weekly PRINT EDITION
wednesDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017 – Tuesday, FEBRUARY 14, 2017 volume 103, Issue 22
SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1913
W W W . T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M
Galería de arte con toque local
Students hold a sign at the Cal State Against Hate Protest on Tuesday Feb. 7. Kristian Carreon, staff photographer
Students speak out against Trump’s ban jOCELYN mORAN sENIOR sTAFF wRITER ____________________________ The San Diego State Muslim Student Association organized a #CalStateAgainstHate protest along with other California State Universities on Feb. 7 to speak out against President Trump’s immigration ban. The executive order banned citizens of Muslim-majority countries including Syria, Libya, Iran, Sudan, Iraq, Yemen and Somalia from entering the U.S. for 90 days and suspended the U.S. refugee program for
Top: English junior Aisha Sakwall shows solidarity at the protest for those impacted by the immigration ban. Andrew Dyer, Opinion Editor left: Students gather at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union following a march through campus. Kristian Carreon, Staff Photographer Right: Business junior Dhaha Nur speaks at the protest. Andrew Dyer, Opinion Editor
120 days. Students participated in a prayer in front of Hepner Hall around noon as other students and faculty gathered to watch. Protesters then marched to the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union, where speakers expressed concerns regarding Trump’s policies. MSA President Ahmed Buzeriba spoke to the crowd and said it broke his heart to know Trump does not care about the wellbeing of all people. “I guess the beautiful thing about hate is that love and
unity is always there to destroy it when it surfaces,” Buzeriba said. “Love conquers hate, always.” Buzeriba said he decided to step up, and collaborate with different student organizations to plan the demonstration given the current political climate. Dean of Students Randy Timm spoke to the crowd and said international students, faculty and staff are a valuable part of the SDSU community and recent executive orders disrupt SDSU’s values.
PROTEST continued, P3
Varias piezas de arte tratan el tema de raza, género, sexualidad y la frontera. foto de Lucia Ferreira
fidel cadena escritor ____________________________ Una galería de arte arribo a la ciudad de San Diego. Esta galería incluye piezas de arte hechas por 36 diferentes artistas. Los artistas fueron elegidos por Leticia Gomez Franco y la coordinadora de esta galería, Norell Martinez. Cada pieza viene con su propia historia y mensaje. Y cada uno atrae la atención en su propia forma. La galería esta disponible hasta el 16 de febrero en San Diego City College en el quinto piso del Career Technology Center. La entrada es gratis. Gomez Franco es graduada de San Diego State University con una maestría del departamento de MALAS con enfoque en teoría curatorial. Obtuvo su licenciatura en Estudios Chicanos y literatura en Universidad de California en
Berkeley. Cuando se mudó a San Diego, Leticia empezó el camino a su carrera con un trabajo en San Ysidro donde empezó a escribir becas para una organización no lucrativa. Además fue directora de una galería nombrada The Front donde aprendió, como organizar exhibiciones de arte y programas culturales fronterizos. Después de unos años de estar organizando galerías y exhibiciones, ella decidió regresar a los estudios. “Decidí que era tiempo de regresar al colegio y ayudar a producir un lenguaje, un conocimiento académico sobre la cultura de las artes para comunidades marginalizadas, en particular, comunidades fronterizas”, dijo Gomez Franco. Fue allí donde encontró
GALERÍA continued, P7
2 NEWS
FEB. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: KAYLA JIMENEZ • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
Students react to SDSU affordability MAYA CARTER STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ San Diego State’s affordability has been a topic of discussion since the university was included in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s list of high-quality and affordable colleges and universities. SDSU was ranked No. 59 among public colleges on Kiplinger’s list. The ranking was reached by reviewing academic quality, as well as cost and financial-aid measures, according to the Kiplinger list. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and CSU Long Beach were the only other CSUs included on the list. In the 2014-15 school year, about 66 percent of full-time students paid for college tuition with the help of financial aid in the form of grants and scholarships, and 34 percent took out federal loans, according to the National College Board. Graduate student Cass Payne said she receives about $5,000 each semester from financial aid, leaving her to come up with the remaining $1,000 to pay for school. Payne said she thought SDSU was more affordable compared to other schools in the tier. “But I also come from a fairly privileged background, and I work four jobs, which allows me to pay for school,” she said. Payne said she is an advocate for free tuition because she knows students who struggle in order to attend school.
SAN DIEGO
“My situation isn’t terrible, but people I know have to make extreme sacrifices,” she said. “I know a couple of people who are homeless while still trying to attend school.” Payne said the income brackets the university uses to determine eligibility for financial aid does not reflect the current income for a typical family. “It hasn’t kept up with the fluctuations with family incomes, and I don’t think it’s realistic or applicable to family incomes,” she said. “It should be changed or adjusted.” Payne also said the university should consider many students have to work, sometimes multiple jobs, in order to survive. “Students are seen as numbers and money for the institution and the university needs to see students as people instead of just wallets that they can keep dipping into,” she said. Another concern for students is the increased tuition for those attending SDSU from out-of-state. Out-of-state students pay $18,244 per year for tuition. Music sophomore Malaika Richardson is from New York, and said that she is paying for the extra $11,160 per year of out-of-state tuition through loans. “Growing up, a lot of us are encouraged to venture out, live in other places, and go out of our comfort zone, and money is a big thing that stops people from doing that,” she said. “The fact that I’m being
Hablamos Español
go go
GOTTA GO!
Did you know
750
YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE NOW FOR
$
College Graduate Rebate toward the lease or purchase of select new 2017 Toyota vehicles*
Applies to graduates of a 2- or 4-year college, trade school, or graduate degree program during the last 2 years or will graduate 6 months from the purchase date.
NEW 2017 TOYOTA
COROLLA LE FWD
100 Auto
$
LEASE FOR
15
in Stock
/mo + tax
Closed-end lease for new 2017 Toyota Corolla LE FWD Auto for $100/month plus tax for 24 months on approved tier 1+ credit. Gross Cap Cost $19,568.20. Net Cap Cost $15,247.09. $4,157.71 due at lease signing after the application of $1,000 TFS lease cash (includes 1st payment, $0 security deposit, $80 dealer document processing charge, tax, license, and fees). Drive-off example based on 8.75% tax rate and actual amount may vary. 12,000 miles per year with $.15/mile thereafter. Window tint is not included in advertised offer. Offer expires 2/28/17. *Valid on lease or purchase of Camry, Camry Hybrid, C-HR, Corolla, Corolla iM, Prius (excl. Prius Prime), Prius c, Prius v, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Tacoma, Yaris, Yaris iA, or 86. All new untitled Scion (discontinued 2016) vehicles are also included. Must provide proof of graduation and employment. See dealer for additional program details. $750 College Graduate Rebate will be applied to lease drive-off amount, or the down payment on finance contracts, subject to Toyota Financial Services approval. Plus $80 dealer document processing charge, tax, license, and fees. Offer expires 7/5/17.
BIG
WE’RE REALLY
and very
Friendly
SAN DIEGO
VERY FRIENDLY
EXPERIENCE Work with San Diego’s friendliest sales & service staff
REALLY BIG SELECTION Over 650 new and certified pre-owned Toyotas on our 10-acre lot!
5910 Mission Gorge Road, San Diego, CA 92120 888-812-9524 • www.toyotasandiego.com
The financial aid office provides assistance for students who need help paying for tuition and housing. SALWA KHAN , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
charged more for wanting to do go to an amazing school that just happens to be out of the state that I’m from is unfair.” Director of Media Relations Gina Jacobs said over $253 million dollars of aid funding was disbursed to SDSU students during the 2015-16 academic year and 60 percent of students are receiving some form of financial aid or scholarships. However, students who fall into the remaining 40 percent, like communications sophomore Camila Lopez, are left questioning their financial aid eligibility. Though she said she qualifies for financial aid, Lopez does not receive funding from SDSU despite submitting
the Federal Application for Student Aid on time. As a result, she said her mother has to pay for the tuition out of pocket. “I believe that the financial aid program could improve on being more meticulous and careful so that people like my mother and I actually receive our financial aid,” she said. Undeclared freshman Isaiah Hardy, said that his parents’ income is too high to qualify for financial aid, forcing him to take out loans to help pay for tuition. “My parents’ income isn’t extremely low, but it also isn’t very high so I feel that I should be deserving of some kind of aid,” he said.
