Weds. Oct. 20 - Tues., Oct. 26, 2021 Weekly Print Edition
Vol. 108, Issue 10 www.thedailyaztec.com
San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
OPINION
Grad student petitions for more housing accessibility
Media literacy is essential for this generation.
by Katelynn NEWS EDITOR
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
PAGE 3
SPORTS No. 22 Aztecs move to 6-0 after defeating San Jose State in double overtime. PAGE 5
MUNDO AZTECA $15 millones otorgados a la universidad para investigación de las disparidades en la comunidad latinx. PAGE 7
ARTS & CULTURE San Diego State ‘Fight Song’ turns 85 years old in 2021. PAGE 8
Robinson
Doing laundry, swimming in a pool and taking the shuttle to school are everyday tasks many students partake in. While these tasks are second nature to most, they can come with many obstacles for others. San Diego State geography graduate student Elizabeth Bushnell is a tenant at Blvd 63 Apartments located on 6345 El Cajon Blvd. These off-campus apartments are not affiliated with SDSU housing; however, many students live there. She said her views on the situation at Blvd 63 are hers and hers alone as she is not affiliated with the complex other than being a tenant. Bushnell has a disability that requires a wheelchair. She has leased her apartment at Blvd 63 for almost two months and so far she said she has struggled with laundry, transportation and using the pool. Bushnell said she took a tour of the apartments over the summer. She did not see the pool or the shuttles on this tour. She did see the washers and dryers and said she was assured Blvd 63 would work with her to meet her needs. She stated this has not been the case, however. “An amenity of the complex is in-unit laundry but it is a
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Bushnell
Elizabeth Bushnell is using her voice to fight for more accessibility at Blvd 63 apartments.
very narrow laundry closet with stacking units,” Bushnell said. “So, a side-by-side frontloading [unit], which is what I would typically use, is not available. And that poses a real hygiene issue for me personally because I have medical issues that are apparent in my laundry and it is very personally and professionally embarrassing. So, the apartment’s original solution was to have a staff member come here on Fridays
for Latinx Resource Center Pachanga
/dailyaztec @TheDailyAztec @thedailyaztec /TheDailyAztec The student union was filled with music, lights and dancing.
News............................... 2-3 Opinion..............................4 Sports.............................. 5-6 Mundo .............................. 7 The Back Page, Arts............ 8
SEE ACCESSIBILITY, PAGE 2
Student union filled with music, dancing
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and I have been paying them $20 a week to do one load of laundry.” Bushnell explained one of her concerns with having a staff member do her laundry once a week was the laundry being left to sit for a week. She said it would make her apartment smell sometimes and when she brought this up to management they suggested she pay a staff member to come two or three times a week which would cost
$40 or $60. She said it was even suggested to her that she get her friends or parents to do her laundry instead. “It is not my parents’ job to handle how I do my laundry and it is certainly not my friend’s,” Bushnell said. “I am 23 and a free-living adult and I have been since age 18. The problem is not with my independence but rather the accommodations here.” The second issue she faced in the complex is the lack of lifts to the two pools and hot tub in the complex. “That is another reason I moved here because I have a lot of joint pain so low impact exercise options are very beneficial to me and I would like the same access to amenities as other residents have,” Bushnell said. The third issue is that only one of the three shuttles running between the apartments and SDSU’s main campus has a wheelchair lift. So, she has to wait much longer for that particular shuttle to be available. “...I take the shuttle and there is a girl in a wheelchair there and she’ll wait at the shuttle stop and then they’ll be like
by Lucelis Martínez STAFF WRITER
The Latinx Resource Center (LRC) had a closing ceremony and Pachanga on Thursday, Oct. 14. According to their official Instagram page, the ceremony
Photo by Lucelis Martínez
came about due to the Celebrando Nuestra Raices Committee, the LRC, the office of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Regional Affairs in collaboration with ONE SDSU. To get into the event, students registered for free within just a few minutes. The use of masks was mandatory.
The word pachanga has many origin stories but, according to diccionario libre it means a “party where dance is never lacking.” Psychology third year, Adamari Cardenas attended the event. Cardenas is Mexican and from Cualiacán, Sinaloa, specifically. “My parents moved here when I was born,” Cardenas said. Cardinas said the music associated with Sinaloa with the most frequency is Banda, but she liked the mariachi music playing in the middle of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union, in the background as she talked. “I think everyone is here for the tacos and the food in general, but I’m really enjoying the music,” Cardenas said. Andrew Rodriguez is a San Diego State alumni, holding a
degree in music education. He was one of the mariachis at the pachanga. Rodriguez said the university invited him to play because they know his history with music, which he’s been playing since he was 13 years old. Rodriguez now teaches at Bell Middle School and started a mariachi program there. “I was recommended through my professors to perform for this event,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said he got involved with mariachi since he grew up in San Diego and interacted with mariachi in middle school. He has directed the mariachi at St. Paul’s cathedral in downtown San Diego, according to villa musica’s website. SEE PACHANGA PAGE 2
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The Daily Aztec
News
Oct. 20 - Oct. 26, 2021 EDITOR: Katelynn Robinson • news@thedailyaztec.com
Native Resource Center new in-person presence serves Indigenous students by Lucelis Martínez STAFF WRITER
The Native Resource Center at San Diego State was founded in 2019 and is located in the Arts and Letters building in room 202, according to their official Instagram. The room is decorated with Indigenous artwork and smells of incense. Swirls of the smoke curl around a paper tree on a back wall, and a blue couch sits in the center of the room. The NRC aims to provide students with connections so they can build community with organizations like the Native American Student Alliance, according to their official website. Amanda Flores is the NRC Program coordinator and member of the Oglala Sioux Nation. “You don’t have to be Native American or Indigenous, we respect all individuals that come in here and allies that wanna learn and just be a part of a community separate from what they’ve ever been part of or if they’ve never even been part of a community,” Flores said. Kinesiology third year Leah Chavez is the program assistant for the NRC. Chavez got her start in the NRC through the Elymash Yuuchaap (EY) Program. According to their Instagram, they are “committed to the sovereign identity and academic success of Indegenous students at SDSU.” Santino Arellano is a fourth year student at SDSU, studying comparative literature and is a program assistant at the NRC. According to his Linkedin, he’s placing special focus on American Indian studies and literature. Arellano transferred to SDSU from City College and recalls signing up for emails from the center, given that he put down his identity as Native American on his application when he transferred to SDSU. “Last summer when I saw that they were hiring, I applied and here I am,”
Accessibility:
continued from page 1 ‘oh, this isn’t the [one].’ They only have one wheelchair-accessible bus so it’s not always there,” Blvd 63 resident and SDSU student Tamara Udayakumar said. Udayakumar said she has had a positive experience overall since moving this August. She said some pros of living at Blvd 63 include timely repairs, resident activities and roommate selection. Bushnell said she has been pushing for change in the apartment complex for approximately two months. When she posted a petition on Wednesday, Oct. 7, the building management called a meeting the following Friday to inform her of a new laundry unit was being shipped to them. She said she has yet to see it. They also said in this meeting they do have a pool lift, however, it needs to be serviced, Bushnell said. “I had been pushing on these issues for two months and within two days the petition got that action,” Bushnell said. “I just want equal access to the facilities here that I pay for, that the other residents pay for and enjoy. I mean my rent here is $1800 a month, I should be able to live here.”
