By Brittany Cruz-Fejeran and Xiomara Villarreal-Gerardo
EDITOR & MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR
Africana Studies professor LaShae Sharp-Collins is being called out for instructing students to create a fictional slave character and to act it out in her Introduction to Africana Studies course.
Amari Jackson, a student in SharpCollin’s class posted a picture of the assignment on Instagram sparking outrage amongst the San Diego State community.
The assignment instructed students to, “create a ‘slave persona’ for yourself.” The instructions asked for them to include the following about their fake enslaved persona: what kind of a household they live in, what kind of a person or family owns them, what kind of work they are expected to do and any relatives they may have. The assignment specifically asked to describe the events surrounding their “slave persona’s” escape and process.
The original assignment required students to dress, act, talk, and present themselves as their “slave persona” in class, including using broken language. Sharp-Collins canceled the presentation aspect of this assignment due to the size of the class being too large, according to Amari’s post that accrued over 2,000 likes and 300 comments.
In his caption, he said that he should
never have to act like and create a fictional slave narrative.
“But hey, at least my professor canceled the in-class presentations where she wanted us to act and dress in our personas,” he said.
Sharp-Collins was given a chance to comment on the situation but repeatedly referred The Daily Aztec to department chair Dr. Adisa A.
Alkebulan. The editorial team reached out to Alkebulan and SDSU media relations through email and await for a response.
Robbie Jackson, a student enrolled in the course, said the assignment “felt really insensitive” and refused to turn it in.
“Being a person who is black, (and) knowing that my family actually had to go through that was a really uncomfortable ask,” they said. “It’s like familial trauma and it’s this deeply rooted issue.”
Two other students in the same class, who asked to be unnamed in fear of retaliation from their professor, also omitted from doing the narrative.
One of them emailed Sharp-Collins
expressing their “extreme” discomfort in doing the assignment and asked for an alternative, even offered to do more work. Sharp-Collins denied their request. The student fears for their academic standing as this is the first class they are failing but does not regret refusing to participate in the assignment.
Robbie said it is important to learn about slavery from the Africana Studies Department but pretending to have experienced the tragedy of slavery was not the way to go.
On Oct. 5, the Office of the President at San Diego State University sent out a campus-wide email updating the community on the case. Adela de la Torre informed the student body that SDSU’s investigation into the incident is now officially active.
The lengthy process does not sit right for many SDSU students, faculty, staff and community members. De la Torre addressed this in the campus-wide email.
“I know the delay in resolution is frustrating and upsetting to members of our community, as we have waited nearly one year to learn the outcome of SDPD’s criminal investigation,” de la Torre said. “While this is typical for complex cases like this, which involve multiple individuals, the wait required by due process is still incredibly emotionally and physically taxing to so many of us.”
San Diego Police Department’s investigation is ongoing and has updated the community with information surrounding the DNA results from the rape examination of the young woman.
According to the San Diego UnionTribune, the Police Department found that DNA profiles of multiple assailants were identified from the rape examination. None of the profiles were found in the Department of Justice DNA database of convicted offenders.
The District Attorney’s Office has yet
to make a decision on whether or not to pursue criminal charges following the suit and no one involved in the incident has been charged to this date.
This absence of criminal charges has sparked action inside the SDSU community.
On Sept. 24, a one-person protest regarding the case occurred at Snapdragon Stadium when SDSU faced off against Toledo.
Protester Trinity Martinez brought a sign that read “I Believe Her” and voiced her disapproval of the lack of progress in the case.
“I’m here protesting just because this case almost a year later hasn’t had any progress. And this young girl who’s had her life affected hasn’t had any justice,” Martinez said. “And it just seems like this is an ongoing issue in regards to sports and football especially.”
“And I couldn’t stomach knowing that bad people, like these types of men, continue to get rewarded for their behavior when these women are left to deal with the repercussions of picking up their life after something so violent.”
Martinez said SDSU’s handling of the case was disappointing and hopes there is more transparency from the school.
“I would like to see more transparency with the school, especially if my tax dollars are going to fund a $380 million stadium. And things like this are being kept in the dark,” Martinez said. “And as a community member, I want to know what my tax dollars are going to. I don’t want it to be covered in blood money.”
Protest held at Snapdragon Stadium amid new developments in SDSU rape case
Students refusal to participate in assignment has jeopardized their grades causing them to fear failing the course
“
“...knowing that my family actually had to go through that was a really uncomfortable ask.”
– Robbie JacksonIllustration by Emily Forschen
The vigil was held to honor Mahsa Amini’s life and to show support for Iranians risking their lives to protest for women’s rights and freedom.
During the hourlong vigil, organizers from the SDSU Persian Association set up Amini’s memorial, distributed candles and spoke to over a hundred students.
In an interview, the President of the SDSU Persian Association, senior kinesiology undergraduate, and vigil organizer Tiam “TJ” Kord spoke about the significance of the vigil for SDSU.
“It’s important for the Iranian community to come together in this type of time,” Kord said. “Seeing that we have the support of other people that are not part of the Persian community means the world to us, and it’s also about spreading awareness about what’s going on.”
Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, died in a hospital on Sept. 16. She’d been detained three days earlier by Iran’s Guidance Patrol, popularly known as the “morality police,” for allegedly not wearing her hijab appropriately.
Witnesses dispute the morality police’s claim that Amini had a heart attack, fell and died after two days in a coma.
Amini’s death has sparked outrage against the Iranian government, with thousands of students protesting across campuses, demanding women’s rights and justice for Amini, including calls for the Iranian government to be ousted.
“Enough of the oppression and killings for four decades,” Kord said.
Senior business marketing major and vice president of SDSU’s Persian Association, Leila Zonoobi, also spoke to the crowd about the Iranian government’s long track record of human rights abuses and how the revolution caused her parents to leave Iran to the United States back in the mid70s.
The Islamic Republic of Iran was created in April 1979 following a nationwide vote. Ayatollah Khomeini led the 1979 revolution that ousted Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi and was Iran’s political and religious leader for ten years until he died in 1989. Khomeini
SDSU students and community members gather in a candlelight vigil in front of Hepner Hall. pledged that all Iranians would be free, though repeated human rights violations have marked the last 43 years.