Alumni make Forbes list for 3D Printers ALLYSON MYERS CONTRIBUTOR ____________________________________ Two San Diego State alumni have been named on Forbes Magazine’s annual “30 Under 30” list in the manufacturing and industry category. Alumni Braydon Moreno ‘10 and Jacob Kabili ‘11, were included on the list for the success of their company, RoBo 3D, which manufactures 3D printers. The company earned $4.7 million dollars in its most recent fiscal year, according to Forbes’ website. The “30 Under 30” list is highly selective, with an acceptance rate less than that of Harvard University, according to Forbes’ website. Moreno and Kabili met at SDSU and co-founded RoBo 3D in 2012 with a Kickstarter campaign that raised $649,663. The product became available to consumers in 2013. Moreno and Kabili said they were excited to be included in a list of people who are dedicated to the constant renewal of manufacturing and industry. “So much of our success — and the recognition that comes with it — is really a testament to our friendship and history together as undergraduates at San Diego State University,” they said in a statement released by RoBo 3D. “More than an institution for learning, it was a tremendous opportunity to lay the foundation of what would eventually become Robo.” Moreno and Kabili continue their relationship with SDSU through the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center, where Moreno serves as a mentor to future entrepreneurs, Lavin Center Executive
Director Alex DeNoble said. “We’re very proud of what Braydon and Coby are able to do and what they’ve accomplished and the fact that they continue to engage with us,” DeNoble said. “They’re Aztecs for life, and they take that to heart. They work with us in some very meaningful ways.” DeNoble said that Moreno and Kabili are models to current Lavin Center students because of their perseverance while starting up a company. “I’m really excited for them because when they got into it they were just three guys building something special on their kitchen table, and they had to learn so much and it didn’t come easy.” said DeNoble.”And they’ve become role models now. They’re so willing to engage with us here on the campus that now they’re helping us prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs.” Moreno and Kabili’s company is one of many successful companies founded by SDSU alumni. Other companies started by SDSU alumni, include Costco (Jim Sinegal, ’59), Jack in the Box (Jack Goodall, ‘60) and Rubio’s Restaurant’s Inc. (Ralph Rubio, ’78), according to the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center website. The Lavin Center was recently recognized for its entrepreneurship program by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, which named SDSU as the National Model Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program for 2017. “In our entrepreneur programs we want people to be aware of trends so that they can identify opportunities,” said DeNoble.
news 3
Feb. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: Kayla Jimenez • news@thedailyaztec.com
Tuition at San Diego State may rise Will Fritz Senior Staff Writer ____________________________________ The California State University Board of Trustees may vote in March on whether to increase tuition for the first time in six years. The discussion of a possible tuition hike came after Governor Jerry Brown released the first draft of his 20172018 budget, which provided the CSU system with a $157.2 million increase in funding, $167.7 million less than trustees asked for. The $157.2 million increase amounts to a four percent increase in state funding over the previous fiscal year, CSU Vice Chancellor for Budget Ryan Storm said at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach on Jan. 31. State funding constitutes about one half of the CSU’s overall budget, Storm said. A four percent increase is only enough to cover a portion of mandatory costs, such as health benefit increases and employee compensation commitments, he said. “This scenario leaves no fiscal flexibility to fund other significant trustee priorities,” Storm said. With the amount of funding proposed by Brown, the university will be unable to employ more faculty and staff, give raises to existing faculty and staff, fund facility maintenance or support
Protest: Cal State Against Hate Continued from P1 “It is critical that people of all backgrounds and nationalities have the opportunity to pursue their education and personal goals at SDSU, so that we work together in a safe and respectful community,” Timm said. “I want you to know as administration, faculty and staff, we stand with you.” Moviemiento Estudiantil Chicano De Aztlan interdisciplinary studies senior and member Michelle Parra said she stands with the organization in solidarity for “their Muslim siblings.” “I am a daughter of immigrants, and I grew up in a border city,” Parra said. “We can not let Trump create a culture that is formed based on hate and fear. We are much more than that.” Psychology senior Nicole Little addressed the crowd and said people can not silently accept oppression and bigotry just because Trump has agreed to it. “If societies in the past had accepted unjust laws of segregation and discrimination, I would not be on this stage today. I am a Black American Muslim woman living in Trump’s America,” Little said. She said she constantly has worry in the back of her mind because of Trump’s words. “No one deserves to live in fear due to their beliefs, culture, color or any other aspect,” she said. “Education, not deportation,” “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here” and “Hands too small, can’t build a wall” were shouted as the SDSU
a graduation rate increase initiative, Storm said. Storm noted that Brown’s budget proposal includes a surplus large enough to place $2.7 billion in reserve for next fiscal year. “Of this amount, $1.5 billion could be used for any discretionary purpose, including fully funding the rest of the CSU support budget request,” Storm said. A shortfall in requested funding could possibly lead to tuition increases. If approved in March, tuition would increase by $270 to $5,742 per academic year for a full-time undergraduate student. Credential and graduate students are facing increases of $312 and $438, respectively, per academic year. These proposals come after University of California Board of Regents voted to increase tuition by $282 on Jan. 25. The State of California’s final budget will likely be negotiated in the coming weeks and months, before the final budget is implemented on July 1, the beginning of the 2018 fiscal year. This leaves the door open for the CSU system to receive the funding it initially requested, thus taking tuition increases off the table. The proposed increases have been met with significant opposition from students, faculty and trustees alike. Trustee Hugo Morales said at the Jan.
community marched. MSA member and sociology senior Aisha Sharril said she felt a lot of people supported her and were in solidarity with her specifically as a Somali-Muslim refugee. “I felt like the people are definitely stronger than the people in power. I saw that today,” Sharril said. “It feels heartwarming. This is the America that I was looking forward to coming to. This is the America that I know.” Under Trump’s immigration ban, Syrian refugees were banned from entering the U.S., before a federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked enforcement of the ban on Feb. 3. “We are all aware of the Syrian refugees unforeseen circumstances currently,” Little said to the crowd. “How can we turn a blind eye to their suffering? Counseling Masters student Reva Ballat said her family members who are Syrian immigrants hold green cards. “My own family and a lot of my close friends have been affected by this ban, and I thought it would be important to come out here and practice my first amendment right,” Ballat said.“I stand up against all forms of bigotry, hate, xenophobia, racism and stand in solidarity as well as stand up for my family.” Buzeriba said it is an amazing feeling seeing people come out and support the community. On Feb 2. the International Youth and Students for Social Equality also held rally at SDSU for immigrant rights. “When I do see the Muslim sisters, it kind of makes me sad because yeah, all these people are there for them now, but when they’re going to class tomorrow, where are all of these people going to be?” Buzeriba said. Buzeriba said MSA will hold a forum in Montezuma Hall on March 5 to discuss Islam, debunk stereotypes and have a progressive dialogue toward change.
