a new generation of advocacy must rise By Nick Zamora STAFF WRITER
Lifelong activist Dolores Huerta spoke at San Jose State’s Keynote Speaker series at the Student Union Ballroom Tuesday night, hoping to pass the torch to the next generation of activists. Diana Victa, department manager for the Cesar E. Chavez Community Action Center, said Huerta’s spirit continues to inspire her. “Dolores Huerta is 92 and a half years old and so the fact that she’s been doing this activism work for as long as she has been, I think, is so powerful,” Victa said. The longtime activist and advocate was introduced by university Interim President Steve Perez and California Senator Alex Padilla during the event and through a video message respectively. Huerta’s visit and speech on campus comes through a collaboration with and sponsorship from the Cesar E. Chavez Community Action Center. Huerta addressed a crowd of about 300 in-person attendants and more than 250 online through Zoom. She is immortalized on the SJSU campus with her image on the “Arch of Dignity, Equality and Justice” located next to Seventh Street Plaza. Huerta is also a founding member
of the United Farm Workers (UFW), a labor union for farm workers, alongside Cesar E. Chavez and today, is the president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to organizing communities empowered to pursue social justice, according to the foundation’s website. She said she took this speaking opportunity to call to the next generation of activists and organizers. During the event, Huerta said America right now is at a “critical, critical moment” as problems that are being talked about today were present when she was growing up, but are finally brought to the forefront of conversations. She spoke on being pro-gay marriage, pro-abortion and called for more women in boardrooms, specifically telling women present in the audience to: “Go for it” and “Do what the men do – Just apply and learn on the job.” Huerta’s activism began in the 1950s as an elementary school teacher who was tired of seeing her students come to class hungry and without shoes. She said she soon began working in leadership at the Stockton Chapter of the Community Service Organization as a means of taking
more power into her own hands. The Community Service Organization was founded in 1948 to empower immigrants through such programs as voter registration drives, citizenship classes, lawsuits and legislative campaigns, according to the Online Archive of California, a resource website that details the history of California. Huerta described how she would do “houseleanings” after she started working at the Community Service Organization Stockton Chapter. “Houseleanings” was a practice of gathering in small groups at someone’s house as a means to educate and gather political support for a cause. “Making people understand that they have power, that’s democracy,” Huerta said during the event. She said she was introduced to Cesar E. Chavez through her work with the Community Service Organization and soon resigned from her work at the organization
to help create the National Farm Workers Association in Spring 1962. Later, the National Farm Workers Association became UFW. The union today is the nation’s longest enduring and largest farm worker’s union that has a bargaining contract that represents thousands of farm workers in California, Oregon and Washington, according to the UFW website. Dolores is known for coming up with and popularizing the UFW’s motto: “¡Si, se puede!” or “Yes we can!” Eliana, who wished to go by her first name because of privacy concerns, said there needs to be more activist women of color, so people can look up to them. “I feel like for a lot of people she poses as a beacon of hope that regardless of your identities,” said Eliana, representative from the UndocuSpartan Student Resource Center and Student-at-Large for Associated Students. “You’re still
able to contribute to spaces where oftentimes we’re pushed aside or are disregarded.” The Stockton Chapter of the Community Service Organization was able to advocate for and institute laws that would empower and enfranchise Brown and underrepresented communities. During Huerta’s time with the Community Service Organization, she said she helped pass laws that require driver’s licenses and voter guides be available in Spanish as well as made public services accessible to Green Card holders in California. “It’s important to march and to protest, but unless it’s put into law that can be enforced, it can’t make a difference,” Huerta said. Huerta closed the evening by asking each individual to stand and raise a fist in solidarity for workers rights, in a call and answer exchange, “¡Si, se puede!” Follow the Spartan Daily on Twitter @SpartanDaily
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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12, 2022
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
SJ vendors showcase at ‘La Pulga’ Story & photos by Alexia Frederickson STAFF WRITER
Community members frolic through the Berryessa Flea Market in part of pop-up event
Pop-Up SJ celebrated its second anniversary of its Vintage Market at “The Garden at the Flea” on Friday and Saturday. The event featured more than 30 local vendors who sold sneakers, accessories and vintage clothing. Pop-Up SJ is the newest regular event at The Garden and is held every second and fourth Friday and Saturday of every month. The vendors, many of whom have been participating since the event’s inception in late 2020, consisted of local resellers and vintage store owners. Local artist and vendor Alfredo Martinez has been selling clothes at the San Jose Flea Market for eight years. “I didn’t even know it’s been two years since
they started [the Vintage Market],” Martinez said. “I think it’s great what they’ve been doing to the market the past couple years.” Though the Berryessa Flea Market has been a San Jose staple since 1960, The Garden at the Flea, opened in 2019. It serves as an extension of the flea market, which is also known as “La Pulga” to Spanish speakers, and features a variety of spaces for vendors and guests alike. Since the Flea’s opening 62 years ago, it has become a staple of San Jose where vendors are able to sell a variety of items, including clothes. The Garden at the Flea provides another dedicated space for people to buy second hand items from locals. It gives people the opportunity to support local businesses, instead of having to buy desirable vintage items from large corporate companies.
Many tents were pitched under the awnings of The Garden, with the North San Jose Berryessa BART station directly above the Flea, connecting the rest of the Bay Area to San Jose. Small businesses of local accessory makers and a multitude of online resellers were offering an assortment of second hand clothing. Many had come out for the weekend to celebrate the anniversary. Jared Gomez, an attendee at the market, said it was “really great” to see so many vendors who are dedicated to vintage clothing. Gomez said he’s glad to see how the pop-up has grown since its first outing.
