Weds., Oct. 13 - Tues., Oct 19, 2021 Weekly Print Edition
Vol. 108, Issue 9 www.thedailyaztec.com
Periódico Estudantil de La Universidad Estatal en Español de San Diego Desde 2013
EN ESTA EDICIÓN SAN DIEGO/TIJUANA FONTERA Estudiantes de SDSU cruzan la fronter diariamente para recicbir su educcación ir a la universidad. PAGE 2/6
ROBERTO CLEMENTE’S LEGACY Roberto Clement’s legacy deserves to be acknowledged this Hispanic Heritage month. PAGE 5
LATINX CHEF CLAUDETTE ZEPEDA Chef Zepedo cooks traditional Mexican dish “carne en su jugo” on Instagram Live. PAGE 8
FOOTBALL REMAINS UNDEFEATED The Aztecs defeated New Mexico to move to 5-0. PAGE 10
INDEX News............................... 2-4 Opinion.............................5 Arts & Culture ............... 6-7 Mundo............................ 8-9 Sports.......................... 10-11 The Back Page.................. 12
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News
The Daily Aztec
Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Katelynn Robinson • news@thedailyaztec.com
President Ashley Tejada pulls from Peruvian roots as student leader by Jayne Yutig ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Associated Students President Ashley Tejada is the ninth woman to represent over 33,000 students that make up the San Diego State student body since 1921. She said it’s her Peruvian heritage that guides her in the role. Tejada said her first months as A.S. President were busy. SDSU students have returned and are still getting accustomed to in-person classes. A proposed controversial University Senate resolution sparked student outrage and opposition across campus. But during this period of adjustment on campus, Tejada said she remembers the stories from her Peruvian grandparents as her motivation to lead. During the over 3,000 mile flight from Lima, Peru to the United States, a propeller of the plane carrying Tejada’s grandparents failed. Tejada said the plane flew tilted in the air throughout the entire flight and metaphorically represented the journey it took for her grandparents to get to America. “It was a ride of fear and adversity,”
Tejada said. “It was such a monumental endeavor for them. And really just creating that legacy, my grandmother brought over her seven other siblings,” Tejada said. As Tejada navigates decision making in her role as president she said it’s all about her roots. “My grandmother was a very strong woman in leadership,” Tejada said. “That is something that I want to continue to live on.” Going out and connecting to other students of color within student leadership on campus is one of Tejada’s priorities. “Being in this role as a woman of color, also seeing others across campus, not just in A.S., being within their respective roles as well and the adversity they face,” Tejada said. “It’s important to myself to use the lessons from my family setting and carry it into this role.” Tejada is looking ahead to achieving the priorities of her administration, which include the message of community. “We noticed over COVID, virtual learning was not easy for a lot of our students,” Tejada said. “But our
Students cross the border to attend classes at SDSU
Photo courtesy of Ashley Tejada
Associated Students President Ashley Tejada said she is inspired to lead by the stories from her Peruvian grandparents.
retention stayed so high and I believe that’s not because of the academics but because of the community that exists.” Three weeks into a historic return to in-person classes at SDSU, a University Senate proposal by Cezar Ornatowski, a professor in the College of Arts and Letters sent shockwaves throughout the campus. The proposal would have provided
professors with discretion over the modality of their courses. Although University Senate proposals are not university policy and couldn’t change the modality of courses, students were outraged. SEE ASHLEY TEJADA, PAGE 3
$15 MILLION AWARDED TO SDSU FOR LATINX DISPARITY RESEARCH by Brittany STAFF WRITER
Cruz-Fejeran
The Faculty United Toward Excellence in Research and Transformational Engagement (FUERTE) program at San Diego State has been awarded a $15 million grant to dedicate research towards health disparities amongst the Latinx community while prioritizing diverse hiring for scientists who focus on this field of research. Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence or opportunities to achieve optimal health experienced by socially disadvantaged populations, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website.
María Luisa Zúñiga, social work professor and co-leader of FUERTE with Mark Reed, a professor of public health said it was a natural move to apply for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant when she and Reed heard about it. “It’s such a huge lift to have the opportunity to bring 11 new colleagues to SDSU,” she said. “As faculty we are the stewarts of this opportunity and we want to do everything possible to make sure the faculty feel welcome and that they will be able to thrive with the rest of our community.” Of those 11 new faculty, three will work from SDSU’s Imperial Valley SEE DISPARITY RESEARCH, PAGE 4
Photo by Karelly Vidrio
Students who live in Mexivo cross the border on a daily basis to attend classes at SDSU.
by Karelly Vidrio CONTRIBUTOR
San Diego State has a community of Latino students who cross the border between Tijuana and San Diego in order to have an education on campus. Hundreds of students who live in Mexico cross the border port entry of San Ysidro every day to attend class. Mathematics freshmen Luis Vargas, explained his experience last semester of a student living in Tijuana and crossing the border every day in order to take classes. “I cross to have a better education, that was the idea of my parents,” Vargas said. “My day started at 3 or 4 in the morning.” Vargas explains this motivation comes from his parents who instilled the importance of hard work in him since he was a child. Since his childhood, he has been familiar with crossing from one country to another when it comes
to going to school. Some obstacles he faced included having to get up very early to be able to line up at the border by car when he had to travel from one country to another in order to take his classes in the United States. “I had the normal pass. Now, I have ready lane and it is much better than the normal line and lasted less time,” Vargas said. Vargas shared there are students who have certain types of passports that help them cross more quickly. Not every student has the same pass, however, and this greatly affects how they plan their class schedules because they need to be able to cross on time before class begins. Now that Vargas has the opportunity to live in the city of San Diego this
SEE BORDER , PAGE 3
The SDSU Latinx Resource Center is located on the first floor of the Love Library.
Photo by Noelani Sapla
Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Katelynn Robinson . news@thedailyaztec.com
News
The Daily Aztec
Indigenous People’s Day rally highlights Kumeyaay history by Sara Rott SENIOR STAFF WRITER
On Oct. 11, San Diego State students, faculty and staff gathered in front of Hepner Hall to rally for Indigenous People’s Day. Tribal Liaison Jacob Alvarado Waipuk welcomed the crowd, speaking personally about protesting against the day dedicated to Christopher Columbus. “For too long, native people, we’ve known how to be an American, but a lot of people don’t know how to be American Indians and learn our culture and who we are,” Waipuk said. He encourages learning the history, culture and foundation of the Native Americans and to be proud to learn on Kumeyaay land. Waipuk led the crowd in a prayer, reminding everyone to honor their ancestors and listen to stories to pass on to the next generation. A moment of silence followed as Waipuk recited the prayer in Kumeyaay language. Waipuk then proceeded to smudge the crowd, a ceremony practiced by some Indigenous peoples, involving the burning of sacred herbs. Fifth year interdisciplinary studies major Joy Becenti was the master of ceremonies, inviting individuals to come up and speak on behalf of Indigenous people and share experiences, stories and lessons. One being Dr. Gabriela Kováts Sánchez, Faculty Scholar for the Native
Photo by Sara Rott
Students held hand-made posters and gathering around Hepner Hall during the Indigenous People’s Day rally.
Resource Center, lecturer and academic advisor for the department of American Indian Studies. “I’m really grateful for all of us to be here today because despite the efforts of colonization to erase, assimilate and deindianize us, Indigenous people are still here and still resisting,” Sánchez said. Reminding everyone it’s an ongoing conversation involving unlearning and relearning how we show up for Indigenous people. Many students, faculty and staff stood
up in front of everyone to share personal experiences of honoring the Indigenous people before them and to ask the same for all in attendance. Tamara Strohauer, social work professor and advisor of Indigenous Social Work Alliance (ISWA) spoke about what SDSU has done in the past and what was created. SEE INDIGENOUS RALLY, PAGE 4
for Latinx, Chicanx, Hispanx students En Confianza (In Confidence) is a group focused on offering a safe space for students who identify as Latinx/ Chicanx and/or Hispanx, according to the university. The official website mentions that the students enforce community, discuss their problems and support each other. The group meets on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., according to an online flyer on the official Instagram page of the Latinx Resource Center (LRC). En Confianza encourages people to come whether or not they speak English, Spanish or a mix of both. Maria Elena Garibay functions as the moderator for the group and is a licensed clinical therapist. An SDSU alumna, Garibay has experience providing therapy to both individuals and couples, according to SDSU. Garibay said the group has existed for a year. Garibay explained that the group’s name came after various conversations about what the group represents. Garibay said the group focused on culture and getting students together to have fun and share their experiences with each other, although the group is not intended or allowed to provide professional therapy. Senior Jeremy Garcia is a member of En Confianza and is studying to also become a therapist. Garcia said he is happy to be a part of En Confianza, since he is looking
Graphic courtesy of FreePik
En Confianza provides a safe and fun environment for Chincanx, Latinx, and Hispanx students in their weekly meetings.
for opportunities to connect with other undergraduate students. “I love the growth, dealing with different identities and trying to hold onto the ones we have,” Garcia said. Raul Caleb Perez another member of En Confianza graduated from SDSU in 2020, after majoring in child development. “Listening to others, you learn more from them,” Perez said. Perez mentioned that he missed socializing. He also shared he had never been in a group dedicated to Latinx
Ashley Tejada:
continued from page 2 Tejada said she led the student opposition and helped create an online movement against the resolution. “It really shined light on the fact that at SDSU, students care,” Tejada said. “Being that there were over 300 students on the Zoom, I think that it really just showed that our SDSU students care about every single thing that happens on this campus.” In preparation for the Sept. 9 senate meeting, Tejada said she compiled a list of speakers representing various campus communities to voice their opposition to the resolution. “It was the collective group that we all organized and planned for to create that student advocacy and really have it hit home and make an impact,” Tejada said. The resolution failed in a vote 77-2 but Tejada succeeded in uniting the diverse student body at SDSU and SDSU Imperial Valley. “You could see in the chat that it was going off the entire time and that’s because our students aren’t just bystanders,” Tejada said. Tejada sees the unity within the student body displayed during the semester so far and wants students to pay attention to the stories of the Latinx voices on campus. “In Latinx culture there really is no one definition,” Tejada said. “You have students from Peru, South America, Mexico, there’s such a large array of space and area that encompasses what it means to be Latinx. I’m just really proud and grateful to be in this position and feel that I can lift up the Latinx voice.”