Opponents of stated or implied official policy face considerable constraints on their freedoms of belief, expression, association and assembly.
Nikki Rismani, a senior finance undergraduate, and Dori Kamyabi, a senior kinesiology undergraduate, addressed the crowd on the oppression of women’s rights in Iran and how justice for Amini would be related to gender equality.
Kord also talked about Amini’s justice and how it appears like a movement is in the process.
“Justice for Amini looks like the Islamic regime that’s terrorizing our country, killing our people, being overthrown,” Kord said.
In an interview, Zonoobi, a senior business marketing undergraduate, spoke about what the vigil means for Iranians.
“Our oppression has been silenced for so long, and it’s time for our voices to be heard,” Zonoobi said. “This movement is not going to execute successfully without the help of the voices of millions of people around the world.”
Zonoobi discussed the morality police in Iran and how such enforcement works for someone who has never visited Iran.
“There’s no difference between morality police and police, and they’re not peace officers that are going to come up to you and tell you to fix your hijab,” Zonoobi said.
Nikki Rismani, a senior finance undergraduate, spoke about the state of women’s rights in Iran.
“It’s ridiculous that a girl would end up dead from horrible injuries that they are lying about completely,” Rismani said. “Women are treated almost worse than second-class citizens.”
Rismani also emphasized how a crime against one woman is a crime against all and how international solidarity would be justice for Amini.
“Like when they had the ‘me too’ movement here, it is impossible in Iran since rape is primarily blamed on women, and it is challenging to accuse a man of anything,” Rismani said.
In an email sent out on Sept. 28, SDSU President Adela de la Torre and Luke Wood, vice president for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity, addressed the death of Mahsa Amini.
“On behalf of SDSU, we wish to express our deep concern about the tragic death of Mahsa Amini and to reinforce our fundamental support for gender equity and for human rights –including the right to protest peacefully. We grieve with you over the human cost of the lives lost and recognize that so many families are impacted,” the email said.
San Diego State University has recently announced its plans on building a state-of-the-art film studio in Chula Vista, as an extension of the film and television department.
Within the past few months, the Television, Film and New Media Studios (TFNMS) and the Cinematic Arts Academic Center & Library project went from an idea being tossed around to a bona fide project with a fund of $89 million and a proposed size of 168,000 square feet.
This new studio is confirmed to be an extension of the current home base for film and production students, rather than a replacement of the departments’ current home building, Hepner Hall.
The studio is set to include three fully functional soundstages, as well as a library and a digital theater. The studio will also be equipped with updated production and film technology used in professional film studios, and is said to eventually open to productions outside of SDSU that may aim to film in San Diego.
As told by Professors Brian Hu and
Niyi Coker, who both teach in the School of Theatre, Television, and Film, this new studio will not only be a new opportunity for students, but for San Diego State University to extend its place amongst the most advanced film production departments in the country.
This project aims to help increase student admissions, give current students experience with state-of-theart equipment, and contribute to the economic and commercial flow in the greater San Diego area.
Hu shared his perspective on this project, describing the increased opportunities for film and production students to work in environments almost identical to places they may apply to in the future.
“It’s exciting because it allows us to picture what our future can be,” Hu said. “And in our program, we have two new tenure track faculty members. So this is kind of a turning point for us.”
Hu shares his optimism for professors in the department ready to welcome new colleagues and eager to work with students in a new space.
Despite the fact that most details about the project have not been finalized yet, Hu also sees this facility as
an opportunity for film and production majors to get a feel of what it is like to work in a real studio, in preparation for job opportunities they may want to pursue.
“(Production and tech theater classes) are the kinds of classes that are going to be really enhanced by the opportunity to have newer equipment…we’re not doing new just for the sake of having new equipment, we want to have equipment that’s going to prepare them to get jobs when they graduate,” Hu said. “We want to create a studio that’s going to be like the kinds of places where they might be trying to get employment after they graduate.”
Coker also expressed his optimism for the project, clarifying that there is more to look forward to than to be hesitant of.
“This is very exciting on several fronts,” Coker said. “It’s going to allow students to be able to work with stateof-the-art equipment, state-of-theart studios and what is current in the industry. The second aspect is that we’re going to be able to take in more students. The film program is impacted, and it’s very difficult for students to get in. We get more applications than we
have space for.”
Coker also addressed some of the questions students had, including how students would juggle their time at the studio with their other classes.
“Those are good problems to have, especially when you’re dealing with facilities like this. I haven’t heard those concerns from students yet. Frankly, what I’ve heard mostly is ‘why aren’t we moving there, like right now?’”, Coker said. “All of those (concerns) are logistical, but they’re not really problems at all.”
Lizzete Flores, who is both part of instructional support tech and a graduate student in film, shared questions she has heard from students discussing the new studio.
“Mainly, the questions I get from students center around whether or not this plan is actually happening and how they would commute between the studio and the main campus. Last I heard, a shuttle service was promised in between the two locations,” Flores said.
Ground is set to be broken into in 2023, and the studio is expected to formally open in 2025.
out having to be directly associat ed with them.
White gay men tend to defend their behaviors by comparing ho mophobia to racism. They argue they are just as oppressed be cause it is illegal to be gay in al most 70 countries, with some of those countries deeming it pun ishable by death.
by Noah Najib STAFF WRITERI am tired of being a token brown boy in a white twink world.
There’s a common percep tion the LGBTQ+ community is all-encompassing and accepting. In most cases, this is true.
But not always.
Even as a bisexual Af ghan-American man, my expe riences don’t match up with the white gay men around me. My “pretty privilege” helps, but I still struggle to be seen as anything more than a fun object to toy around with for a moment. This includes petty slights like me be ing ghosted — but also blatant fetishization.
One white man, in a pathetic attempt at flirting, said he had al ways wanted to hook up with “a guy from the Middle East.”
This is a small example of what racism looks like in the LGBTQ+ community.