Arellano said. Part of Arellano’s family are Texan Apache. His paternal grandfather is from Mexico, and has ancestry in the Tarrahumara nation from Chihuahua. According to an online entry, the Tarrahumara call themselves Raramuri which translates to “light feet.” According to the same entry, they moved there after the arrival of the Spanish and their language is sweet, full of descriptive and poetic language. “I learn everyday that I work here, just meeting new people and hearing their stories and their thoughts on everything,” Arellano said. Arellano said the NRC is important because it provides a space for Native students to come hang out and talk to other students about whatever is going on in the world, or on campus. “Even when I’m not working, I’m in here all the time just because it’s a comfortable place for me to be,” Arellano said. Out of all the events they’ve put on, Arellano said he enjoyed a recent one where the NRC interviewed Rodrigo Reyes, the director of a movie called “499.” The event was a collaboration between the NRC and the Latinx Resource Center (LRC) on campus. Arellano explained why a group like the LRC would work together with the NRC on an event. “For example, the ‘499’ film is about colonization and its effects on the descendants of indigenous people and indigenous people in Latin America, in Mexico specifically,” Arellano said. The movie follows a conquistador as he navigates through modern day Mexico and hears people’s stories. “Stories of violence, trauma, abuse, and throughout the entire film he calls everyone ‘Indios’ which is the Spanish word for Indian because everyone he meets, who most people would just see as Latin American, to him are just ‘Indian’ because in his time there was no such thing as Latinx, Chicano, none
Her petition has accumulated over 300 signatures, including SDSU Professor Rachel Schlesinger, who teaches a Disability and Society course. “I found this petition because of a student of ours,” Schlesinger said. “I teach the Disability and Society class at State, I co-teach it...Housing is one of those things that is kind of taken for granted in the sphere of education......I feel very passionate about [it] in terms of you know this student is fighting the battles of just getting access to her own house.” International security third year, Valeria Hutchings is a friend of Bushnell’s and said she has witnessed the management’s treatment towards Bushnell. “They were definitely talking down,” Hutchings said. “And I am so glad I went with Elizabeth that day, on the day when she was getting really frustrated because she had to yell to basically get them to realize it was a serious issue.” Both Hutchings and Bushnell described management’s response to these issues as “dismissive” and as “talking in circles.” The Daily Aztec attempted to contact management at Blvd 63, and was referred to a manager who asked to be referred to as Nick from Residential Service. He said Blvd 63 is working to make accommodating changes. He said Blvd 63 is currently in the
Photo by Lucelis Martínez
The Native Resource Center made a tree and added leaves to the tree to honor children on Orange Shirt Day.
of that,” Arellano said. Arellano said the movie touches on necessary topics. “It gets to the root of everything,” Arellano said. “A majority of people in Latin America are of indigenous descent and show it on their face every single day and it’s something that’s inescapable but at the same time it’s something that those countries try to escape.” Arellano said there is no such thing as a racial/ethnic checkmark. “All of us who identify as indigenous definitely can feel that way, because we live in that medium every single day of being not only indigenous but living in the United States, a westernized system, a colonized system and having that be a majority of what we do all day everyday is colonized systems and living that
western lifestyle because that’s what we’ve been forced to,” Arellano said. Flores said building community is about respecting and honoring all the different nations that exist. “All of us are very unique,” Flores said. “We each have our own traditions. It’s [The NRC’s] a safe space to do that in.” The group tries to honor and embrace their differences. “Everybody in the world is indigenous to somewhere,” Arellano said. “Just because you’re not indigenous to the place you live in if you’re, you know, European-American living in the United States or otherwise, you’re indigenous to somewhere, your ancestors came from somewhere.”
process of getting new amenities to make their space more accommodating for residents with disabilities. When asked about Bushnell’s experience with management being dismissive, Nick said that is not their character. “That is not our character… a lot of us are brand new so we are trying to change a lot of things because things weren’t getting done with our previous management and stuff like that,” Nick said. According to Nick, previous management did not make much progress when it came to accommodating needs. “I feel like we just started,” Nick said. “We are taking those steps to get there. We are not pushing them to the side to say they are not getting their needs met.” Hutchings asked management if they were working to have any temporary alleviations that would help disabled residents for the time being. “They said ‘no, that’s not our responsibility,’” Hutchings said. “I think even though it is not in the lease—which was their reasoning—it just shows their character and their groundings.” In her petition, Bushnell said the only change she has seen in the apartments is a change in her stove which she is now able to use. Bushnell said situations like this
“don’t exist in a vacuum.” “Because when a space is not designed for you it carries the pervasive and distinct message that you do not belong here, you are different, you are less than,” Bushnell said. “And coming from your living community in particular, that is toxic.” She said the people in power need to be stood up to for “needlessly complicating” lives. “Change starts with your voice, so that’s what I am doing,” Bushnell said. “The management has attempted to get me to take this petition down but I refuse until all of my issues are addressed.” SEE ONLINE
Pachanga:
continued from page 1 “I don’t come from a family of musicians,” Rodriguez said. “My career aspiration was to become a music teacher and so it allowed me to teach in the Southbay where I came from.” Cardenas was accompanied by her friend, Melissa Perez, who had invited her. Melissa Perez is a member of the LRC SEE ONLINE
Oct. 20 - Oct. 29, 2021 EDITOR: Aaliyah Alexander • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
Opinion
The Daily Aztec
3
Media literacy is Gap years: the holy essential for Gen Z grail to self-discovery By Willem Quigley
By Lindsey Anderson
CONTRIBUTOR
CONTRIBUTOR
In the wake of former Facebook employee and federal whistleblower Frances Haugen’s revelations about the social media’s algorithms on CBS’ “60 Minutes” and subsequent testimony to the Senate Commerce subcommittee on consumer protection, the importance of media literacy on the internet has been underscored. Company documents brought forward by Haguen indicate how Facebook knowingly exposes its users to misinformation but doesn’t use the tools it has at its disposal to stop them. In an increasingly polarized and chaotic media environment, students must be adequately prepared to discern fact from fiction when consuming news, especially on the internet. Despite the mainstream narrative that journalism is on the decline, digital circulation numbers have risen sharply in recent years, according to a report from the Pew Research Center. Although it is well known that the circulation of paper copy editions of newspapers is on the decline, these changes simply reflect a transition from the traditional newspaper format to a more dynamic, digital format. Gathering news from a host of internet sources is nothing new for college students my age as apps like Instagram and Twitter have been beacons of online information since the early 2010s. According to a Pew Research survey, 86% of Americans say they receive news from the internet often. Aerospace Engineering junior Connor Quinn stated he gathers all his news from Snapchat