31 meeting that he thinks raising tuition would give a pass to the legislature for not fully funding the CSU system. “I’m troubled by having to raise tuition fees at this time,” Morales said. Antonio Gallo, a faculty member in the Chicano Studies department at CSU Northridge, addressed the Board of Trustees at it’s Tuesday meeting to ask them not to increase tuition. “Today’s students are paying much more for their education than their counterparts did just a few decades ago,” said Gallo at the meeting. According to a March 2015 article from calbudgetcenter.org, spending per CSU student is at its lowest point in over 30 years. In the 1980s, the university spent an average of $11,000, adjusted for inflation, on each student taking a fulltime course load. By 2014, the number was less than $7,000. “Since 1990-91, tuition and fees have more than tripled at CSU,” the article said, even as spending per student has dropped. “And yet, you are asking our students to pay more,” Gallo said. SDSU business administration and hospitality freshman Cassidy Stokes said while a $270 tuition increase may not sound like a lot, she believes tuition is already too high, and it is money she could be using for housing, transportation or books. “I’m already spending $800 on
textbooks this semester alone,” she said. “And this morning, I came home and my card was declined. I couldn’t even afford to get Starbucks when I came here today.” Stokes said she thinks the university should not be asking for more tuition money when it is already spending money on unnecessary expenses, like new furniture and locks that were put into her residence hall over break. “They put in brand new furniture that’s less comfortable and not as nice as the old furniture, and probably cost them a lot of money,” she said. “And I just feel like there’s a lot of money going into places where it’s not needed, when I could still really use that money.” Interdisciplinary studies senior Adrian Gomez said he disagreed with the CSU trustees’ immediate consideration of tuition increases when faced with a possible budget shortfall. “I think the first thing you should do is not give away your leverage by raising tuition,” he said. Gomez said once the CSU raises tuition, the state will not have to take action. Entrepreneurship sophomore Jason Katz said the proposed increases were “unreasonable.” The trustees will not be affected by it and do not see things from students’ perspectives, he said. “The people getting affected are you and me,” Katz said.
4OPINION
Feb. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: Andrew dyer • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
Love yourself this V-day Andrea Lopez-villafaña mundo azteca editor ____________________________________ In Spanish, Valentine’s Day is known as El día del amor y la amistad, which translates to “friendship and love day.” Growing up, that meant friends and family would tell each other how much they appreciated one another and sometimes exchange little gifts. Love was celebrated among all, not just people who were in romantic relationships. But Valentine’s Day had a different meaning. Today, Valentine’s Day is aimed at couples and makes some people feel lonely if they don’t have someone special. San Diego State’s bookstore sells sponges shaped as men called “Grow a Boyfriend” that grow when placed in water. Why would anyone want to grow a little red spongy boyfriend? “First of all it’s a bit creepy to say let me grow a little red man in water,” English senior Jasmin Polloni said. “Second of all, why are you assuming
I need a boyfriend? What if I want to get myself some chocolates or some flowers, but now I feel pressure to buy this little red man?” Polloni said that the way Valentine’s Day is portrayed on television and in stores is all about buying things for a significant other. “It’s about getting your significant other this and that,” Polloni said. It makes single people feel inadequate.” Music education junior Marissa Aguirre said she believes that Valentine’s Day is commercially aimed at women. “Some women might dislike Valentine’s Day because they might feel they don’t have someone special to spend it with,” Aguirre said. “Some men might feel relieved because they won’t have to spend money.” According to the National Retail Federation, U.S. consumers spent a total of $19.7 billion in 2016 for Valentine’s Day and are expected to spend $18.2 billion this year. “People should be showing their love for one another each and everyday,”
psychology senior John Almario said. “One shouldn’t wait for that special day of the year to go big.” Why let society make you feel lonely or inadequate simply because stores want to sell more? Don’t. Instead, think about celebrating Galentine’s Day on Feb. 13 to bring more attention to the importance of friendships. “Galentine’s day makes women feel empowered through their friendships with other women,” Aguirre said. “It helps turn a holiday that makes some people feel lonely into one that’s inclusive.” Want to take it a step further? Don’t go out with your significant other and spend time with your friends or instead of buying someone a gift, treat yourself or a friend. “If you choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day, good for you. If you choose to not celebrate that’s good too,” Polloni said. “Valentine’s Day is about love. What’s better than loving yourself, and not needing a little red man?”
Who’sWho? Editor In Chief Jacob Sisneros Managing Editor Jamie Ballard News Editor Kayla Jimenez asst. News Editor Adriana Millar Sports Editor Anthony Reclusado asst. sports Editor Austin Gayle Asst. sports editor, club sports Sydney Olmstead ARTS & culture Editor Christine Whitman asst. ARTS & culture Editor Lilly Glenister Opinion Editor Andrew Dyer mundo azteca editor Andrea Lopez-Villafaña Asst. Mundo azteca editor José Guzmán-Quirino Photo Editor Kelly Smiley video producer Adriana Heldiz art director Emily Lewis Graphic Designer Aidan Prehatny social media EDITOR Alex Piscatelli Copy Editor Brian del Carmen senior Staff writers Will Fritz Jocelyn Moran Nicole Sazegar Staff writers Maya Carter Fidel Cadena Aulani Capuchin Allyson Myers Emely Navarro Kayleigh Venne Staff Photographer Kristian Carreon Salwa Khan _____________________________________ Advertising Director John Weil Sales Manager Matthew Volk Account Executives Connor Brooke George Saridakis Peter Saridakis Kaylie Seacord Stephane Voitzwinkler
Illustration by Aidan Prehatny, Graphic Designer
Calexit a delusional, bad idea Aulani Capuchin Staff Columnist ____________________________________ This has been one of the most abrasive first few weeks of a presidency after a particularly contentious election. From the executive order banning immigration and travel from seven majority Muslim countries, to one giving advisor and white nationalist Steve Bannon a seat on the National Security Council, Trump’s immediate actions as president have left many questioning the future of the United States. Some in California are suggesting that the Golden State not stick around to find out. Coined as “Calexit,” the proposed measure, which organizers recently received approval to begin collecting signatures on, proposes that California
secede from the U.S. Despite popular resistance to Trump, the state has much to lose from succession. First, secession of California would be a huge loss in liberal partisanship on the national level, resulting in an even more ensconced conservative majority. Additionally, fiscal matters are a bundle of unknowns and difficult to project. Trump has floated the idea of increased tariffs, meaning there could be increased taxes on good imported in from a sovereign California. The U.S. would enjoy an advantage in any potential trade deal as well. If the California legislature sticks to its progressive agenda, citizens can expect tax increases as well, a result of implementing universal healthcare and accessible education. There is also the
time bomb of unfunded pension debt upward of $300 billion. The effect on rural, conservative agricultural areas is also of note, especially considering these voters might not be in support of funding a progressive agenda. California would also need to adopt a currency, a tedious process in itself. Without our own military, it will have to figure out how to provide for its national security. Most importantly, California would need to form a new government while attempting to not make the same mistakes that led to its leaving the U.S. in the first place. Sorting these issues would take much longer than eight years, the longest Trump can constitutionally hold office. It is a misguided, reactionary idea — one that is not worth it.
Accounting & Contracts Tyler Burnett Kalie Christensen _____________________________________ General Manager/adviser Jay Harn Graphics Specialist Chris Blakemore _____________________________________ ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com editorial 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com Print The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition on Wednesdays. Web Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com Additional sports content is available at www.dailyaztecsports.com SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/dailyaztec twitter.com/thedailyaztec instagram.com/thedailyaztec
The Daily Aztec publishes its printed weekly edition on Wednesdays and serves the students, faculty and community of San Diego State University.