Crossing the border: continued from page 1
En Confianza provides fun and safe space by Lucelis Martínez STAFF WRITER
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peoples such as En Confianza but he was happy because the group provides an opportunity to connect with Mexicans who have roots in different parts of Mexico. For many students, it is important that SDSU offers these kinds of programs, especially because the university holds the distinction of being a Hispanic Serving Institution. According to an article published in 2012, “a school must have a Hispanic population of at least 25 percent to qualify for the designation.” Just for the 2019-2020 school year, SDSU had a population of 11,140 Hispanic students, according to a report. According to the same report, Hispanic students make up the second largest race/ethnicity to enroll at SDSU that school year, since they made up about 31% of the population. More information about En Confianza can be found on the LRC’s official Instagram page. More information can also be found in the LRC in person, on the first floor of the Malcolm A. Love Library, next to the Chicanos/as. The LRC also promotes events by coming to other support groups, like Joteria Sin Fronteras. Joteria sin Fronteras is a group dedicated to supporting Latinx students that also identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. The group gets together to create a sense of community with joy, friendship, knowledge and fun activities, according to the LRC. They hold meetings on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
semester and has more hours to sleep, he said his health has improved. This transition he had this semester from moving to San Diego has been reflected in his diet. “I used to eat more, I was hungrier, I was overweight and now I eat less ... and it’s much better for my mental health as well,” Vargas said. Criminal justice graduate, Tony Evelyn Ruvalcaba had the same experiences similar to those of Vargas. At twenty-four year old, Ruvalcaba graduated in the winter of 2020. The student shared some of the sacrifices she had to make from a very young age in order to go to school in San Diego. “My school started at 8 in the morning and I had to get up at 3 in the morning,” Ruvalcaba said. From a very young age, her parents crossed her in the car, she slept while standing in line to be able to cross before her classes began. The former student also feared for her safety when crossing the border. Ruvalcaba mentioned that during her college years there was a group of men carjacking in the port entry of Otay Mesa inside of Mexico. One day, on her way home when leaving through the border port from San Diego to Tijuana in Otay, she witnessed an attempted assault on her person. “There was a car that stopped in the middle of the street at midnight, and there was a man outside the car waving his hands to make me stop my car,” Ruvalcaba said. “I did not stop and when I turned around I saw that behind the car there was a hooded boy hiding.” Ruvalcaba currently works and lives in San Diego. The former student says her schedule is now much more flexible and she can commute from her home to work without having to travel back to Tijuana compared to previous semesters.
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News
The Daily Aztec
Oct.13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Katelynn Robinson • news@thedailyaztec.com
COVID update: the Bird secures partnership after previous campus ban good, bad and ugly by Katelynn NEWS EDITOR
Robinson
One year ago today, San Diego State announced there had been a total of 1,157 COVID-19 cases, over 400 being on campus and 726 from students off-campus. Since then, three COVID-19 vaccines have rolled out, one has been FDA approved, the county has opened most businesses and over 95% of SDSU’s on-campus population has been vaccinated. This year the university has had a total of 220 main campus student cases, and a cumulative total of 246 cases among students, faculty and the Imperial Valley campus combined. SDSU currently has the highest vaccination rate in the California State University System, according to a university-wide email sent on Oct. 1. However, the university also has the highest positive cumulative case count for this semester according to the CSU database the CSU Office of the Chancellor maintains. When reading this chart, it is important to note the graph is only representing on-site COVID-19 cases, and cumulative total starts from the beginning of case counting on
July 21, 2020. The total also includes students, faculty and staff on campus. The graph also provides the number of new positive COVID-19 cases on a week by week basis. For the week of Oct. 5, SDSU had 27 positive COVID-19 cases. Accounting fourth year Allison Sandoz received her booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine. She said like the first two doses of the vaccine the side effects lasted about 48 hours. “Overall, I would get another vaccine again and suffer through those side effects just to have that extra bit of protection from COVID,” Sandoz said. Sandoz said the booster had slightly more intense side effects than her second dose, since this time she experienced a fever and vomiting. However, she emphasized she has underlying health conditions and does not want to discourage anyone from getting the booster. In fact she said she would do it again. “If I can make it, y’all can make it,” Sandoz said with a laugh. “It was worth it, I would get it again to avoid COVID.” Sandoz qualified for the vaccine early on last year because she was employed as an RA through the university. SEE ONLINE
Photo by Noelani Sapla
SDSU has both the highest percentage of vaccinated students and the highest case count.
Indigenous rally: continued from page 3 “In 2019 we held the Native Truth and Healing conference here on this campus and a fire was lit,” Strohauer said. “We cooked for the elders to ask their permission to have such a conference and talk about this building here,” she said, referring to Hepner Hall. Strohauer spoke about honoring their people and how Waipuk put a resolution through to permanently raise the Kumeyaay flag. This was before the world shut down and the pandemic arised, unlike most of the world, Strohauer sees the COVID-19 lockdown as a blessing. “When that first began it honestly felt very sacred to me,” she said. “It felt like mother
earth had put the human race on time out and everyone had a collective experience across this earth.” Strohauer can still feel the power that was created at SDSU and the people they honored along with it. “I really like seeing all these new faces here to celebrate Indigenous People’s day not Columbus Day,” second year Derrik Herrera, political science and American Indian Studies major said. “For this land is the land of my people as well as so many prior to San Diego, America and California existing.” People clapped at the end of the rally, standing for the Indigenous community and supporting them. Encouraging students to use their voices to speak up in classrooms and bring up topics like colonization, fighting to become better.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Catlan Nguyen MANAGING EDITOR Trinity Bland NEWS EDITOR Katelynn Robinson OPINION EDITOR Aaliyah Alexander MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Noé Sandoval ASST. MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Karina Bazarte ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Ryan Hardison ASST. ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Cristina Lombardo SPORTS EDITOR Jason Freund ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Finley
Photo by Katelynn Robinson
The Bird company came to SDSU to hand out free helemets to promote helmet safety.
by Josh Petrofsky STAFF WRITER
San Diego State has announced a partnership between San Diego State Parking and Transportation and micro-mobility company Bird. The company will bring e-scooters and e-bikes back on campus. The partnership will see the official return of micro-mobility transportation options to the campus community. Bird will be the exclusive provider of micromobility scooters and bikes to the SDSU area; other similar companies are still banned from campus. This partnership comes after SDSU updated its ban on micromobility devices in May. “The decision to return micromobility devices to campus was made following a noted change in the micro-mobility rental landscape and technology, and a California State University system requirement to review transportation demand and accessibility on campus,” a statement given after lifting the ban, from the university said. The partnership comes with several safety measures for the e-scooters and e-bikes. Bird
Disparity research:
continued from page 2 campus. The recruitment of FUERTE will prioritize scholars with committed research interests in Latinx health disparities focusing their research on addiction, environmental health, nutrition, physical activity and more, according to the program’s report on the NIH website. Eileen Pitpitan, Evaluation Core Director for FUERTE said her role is to analyze whether the program has an impact on improving faculty success and the SDSU campus climate around diversity, equity and inclusion. She said she acknowledges the need for diversity and inclusion at all
has implemented geofences and geospeeds to the campus area. Slower speed, no parking and no ride zones will be implemented using geotagging. Information will be available to riders in the Bird app about where they can and cannot ride and park e-scooters and e-bikes. Riders will also be incentivized to follow proper parking procedures. If an e-scooter is returned correctly to a designated parking zone on campus, the rider will receive an automatic credit to their Bird account. The micro-mobility devices were initially banned from campus at the start of the Fall 2019 semester. The primary reasons given for the ban included an increase in accidents involving the scooters as well as scooters being left around campus, cluttering walkways and common areas. The ban received criticism when it was announced. The school had voted to ban the scooters in March of 2019 but did not inform students until a week before the start of the fall 2019 semester.
