Wednesday, Dec. 2 - Tuesday, Dec. 8 Weekly Digital Edition
Vol. 107, Issue 10 www.thedailyaztec.com
San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Spring Break cancelled, ‘recovery days’ added The University Senate approved the change despite massive student opposition Brenden Tuccinardi & Patrick Doyle by
On Dec. 1, with over 700 people in attendance at the peak, the San Diego State University Senate voted 44 to 28 in favor of a change to the academic calendar that breaks up Spring Break, essentially canceling the traditional nine-day holiday. The adopted proposal will enact four “rest and recovery” days on Friday, Feb. 12, Monday, March 8, Tuesday, March 30 and Thursday, April 15. Vice President of Student Affairs & Campus Diversity, J. Luke Wood, said the university would work closely with faculty and staff to ensure these recovery days will not have any required classes or work. This was to address some students’ concern that these days off would be similar to this semester’s Veteran’s Day
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break when some professors still assigned work to their classes. Provost Salvador Hector Ochoa echoed this statement. “What we did was we tried to distribute these days throughout the semester so students would still have the breaks that they need,” Wood said.
“The Provost has committed to working with and communicating to the faculty the importance of really seeing these as rest and recovery days for everyone.” The proposal was met by pushback from hundreds of students who attended the meeting.
SDSU football struggles on the road against Colorado by
Luis Lopez
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
San Diego State football lost to the Colorado Buffaloes by a score of 20-10 Saturday afternoon, bringing the Aztecs to a record of 3-3 on the year. Both teams had just two days to prepare, as the game was scheduled Thursday due to prior COVID-19 game cancellations for both programs. Colorado was able to outplay SDSU enough on both sides of the ball to come away with the win. Here are three observations from the Aztecs’ sec-
ond consecutive loss. 1. Offense struggles again With junior graduate starting quarterback senior Lucas Johnson out with a hamstring injury, head coach Brady Hoke turned to sophomore Carson Baker and junior Jordon Brookshire to go under center in his place. Hoke said he went into the game intending to use both quarterbacks. “As we went through the week, and really all the way until Thursday, we were hoping for Lucas,” Hoke said. “(We) weren’t sure if that was going to happen.
(Offensive coordinator) Jeff (Hecklinski) did a good job getting the other two guys ready at the same time. “We decided that we would play both of them and see who reacted well and who played well. I think we’ve just got to keep honing in at that position.” The Aztecs struggled to get anything going offensively in the first quarter and for much of the second. However, thanks to a pick-six from junior cornerback Darren Hall and a “FOOTBALL” see page 5
“Justifying an alternative spring break proposal that has two three-day weekends in the name of public health is buying into the agenda of scapegoating universities and university students for the county’s, state’s, and country’s lack of control over a global pandemic,” Associated
Students President Christian Holt said. The contentious meeting was interrupted on several occasions as dozens of students unmuted their microphones while senators spoke in support of the changes presented. Many students were confused about when the vote would take place, whether the Senate would allow speakers in opposition, and some were even confused about who was allowed to vote. The chat lit up with opposition throughout the entire meeting. At the same time, some unmuted students yelled phrases such as “listen to the students” and “we pay tuition, and you’re not even letting us have a say,” among more vulgar insults of senate members. Supporters of the resolution argued that breaking up Spring Break was essen“BREAK” see page 2
Students express concerns about the Weber Honors College by
Patrick Doyle
STAFF WRITER
The Weber Honors College at San Diego State University has attracted students who didn’t fully understand the work it requires and the types of benefits it brings. Due to a successful increase in fundraising in 2015, the previous honors program recently became the official Weber Honors College. The college claims to foster an “intentional community of diverse, engaged students, a unique atmosphere of creativity,
interdisciplinary conversation, intellectualism, and collegiality,” according to its website. One of the biggest attractions to the Weber Honors College is the Honors Minor in Interdisciplinary Studies, which all members are required to earn. The minor consists of varied classes on a wide array of topics meant to challenge students to think through an interdisciplinary lens. Similar to other minors, the honors minor “HONORS” see page 2
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tial to reduce the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday in which many students are expected to travel. “We have been doing some COVID modeling,” Infectious Disease Epidemiologist Eyal Oren said.“If we break up Spring Break as proposed, we would expect somewhere between a 15-30% reduction in SDSU student infections.” Oren is also the interim director of SDSU’s School of Public Health. A.S. Executive Vice President of University Affairs Crystal Sanchez argued that Spring Break was es-
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sential for students’ mental health. “To say that this day would offer a degree of recovery is unethical,” Sanchez said. “Recovery requires time and healing from the high stress and pressures of a semester filled with adversity…a week off for spring break could be considered a recovery window.” A.S. Chief of Staff Max Johnson suggested the university is not listening to its students. “Our administration at SDSU has disrespected the democratic processes that have allowed us and brought us here in order to secure our Spring Break and the preservation of it,” Johnson said.