LGBTQ+ folks need to ac knowledge how racism and objectification are closely inter twined. We must continue work ing to dismantle the white twink supremacy that reigns within our community.
This starts by not using the term “white passing” synony mously to the words “attractive” or “interesting.” Not everything needs to circle back to one’s proximity to whiteness. Framing “white passing” as a compliment to people of color just shows what is considered acceptable in the gay male community.
We also need to dismantle the normalization of white gay men putting, “no fats, no femmes, no Blacks, no Asians,” in their dating profiles.
Apps like Grindr have support ed discrimination.
The gay hookup app Grind er once allowed users to filter potential matches by ethnicity. This flagrant prejudice was fea tured in the app from its 2009 inception until 2020 as the Black
Lives Matter movement began to spread into mainstream spaces.
This folks, is what we call per formative activism.
For example, during Pride month, major companies will suddenly promote LGBTQ+ culture by posting or selling queer-friendly content for one month then discontinue at the end of the month.
Performative activism is com mon with major corporations — and I believe they will always prioritize the company’s own in terests more than the well-being of users.
Similarly to performative activ ism, we see white gay men adopt mannerisms and jargon created by people of color. Both groups move away from whiteness only when it serves their interests.
Countless times have I heard a white guy say stuff like “peri odt” and “queen, slay,” and more terms that came from the Black community. This is part of a re curring habit of them wanting to benefit from people of color with
But they never seem to take in their status as Americans. While the FBI does not track intersec tional hate crime data — mean ing we can’t tell if hate crimes involve multiple factors such as race and sexuality simultaneously — we do know LGBTQ+ people of color face a higher risk of dan ger than their white counterparts, according to The 19th News.
People in the gay community who talk about acceptance for themselves, but exclude others, are simply perpetuating what their heterosexual counterparts have been perpetuating for mil lenia.
This is not meant to be a slight on all LGBTQ+ white people. It’s meant to bring awareness that racism exists in the community and has an explainable origin that has been witnessed time and time again.
It is our responsibility to de construct misconceptions that have unwittingly been forced upon us from childhood. We need to identify which beliefs are truly our own, and which have been embedded in us from socie tal influences.
Everyone can play a part in deconstructing the racism in our community and aim towards a world where we are treated as the equals that we are and not as a socially acceptable token in a white world.
I love the show “Shera and the Princesses of Power,” everytime I rewatch it I’m reminded of how glad I am that it got to finish its story.
Over the past few years, there has been a trend of shows with queer female representation being ubruptly canceled. “The Wilds,” “First Kill,” “I Am Not Ok With This,” “Everything Sucks” and “The Owl House” are all examples of shows with a heavy focus on queer women that were canceled after only one or two seasons.
These shows meant a lot to women of the queer community because it is rare to find a show that provides that kind of repre sentation. On top of that, shows such as these normalize queer characters in mainstream media.
By canceling them, networks and streaming services minimize that message of normalcy.
“There’s still a lot of male priv ilege. When we look at the his tory of media representation, and
even studying queer representa tion, it’s still white, male, cis-gen der, able-bodied and young,” said Dr. Nathian Shae Rodriguez, Associate Director of Journalism and Media Studeis.
“Love, Victor” does a good job of showing both queer men and women, but still focuses on the men most of the time. And while shows such as “Heartstopper” and “Young Royals” are granted multiple seasons by streaming services, there are many shows featuring queer women that are
being wrongfully canceled.
After hearing about how upset people were, it started to hit me that this was a bigger issue than I realized. It really is important to have queer people, especial ly queer women, in shows and movies if we want to have more well-rounded representation in media.
“I think it has to do with the intersectionality of the different systems of oppression, because it does live at the crossroads of sex ism and homophobia,” said Oliv
ia Newell, Pride Center Educator and sophomore. “If you don’t like men then you don’t really fit the male gaze and that’s what the ba sis of images of women is in the media.”
Many shows like to focus on the tragedy of being queer cov ering topics like the stuggles of coming out which is relatable but there are other things to talk about when it comes to queer people. “We need shows like “Heartstopper” that are just two people that are gay just because they’re gay and that’s it,” Newell said.
Overall, there needs to be more representation in the me dia but this is difficult with it being a profit fueled industry. It’s nice when the occasional movie or show has queer female repre sentation, but it would be nicer to see it more normalized. Hope fully, with more people caring and speaking out about the topic, things will start to change within the industry.
Until then we will continue to cherish the representation that we get and mourn it when it is taken away.
Cuando pensamos en viajar, la mayoría de las veces lo hacemos placenteramente. Quizás nos imaginemos días relajantes, sentados frente a la playa con una bebida refrescante o en el cuarto de un bello hotel ordenando un club sándwich y sentados en pijamas viendo algún programa interesante en la televisión.
Sin embargo, muchas veces los lugares que debieran brindarnos paz y diversión pueden tornarse en oscuros agujeros donde el miedo y la desesperación encuentran un hogar donde prosperar.
Recuerdo haber visto el hotel Lafayette por primera vez en el año 2008, mientras paseaba en bicicleta por El Cajón Boulevard. En aquel entonces no alcanzaba a comprender la importancia que tal edificio tenía en la sociedad sandieguina—ni mucho menos el impacto impresionante que tendría sobre mi vida.
En menos de un año viviendo en San Diego, había logrado establecer unas pocas amistades en el área de Normal Heights y North Park, las cuales me asistieron en dejar atrás las lejanas tierras de Linda Vista y Convoy, y ayudaron a situarme en esta área más céntrica, consiguiendo tanto casa como trabajo.
Al cabo de unos pocos meses, me familiaricé completamente con esa área—sus calles y callejones, parques y barrancos—tal como lo haría un explorador urbano. A mis amigos les preguntaba sobre sus lugares favoritos, para que me los mostraran. Hicimos costumbre de colarnos a diferentes hoteles y usar sus albercas, jacuzzis y saunas. Era como vacacionar en nuestro propio vecindario.