Feb. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: Andrew dyer • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
OPINION 5
Free speech not free from rebuke ANDREW DYER OPINION Editor ____________________________________ Freedom of speech, the cornerstone of the U.S. constitution, protects the right of people to express their opinions publicly and without governmental interference. Not all speech is free, however. A person cannot yell “fire!” in a crowded theater, nor can they attempt to incite violence or rebellion. Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos is no exception. The right-wing extremist, a political bomb thrower, is currently on a tour of American universities. He speaks out against what he calls “political correctness,” but what he is really against is equality. He is antitrans, anti-feminist and anti-Muslim. Yiannopoulos first gained the attention and admiration of the internet hate machine during the sexist witch-hunts known as “GamerGate,” an invented controversy and harassment campaign launched by video game enthusiasts against female game developers. GamerGate harassers, predominantly anonymous internet trolls, attacked women on social media for months. In the summer of 2016, Yiannopoulos led his more than 300,000 Twitter followers in another harassment campaign, this time against actress Leslie Jones. Jones’ only sin was appearing in an all-female Ghostbusters remake, something a subset of fragile men on the internet could not handle. This led to Yiannopoulos being banned from Twitter — a noteworthy feat given that the platform has been routinely criticized for being a haven of neoNazis, trolls and harassment. Yiannopoulos’ college tour has generated gobs of attention for the malignant narcissist, but more for the reception his visits earn than the content of his speeches. The Seattle Times reported that Yiannopoulos fans chanted “white
power” while protesters chanted “Nazi scum” at the University of Washington in late January. One protester shot another, in what he claimed was selfdefense. The man who was shot was there to see Yiannopoulos, but his friends told the newspaper he was not racist. Yiannopoulos next had a speech canceled at the University of California, Davis. The university said the College Republicans, who had invited Yiannopoulos, canceled the event although Yiannopoulos himself blamed administrators. He also claimed there was extensive damage done by protesters — a claim rebuked by UC Davis police shortly thereafter on Twitter. At UC Berkeley, a week later, Yiannopoulos got his riot. Unnamed individuals in black masks and black clothing broke windows and threw firecrackers at police, resulting in the cancellation of Yiannopoulos’ speech. The episode served no purpose other than to confirm the dishonest right-wing narrative that the left shuts down free speech. The visuals of blackmasked agent provocateurs destroying property fit nicely into the right’s talking points and distracted from the real issue — that Yiannopolous’ intellectually bankrupt ideology is hollow, hateful and dangerous. Pundits and publications decried the loss of free speech on campus. President Trump threatened the university’s federal funds. But one aspect missed by the media pearlclutching and hand wringing was one fact: The university did not impede on Yinnopoulos’ rights. His speech was canceled not because of his words or ideas, but because of safety concerns stemming Alumni. from the actions of a small group of violentBasketball. demonstrators. The university was not obligated College. to give him a microphone or a stage. Dedication. Freedom of speech does not guarantee freedom from consequences. A Education. university or organization has a right
Fashion. Government. Humor. Independence. Journalism. Knowledge. Leadership. Mobile. News. Opinion. Politics. Quality. Research.
WE KNOW SDSU. Theater. Usefulness. Value. Web. Xavier. Youth. Zura.
THE DAILY AZTEC NEWSPAPER | THEDAILYAZTEC.COM | THE AZTEC APP
Photo Illustration by Aidan Prehatny, Graphic Designer
to cancel a speaker as a result of something they said. But, that is not what happened at Berkeley. Protests are also protected under the first amendment. The students in Washington, Davis and Berkeley all had the right to stand up and demonstrate a figure who preaches nothing but hate. Perhaps the question that should be asked is why College Republicans so openly embrace someone so openly sexist, racist and Islamophobic? After all, it was each university’s College Republican organization that invited Yiannopoulos. How much credibility is there in the claim their party is “inclusive” when its campus representatives revel in bringing in hateful, divisive speakers? Either the College Republicans endorse Yiannopoulos’s hate-speech or they are purposefully trying to provoke their classmates. The modern alt-right white nationalist movement was born online and nurtured by trolls. As these trolls
have pushed their ideology into the meat world, they are encountering more and more resistance. It is one thing to cower in anonymous internet forums and social media platforms that function as insulating and reassuring information bubbles, but it is another thing to bring ideas most of society rejected in the middle of the 20th century into the daylight. The U.S. fought and won a war against fascism. The ideas of alt-right white nationalist figures like Richard Spencer and Yiannopolous have been heard, fleshed out and hardily rebuked — at bayonet point, no less. It is in this context the issue of free speech and hate speech must be measured. Regardless, Yinnopolous’ speech is not what lead to his speech being canceled, nor was it the free speech of his opponents. As the creeping threat of fascism continues to infiltrate the mainstream, the voices of those opposed will continue to get louder. The question is, is anyone listening?
6 MUNDO AZTECA
FEB. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA • MUNDOAZTECA@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
El miedo de estudiar en Europa EMELY NAVARRO ESCRITORA INTERNACIONAL ____________________________________ ¿Cómo me siento ahora que estoy en España en una casa que será mi hogar por los próximos cinco meses? Actualmente me siento emocionada, pero si me hubieran preguntado esa misma pregunta hace cuatro días, hubiera dicho aterrorizada. Dos semanas antes de mi viaje estaba emocionada y nerviosa de comenzar esta nueva experiencia en mi vida, pero ya que se acercaba la hora, las cosas cambiaban. Casi todo el mundo me contó las historias que escucharon o leyeron en el internet acerca de las personas que han sido asaltadas en Europa. Escuchando de varias personas lo peligroso que Europa puede ser, me dio ansiedad y me causo tener un par de pesadillas. En vez de estar feliz de ir a España tenía miedo de lo que me podía pasar. Todos me advertían de la posibilidad de que me podrían robar. Aunque yo sabía que todo el mundo me decía estas cosas porque querían que estuviera segura, esto sólo aumentaba mi paranoia. Creo que de una manera esas historias y consejos arruinaron la primera parte de mi viaje. Cuando yo llegue a España estaba tan preocupada de que algo malo pasaría que no tome el tiempo para darme
cuenta que estaba en Europa. Los dos primeros días fueron muy difíciles de ajustar. Volé de Los Ángeles a Londres, luego de Londres a Madrid. Pasé mi primera noche en un Airbnb y me perdí tratando de encontrar el apartamento. Fue horrible. El taxi me dejó en el edificio equivocado, así que tuve que caminar por las calles de Madrid a las 8 p.m. sin GPS con una maleta grande, una mochila y mi cartera. Yo estaba tan asustada y convencida de que no iba a encontrar el apartamento, literalmente pensé, “Bien, esto es todo. Tendré que dormir en el suelo”. Por suerte, encontré a dos mujeres que parecían amables y me guiaron al apartamento después de estar perdida por casi 20 minutos. Al día siguiente tomé un tren a Zaragoza, la ciudad en la que voy a vivir. Después de acomodarme, camine alrededor de la ciudad para conocer la zona. Me perdí tratando de regresar a mi apartamento del mercado. Creo que perderme tantas veces, me enseñó a no siempre tomar el consejo de todos. Mi familia y amigos en casa me convencieron de que si caminaba sola por la noche seria asaltada, pero esto no es verdad. Caminé sola varias veces durante el día y por la noche y no me sentí insegura ninguna vez. Sí, era raro no saber a dónde iba, pero no me sentía
La Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Pilar en España. EMELY NAVARRO, ESCRITORA INTERNACIONAL
como que alguien me fuera a robar y si le pedía direcciones a alguien, me las daba. Después de salir, perderme y conocer a personas de la ciudad yo aprendí que cosas malas pueden suceder, pero hay más probabilidad de que no sucedan si tengo una perspectiva positiva sobre la experiencia. Por más paranoica que sea, lo más probable es que voy a atraer la
negatividad. Después de la realización de que no necesito pensar así todos los días, mi experiencia cambió. En lugar de dejar mi habitación con miedo de que me asaltaran estaba más abierta y dispuesta a perderme porque entonces podría explorar una nueva parte de la ciudad. Y explorar la ciudad es lo que he hecho y ahora si estoy enamorada de España.
STEVE HE BELIEVES THAT WE WILL WIN. COACH STEVE FISHER HAS BUILT THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM IN SDSU HISTORY, AND MODELED THE UNIVERSITY’S MANTRA, “LEADERSHIP STARTS HERE,” FOR A CADRE OF TALENTED YOUNG STUDENT-ATHLETES. TO HONOR HIS LEGACY, SDSU CREATED THE STEVE FISHER ENDOWMENT, WHICH WILL SUPPORT AZTEC BASKETBALL EXCELLENCE FOR DECADES TO COME. VISIT CAMPAIGN.SDSU.EDU
FEB. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA • MUNDOAZTECA@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
MUNDO AZTECA 7
Festival de cine trata temas políticos ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA EDITORA DE MUNDO AZTECA ____________________________________
San Diego comenzará a las 6:30 p.m.