As the meeting progressed to a vote on the resolution, dozens of more students in attendance unmuted themselves and began shouting their dissent. At one point, Senate Chair Wil Weston was forced to end the meeting prematurely because order could not be restored. Senators were sent a new meeting link, and a vote was held behind closed doors. The resolution to break up Spring Break passed with 44 yes votes, 28 no votes, and 7 abstentions. Speaking to the chaotic ending of the final SDSU University Senate meeting of this calendar year, Senator Steven Schellenberg voiced his understanding
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is six classes, or 16 units. Many students, like accounting sophomore Mitchell Hiebert, were excited at the prospect of the Honors Minor and the Weber Honors College. Hiebert recalls being accepted into SDSU and receiving an email not long after inviting him to apply for the Weber Honors College. He consulted his mom, and after some confusion about the program, they decided to go for it. “At the end of the day, it can only help being in it,” Hiebert said. “And it would look good, so I decided to do it.” But after a few semesters in the college, he began to realize its limitations for his career field. “I have thought about dropping the minor,” Hiebert said. “I’m not sure if having a minor in Interdisciplinary Studies is more beneficial for me than another business minor to go along with my accounting major.” Hiebert said he was even frustrated with the lack of spaces in the classes he wanted to take. “They give you a set of options, and only a couple of them seem interesting really, so those are usually the first to go,” Hiebert
Photo courtesy of The Weber Honors College
said. “I think they ought to make those sections that are very popular have more of them, or make the classes bigger. There’s so many honors classes that not many people want to take, they’re kind of a waste to have.” Hiebert said he feels like the Weber Honors College isn’t made for students like him, and wishes they were more clear up front on what the Honors Minor entails. “When I got the email, I thought the Honors Minor was something prestigious, which maybe it is,” Hiebert said. “But you’re only going to enjoy it if you enjoy very obscure topics.” It isn’t just incoming freshmen who are let
down by aspects of the college, either. Postsecondary educational leadership graduate student Keely Kerr recalls her entrance into the college after already starting at SDSU. “They kept emailing me, and I knew that it was like interdisciplinary studies so I could learn a little bit about everything, like multiple subjects, so that really interested me,” Kerr said. Kerr herself was interested in a lot of the interdisciplinary classes she took. She said she liked learning about different fields of study, especially as a communications major. But after admitting there were some classes in the beginning and end of the program she took nothing
Dec. 2 - Dec. 8, 2020 Editor: Jadyn Brandt
of students’ frustration. “I would like to suggest that we, as a senate, have collectively failed our students today by not making the nature and operation of our representative body as evident as possible to all visitors,” Shellenberg said. “We should not be surprised when tempers escalate from those who do not feel heard, especially given the power differentials involved. Moving forward, I think it would be helpful to have a guide for guests.” A Change.org petition has already been created by students who attended the meeting. It demands Spring Break be reinstated by the Senate.