simply out of ease and convenience. Never before has such a wealth of information been so readily available. The challenge presented for both media outlets and consumers alike is distinguishing between objective truths and deceptive misinformation, which has become an epidemic online. As for current scholars and future leaders, it is imperative that students today are competent in seeking and attaining the truth to better understand the world. In an interview with CBS’ Scott Pelley, Haguen said “[Facebook] knows it’s accelerating hate, political unrest, misinformation, mental health harms and other problems, but has failed to fix them if it means hampering its own growth.” Facebook and other social media agencies have no obligation to the truth, as it has been discovered that divisive dialogue between users drives engagement. Online division sowed by bad actors is not a new concept. It has been well documented how online trolls influenced specific voting blocs with mal-information on Facebook leading up to the 2016 election. Misinformation, internet trolls and flawed algorithms will not disappear overnight — as we know social media firms profit off of vitriolic and controversial content — which means students must be prepared to filter through the slog of online information to find transparent and objective journalism. According to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, college students have a broader definition of news, meaning they consider YouTube videos, comedy sketches, political memes and Reddit threads to be accurate sources of information. With a larger pool of information available to students than other parts of the population, it is even more critical that students can
My freshman year at San Diego State kicked off in August 2018. By September 2019, I had already changed my major three times — accounting for roughly 30 units that will never be factored into my graduation. This is equivalent to an entire year of study that simply won’t count. At the time, I didn’t mind frequent changes to my focus of study. If anything, it served as a sense of newness to a monotonous schedule of semesterly coursework. Yet, as a senior in my final weeks at SDSU, I don’t look back on those degree fluctuations with fondness. My inability to pursue a major was not representative of a curious-minded individual seeking breadth of knowledge. Rather, it was indicative of an individual who lacked clear vision for future pursuits. My educational goals remained unclear until November 2020 when I moved to the East coast with the freedom of online school. There, I lived in Northern Vermont, working as a lift operator at a ski resort and writing poetry for fun. I was introduced to a whole new culture — a world that existed so peacefully outside of the mainstream — and was immersed in a nomadic crowd of adventurers and creatives who traveled in search of the true meaning in their lives. The previous year I had declared a major in rhetoric and writing studies that was, at the time, just as transient as those that came before it. But the realizations born out of my life experiences in Vermont eradicated any hesitations about pursuing a degree in writing. Had this experience materialized sooner, my focus of study would have been much clearer from the get-go — saving myself and my family thousands of dollars on 30 units of tuition that now, aren’t worth a dime. The beauty in online school was that I was presented with these opportunities to travel and live in places previously
Graphic by Hemen Mesfin
Fake news is common, making literacy vital.
discern what is truthful online. There are numerous strategies students should take when evaluating their social media feeds for news and information. According to digital content creator Grace Tatter, “as students consume information, they need to be thinking about how they’re going to cross-reference it with other sources, asking themselves what context is missing, and evaluating the source.” In today’s media environment, everything should be examined skeptically. Essentially, analyzing the news critically requires constant questioning. The University of Minnesota library gathered opinions from media literacy professionals and outlined the following questions to ask when consuming media: Who created the message? What are the author’s credentials? Why was the message created? How do I know this information is accurate? Who is the intended audience? Media content is omnipresent, which is why students must be constantly prepared to critically examine what they read or watch online. This includes fact checking headlines, examining the background and credentials of the media firm or reporter, and reading more than one article about the same issue. Media literacy allows students to sort through the Internet’s cloud of data, locate reliable sources and identify bias and unreliable sources. As noted in the book “Understanding Media Culture,” mass-communication messages are developed by individuals, and each individual has his or her own set of values, assumptions and opinions. Accepting media messages at face value can lead to confusion because of all the contradictory information available. We have the tools to seek trustworthy and credible information and in our digitized world, it is imperative we use them. It is our responsibility to seek the truth, now more than ever. Willem Quigley is a junior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @ willquigz11.
unknown to me — experiences one only tends to have when taking time off from school. For me, online learning was the gap year I never decided to take, and trust me when I say I wish I would have done it sooner. Frequent degree changes similar to my own are commonplace amongst a majority of American college students. Between 50 and 75 percent of American students enter college undecided or change their major at least once. Most American college students enter higher education with minimal life experiences and a lack of self-awareness, both of which are leading causes of confusion in educational pursuits. Taking a year or two off from school — whether it be after high school or during college — allows students to explore themselves beyond the classroom. A growing sense of purpose and a newly acquired self-awareness cultivates an inspiring environment for students to create an exciting future for themselves. It is then that these discoveries can be translated into the classroom where the students’ education can be effectively applied to their desired path — keeping many students motivated and on track to graduate with few wasted units. This newfound intent and passion in one’s studies is one of the key components that can make a gap year so impactful for students. So, for those of you who may be struggling with your vision or the intention in your studies, allow yourself the time and space to explore the possibilities of what it could become. Take some time off for self-exploration: work odd jobs, take up a new hobby and meet the people you’ve been dying to know; dive into the ideas you’ve always been curious about and dissect the questions that keep you up at night — exploring them until you find their answers. Through these experiences, you’ll discover the ideas that make you tick — surprising you and inspiring you to fight your path forward. It may be uncomfortable for some to delay college graduation beyond the four-year mark, but what you’ll take away from this adventurous chapter are the experiences unattainable within the classroom. So take the chance, seize the gap year and watch your true life unfold. Lindsey Anderson is a senior studying rhetoric and writing.
Associated Students (A.S.) is currently accepting applications for the following volunteer leadership position
ELECTIONS COORDINATOR Request an application at as.sdsu.edu/govt DEADLINE: FRI, OCT. 22, 2021 @ 4:00PM Photo provided by Aaliyah Alexander
It’s okay to take a year to work on yourself.
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Opinion
The Daily Aztec
Oct. 20 - Oct. 29, 2021 EDITOR: Aaliyah Alexander • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
Radiohead’s ‘Spectre’ was a masterpiece, 007 missed out
Graphic by Shalika Oza
We need to give Radiohead’s version of ‘Spectre’ its deserved attention.
