09-19-2018 by The Daily Aztec

Wednesday, Sept. 19 - Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018 Weekly Print Edition

Vol. 105, Issue 6 www.thedailyaztec.com

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

Choral professor drops Burglaries, robberies up; against former vehicle thefts down at SDSU suit student alleging affair Report shows the number of burglary, robbery and vehicle theft cases around SDSU have experienced changes from previous years.

Graphic by Katherine Cooke

The numbers of robbery, burglary and vehicle theft cases in the SDSU area have all seen changes from previous year, a report states.

by Bella Ross NEWS EDITOR

The San Diego State University Police Department has reported significant changes in the prevalence of certain kinds of crimes on campus when compared with previous years’, according to the 2018 Annual Security Report. One of the largest changes occured in cases of burglary. Between campus and noncampus locations, there were just five cases of burglary in 2015. The number then increased to 14 in 2016 and to 17 for 2017, signifying a continued increase of burglary cases in the area for the second year in a row.

Robbery was on the rise as well. It also had 17 reported cases in 2017, according to the report. In 2016, this number sat at 14 cases, up from only five cases in 2015. While burglary deals with the intrusion of somebody’s home with the intention of committing theft or another crime, robbery involves a person-to-person interacting that results in a theft. Robbery in the College Area has been in the spotlight in recent weeks as a result of three incidents of the crime in a two-week span. The most recent incident on Sept. 8 involved an armed suspect who snatched a woman’s purse in a neighborhood near SDSU. Unlike previous incidents that occured in the later hours of the day, the

Sept. 8 crime happened in broad daylight around 11 a.m. While cases of robbery and burglary saw increases in 2017, the reported showed that vehicle theft has decreased for the second year in a row. 2015 saw the highest number of incidents in recent years with 30 cases of vehicle theft. In 2016, the number decreased to 26 cases and then to 20 cases in 2017. This report is released yearly in support of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policies and Campus Crime Statistics Act. The report said this act requires universities to issue timely warnings of situations that could pose a threat to the campus community and to collect and report crime data.

by David Santillan ASST. NEWS EDITOR

San Diego State music professor Patrick Walders has dropped his defamation lawsuit against a former student. Walders had filed a lawsuit in April, accusing his former students Michael Sakell and Jess Barrera of defamation, claiming they had spread misinformation to his colleagues and other professionals regarding an alleged sexual relationship he had with one of his female students. While Walders remains on administrative leave from his post as an associate professor and director of choral studies at SDSU, he filed a motion to drop the lawsuit against Sakell without “prejudice,” which means he could still potentially pursue the lawsuit in the future. Walders is seeking a default judgment against Barrera, who did not respond to his original motion. Walders was accused of sexual misconduct in February of last year, after his then-teaching assistant Sakell claimed to have walked in on him and another female student kissing during a university-sponsored trip to Austria. He was placed on paid administrative leave shortly thereafter while officials investigated the matter. Soon after being placed on administrative leave from SDSU, the executive director of the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus announced that they were also placing Walders on leave until further notice. According to public court files, Sakell submitted a copy of the university’s investigation,

File photo

SDSU Music Professor Patrick Walders.

revealing that the alleged affair began between the student and the married Walders on fall of 2016. At the time, the student had been a graduate assistant for Walders and was in four of his classes. It wasn’t until 2017, when Sakell walked in on an intimate encounter between the pair, that the affair ended. The student cut her trip short and immediately returned to the United States after the incident. Sakell’s lawyer Nicholas Moore issued a statement that said Walder’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit demonstrated that Sakell is an honest person “who spoke truth to power.” In a statement made to the San Diego Union Tribune, Walders’ attorney Matthew English said his client had dropped the lawsuit in order to focus on administrative proceedings at SDSU. The proceedings will determine what course of disciplinary action the university will take, if any. Neither the status of the investigation, which falls under SEE LAWSUIT, PAGE 2

Despite numerous cases, the meningitis vaccine is not required. Why? by Gian Matteo CONTRIBUTOR

Sacchetti

Despite the prevalence of meningitis cases on college campuses, freshmen at San Diego State have never been required to be vaccinated for what can often be a deadly disease. SDSU, like many other universities, has seen plenty of these cases. On Sept. 5, university officials warned students of a meningitis case that resulted from participation in sorority rush events. Last year, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency reported three

cases of the illness on campus. In 2014, a student died after contracting meningitis. In an effort to combat this issue, institutions such as the University of California system require that the meningococcal conjugate vaccine be taken by students aged 21 and younger upon enrollment. According to Eric McDonald, medical director of the Epidemiology and Immunization Services Branch of the County of San Diego, the commonality of meningitis at universities is due to young adults from all over the country and the world being in close proximity to one another.

The close contact can expose students to bacteria they were never exposed to before. This makes students who live in campus residence halls especially at risk for contracting meningitis, according to a campus-wide email from SDSU Medical Director Cynthia Cornelius. A current California State University executive order says it’s required that all incoming freshmen who will live in campus housing be notified of the availability of the vaccine, but SEE MENINGITIS, PAGE 2

Photo by David Pradel

Despite numerous cases of meningitis on campus in recent years, SDSU does not require students to be vaccinated.

News

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Students uneasy with College Area robberies

Lawsuit:

continued from page 1 the provisions of Title VI, nor information regarding the administrative proceedings have been made public. SDSU spokesperson La Monica EverettHayes confirmed via email on Sept. 6 that Walders remains on staff, but is currently not overseeing the choirs or conducting. Walders started teaching at SDSU in 2011 and has faced numerous complaints throughout his time with teaching at the university. They ranged from students saying he had a bad temper and showed favoritism, to some saying they felt humiliated by him. Jasmine Gonzalez, a former student of Walders, felt humiliated when he asked her not to use the wheelchair lift, instead either crawling down the stairs or having someone carry her. Gonzalez eventually filed a complaint with the university, saying that Walders singled her out due to her disability. Officials conducted an investigation, but failed to discipline the professor and only calling his behavior inappropriate. Another former student said Walders failed him simply because he didn’t feel comfortable singing religious music. The student said also filed a grievence with SDSU but said Walders was never disciplined. Similar complaints from other students followed, but it wasn’t until a sexual misconduct allegation was made that university began investigating. It remains unclear when the administrative proceedings will end or what decision the university will take.

Photo by David Pradel

A string of robberies in the College Area has many students concerned for their safety while walking around campus at night.

by Johann Derek CONTRIBUTOR

Oribello

Students are growing increasingly concerned about safety around San Diego State’s campus after multiple reports of crime incidents in the College Area during the first few weeks of the fall semester. Since the beginning of the semester, there have been three robberies near SDSU. The first incident occurred near midnight on Aug. 24. Multiple men

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reportedly confronted a group of three SDSU students and forcibly stole their cell phones and a set of keys near Mary Lane Drive, south of the University Towers residence hall, according to a campuswide email from Associate Vice President of Administration Jessica Rentto. The second robbery took place late in the afternoon of Aug. 27, when two suspects stole another SDSU student’s phone near College Avenue and Lindo Paseo. The third and most recent robbery occurred around 11 a.m. on Sept. 8 near 63rd Street, when an armed assailant stole a student’s purse at knifepoint, San Diego Police Officer Steve Bourasa said. Asian studies junior Cristian Goujon said the most recent robbery was a bold move considering the incident occured in broad daylight. However, he said he has always been concerned about his safety during the late-night hours. “There’s times where I find myself walking on campus late at night for class reasons and sometimes I feel a little sketched out so I try to be extra vigilant,” Goujon said. Business administration junior Luke Lewis said he also feels uncomfortable that robbers are comfortable with attacking students in the middle of the day. “It’s unsafe,” Lewis said. “Being a guy, I usually feel comfortable but the fact that this occurred during the day makes me

feel uncomfortable.” When is comes to being safe, Lewis said planning is essential. “Walk with groups, especially (if you’re a woman), and let someone know where you’re going,” he said. English junior Adriana Soto said she is also concerned about the daytime robbery. She said students should know they can never be too safe. “Always walk in groups, regardless of what you’re actually capable of,” Soto said. “People always look at a girl and feel that it’s an easier target.” Soto said college students can be ideal targets for robberies because they often carry laptops, tablets and other essential electronic devices for class inside their backpacks. On Aug. 28, SDSU Chief of Police Josh Mays sent out a campus-wide email containing an instructional video with several safety tips and resources students can utilize to remain safe on and around campus. In the email, Mays said students should keep an eye out for the blue light emergency phones, which will immediately contact a 911 dispatcher. These devices are located throughout campus and are tested every month to ensure proper function. He also said to avoid distractions such as talking on the phone, to try to walk in groups and to always report suspicious activity to 911.

Meningitis:

problematic. “I think it is the right thing to do,” Wright said. “But, I like to have the option of choosing. Obviously, I think college students should be smart enough to (get) the right vaccine. I think when you force things on people, it creates problems.” In a Sept. 5 campus-wide email, Cornelius recommended students who participated in College Panhellenic Association formal recruitment activities between Sept. 1 and 3 to receive a preventive treatment against meningitis. McDonald said almost 2,000 students received the antibiotic after the school informed them about the bacterial meningitis case. Many of these students were participants in sorority rushing events and could have potentially been exposed to the disease. “It is not very common to have that many people exposed and also to have that many people come in and receive the treatment,” Mcdonald said. “It was a quick response.” McDonald said, as of now, there is no threat of meningitis on campus. “Although a serious infection, the SDSU student that contracted the bacteria is recovering well and there is no outbreak of Meningitis on campus,” McDonald said.

continued from page 1

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they are not required to actually receive it. “Each incoming freshman who will be residing on-campus housing is required to return to the campus a response indication the he or she has received the information provided and whether or not he or she has chosen to receive the vaccination,” the executive order said. The order was signed by the CSU chancellor’s office in 2002. Director of Public Affairs Toni Molle said now, per recommendations from the state of California and the Centers for Disease control, the executive order will be updated. “During the fall 2018 term, the CSU Office of the Chancellor will be engaging in review and consultation process necessary to update the existing policy,” Molle said. It is currently unclear whether this means the university will begin requiring the vaccine upon enrollment. History junior Francis Wright said the idea of requiring the vaccine sounds like a potential solution to meningitis outbreaks on campus, but he sees how it could be

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Bella Ross, news@thedailyaztec.com

News

The Daily Aztec

End of high school admissions program concerns prospective engineering students

File photo

High school students looking to get into SDSU’s College of Engineering may have a more difficult time getting accepted from those who applied in pervious years.

by Daniel Guerrero CONTRIBUTOR

High school students who are interested in pursuing engineering at San Diego State may be in for a surprise. Project Lead The Way’s preferred admissions program with SDSU’s College of