away from, she conceded that the minor is not the most useful on a resume. “You can’t really show a boss and be like ‘Hey, you should hire me because I took one class in this one thing.’ It’s something that doesn’t really make a lot of sense to people,” Kerr said. However, Kerr said her biggest issue with the college was the requirement to study abroad. “For it being an honors college that’s supposed to be merited on your intelligence, they’re limiting people from joining based on their financial ability to study abroad,” Kerr said. She recalls how difficult it was for her to get the money needed to complete the mandatory study abroad trip, especially since she and her peers never got any scholarship money. “It took me like a year and I had to work two jobs to raise the money to go for literally two weeks,” Kerr said. Even after the trip, Kerr said she resents how unorganized the college was on her trip to Finland. From the college not providing any level of security as she walked miles alone in the dark from her dorm to eating areas, to her mentors forgetting to tell see
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EDITOR IN CHIEF Brenden Tuccinardi NEWS EDITOR Jadyn Brandt ASST. NEWS EDITOR Katelynn Robinson OPINION EDITOR Trinity Bland MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Daniel Guerrero ASST. MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Noé Sandoval ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Devin Whatley SPORTS EDITOR Kyle Betz ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Luis Lopez SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Catlan Nguyen PHOTO EDITOR Alexa Oslowski ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Amanda Orozco VIDEO EDITOR Angela Kurysh ASST. VIDEO EDITOR Mackenzie Stafford GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITOR Emily Burgess
SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Breven Honda Jeanette Giovanniello STAFF WRITERS Patrick Doyle Kiana Sujishi
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bryan Diamond MARKETING/PR DIRECTOR Roxana Becerril EDITORIAL editor@thedailyaztec.com ADVERTISING advertising@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition every Wednesday thoughout the semester when we are not in a global pandemic. WEB Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com SOCIAL MEDIA @thedailyaztec
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/thedailyaztec The views and opinions expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec.
Opinion
Dec. 2 - Dec. 8, 2020 Editor: Trinity Bland
The Daily Aztec
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Editorial: How can students be expected to listen to a university that refuses to listen to them? The Editorial Board Maybe we’re just naive. Or, maybe we just wish San Diego State would do the right thing by students for once. But the decision made at the University Senate meeting yesterday regarding Spring Break is yet another example of the university blatantly ignoring its students. Yesterday, our fellow students were silenced in an open forum, and countless other community members weren’t given a seat at the table. This is unacceptable. What’s more, it’s reprehensible. Senate Chair Wil Weston said at the beginning of the meeting that shared governance at San Diego State was “alive and well.” He spoke too soon. For a deliberative body that espouses the virtues of shared governance and reaffirms its commitment to this practice every time it meets, the University Senate provided a textbook example of what shared governance is not. The fact that the final vote to eliminate Spring Break occurred essentially behind closed doors on a separate, regulated Zoom call is evidence of that. Tuesday’s Senate meeting was a colossal disappointment. The process failed students and left them feeling betrayed and dismissed. It also failed faculty, and that’s saying something given that
Graphic by Emily Burgess
they out-represent students in the Senate 100 to 5. Even more disappointing was the decision of 44 senators to disregard the very legitimate and serious concerns prominently brought forward by their fellow faculty, student leaders and hundreds of students themselves. As approved, the plan to replace the traditional nineday Spring Break with four separate non-instructional days (five if you include Cesar Chavez Day, which is already a contractually mandated day off) is inadequate and quite honestly insulting. It also offers no respite to
students who already don’t have class on the scheduled “recovery days.” The pandemic has taken its toll on people’s mental health, and students and faculty alike have been forced to adapt to new and often uncomfortable ways of learning and teaching. Anyone who thinks virtual instruction is equivalent to learning in a classroom is lying to themselves. This semester has been far from easy. A traditional Spring Break is like an oasis in the middle of a 16-week desert for students and faculty. It can be life-saving and regenerative.
Students need a break. Many work on top of going to school full-time. Others take care of families and have responsibilities beyond those at SDSU.Two four-day weekends and a random weekday off do nothing to relieve the stresses and anxieties brought on by this reality. Faculty also deserve time off. Spring Break offers them the opportunity to focus on research that they push to the side. You’d think as an academic institution dedicated to innovation, SDSU would want to facilitate this. We understand that circumstances surrounding the
pandemic required a change to be made. This editorial board has not held back when demanding students take personal responsibility to safeguard public health. We’ve also withheld judgment on the university’s response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases among students because we believe public health experts should have the last word. However, it’s become abundantly clear that SDSU’s response was far from adequate. To see this, all we have to do is travel 20 minutes north on I-5. UC San Diego is a shining example of what an effective, competent and empathetic response to COVID-19 looks like on a university campus. It’s regrettable that veiled behind a concerted and well-placed effort to contain the virus’s spread are SDSU’s attempts to save face and mend a damaged reputation. Students and faculty should not have to pay for administrators’ mistakes in August and September. It’s not too late for Senators to reconsider and find a compromise that aims to strengthen public health while restoring a necessary break for students and faculty. We’ll be waiting, but we aren’t holding our breath.