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Amanda Orozco PHOTO EDITOR Noelani Sapla MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Mackenzie Stafford ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jayne Yutig GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hemen Mesfin
STAFF WRITERS Eugénie Budnik Brittany Cruz-Fejeran Lucelis Martinez Megan Oytas Morgan Prickett Xiomara Villarreal-Gerardo SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Juan Daniel Avila Jenna Meyer Jessica Octavio Sara Rott Morgan Prickett CONTRIBUTORS Taylor Harris Tania Gallardo Avalos Karelly Vidrio ________________________________
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Brian Arnold ________________________________
GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST Luis Valenzuela EDITORIAL 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com
SEE ONLINE
levels of science and research. This is the gap FUERTE will attempt to improve. Zúñiga said one of the issues she hopes to understand more are the higher rates of cervical cancer in Latinas, especially in our border region. What FUERTE aims to study are deeper and shared reasons for why the worst outcomes are disproportionately affecting the Latinx community. This research can also be a springboard for other marginalized communities to understand health disparities amongst them, according to Zúñiga. “This grant that’s been funded belongs to everyone,” Zúñiga said. “It is something that should support our students, faculty [and] our community and for that reason it is a grant that goes to SDSU, not to one group or one person. It goes to all of us.”
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Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Aaliyah Alexander • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
Opinion
The Daily Aztec
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Acknowledge Roberto Clemente during Hispanic Heritage Month By Trinity Bland MANAGING EDITOR
With MLB players like Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron having decorated legacies on constant display, names like Roberto Clemente often find a spot to rest in the shadows of history. A two-time World Series champion, a 15time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove winner in right field, Clemente’s 18-year career was nothing short of revolutionary. Even more groundbreaking, Clemente became the first Latin American player to reach the 3,000-hit mark as well as World Series MVP status in 1971. Off the field, Clemente fought tirelessly toward equality for individuals who looked like him — whether they played ball or not. These are only but a few noble mentions of his everlasting legacy. Roberto Clemente Day, which honors the life of a humanitarian and an athlete who made efforts toward justice for all, coincides with the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept. 15. Nineteen years later, this special annual occasion is celebrated for the first time since the Negro Leagues have been recognized as MLB. But that’s not all that makes this year’s Roberto Clemente Day special. Usually, the day’s tradition permits the Pittsburgh Pirates to wear No. 21 in honor of Clemente’s jersey number. With the blessing of the Clemente family, MLB allowed all players of Puerto Rican descent to wear No. 21 on Sept. 15. Extending this honor a step further, all MLB players were given this opportunity and optional “21” patches to wear on their jerseys during Roberto Clemente Day games. While No. 21 has yet to be retired league-wide like Robinson’s No. 42, the aforementioned recognition could expedite that specific process. It would lend a much deserved credence to the case that Clemente’s life and career must be
Graphic by Shalika Oza
Roberto Clemente’s legacy and crontributions deserve as much recognition as Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron.
commemorated. In Clemente’s honor, MLB annually presents the Roberto Clemente Award to recognize the player who best represents baseball through sportsmanship and community involvement — values Clemente deemed important. Former San Diego State commit and current San Diego Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove is among the nominees for this year’s award.
In 1972, Clemente was tragically killed in a plane crash en route to Nicaragua to provide the country with post-earthquake resources. At only 38 years old, he accomplished what most dream about doing not only in sports but in a lifetime. Instead of the league waiting the standard five-year period baseball players undergo to reach Hall of Fame eligibility, Clemente was inducted into the National Baseball
Hall of Fame nearly a year after his death, making him the first player from Latin America to be preserved in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Despite MLB being integrated for nearly eight years when Clemente arrived, he was still subject to Jim Crow laws. Identifying as Black, Latino and Puerto Rican, there was no doubt he would face mainstream racism. The media referred to Clemente as “Bob” and quoted him using phonetic spelling in mockery of his accent. Additionally, he couldn’t publicly share meals or hotel rooms with his white teammates, a collective experience for Black players in the league during this time. Clemente, who was born and raised on the progressively integrated island of Puerto Rico, was disturbed by the segregationist society that seemingly plagued America. This prompted him to use his power as a public figure for good while frequently challenging discrimination and inequality. The idea of remaining silent and having the “just play ball” mindset was something Clemente would not accept. The diligence and perseverance that accompanied Clemente’s efforts to make baseball more welcoming are largely why he is a heroic and prominent member of Latin American representation. 2021 Opening Day rosters featured 256 players from 20 countries and territories, with the majority of them being Latin American. It is because of Clemente that those players can proudly wear their names on the backs of their jerseys, complete with accent marks and tildes. Clemente and his incalculable impact on baseball and the fight for civil rights shouldn’t just remain in the shadows of history. There is hope as MLB appears to acknowledge this truth but it’s time for everyone else to follow suit. Trinity Bland is a senior studying television, film, media and Spanish.
Sustainable habits to incorporate in your life today
Photo by Aaliyah Alexander
A reusable water bottle and tote bag are great swaps.
By Lindsey Anderson CONTRIBUTOR
It is October 2021 and we have suddenly found ourselves knocking on the door of climate catastrophe. The time has arrived in which we are confronted with the decisions of today that will directly impact the environmental prosperity of tomorrow. As young people, we have a lot to fear as we walk into a future with a grim reality.
Will there still be snow for our children? Will California become uninhabitable? Where will our water come from? We are beginning to face the dire truths behind the answers to these questions as we cross the line that separates the reversible from the irreversible. The good news for us is that we haven’t crossed that line yet. There is still hope for our future and the future of our planet, but it requires a great deal of work for everyone involved. The work required to help the planet through this crisis can become overwhelming when we feel as if our entire lives have to change. Although driving a Prius and transitioning to a vegan diet are highly effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint, these are not the only options. There are many ways to start small that are much less daunting than never eating cheese again. As young people living alone for the first time, it is important to recognize the small changes we can make to our routines that will have a positive impact on our planet. To limit the sense of helplessness that may arise during this uncertain time, I have included a list of sustainable habits that we can easily incorporate into our daily lives: Secondhand clothing and housing decor As we resume our lives of college
independence, it’s important for us to remember that splurging on clothing and room decor is bad for the environment. It’s easy to fall into the habit of buying the best new and trendy grabs, but luckily for us, thrifting is even more trendy now than buying new. Start purchasing all your new attire and housing decor from second-hand stores. In buying and selling to places like these, your consumer-waste footprint is being drastically reduced; not to mention your new stuff is way cool! Goodbye plastic! In switching to glass tupperware containers for snacks and leftovers, we are eliminating the purchase of plastics for food storage. Not only is it better for us, but the less plastic we buy, the less plastic we displace into the ocean. The same goes for Ziploc bags. With class back in session, many of us are bringing lunches along to school. Rather than packing a sandwich or some crackers in a plastic Ziploc baggie, consider investing in a Stasher bag, or reusable silicone bags, to house your meals when you’re on the move. Keep that metal straw handy It’s great to get into the habit of keeping a metal straw in your backpack. This eliminates the use of a plastic straw that may be handed out with your beverage.
Reusable utensils are great to have on hand too, especially as a college student who’s eating out quite a bit. The plastic knives, forks, spoons and straws that we toss out after a meal contribute immensely to the plastic in our oceans. Be mindful of the vitality of our sea life and always have those tools handy! No more red Solo cups! If there’s anything college students know how to do, it’s how to have a good time — an event usually marked by the number of red Solo cups littering the backyard the next day. But there are ways to enjoy the party without hurting Mother Nature in the process. Consider exchanging those Solo cups for mason jars or a non-breakable alternative like bamboo. The use of reusable party decorations that may be fabric-based will also help to eliminate waste and will leave party decorations readily available for next time! Fortunately, going green in the college scene isn’t as overwhelming or as expensive as it seems. Plus, the purchase of reusable products actually saves you money in the long run, so it’s a win-win for everyone. Happy earth, happy wallet — and the party still goes on. Lindsey Anderson is a senior studying rhetoric and writing.
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Mundo Azteca
The Daily Aztec
Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Noé Sandoval • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com
La presidenta de Estudiantes Asociados, Ashley Tejada, habla de sus raices peruanas por Jayne Yutig ASST. EDITORA DE MULTIMEDIA
Foto por Noelani Sapla
Presidenta Ashley Tejada en el SDSU Student Union
La presidenta de Estudiantes Asociados , Ashley Tejada, es la novena mujer en representar a más de 33,000 estudiantes que componen el cuerpo estudiantil de La Universidad Estatal de San Diego en 1921. Tejada dijo que es su herencia peruana lo que la guía en el papel. Tejada dijo que sus primeros meses como presidenta de AS fueron ocupados. Los estudiantes de SDSU han regresado y todavía se están acostumbrando a las clases presenciales. Una controvertida propuesta por el Senado de la Universidad
provocó la indignación y la oposición de los estudiantes en todo el campus. Pero durante este período de adaptación en el campus, Tejada dijo que recuerda las historias de sus abuelos peruanos como su motivación para liderar. Durante el vuelo de más de 3,000 millas desde Lima, Perú a los Estados Unidos, una hélice del avión que transportaba a los abuelos de Tejada falló. Tejada dijo que el avión voló inclinado en el aire durante todo el vuelo y representaba metafóricamente el viaje que les tomó a sus abuelos llegar a Estados Unidos. “Fue un viaje de miedo y adversidad”, dijo Tejada.