Engineering ended this August, making the 2018-19 high school graduating seniors the last to be eligible for the program. The Preferred Admissions Program gave certain high school students in San Diego and Imperial counties preferred admission into SDSU’s College of Engineering. On average, the program enrolled 25 students

into SDSU each year and, at times, had anywhere between 40 and 400 students pre-registered for the program, university spokesperson La Monica EverettHaynes said in an email. High school students graduating during the 2018-19 school year remain eligible for the program and will not face any changes in the program’s

requirements, Everett Haynes said. Students beyond that, including this year’s high school juniors who may have been enrolled in the program, will no longer have the opportunity to gain preferred admission, according to the SDSU Admissions Office. Despite the end of the program, Everett-Haynes said SDSU will still offer support and outreach for local students, which includes additional consideration for admission. Students who participated in the program were required to meet GPA, general education, SAT and ACT requirements, among others, to be considered for preferred admission. Computer engineering junior Joel Edquiban, who was previously enrolled in the program, said he is confused as to why SDSU would retire this program. “I was a part of Project Lead The Way back in high school,” Edquiban said. “The fact that I heard about it ending here at State, it kind of perplexes me because it helps prepare people.” Now that prospective local engineering students do not have the program, Edquiban said he thinks the path to SDSU will be a more difficult. “It’s going to be a tough road,”

Edquiban said. “With that gone, I feel like the struggle will be a lot more noticeable.” Mechanical engineering junior Joe Stephens said he doesn’t think many students will be affected. “I think most students rely on normal coursework and GPA,” he said. “They don’t really have that option of that program. I don’t think it will trouble them at all that, that (the) program is gone.” Project Lead the Way is a non-profit organization that provides elementary and high school students with STEMrelated coursework, according to the organization’s senior director of communications, Jennifer Erbacher. The national organization’s partnership with SDSU lasted nearly 15 years up until the program’s termination in August. “San Diego State University has served as a Project Lead the Way affiliate university partner for 15 years and has offered the Project Lead the Way Preferred Admissions Program for 11 years,” Everett-Haynes said. Students and families were encouraged to contact the SDSU Admissions and SDSU Prospective Student Center by phone at (619) 594-6336 or (855) 594-6336 or via email at admission@sdsu.edu for further information.

Planned Parenthood Generation Action talks voter participation as midterm elections creep up by Sofia Bert SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Despite being tied up in a number of the highly divisive political issues, San Diego State’s Planned Parenthood Generation Action chapter will spend this semester collaborating with organizations from all ends of the political spectrum. The issue at hand is voting, something PPGA wants all eligible citizens to take part in. PPGA is a non-partisan activism group that is planning to work with both the SDSU College Democrats and the San Diego State College Republicans to register as many people to vote as possible, Co-Political Affairs Officer and international business junior Patricia Hyde said. “We just want people to get registered to vote and to vote about the things they care about, because it really matters to us that people care about democracy,” Hyde said. Aside from their recent push to get people to the polls, the organization’s platform primarily focuses on reproductive and social justice. The deeper roots of the club stem from reproductive justice principles created in the 1990s by SisterSong, an organization focused on improving the

Courtesy photo

Members of SDSU Planned Parenthood Generation Action.

reproductive rights of those living in marginalized communities, according to Spanish and linguistics senior and PPGA vice president of finance Sophia Cole. The three-pronged holistic framework is “having the right to parent, having the right not to parent (and) having the right to parent your child safely,” Cole said. While the organization identifies as nonpartisan, they

often endorse political candidates on the basis of their support for both reproductive and social justice issues. Two members of the executive board, Delanie McGinn and Sophia Cole, recently spoke at a rally aimed at raising awareness around the prospective appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the supreme court and the dangers they believe he poses to reproductive justice. “That appointment is pretty

bad news for reproductive rights and justice because Kavanaugh has sided with employers who want to refuse birth control access to their employers on company healthcare,” Cole said. PPGA actively works to help their members understand the relevant current events and how certain political leaders can affect reproductive and social justice. During their meetings, junior public health major and PPGA

President Talia Kieu said they regularly give presentations on the news regarding Kavanaugh’s appointment from what they consider to be reliable sources. “We inform our general body members as best we can,” Kieu said. “We know that there’s a lot of media going on and it’s really hard to sift through those articles. It’s really easy to read a headline, get fatigued and brush it under the rug. But, since this appointment is really important to us, we like to inform our general body members in person.” In addition to political activism, PPGA focuses a lot on promoting good sexual health and comprehensive sex education. “People (in college) are at a really weird age … yes, they’re adults, but they’re all coming from really different backgrounds so people might not have had comprehensive sex education,” Kieu said. During tabling, cole said PPGA members will have voter registration materials, lubricant, dental dams and condoms available for students at no cost as well as educational literature about sexual health. PPGA meetings are held every other Wednesday, including Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 11 a.m. in the Pride Suite of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.

Opinion

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Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Kemi Giwa • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

Twitter’s permanent ban of Alex Jones was a good idea

EDITOR IN CHIEF Will Fritz MANAGING EDITOR Jocelyn Moran NEWS EDITOR Bella Ross ASST. NEWS EDITOR David Santillan OPINION EDITOR Kemi Giwa MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Vladimir Salazar ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Julianna Ress ASST. ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Lexington Howe

Illustration by Katherine Cooke

by Chance Page STAFF COLUMNIST

Not too long ago, Infowars founder, talk show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was permanently banned from Twitter. This is the latest in a series of such bans of Jones and Infowars across social media, ranging from heavyweight content distribution platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Apple to lesser platforms like Pinterest, LinkedIn and MailChimp. While Jones still has the Infowars website, the ban from social media platforms will

severely weaken his influence. This raises the question: was the suspension justified? The answer is yes. On each of the social media platforms that Jones was banned from, his racist, misogynistic, transphobic and xenophobic speech violated the codes of conduct on that platform. Arguably, these bans should have occurred sooner, but he was allowed to stay on each platform in order to avoid claims of political bias and censorship. But more importantly, it’s the impact of his words that need to be examined. Jones isn’t just someone spewing wild conspiracy

theories. He has a large following, and some of those followers choose to act on his theories in harmful ways. For example, Jones is most famous for the false conspiracy theory that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was a hoax perpetrated by the government. This resulted in a campaign aimed at harassing the families of the victims, with one family no longer able to visit the grave of their child. Jones and InfoWars were also responsible for the 2016 spread of “Pizzagate,” a false theory that members of the Democratic

Party were running a pedophilia ring out of a pizza eatery in Washington, D.C. An adherent of the theory decided to “selfinvestigate” the allegations and fired off three shots with an assault rifle inside the restaurant It’s clear that Jones inspires some of his followers to initiate campaigns of harassment or acts of violence, and social media helped spread his message further. His ban was well-deserved and long overdue. I’m glad Twitter finally decided to step forward and make the right decision. Chance Page is senior studying journalism.

All black women are beautiful. Respect us. by Jasmine muzon CONTRIBUTOR

I was raised to feel comfortable and beautiful in my own skin. My mother would always make it a point to remind me that I was a black queen. So, by the time I got to college, my confidence was as high as it could possibly be. And it was all thanks to the confidence my mother worked so hard to instill in me. Still, even with my high self-esteem, there have been a number of different times where my confidence could’ve been shattered. During my freshman year of college, I remember someone coming up to me and asking me what I was mixed with. I responded to him and told him that I was black and Latina, but I couldn’t quite figure out why he automatically assumed I was mixed. So I asked him what might make him think this. His response: “You’re way too pretty to just be black.” I walked away. I couldn’t get over the fact that he attempted to diminish my blackness. Even more sad: The time another black man openly and candidly expressed his preference for features that aren’t “too black.” The same features that his mother, sister or other female family members probably have, are the same features he expressed being disatisfied with.

It was disappointing. But sadly, experiences like this aren’t new to black women. This happens to us all the time. About two years ago, I was working retail and a customer reached for my hair. She told me: “Wow, you look Amazonian. Very beautiful for a black girl.” For a black girl, I thought. Wow. I was confused, embarrassed and extremely hurt. I knew exactly what this backhanded compliment meant, and it wasn’t actually

glorified and fetishized for their dark skin and thick hair — the same characteristics black women are considered unattractive for. From our big lips to our wide noses and hips, we’re routinely disrespected in ways that women of other racial groups are not. Now, this is ironic considering the fact that non-black women spend thousands of dollars in an effort to emulate the very same features that are just so unflattering and unappealing on black women (i.e. the entire Kardashian family).

done respectfully. If you’re telling a black woman that she is beautiful, end it at beautiful. Don’t follow it with, “for a black girl” or assume she’s mixed. Just know that her beauty goes beyond her racial identity or physical characteristics. A message to black women: Don’t be discouraged by those who have yet to learn that black is beautiful. We don’t need to meet society’s standards, we are beautiful and we are more than good enough. I also think it is important to

“From our big lips to our wide noses and hips, we’re routinely disprected in ways that women of other racial groups are not. Now, this is ironic considering the fact that non-black women spend thousands of dollars in an effort to emulate the very same features that are just so unflattering and unappealing on black women.” a compliment. Throughout history, black women have been taught that just being black doesn’t suffice Unless we’re mixed, “exotic” with light skin, and loose curl patterns, we don’t fit society’s standard of beauty and we aren’t considered attractive. I’m always grateful for my high confidence. If I didn’t grow up with an already strong sense of self, I could’ve easily, like many other black women, fallen victim to the bullying and the taunts. In contrast, black men are

Some women even go as far as getting dark-spray tans to imitate the melanin we’re born with. Clearly, the physical traits associated with blackness are only acceptable when you’re not actually black. Overall, whether we’re dark skin, light skin with kinky, straight or curly hair, we’re beautiful. Regardless of our ethnic background. Though it’s amazing to acknowledge the beauty of others, we need to make sure it’s

go out of our way to make sure we’re uplifting each other. In a society, where our features aren’t celebrated. The least we we could do is, be here for one another. Maya Angelou once said, “Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise?” Some believe that being black isn’t attractive, so our beauty does come as a surprise, but still we rise, and we will continue to. Jasmine Muzon is senior studying Africana Studies.

SPORTS EDITOR Abraham Jewett ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Aaron Tolentino ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Dana Tsuri-Etzioni MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Mirella Lopez ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Amal Younis

VOLUNTEER COPY EDITOR Katherine Cooke SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Sofia Bert STAFF WRITERS Cristian Alvarez Kyle Betz Daniel Guerrero Lauren J. Mapp Chance Page Kyle Saunders CONTRIBUTORS Ronald Penh Johann Derek Oribello Olivia Li Jermelle Macleod Suma Massaley Jasmine Muzon Gian Matteo Sacchetti ________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Josh Diaz SALES MANAGER Valerie Barrientos ACCOUNTING & CONTRACTS Samir Sandhu Meah Mapp ________________________________ GENERAL MANAGER/ADVISER Jay Harn GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST Luis Valenzuela ________________________________ EDITORIAL 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition every Wednesday throughout the semester WEB Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com QUESTIONS/COMMENTS letters@thedailyaztec.com ________________________________ The views and opinions expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec.