El Instituto de Paz y Justicia de Joan B. Kroc en la Universidad de San Diego, sigue con la exposición “Border Film Week 2017” hasta el 10 de febrero. Todo comenzó el 7 de febrero con varios documentales como la de Rodrigo Imaz llamada “Juan Perros”, “La Esquina del Mundo” por Mariano Rentería Garnica y “The Weekend Sailor”. Este undécimo festival es patrocinado por el Trans-Border Institute de USD y el POEN Audiovisual colección de arte en Tijuana. Everard Meade, director del TransBorder Institute, dijo que el instituto se enfoca en investigaciones y la difusión del estudio de la frontera de México y los Estados Unidos. La exhibición consiste en la proyección de varias películas, arte, imagines y también habrá discusiones sobre Tijuana y México. “Estamos en un momento muy difícil entre México y EE.UU”, dijo Meade. “Hay un sentido generalizado de incertidumbre”. Meade dijo que por una parte esa incertidumbre viene por el estado político de los EE.UU y por la violencia en México con la guerra del narco. “Tenemos una crisis de doble filo”, dijo Meade. “La idea del festival es que por medio del arte y los documentales de alta calidad, empiece una discusión un poco más complicada y más rica y a un nivel más alto que el discurso político”. Los documentales son seleccionados
Las tres películas que serán presentadas son parte de la categoría “El Sueño Mexicano y la Pesadilla Mexicana”. “Soy el Número 16” por Rafael Pineda y Leopoldo Hernández a las 5:00 p.m., “Unsilenced” por Betzabé García, “Undocumented” por Chris Cashman y “Las hijas de violencia”. “Through the Wall” por Tim Nackashi a las 7:00 p.m. y “Sueño Mexicano” por Jon Wetterau y Alex Ruiz Euler. Una discusión y foro público sobre la política de inmigración con panelistas Pedro Ríos, director de American Friends Service Committee, Tom Wong, profesor de ciencias políticas en la Universidad de California San Diego y Eileen Truax periodista y quien forma parte de National Association of Hispanic Journalists, esto comenzará a las 8 p.m.
Galería: graduada de SDSU dirie exhibición Continued from P1 un programa que la dejo que hiciera su propio currículo académico y creó su especialización en teoría curatorial. “Con este programa, quería yo analizar
JUEVES
VIERNES Los documentales tocan temas que llevan la conversación de la frontera mas lejos que lo político. KELLY SMILEY, EDITORA DE FOTOS
por el instituto por medio de consultar con directores que han sido parte del festival en año anteriores, documentalistas de Tijuana y también seleccionan ganadores de festivales del cine Mexicano. El resto de la semana los documentales se enfocarán en diferentes temas de la frontera. Para finalizar la semana la exhibición del viernes será en el Cine Tonalá en Tijuana.
MIÉRCOLES
no solo como organizar exhibiciones, pero mirar en detalle cómo la gente consume el arte, como el arte puede crear una interacción con la persona cual la está viendo, y como esa interacción puede inspirar acción”, dijo Gomez Franco. Ella dijo que su trabajo en San Ysidro la inspiro a seguir buscando oportunidades para aprender como difundir las artes que se tratan de temas fronterizos. Recientemente Gomez Franco ayudo a organizar una galería en San Diego City College, nombrada Transnational Struggles: Intersectionalities Across Borders. Las piezas de artes presentadas no solo comunican los esfuerzos que se enfrentan al cruzar alguna frontera, sino también comunican las fronteras metafóricas que
muchos enfrentan diariamente. Sobre la galería, Gomez Franco dijo que esta no es “nada más otra galería fronteriza”. “Al explorar las maneras en cual la frontera físicamente y metafóricamente se experiencia por personas de diferentes razas, clases, sexos y sexualidades podemos ver como la frontera actúa como actualizador para la producción. Es importante ver como los esfuerzos intersecciones nutrían e impiden la producción”, ella dijo. Gomez Franco cuenta con conocimiento del arte que se produce sobre los esfuerzos fronterizos. También tiene un buen entender sobre qué tipo de arte tiene mensaje pertinente a los temas que quiere presentar en sus galerías.
Dos películas serán presentadas bajo la categoría de “Belleza Mexicana: Reflexiones sobre la belleza y muerte en el cinema Mexicano”. “María Candelaria” por Emilio Fernández a las 5:00 p.m. y “Los Reyes del pueblo que no existe” por Betzabé García a las 7:30 p.m. Una recepción patrocinada por el Consulado General de México en
La categoría del viernes, “Noche Tijuana: Tráfico de Seres Humanos y el terror” es la final de la semana de películas. “Nestora-Eva”, “Aquí nuestro presente”, “Transmisión Desencuadre” a las 5:30 y “Tempestad” por Tatiana Huezo a las 6:00 p.m. Las películas serán seguidas por un panel y ceremonia patrocinada por el Consulado de EE.UU General en Tijuana. El evento es gratis para el público pero Meade recomienda que los interesados se registren.
FOTO DE SABRINA ZARCO
8 SPORTS
FEB. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: ANTHONY RECLUSADO • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
Salazar unafraid of competition AUSTIN GAYLE ASST. SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________________ San Diego State football has strung together two consecutive Mountain West championships and bowl victories against the University of Cincinnati and the University of Houston with sophomore quarterback Christian Chapman at the helm. Incoming freshman quarterback Mark Salazar, however, intends to pirate Chapman of his starting role under center. “I definitely want to play early,” Salazar said. “I’m going to come in and compete. I’m trying to start. I’m not looking to redshirt at the moment. I want to come in to compete and win games.” Salazar hopes to continue the Aztecs’ winning tradition in Chapman’s spot in the huddle in 2017, pushing conference championships to the “top of the chart” in terms of priorities. Signing out of San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo High School, Salazar declined an offer from Fresno State to stay close to home and join the Aztecs, a decision that has been welcomed by an overwhelming amount of support. “I feel like a lot of people in San Diego are backing me,” Salazar said. “I really feel the love and support. It’s such a great feeling to have, especially going in and you’re on that field to know the people are behind you.” With Rancho Bernardo, Salazar looked
the part of a winner, securing a 24-3 record in his final two years with the Broncos. He completed 68.7 percent of his passes for 3,496 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in that span. In addition to getting the job done through the air, Salazar proved to be a threat on the ground, as he highlighted his mobility as one of his premier traits. “I’m athletic and I can move, whether it’s in the pocket or running downfield,” Salazar said. “I can extend plays when things break down.” Salazar carried the ball 52 times for 237 yards (4.56 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns over his last two seasons. Outside of his impact on the box score, Salazar works to leave a positive impact on his surrounding cast. “Leading by example is one of my strong suits and something I take the most pride in,” Salazar said. “If you’re a representation of what everyone else should be like, then everyone else will follow.” Because of said efforts, Salazar was named a three-star recruit by 247Sports and a two-star recruit by Rivals and Scout. Now, Salazar is shooting for the stars, as he will compete with seven other quarterbacks pinned on the Aztecs’ roster, including Chapman and fellow freshman quarterback Cam Roane. Roane steps onto the Mesa with gaudy numbers on several accounts. He completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 8,330 yards, 84 touchdowns and just
Incoming freshman quarterback, Mark Salazar, hopes to beat Christian Chapman for the starting job. FILE PHOTO
21 interceptions in 39 career games at Heritage High School, solidifying his status as a consensus three-star recruit. Chapman, on the other hand, has already left a significant footprint at SDSU, completing 170 of 276 passes for 2,310 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions in 16 starts with SDSU. He posted a 13-3 record in that span. Working against Chapman is his inability to take the Aztecs’ offense to the next level. He was too often limited
to play action passes near the line of scrimmage because of his inability to place the deep ball and lack of pocket awareness, forcing the Aztecs to turn conservative. Salazar plans to flip that script as the new leading actor in SDSU’s offense. Though he will need to outshine the few stars tagged to his name in order to supplant Chapman, Salazar has already taken the first step towards defying the odds — believing in himself.