Fue así como alguien me recomendó ir al hotel Lafayette, el cual me propuse a investigar lo más pronto que pudiera. A primera vista, reconocí el estilo del frente del hotel como colonial francés, alegórico a las casonas del sur de los Estados Unidos, lo cual me hizo dudar de mi fuente quien había mencionado que el hotel había sido construido desde 1943 hasta ser completado en 1946. De hecho, el primer dueño del hotel había querido que fuese así; quería traer de vuelta la hospitalidad sureña por la cual son famosos esos estados, y entregarla a la población del sur de California.
En cuanto me paré frente al hotel y encadené mi bicicleta a un poste, sentí un escalofrío que recorría mi cuerpo. Volteé hacia el hotel, buscando una sola cara entre decenas de ventanas vacías—queriendo saber quién o qué había causado eso—pero solo vi las puertas del lobby abriéndose solas, como si el hotel me llamara dentro, recibiendome con brazos abiertos.
Durante aquellos años, a pesar de no haber cumplido los 21 años aún, encontré maneras de colarme en el hotel y en su área de servicio alrededor de la alberca. Pasé muchas tardes nadando en esa alberca, acostado en el agua, mirando las habitaciones que la rodeaban, pensando en qué habría causado ese escalofrío tiempo atrás, sin saber que obtendría respuestas a mis interrogativas—lo quisiera o no.
Mientras más pasaba tiempo en San Diego, más me comencé a dar cuenta que este hotel unía muchas épocas y escenas en su larga historia. Antes de que el Acta Federal de Carreteras fuera implementada en 1956, El Cajón Boulevard era la antigua Carretera 80, la cual atravesaba los Estados Unidos, terminando en la ciudad de Savannah, GA. Esto quiere decir que durante 10 años, quien quisiera viajar desde el sur de California hacia cualquier estado rumbo al Este tendría que conducir frente al majestuoso hotel Lafayette.
Una ventaja que este hotel tenía desde su creación era que dentro de la misma propiedad había todo lo que un huésped podría necesitar, aparte de su restaurante y bar, el hotel contaba con sastres, sombrereros, masajistas, salones de eventos, y claro—una alberca olímpica. Era por esto por lo que muchos huéspedes preferían visitar San Diego sin necesidad de dejar el hotel—lo cual pienso que eventualmente atrajo a varios de esos espíritus a quedarse ahí, aunque sus vidas hubieran terminado.
En el año 2019, comencé a trabajar en la recepción del hotel Lafayette, lo cual percibí como una rara oportunidad para aprender más sobre esta joya escondida. Mis turnos como supervisor durante la semana comenzaban después de mediodía, y solían terminar cerca de la medianoche, dándome a conocer la cara diurna y nocturna del hotel, y, sobre todo, de los huéspedes. Durante los fines de semana, trabajé los turnos de noche, y fue así como llegué a conocer íntimos
detalles de diversos accidentes y ataques fatales que habían sucedido aquí desde que el hotel abrió sus puertas.
En años recientes, una de las historias más conocidas sobre el hotel es el trágico accidente que sufrió un indigente en la alberca Weissmuller; en la madrugada del 5 de octubre del 2012, el guardia de seguridad entonces encontró dentro de la alberca el cuerpo ahogado de un hombre, quien simplemente había caminado directamente a través del lobby, y debido a estupefacientes e intoxicantes, no pudo luchar contra el agua.
En una ocasión, un grupo de conocidos rentaron una habitación frente a la alberca y me invitaron a pasar a su cuarto y chapotear por unas horas mientras bajaba el sol. Después de nadar por alrededor de una hora, al tratar de impulsarme del fondo para agarrar viada y salir a la superficie, me encontré atrapado, suspendido dentro del agua, sin poder tocar el fondo o poder sacar mis brazos. Me tomó un segundo poder recuperar mis facultades mentales, y nadé fuera del agua inmediatamente. En cuanto volví la mirada hacia la parte donde me había atorado anteriormente, ví una extensa sombra bajo el agua; era el mismo lugar donde aquel indigente había caído al agua, de donde nunca había vuelto a salir.
Pero ese no fue el único fantasma con el que tuve el placer de convivir. Durante los turnos de noche, prefería tomar mi descanso ya que los huéspedes estuvieran dormidos, o más posiblemente botados, entre las 2:30 a. m. y las 3:00 a. m. Cuando me lavaba las manos antes de comer en mi descanso, siempre usaba el baño del lobby, ya que era el lavamanos más cercano a la recepción. A pesar de ser la única persona rondando el hotel a esas horas, los sensores automáticos del lavamanos y del papel se activaban cada noche que cumplía con mi rutina. En vez de entrar en pánico, recordé que, en lugares refinados de antaño se usaba tener a un asistente en los baños, ayudando a los huéspedes con todo lo que pudieran necesitar—desde abriendo y apagando el agua del grifo, hasta entregando toallas de papel y mentas a quienes pasaran por su área. Nadie es demasiado honrado como para dejar un trabajo digno, tanto en vida como en la muerte, por lo cual creo que este fantasma prefirió continuar su labor en vez de seguir hacia el más allá.
Tristemente, muchas de las memorias espeluznantes del hotel Lafayette traen con ellas historias trágicas de dolor y muerte. Con casi 80 años de operación, no es sorpresa que en casi cada cuarto hayan sucedido diferentes tipos de horrores—y lo más curioso que encontré fue que los huéspedes podían sentirlo—sin nosotros haber mencionado siquiera una palabra sobre lo sucedido anteriormente.
En medio de la noche solía recibir llamadas de cuartos que colindaban con aquellos cuartos que nosotros mismos considerábamos embrujados—como el infame cuarto 53—quejándose “del ruido que traen enseguida.” “Estamos tratando de dormir”, escuché varias veces, y hubo ocasiones en que el cuarto desde donde me llamaban resultaba estar rodeado de cuartos vacíos.
Después de trabajar ahí un par de años, dejé de preocuparme por averiguar qué es lo que simultáneamente rondaba los pasillos del hotel Lafayette en medio de la noche.
¿Acaso sería yo quien molestaba a aquellos fantasmas, y no viceversa? Tal vez.
Después de todo, yo solo tengo un par de décadas visitando este bello oasis en medio de North Park—mientras que muchos de sus espíritus tienen una residencia vitalicia en el lugar, si es que se le puede llamar de tal forma.