“Fue un esfuerzo monumental para ellos. Y realmente simplemente creando ese legado, mi abuela trajo a sus otros siete hermanos ”, dijo Tejada. Mientras Tejada navega por la toma de decisiones en su papel de presidenta, dijo que todo se trata de sus raíces. “Mi abuela era una mujer muy fuerte en el liderazgo”, dijo Tejada. “Eso es algo de lo que quiero seguir viviendo”. Salir y conectarse con otros estudiantes de color dentro del liderazgo estudiantil en el campus es una de las prioridades de Tejada. “Estar en este rol como mujer de color, CONTINUACIÓN EN PÁGINA 7
Columna: El dia de la raza es un feriado necesario por Noé Sandoval EDITOR DE MUNDO AZTECA
El 11 de octubre es un día significativo para los que vivimos en América, y cuando me refiero a América, me refiero desde Canadá hasta Argentina. Aquí en los Estados Unidos, nos hemos criado con el pensamiento, debido a nuestra educación, de que todos los que nacen en Los Estados Unidos solo se pueden llamar americanos. Sin embargo, los países de Latino América forman parte del continente. Esa mentalidad de no querer involucrar a los demás es muy difícil de dejar para los estadounidenses. Por otro lado, tenemos que ver que Los Estados Unidos tiene muchas historias y comunidades que aún no han sido mencionadas en los medios de comunicación, como la televisión y redes sociales. La comunidad latinx e hispanx ha surgido por todo el país. La celebración que antes glorificaba a un hombre blanco queriendo dominar a una población indigena en este país. Se ha cambiado a honrando las vidas que siempre han llamado la tierra de los Américas como su casa. Yo me recuerdo en la primaria siempre aprendiendo de Cristóbal Colón que era
un hombre valioso, teniendo que navegar por el mar Atlántico en La Nina, La Pinta y La Santamaría. Cuando llegue a la preparatoria, aprendí en mi clase de historia que Cristóbal Colón no era un hombre para quien glorificar. En vez, él es responsable de la genocida de tantos tribus y comunidades indígenas por todo el continente. Los indígenas fueron sucumbidos a enfermedades, esclavitud y abuso por los colonizadores de Europa. Hoy en día, la comunidad latina hace parte de muchas comunidades indígenas y mestizas. Tenemos que darnos cuenta que la mayoría de nosotros latinx/hispanx podríamos tener algunas raíces indígenas. Para la Universidad Estatal de San Diego, estamos en los pasos correctos para iniciar un cambio en justicia social y interseccionalidad. Para celebrar este importante día, han habido manifestaciones, conferencias y pláticas de diferentes departamentos dentro la universidad, pero lo que se necesita es la unión de nuestras comunidades. Los latinos y la gente indigena de todo el continente tenemos que unirnos en solidaridad para alzar nuestras voces para que nuestros gobiernos entiendan que formamos parte de la sociedad y somos capaces de contribuir, enriquecer y evolucionar la comunidad.
Gráfico por Freepik
El Dia de La Raza ya no debería glorificar a Cristóbal Colón sino que celebrar las comunidades indígenas.
Estudiantes cruzan la frontera de Tijuana/San Diego a diario para poder conseguir una educcación adecuada por Karelly CONTRIBUIDORA
Foto por Karelly Vidrio
El centro de tránsito en San Ysidro es un lugar donde ha mucho movimiento transnacional.
Vidrio
Cientos de estudiantes que viven en México, cruzan diario el puerto fronterizo de San Ysidro para poder ir a clases. La Universidad Estatal de San Diego cuenta con una comunidad de estudiantes latinos que cruzan la frontera entre Tijuana y San Diego para poder tener una educación dentro del campus. Luis Vargas, es un estudiante especializándose en matemáticas en la universidad que explicó su experiencia de como un estudiante que vivía en Tijuana cruzaba a diario la frontera para poder tomar sus clases el semestre anterior. “Cruzo para poder tener una mejor educación esa fue la idea de mis papas”, dijo Vargas. “Mi día empezaba a las 3 o 4 de la madrugada”. Vargas explica que esta motivación se debe a lo que le inculcaron sus padres desde pequeño. Desde su niñez él ha estado familiarizado con cruzar de un país a otro cuando se trataba de ir a la escuela. Tener que levantarse muy temprano
para poder hacer fila en la frontera en carro eran algunos de los obstáculos que se le presentaron cuando tenía que viajar de un país a otro para poder tomar sus clases en Los Estados Unidos “Yo tenía el pase normal ahora tengo readylane y es mucho mejor que la línea normal y duró menos tiempo”, dijo Vargas Vargas compartió que hay estudiantes que cuentan con ciertos tipos de pasaporte que los ayudan a cruzar mucho más rápido pero que no todos tienen el mismo pase y esto afecta mucho el tiempo de sus horarios para poder cruzar a tiempo antes de que la clase empiece. Ahora que Vargas tiene la oportunidad de poder vivir en la ciudad San Diego este semestre y tiene más horas para poder dormir, su estado de salud ha mejorado. Esta transición que tuvo este semestre de mudarse a San Diego se ha reflejado en su dieta. “Antes comía más, me daba mas hambre tenía sobrepeso y ahora como menos… es mucho mejor para mi salud mental tambien”. CONTINUACIÓN EN PÁGINA 7
Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Noé Sandoval • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com
Mundo Azteca
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Los Aztecas dominan a los
Lobos de Nuevo México 31-7 por Juan ESCRITOR
Daniel Avila
El corredor senior Greg Bell no perdió tiempo para restablecerse como el mejor corredor en la Universidad Estatal de San Diego. Después de perderse casi todo el juego contra Towson hace dos semanas, Bell corrió para 111 yardas en 21 intentos mientras anotaba su quinto touchdown de la temporada cuando los Aztecas, entonces No. 25 del ranking (5-0, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) despacharon New Mexico Lobos (2-4, 0-2 MWC) 31-7 en Dignity Health Sports Park. Bell aprovechó las situaciones que le presentaba su línea ofensiva, un rasgo que no pasó desapercibido para el entrenador en jefe Brady Hoke. “Tiene muy buena visión”, dijo Hoke sobre Bell. “Hizo un buen trabajo al poder atravesar el agujero”. Al sufrir una lesión en el hombro, Bell inicialmente era cuestionable para regresar contra los Lobos. Pero, después de practicar toda la semana previa al sábado, Bell se insertó en la alineación con resultados inmediatos. En su primera carrera del juego, Bell atravesó un enorme agujero abierto por su línea ofensiva para una carrera de 40 yardas. Cinco jugadas después, el corredor senior anotó en una carrera de una yarda para poner a Scarlet y Black arriba 7-0. Sus 111 yardas lo empujaron sobre la marca del siglo por novena vez en solo 16 juegos y la octava vez en 12 partidos. Un gol de campo de 44 yardas de Matt Araiza al comienzo del segundo cuarto llevó la ventaja de SDSU a 10. Otro jugador que regresaba de una lesión, el mariscal de campo senior Jordon Brookshire, tuvo menos éxito. Brookshire regresó a la alineación titular después de
Foto por SDSU Athletics
Greg Bell, número 22, corre la pelota entre medio de la defenso de los Lobos para notar su touchdown.