Bell taking advantage of every chance AUSTIN GAYLE ASST. SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________________ With former San Diego State football running back Donnel Pumphrey leaving the Mesa to test his talents in the NFL, junior running back Rashad Penny and freshman Juwan Washington are expected to headline the Aztecs’ backfield in 2017. Aiming to hit the ground running, soon to be freshman running back Chance Bell plans to add his name to the headline. “I want to go (to SDSU) and try and get some playing time as a true freshman, get into the rotation,” Bell said. “I’m not looking to go in there and redshirt. Right now, I’m training to prepare to go in there and do what I have to do to start my career off with a good start, quickly.” Bell, a California native, was determined to join the Aztecs’ backfield for over six months, as he verbally committed to SDSU in July 2016 before signing his National Letter of Intent with the team on Wednesday, Feb. 1. He cited SDSU’s coaching staff and the team’s run-first approach as leading factors to his commitment. “Obviously, they’re a football program that runs the football a lot, and I’m a running back, so obviously that’s right up my alley,” Bell said. “But they also have great coaches, a coaching staff committed to being there long term, so obviously that made me feel comfortable sticking with my commitment all the way through.” The Aztecs’ coaching staff is likely
chomping at the bit to get a taste of Bell’s talent given his production at John Burroughs High School. Bell totaled a school-record 4,525 yards and 59 touchdowns on 605 carries (7.5 yards per carry) in 31 games, capping off his career with a 2,023 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior in 2016. With said efforts, he was named a consensus three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports and Scout. However, despite his obvious success on the ground, Bell pointed to his receiving ability when asked what separates him from other running backs in this year’s recruiting class. “I could be utilized in many different situations,” Bell said. “You can put me on routes with a linebacker or even a (defensive back). I think I have the speed and the vision to do that.” Bell brought in 21 receptions for 261 yards and two touchdowns throughout his high school career. At 5-foot-9 inches, 185 pounds, Bell draws comparisons to Pumphrey because of both his size and passcatching ability. He highlighted the former Aztec back as a role model. “Obviously, (Pumphrey has) had a tremendous amount of success even before this season,” Bell said. “He’s a great role model to look up to and see all the great things he’s doing. “With him not being the biggest back, and I’m not the biggest back either. So, he’s a great role model for me.” Competing against eight other running backs for touches in SDSU’s offense, Bell will need to put on his best Pumphrey impression to earns reps in the backfield.
SPORTS 9
FEB. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: ANTHONY RECLUSADO • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
Aztecs geared up for season opener
Last year’s utility player, Leia Ruiz, takes a swing at the plate. FILE PHOTO
SYDNEY OLMSTEAD ASST. SPORTS EDITOR, SPORT CLUBS ____________________________________ The San Diego State softball team has been picked to finish second in the Mountain West in a preseason poll voted on by head coaches in the conference. Fresno State, last year’s champs, have been picked to keep the crown. The Aztecs were slowed last season due to injuries of key players. The team managed to go 30-22 and tied for third in the MW, but missed out on the NCAA tournament for the first time in 11 years. “Last season we were a hard knocks team,” head coach Kathy Van Wyk said.
“This year I think we are stronger, we’re more confident, we’re using the pain of not going (to postseason) to motivate us. “Nobody wants to feel that again and sit home again watching it on TV. We want to be there (postseason).” The team’s approach to the new season is different than last year’s. The focus has been on team cohesiveness, smart gameplay and momentum. For senior pitcher Erica Romero, putting an emphasis on team activities and chemistry has been key in developing a strong team this season. A mountain camping retreat, teambuilding books and Navy Seal training are among the activities the team has participated in together. Momentum combined with this
cohesiveness will make the difference for SDSU. “I think getting into a rhythm and staying with it will be important,” Romero said. “We need to not let up on the easy teams and keep our energy and competition high.” Last year the Aztecs lost at least one game to every team in the MW, and two to some teams that Van Wyk thinks they shouldn’t have lost to twice. But this season, a few key players return to the field for SDSU. Junior catcher Jenavee Peres is normally a huge bat in the line-up, but missed 25 games last season due to various injuries, including a concussion and a fractured fibula. She still led the team in batting average (.451), slugging percentage (.915), on-base percentage (.535), home runs (9) and was third in stolen bases (6). Peres was named to the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List. She was one of 50 players named to the preseason list. The return of junior outfielder Zaria Meshack will bring much-needed speed to the lineup as well. She led the team in stolen bases last season (13) and had a .396 on-base percentage. She also committed just one error in 56 fielding chances. Her speed combined with her fielding range will help give the team an edge, both defensively and offensively. “We’ve got more speed in the lineup, potentially as much speed as we’ve ever had,” Van Wyk said. “It’s gonna be a different kind of game. We’ve got to be
Ride together.
Aztec sports history AUSTIN GAYLE ASST. SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________________
Dwayne Polee II said.
FEB. 8, 2014
The then-No. 10 San Diego State men’s volleyball team played the role of spoilers as they hosted then-No.1 UCLA. The defending national champions held a 42-game winning streak, the second longest in the Bruins’ history. Led by head coach Duncan McFarland, the MVP of the Aztecs 1973 NCAA championships, the Aztecs took the match in four sets: 15-9, 10-15, 15-7, 15-11. “I’m not surprised that we won,” McFarland said. “They made a mistake on the polls.” The confidence permiated throughout the team as freshman setter John Eddo relayed his coach’s message. “I knew before the game that we were going to win,” he said. “We had the crowd behind us. They just folded under the pressure.” Despite the win and high ranking, the school disbanded the program because of a budget deficit in the athletic department. However, SDSU does now have a club men’s volleyball program that competes in National Collegiate Volleyball Federation events. The club has a Division 1 and a Division 2 team and plays in the Southern California Collegiate Volleyball League (SCCVL). It finished first in the 2016 SCCVL championship tournament. The club also finished fifth in last year’s NCVF Division 1A Championships.
The 2013-14 season was labeled as a rebuilding year for head coach Steve Fisher and his team, which only sported two seniors: guard Xavier Thames and forward Josh Davis. However, behind the senior duo, the San Diego State men’s basketball team finished the season 31-5, including a trip to the Sweet 16. While that year’s iteration didn’t include names like Kawhi Leonard, Jamaal Franklin and D.J. Gay, the similarities quickly formed. On Feb. 8, the then-No. 5 Aztecs beat the University of Nevada, Reno, 73-58, to tie the program’s record with its 20th straight win. The streak matched the 20-game win streak by the 2010-11 team, which won its first 20 games of the season. “I’m surprised that anybody can win 20 in a row, no matter what league they’re playing in,” Fisher said. Thames, as a staple that season, led SDSU with 17 points, five assists and three rebounds. It was his 20th double-figure scoring game of the year. Davis had a game-high seven rebounds and nine points. Forward Winston Shepard dropped in 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting. “It’s a big acheivement, not only for us, but for the school in general,” forward
smart on the base paths and use that speed wisely and get key hits.” Strong offense will also be crucial this season. Senior first baseman and outfielder Sydnee Cable, who hit .366 with 11 RBIs last season, hopes to return as a powerful bat. “This year I’m going to improve on my hitting game, that’s what I’m known for,” Cable said. “I felt like last year I fell a little short of where I wanted to be and this year I’ve been working really hard. It’s my senior year and I’m going out with a bang.” The real focus for the Aztecs going into 2017 is using the pain of missing out on the NCAA tournament to motivate them to reach postseason. “We’re trying to look more at the heart, you gotta want it,” Van Wyk said. “Nobody’s gonna give it to you. If we can bring that kind of work, heart and dedication out of them, that’s gonna show up on the field.” SDSU kicks off the season Feb. 1012 at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament at UCLA and CSU Long Beach. The team will face off against South Dakota and No. 8 UCLA on Friday, No. 22 Notre Dame and CSULB on Saturday and Weber State on Sunday. The Aztecs will have their first home games Feb. 16-21 in the 27th annual Campbell/Cartier Classic tournament at the SDSU softball stadium, where they will face University of Washington, Rutgers, Ohio University and UC Riverside.