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Top: Two community members have a conversation at The Garden at the Flea, which features a small garden area, on Saturday.
Above left: Attendees and vendors stroll various booths.
Above right: Pop-Up SJ’s Vintage Market bustles with community members. Left: Visitors who came from the North San Jose Berryessa BART station directly above the Flea are met with a bright “Welcome” sign.
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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12, 2022
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12, 2022
ALBUM REVIEW
ILLUSTRATION BY SAM DIETZ
New duo from Migos disappoints By Nathan Canilao MANAGING EDITOR
After members of the rap trio Migos clashed on social media, Quavo and Takeoff left the group and released their own album, “Only Built For Infinity Links” on Friday. Migos, which was made up of Offset, Quavo and Takeoff, looked to be in danger of breaking up in April after Offset unfollowed both Quavo and Takeoff, according to an Aug. 25 UPROXX article, a pop culture website dedicated to entertainment, music, lifestyle and sports. The reason behind Offset’s departure is still unclear to the public and is surprising because of the group’s “brotherhood” motto. With the band’s future up in the air, Quavo and Takeoff wasted no time in dropping another album. Though the mystique of Quavo and Takeoff creating their own project made the album intriguing, “Only Built for Infinity Links” falls short and sounds like the same old, redundant Migos who have been releasing music for the past five years. When Migos dropped their sophomore album “Culture,” they brought a new sound that mixed classic southern flow with a heavy 808 bass. But the trio never grew from that sound given they tried to replicate the sound on future albums. Offset’s absence is felt on a lot of the tracks in “Only Built For Infinity Links.” His brash flow and tricky word play could have fit in perfectly with the album’s production. But after listening to four songs, I asked myself, “Could this be a new sound that makes them relevant again?” The album starts off strong with
“Two Infinity Links,” which is similar to previous Migos openers in that it makes you want to run through a wall. “Hotel Lobby” brings an adrenaline rush with the song mixing a good blend of the classic Atlanta-trap trumpets and a hard 808 drum machine. The best track on the album is “Bars into Captions,” which samples the 2000 hip-hop classic “So Fresh, So Clean” by hip-hop duo OutKast.
words and had his own creative take on the verse. After the song “Bars Into Captions,” the album goes on to be a mix of repetitive strip club music and mid-Atlanta trap that has dominated hip-hop in recent years. When it came to the tracks that featured other artists, Migos was unable to play to the different rappers’ strengths. I was excited to hear “Chocolate,” which featured rappers Young Thug and Gunna,
“Only Built for Infinity Links” falls short and sounds like the same old, redundant Migos who have been releasing music for the past five years. OutKast has been an influential group that has had national and local influence on the Atlanta rap scene. Their mix of weird word delivery and mellow beats is an interesting juxtaposition to traditional Atlanta-trap music that involves nothing more than a slow delivery and fast paced beat. I’m usually not a fan of artists sampling rap tracks because the genre is oversaturated with them but Migos killed it on that track. They brought back the sounds of Migos from 2018, which was a heavy mix of up-beat flow over heavy bass production. Takeoff took the second verse of the song and copied the same flow as popular rapper and OutKast member Andre 3000 did in “So Fresh, So Clean.” Takeoff didn’t copy Andre 3000’s exact
but was disappointed. Bars including, “I just copped some molly, it was looking like sand. Shittin’ on you n***** wanna keep this shit stainless,” were dreadful to hear. “Mixy,” featuring singer Summer Walker, was another tough listen. Walker’s greatest strength as an R&B singer is a low, melodic production in which she can drag out her voice on a track. Instead, Walker was rapping over a trap beat that only served to be beneficial for Takeoff and Quavo. There were also so many “throwaway” songs that were littered throughout the album. “Big Stunna,” “Us vs. Them” and “Tools” were a few songs that did not deserve to be on the album.
album review Artist: Quavo & Takeoff
“Only Built For Infinity Links” Rating:
Release date: Friday
Genre: hip-hop/rap
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EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOJANA CVIJIC MANAGING EDITOR NATHAN CANILAO ASSOCIATE EDITOR SAUMYA MONGA PRODUCTION EDITOR BRYANNA BARTLETT A&E EDITOR SAM DIETZ
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Themed albums are slowly starting to die off in the rap industry, but Quavo and Takeoff are just not good enough to veer off the genre’s usual trend of unthemed albums. A first listen to the album may make listeners think that they are going back to their roots. The duo seemed to be on their way to making something that hip-hop fans have been craving from Migos. The cover art, which portrays them imitating OutKast’s classic “Stankonia” album cover, and the album title, which is a reference to “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx” by hip-hop legend and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon, makes it seem as though the duo is going back to the roots of rap while creating a sound that is unique to them. Quavo said the album is going to “pay homage” to hip-hop legends while defining their own legacy as artists, according to a Friday Vibe Magazine article, an entertainment magazine that predominantly features R&B and hip-hop artists. However, the duo missed the mark on creating a new era for the group. Along with that expectation from fans, the album fell short. Instead of getting a new sound or another breakout album, listeners get more of the same Migos that many have seen for years. The group still has time to turn it around as their influence over the Atlanta rap scene is still somewhat prominent. But instead of becoming the new OutKast, they might have set themselves up to be irrelevant outcasts in the music industry.
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