Good people skills is a sign of effective leadership by
Trinity Bland
OPINION EDITOR
A survey of U.S. adults by Lead2Feed, the nation’s largest free student leadership program, found that 91% of Americans say that students are more successful in school when they are keen to develop their leadership skills outside the classroom.
With that being said, leadership isn’t confined to corporate capacities. Leadership can be found on college campuses in a plethora of broad organizations from Greek life to cultural associations to theater groups. However, not everyone is suited to be a leader – even those in leadership positions. Leadership is not easy
and it is something that is refined over time. College is a good place to explore and begin to dip your toes into viable leadership roles. Stepping into a leadership role can help you discover your strengths and weaknesses before you dive into the workplace. From my time spent in leadership positions amid
my academic career, I have found some of the best leaders are individuals who are more comfortable and operate best behind the scenes. Their greatest attributes come from within and they exhibit the energy they lead with, attaching it to their ambitions and ultimate vision for their team. Seeing this demonstrated
so seamlessly in a number of influential leaders in my life, I began to ask myself — what if being an efficacious leader isn’t just about having a high degree of productivity but rather concentrating on how to eloquently connect with people from a place of authenticity to ensure a see
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The Daily Aztec
Mundo Azteca
Dec. 2 - Dec. 8, 2020 Editor: Daniel Guerrero
Esta semana en deportes: ambos equipos de básquetbol reciben honores de conferencia, el fútbol americano modifica su horario por
Daniel Guerrero
EDITOR DE MUNDO AZTECA
El fútbol americano de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego que reorganiza su calendario y el básquetbol masculino y femenil que comienza sus temporadas han traído mucha acción a SDSU. Los equipos de básquetbol de los Aztecs han tenido un comienzo positivo en sus respectivas temporadas y el fútbol americano viene de una dura derrota como visitante. Si se perdió algo de la acción, esto es lo que sucedió esta semana en deportes para SDSU. El básquetbol masculino gana ambos juegos para comenzar la temporada, jugador de último año Matt Mitchell gana el premio de jugador de conferencia de la semana
File foto Matt Mitchell, cuando era jugador de tercer año, se flexiona para celebrar después de tener la oportunidad de completar una jugada de tres puntos contra Nuevo México el 11 de febrero en el Viejas Arena.
Es un año nuevo, pero parece que los Aztecs no han perdido el ritmo después de su regreso a la madera dura. SDSU venció a UCLA 73-58 en el juego inaugural de la temporada el 25 de noviembre. UCLA entró al juego en el puesto 22 en la
nación. Los Aztecs siguieron la victoria con otra paliza al derrotar a la Universidad de California Irvine 77-58 el 27 de noviembre. El jugador de último año Matt Mitchell fue nombrado como el jugador de la semana de la Conferen-
cia Mountain West el 28 de noviembre después de promediar 13 puntos, tres rebotes, dos asistencias y dos robos en los dos partidos. El premio de jugador de la semana es el primero en la carrera de Mitchell. SDSU volverá a la can-
cha el miércoles para jugar contra Saint Katherine en el Viejas Arena. El básquetbol femenil divide la serie de apertura de dos juegos, la jugadora de tercer año Sophia Ramons nombrada como jugadora de la semana de la MW Mientras que el equipo masculino comenzó su temporada en casa dentro del Viejas Arena, el equipo femenil inició su temporada en Las Vegas, Nevada, como parte del torneo South Point Thanksgiving Classic. Las Aztecs dejaron caer su primer juego ante la Universidad de Washington, 61-59 el 25 de noviembre, pero se recuperaron con una victoria por 60-54 sobre la Universidad Lamar el 27 de noviembre. La jugadora de tercer see
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SDSU reporta un aumento en casos de COVID-19, mientras el estado de California pone más restricciones por
Noé Sandoval
ASIST. DE MUNDO AZTECA
Con el aumento de casos de coronavirus en California, el gobernador Gavin Newsom emitió una orden de estancia de casa limitada para los condados en el nivel púrpura. La Universidad Estatal de San Diego también aviso al alumnado de esta orden del estado y ha tomado varias medidas en respuesta de ello. En la Universidad Estatal de San Diego, han habido varios nuevos casos también mientras continúan ofreciendo pruebas del COVID-19. Hay un total de 1,520 casos confirmados; de este total, 1,475 son estudiantes, 27 son facultad o empleado, y 18 son visitantes, según Servicios de Salud Estudiantil, o SHS por sus siglas en inglés. La orden del estado es un toque de queda que