perderse dos juegos debido a una lesión y tuvo marca de 11-24 con 130 yardas. Muchos de sus tiros fueron por encima o por debajo de la primera mitad. Brookshire struggled at times to set his feet when throwing on the run, leading to many incomplete passes when he scrambled outside the pocket. Brookshire luchó a veces para poner sus pies cuando lanzaba a la carrera, lo que llevó a muchos pases incompletos cuando salió del bolsillo. “He basically stumbled a little bit,” Hoke said. “So, he never set his feet or his hips and never got that platform like we wanted to.” “Básicamente tropezó un poco”, dijo
Hoke. “Así que nunca puso los pies ni las caderas y nunca consiguió esa plataforma como queríamos” A pesar de estar temblando en el aire, Brookshire continuó haciendo el trabajo en el suelo, continuando su racha de anotar touchdowns por tierra. Brookshire anotó en el segundo cuarto en una pelea de una yarda, mientras que una falsa transferencia al corredor senior Kaegun Williams engañó a la defensiva de Lobos y permitió que el mariscal de campo se deslizara hacia la zona de anotación para anotar 11 yardas. VER EN LÍNEA
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Frontera:
continuación desde página 6 La graduada Tony Ruvalcaba, tuvo las mismas experiencias parecidas a las de Vargas. Ruvalcaba, 24 años de edad y se graduó en el invierno del 2020. El estudiante que compartió algunos de los sacrificios que desde muy pequeña tuvo que hacer para poder ir a la escuela en San Diego. “Mi escuela empezaba a las 8 de la mañana y tenía que levantarme a las 3 de la mañana”. Desde muy chica sus papás la cruzaban en el carro, ella dormía mientras se hacía fila para poder cruzar antes de que empezará sus clases. La inseguridad al cruzar de ida o de regreso también fue parte de la experiencia que tuvo la exalumna. Un día de regreso a su casa al salir por el puerto fronterizo de San Diego a Tijuana en Otay, presenció el intento de un asalto hacia su persona. Ruvalcaba actualmente trabaja y vive en San Diego. Ella compartió que ahora su horario es mucho más flexible y puede ir y regresar de su casa al trabajo. Comparado con sus semestres anteriores. “Había un carro que paró en medio de la calle durante la medianoche”, dijo Ruvalcaba. y estaba un hombre afuera del carro moviendo sus manos para que parara mi carro”
Perfil de presidenta: continuación desde página 6
también ver a otros en el campus, no solo en AS, estar dentro de sus respectivos roles también y la adversidad que enfrentan”, dijo Tejada. “Es importante para mí utilizar las lecciones de mi entorno familiar y llevarlas a cabo en este rol”. La familia de Tejada vive en Corona, California, por lo que dijo que conduce a casa para los cumpleaños y las celebraciones familiares. La proximidad también significa que puede disfrutar de su plato peruano favorito, el Lomo Saltado. El popular plato peruano incluye bistec, papas fritas, tomates, cebollas y arroz. VER EN LÍNEA
El boxeador mexicano, Canelo Álvarez, se prepara para una gran pelea en el comienzo de noviembre por Karina Bazarte ASSIST. EDITORA DE MUNDO AZTECA
Este 6 de Novembre, la pelea de Saul Alvarez y Caleb Plant se llevara acabo en MGM Grand Garden Arena y si Alvarez gana sera en primer mexicano boxeador en la historia en ser campeón indiscutido. El boxeador mexicano, Saul Alvarez mejor conocido como “Canelo” se prepara para enfrentarse a Caleb Plant 6 de Novembre. La pelea será por el ciento indiscutido campeón mundial de peso super mediano. Alvarez compartió por medio de su cuenta de instagram una imagen de el y atrás los dos apellidos, Plant y Alvarez. “Este 6 de noviembre vamos a poner al boxeo de México en todo lo alto. ¡Vamos por el cinturón que nos falta!” dijo, Alvarez. Pero no muchas personas conocen al gran boxeador, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Nacido en Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico, Alvarez sonaba con ser un boxeador profesional. Por la mañana Alvarez vendía paletas y jugos en la calle con su padre y por la tarde entrenaba en el gimnasio de José “Chepo” Reynoso. Reynoso luego se convirtió en su entrenador de boxeo. A los 10 anos, Alvarez fue dado su primer guantes de boxeo por su hermano mayor. A los 15 anos de edad, Alvarez comenzó su primer debut profesional en donde gana contra Abraham Gonzalez por un TKO en el cuarto round. Se enfrentaba
Saul “Canelo” Álvarez ha sido un gran campeon invincible en el deporte de boxing, comenzando su carrera en 2005.
contra oponentes 10 anos major que el y musculares. En el ano 2006, 11 de las 13 victorias eran “Knock out” y esto lo llevo a la victoria convirtiéndose el campion del titulo de peso mediano en Jalisco. Muchos critican el estilo de peliar de canelo por que la duda que hay es si realmente practica el estilo Mexicano , “A mi me gusta como pelea Canelo, pero
las personas que tienen tiempo viendo el boxeo y son fans de los boxeadores Mexicanos no les gusta mucho el estilo de Canelo como el estilo Julio Cesar Chavez,” dijo Aaron Tolentino, graduado y ex editor de deportes en el Daily Aztec. A los 21 anos de edad, Alvarez ya estaba llenando las arenas pues ya se estaba convirtiendo en uno de los favoritos. Alvarez gano el titulo consejo mundial de
Foto por Sports Illustrated
boxeo de peso medio contra el boxeador Mathew Hatton. En el ano 2015, Alvarez fue nombrado “WBA knockout” del año. Alvarez se convirtió en uno de boxeadores favoritos, y en el ano 2016, 51,000 espectadores asistieron la arena AT&T en Dallas. Alvarez pudo obtener su cuanto cinto contra Liam Smith con un KO en la ronda novena.
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Arts
The Daily Aztec
Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Ryan Hardison • arts@thedailyaztec.com
Latinx chef showcases authentic Mexican dishes on Instagram Live By Lucelis Martinez STAFF WRITER
San Diego State’s Latinx Student Union (LSU) hosted a cultura en la cocina event on Instagram Live on Friday, Oct. 8. According to their official page, the LSU addresses the scarcity of Latinxassimilated organizations, community, and representation on SDSU’s campus and established in the fall of 2020. “Cultura en la cocina” is a virtual event hosted by LSU, which consisted of chef Claudette Zepeda and LSU members cooking a traditional Mexican dish called Carne en su jugo. According to her personal website, Zepeda is a San-Diego based chef known for her bold approaches to regional Mexican cuisine. She also has a son attending SDSU. During the event, she explained the origins of Carne en su jugo. The direct translation is “meat in its juice” but Zepeda said the translation is not as appealing in English. “Omg my mom used to make this all the time,” an anonymous viewer wrote in the Instagram chat box. The dish comes from Jalisco, from the
Garibaldi family, according to Zepeda. In 2015, Vice released an article about how the Garibaldis’ chain of restaurants, Karne Garibaldi, holds the Guiness World Record for the fastest ever food service. According to the article, the waiters lay out a full menu in 13.5 seconds. The article says that carne en su jo is also a regional specialty native to Guadalajara and that it’s the only main course on the menu. According to Zepeda, the dish cures both heartbreaks and hangovers. Throughout the Instagram livestream, Zepeda shared personal stories and answered questions from LSU members on the other end of the conversation. Zepeda said she got her start in the culinary world at an early age since her aunt had a restaurant. At first, Zepeda said she wanted to be a lawyer. However she grew to love cooking more. Growing up, she would steal her mother’s pot because she was convinced that it somehow made all her mother’s recipes come out better. This laid the foundation for her future career. While answering a question about working within a male-dominated industry, Zepeda mentioned that she takes power in
her femininity as she’s recognized by her Oaxacan earrings and red lips. Zepeda also said she learned how to stand on her own in the industry. “I made very specific strategic moves for who I wanted to work with,” Zepeda said. She said she only likes working with people she respects and that she can feel the difference between the right tribe and the wrong tribe. Zepeda has a tattoo alluding to her nickname in Mexico, which is “Mama Bear.” She was asked about how being a young mother affected her and her life. Zepeda talked about having multiple jobs including one cashing checks, her role as a line cook for a restaurant. Although she would’ve been living on the street, she knew she had to make sure her children were okay. Having people, like her grandma and mom, in her corner helped. Zepeda has participated in Top Chef season 5 and Top Chef Mexico. Whenever she has upcoming projects she consults it with her family and they tell her that the months she’ll be away are only three months out of their lives. Challenging herself to confront those challenges made her stronger. “I came out a better person,” said Zepeda.
Screenshot courtesy of Claudette Zepeda’s Instagram
The host of the Instagram live enjoys a local cuisine.
As they talked, Zepeda told the LSU to babysit their food as it cooked. Zepeda focuses on flavors and lets her heritage shine through all she does. “If it’s a brown dish, let it be a brown dish.” Students can keep up to date with LCU events by following their official instagram.
Student musician plays first live show on campus By Lucelis Martinez STAFF WRITER
Joaquin Paez performed 11 original songs at the second Nooner event of the fall 2021 semester. The Aztec Student Union hosted the event on Oct.8. According to the official website, Nooner is an opportunity for people on campus to hear a local artist for an hour, in the Aztec Student Union. Paez is a junior at San Diego State, majoring in psychology. He had gone to the nooner performances during his freshman year and said he was always jealous of the performers but unsure on how to perform. “I was at a party the other day and I met Lindsay,” said Paez. Lindsay Scholbrock, the Music and Entertainment Chair for the Aztec Student Union. A conversation emerged where Paez showed Scholbrock his music and she showed support for it before they got onto the topic of the Nooner series. Paez then found out Scholbrock ran the music events at SDSU. Paez said he comes from Ecuadorian heritage and lived in New Jersey before coming to SDSU. He has two songs up on his verified Spotify account. He performed both of these songs at the Nooner. One of the songs,“Prescription Medicine,” generated a lot of audience feedback. “And are we enough to save each other? Enough to save ourselves,” Paez sings in “Prescription Medicine.” “I know we’re broken, but sleep now I’ll call you in the morning. The phone ring reminds me we’re still breathing and your voice is like prescription medicine.” Paez said the song was inspired by a relationship he had with a girl named Bella, which is the name of his other song on Spotify. “It’s about us both being in a very dark place, and finding hope with each other and like only with each other,” said Paez. Both “Prescription Medicine” and “Bella” make lyrical references to pills. Paez said this is both a metaphor for their love, but also an allusion to the love-hate relationship he has with his depression and
Photo by Cristina Lombardo
he feels like his Spotify is outdated since he has changed in many ways recently. He’s also been inspired by his time in quarantine. “They’re all very ruminative, like I’m having a conversation with myself in my head,” said Paez, “And that’s one thing I like about songwriting is I can talk to myself or about myself.” Paez had friends in the front row, listening in on his performance. Andrew Valencia, a junior majoring in biology, was amongst them. “I was walking by the Union and I saw the billboard of him come up,” Valencia said, “It was so dope because it looked so professional and gave him a lot of attention.” Valencia said he had chills and that it was nice to see Paez show so much passion. Bryce Mendoza is a third year financing major, who was in charge of mixing the sound for Paez during the event.