By Morgan Ray STAFF WRITER
It’s strange how world shattering epiphanies always happen late at night. It was around 11 o’clock on a Saturday night. Earlier that day, my dad had scored tickets for the recent James Bond film “No Time to Die.” I’d been watching these movies with my dad since I was a kid and I had promised my editor a review on it, so Bond was
on the brain. I was aimlessly scrolling through YouTube when, as if by chance, a video appeared: Listening In’s “How Radiohead Wrote the Perfect Bond Theme”. Radiohead? Since when was Radiohead involved with a Bond theme? If this were any other night, I would’ve skipped over this video but I had nothing else to do, so I took a chance. Turns out, Radiohead were the
original pick to do the theme for “Spectre,” (which was also titled “Spectre”), and they had postponed production on their then-upcoming album to work on it. With this knowledge, I hit play; and the song began.The piano kicked in and the narrator began to speak about chords and bars, but all I could hear was the piano. As soon as I heard Thom Yorke’s unmistakable voice cut in, the rest of the video cut out. I immediately paused it, hunted “Spectre” down on Spotify and sat there as its melody washed over me. The hair on my arms didn’t just stand on end, they seemed to sway while chills ran over me in waves. I was bewildered — how in the world was this song cut? I could repeat what others have said: that it sounds at home in both a Bond film and a Radiohead album. That much is true and it really does sound like the sexy, spy cousin of “Pyramid Song” or the equally forlorn spouse of “Exit Music (For A Film).” I could say that but for me, it’s about what I see. There’s a mental image that appears when I hear “Spectre” — that of a Victorian Gothic couple slow dancing as their manor burns down around them. It’s a fitting image the more I think about it: this track is dark, mysterious, mournful, romantic and fatalistic. “The only truth that I could see, is when you put your lips to me.” It’s in the way the strings lurch as guitarist Jonny Greenwood’s film scores tend to do, almost like it’s melting in and out of the shadows. Or perhaps it’s
the way the lyrics bemoan the hollowness of Bond’s soul, having lost everything he’s held dear by this point, “my hunger burns a bullet hole, a spectre of my mortal soul,” as well as his inner insecurities, “fear puts a spell on us, always second-guessing love.” There’s the melodic dichotomy in the notes of “Listening In”’s video: the merging of the classic with the current, much like what “Spectre” did with the reintroduction of Blofeld and the sinister, eponymous organization. Lastly, that final, Bond-esque flourish at the end. That parting shot before it fades from view — its mission accomplished. So why was the song “Spectre” rejected from the film “Spectre?” Allegedly it was deemed “too melancholy” for the final product, which I find painfully ironic. The 007 series hasn’t been afraid to get melancholic. Anyone who’s seen “On Her Majesty‘s Secret Service” or “Casino Royale” is aware of that. Dare I say “Spectre” didn’t even deserve this song? The film wasn’t a cringe fest like “A View to a Kill,” but it wasn’t 007’s most memorable outing either. Don’t get me wrong, the Sam Smith song they ended up using is wonderfully orchestrated, but it pales in comparison to the elegiac beauty that is Radiohead’s aspirant theme. When Thom Yorke resigns “Spectre has come for me” in the final lines, the feeling is mutual because “Spectre” has come for me too, but I surrender willingly.
CONTRIBUTOR
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned recently is you have to advocate for yourself because you are the only person who can truly do so. I know this to be true in part from the strong support system of people who have advocated on my behalf and demonstrated this through simple acts such as texting me “Have a great day” when I am about to experience something stressful. I’m lucky these people hold me accountable when I am not treating myself well because I certainly lack the skill to recognize when I need to treat myself better. At both my graduate and undergraduate institutions, I studied creative writing (and still do) while spending the majority of my working career teaching and mentoring. While the connection between creative writing and rhetorical writing may not immediately be clear, I fell into mentoring and teaching naturally. I received that initial email requesting
applications from creative writing majors and I applied because the mentoring position five years ago came to me. Now, completing my second semester of teaching, I realize there was truly no reason for me to teach other than it was the option most readily available. When asking myself why I signed a contract to continue doing work that causes me stress and anxiety, I noticed I felt an unwarranted sense of loyalty to my employer and, what’s worse, I felt compelled to continue because I’m good at what I do. Before I listened to loved ones asking me why I prioritized a job over my mental and physical well-being, I didn’t think it was possible to be good at a job that caused you stress and anxiety — why would I get anxiety from a job I was more than capable of performing? By staying in a job I knew didn’t serve me, I took a passive role in my own life and failed to prioritize myself; it simply never occurred to me that I needed to advocate for myself. Mentoring, tutoring and teaching were the types of
jobs made available to me and that’s why I took them. As an undergrad, it’s not hard to imagine emails soliciting my exact kind of expertise for any pay was attractive, which is another reason why it didn’t take long for me to believe I owed something to these positions and institutions offering me ways of paying rent. When I started graduate school, the natural next step was to teach, given the years I had spent mentoring and tutoring — all of which were enjoyable even if they weren’t my passion. During my first semester, I fell into the same routine of endorsing a position that didn’t endorse me. Now, halfway through a semester of working a job that causes me disproportionate stress in comparison with pay, I realize I made an implicit assumption in working this job: other people have a stake in my well-being, so I don’t need to take on that job, too. To be clear, this is true to an extent. If I talked through my constant anxieties and imposter syndrome with my superiors,
MANAGING EDITOR Trinity Bland NEWS EDITOR Katelynn Robinson OPINION EDITOR Aaliyah Alexander MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Noe 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 ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Amanda Orozco PHOTO EDITOR Noelani Sapla MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Mackenzie Stafford ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jayne Yutig GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hemen Mesfin
STAFF WRITERS Xiomara Villarreal-Gerardo Lucelis Martinez Austine Tarke Adam Correa Nick Coppo Morgan Prickett Morgan Ray Brittany Cruz-Fejeran SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Juan Daniel Avila CONTRIBUTORS Kennedy Humphrey Alyssa Phillips Willem Quigley Lindsey Anderson ________________________________
Morgan Ray is a junior studying journalism and media studies. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Brian Arnold
Advocate for yourself, no one else will By Alyssa Phillips
EDITOR IN CHIEF Catlan Nguyen
I likely wouldn’t be counting down the days until I’m released from my contract with so much anticipation. The bottom line is: I have developed a sense of loyalty to my employers simply because they pay me, which is never a reason to seek comfort where none exists. Yes, I can continue working my current job, challenging myself and, in my opinion, succeeding at performing my contracted duties. However, I’ve had to learn that being good at a job is not enough of a reason to stay nor is a strange sense of loyalty inherently built on the exchange of money for goods and services. While it has been difficult to constantly remind myself I have nothing to prove nor do I owe loyalty to my employers, I certainly wish I had learned this before the semester started. I had to learn to advocate for myself because no one else can prioritize me the way I can, no matter how much they care. Alyssa Phillips is a second year graduate student studying creative writing. Graphic by Aaliyah Alexander
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Oct. 20 - Oct. 29, 2021 EDITOR: Jason Freund • sports@thedailyaztec.com
Sports
The Daily Aztec
5
No. 24 Aztecs get sweet revenge on San Jose State in double overtime By Austin Tarke STAFF WRITER
It took an ‘all hands on deck’ effort as the coaching, defense and special teams were the key ingredients for San Diego State football (6-0, 2-0 Mountain West Conference) to outlast the San Jose State Spartans (3-4, 1-2 MWC) in double overtime 19-13. After a spectacular interception in the second overtime by senior safety Trenton Thompson, senior quarterback Lucas Johnson threw the game-winning touchdown pass to junior receiver Jesse Matthews as the No. 24 ranked Aztecs improved to 6-0 for just the second time in the last 40 years. The game featured little excitement as no touchdowns were scored in four quarters of regulation. The Spartan crowd in CEFCU Stadium was electric as it was their homecoming night, which saw a lively crowd. Spartan alumni Krazy George was in attendance who invented “the wave” celebration to provide a spark for the Spartans. Senior quarterback Jordan Brookshire started the game and struggled, ending up with a passer rating of 18.1. After three quarters of throwing his hands up in the air in frustration and with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, SDSU head coach Brady Hoke made the change to put Johnson in at quarterback, who provided the team with its own spark plug. “We thought we were a little stagnant and we needed to do something different,” Hoke said. Johnson was dynamic in overtime as he showed off his legs running for a crucial first down and followed it with the first touchdown of the game — a 14-yard pass to Matthews. After the Spartans went scoreless on the first possession of double overtime, the
Photo courtesy of SDSU Athletics
SDSU’s defense was relentless against San jose State, not allowing a touchdown until overtime in the Aztecs 19-13 victory on Friday night.