afirmó que a partir del 21 de noviembre, se requiere que todos los trabajos y actividades no esenciales se detengan entre las 10 p.m. y las 5 a.m. en los condados. La razón por esta orden es debido al aumento de hospitalizaciones por COVID-19 en las últimas dos semanas en todo el estado, que han aumentado en un 89%. El promedio de 7 días es de 14, 657 casos nuevos. El gobernador también dijo que las admisiones en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos por COVID-19 aumentaron un 67%. Las proyecciones actuales muestran que las hospitalizaciones podrían aumentar de dos a tres veces la cantidad actual en un mes. En la universidad, todas las clases han sido cambiadas para que sean dadas virtualmente para las últi-
mas dos semanas del semestre. El 17 de noviembre, la presidenta de SDSU, Adela de la Torre, y el rector Salvador Héctor Ochoa anunciaron en un correo electrónico que aproximadamente 2,100 estudiantes no regresarán a clases presenciales después de las vacaciones de Acción de Gracias. “Restringir aún más el número de personas que regresan físicamente después de las vacaciones de Acción de Gracias nos ayudará a mitigar la propagación del COVID-19”, escribieron de la Torre y Ochoa en el correo electrónico. Desde la fecha del 25 de noviembre todas las clases han vuelto virtualmente. Esta orden universitaria no ha afectado estudiantes viviendo en el campus, permitiendo que la universidad esté abierta para los
File foto Con el toque de queda estatal de 10pm a 5am, SDSU también toma medidas para limitar la propagación de COVID, cambiando todas las clases prescenciales a lo virtual.
estudiantes. Sin embargo, los estudiantes tuvieron que informar sus planes de quedarse o permanecer en el campus en las últimas semanas de instrucción. La universidad continúa exigiendo que los estudiantes hagan la prueba de COVID-19 regularmente para los que deciden quedarse. Los estudiantes tam-
bién deben de continuar usando las medidas adecuadas en estos tiempos. Por ejemplo, practicar el desalojamiento social, usar cubrebocas, y lavarse las manos frecuentemente. Las pruebas de COVID administradas por la universidad continúan siendo gratis para los estudiantes y facultad de la universidad. see
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Sports
Dec. 2 - Dec. 8, 2020 Editor: Kyle Betz
The Daily Aztec
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Ramos, Mitchell named MWC Players of the Week Kyle Betz and Breven Honda by
San Diego State women’s basketball junior guard Sophia Ramos and men’s basketball senior forward Matt Mitchell were each named Mountain West Conference Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday. Both awards apply to the first week of the season, which ended on Nov. 29. Both Ramos and Mitchell were able to lead their teams to 1-1 and 2-0 records, respectively. Here’s what Ramos and Mitchell were able to accomplish the first two games of the season. Sophia Ramos Entering the season, Ramos was named to the AllMWC preseason team and after the first week of the season, she is proving why she made the team.
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field goal from sophomore kicker Matt Araiza, SDSU was able to head into the locker room down by only four points. Prior to the drive that cut Colorado’s lead to four, the Aztecs were only able to muster 31 yards of total offense. The second half wasn’t a night-and-day difference, but the offense was at least able to put itself in a position to get back in the game on certain occasions. The offense was able to produce a drive that gave them a chance to cut the lead to four, but a missed field goal attempt of 50 yards from Araiza kept the score at 17-10 with just over 13 minutes left in the game. Another drive later in the fourth quarter would give Araiza a shot to cut the lead by three, but his second miss on the night was essentially the nail in the coffin for SDSU. 2. A gritty defen-
File photos San Diego State women’s basketball junior guard Sophia Ramos (left) and men’s basketball senior forward Matt Mitchell won the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week awards for the week ending Nov. 29 on Nov. 30, according to a conference-issued press release.