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Kemi Giwa • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

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African countries are slowly identifying with feminism by Suma Massaley CONTRIBUTOR

My first exposure to feminism was my parents' relationship. My dad was an extreme anti-feminist. He was very patriarchal and conservative in his beliefs and practices. I attribute some of his beliefs and practices to the fact that he grew up in a Muslim household where polygamy is encouraged. My mom, however, prevailed against all these standard societal norms and expectations. She was brought up in a society where male dominance fueled every aspect of her life, dating back to her dad who was a chief in his village and consequently married more than five wives. Even though Liberians are mostly Christians, some of us uphold traditional practices that go against our Christian beliefs. For example, polygamy. Like many other African countries, relationships and marriages are polygamous. Africans have a number of different traditions, but a majority of those hail men as the head of the house, or as many westerners call it — the breadwinner. For over a century, men have been permitted to have multiple wives, while women were expected to exist in the confines of traditional gender roles. Whenever feminism in Africa is mentioned, you usually hear the atrocities of female genital mutilation, which almost instantly prevents people from wanting to gain knowledge on the vibrant feminist movement in Africa. Although there is little literature to buttress these claims, some argue that feminism isn’t a new concept in Africa. In fact, before colonialism, African cultures hailed women as leaders of their lands thus refuting the sense of male dominance in African societies. If these claims are true, then sadly, post-colonial times have created a society where women have been demoted to secondclass citizenship and men’s helpers. However, although long forgotten, the history of gender equality and distortion of gender roles only supports the fact that these gender roles are socially constructed. Growing up, I watched a lot of

African movies. These movies made me see society as a predominantly malecentered. Leadership roles were attributed to men while women were either queens, who only existed to smile and look pretty, either as maids or stay at home wives. In my utopia, a queen would exert more power and carry herself as a leader, but these female fictional characters fit neatly into subpar traditional roles, upholding the ideals that girls are second to men and if anything, they are sex objects meant to raise children. Moreover, councils and leadership positions were occupied by men and if a woman dared to speak up in the midst of her male counterparts, she’d be shunned and asked: “What do you know? You’re just a woman and your place is in the kitchen.” Concedingly, one could argue that the plots in these films may have been fictional but the narratives portrayed about traditional gender roles were very similar to our realities. And even if these portrayals were mostly fictional, they still influence the men and women who watch. Like I mentioned earlier, my grandfather was a chief who married more than five wives My grandmother was given to him as a prize when she was just 12 years old. In those days, child marriages hardly raised any eyebrows. Why would it? Even today, many women are still seen as prizes — something a man can own if he provides for her financially. Education for women was discouraged, restricting girls from actualizing self-independence and self-esteem. The general sentiment was, “Why pursue education when a man can marry you and take care of your needs? All you’d need to do is be a good wife and have kids. How hard is that?” The ridiculous truth has been, if a male provides for you financially, he literally owns you and it’s permissible for him to have concubines even though he’s married to you. I remember this ridiculous way of living had a huge impact on my grandmother. Having lived all of her years

sleeping with a man old enough to be her father and watching her mates take turns to her husband’s bed, she became accustomed. When my mom would complain about my dad’s infidelity and threaten divorce, my grandmother would be say, “at least he hasn’t married his girlfriend.” This just goes to prove how, once a woman has been brought up in a society that excuses men’s infidelity and graces her with a second-class citizenship, it is almost impossible for her to want equality, rights and respect, or in other words — feminism. Slowly, the more you’re denied your humanity and equality, the less you see yourself as even deserving of it. Existing as a subordinate to your husband is not only accepted, but also welcomed. However, present-day Africa can boast of many thriving feminists and prominent African women who have challenged the narrative about traditional gender roles. Almost 13 years ago, Liberia achieved something that America has attempted at and repeatedly failed. In one of the most patriarchal societies in the world, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected the first female president of Liberia, thus altering societal expectations of women around the world. Also, if you’ve heard of the unmatched accomplishments Gloria Steinem, Rosa Parks and other prominent women of the second wave feminism in the U.S., you ought to know Africa’s own Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, the revolutionary Nigerian who’s shaking up the status quo and Winnie Mandela, the freedom fighter who epitomized women’s liberation in South Africa and around the world. All of these women mentioned above have achieved some form of feminism. Be it pursuing equality, rising above societal standards or occupying positions predominantly occupied by men These examples thus legitimize the concept that feminism may be achievable for the African woman but only if she surpasses certain circumstances. I believe feminism is a universal quest. It is not only exclusive to women, but it also embodies

society. Hence, African women can aspire to become feminists and rise against any form of substandards that inherently oppress them. But the overarching question is: Will society permit them to pursue feminism? I ask this question with my mother’s life in mind. Like I mentioned, my father was the common version of the traditional African man. He wanted my mom to stay home, bear children, cook and clean. When my mom secured a job at the United Nations, he felt threatened and hastily pursued divorce. Why? Because his social status as the head of the household would be invalid if my mom was earning more money than him. Now, this constant battle to have women fit into their traditional roles isn’t unique to only my mom. Many African women are raped in marriages where they are forced to fulfill traditional roles as wives. This also isn’t to say these women do not have the agency to leave said marriages. However, the problem of financial independency persists. For decades, women have been socialized to be financially reliant upon men to provide for them thus discouraging women from pursuing lives outside of their marriages. A female born in an African setting is likely to grow up seeing realities through the lens of her parents. She’s likely to see her mother and father performing traditional gender roles and her sisters getting married at early ages, fostering the narrative that marriage is sole purpose of a womanhood. Now this isn’t to say that married women cannot be feminists. However, if society continues to uphold marriage as the sole achievement of a woman’s life, it only allows her to ignore the unending possibilities of achievement afforded to her as a person. That gender and its role do not define a person’s life and a woman, like man, is important to society. By changing the status quo, African women can come to realize their innate potential — one that does not revolve around their

abilities to cook, bear children and care for their husbands. This limits the propensity for women to rely on men to acquire financial stability. If a woman can provide for herself, the idea of having a man in life is restricted to her own terms. Inevitably, she sees a man as a partner harboring the real meaning of a husband rather than a provider and head of the home. This head of the home narrative, is and has always been alarming. I cannot emphasize on the need for women to align themselves with the realities of pursuing education and being their own head of the homes. Moreover, all too important to African women’s quest for feminism is the role of African men. “We should all be feminist,” says Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Adichie. African men need to realize her roles in the global fight for equality. Men like my dad, who are threatened by a woman’s ability to achieve her own independence play a big role in the realities of women. An African boy who was courting me was utterly enraged when I told him I didn’t know how to cook. He then added, “as a real African woman, you need to learn how to cook. How do you expect your husband to eat?” The fight to make feminism a movement that both men and women can actively advocate for means that systems and structures must be disrupted. Living in an environment where women are so used to second-class citizenship means that it’s even more difficult for some to even believe that they are worthy of equality. But it’s happening. To say the least, feminism is achievable in Africa only if women rise above the status quo — or society — most importantly men can become feminist. The quest for feminism should be universal. Equality for all, not just men. We should all be feminist. Suma Massaley is a senior studying international security and conflict resolution

We should all strive toward becoming passionate people by Jermelle CONTRIBUTOR

Macleod

Passion is an intense enthusiasm for something or someone. It’s at the core of all great human accomplishments, along with self-importance and pride. But when passion is allowed to rule and dictate every action, you will find yourself in very unpleasant situations. Passion must be coupled with rationality. Rationality will determine the proper course of action — it’ll help you figure out how to live for your passions.

Rationality will determine what to do, and what to avoid on the path of expressing and harnessing your dreams. Unbridled passion will ultimately result in your downfall. Passion is like all motivating emotions and conditions such as anger, happiness and sadness. For example, too much anger will hurt you more than you think, due to stress and hasty judgements, but a proper amount of anger will motivate you to change your condition. Too much happiness will leave you ill-prepared to deal with an unforeseen negative

circumstance, but a healthy amount of happiness makes life worth living. Too much passion will make you act blindly and impulsively. It’ll make you a slave to the motivating force behind all living things. But passion coupled with rationality will bring you unheard of amounts of success. It adds color to the gray repetition of daily life. Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and theologian, famously said, “What our age lacks is not reflection, but

passion.” Soren’s words ring even truer 175 years later. His observation can be seen throughout our daily lives. I’m sure very few of us wake up with passion. Imagine waking up with the intense enthusiasm that defines passion. Passionate to exist and be alive. Passionate to be an individual and work on becoming the greatest version of yourself possible. Passionate to be alive. When you’re passionate about everything, and work

to combine that passion with rationality, nothing will bore you and nothing will stop you from expressing yourself to the absolute fullest. Passion is an underestimated virtue. Can you imagine a world filled with passionate people? One filled with people living their life to the absolute fullest because they’re passionate about everything? I can, and I promise you, it’s a beautiful world. Jermelle MacLeod is freshman studying journalism.

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The Daily Aztec

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Bella Ross • news@thedailyaztec.com

Best Buddies gives disabled students lifelong friends, mentors by Olivia Li CONTRIBUTOR

The San Diego State chapter of Best Buddies is giving students the chance to make long life friendships with the buddies they mentor while tackling the stigma surrounding their mental health. The worldwide organization, Best Buddies, is aimed at mentoring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities while helping end the stigma surrounding their condition. As members, SDSU students are able to become a social mentor while their buddy gains self-confidence and selfesteem, characteristics that they tend to lack because they are often isolated and excluded because of their disabilities. The university’s chapter is currently headed by speech, language and hearing sciences junior Julia Moluf, who joined Best Buddies her freshman year of high school and has since continued as a member of Best Buddies at SDSU. “Best Buddies is changing lives because it shows society how capable, loving and valuable people with disabilities are,” Moluf said. “It has forever changed my life.” Through a strict application

process, members of Best Buddies have the opportunity to become a “peer buddy,” where they are able to form a deeper connection with an intellectually or developmentally disabled member of Best Buddies for greater involvement.

Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences senior and Vice President of Internal Relations for Best Buddies, Haley Brock, said that her experience has been nothing short of great. “I feel like the most rewarding part was how close I got with

John (Brock’s buddy) and his family,” Brock said. “Sometimes I go out to lunch with John and his mom and they are always so sweet to me. We made Christmas cookies last year with his brothers and cousins as well and it was so fun. They really brought me into

their family and I never expected to gain so much.” Brock added that she has formed a deep connection with her buddy John, watching him at his dance practices, and going to baseball games together. Kinesiology sophomore Kesenah Uribes said she joined Best Buddies because of the strong involvement they have in the community, as each Best Buddies member who is intellectually or developmentally disabled is from the SDSU area. “In the short time I’ve been in the club, it’s already felt like family,” Uribes said. For this upcoming year, Moluf said she wants to build on the collaborations that were made with other on-campus organizations from last year but her long term goal is to make Best Buddies a household name. She strives for all students to know who Best Buddies is, what they do and supportive of their mission of creating lifelong friendships, leadership development and job opportunities for people who have an intellectual or developmental disability. Best Buddies meets every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Park Boulevard Suite of the Student Union.

Courtesy photo

Members of SDSU Best Buddies pose for a group photo.

Sustainable transportation options promoted at campus fair by Lauren J. STAFF WRITER

Mapp

In conjunction with National Drive Electric Week, Associated Students Green Love at San Diego State hosted a Sustainable Transportation Fair on Sept. 12 to promote environmentallyfriendly commuting habits. During the event, representatives from electric car dealerships, rideshares, carpools and other organizations supporting efficient energy usage shared information on how the campus community can take steps toward commuting more sustainability.

Assistant Director of Sustainability Tom Abram said the expansion of sustainable transportation options is an important component of the campus’ climate action goals. “This all ties into our climate action plan — we have a goal of getting to zero carbon by 2050, which includes scope for commuting emissions,” Abram said. According to Abram, single occupancy vehicles account for 70 percent of faculty, 75 percent of staff and 55 percent of students commuting to campus. Mass transit is utilized by 16 percent of students, 10 percent of faculty and 10 percent of staff.

Ridesharing makes up 8 percent of student, 5 percent of faculty and 6 percent of staff commuters. “I think the most critical number is the people who get here non-sustainably because that’s such a huge number and that’s something we need to work on,” Abram said. “That’s why it is critical for us to be here today and talk to everybody about how we can get to campus in a more sustainable way.” Sustainable SDSU outreach intern, sustainability sophomore and chair of the Green Love sustainable transportation committee McKenna Avery said reducing carbon emissions is important for the university and

the City of San Diego in meeting their climate change goals. “Since a lot of students are commuters — the ones who aren’t living on campus — we need to find ways that they can get here without getting in their gas-powered car,” Avery said. Since bike sharing company Ofo first launched at SDSU, students have been seen using the rentals bikes to ride around campus. Abram said how the program is affecting campus commuting will be measured during the next commuter survey in the spring semester. “We see a lot of people who take Ofos home, but we don’t see as many people bringing

Photo by Lauren J. Mapp

Assistant Sustainability Director Tom Abram shares information with a student a

Ofos back,” Abram said. “We are still trying to learn what the process is. I know we have some disadvantages based on (the) geography of the area.” Ofo bikes are one of the sustainable transportation options on campus at San Diego State. New electric car charging stations from ChargePoint will be installed over the next few weeks, replacing the Blink stations that have been on campus since 2012. Campus administrators will have greater flexibility in charging rates with the new company, compared to the fixed rates of Blink, Abram said. Following in the footsteps of the University of California, San Diego, SDSU is in the process of launching a discount program for electric vehicles with car dealers. “We’re in the process of launching an electric vehicle discount program,” Abram said. “This program has been very successful at UCSD. It offers faculty, staff and — with some dealers — students discounts on electric vehicles.” Sustainable car owners have several rebate and funding options that are not mutually exclusive to help decrease the financial burden of purchasing a sustainable vehicle. Options for rebates and tax credits are available at the local, state and federal level, said Taylor Sieben, outreach coordinator at Center for Sustainable Energy. Through these programs, the goal is to make electric vehicle ownership accessible to a more economically diverse population and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

News

The Daily Aztec

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Bella Ross • news@thedailyaztec.com

Best Buddies gives disabled students lifelong friends, mentors by Olivia Li CONTRIBUTOR

Courtesy photo

Members of SDSU Best Buddies pose for a group photo.

Sustainable transportation options promoted at campus fair by Lauren J. STAFF WRITER

Mapp

Photo by Lauren J. Mapp

Assistant Sustainability Director Tom Abram shares information with a student a

Sports

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

SDSU pulls off upset victory over ASU by Kyle Saunders STAFF WRITER

San Diego State football held on for a 2821 victory over Arizona State University on Sept. 15, escaping a late comeback attempt from the Sun Devils at SDCCU Stadium. The Aztecs (2-1) allowed only a late fourth-quarter touchdown to ASU, who did not record a second-half first down until just over four minutes left in the game and after SDSU had pulled away with 14 unanswered points. The Sun Devils (2-1) would not go away, however, and after pulling within a touchdown had one final chance to tie the game after SDSU sophomore running back Chase Jasmin fumbled the ball away with 43 seconds left while attempting to stretch out a would-be game-sealing run. ASU made it to midfield but following three incompletions faced a fourth-and-10 with 13 seconds left. Redshirt senior quarterback Manny Wilkins (341 yards passing and two touchdowns) lobbed a pass downfield, initially appearing to connect with redshirt sophomore wide receiver Frank Darby on a 48-yard catch to the two-yard line, but after a review it was determined the ball hit the ground. Sophomore warrior Trenton Thompson delivered a big hit on the play, but was called for targeting, which set up the Sun Devils on the Aztecs’ 45-yard line with six seconds left. ASU’s last-second heave from Wilkins was then deflected into the turf by senior safety Parker Baldwin, sealing an SDSU victory. Head coach Rocky Long said the Aztecs were the best team on the field and cut it too close at the end. “We deserved to win the game, we outplayed them,” Long said. “We deserved to win and them even making it that close was ridiculous.” ASU came in boasting the No. 1 run defense in the nation, allowing only 32.6 yards per game, but the Aztecs torched them for 311 yards on the ground. Junior running back Juwan Washington and sophomore running back Chase Jasmin both went over the century mark on the ground for SDSU, finishing with 138 and 112 yards, respectively. Washington said the offense played well and will be able to build on their performance going forward. “We played really great as a collective group,” Washington said. “We executed everything that was supposed to be going on. You know winning this game is just something to build on.” Washington had more than 100 yards in the third quarter, while Jasmin had 99 of his yards in a busy fourth quarter for

Photo by Raymond Gorospe

Redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Agnew hands off to junior running back Juwan Washington during the Aztecs’ 28-21 victory over Arizona State on Sept. 15 at SDCCU Stadium.

the sophomore with Washington on the sideline. “(Jasmin) did a really good job filling in,” Washington said. “He did a really good job of seeing things. You just got to be able to trust what you see and hit it.” On the other side of the ball, the Aztecs held sophomore running back Benjamin Eno to 21 yards on 13 carries while limiting the Sun Devils to 36 total yards on the ground. ASU head coach Herm Edwards said his team did not compete well against SDSU’s defense. “We play a team like this, there’s a lot of movement up front,” Edwards said. “They put you in a bad situation. We’ve got to make more positive yards on first down.” Junior quarterback Ryan Agnew started his first career game for SDSU, and showed off on the ground and in the air, finishing the game with 129 yards passing and a touchdown to go with 36 yards rushing. Long said Agnew’s dual-threat ability helped the offense out of some potential negative plays. “It was big tonight,” Long said. “They got some pressure on him and most of the time he made… positive plays.” Agnew proved to be a suitable fill-in for injured senior quarterback Christian Chapman, who is out 3-6 weeks after spraining his ACL against Sacramento State. Agnew said having trust from his teammates helped calm his pregame jitters. “I think everyone has jitters before every game,” Agnew said. “It was calming having

guys around me who trust me. It made it a lot easier just having my teammate(s) around me.” Agnew came up big in the Aztecs’ final drive of the first half, utilizing a hurry-up offense to lead the team down the field with 1:41 left to play, tying the game 14-14. Junior cornerback Kyree Woods, who

finished with six total tackles and four pass breakups, said the game was a step in the right direction for the Aztecs. “I’m excited this season because I feel like we’re slowly getting there, progressing every week,” Woods said. “It’s only a matter of time where we’re lights out.”

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Sports

The Daily Aztec

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Aztecs take down Brown at Sports Deck by Cristian STAFF WRITER

Alvarez

San Diego State men’s soccer earned for its third straight victory, defeating Brown University, 2-0, on Sept. 14 at the SDSU Sports Deck. SDSU head coach Lev Kirshner said he was pleased with the team’s play on the ni ght. “The team is starting to hit some stride,” Kirshner said. “We’re getting better and better each game. This has been our best performance of the year.” The Aztecs (3-2-1) had an advantage in the attack, landing 18 shots compared to three for Brown.

“The team is starting to hit some stride... we’re getting better and better each game.” –Lev Kirshner, SDSU head coach SDSU also managed to rack up 11 corner kicks, while limiting the Bears (2-2) to just two. Players like sophomore midfielder Keegan Kelly played

Photo by Jocelyn Moran

Redshirt-freshman midfielder Reagan Sherlock (left) celebrates with junior midfielder Spencer Madden (middle) and senior forward Damian German (right) during the Aztecs’ 2-0 victory over Brown on Sept. 15 at the SDSU Sports Deck. German had two goals during the match.

a pivotal role in the Aztecs win. Kelly said the team had a very well rounded performance. “It was definitely a complete performance,” Kelly said. “It was our first of the year for sure.” Senior forward Damian German scored the opening goal

of the match in the 34th minute, hitting a right-footed shot past Brown freshman goalkeeper James Swomley. The goal was the first of the season for German, who said he was able to execute perfectly on the play.

“I was able to do a turn and created some space for myself,” German said. “I thought one more touch and I’ll shoot…it turned out exactly how it was in my mind.” German scored again only three minutes into the second

half. The opportunity was created when junior midfielder AJ Valenzuela lobbed a ball into the middle of the field, leading to a one-on-one chance for German to slice a right footed shot past Swomley. Both Valenzuela and German built up chemistry with one another prior to the season while playing for FC Tucson in the summer. “Once I saw (Valenzuela) on the ball with time and space,” German said. “I thought it’s going to get to me somehow. I was just able to make that run.” Kirshner said he was content with how well German performed. “(German) was special tonight,” Kushner said. “He finally hit the back of the net, and for goal scorers’ that’s a really important thing.” The Aztecs held the ball efficiently throughout the match, which Kirshner said attributed to the team’s success. “I think our possession was very good. I think our shape and balance off of our possession was quality,” Kirshner said. SDSU now has ten days of rest until its next match against UNLV, hosting the Rebels on Sept. 24 at the SDSU Sports Deck.