He said he felt the event went well. “It was the first event I had been able to run for a while so that was exciting,” Mendoza said. Paez said he felt relieved after his performance, because he was really nervous beforehand. “I’m glad I didn’t mess up too bad,” Paez said. Paez was happy about the crowd support. Out of the 11 songs he performed, he felt “Bella” was the best received. He was also excited to perform an unreleased song at the end of his performance. “I have that bridge where I haven’t really done something as intense before so I enjoyed that one,” Paez said. Paez ended his performance with a resounding message. “Thank you so f****** much to everyone that came,and I’m glad people are willing to listen to my s***,” Paez said.
Nooner check-in poster promoting Joaquin Paez.
anxiety medication. “I knew I had chemical imbalances in my brain that I needed to take care of,” said Paez, “A lot of my songwriting reflected this desire for medicine or like an external form of help and then, once I did get on medication it was a big war for me in my head kind of like hating medication and also being grateful that it’s kind of helping me.” Paez said he likes to reflect his internal struggles in his songs. “Emotional pain is 100% my biggest inspiration,” said Paez. The independent artist started learning how to play the guitar in the eighth grade, but he said he didn’t start taking it seriously until his sophomore year of high school. “When I discovered songwriting, I became addicted to it,” said Paez. “I wanted to write about everything that I was going through.” For Paez, that trend has continued. He was a part of Aztec Music Group during his first year at SDSU and was inspired by artists like Jeremy Zucker. Music is a therapeutic process for Paez, and he said
Photo by Cristina Lombardo
Paez performed 11 songs during his Nooner set and he felt his song “Bella” was recieved best.
Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Ryan Hardison • arts@thedailyaztec.com
Arts
The Daily Aztec
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Gossip Grill is more than Dumpling Dash: Din just a woman-forward bar Tai Fung
By Brittany Cruz-Fejeran STAFF WRITER
By Jessica Octavio A drag queen performing at Gossip Grill got on stage and told everyone jokingly whoever did not have a female body part to leave. Minutes later, she got up and apologized about what she said. Catalina, a drag queen who also performed at the bar, said she was relieved when her fellow queen apologized. Gossip Grill is not a lesbian bar, said Moe Girtin, owner of the bar and nightclub. It is a woman-forward bar that plays with everyone. “I thought using the word ‘lesbian’ pigeon-holed us,” she said. “Everyone who identifies at all with the woman inside them, even if it’s 10%, this is your bar.” Women bars are closing down because it is more acceptable to be queer, according to Girtin. “It used to be unsafe to go to nongay bars. You might be harassed,” she said. “[But] you can go anywhere now.” There is not as big of a demand for women or queer bars, but a safe place to retreat and be around like-minded people still needed. “You just hear so many stories about how safe spaces change your life, it gives you a sense of community,” Girtin said. Joey Adams, an employee at Gossip Grill for eight years said he felt at home the moment he stepped through the door. This is the longest job he has ever stayed at in San Diego, according to Adams. Jen Griebel, another employee, said before she started working there she felt like this was the only place she could be herself. “I lived a lot of my life thinking I was straight and when there were days in my life where I was trying to figure out who I was, Gossip was a place where I would come and hang out,” Griebel said. “It is the one place where I felt like I could fully be myself when I came out as a lesbian. So I am living my best life honestly.” It was once the only women-forward space in San Diego and is one of 21 women bars in the nation, according to The Lesbian Bar Project. But Gossip Grill has a secret lover who lives across the street and her name is Barrel & Board. The new upscale LGBTQ+ bar restaurant and event space is Gossip Grill’s classy
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Photo by Brittany Cruz-Fejeran
Gossip Grill is one of 21 women bars in the U.S., providing a safe haven for San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community.
girlfriend specializing in woman-forward spirits and wine. “[Gossip Grill] is the type that just wants to have fun and dance the night away... throwing money at Drag Queens. Barrel is the more sophisticated one that likes ‘boujee’ stuff like nice bottles of wine and whiskey. They are a power couple,” Girtin said. Girtin manages both places, but like all success stories, the birth of this power couple started with a leap of faith. Girtin was a bartender at Baja Betty’s before opening up Gossip Grill in 2009. She said she turned down the opportunity to establish it twice before giving in on the third time. Baja Betty’s paid well with very little responsibility, she was getting stagnant and realized it was time for her to make a change, Girtin said. “It was a very large pay cut to [leave Baja Betty’s], but it was an investment,” she said. “Sometimes you gotta take a step back to go forward in the future.” The only thing she demanded was that it be a “woman’s bar” and not use the word “lesbian.” She said she wanted to use the word “woman” as an umbrella term for whoever identifies at all with the female inside them. With only a few women bars left in the nation, Gossip Grill’s safe environment is sacred to some frequent visitors. The place was exploding at the seams within the first six months of opening up. The community was starving for a womenforward safe space and their first small
location could not quench that hunger. Their current location has been home for them for seven years. Girtin said Gossip Grill plays with everyone, but keeps things around the club like woman portraits on the wall, vagina piñatas and “Welcome home, Beautiful” neon signs greeting you at the dance floor, to emphasize that woman’s touch. When on the dance floor, look up above the mirrored wall to find Anastasia Beaverhausen poised in a glass box watching over the party. She is the Keeper of the Dance Floor. Girtin emphasizes that Gossip Grill is also a community center and a home for many. She said it is a natural instinct for some to call the bar and ask for help. People also come whenever something happens: whether it be the shooting in Orlando, President Joe Biden’s inauguration or Southern California’s 2010 blackout. The Gossip Grill team will pull out the candles and serve business as usual. Gossip Grill also has a place to remember those lost in the LGBTQ+ community. The disco ball Bette Midler, singer and songwriter used to come down from during her Las Vegas performances is now a shrine where anyone who has lost a loved one can put a memory of them in the disco ball to watch over others on the dance floor. “You don’t think you need the spaces until you do,” she said. “Or if you come in for the first time and you’re like ‘wow, why isn’t this in every city?’ It’s definitely needed and there is gonna be a comeback.”
Photo by Brittany Cruz-Fejeran
Gossip Grill’s drink selection includes Shark Bait, Bullet Proof and high and tight but the great drink selection isn’t the only reason why people come to the famous restaurant.
Nestled in the corner of La Jolla’s UTC Westfield Mall is the San Diego branch of Din Tai Fung, a Taiwanese franchise that’s bringing its cuisine —and most notably its soup dumplings — across the globe. Xiao long bao, or Shanghai-style soup dumplings, are traditionally stuffed with pork and broth, wrapped in thin dough and filled with the broth that gives them their name. Since 2018, Din Tai Fung has been teaching San Diegans how to love this Asian comfort food. Before you even sit down, it becomes clear that dining at Din Tai Fung is going to be a noteworthy experience. You walk up to the hostess, and on most days, they’ll probably tell you the wait is an hour to an hour and a half and they’ll text you when your table is ready after you’ve had a chance to walk around the mall. The attention to detail in the service was impressive. Our server was sure to show us how to prepare our sauce: three parts vinegar to one part soy sauce with a dash of ginger. Each dish came out one by one, so we never had to take a bite of cold food. I was with one of my friends and we ordered six dishes between the two of us, and the server was sure to be mindful of my friend’s pescatarian diet, making sure there was something she could eat at the table at all times. The pork soup dumpling was definitely worth the hype. Whether you pop them in your mouth whole or poke the skin of the dumpling to slurp out the broth first, the Din Tai Fung soup dumplings make a perfect treat for cloudy, fall days in San Diego. The soup dumplings, along with the crescent-shaped vegan dumplings and the sticky rice and kurobuta pork shu mai, were easily inducted into the “clean plate club” (as Binging with Babish host Andrew Rea would say). The chewy, savory shrimp rice cakes were great too, but the proteincarb-veggie ratio left me wanting more shrimp and rice cakes to go with my surplus onions and bok choy. For dessert, we had the sweet taro xiao long bao and the popular and highly recommended chocolate and mochi xiao long bao. For those who are unfamiliar, taro is a sweet, purple root vegetable that’s common in Southeast Asian and the Pacific Islands. As a sweet tooth and chocolate lover, I definitely preferred the chocolate and mochi dumplings. Dark, rich, melting chocolate wrapped up in a dumpling was like edible hot cocoa. The taro dumplings were a good option for people looking for a more subtle dessert, but to me, it was one of the least interesting dumplings to eat in terms of taste and texture. Next time you have a few hours to kill and a craving for dumplings, consider stopping by Westfield UTC and checking out Din Tai Fung for yourself.
Photo by Jessica Octavio
Taro xiao long bao is one of Din Tai Fung’s well-known desserts.