FEB. 7, 1983
Spring 2017 Semester
TRANSIT PASS Exclusive student discount. Unlimited rides all semester. To campus. The mall. Downtown. And beyond.
$154
(Price includes a $20 University subsidy)
On sale until February 24 at the Viejas Arena Box Office sdmts.com/college Current, valid college student picture ID required. No replacements for lost, voided or stolen stickers.
10 ARTS AND CULTURE
FEB. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: CHRISTINE WHITMAN • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
Monologues break down stigma NICOLE SAZEGAR SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ V-Day’s production of the Vagina Monologues is an unapologetic ode to the female body. Filled with explicit and descriptive details about vaginas and everything that comes with them, the Vagina Monologues attempted to break down the social stigma associated with vaginas. “When we talk about destigmatizing something, it’s really about realizing ‘oh its okay to talk about these things,’” said Nassim Moallem, co-producer of San Diego State’s V-Day chapter. “We don’t talk about women’s sexual pleasure a lot in a positive format and in formats that center women’s experiences. We don’t talk about menstruation comfortably. (The Vagina Monologues) is kind of putting these things out in the open.” The Vagina Monologues is a play originally directed by Eve Ensler. After Ensler interviewed 200 women about their views on sex, relationships and violence against women, she created The Vagina Monologues to celebrate the female body. Each monologue touched on sex, love, rape, menstruation, female genital mutilation, masturbation, birth and orgasms. SDSU’s own version of the play was shocking, hilarious and moving.
The opening of the play is solemn as every actor introduces the story behind the Vagina Monologues, but the play quickly jumps out at the audience with the first monologue of a woman talking about her pubic hair. With a cast of women of different nationalities and body types, each monologue was performed with such passion and conviction that the issues in each monologue felt personal and real despite a lack of costumes and stage design. Some monologues were solemn and touching as women lamented over their experiences of sexual abuse. Other monologues of women reclaiming the word “c--t” by shouting it at the audience or of women acting out different types of sex moans were more empowering. Although the play sticks to a staple script, every year a new monologue is added to the script. For the past two years, a monologue was added to highlight trans-women experiences, to make all women feel included in the current social climate. “It’s not supposed to say this one woman’s experiences or this is all women’s experiences,” Moallem said. “It’s trying to present an array and kind of see what falls in your lap as something you want to take home.” Although the play was explicit in its attempt to break down the oppression of women and destigmatize the idea around vaginas, the play itself
COURTESY OF NASSIM MOALLEM
encouraged audience members to interpret their own meaning of the play. “It’s a play and like all plays it’s up for interpretation from what you get from it,” Moallem said. “So we really do try to make it empowering. I always say you’ll laugh, cry, you’ll feel kind of uncomfortable, but you’ll also sometimes really relate to certain pieces or it’ll give you a new perspective.” Female audience members left with the reaffirmation of their feminist beliefs. “It’s a beautiful mix of emotional, exciting, funny and really inspiring and empowering,” said school counseling graduate student Reva Ballat. Along with V-Day’s dedication to stopping violence against women and girls and tradition of giving the money back to the community, 90 percent of proceeds from the play were donated to South Bay Community Services, a nonprofit that helps families, youths and victims of domestic violence since 1971. The other 10 percent went back to
V-Day SDSU to help continue their mission as a non-profit committed to ending violence against women since August 2001. V-Day SDSU makes an effort to help local that also tend to be overlooked, Moallam said. The Vagina Monologues is an experience that forces the audience to experience topics and issues that are rarely spoken about. While most people keep their voices low while talking about vaginas and everything vagina related from hair to periods to childbirth, The Vagina Monologues yells it out. “(Watching The Vagina Monologues) is a very college experience,” Maollem said. “We’re living in a society that has women and has vaginas, and it’s really important to understand the experiences of other people, and college is the best time because you’re surrounded by so much diversity.” The Vagina Monologues have taken place at SDSU for more than a decade.
FEB. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: CHRISTINE WHITMAN • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
ARTS AND CULTURE
11
Local CEO has passion for planners KAYLEIGH VENNE STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ If anyone knows the importance of organization, prioritization and goal setting, it’s college students, even more specifically, San Diego State students. “Adult-ing” is not always easy and in a laid-back city like San Diego, it is easy to resort to procrastination. The “I can get it done tomorrow” mentality can quickly lead to a stressinduced mental breakdown at 2 a.m. in the Love Library. The acts of self-reflection and setting long-term and short-term goals usually do not make it on the average student’s to-do list. The Women’s Resource Center hosted the “Get Your Sheets Together” workshop and Q&A featuring Passion Planner CEO Angelia Trinidad in the Center for Intercultural Relations on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Trinidad held the event as part of the center’s “Adult-ing 101 series.” Passion Planner is a local company based out of San Diego. The planner consists of a Passion Roadmap, monthly layouts, weekly layouts, reflection pages, and various pages to use as a creative space. Trinidad graduated from UCLA in 2012. While studying at UCLA, she openly defied her parents for the first time by changing majors from pre-med to art. “There is a point in your life that you decide your happiness is more important than anyone else’s,” Trinidad said. “You’re the one living your life.” While in college, Trinidad was extremely busy. She was in a sorority, worked two jobs, taught in a sculpture lab, and taught second and third grade art. However, upon graduating, Trinidad
said she felt directionless, fearful and lost. She knew she wanted to create a tool to help other post-grads and peers overcome this frightening feeling of “analysis paralysis” and redefine their passions. That is how Passion Planner was born. She said art gave her the courage to take something abstract and make it into something real. She said teaching helped her understand how to create just enough structure that still allowed people to feel creative. She said entrepreneurship taught her that the secret is in the doing. She started by launching the product on Kickstarter because she didn’t have enough money to start the company herself. Trinidad decided to offer her Passion
“ HAVING SOMEPLACE TO VENT TO CONSISTENTLY AND A PLACE TO WRITE DOWN ‘LITTLE WINS’ HELPS ME.”
- Angelia Trinidad, Passion Planner CEO
Planners for free to those who shared her Kickstarter video. This was the campaign that launched Passion Planner into virality as it was shared over 500,000 times. Trinidad raised $1.6 million on Kickstarter alone and that was only the beginning. Fast forward two-and-a-halfyears and Passion Planner is now the No. 1 ranked planner on Amazon, with its own building in National City. “When you write in a planner you clear your mind of pestering thoughts,” Trinidad said. “When you write something down you can revisit it at any time. You are subconsciously asking yourself, ‘What are my priorities?’ and you don’t need to think
CROSSWORDS
ACROSS 1 Early sitcom co-star Arnaz 5 It’s over a foot 9 Zagreb native 14 Wolfs down 15 Madre’s boy 16 Toy in many “Peanuts” panels 17 Not a fearful place for acrophobia sufferers 20 Casino lineup 21 Starting on 22 Palette choices 23 Morose 25 Droop in the garden 27 Tight hold 29 401(k) alternative, briefly 32 Went ballistic
36 Not a fearful fund for agoraphobia sufferers 39 Folk rocker DiFranco 40 Belittle 41 Showy Japanese school 42 To a degree, informally 44 Haul to the garage 45 Not a fearful Camus work for xenophobia sufferers 48 Name on the 1967 album “I Was Made to Love Her” 50 Pilot’s stat 51 Ward of “Sisters” 52 City with ferry service to
about it throughout your day.” Trinidad said writing to-do lists in our phones is not the best option for productivity because they can be endless. “You’re never going to get to those to-do lists,” Trinidad said. “I look at my phone and find some from four years ago.” Writing is cathartic and something about the act of writing our goals down in one place has the potential to keep us feeling more accountable than we would had we jotted them down on our iPhone’s Notes or kept them tucked away in our heads. Trinidad said she read 300 self-help books and took the best concepts that she could find from them and incorporated them into Passion Planner.