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Sports

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

Women’s soccer defeated by No. 8 UCLA by Abraham Jewett SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State women’s soccer was unable to overcome an aggressive attack by No. 8 UCLA, falling 3-0 in front of a seasonhigh 1,314 in attendance on the evening of Sept. 16 at the SDSU Sports Deck. SDSU (2-6) appeared to be overmatched against their nationally-ranked opponent, registering only a single shot attempt while allowing UCLA to get off 20 shots, 10 of which ended up on goal. Head coach Mike Friesen said the team played well overall defensively, but ultimately failed in keeping the Bruins off the scoreboard. “I thought we were actually pretty good in terms of where we want to be defensively and really limiting their chances,” Friesen said. “(It’s) frustrating that we literally gave them three goals.” UCLA (5-1-1) already led by two scores at the half, and kept its foot on the gas coming out of the break after sophomore midfielder Delanie Sheehan placed the ball in the back of the net only 27 seconds after play resumed. While the goal put the Aztecs into an even bigger hole, Friesen said it did not make much

difference to the game’s end result. “Being two goals down at halftime against a team like UCLA is going to be tough to begin with,” he said. “That changed the game, again, but I think it didn’t impact it greatly because at 2-0, 3-0 it’s probably not much different when they had so much of the ball.” Bruins senior forward Hailie Macie had a foot in both of the first two goals, scoring off a deflection assist by senior midfielder Anika Rodriguez at 23:59, before assisting on a goal by sophomore defender Karina Rodriguez with 46 seconds left in the opening half. Macie was one of four UCLA players who had at least three shot attempts, with all of them landing on goal. Friesen said the Aztecs try to test themselves at the start of the season by playing talented teams like the Bruins. “What we want to do in this part of the season is see how much better we can get by playing the absolute best,” he said. The most active player on the stat sheet for the Aztecs was redshirt junior goalie Gabby English, who finished with six saves while anchoring a defense which was back on its heels all night. English said she tries to stay

Photo by Max Walker

SDSU sophomore forward Mia Root (right) goes for the ball against UCLA redshirt sophomore midfielder Meghan Scudero (left) during the Aztecs’ 3-0 loss to the Bruins on Sept. 16 at the SDSU Sports Deck.

calm and focus on the positives of playing a team like UCLA, cherishing the opportunity to compete against one of the top teams in the nation. “It’s kind of good just to take a deep breath,” English said. “It’s a blessing to be back there, so (I) try to look at it that way, not many people get to go out there and play against a top 10 team like UCLA.” The Aztecs lack experience on

the defensive side of the ball, with the team starting the game with a backline which consisted of freshman Lauren Dicus, freshman Lovisa Norrby and sophomore Sarah Broacha. English said that while the youth of the defense can lead to errors, she is impressed with how the defensive unit has shown resilience through tough times. “It’s such a young backline this

year, obviously there (are) going to be mistakes and that’s part of the game,” English said. “I think what’s good is that we’ve got a great bounce-back mentality, so going forward I think we are going to be pretty solid.” SDSU will begin its Mountain West Conference schedule, starting with a home match against the University of Wyoming on Sept. 21 at the SDSU Sports Deck.

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Sports

The Daily Aztec

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

SDSU wins pentathlon against USD by Kyle Betz STAFF WRITER

San Diego State swimming and diving opened its 2018-19 season with a 33-24 win over the University of San Diego on Sept. 14 at the Aztec Aquaplex. SDSU finished with the top seven individual spots of the annual pentathlon, with junior swimmer McKenna Meyer finishing in first place with a time of 4:54.93, junior swimmer Courtney Vincent finishing second with a time of 4:58.86 and freshman swimmer Kristina Murphy finishing in third with a time of 4:59.16. Head coach Mike Shrader said the team showed good enthusiasm and effort in the team’s inaugural meet. “We had a lot of good enthusiasm, we had good attitude, and I’m really proud of the way we started today,” Shrader said. SDSU was captained by junior swimmers Meyer, Vincent, Alma Thormalm and Kassidy Henson. Shrader said although the captains competed in races they do not specialize in, each made a strong showing. “I’m proud of the way our captains competed today. I think they just did an outstanding job,” he said. “Each race is a very unique race. They swam a race today that they won’t swim again.” Vincent won the 100-yard fly (55.92), 100 yard IM (58.34), and 50-yard fly (25.37), and said that winning the first meet of the season generates momentum for the rest of the year. “It kind of builds momentum for the

off the win by sticking to its main goal: having fun. “This year we’re just trying to say, ‘Let’s have fun.’ We’re just going to make sure that’s our main priority,” Meyer said. “If we win, we win, but we want to make sure we’re enjoying the process.” The Aztecs had 13 freshman swimmers participating in the meet, including Murphy, Maude Boily-Dufour (5:09.81) and Mia Ryan (5:13.10), each of whom finished in the top nine spots.

“If we win, we win, but we want to make sure we’re enjoying the process.” – McKenna Meyer, junior swimmer

Photo by David Pradel

Sophomore swimmer Larisa Tam competes in the 100-yard IM event during the Aztecs’ first meet of the season against University of San Diego on Sept. 14 at the Aztec Aquaplex

rest of the season and helps our mentality if we start out good,” Vincent said. Meyer, who won the 400 yard IM (4:31.42) and finished second in the 100-yard IM (58.88), said there was nervousness before the meet began, but the team felt comfortable following the

first race. “I think everyone was a little nervous because you never know what to expect in the first meet,” Meyer said. “We got our nerves out the first race, and we were able to do pretty well the rest of the meet.” Meyer said that the team can build

Shrader said the team went into the meet fatigued due to weight room training, swim practice and spin class, but his expectations were met. “They’re really sore, really tired right now, which is kind of part of the deal, but they went out there and did their absolute best,” he said. “Attitude and effort are my two big things, and we did good on both those today.” SDSU’s next competition will be a dual meet against Washington State and University of Nevada on Sept. 21 at the Aztec Aquaplex.

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Photo by Abraham Jewett

SDSU junior outside hitter Ashlynn Dunbar attempts to block a spike attempt, while Louisiana senior outside hitter Hanna Rovira looks through the net during the Aztecs’ five-set loss to the Ragin’ Cajuns on Sept. 15 at Peterson Gym.

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San Diego State volleyball lost in five sets to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on Sept. 15 at Peterson Gym. The 20-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 7-15 loss extended the Aztecs’ losing streak to 10 games and left them winless in all three of their matches in the SDSU/USD Challenge. During the three games over the weekend, the Aztecs (1-11) lost to Oregon State on Sept. 14 in four sets and UTEP in five sets earlier in the day. “We’ve had the opportunity to win,” head coach Deitre Collins-Parker said. One major bright spot for the Aztecs was senior outside hitter Deja Harris, who set her career high in kills earlier in the day with 20 against UTEP. Against Louisiana, she got 26. “I am very ecstatic,” Harris said. “Passing did a phenomenal job today…it starts with them” Harris said she tries to lead the team with confidence and that her teammates should

be reassured that she has their back. “If I can have confidence and drill confidence on (the team), they will know not to worry because Deja is on their same side,” Harris said. In a crucial third set, the Aztecs trailed 0-5 before going on an 18-11 run to take the lead, 18-16. Unfortunately for SDSU, the Ragin’ Cajuns went on a 9-4 run to win the set. The Aztecs were able to force a fifth set after setting the pace with leads of 9-6 and 20-15. Louisiana (8-6) jumped out to a threepoint lead in the fifth set before freshman outside hitter Victoria O’Sullivan delivered a big spike to briefly keep the Aztecs’ hopes alive. SDSU now heads into Mountain West Conference play, and Collins-Parker said it represents a new start. “We’re 0-0,”, Collins-Parker said. “We get to start fresh.” The Aztecs will officially kick off their conference season on Sept. 21, with a home matchup against Fresno State at Peterson Gym.

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Sports

The Daily Aztec

Harris sets, re-sets, career high in “kills” by Abraham Jewett SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State volleyball is 1-11 on the season and in the midst of a 10-game losing streak, but while the schedule has often been unforgiving, senior middle blocker Deja Harris has stood out as the face of the Aztecs. Harris is the team’s lone senior, and she took her game to new heights on Sept. 15 by posting a career-high number of kills in consecutive games, on the same day, just hours apart. “I’m actually very excited,” Harris said. “It’s encouraging just to know that regardless of outcome, I’m still keeping my game up high and I still hold myself to a high level and high expectations and high standard.” Harris first had a then-career-high 20 kills in a five-set loss against University of Texas at El Paso, only to shatter that hours later by setting a new career high of 26 kills in a five-set loss to University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The 26 total kills were the most by an SDSU player since 2008, when Lauren Salisbury finished with 28 in a match against UTEP. Harris said she could not have accomplished the feat without quality passing from her teammates. “Obviously in order for me to even break that record I had to have great passing, and our passing did a phenomenal job,” she said. “It’s really up to my passers, it starts with them.” Harris leads the team in kills on the season with 166, while also leading the team in blocks with 66. The next closest

Photo by Abraham Jewett

Senior middle blocker Deja Harris (right) celebrates with her teammates after earning a point during the Aztecs five-set loss to Louisiana on Sept. 15 at Peterson Gym.

players in blocks, junior outside hitter Ashlynn Dunbar and redshirt sophomore outside hitter Lexie Hamrick, have 22. Head coach Deitre Collins-Parker said while Harris is invaluable, it is up to other players to make up for lost output when she exits the game to rest. “(Harris is) important to us. She’s an important piece of who we are,” CollinsParker said. “We have to match that (production) when she is out.”

An area that may be cause for concern for the Aztecs is the team’s relative youthfulness. SDSU has a combined 14 freshmen and sophomores on the team, and has struggled in crunch time, losing four times in five-set matches this season. Harris said being the only senior on a young team comes with some pressure, but that it is nothing she can’t handle. “I’ve been signed up for this, and I’m ready for it and it’s never been something I

can’t handle, it’s never been overwhelming, it comes naturally,” Harris said. “Being the leader, being the spokesperson, being vocal, being the one that gets it done, the 26 kills. They can depend on me and that’s fine, give me the ball. I’ll put it away, I’ll handle it.” Harris will have a chance to help her team win its first game since Aug. 25 when it opens conference play with a home match against Fresno State on Sept. 21 at Peterson Gym.

Senior forward scores two goals to break out of slump by Daniel Guerrero STAFF WRITER

The first five games of the season had not been ideal for San Diego State men’s soccer senior forward Damian German. German had a combined five shots, and of those five, none were on target. The transfer from Grand Canyon University was once named Western Athletic Conference (WAC) player of the week, and he left his former school with 11 career goals in three years. Before that, German scored 31 goals during his senior year at Maryvale High School in Phoenix. At SDSU, though, things didn’t go according to plan. “The first few games, it was a little frustrating,” German said. German said he believed his luck would eventually change, and the support from his teammates kept him motivated. “The team was always encouraging me,” he said. “Throughout the games, they’d always tell me, ‘get the goals, keep your head up and keep working.’” As German kept working over the fivegame stretch, he realized the one thing that wasn’t — his jersey number. “I’ve never worn a high number before like 28,” German said. “I just felt like it was kind of cursed for me.” So, on the night that he changed his jersey number from 28 to 19, the senior scored his first two goals as an Aztec, giving his team a 2-0 victory over Brown University, its third win in a row. Following his performance, German said the new number is something he’ll stick with. “I heard 19 was open and I gave it a shot. (I thought), ‘hopefully this turns out for me,’” he said. “I’ll definitely keep it.”