Aztecs needed only a field goal to win the game. Instead of playing conservatively, Johnson — on his third pass of the game — threw a gorgeous second touchdown pass to Matthews to walk off the game. “I looked out there and I saw that Jesse was one-on-one again, so I checked it, and I was either going to get yelled at or it was going to win the game,” Johnson said. “Gutsy,” the coaches said when Johnson returned to the sideline. The game revolved around both defenses. The Aztecs came into the game ranked in the top 10 in FBS rankings in most defensive statistics and the Spartans have a defensive front that Hoke said he was intimidated by. Hoke also said that these are the ugly
games SDSU has to win the conference. “The game was physical, it wasn’t pretty,” Hoke said. After the Aztecs gave up their first touchdown of the game and their first rushing touchdown of the season in the first overtime, they were sent right back out in double overtime to make up for their mistake. The Aztec defense bounced back in a huge way as Thompson had a leaping one-handed interception. “We knew we just had to get them off the field and win,” Thompson said. “We call it ‘gotta-have it situations.’ He threw it up, and I just made a play.” Versatile junior kicker/punter Matt Araiza excelled once again, kicking a career long 53-yard field goal to score the Aztecs
first points of the game. Araiza said he ran to coach Hoke after the kick and thanked him for trusting him. “There’s a gut you have over the course of a game,” Hoke said, referring to the decision to kick the long field goal. In addition to his two field goals, Araiza had seven punts over the course of the game, including a spectacular 86-yard bomb that flew over the Spartan punt returner’s head and bounced all the way to the San Jose State three-yard line. Last season, SJSU handed the Scarlet and Black its first loss of the season in heartbreaking fashion, and went on to become MWC champions in 2020. Spoiling the Spartains homecoming in 2021 felt right for the Aztecs, and the locker room celebrated in a crazy fashion. “Coach Hoke tried to talk a couple times and we were all yelling,” Araiza said. “Part of it is coming to somebody else’s house and beating them in a close game.” The Aztecs record their sixth win of the year which makes them bowl eligible. However, the team is far from satisfied as they have their eyes on bigger achievements. “Our main goal is to win the conference championship,” Araiza said. “We don’t set our sights on a bowl game. We set our sights on the championship, the ring, and the trophy and all that.” The Aztecs now have Air Force (6-1, 3-1 MWC) on deck who feature a unique triple option. Hoke said he was jokingly upset as he wanted a few more moments to cherish the win instead of thinking about the difficulties of preparing for the Falcons offense. “They are a physical football team,” Hoke said.“The triple option, whether it’s true triple or not, they know what they’re doing.”
Men’s soccer scores last second goal to defeat Torerros By Adam Correa STAFF WRITER
The San Diego State Aztecs (7-3-2, 2-30 Pac-12) defeated the University of San Diego Toreros (1-11-0, 0-2-0 West Coast Conference) 2-1 as time expired on Friday night. The Aztecs end their three-game losing streak and pick up their first road win of the 2021 season. The Aztecs got off to a quick start in the sixth minute with some nifty passing by sophomore midfielder Iñigo Villaldea and freshman forward Alex Hjaelmof to set up fellow sophomore midfielder Andre Ochoa for the first goal of the game and his team-leading fifth goal of the season. According to head coach Ryan Hopkins, whenever the team scores first it is a confidence booster to keep doing well throughout the game. “First goal we score is a pattern,” Hopkins said. The Toreros only allowed one shot on goal in the first half and was keeping pace with the Aztecs. USD kept the pressure on in the first half and had two shots on goal that were stopped by sophomore goalkeeper Jacob Castro. USD took more quality shots on net in the first 45 minutes of play from 10 to 15 yards out. The Aztecs had many opportunities to take shots from that distance but didn’t. Hopkins said he would rather his
Photo courtesy of SDSU Athletics
Friday night’s game gave SDSU soccer a lot to celebrate as they took down cross-town rival USD 2-1.
players take quality shots from a shorter distance than from 30 yards out and not be efficient. “It was how central can we get on our shots,” Hopkins said. In the 66th minute, the Toreros came close to scoring with a quality shot from sophomore midfielder Rhys Gourdie that was stopped by Castro’s diving block. The ball then deflected to freshman midfielder Luke Pardoe who shot on goal but was stopped by the foot of an Aztec defender. In the 68th minute, Castro came to the end of the box to make an aggressive catch save but was fouled hard by Pardoe and he
ended up going down. Hopkins called the foul a “cheap shot.” Sophomore defender Elias Katsaros didn’t like the foul and got into a confrontation with Pardoe. Katsaros and Pardoe were given yellow cards after the incident. Castro got up and continued in goal. USD kept up their aggressive play and finally executed in the 88th minute when Tunbridge put a shot on goal from the right side of the net that deflected off of an Aztec defender and ended up off the crossbar then tapped in by sophomore midfielder Ross Johnstone, tying up the score 1-1 with two minutes left and the possibility of go-
ing into overtime. The Aztecs were eager to end the game before regulation and got their chance when an Aztec player was fouled by Gourdie to create a free kick opportunity from 15 yards out. The time showed 89:53 and Villaldea would take the free kick for the Aztecs that was sent into the box, headed by freshman defender Rik Regeling — making his first career start — and tapped in by junior midfielder Blake Bowen. With just five seconds left in the game, the Torero players fell to the ground with the emotions of frustration pouring out of them. “It feels good to get another [game-winner],” Bowen said in a post-game press conference. Hopkins was impressed with Castro’s goalkeeping. He made four saves on five shots on goal in the game and now has a save percentage of 0.880. “That is why he is the best goalkeeper in the country,” Hopkins said. The Aztecs go back into Pac-12 conference play Thursday against the Stanford Cardinals (4-5-2, 1-3-1 Pac-12) who are looking for revenge after losing in double overtime 1-0 on Sept. 19. “Two wins will get us to the NCAA tournament,” Hopkins said. The Aztecs — who are 2-3-0 in their conference — are looking to move up the ladder with a win at Stanford.