Con los cambios y remodelaciones propuestas para la propiedad, me pregunto si los espíritus llegarán a apreciar el gesto, o simplemente rogarán por la calma de su descanso eterno.
Por SoPhia alexandra Partida CONTRIBUYENTE
La película de terror del 2019 “La Llorona” sólo da miedo en su retrato de dictadores imperdonables y sus innumerables víctimas. Con actores y actrices guatemaltecos y mayas, el público se envolverá en un cuento que se siente demasiado real.
La infame historia de la madre que llora por sus hijos después de ahogarlos es bien conocida por los hispanos. Como niños, aprendimos que mantenerse lejos de un cuerpo en el agua por la noche es inteligente si no quieres que La Llorona te lleve. Pero a diferencia de otras películas que se centran en sus actos malvados, La Llorona ya no es la antagonista, sino la víctima en esta historia.
“La Llorona” se centra en un anciano criminal de guerra que se vuelve cada vez más paranoico a medida que su pasado y una fuerza sobrenatural comienzan a atacarlo. El anciano general Enrique Monteverde (Julio Diaz) y su familia luchan con las implicaciones de su cruel pasado: el genocidio de los mayas en Guatemala. Aunque el tribunal condena a Monteverde como criminal, los cargos se retiran más tarde, lo que provoca resentimiento por parte de miles de mayas. La película tiene lugar principalmente en la gran casa del general, donde residen su esposa Carmen (Margarita Kenéfic), su hija
Natalia (Sabrina De La Hoz), su nieta Sara (Ayla-Elea Hurtado) y dos trabajadoras domésticas mayas Valeriana (María Telón) y Alma (María Mercedes Coroy).
El director Jayro Bustamante hizo “La Llorona” para enseñarnos una Guatemala moderna y algo corrupta, con la ayuda de su diverso elenco. La película discute el tratamiento moderno de las comunidades indígenas en los países hispanos de hoy, ya que los mayas se ven obligados a tomar cartas en el asunto para recibir justicia. A diferencia de otras películas de terror, los
personajes principales de “La Llorona” son los villanos o los espectadores de la delincuencia. Nos hace preguntarnos si sólo los que cometen el delito son culpables o también aquellos que deciden ignorarlo. Como audiencia, sientes ira hacia los delincuentes y confusión hacia las personas que no pueden hacer nada sino apoyarlos sin importar las consecuencias.
Esta película hispana incluye actores guatemaltecos indígenas para demostrar la dura realidad que el país enfrentó durante años. El verdadero genocidio
de los mayas ocurrió durante una guerra civil en Guatemala de 1960 a 1996, según PBS NewsHour. Más de 200,000 personas fueron asesinadas en 36 años y más del 80 por ciento eran mayas. El general ficticio Monteverde es muy similar al ex-presidente guatemalteco José Efraín Ríos Montt, quien se enfrentó a juicio en 2013 por las masacres sistemáticas de los indígenas. El Monitor de Justicia Internacional informó que la mayoría de las violaciones ocurrieron durante el gobierno de Montt, y que “en la región de Ixil, entre el 70 y el 90 por ciento de las comunidades fueron destruidas durante este período”. A pesar de la evidencia, tanto el criminal de guerra ficticio como el real afirmaron su inocencia durante el juicio.
Lo que se podría argumentar es que “La Llorona” es una película clasificada de horror, pero no da mucho miedo. La audiencia es arrojada en el drama al principio, pero hay momentos lentos donde se siente como que no está sucediendo mucho. La duración de la película de una hora y 37 minutos muestra momentos más tranquilos que aterradores, pero su emotiva cinematografía amplifica el drama. Este aspecto también lo hace una película original que no depende de los sobresaltos y de los momentos triviales. La película traduce con éxito la tristeza y la ira de un personaje mítico a la experiencia de miles de personas en Guatemala con su representación realista de La Llorona.
El mito familiar del espíritu vengativo se transforma en una historia evocadora que muestra las secuelas del genocidio en los países hispanosFoto de cortesía La Casa de Produccion María Mercedes Coroy en “La Llorona”, película de terror de Jayro Bustamante.
Students roller skated, played arcade games and enjoyed popcorn as they attended this ‘80s throwback
By lynn nguyen CONTRIBUTORMontezuma Hall was decorated with Stranger Things collages, flashing lights, vinyl records and a disco ball on Oct. 7. Students participated in roller skating, air hockey and played old arcade games, such as Pac-Man.
The skating rink and skates were provided by the Student Union and their vendors. Free popcorn was offered to all the attendees while they enjoyed the activities and music.
“I liked how they had a bunch of arcade games because it’s on theme with the time of the show,” said Senior Corinne Andrus, a business marketing major.
The AV team played ‘80s and ‘90s music and projected scenes from the show onto screens near the popcorn.
“We pulled out the mirror ball that’s spinning and put up a few extra lights that aren’t normally part of this setup,” said Anthony Cabrera, technical services coordinator. “I like coming to my events, seeing how they turn out and seeing the results of everyone enjoying themselves.”
Once inside, students signed roller skating waivers and used their RedID to check in with the Union Nights committee.
Kate Allard, junior and chair of the Union Nights committee, said the committee decided on hosting this event earlier in the year because of Stranger Things’ popularity.
“We tried to gear it towards what we thought students would like,” Allard said. “The activities seem to be successful and I’m happy that everyone is enjoying the roller skating.”
Sophomore and program assistant Emily Sanchez agreed and said students were lined up at the door right at 6 p.m. Thirty minutes into the event most of the roller skates were being used, so students waited in line for their turn or played games in the meantime.
“Being able to play the games while I was waiting was great,” Andrus said. “It was also nice when I needed a break.”
SeaWorld is known to entertain their guests with roller coaster rides, sea animal interactions, and exhilarating shows, but on the weekends from Sept. 16 to Oct. 31, crazy clowns, bloody butchers, and delirious dolls lurk in the shadows throughout the night.