The performance garnered praise from head coach Lev Kirshner. “(German) was special tonight,” Kirshner said. “Tonight, he finally hit the back of the net, and for goal scorers, that’s really an important thing.” Kirshner said German’s slow start may have resulted from the senior’s preseason unavailability. “When you don’t have him all preseason camp and he doesn’t get cleared for the preseason games, it’s hard for strikers to get in the fold,” Kirshner said. German’s first goal was set up for him by junior midfielder Emil Kjelker. Kjelker passed to German, and after one look at the defense and the goalkeeper, German turned, separated from his defender and found the back of the left side of the goal. “I was able to do that turn, and I created some space for myself and I realized it,” German said. “(I thought) ‘oh another defender was coming in hard, (so) one more touch and I’ll shoot. I’ll have the whole near post open because the keepers going to cheat.’” Fourteen minutes later, the forward netted his second goal of the night. This one assisted by junior midfielder AJ Valenzuela. German was able to get behind the Brown defense for a oneon-one chance against the opposing goalkeeper. The goal was a callback for German, as he said he scored one like it before with Valenzuela during a summer league match with FC Tucson. “Me and (Valenzula) played in the summer together, and he slipped me a lot of balls, German said. “I had a lot of success with him.” German will get his first chance to build on his strong play when the Aztecs face off against UNLV on Sept. 24 at the SDSU Sports Deck.

Photo by Jocelyn Moran

Senior forward Damian German dribbles the ball during the Aztecs’ 2-0 victory over Brown University on Sept. 14 at the SDSU Sports Deck. German had two goals in the game.

What Is God's Will for Me and My Life?

Associated Students (A.S.) is currently accepting applications for the following volunteer leadership positions:

Many people wanting to deepen their personal relationship with God have asked this question. Elder David Helkenn, an experiencedSpiritual Counselor at Faith Presbyterian Church (5075 Campanile Dr. at Montezuma Rd,) will lead three Sunday sessions exploring answering this question. Please reserve your place by calling the church office at (619) 582-8480. Sessions run from Sunday, September 23, and 30th, through October 7, from 11 to 12 in room 1.

Justice & Elections Coordinator

All are welcome.

DEADLINE: FRI. SEPT. 28, 2018 @ 4 PM

Applications can be picked up in the Associated Students Office, located on the third floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.

619-594-6555 as.sdsu.edu

The Daily Aztec

Mundo Azteca

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Vladimir Salazar • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com

Manifestantes protestan separación de familias migrantes frente edificio de ICE por Diane ESCRITORA

López

Durante el fin de semana de la independencia mexicana, activistas de la comunidad de San Diego se unieron en frente del Centro Detención de ICE en el centro de San Diego para protestar las políticas de ICE y exigir derechos para los inmigrantes que han sido separados al tratar de ingresar al país por medio de asilo político. La protesta fue dividido en tres partes. Empezó el sábado y duró hasta el domingo en la tarde, donde hubo una ceremonia en el centro de detención de Otay Mesa para concluir la protesta. El 15 de septiembre, protestantes exigieron derechos al gobierno debido a las separaciones de familias. La gente que fue a protestar argumentaba que las familias de inmigrantes solo están huyendo de su país debido a la violencia por causa de carteles de droga y pandillas. “Todos estamos reunidos aquí colectivamente para protestar por lo que les está sucediendo a los hombres, mujeres y niños que están detenidos en el centro de detención de ICE, no solo aquí en San Diego, sino en todo el país”, dijo Elvira Colorado, activista cultural y participante del llanto. “Así que no llevamos esto dentro de nosotros, está bien tener este enojo, esta rabia y está bien llorar y gritar para que seamos escucha-

Foto por Diane López

El”llanto colectivo” fue un acto hecho por el Centro Maestras como acto de solidaridad a las familias separadas.

dos”. Junto con los diferentes patrocinadores, voluntarios y la comunidad, la protesta, Llanto Colectivo, fue organizada por el Centro Maestras para la práctica de Pensamiento y Arte Indígena Xicana de la Universidad de California Santa Bárbara y el Comité de Residencia de Denotación de Otay Mesa. Un llanto colectivo fue inspirado por la idea de cómo la leyenda mexicana, la llorona, se asemeja al grito de las mujeres que lloran porque sus hijos están siendo separados de ellas.

“Es una violación de sus derechos y estamos aquí para gritar en un llanto colectivo tipo la llorona que se remonta antes de que los españoles llegaran a México”, dijo Colorado. Vestidos de blanco y ropa indígena, los protestantes se reunieron para orar, cantar y actuar para demostrar su resistencia en contra de familias separadas. “No queremos más separaciones de familias”, dijo Estela Jiménez, una integrante de Resistencia de Detención Otay Mesa. “Necesitamos todos unirnos en este grito de dolor y de esperanza

al mismo tiempo para la reunificación familiar para estas familias, para que estos niños puedan dejar de sufrir y puedan ser llevados con sus padres pero a un lugar donde sus vidas no corran peligro, a un lugar donde estén protegidos”. Durante la protesta, se realizó una oración dedicada para las más de 1,600 familias que han sido afectadas y traumadas por los tratamientos poco éticos de los políticos y los cientos de menores que aún siguen separados de sus familias. El director del comité de servi-

cio American Friends y activista, Pedro Ríos, dijo que cada vez que hay una redada o cada ves que salen las patrullas fronterizas, separan a las familias, y recalcó que es algo que ocurre a diario. “Aquí en San Diego, vivimos en una presencia de alta militarización donde los agentes militares actúan con plena impunidad, y si nos quedamos callados, nos van a pisotear y nos van a ganar”, dijo Ríos. “Por eso, este llanto colectivo es tan importante como cualquier otra acción que se a hecho. Se va escuchar en todos lados y va dejar una huella bastante fuerte”. Al final de la protesta del sábado se realizó un acto y llanto metafórico, como acto de solidaridad que reflejaba las familias que han sido separadas para demostrar cómo han sufrido y por qué es que emigraron a EEUU. “Me enteré del llanto colectivo por medio del Centro Cultural de La Raza, el edificio tenía un póster frente la puerta y me llamó la atención porque iba ser un acto de performance”,dijo Alexander Escobedo, estudiante de primer año de la Universidad de California Santa Cruz. “Sé que el performance como medio de expresión es muy poderoso y muy afirmativo”. “Nuestros niños no deberían estar sufriendo, cada vez que separan un niño de sus padres es como un golpe de muerte para la familia,” dijo Jiménez.

Celebran Día de Independencia mexicana en Chicano Park por Alejandra Janel Pereyda

Luna &

El 15 de septiembre fue el Día de la Independencia para mexicanos e hispanos que no pudieron ir a su país. El festejo comenzó a las 4 p.m. en Chicano Park. El evento fue lleno de baile, antojitos mexicanos, vendimia de ropa y pintacaritas para los menores de edad. El evento también contó con presentaciones del mariachi Costa Azul y del grupo de danza, Danza Azteca. Alrededor de 300 personas se reunieron en Chicano Park para dar el grito de independencia. “Este evento es único en San Diego porque es por la comunidad porque no estamos patrocinados por corporaciones, ni cervecerías”, dijo Juan Orozco, miembro de Unión del Barrio y uno de los organizadores del evento. Es pura gente de la comunidad viniendo juntos a celebrar la independencia de México”, Aunque el propósito del evento fue para celebrar el Día de la Independencia, varios de los asistentes usaron el escenario para dar discuros en donde dieron su opinión acerca de todo lo que está pasando en EEUU sobre la separación de familias. “No somos independientes, estamos construyendo la inde-

pendencia, estamos aquí para construir esa independencia”, dijo Carlos Mantell, miembro de Unión del Barrio. “No somos independientes cuando ICE separa a nuestras familias se lleva a las personas, no somos independientes cuando no tenemos control de la economía en México”. En el recinto, también estuvieron presentes adolescentes quienes nacieron en este país pero que quieren conocer más de sus raíces mexicanas. “Parte de la experiencia chicana es sentir de que no eres ni de aquí ni de allá. He sentido una desconexión con mi cultura mexicana,” dijo Sofía una joven chicana de 16 años. “Es algo muy asombroso que nosotros los mexicanos, aunque estemos aquí en los Estados Unidos, todavía celebramos nuestra cultura”, dijo Leída otra joven Chicana y asistente al Parque Chicano. Durante el festejo, organizaciones, como La Unión Nacional Boinas Café de Aztlán, estuvieron presentes para manifestar su patriotismo. Ellos compartieron cuál es la misión de su asociación. “Nosotros estamos aquí representando la independencia que se celebra el 16 de septiembre, pero nosotros lo celebramos hoy aquí en San Diego”, dijo Eddie Álvarez comandante de La Unión Nacional Boinas Café de Aztlán. “Esto

Foto por Alejandra Luna

Grupo Danza Azteca bailó en Chicano Park debido a la celebración del Dia de la indepencia mexicana.

demuestra lo importante que es nuestra historia que está dentro de nuestras raíces y lo celebramos en tierra mexicana. Aunque tenga el título de Estados Unidos, esta tierra es mexicana que fue arrebatada de nuestra gente”. Además, hubo asistentes quienes no viven en San Diego y fueron invitados por sus familiares a presenciar “el grito” de una manera distinta a lo que es en Ti-

juana, donde cada año la gente se reúne en el palacio de gobierno o patrio como ellos le llaman. “La primera vez que vine aquí me gustó mucho todo lo que presentaron,” dijo María, asistente al festejo quien es residente de Tijuana. “En México, no hay tanta libertad como quisiera. Libertad es tenerla uno mismo y que la autoridad sepa respetarla también”. Este festejo lleva alrededor de

20 años realizándose en Chicano Park y el dinero recaudado de la vendimia de comidas es para ayudar a la comunidad chicana que se dedica creando diferentes talleres. También se invierte ese dinero en ayudar movimientos políticos de la comunidad. Al finalizar el festejo, alzaron la bandera mexicana, tocaron la campana, y dieron el tradicional grito de “¡Viva México!”