In the South Point Thanksgiving Classic in Las Vegas, SDSU split their two games as Ramos scored 17 points against Washington on Nov. 25. The 5-foot-9 guard also added seven rebounds, three assists and a
sive performance The Aztecs have been used to staunch defensive performance so far this season, however this game proved to be a test for SDSU. After an 83-yard opening touchdown drive for Colorado and a 63-yard drive in the second quarter, SDSU was staring at a 14-0 deficit with seven minutes left to go in the first half. The defense also committed some costly penalties that gave Colorado second chances, including a holding penalty by senior safety Tayler Hawkins that gifted the Buffaloes a first down on a 3rd-and-20 in the second quarter. Sophomore defensive lineman Cameron Thomas was frustrated by the penalties and said the defense has to be more disciplined. “We’ve got to be more disciplined as a defense and as a whole team,” Thomas said. “We really should have stopped them that drive. We kept giving them opportunities that they didn’t really deserve.
steal in 38 minutes. During the second game against Lamar two days later, the San Antonio, Texas native played all 40 minutes and posted 22 points and 12 rebounds, her fifth double-double of her collegiate career.
She also added four assists and three blocks to become the second Aztec in the Mountain West era, joining Paris Johnson to have at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a game. In
addition, Ramos was practically unguardable as she drew 13 of the team’s 20 fouls against Lamar in the 60-54 victory. Matt Mitchell Although he started a majority of his four years at SDSU, Monday’s announcement marks the first time Mitchell has won a Mountain West Player of the Week award. The 6-foot-6 forward made a statement in his 100th career appearance wearing an Aztec uniform, which also happened to be the SDSU’s season opener against No. 22 UCLA. Mitchell tied a team-high 15 points and notched two rebounds, two assists and two steals en route to a 73-58 win. Mitchell’s contributions helped the Aztecs claim their sixth win in their last see
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Courtesy of Derrick Tuskan, SDSU Athletics Junior running back Chance Bell breaks into the Hawaii secondary during the Aztecs’ 34-10 win over the Rainbow Warriors on Nov. 14 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
So we’ve got to make sure we are more disciplined as a defense and as a whole team.” That drive would eventually result in a touchdown pass by Buffaloes’ senior quarterback Sam Noyer to junior wide receiver Jaylon Jackson to double Colorado’s lead to 14-0. Thanks to the offense’s 10-point swing at the end
of the first half, the Aztecs stayed in the game entering the second half. Only surrendering two field goals in the second half, the Aztecs’ defense seemingly did everything in its power to keep themselves in the game. The biggest defensive stand of the night came with about 7:30 left in the game, when the Aztecs
forced the Buffaloes to punt out of their own end zone, putting the offense at the 40-yard line. Unfortunately for SDSU, the defense couldn’t pick up the offense’s slack. Hall said the team must come together to correct mistakes and look forward to the next game. “Every loss is tough,” Hall see
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Arts & Culture
Cast of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reunite for 30-year anniversary special by
Trinity Bland
OPINION EDITOR
In honor of the groundbreaking series’ 30th anniversary, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s inimitable cast came together for a oncein-a-lifetime special. Taped on the show’s recreated living room set, this joyous reunion travels down memory lane, focusing on rapper and actor Will Smith’s role as a fictionalized version of himself – sent from West Philadelphia to Bel-Air to live with his wealthy Uncle Phil and his family – and the cultural impact of the trailblazing series’ six-season run. After six seasons and 30 years later, however, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, created and produced by Quincy Jones, has done far more than preserve its flavor. The show’s revolutionary fish-out-of-water concept wasn’t new but it was blending hip-hop culture, fashion, humor and attitude that made the show one-of-a-kind. Furthermore, each episode accentuated the normal-
ization of celebrating Black wealth – both internal and external – on television, and delightfully embraced this concept, mostly seen in hip hop music, but rarely ever depicted in mainstream culture. In the HBO Max reunion on Nov. 19, Smith and the show’s inimitable cast – DJ Jazzy Jeff, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell and Daphne Maxwell Reid come together for an hour of memories and commentary that swing from humorous to sentimental to powerful. The cast reflects upon their original auditions for the show, the pilot episode, pre-show rituals, the need they felt to speak up in writing rooms to ensure important issues our world was facing during the show’s runtime – especially as Black people – were being written into the show, favorite episodes, and the tear-jerking final week of the show being aired. “One of the things I’ve been able to recognize in my life is chemistry,” Smith