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Sports
Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Jason Freund • sports@thedailyaztec.com
Aztecs football still undefeated after first Mountain West Conference win By Jason Freund SPORTS EDITOR
Senior running back Greg Bell wasted zero time reestablishing himself as the top runner at San Diego State. After missing nearly the entire game against Towson two weeks ago, Bell rushed for 111 yards on 21 attempts while scoring his fifth touchdown of the season as the No. 25-ranked Aztecs (5-0, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) dispatched the New Mexico Lobos (2-4, 0-2 MWC) 31-7 at Dignity Health Sports Park. Bell took advantage of situations presented to him by his offensive line — a trait that didn’t go unnoticed by head coach Brady Hoke. “He’s got very good vision,” Hoke said of Bell. “He did a very nice job of being able to burst through the hole.” After suffering a shoulder injury, Bell was initially questionable to return against the Lobos. But — after practicing all week leading up to Saturday — Bell was inserted into the lineup with immediate results. On his first run of the game, Bell burst through a gaping hole opened by his offensive line for a 40-yard run. Five plays later, the senior back scored on a one-yard rush to put the Scarlet and Black up 7-0. His 111 yards pushed him over the century mark for the ninth time in just 16 games and the eighth time in 12 matches. A Matt Araiza 44-yard field goal at the start of the second quarter pushed SDSU’s lead to 10. Another player returning from injury — senior quarterback Jordon Brookshire — had less success. Brookshire returned to the starting lineup after missing two
games due to injury and went 11-24 with 130 yards. Many of his throws were either over or underthrown in the first half. Brookshire struggled at times to set his feet when throwing on the run, leading to many incomplete passes when he scrambled outside the pocket. “He basically stumbled a little bit,” Hoke said. “So, he never set his feet or his hips and never got that platform like we wanted to.” Despite being shaky through the air, Brookshire continued to get the job done on the ground, continuing his streak of scoring rushing touchdowns. Brookshire scored in the second quarter on a oneyard scramble while a fake handoff to senior running back Kaegun Williams fooled the Lobos defense and allowed the quarterback to slip into the endzone for
Courtesy of SDSU Athletics Senior linebacker and captain Caden McDonald got his teammates fired up in pregame. The Aztecs defense would go on to shut out New Mexico’s offense, and hold the Lobos to seven total points.
Men’s soccer falls to UCLA, now on a three game skid By Morgan Prickett STAFF WRITER
The San Diego State Aztecs (6-2-2, 2-20 Pac-12) lost their third game in a row to the UCLA Bruins (6-4-0, 2-2-0 Pac-12) at the Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, Oct. 8 by a score of 1-0. The Aztecs entered Friday evening’s game off the back of their first two losses of the season against No. 2 Washington and then No. 13 Oregon State. SDSU failed to score in both games, falling 1-0 to Washington in overtime and 2-0 to Oregon State. The Bruins also entered this game off the back of two losses, coincidently, against the same teams. The Bruins suffered a tough 4-3 defeat to OSU after leading 3-1 in the second half and then fell to Washington 2-1 after conceding two goals in the final seven minutes of the match. Both halves of this match were filled with end to end foot-play. The Bruins were the team making the most noise but the Aztecs still posed a threat to the Bruins defense on the counter attack with quick passes and movement up the field. Regulation featured 13 fouls and six yellow cards with the majority of both belonging to the Aztecs. Despite the physicality, the referee let both teams play past debatable fouls as both the Aztecs and Bruins had multiple requests for possible penalty kicks. After 90 minutes, the game would end
an 11-yard score. “I feel pretty good running the ball,” Brookshire said, about his running abilities. “As far as, you know, being more comfortable than one or another, I think it’s just two completely different aspects of the game.” The main reason behind SDSU’s dominance? The defense. In front of their former head coach and defensive guru Rocky Long, defensive coordinator Kurt Mattix’s defense pitched a shutout against New Mexico and allowed just 193 total yards of offense. The Scarlet and Black made senior quarterback Terry Wilson Jr’s. night a living nightmare with constant blitz packages and backfield pressure. In total, SDSU defenders tallied four sacks and ten tackles for loss.
scoreless with the Bruins taking 12 shots at sophomore goalkeeper Jacob Castro, while the Aztecs trailed with just six shots of their own. Overtime would be needed to decide an outcome. In the first six minutes of overtime, the Bruins would have the two best chances of the game. The first came from a header by Bruins freshman Pietro Grassi off a free kick by sophomore Tommy Silva that was met with a brilliant flying save by Castro. The second shot came in front of the goal by redshirt freshman Jose Contell that was again stopped by a diving save from Castro. In the seventh minute of overtime, the game-winning goal was scored as Bruins junior Riley Firch played a through ball into the path of redshirt freshman Tucker Lepley, who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner of Castro’s goal. In spite of the result, this game marked the Aztecs’ 10th game holding their opponents scoreless in the first half out of 11 matches this season, with the only first half goals coming in the 2-0 defeat at OSU. The Aztec defense has remained consistent throughout the season, forcing six overtimes already — the most since the 2016 season where the Aztecs went to overtime 10 times out of their 19 matches. With no goals in the last three games, the Aztecs will look to reignite their offense on Friday, Oct. 15 when they play the University of San Diego at Torero Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
Senior defensive lineman Keyshawn Banks summed it as the Aztecs directly affecting Wilson Jr. “I think it just came down to pressure,” Banks said. “When we get guys in his face, that doesn’t give him as much time to go through his reads and his progressions like he wants to so there was pressure in disguise and coverages as well.” New Mexico’s offensive game plan revolved around hitting their slot receivers, which meant going up against senior safety Trenton Thompson. The plan — for the most part — failed. When Wilson Jr. wasn’t being hounded by an Aztec defender or lying flat on the turf, Thompson was limiting the Lobos’ receivers to short gains or knocking the ball to the ground. Thompson picked off a wobbled pass at the end of the second quarter to keep New Mexico off the scoreboard and had a second interception called back for pass interference. “I think he has gained more and more confidence in man coverage,” Hoke said. “I think coach Mattix has put him in good positions either bringing him in, letting him blitz off the edge or putting him in zone combinations or man’s.” Bell was pulled in the third quarter after losing a fumble that would be picked up by New Mexico and returned for a touchdown. By the time SDSU scored their fourth rushing touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter, New Mexico had been both physically and mentally checked out of the game. Bell and the Aztecs will look to continue rolling next week as they travel to San Jose to take on the San Jose State Spartans (3-3, 1-1 MWC).
Women’s soccer defeats UNLV, loses to Nevada By Taylor Harris and Tania Gallardo Avalos CONTRIBUTORS
San Diego State women’s soccer (6-8-0, 4-2-0) was victorious against University of Nevada Las Vegas (9-6-0, 2-4-0) beating the Rebels 1-0 in a tense overtime game on Friday evening. Senior forward Anna Toohey — assisted by sophomore forward Emma GainesRamos — scored the winning goal of the game in the 92nd minute. Gaines-Ramos ran the ball down the left side of the field and set up a cross for Toohey to sneak the ball into the high right of the net. The Aztecs played aggressively, committing 21 total fouls. Senior defender Maila Kaleiohi brought the pressure against the Rebels offense and received the only yellow card for the Aztecs in the 28th minute. Senior midfielder Daniela Filipovic set up a few great crosses into the box for her teammates, however, no one could send the ball into the net. Sophomore goalkeeper Alexa Madueno blocked shot after shot, being one of the main reasons the Rebels failed to get any goals in the net. Both teams brought the pressure leading to a tense golden goal overtime. The Aztecs were hungry for a win as they were able to shut down the Rebels just minutes after the overtime period started. Versus Nevada Wolfpack Losing their undefeated streak to
Nevada since 2002, the Aztecs fell to The University of Nevada, Reno Wolf Packs (3-8-2, 2-2-2 MWC), 3-2 on Sunday Oct. 10. The Aztecs got things started when freshman forward Denise Castro — assisted by senior forward Anna Toohey — gave the Scarlet and Black the early lead with the first goal in the 20th minute. It was Castro’s seventh goal this season. Freshman defender Trinity Coker attempted a shot but it was stopped by Nevada’s senior goalkeeper Kendal Stovall. Stovall failed to constrain the ball, which allowed for Castro to redirect and fire the second goal in the 28th minute — her eighth goal this season and second of the game Nevada never quit in the second half. Freshman forward Emily Rich assisted junior midfielder Luz Arreaga’s first goal of the season in the 51st minute and Freshman Penny Murphy evened the score in the 78th minute with Nevada’s first penalty kick of the season — Murphy’s first goal of her athletic college career. With 12 minutes left on the clock, freshman forward Kelly Rich rushed in the box with an attempt to score which failed; however, it was redirected by sophomore forward Olivia Fothergill in the 89th minute scoring the winning goal for the Wolf Pack. The Aztecs outshot the Wolf Pack 1211 and sophomore goalkeeper Alexa Madueno had one save, yet Nevada took the win with a response of three goals. Graphics courtesy of Freepik
Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 EDITOR: Jason Freund • sports@thedailyaztec.com
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Aztec Baseball in full swing for 2022 By Jenna Meyer SENIOR STAFF WRITER
To kick off the 2022 season, San Diego State Baseball will hit the road to play in the MLB4 Tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona from Feb. 18 to Feb. 20. They will be taking on opponents such as the University of California Berkeley (29-26 in 2021), the University of Houston (19-34 in 2021), and Texas Christian University (41-19 in 2021). The MLB4 tournament hosts toptier baseball programs and will provide exposure to a younger Aztec team which lost seven players to the MLB draft and free agency. The tournament will provide this year’s roster with the opportunity to go up against strong contenders from the Pac-12, AAC, and Big-12 conferences early in the season. The Aztecs have had previous success in preseason tournaments, going 2-1 in 2020’s preseason showcase, defeating Virginia Tech and Coastal Carolina, while their lone loss came against UNC Greensboro. The team will then travel to UC Irvine for the first of a non-conference homeand-home series on Feb. 22 and March 1 before returning home to host the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament against three teams that have yet to be announced. This MEMBERSHIP will be held at Tony Gwynn Stadium from Feb. 25 to Feb. 27. New Season, New Faces: NonConference Opponents Unlike last year’s shortened season due to COVID-19 protocols, the Scarlet and Black will have plenty of opportunities to face non-conference opponents and see new competition. The Aztecs’ non-conference opponents
Photo by Andrew Finley
Tony Gwynn Stadium is the home of SDSU baseball, and will play host to the Mountain West Conference baseball tournament for the 2022 season.
fill in many single weekday competitions occurring on Monday and Tuesday evenings, with the one exception being two weekend series and two home-andhome series throughout the season. The weekend series brings two Arizona schools to San Diego: Arizona State (March 4 to March 6) and Grand Canyon University (April 22 to April 24). The home-and-home series includes local competition and rivals UC San Diego (at UCSD on March 22 and at home on March 29 and May 3) and USD (at USD on April 12 and at home on April 18). The single weekday competition slate will include Hawaii (Feb. 28), Iowa (March 15), Long Beach State (April 26) and CSU Northridge (May 4).