“Howl-O-Scream is your traditional, scary, inyour-face Halloween event,” said Geoff Wright, manager of creative operations. “Our goal is for guests to have fun by scaring them.”
The park has six scare zones, two “scareas,” five haunted houses, and a stadium performance for a range of entertainment. Scare zones host costumed actors that wander around, ready to pounce on their unsuspecting victims.
For guests that do not want to be jump-scared, there are light-up lanyards that say “no-boo” for sale so scare actors know not to jump at them. Many guests wear them, especially children, and all of the scare actors acknowledge the lanyards and do their best to still provide an entertaining night.
At the “scareas,” guests can dance to music mixed by DJs and watch various shows performed throughout the night. The “Carnival of Chaos” scarea shows “Mudd the Magnificent” wrangle out of a straitjacket in under a minute and the “Vampire Underground” scarea includes flash mobs to make guests feel like they are in a nightclub.
Themed alcohol is available for purchase for those over 21 at the pop-up bars at the scareas.
Howl-O-Scream introduced
Alyssa Appleby, a freshman education major, attended with her roommate and said her friends told her about the event.
“I happen to really like roller skating. I’ve been doing it my whole life. That’s what appealed to me,” said Appleby.
Toward the end of the event, when most of the attendees were checked in, the students working the event also took a turn skating.
“This is my first big event. I’ve been excited because I’m a Stranger Things fan,” said Sanchez. “It blew my mind that people wanted to come.”
Information on upcoming events can be found on the Aztec Student Union website or Instagram page.
FILIPINX AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH Photo by Bella Biunno By Claire Shope CONTRIBUTORLearn about Filipino folklore monsters in celebration of Filipino American History Month.
By KT Devera STAFF WRITERtwo new haunted houses this year along with the three that are returning. The haunted houses have guests go through a maze to find their freedom. Scare actors jump out at every turn and bend, so screams can constantly be heard. Thankfully, if a guest needs to exit early, there are doors that lead outside before the main exit where employees help guide them out.
In the two new houses, “Circus of the Damned” and “Area 64: Alien Outbreak,” there are speakeasy bars that can only be accessed with a secret password that changes every weekend.
David Lawson, a bartender at the Circus of the Damned speakeasy said that guests sometimes seek shelter in the bar so they don’t have to face the jump scares that await them.
“The syringe shots and blood bags are definitely the fan favorites,” Lawson said.
“Darkness Falls,” a dance and percussion performance, will have guests questioning good and evil. This show is for mature audiences and is strongly recommended for those 18 years or older due to exotic dancing.
For guests with younger children, SeaWorld also offers a family-friendly, trick-or-treating event that goes on during the day instead of at night called
Geoff Wright also noted that if any college students are looking for a fun and interesting job, SeaWorld is always hiring for scare actors this Howl-O-Scream!
In Western culture, people are familiar with monsters such as zombies, vampires and werewolves. However, many may not be familiar with monsters such as the “aswang,” the “manananggal” or the “tiyanak.” In the Philippines, folktales are integrated into everyday lives and horror stories are no exception.
Justine Nicole Escolano, a first year pre-business accounting major, grew up with stories of these mythical creatures from her province of Laguna. To her, the myth of the “kapre” sticks out to Escolano the most. She described this creature as having a dark complexion, red eyes and pointed ears. For the most part, they spend their time looming above humans in trees as they smoke cigars.
“Let’s say you climb a tree where a kapre is living and disturb them, they’re then going to punish you with sickness,” Escolano said. “If anything happens to you by the kapre or any other monster, you go and visit what we call, “albularyo” or witch doctor to get help.”
Escolano herself believes in a monster similar to La Llorona called “the white lady” (a woman in a white dress with a bruised and bloody face that appears when a place is loud) and the “diwata” (one who protects the mountains and curses anyone who disturbs it).
Second year kinesiology pre-physical therapy major Alyssa Taylor is one of two people who lead the Culture and Passion program within AB Samahan, a Filipinx organization here at San Diego State University.
“Filipino folktale was not a big part of my life growing up, but they’re honestly scarier,” said Taylor. “Imagine walking around in everyday life and just being like, ‘oh my God, I can’t climb up this tree!’”
From Taylor’s perspective, Filipino horror stories or general folktales are used to explain everyday occurrences or as cautionary tales to structure society.
“It also almost seems like they make these monsters to deter kids from doing bad things,” Taylor said. “Like I wouldn’t want my kid doing that just for safety reasons. It’s for parents trying to protect their child in a way.”
What separates Filipino monsters from Western monsters is that they question the line between what is natural and supernatural. They could be anyone, they could be everywhere, and that is what truly makes them scary.
2022’s “Barbarian” is a masterful blend of horror and comedy – and it’s playing in theaters now!
Georgina Campbell (“Black Mirror”) and Bill Skarsgård (“It”) star as Tess and Keith in the film. Unbeknownst to them, they are double booked at an Airbnb in a run-down Detroit suburb. In their basement, more trouble awaits! “Barbarian” is a deeply disturbing movie that happens to also have some of the funniest scenes of the year. It’s a rollercoaster of tonal shifts, but it never veers too far off course. By the end, you’ll either be staying up all night or going back to the theater to see it again.
With its iconic 45-second shower muder scene, the movie “Psycho” has altered the way we view mundane activities to this day! “Psycho,” directed by the notable Alfred Hitchcock, is a classic American horror film that combines suspense with psychological thrill. “Psycho” tested strict, censorship boundaries in the ‘60s with its gruesome bursts of violence and sexually explicit scenes. Often, horror films focus on ghosts and haunted mansions, scenarios that are hard to imagine happening in real life. However, “Psycho” shows America a new kind of horror, one that could be lurking behind your curtains at your most intimate moments. This classic film will change the way you view showering forever!
If you want to watch a movie that doesn’t rely on jump scares or other horror cliches, then “Hereditary” is the movie for you. This movie plays with themes influenced from Stephen King’s work “Carrie,” including family curses and the occult (Spooky!). Without relying on sudden in your face scares, this movie instead uses psychological factors to make the horror slowly creep up and then…BAM! Haunting cinematography and music make this movie a must see if you want to be spooked this Halloween season!