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Arts & Culture

The Daily Aztec

Local taco spot Lola 55 opens to success by Lauren J. STAFF WRITER

Mapp

Lola 55 has only been open for a month, but it has already carved out a niche portion of the gourmet taco industry in downtown San Diego. Though buzz about the restaurant began long before it opened it’s doors, Executive Chef Andrew Bent said he did not expect the response that they have had upon opening. “We’ve been busier than I expected — I think more than any of us could have anticipated,” Bent said. Plush, velvet couches and ottomans in bold colors welcome diners into the bar lounge of Lola 55, while hundreds of air plants hang in the outdoor walkway, making the space reminiscent of traveling through the streets of Peru. Meticulous menu planning and experimentation has been one of the key elements to success for Lola 55, especially in the team’s goal of serving top-quality, gourmet food at a reasonable price. After being introduced to his now business partner Frank Vizcarra, they began curating the menu, in part inspired by a threemonth trip to Guadalajara with his father at age 13. “It was an absolutely mindbending and mind-blowing experience to taste this great, old world cuisine,” Bent said. “On a personal level, I realized that growing up with a single father, I

had no idea what culture was, or family, or love, or really religion. All that stuff kind of stuck with me as I grew.” After creating and testing hundreds of recipes, Bent and Vizcarra came up with the menu that they debuted upon opening last month. “There was about two and a half years of planning — two years of developing the menu with very extensive traveling and tons of research, tons of books, tons of failure,” Bent said. “In order to pare it down to the menu, I’ve probably made 500 iterations or more — really 1,000 iterations or builds (of the menu items).” Bent said they also created a menu development system to ensure that each plate hit some key standards. “Is it ‘Lola-worthy,’ is it bold flavor but light in the belly?” Bent said of his recipe development process. “It needs to meet those two criteria. If it’s like a big gutbomb, it won’t work; if it’s too light on bold flavor, it won’t work — it has to meet somewhere in the middle and really kind of have that harmony.” Bent’s previous fine dining and farm-to-table experience is evident in the flavor profile and quality of the menu at Lola 55. The 33-year-old chef has worked with Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, Brian Malarkey of Top Chef and Searsucker fame, and Chef René Redzepi at Noma Mexico. He previously created housemade charcuterie at Tender

Greens and also spent time working at Carnitas Snack Shack, Tiger!Tiger! and Puesto. Ingredients used in the menu are familiar, yet presented in a completely new fashion. With spicy smoked fish, ribeye carne asada and baby carrot adobo tacos, Lola 55’s inexpensive menu has something for everyone. Vegans and omnivores alike will appreciate the squash blossom relleno taco, which features housemade beet soyrizo and a deep-fried squash blossom filled with almond “cream cheese.” Bar Director Gareth Moore had the difficult challenge of creating a unique, craft cocktail menu on a budget of less than $8 a piece. Bartender Joseph MacRae said not only did Moore succeed in doing this, but he also created housemade shrubs and cordials to echo the attention to detail in the food menu. “Every cocktail is under $8 — in downtown San Diego, where else would you get that?” MacRae said. “All of the cocktails took a year to two years to handcraft and make, so there was a lot of time that goes into (the cocktail menu).” Bent said that he and Vizcarra are careful not to rest on the laurels of a successful first month. “We have very lofty goals for growth and with scaling up the concept, so there’s a lot more on the organizational end that we need to button up,” Bent said. “Overall, it’s far-exceeding our wildest expectations thus far.”

Photo by Lauren J. Mapp

Lola 55 serves a variety of tacos at an affordable price.

Photo by Lauren J. Mapp

Lola 55 recently opened in downtown San Diego and has already experienced success.

WOA hopes to spread intersectional feminism on campus by Nathan Godderis CONTRIBUTOR

On Tuesday, Sept.11, the Andrea O’Donnell Womyn’s Outreach Association held their first meeting of the school year, featuring discussion activities encouraging women to bond and share personal stories. The Womyn’s Outreach Association has been a club at SDSU

since the 1960s. In 1995, club member and women’s studies major Andrea O’Donnell was murdered by her boyfriend, and the club has since been renamed in her honor and she remains an inspiration for the club’s mission. A wide range of stories were shared in the first meeting, allowing attendees to express any frus-trations or ideas regarding

sexism on campus. “I feel like on our campus recently a lot of people have been feeling in danger in things in terms of sexual assaults and robberies,” said business sophomore Doreen Hemmati, WOA’s head of public relations. “I want people to know that WOA and the Women’s Resource Center are real people and a place that’s there for them, and

Courtesy of the Womyn’s Outreach Association

Diana Brand, All Schaefer, Claire Sulek, Shelby Rodich, Alicia Castro, Ana Murillo, Hope Egu, Alexa Zener and Doreen Hemmati serve on WOA’s 2018-19 executive board.

I wish that more people knew they could come to us for more personal things as well.” The Womyn’s Outreach Association is the largest feminist club on campus. They focus on intersectional feminism, “with the explicit mission to empower and liberate the female student population of San Diego State University,” according to their website. Intersectional feminism addresses issues faced by women due to their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, and ability, acknowledging the intersections of one’s identity and differences in privilege. The club prides itself on its diverse leadership and membership. This year, the club has a new president, journalism junior Shelby Rodich, who has been an active member in previous years. The club has big plans for this upcoming year, including Love Your Body Day, an event which focuses on self-confidence and body positivity, and in the past has featured yoga classes and a lecture from a nutritionist. During the spring semester, the club will hold its annual rally, Take Back The Night, which aims to address sexual and domestic violence at SDSU. Last year, the club organized Free Vibrator Day, in which a local sexologist assisted WOA in distributing vibrators to students. Around 300 were handed to

SDSU students, and the club plans on hosting the same event this year, among numerous other events throughout the year. “(The events) are basically to spread the word,” Rodich said. “There’s a lot that goes on around campus especially because we have such a big Greek system, and it’s nice to take a moment away and unify with other women on campus and discuss issues that we’re all facing but we don’t always talk about ... it’s a time where a lot of survivors on campus come together and feel and talk about their experiences, so it’s a unifying and empowering experience.” Members hope for their club to not only be a place for those passionate about feminism, but also for anyone unfamiliar with the message. “I really want the club to grow a lot more. I feel like now feminism is even more of a buzzword than it was before,” Hemmati said. “I feel that our organization does a really good job of explaining how to do feminism right. Last semester someone came in and said she just found out weeks before that feminism isn’t not shaving your armpits and yelling at men, so that kind of stuck out to me and I want to reach more people on campus.” The club meets every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in Tehuanco in the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union and is open to students of all backgrounds.

The Daily Aztec

Arts & Culture

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Legion M screens crowdfunded debut by Stephan STAFF WRITER

Early

Changes in crowdfunding laws are expanding the reach of companies looking to take advantage of this innovative way of raising money. Some companies are taking the idea of crowdfunding and building their whole company around it, and Legion M is a new kind of media studio bringing that philosophy to film, television and virtual reality. Legion M’s goal is to make and promote content funded by fans. With the company’s theatrical debut and third overall film release, Legion M enlisted director Panos Cosmatos and star Nicolas Cage to helm the dark and disturbing tale of “Mandy.” “We saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a whole company from the ground up that was designed from day one to be owned by fans,” Legion M co-founder and president Jeff Annison said. Legion M is relying on its model of a built-in fan base to push their films forward in pre- and post-production phases of making movies. “I think that they’re taking this thing and ... turning it into an ‘all for one’ kind of thing” pre-film major and third year student Brendan Mokler said “Where all the people are backing this one thing.” Relying on the loyalty of fans to fund an entire company as opposed to a single film is a step some may find risky. “It wouldn’t surprise me if someone crowdfunded a certain director or actor’s style of film,” advertising sophomore

Donald Bloodworth said. “If they are trying to get into different genres of movies it seems less feasible.” Others believe only time will tell if this model will be successful. “It depends on if this company is successful whether another company would be able to make it work,” marketing senior Jasmin Escobar said. “If it fails then people are going to know that it’s not a market to enter.” Regardless, Legion M shows no sign of backing away from what they say is the cornerstone of their vision. “We’ve got the ability to kind of build in an audience into anything that we do,” Annison said, “That gives us the power to create new franchises and tell new stories that are truly innovative and outside the box.” While the film is being released to a limited run in theaters, it has also debuted in on-demand platforms for in-home viewing simultaneously. This is part of the disruptive edict Legion M is attempting by letting fans choose their film watching experience. When the film was shown at Cannes Film Festival in May, it received a fourminute standing ovation and garnered high praise for its cast and director. But during a showing at a fan release event at San Diego’s Mira Mesa Stadium 18 theater on Sept. 13, it received mixed audience reviews. According to Annison, they anticipated a divisive reception to the bold film due to art’s subjective nature. “You don’t make great art by committee,”

Annison said “You make great art by finding and investing in great artists and getting out of their way.” The polarizing effect “Mandy” appeared to have on the event’s audience seemed to prove that the Legion M is holding tight to their style of filmmaking The film is ripe with visually provoking and possibly overwhelming violent scenes. Kenny Mitchell, an attendee of “Mandy’s” San Diego screening with a familial connection to Legion M, used an expletive to describe the way the movie messed with his mind. “I can also understand, if you’re not reading between the lines or you’re not looking deeper how this movie is just not for you,” Mitchell said. The role of Red Miller lends plenty of

space for Cage’s over the top style that moviegoers have come to expect from the film icon. “I mean, people just want to see Nicolas Cage just do Nicolas Cage things.” Mokler said. “However, if you want to make the next ‘Godfather,’ ‘Moonlight,’ or ‘Lady Bird’ I don’t think that crowdfunding is the best way to go about that.” Supporting cast members like Linus Roache, Olwen Fouéré and Bill Duke also bring equally shocking performances to add to the film’s overall unsettling aesthetic. Panos Cosmatos marries these performances and utilizes a gritty style of filmmaking to bring “Mandy” to life. “Mandy” is playing in select theaters and is available on-demand for in-home rental.

Courtesy of Legion M

Nicolas Cage stars in “Mandy,” a gritty, potentially polarizing film, and Legion M’s theatrical debut.