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The Daily Aztec
Sports
Oct. 20 - Oct. 29, 2021 EDITOR: Jason Freund • sports@thedailyaztec.com
Aztec Racing plans to make it to the pinnacle with their student-built car By Xiomara Villarreal-Gerardo STAFF WRITER
San Diego State’s Aztec Racing team is preparing for the annual 2022 Formula SAE competition that will be held at the Michigan International Speedway from June 15 to June 18, 2022. The team is working on laying out their master plan for the year and hopes to build an impressive race car that will produce a top-notch performance at the competition. The Aztec Racing team is a student organization that comes together to build a Formula One style auto-crossing race car from the ground up. They compete in an international engineering design competition called Formula SAE that is organized through the Society of Automotive Engineers International. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team was unable to compete at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA for the Formula SAE competition. Their last race was the 2019 Formula SAE competition in Lincoln, Nebraska where Aztec Racing took home 28th place internationally out of 76 teams. Andrew da Cunha, junior mechanical engineer major and Chief Engineer of Aztec Racing, said they will be building an entirely new car using their previous design from 2019. “We will be testing the car to its limits while implementing design changes along the way in order to improve the car’s performance,” da Cunha said. “This year I hope to engineer a fantastic car and create a top-notch performance for the competition in June.” President of Aztec Racing and senior mechanical engineer major Vanessa Ruiz said she has been a core member of Aztec Racing since 2018. She became business executive in 2019, was voted to become president in 2020, and had the opportunity to serve a second term as President for the 2021 season. Apart from building the race car, Aztec Racing also has a business team that man-
Photo courtesy of Aztec Racing
Aztec Racing driver Bryan Chaiyasane coming back from endurance at the 2019 Formula SAE race competition.
ages the team’s image, sponsorships, marketing, fundraising and finances as well as presenting at the Formula SAE competition. Ruiz said it is crucial for the business team to be in tune with the engineering team so that together they can understand what is needed to successfully showcase the team. “Now, with all of that, it prepares us for the SAE international collegiate competi-
Women’s soccer loses
heartbreaker in Fresno
By Davis Ramage STAFF WRITER
The San Diego State Aztecs (3-6-0, 4-30 Mountain West Conference) fell to the Fresno State Bulldogs (7-4-3, 5-1-1 MWC) 1-0 in double overtime on a second-chance goal by Fresno State’s freshman forward Kaelyn Miller. The Aztecs had three players with three shots on goal each, including freshman phenoms Denise Castro and Trinity Coker, along with senior Ana Toohey. All of Castro’s shots were on target but to no avail. The Aztecs’ most promising chance came from Castro in the 22nd minute off a beautiful ball from senior defender Lauren Dicus that found its way behind the defense. The ensuing shot from Castro was handled by Bulldog goalkeeper Ella Wilson. Fresno State retaliated 37 minutes later with a near-post screamer from Jordan
Brown, but a diving stop by sophomore goalkeeper Cameron Illingworth denied the Bulldogs attempt at a goal. Ninety minutes proved not to be enough to settle the scoreless battle. In the first OT period, each side would produce one shot. The Aztecs’ shot was on target, but could not get past Wilson. The second OT period would prove to be the Aztecs’ demise. Illingworth was in between the sticks for the Aztecs and she stopped the initial attempt by Miller, but couldn’t get a glove on Miller’s second try as it ended up in the back of the Aztec net in the 108 minute. Both teams had 15 shots on goal, but the last one for the Bulldogs proved to be the dagger as it sent the Aztecs home packing. The Aztecs hope to bounce back from this stunning loss in an away MWC battle against San Jose State on Sunday, Oct 17 at 12 p.m.
tion that Aztec Racing competes in,” Ruiz said. “The business team’s role for the Formula SAE competition steers towards the static events, which are the coat presentation and the business presentation.” Senior physics major and Aztec Racing member Eric Contreras said the race car is split into different sub-systems. Each group takes responsibility for a different portion of the vehicle like the chassis, suspension, and aerodynamics. Contreras said the build
process usually begins during the middle of the fall semester and ends in the beginning or middle of the spring semester. “This allows us to have a few months to test and collect data to determine if the vehicle performs as our designs intended,” said Contreras. “We aim to test the vehicle at least every two to three weeks leading up to the competition.” Contreras said the race car’s chassis has been fully welded and the suspension pickup points are being welded onto it. He said the engineering team’s current progress of the race car is going well and he is confident that the car will be completed on schedule. Austin Hoang, a 2020 SDSU computer engineering graduate and former Chief Engineer of Aztec Racing said he loved being a part of the team when he was a student at SDSU because of the great support they all gave each other. “Everybody on the team was motivated to do well, and I believe some of them were motivated to have their teammates do even better than themselves,” Hoang said. “I think Aztec Racing ultimately assisted me in learning how to operate in a team dynamic, more so than any other classroom group project setting.” This year, Hoang said he hopes to see the team use the engineering process he left behind and make the necessary improvements to achieve and conclude what he set out to do in the 2019-2020 year. “From what I hear, they are well on their way to achieving that and more,” he said. “I’m so glad to see them shooting beyond the stars and I’m excited to see them succeed.” Da Cunha said anyone can join the Aztec Racing team regardless of previous experience or major. “As long as they have an interest in what we are doing and are ready to get to work, anyone is more than welcome to become part of our team,” da Cunha said. “People can find a link on our Instagram (@sdsufsae) to a Google form to sign up for our email listings as well as a link to join our slack channel where our team holds our discussions.”