By Noah LyoNs, Victoria FiNN, KayLe NoeL, KeLLy cutLer aNd MorgaN ray
Delicious and convenient, these bars checked every box for an on the go snack. The pumpkin flavor filling wasn’t super strong, but it was definitely there. They do taste a lot better than most cereal bars I’ve tried and are the perfect size. “If you’re going to buy regular bars anyway, you might as well switch it up with this festive option,” said Phoebe Griffiths, a second year studying computer science.
As someone who is always going the alternate milk route, I was more than eager to try this when Jordan Kennerary, a sophomore studying health communications, recommended it. “This creamer is the epitome of fall,” Kennerary said“It’s creamy without being overpowering; be prepared to make the best drinks of your life.”
The cashier was shocked when scanning this item but not for the reasons you might think. He told me he was surprised there were even any left, and now I completely understand why. The squash puree and three-cheese mix melts effortlessly, forming a mouthwatering combination with the pasta. I will totally be buying this again, no questions asked. Thanks Todd (the wonderful cashier)!
I had no idea what I thought this hummus would taste like, but I was definitely not prepared. It’s absolutely delicious. After three days, my roommates and I have devoured just about the entire tub. Julia Walker, a sophomore public health major, described the hummus as undeniable and addictive. “The dip is the perfect combination of a rich, sweet and fluffy pumpkin pie filling,”she said.
These ice cream cones are another level entirely. I audibly let out an “oh my god” on the first bite. 10000/10. That is all.
Dreams are mysterious and typically have no clear meaning or reason to them. In James Wan’s, “Malignant,” protagonist Madison Mitchell has recurring visions of violence that creeps into her reality. Suspense, mystery and gore are the cornerstones of this thrilling horror movie. Like a good book, you will not want to “put this movie down.” The mysterious nature of strange and gruesome murders will have you turning to your friends, asking them questions in anticipation, while they themselves are just as curious as you! This movie is perfect for crime junkies who love murder mysteries and for thrill seekers who love violence and monsters. Keep in mind, when you think you know where the movie is headed, you’re wrong.
People keep dying in Potter’s Bluff…but why do they keep coming back? When a local sheriff jumps on the case, he’ll discover much more than he bargained for. “Dead and Buried,” an underrated ‘80s horror gem (introduced to me via film podcasts “‘80s All Over” and “Junkfood Cinema”), is a marvelous work of slow burn, small town terror. It often gets likened to a “Twilight Zone” episode, which is hands down one of the highest praises in genre cinema! I can’t give away too much, but here’s what I can say: written by the guys behind “Alien” and “Total Recall” and special effects/makeup by the legendary Stan Winston (“The Terminator”, “Jurassic Park”, etc.). If any film deserves a resurrection, it’s this eerie little joint.
An own-goal in the 65th minute gave the Aztecs the lead before junior forward Emma Gaines-Ramos secured the victory with an 86th minute goal assisted by senior forward Rachelle Elve.
“The energy was amazing from the families, friends, and fans and it definitely fed into our game,” Gaines-Ramos said.
look up to you and one time, I was a little girl asking for an autograph too, so it was truly gratifying,” Gaines-Ramos said.
The Aztecs kept the momentum going when they returned to the SDSU Sports Deck on Sunday and defeated Fresno State 1-0.
For much of the game, it looked as if last year’s double overtime thriller where the Aztecs lost 1-0 to Fresno was going to be recreated as neither team could break the deadlock.
A recent run of good results including a win at Snapdragon Stadium puts the Aztecs first in the Mountain West
By Morgan Prickett SPORTS EDITORFollowing a 1-0 win on Sunday, Oct. 9 against Fresno State, the San Diego State women’s soccer team (6-3-5, 4-1-1 MW) currently sits first in the Mountain West conference with the end of the regular season nearing on Oct. 27.
In their last five matches the Aztecs have gone undefeated. Six games ago, the Aztecs fell 2-0 to Colorado State during their first conference game of the season, putting them at a meager 2-2-5 record. Since the loss the Aztecs have gone 4-1-0 defeating Wyoming 2-1, drawing Colorado College 3-3, and defeating Air Force 2-1, San José State 2-0 and Fresno State 1-0.
“This point of the season we’re taking that next step towards what we want to do towards the end of the year,” head coach
Mike Friesen said. “I think in the middle of the season we played some extremely difficult teams and those are things that helped prepare us for the difficult challenges of the Mountain West.”
The most recent wins for the Aztecs came on Oct. 6 and 9. First, the Aztecs defeated San José State 2-0 on Thursday at Snapdragon Stadium in front of women’s soccer phenom Alex Morgan and an Aztec women’s soccer record crowd of 2,546. Then the Aztecs returned to the SDSU Sports Deck and defeated Fresno State 1-0 during a hot noon Sunday kickoff.
The Aztecs first-ever match at Snapdragon Stadium was one the players may never forget.
“The noise levels and that atmosphere was unreal,” Friesen said. “It was so fun to play here.”
Gaines-Ramos has been terrific for the Aztecs during their undefeated stretch. She picked up Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week after she tallied a total of four assists against Colorado College and Air Force. Gaines-Ramos leads the Aztecs in assists with six as of Oct. 9.
After the win, the team spent some time with the next generation of women’s soccer players, sticking around to sign autographs and take pictures with the local Albion youth soccer club.
“I felt so happy because these little girls
In the 70th minute, the spectacular arrived. Junior midfielder Olivia Sekimotowas was fouled about 25 feet from goal giving the Aztecs a freekick opportunity. Three Aztecs stood over the ball and for a second it looked as if sophomore midfielder Carlin Blake was going to take the shot but she faked her run-up and sophomore defender Trinity Coker stepped up to unleash a missile leftfooted strike off the crossbar and into the left side of the goal.
“Usually Denise takes those but Denise and Carlin brought me over because they saw a gap on the left side, and I can hit that lefty gap,” Coker said. “So I knew where I wanted to shoot and I knew where I wanted to put it and that’s where it went.”