Gin Blossoms hold local concert, cut set short by Spencer White STAFF WRITER

The Gin Blossoms were playing a great set on Sept. 12 at Humphrey’s by the Bay, until the band suddenly left the stage halfway through its set. The band only performed seven songs of its set, not getting around to its biggest hits like “Hey Jealousy” or “Follow You Down.” According to the band’s Face-book page, the set was cut short due to an illness. Laura Kost, an international student at San Diego State, said artists cutting their sets short is always disappointing. “If a band (walked) off the stage without having finished the concert I would either assume that he doesn’t really like what he is doing or that his management (or) the organizers forced him to end the concert early for certain reasons,” said Kost. “Either way, it would not make a good impression.” The Gin Blossoms are currently on tour in support of their latest album, “Mixed Reality,” which came out last summer. The band last played in San Diego right before the album came out in June, when they played a rare concert on the USS Midway aircraft carrier. In an interview with The Daily Aztec prior to the Sept. 12 show, Gin Blossoms frontman Robin Wilson remembered the Midway show as one of the band’s most significant. “I don’t care who you are, it’s not every day you get to perform on an aircraft carrier,” he said. “That was really memorable.” Wilson reflected on other big moments in the Gin Blossoms’ career, including touring with Sugar Ray and the Arizona natives playing locally in Tempe when they were first developing their style. He also noted the process of making “Hey Jealousy” was a difficult moment in

the band’s career. “We were under a lot of pressure from the record company, we needed a hit and I think it ended up being one of our best songs,” Wilson said. “It’s really challenging when they need you to make something that is just perfect.” Though Wilson still draws upon older influences, like R.E.M. and Tom Petty, he’s also inspired by 21st century acts like My Chemical Romance, The White Stripes, The Darkness and Johnny Marr. “I make an effort to constantly find new music and not stay in the past,” Wilson said. For aspiring musicians who want to follow in the Gin Blossoms’ footsteps, Wilson had clear advice. “Write good songs, that’s what it’s all about,” the singer said. “It does not matter how stylish you are playing, or what you are playing if the songs aren’t any good.”

Photo by Spencer White

Gin Blossoms played seven songs before exiting.

Sept. 19-25, 2018 EDITOR: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Arts & Culture

The Daily Aztec

‘Game of Thrones’ concert comes to Viejas by Spencer White STAFF WRITER

The “Game of Thrones” concert experience came to San Diego State Tuesday, Sept. 11, complete with a live orchestra, and was welcomed by a packed Viejas Arena. This was the second tour for the “Game of Thrones” concert experience and the first time it had been brought to San Diego. The blockbuster TV show’s main composer, Ramin Djawadi, conducted the large orchestra and performed many instruments himself, from a sunburst Les Paul electric guitar, to a piano with a pipe organ. Among the standard instruments in an orchestra, Djawadi noted there were unique instruments not normally seen in an orchestral setting, including a 40-foot didgeridoo and a hammer dulcimer. “One of the things I love about writing music for ‘Game of Thrones’ is I get to use a lot of different instruments,” Djawadi told the crowd. The audience was enthusiastic, with fans dressed up as characters ranging from one of the show’s stars, Daenerys Targaryen, to more minor characters, like Olenna Tyrell. Communications senior Alicia Hoole said the “Game of Thrones” score is a vital aspect of the show, and she’s not surprised that the live concert was greeted with such enthusiasm. “The music adds a layer of emotion and tone to the stories to completely captivate

the audience,” she said. “It emphasizes the drama and without it, the show would be missing a giant piece of what makes it as epic as it is.” At the beginning of the show, shown across the big screen was a montage of every “Game of Thrones” character, and Djawadi encouraged the crowd to get involved. “If you happen to see your favorite character, or a character you do not like at all, we want to hear you,” Djawadi said. Many cheers came for Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister, whereas Cersei Lannister and Ramsay Bolton received loud jeers. Near the beginning of the performance, the violinist rose up to the ceiling with rose petal confetti surrounding the audience. Every time Daenerys rode her dragons into battle, pyrotechnics would explode from the stage to simulate the dragons breathing fire. The most exhilarating effect came when Djawadi played the pipe organ and used green strobe lights and smoke machines to simulate the memorable “Game of Thrones” scene in which Cersei utilizes wildfire, a fictional explosive, to destroy a tower. The orchestra also performed other pivotal scenes from the show, like Hardhome, the battle for Winterfell, and the infamous Red Wedding. Djawadi remarked that the song “Rains of Castamere” has essentially become the theme for the Lannisters, one of the shows’ central families.

Photo by Spencer White

“Game of Thrones” composer Ramin Djawadi led the orchestra through songs from the TV show on Sept. 11 at Viejas Arena.

The show seemed to have ended with an intense performance of the antagonistic white walkers theme, when Djawadi and the orchestra suddenly played a reprised version of the show’s iconic main theme that opened up the concert. As the lights came on and the orchestra walked off, an inmemoriam proceeded to play, featuring the many characters who have died over the show’s seven seasons. The “Game of Thrones” concert experience was satisfying for any fan waiting for the HBO series to return for its final season in April.

Photo by Spencer White

The “Game of Thrones” live concert experience featured reenactments of iconic scenes.

Student filmmakers form unlikely partnership for “Wolf” by Brenden STAFF WRITER

Tuccinardi

Student director/producer duo Kyle DeGuzman and Valerie Bush, both television, film and new media seniors, found their way to filmmaking along very different paths, coming together to create an acclaimed short film, “Wolf,” which was featured in San Diego State’s Best of the Best Film Festival on Sept. 14. “Wolf” is centered around the interrogation of a man living in a society in which only select people are allowed to have children, and his loyalty to his country is questioned. For DeGuzman, the pursuit of filmmaking sprang out of a love of photography and writing. He started at SDSU as an undeclared freshman and became enamored with the process of storytelling and filmmaking in his sophomore year. “The biggest thing for me is being able to share something that I create with other people and see their reactions and gain some feedback,” DeGuzman said. On the other hand, Bush knew she wanted to work in film.

Courtesy of Kyle DeGuzman

Kyle DeGuzman and Valerie Bush’s “Wolf” screened at SDSU’s Best of the Best Film Festival.

However, becoming a producer was not always the plan. She came to SDSU with the goal of becoming a film editor and came across producing, which she discovered was a much better fit. “I stumbled upon producing and found that it was something that felt very natural and easy to me,” Bush said. Despite their different paths, DeGuzman and Bush have proven to be a powerhouse team. While working to bring “Wolf” to the screen, the two

collaborated on several aspects of the film, from the script to the crew. “As the producer, you are the person who makes sure the film is happening,” Bush said. “I want to make sure I am picking (a team) that can collaborate, and collaborate well.” DeGuzman also had input on whom he wanted by his side to help him bring the story he wrote to life. “I talked to a lot of people about the story first and made my decision based on

what they brought to the story,” DeGuzman said. “I was fortunate enough to have really good talent and… everyone working on (“Wolf”) brought something to the table.” However, both emphasized that each film has its own unique set of challenges, and “Wolf” was no exception. “The biggest thing is money,” DeGuzman said. “Oftentimes, we find ourselves compromising because of the lack of funds.” While financial constraints were a prominent obstacle in the making of “Wolf,” DeGuzman and Bush were confronted with creative challenges as well. “Stylistically, I use a lot of dialogue,” DeGuzman said, “Directing, it was a very handson experience in order to get the dialogue just right.” Despite these challenges, both students seem to have found success working together. First screened in the spring of 2018, “Wolf” was part of a select group of short films that stood out among hundreds considered for Best of the Best by a committee of faculty. “It is reassuring that other people agree with our creativity and the vision we had for the film,” Bush said. Currently, Bush and DeGuzman are working on another

short film together, a sci-fi romance called “Remnants,” that is expected to premiere sometime next semester.

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Sept. 19-25, 2018 Editor: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Scene at State: Meet Ryan Northrop by Madeleine STAFF WRITER

Shwarz

Transitioning into fall fashion can prove difficult when a shift in weather seems far from forthcoming. While the so-called autumn in San Diego may seem like nothing more than an alleged title given to an impalpable season, a handful of students prove that it is possible to integrate fall pieces into everyday campus looks. Ryan Northrop, a junior majoring in general business, sauntered past the koi pond in his all-white Converse, a utility backpack slung cooly over his shoulder as he carried his skateboard through the shade to escape the heat. His grey Uniqlo socks peeked out from beneath his vintage plaid pants, paired effortlessly with a thrifted black “Scarface” tee. Northrop’s attention to detail and attraction to the unique shined through in his simple yet one-of-a-kind jewelry. No stranger to vintage, he stumbled upon his rings while thrifting and crafted his necklaces from scraps. On one wrist, a dainty Maria Branco bracelet jangled next to a blue piece Northrop constructed himself from beads found at Hobby Lobby. On the other, a handful of safety pins enjoyed their new aesthetic form, linked tastefully together to compose a chain. As he laughed under a willow tree, Northrop’s look oozed on-trend excellence — proof that following the season’s latest trends transcends both temperatures and price tags. How do you define your style? I would say it’s in between. It’s below high fashion, but above streetwear. I try to take a lot of inspiration from runway and high fashion stuff and implement it with streetwear brands and anything I can thrift. West coast vibes, with a lot of skater influence. Who influences your style? My biggest style inspiration is YG. Subsequently, I would say ASAP Rocky, because, obviously, ASAP Rocky’s the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) and I would love to dress like him, but I just can’t afford the brands that he wears. YG wears a lot of simpler stuff, a lot of LA brands. I’m from LA so I love a lot of Los

Angeles-based designers and YG really supports that. So I kind of try to dress like him, with a lot of cropped pants, high-top Chucks, graphic tees and what not. What are some of your favorite brands? It changes constantly, but at the moment I would say Online Ceramics, Advisory Board Crystals, John Elliott and Off-White because Virgil is just an icon. All of those besides Off-White are Los Angeles-based companies, which is my vibe. Where are your favorite places to thrift? Any swap meet I can find. When I’m back home in Los Angeles, the Melrose swap meet. The Rose Bowl Flea Market whenever it’s in town. Here in San Diego I like Kobey’s Swap Meet over in Point Loma — that’s a pretty sick place. And then pretty much any Goodwill I can find. Wasteland in Los Angeles too. I’d say 40 percent of my wardrobe is from Wasteland, 40 percent is from other vintage places and the rest is from retailers. Everything I buy is always really cheap — I don’t like paying much money because I’m pretty broke. I’m on that college student life.

Photo by Madeleine Shwarz

Being from Los Angeles, junior Ryan Northrop said he gravitates toward L.A.-based brands like Online Ceramics.

Fashion Week just started. Are there any shows that you’re looking forward to? I just watched the John Elliott show in class — I’m a big John Elliott guy. What advice do you have for students looking to stay on-trend this fall? I think an outfit really improves by the way the pants fit on a person. A lot of people have really poor-fitting pants. One way to stay on-trend for the fall season is through cropped pants, not super long ones that billow up by your feet. Be comfortable wearing wide pants! Pretty much every fashion show these past two seasons has been all about wide trousers, straight-leg pants and workwear. Dickies, cuffed-up pants, anything cropped, anything a little wider — just feel free to run with it. And have confidence with whatever you wear, because if you’re wearing something and you’re not confident with it, it’s not going to look good on you. So have confidence — what you project is what it’s going to look like.

Photo by Madeleine Shwarz

Northrop said he believes an easy way to improve a look is to ensure that the pants are the right fit.

FRIDAY, SEPT 21

Photo by Madeleine Shwarz

Northrop said famous rappers, namely YG and ASAP Rocky, influence his style.