Return of the rivalries: Mountain West Conference Opponents At the close of the 2021 season, the Aztecs finished second behind Nevada — just missing a bid to the playoffs. Nevada took home the Mountain West Conference Championship in 2021 and will have a similar roster makeup to last season. The Scarlet and Black will have a chance at redemption against the Wolf Pack in Reno April 1 to April 3, and at home May 13 to May 15. Similar to Nevada, the Scarlet and Black took the series against UNLV at home but faced trouble with UNLV after being swept in the Aztecs last series of 2021. They will have the opportunity to try again at home from March 11 to March 13 and to cap off
the 2022 season against the Rebels in Las Vegas on May 20 to May 22. San Jose State sat at the bottom of the conference last year, and the Aztecs often found success against them, going 5-1 against them in 2021. They will see the Spartans again in San Jose on March 18 to March 20 and then host them at home the weekend of April 8 to April 10. Fresno State provided similar competition to SJSU with the Aztecs going 4-2 against them in 2021. The team will host the Bulldogs at home from March 25 to March 27 and be at Fresno State in an away series from April 29 to May 1. The Aztecs also have two series against conference opponents that they will only see once, including a trip to New Mexico on April 14 to April 16 to take on the Lobos and then later returning home to take on Air Force May 6 to May 8. Going for the ship: Mountain West Conference Tournament Host After the cancelation of both the 2020 and 2021 Mountain West tournament that was to be hosted by the most recent champions (SDSU) due to COVID-19, the site of the tournament has been announced to be held at Tony Gwynn Stadium May 26 to May 29. The tournament hosts six teams in a double-elimination style tournament with the winner receiving the conference title as well as an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. SDSU currently holds the most Mountain West Conference Championships with six. The road to seven starts now. To stay updated throughout the Aztec’s Baseball season and journey to the Mountain West conference tournament, make sure you are following @ AztecsGotGame and host @jennaameyer on Twitter.
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Oct. 13 - 19, 2021 Editor: Noé Sandoval • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com
Checo Pérez inspira a los atletas jóvenes latinx para que logren todos sus sueños por Xiomara ESCRITORA
Villarreal-Gerardo
Sergio “Checo” Pérez, es el único piloto de carreras latino que corre en la Fórmula 1. Estudiantes miembros del club llamado Aztec Racing en la Universidad Estatal de San Diego manifiestan sus emociones sobre Checo Perez representando a México en F1. El deporte de automovilismo, bien conocido como Fórmula 1, es una serie de carreras que se llevan a cabo en diferentes ciudades del mundo. Participan 10 equipos que cuentan con dos pilotos cada uno y en cada carrera acumulan puntos hasta llegar a la final donde se anuncia el campeón mundial de la temporada. Los carros de la Fórmula 1 son mundialmente los más rápidos. Pasaron 30 años en que no había la participación de ningún corredor mexicano, y fue hasta el Gran Premio de Australia del 2011 cuando Pérez hizo su debut en esta carrera tan emocionante y llena de adrenalina como lo es Fórmula 1. El mexicano actualmente corre para Red Bull Racing, anteriormente había corrido para Racing Point, McLaren, Sauber y Force India. La presidenta de Aztec Racing, Vanessa Ruiz, y actualmente en su último año estudiando Ingeniería Mecánica, dijo que siente que es muy importante que Pérez represente a México en la Fórmula 1, considerando que no ha habido mucha representación de latinos en los deportes de motor. “En la historia de F1 ha habido una pequeña representación de pilotos hispanos y latinos”, dijo Ruiz. “Así que finalmente tener a otro piloto mexicano que está teniendo tanto éxito en este deporte, me da mucha alegría y creo que es importante que tengamos quien nos represente, comprueba que México puede mostrar sus increíbles talentos.” Eric Contreras, miembro de Aztec Racing y que actualmente cursa su último año de la carrera de Física, dijo que para él, es muy valioso tener a Perez en la Fórmula 1 porque logra que las personas de la misma cultura se involucren emocionalmente en el deporte. “Yo pienso que el tener a Checo como el único hispano/latino en F1 es realmente importante para que las personas de la misma cultura se contagien emocionalmente en este deporte. Se que al principio lo apoye por el solo hecho de que es mexicano, pero es agradable ver a alguien con quien sientes que te puedes
Foto por Red Bull Racing
Sergio “Checo” Perez, piloto de Red Bull Racing y único latino en la Formula 1, deporte de automovilismo de alta velocidad.
identificar”, dijo Contreras. “Ayuda a que jóvenes conductores se inspiren y se motiven al tener a alguien a quien admirar y que tenga las mismas aspiraciones y metas que ellos pueden lograr.” El Gran Premio de Sakhir en la temporada del 2020, fue una noche increíble para los seguidores de Pérez. En su momento, Perez corría su penúltima carrera para Racing Point y con la incertidumbre de saber si si o si no iba a tener un asiento seguro para la temporada 2021. El Gran Premio de Sakhir quedará en la historia como una de las carreras
Foto por Aztec Racing
El equipo de SDSU Aztec Racing Formula SAE en sus trajes de piloto en camino a una carerra de auto.
más inolvidables e inesperadas. Choques, quemazones, reemplazo de pilotos, y al final, la primera victoria de la carrera de Pérez en la Fórmula 1. En la primera vuelta, Pérez se involucró en un choque que sacó de la carrera a Max Verstappen de Red Bull y Charles Leclerc de Ferrari. El incidente mandó a Perez a la línea de pits para reparación del carro. Pérez regresó a la carrera en último lugar y fue un rendimiento increíble el que luchó hasta el primer lugar mostrando sus asombrosos talentos. Ruiz dijo que su reacción al ver a Pérez ganar su primera victoria en Fórmula 1 fue brincar de emoción. “Sé lo difícil que puede ser para los atletas de México obtener reconocimiento, salir adelante, y convertirse en profesionales”, dijo Ruiz. “Así que cuando fui testigo del éxito de Pérez, realmente me llenó de alegría.” Contreras dijo que el Gran Premio de Sakhir estuvo asombroso por las emociones tanto positivas como negativas, por un lado fue emocionante y Perez demostró su talento en las carreras para salir del último lugar y ganar, y por el otro lado, fue triste recordar que siendo un piloto con tanto talento no tenía asiento para la siguiente temporada. “Esta fue una de las carreras más emocionantes de ver”, dijo Contreras. “Parecía que Checo estaría fuera de la contención del podio después de hacer contacto con otro carro, pero lentamente se abrió camino de regreso al frente y la victoria lo convirtió en el primer piloto mexicano en ganar una carrera de F1 en 50 años.” Unas semanas después del Gran Premio de Sakhir, el prestigioso equipo conocido
como Red Bull Racing anunció que Pérez correría para ellos en la temporada 2021. Esta noticia emocionó a los fanáticos de la Fórmula 1 ya que Perez estaba subiendo de nivel a unos de los equipos más buenos y prominentes del deporte. “Antes de enterarme de su traslado a Red Bull, pensé que Checo estaría fuera de la Fórmula 1 ya que Racing Point básicamente lo había despedido al terminar su contrato antes de tiempo”, dijo Contreras. “Fue una alegría verlo firmar con Red Bull, ya que son mi equipo favorito.” Perez ha tenido una temporada muy sólida con Red Bull este año y anunciaron que continuará siendo parte de este gran equipo para la siguiente temporada. Ganó el Gran Premio de Azerbaiyán en junio de este año, convirtiéndose así en su primera victoria con Red Bull. Actualmente va en quinta posición con un total de 143 puntos y tres podios. El último podio fue el domingo 10 de octubre en Turquía donde a pesar de las condiciones húmedas de la pista, logró llegar en tercer lugar. Ruiz dijo que espera que Pérez siga avanzando en el deporte de Fórmula 1 y use sus experiencias para aprender y mejorar sus habilidades como corredor al igual que aumentar su sabiduría en la pista. También dijo que agradece la puerta que Perez está abriendo para atletas hispanos. “Necesitamos profundizar y comprender que con trabajo duro se puede lograr cualquier cosa”, dijo Ruiz. “Usemos a Checo Perez como inspiración, que los hispanos tenemos fuego en nosotros y ya es hora de que todo el mundo lo vea.”