Thamchaiwat journeys to women’s championship By Morgan Prickett STAFF WRITER
On Oct. 6, Aztec senior Bunyawi Thamchaiwat played her third match as an Aztec at the ITA Women’s All-American Championship at the LTP Tennis Club in Charleston, S.C. After a nearly seven-hour rain delay, Thamchaiwat — the fifth-seeded player in the tournament and ninth-ranked nationally — took to the court to battle against Wake Forest junior Carolyn Campana — ranked 21 nationally — in the round of 32. Despite winning nearly half of the match’s points (43 of the possible 97), Thamchaiwat would fall to Campana in back-to-back sets, 6-4, 6-1. Campana would then make it all the way to the quarter-finals, where she was bested by USC junior Eryn Cayetano 6-2, 6-4. Thamchaiwat — who spent her previous three years at Oklahoma State — has
placed in the ITA Division I Women Singles top-25 rankings for the past three years straight. In Thamchaiwat’s freshman year at Oklahoma State, she recorded an overall season record of 15-8 and a nearly perfect Big 12 singles record at 7-1. Coincidentally — in Thamchaiwat’s freshman year at OSU — she played alongside her now Aztec senior teammate Tamara Arnold and posted a 16-5 record in doubles together. In Thamchaiwat’s sophomore year at OSU, she placed No. 23 in the ITA women’s singles rankings after recording a perfect 9-0 singles record with a 3-0 record against nationally-ranked players. In her junior year, Thamchaiwat moved up six spots into No. 17 in the ITA women’s singles rankings after a 12-2 singles record. Thamchaiwat’s next opportunity to play comes when the Aztecs compete in the ITA Southwest Regional Championships from Oct. 21 to Oct. 25. Graphics courtesy of Freepik
Oct. 20 - Oct. 29, 2021 EDITOR: Noé Sandoval • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com
Mundo Azteca
The Daily Aztec
7
Panchanga en la universidad finaliza el mes de la herencia hispanx/latinx por Lucelis ESCRITORA
Martínez
El Centro de Recursos Latinx (LRC, por sus siglas en inglés) tuvo una ceremonia concluyente y Pachanga en 14 de octubre. De acuerdo con su página de Instagram oficial, la ceremonia floreció por parte del Comité Celebrando Nuestras Raíces, el LRC, la oficina de Institución Hispano Sirviente (HSI) y Asuntos Regionales en colaboración con UNO de La Universidad Estatal de San Diego. Para entrar al evento, tenías que haberte registrado pero esto tomó un par de minutos y era gratis. Las mascarillas fueron mandatorias. La palabra pachanga tiene muchas historias de origen pero de acuerdo con el diccionario libre una pachanga es una, “Fiesta en la que no falta el baile”. Adamari Cardenas es una estudiante de tercer año, estudiando biología y estaba en el evento. Cardenas es mexicana, de Culiacán, Sinaloa, la capital del estado de Sinaloa en México. De acuerdo a una página de reseña histórica, “En la época prehispánica fue paso de los nahoas el lugar que actualmente ocupa la ciudad de Culiacán,
durante su desplazamiento hacia el valle de México”. De acuerdo con otra página del internet, el nombre proviene de la tribu colhua y significa “Lugar de los que adoran al Dios Coltzin”. “Mis padres se mudaron aquí cuando yo nací”, Cardenas comentó. Cardenas dijo que la música que se asocia con Sinaloa con más frecuencia es Banda, pero a ella le gustó el mariachi que el grupo Mariachi Rodriguez tocó en vivo en el medio del Centro de Estudiantes (the Student Union, en inglés) mientras hablaba durante el evento. “Creo que todos están aquí por los tacos y la comida en general pero yo realmente estoy disfrutando la música”, dijo Cardenas. Andrew Rodriguez es un alumno de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego (SDSU), y se graduó con una licenciatura en educación músical. Él fue uno de los mariachis en la pachanga. Rodriguez dijo que la universidad lo invitó a tocar porque conocen su historial con la música, la cual él ha estado tocando desde que tenía 13 años. De acuerdo con Rodriguez el enseña en una secundaria llamada Bell Middle School y comenzó un programa de mariachi dónde está.
Foto por Lucelis Martinez
Al fin de la noche, hubo un DJ y un grupo de tamborazo dejando a la gente bailar alegremente.
Foto por Lucelis Martinez
Hubo un mariachi tocando en la pachanga con violines, trompetas, vihuelas, bajo, una harpa y un cantor.
“Yo fui recomendado por mis profesores para tocar en el evento”, Rodriguez dijo. Rodriguez dijo que se involucró con el mariachi ya que creció en San Diego e interactuó con un mariachi en la secundaria. Ha dirigido el mariachi de la Catedral del Santo Pablo en el Centro de San Diego (St. Paul’s Cathedral in downtown), de acuerdo con Villamusica. “No vengo de una familia de músicos”, Rodriguez dijo, “Mi aspiración de carrera fue ser un maestro de música y eso me llevó a enseñar en la bahía del sur de donde vine”. Cardenas fue acompañada por su amiga, Melissa Perez, quien la invitó. Melissa Perez es una miembro del Centro de Recursos Latinx (LRC). “Yo escuche sobre el evento por el Centro de Recursos Latinx en Instagram”, Perez dijo. A Perez le gustó la comida y la música ofrecida en el evento.
Habían tacos, helado y churros.También hubieron más interpretaciones del grupo Wa-Kushma y un pinchadiscos de suspiro tropical radio. Durante la noche, estudiantes se reunieron en el centro estudiantil para bailar mientras la música tocaba con luces rojas y amarillas deslumbraban los pasillos. Se podían encontrar líderes estudiantiles, profesores y visitantes todos en el área. Una niña con un vestido rosado saludaba al mariachi mientras tocaba e hizo una reverencia cuando la audiencia empezó a aplaudir. Cardenas dijo que la pachanga fue el primer evento de ese tipo que ella había atendido con Perez. “Este es el primero al que me invita que está relacionado con hispanos/latinos”, Cardenas dijo. Ellas dijeron que quieren ir a más eventos de ese tipo en el futuro.
$15 millones otorgados a la universidad para hacer investigación de la disparidad en la comunidad latinx por Brittany ESCRITORA
Cruz-Fejeran
Esta historia fue traducida por Noé Sandoval, el editor de Mundo Azteca. El programa Faculty United Toward Excellence in Research and Transformational Engagement (FUERTE, por sus siglas en inglés) en la Univesidsad Estatal de San Diego recibió una subvención de $ 15 millones para dedicar la investigación a las disparidades de salud entre la comunidad latinx, al mismo tiempo que prioriza la contratación diversa de científicos que se enfocan en este campo de investigación. Las disparidades en la salud son diferencias prevenibles en la carga de enfermedad, lesiones, violencia u oportunidades para lograr una salud óptima que experimentan las poblaciones socialmente desfavorecidas, según el del Centro de Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) sitio web. María Luisa Zúñiga, profesora de trabajo social y co-líder de FUERTE con Mark Reed, profesor de salud pública, dijo que
fue un movimiento natural solicitar la subvención de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud (NIH) cuando ella y Reed se enteraron. “Es un gran impulso tener la oportunidad de traer 11 nuevos colegas a SDSU”, dijo. “Como profesores, somos los defensores de esta oportunidad y queremos hacer todo lo posible para asegurarnos de que los profesores se sientan bienvenidos y puedan prosperar con el resto de nuestra comunidad”. De esos 11 nuevos profesores, tres trabajarán desde el campus del Valle Imperial de SDSU. El reclutamiento de FUERTE dará prioridad a los académicos con intereses de investigación comprometidos en las disparidades de salud entre los latinos y centrará su investigación en la adicción, la salud ambiental, la nutrición, la actividad física y más, según eldel programa informe en el sitio web de los NIH. Eileen Pitpitan, directora principal de evaluación de FUERTE, dijo que su función es analizar si el programa tiene un impacto en la mejora del éxito de la facultad y el clima del campus de SDSU en
torno a la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusión. Dijo que reconoce la necesidad de diversidad e inclusión en todos los niveles de la ciencia y la investigación. Esta es la brecha que FUERTE intentará mejorar. Zúñiga dijo que uno de los temas que espera comprender más son las tasas más altas de cáncer de cuello uterino en las latinas, especialmente en nuestra región fronteriza. Lo que FUERTE pretende estudiar son las razones más profundas y compartidas de por qué los peores resultados están afectando de manera desproporcionada a la comunidad latinx. Esta investigación también puede ser un gran avance para que otras comunidades marginadas comprendan las disparidades de salud entre ellas, según Zúñiga. “Esta subvención que ha sido financiada es de todos”, dijo Zúñiga. “Es algo que debe apoyar a nuestros estudiantes, profesores [y] nuestra comunidad y por esa razón es una subvención que va a SDSU, no a un grupo o una persona. Nos va a todos ”.