Dec. 2 - Dec. 8, 2020 Editor: Devin Whatley
A look into “intuitive eating” during the holiday season by Jeanette
Giovanniello
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Graphic by Emily Burgess
said, truly in awe of the family dynamic he and his fellow castmates were able to create. “That really came alive on the show, the comedic relationship that we were able to develop.” The intrinsic chemistry between the cast on and off camera – even after 30 years – is truly the component that made the reunion even more exciting and special for fans to experience. The cast, better known as Jazz, Carlton, Ashley, Hillary, Geoffrey and the “second” Aunt Viv, look as personally connected today as they ever have. While James Avery, who see
Have you ever been too shy to go for seconds? Or regretted wearing jeans to a big dinner? As we dive into the holiday season, it gets hard to resist the need to scarf down all the homemade food (especially as a college student). Whether you tend to overeat or hold yourself back, intuitive eating skills can help people feel a little less guilty about what we put on our plates. Tyler Rolling, nutritionist and health educator, spoke to San Diego State students on Nov. 24 to prepare their stomachs for the holiday season. She described intuitive eating as an alternative to dieting
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and more of a “mind-body approach to nutrition.” “All food is okay to eat, especially if you enjoy eating it,” Rolling said. “(Dieting) ends up restricting the food we actually want and we are more likely to binge on that food later or other food.” The eating framework consists of 10 principles: Reject the diet mentality We have all heard of “good foods” and “bad foods,” but Rolling said this mindset can be dangerous.With diet rules and mentalities, people tend to restrict themselves, binge eat, then gaining weight and feel ashamed. The endless cycle of guilt see
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Graphic by Emily Burgess
Women’s Resource Center hosts “Decolonizing Attraction” by
Kiana Sujishi
STAFF WRITER
There are many different factors that can impact the personal relationships in our lives, and they are often difficult to navigate on our own. This is why San Diego State’s Women’s Resource Center is hosting its month-long “Decolonizing Attraction” series. For this series, virtual workshops are held on every Monday of the month, with each one centering on a particular topic. These include “self, identity and privilege,” “friendships and romantic rela-
tionships,” “interpersonal violence,” “systemic issues and educational privileges” and “self-reflection and being an ally”. Second-year psychology graduate student Celine Jusuf is one of the co-facilitators of the series. She said the goal of each workshop is to prompt people to think deeply about their relationships and encourage more cross-cultural interactions. “We wanted to create a space to have these difficult conversations about how our privilege or systems of opression can
shape our social world and relationships, and how that can be harmful when entering interracial relationships or dating interracial individuals,” Jusuf said. Jusuf also explained that interpersonal attraction is often more complicated than it seems. “It’s not just attraction based on personal preferences, a lot of times it’s dictated by systems of oppression in society,” she said. “I think it’s a really hard thing to admit. It’s also not something that we’re really taught to analyze in that regard.”
Jusuf described the series as very personal, and said it was important for them to provide exercises, discussion questions and reflections that encourage participants to be more thoughtful about their own relationships and identities. “In order to be a really good friend or a really good partner, we need to be mindful of the way that somebody’s identity experiences the world,” Jusuf said. “That’s just emotional labor that we should be doing for our friends, but a lot of us haven’t received the education to do it.”
Kinesiology junior and WRC Fellow Cristina Salvatierra said the workshops helped her heal from the negative beliefs and feelings she internalized as a first-generation Mexican American. “Going to these workshops really helped further that (healing), in making me feel even more validated by people who may have gone through the same things that I have,” Salvatierra said. Salvatierra also found that these discussions created a space where see
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