From Oct. 13 to Oct. 27, the Aztecs will play their last five games of the regular season before potentially heading out to the Mountain West quarter finals at Boise, Idaho on Oct. 30.
“It’s one game at a time for us,” Friesen said. “We’ve done a good job to put ourselves in a position to have a little bit of a cushion in terms of points with the rest of the league but I think we have to focus just on one game at a time.”
“ “The energy was amazing from the families, friends, and fans and it definitely fed into our game ”The Aztecs celebrate scoring their first goal at Snapdragon Stadium during the match against San José State on
There was nowhere to go but up for the Aztec passing attack.
By Daniela RamiRez STAFF WRITERSenior Jordan Byrd is the firststring running back for the San Diego State football team. Byrd was awarded the Paul Hornung Watch List Award for the most versatile player for three consecutive years, as well as the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year in 2022.
Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Byrd played tackle football at the young age of seven. Growing up he watched his father play in an adult flag football league, which inspired him.
Both of Byrd’s parents were involved in sports, his mother competed in track and field, and his father played football. These became the two main sports Byrd excelled in throughout his childhood.
Byrd went on to play high school football at Manzano High School in Albuquerque where he led his school to the state championship in 2017 along with a perfect 13-0 record.
Coming into SDSU, Byrd opened his freshman year with the outstanding freshman award which he shared alongside current cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons, Darren Hall.
Byrd’s senior year with the Aztecs this season began with two touchdowns including a 66-yard return within the first quarter against Idaho State to give the team its first win.
“I feel like the best one on the field when they can’t catch me,” Byrd said.
While his confidence runs high on the field, he said he does his best to stay humble off it.
Despite at times being the shortest on the field, his speed and ability to make plays overshadows any doubt that he can make an impact on the
field. He leads the Aztecs in rushing yards (307) and total touchdowns (3).
Byrd had offers to multiple schools not only for football, but track and field as well. Since joining the Aztecs, Byrd has learned a lot, not only about football but also how to be a
good person.
“The coaches brought me in and taught me the new ways of football and turned me into a grown man,” Byrd said.
Many know the star running back’s athletic side, but he has a creative one too. His passion for art and fashion has been part of him since he was a young child.
He often visited his grandparents’ farm where he learned how to sew and paint just like his grandfather.
Today, Byrd has his own clothing brand called Oblivion. He plans to possibly one day attend fashion school with his older sister in San Francisco.
After years of competitive football Byrd stated the love for the game keeps him motivated.
“It’s become a job for me, a fun one though,” Byrd said.
Byrd’s goal after college is to hopefully pursue a career in football. His love and dedication to the game will not end with SDSU.
Regardless of what Byrd decides to do in his future, the lessons he learned as an Aztec will stay with him forever.
After a week five 35-13 blowout loss to the Boise State Broncos, San Diego State’s passing offense ranked 131st in FBS college football. The ranking placed them dead last in the nation and after a game in which the Aztecs had only two pass completions, head coach Brady Hoke announced offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jeff Hecklinski was relieved of his duties. Assistant coach Jeff Horton was promoted to offensive coordinator and former Aztec quarterback Ryan Lindley was hired as the quarterback’s coach.
The promotion marks the second time Horton has served as the offensive coordinator as he had control of the offense from 2015-19. Horton is a coach the players trust, he has worked with the team as the running backs coach since 2019.
“He’s basically like my dad,” senior running back Jordan Byrd said. “Been here five years with him and I feel really comfortable with him.”
The early returns on Horton’s offense look promising as junior safety-turned-quarterback Jalen Mayden finished with 332 yards passing and a touchdown in SDSU’s 16-14 win over the University of Hawaii in Horton’s first game back as OC.
As the Aztecs attempt to salvage their season, the importance of the coaching changes stretches beyond just this season. With the new NCAA transfer portal rules, it is important for every team to not only perform on the field but demonstrate the football program is a desirable one for players who are looking to transfer.
The Aztecs hoped to take advantage of the portal this season, bringing in senior transfer Braxton Burmeister, but injuries have plagued Burmeister’s SDSU tenure. He has only finished two of his five starts and missed the Hawaii game after suffering a concussion against Boise.
As of Oct. 9, Burmeister has only thrown for 263 passing yards across five games and has two touchdowns and three interceptions. Comparatively Mayden threw for 332 yards in just one game as starter.
Burmeister’s struggles, while not all his fault, are not a glowing review of SDSU’s ability to put quarterbacks and offensive players in the best position to showcase their talent. If the Aztecs hope to secure talented transfers and recruits, it is critical that the offense shows signs of life and improves upon this week’s performance. (Considering they only scored 16 points against a Hawaii team that is 105 on the season, there is still room for improvement.)
Not only do the Aztecs need to improve to entice transfers, but they also have to prove to their own players that they can have successful careers in the Scarlet and Black.
In the last year the Aztecs have lost multiple quarterbacks to the transfer portal. Senior Lucas Johnson, the quarterback of last year’s 13-2 team, transferred to Montana University after leading the Aztecs in passing last season while redshirt freshman Will Haskell entered the portal last month.
Lindley is an interesting addition who can make a difference in this area. Unlike Horton, Lindley has spent the last few years away from the Mesa after serving as a graduate assistant with the Aztecs from 2017-18. After coaching stints with the Cleveland Browns, University of Utah and Mississippi State, he brings youth and a fresh perspective to the SDSU coaching staff which players seem to already be gravitating towards.
“Coach Lindley did a great job making sure that I was comfortable with the operations,” Mayden said.
Even players on defense like senior linebacker Caden McDonald see what Lindley brings to the team.
“It’s a great thing to have Aztecs back in the Aztec building,” McDonald said. “We know that we have a culture around here that we stand for, and he knows that culture. It’s nice to have coaches that understand that as well.”
The win over Hawaii was an important step for the 2022 Aztecs. It will be critical that the team continues to improve if it hopes to become bowl eligible for a 12th straight year. However the improvement may also have lasting effects for a program trying to prove it deserves to play at the top of college football.
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“I feel like the best one on the field when they can’t catch me.” – Jordan Byrd