The planner helps turn one’s short-term goals into long-term goals by breaking everything down into little steps. “My planners have become a scrapbook of my life,” Trinidad said as she held up a few of her old Passion Planners to the audience. Her planners were full of bright highlighted notes, photos and quotes. “It is very important to have a visual representation of your time,” Trinidad said. “When you do things passively, you may not realize what is a bad habit.” Toward the end of the presentation, Trinidad and two members of her Passion Planner team had the audience participate in creating “Your Passion Road
Map,” which is an activity that can be found in each Passion Planner. The Passion Road Map is a step-bystep guide to mapping out one’s goals. It allows a person to make a wish list and then map out what he or she would like to accomplish in three months, one year, three years and in their lifetime. Once the audience stated their goals for each time frame, they went back and circled one goal from each category that would have the most positive effect on each of their lives. Lastly, they prioritized these goals and then created a Passion Plan and chose a “Game Changer,” goal to break things down even further, making them time sensitive. Emma Mackey, who is getting her Master’s of Arts degree in Latin American Studies in May, owns a Passion Planner. “I have my thesis for Latin American studies due in one month,” Mackey said. “The Passion Planner has helped me because I was able to make a Game Changer ... which helped me get on track with my thesis about violence against women in Bolivia.” It’s a good thing that Trinidad “just started doing it,” because now 157,074 planners have been given away. That’s enough people to fill the Staples Center up six times over. “Having somewhere to vent to consistently and a place to write down ‘little wins’ helps me.,” Trinidad said. “That is a little win that if I schedule, commit to doing it, and actually do it, can pull me out of that (dark) place. Trinidad said she wants to remind students that when they get overwhelmed because something is too difficult, just remind yourself there is always someone else out there who has done exactly what you wanted to do, but had the courage to ask.
CLASSIFIEDS
Copenhagen 54 Damon of “Interstellar” 56 Fix, as a pet 59 Deft tennis shots 62 Ragu rival 65 Not a fearful roadster for arachnophobia sufferers 68 Prolonged assault 69 Way through the trees 70 Curly cabbage 71 Wielded an ax 72 “Button it!” 73 Actor Byrnes and announcer Hall DOWN 1 Cotillion attendees 2 Banjoist Scruggs
3 Admired reverentially, with “of” 4 Elemental forms used in carbon dating 5 NBC weekend skit show 6 “’Sup” 7 Travel section listing 8 “Not happenin’” 9 Key econ. indicator 10 Subjects of the first 10 Amendments 11 Iolani Palace island 12 Kitty starter 13 Throw 18 Sch. near Topeka 19 TurboTax option 24 Outer edge 26 Mucho 27 Future MBAs’ exams 28 High-tech worker 30 Golf bunker tool 31 Got up 33 Online pop-up tailored to individual tastes 34 Recon goal 35 Pageant headpiece 37 Elusive Himalayans 38 “Batman” actress Eartha 43 Picket line placard 46 Word of greeting 47 Aries symbol 49 Journey 53 Zing 55 Droid download 56 Pageant band 57 Ballet class bend 58 Small number 60 Main squeeze 61 Pub crawlers 63 Fix, as a horse 64 Tram loads 66 Chinese lantern color 67 “Button it!”
Miscellaneous Seeking Research Participants for Autistic Sibling Study Seeking individuals over the age of 18 who grew up with an autistic sibling to participate in a study exploring the experiences of growing up in a family with an autistic brother or sister. Participation will involve an indepth interview, lasting between 1 to 1 hours about your autistic sibling experiences and a brief follow-up meeting about six weeks later.
PLEASE NOTE: The Daily Aztec does not endorse or support and has no affiliation with the products or services offered in the Classifieds section. To place an ad in the Classifieds section, please visit thedailyaztec.com/classifieds ______________________________ The views expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec. Comments? Email us at letters@thedailyaztec.com
The purpose of the study is to provide an in-depth retrospective exploration of the experiences of adults who grew up with an autistic sibling. Eligibility requirements for participation in the study include: Must have lives with autistic sibling for at least 8 years. Sibling must have been diagnosed with autism during childhood. Interested participant must be at least 18 years of age. The benefits of participation are minimal and there is no compensation for participating in the research. Interested participants can email Barbara Tierney at: autisticsiblingstudy@gmail.com Email autisticsiblingstudy@gmail. com
Don’t miss our
HOUSING ISSUE Coming 3/1/17!
12THE BACK PAGE
FEB. 8 - 14, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: CHRISTINE WHITMAN • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
Overcoming political fears in Spain EMELY NAVARRO INTERNATIONAL STAFF WRITER ____________________________________
I
’m finally in Spain, my home for the next five months. Right now I feel excited, but if you asked me four days ago, I would have said I felt petrified. Two weeks before my trip I was excited and nervous to start this new experience in my life, but as it came closer, things changed. As I said goodbye to friends and family the week I was leaving, multiple people told me they were afraid for me to leave the country because of “America’s situation.” They told me to have caution because the world might not react to America the way they used to because of some new policies President Donald Trump signed, like the travel ban, which has now been blocked. Some also told me stories they heard or read online about people getting mugged and how I needed to carry around a pocketknife to be safe. People’s precautions and advice about my trip gave me anxiety and caused a couple of nightmares leading up to my trip. They made it seem like because of our President’s foreign-policy decision I would have a target on my back and being robbed was inevitable. Even though I knew everyone was telling me these things because they wanted me to be safe, it lead to paranoia. Coming into Europe, I was worried about how people would receive me because of the apprehensions my friends gave me, but they couldn’t have
The El Palacio Ajaferia is a medieval Islamic palace in Zaragoza, Spain. EMELY NAVARRO, INTERNATIONAL STAFF WRITER
been more wrong. I think in a way that ruined the first part of the trip for me. I was so worried and paranoid something bad would happen that I didn’t take any time to realize that I was in Europe. The first two days were hard to adjust to. I flew from Los Angeles to London, then from London to Madrid. I spent my first night at an Airbnb and got lost trying to find the apartment, which was mortifying. The taxi dropped me off at the wrong building so I had to walk around the streets of Madrid at 8 p.m. with no GPS. I was so scared and convinced I wasn’t going to find the apartment, I literally thought, “Well this is it. I might have to
DASNAPSHOTS
Photo
sleep on the floor.” Luckily, I found two women who looked friendly and they guided me to the Airbnb after being lost for more than 20 minutes. The next day I took a train to Zaragoza — the city I am living in. After settling in I walked around to familiarize myself with the area. I got lost on my way back to my apartment from the market and later at 7 a.m. the next day. I think it’s safe to say my sense of direction might not be the best but I think getting lost so many times taught me to not always take everyone’s advice to heart. People back home convinced me that
if I walked home alone at night I would get mugged and if I told someone I was American they would hate me. This was not the case at all. Now that I am in Spain and have met people from all over Europe I am noticing the fears people had about me being ill-received because I was American were incorrect. Most people I have met couldn't care less that I am American. To them I am another study abroad student. I have heard few comments about Trump and people have asked me questions about our electoral college and my perspective on our president, but none of the comments over politics have been condescending or mean. What I have learned from these conversations is that the European people have their opinions our political system, but most of them want to learn about it, rather than judge me for the person my country elected president or the decisions he has made during his presidency. After going out, getting lost and meeting people, I learned bad things can happen but there’s more of a likelihood they won’t happen if I have a positive outlook on the experience. The more paranoid I can get, the more likely it is that I will attract negativity. Needless to say after the realization that I do not need to be paranoid 24/7, my experience changed. Instead of leaving my room afraid I would get mugged I was more openminded to getting lost, because then I could explore a new part of the city. And what I've learned from exploring is that man, am I in love with Spain so far.
SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box contains every digit 1 to 9. DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
3/4
CROSSWORDS & SUDOKU PUZZLES PROVIDED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC., ©2017 PUZZLE SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THEDAILYAZTEC.COM SUDOKU PUZZLES SPONSORED BY AZTEC RECREATION
BOTTLE SERVICE
Photo editor Kelly Smiley snapped this photo of the Bottle Farm, while driving along Route 66.