Foto por Noelani Sapla
El Centro de Recursos Latinx está localizado en el primer piso de la biblioteca universitaria .
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The Daily Aztec
Oct. 20 - Oct. 29, 2021 Editor: Ryan Hardison • arts@thedailyaztec.com
SDSU ‘Fight Song’ celebrates anniversary By Jayne Yutig ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
The Marching Aztecs have returned to the field, just in time for the 85th anniversary of the San Diego State “Fight Song.” The classic song has been hyping up fans and athletes since it debuted at Freshman Prom in 1936. The Marching Aztecs spirits are high and their triumphant return after the pandemic proves that Mighty Montezuma will win again. Even if it’s in Carson, California. According to SDSU Athletic Bands Director Coach Bryan Ransom, in 1936, SDSU President Walter Hepner asked a junior music student to write a new “Fight Song.” Frank Losey, served as volunteer director of bands and wrote the fight song at his parent’s dinner table. “It means a great deal,” Ransom said. “The song just means so much. Everytime you hear it, it brings back good memories from the past and memories for the future.” Over the course of eight decades, the “Fight Song” arrangement has only been changed twice. Ransom said the most recent adjustment to the arrangement was in the early 2000’s. The lyrics to the fight song were changed in 1975. But the lyrics were changed again in 2011 after Associate Athletics Director Jenny Bramer asked Ransom to make the lyrics more inclusive. The lyrics, “Fight on and on ye Aztec men, Sons of Montezuma,” were changed to “Fight on and on ye Aztecs, then Mighty Montezuma,” according to Ransom. After
the change, SDSU Women’s Athletics joined the men in the tradition of singing the Fight Song after wins. The only constant for SDSU in the span of 85 years is tradition. One of Ransom’s favorite memories from his 30-year career with the band was created by SDSU Football Head Coach Brady Hoke. “When Coach Hoke was here the first time, he was the one who started bringing the team over to the band to sing the ‘Fight Song’ after a win,” Ransom said. “When he brought the team over for the first time, I thought ‘man, that’s such a great tradition.’” Ransom has been coaching the Marching Aztecs since 1988 and he said this year everything is different. The band was sidelined for a year when sports were halted and phased back due to the pandemic. “It was a rough year. For everybody. Seeing football happening and basketball happening without us being there was tough,” Ransom said. Now that Aztec Football is back with fans in attendance, the band has to navigate COVID protocols and a twohour bus ride to Carson. “There’s so much more to do and think about. It’s changed the way I approach rehearsals and game day, to some degree. It’s going to continue on after this pandemic is over, in a good way,” Ransom said. This season, the Marching Aztecs has an approximately 200-person team that includes the SDSU band, feature twirler, color guard, dance team and staff. The
Photo by Jayne Yutig
SDSU Marching Band performing at halftime during the Aztecs’ Oct. 9 game against New Mexico.
planning and funding, which includes transportation and food for the journey to Carson, has a big price tag. “It’s expensive to send us all up there and (SDSU) Athletics didn’t bat an eye. They said ‘we want you there. What’s it gonna take?’” Ransom said. Aztec Football has celebrated victory after victory, achieving a 6-0 record for the second time in 40 years. With Aztec Stadium under construction, the team’s historic home wins have been celebrated over 100 miles away at their home away from home in Carson. Each victory ending with the football team joining the Marching Aztecs in singing the “Fight
Kolorhouse unites campus creatives By Kennedy Humphrey CONTRIBUTOR
Courtesy of Kolorhouse SDSU
Kolorhouse SDSU hosted their first Social Photoshoot on Friday, Oct. 15 in Hepner Hall.
If you’re a creative at San Diego State looking for a platform to express yourself, Kolorhouse could be the place for you. Kolorhouse is a brand which started in 2019 and branched into a chapter at SDSU with the intent to provide a creative outlet for members and students. Charlie Seith, Kolorhouse president and senior entrepreneurship major, decided to turn his brand into a chapter at SDSU after transferring, and looking for a way to get involved on campus. Creative State, a collective at SDSU that highlights the local art scene of San Diego, was also an inspiration for Seith to make the next step. “I was just thinking, ‘wow, that would be so cool to just make that my own but
turn it into Kolorhouse because I’ve been doing a lot of clothes making and I did like a podcast,’” Seith said. “I’ve done so much stuff for Kolorhouse but I never really made it a community thing and that was my first goal with it.” Kolorhouse aims to focus on all forms of creative expression, and is not fixated on one category. Seith said he wanted to incorporate different segments of art, so that people could be themselves without limitations. Though it is a new club, Kolorhouse is already planning events for this semester. One of their projects, “Creatives on Campus,” is centered around featuring different creatives at SDSU on their social media and website. Journalism and public relations junior Bethany Andros, who is also vice president of marketing for the group, explained that the club has been reaching out to students regularly. “It’s really rewarding being able to see Kolorhouse grow before our eyes and be able to showcase some amazing work from other students,” Andros said. Kolorhouse is also planning in-person events this semester, where members, collaborators and students will be able to experience different artistic avenues. Seith said that they also plan to collaborate with other clubs. Junior Anna Williams, vice president of events and international business major, said Kolorhouse will give creative students a chance to showcase their talents alongside their peers on campus and online. “We really intend on featuring more creatives on our social media and website, and plan on having in-person creative showcases on/off-campus where people can show off their creative abilities,” Williams said. They’re also focusing their energy towards keeping the clothing brand aspect of Kolorhouse relevant through the
chapter. “We’re developing this thing where it’s a community clothing shop where members can make their own graphic design T-shirt, and then it would just be Kolorhouse on it which is to just resemble the chapter, and who gave them the platform,” Seith said. The board is also excited to continue growing on campus and expanding their reach. “We really want Kolorhouse to become a staple on campus and continue to grow over the next few years,” Andros said. Not only that, but Williams described Kolorhouse as a very warm and welcoming place. “Being a member of Kolorhouse is like having the coolest people on campus as your family,” Williams said. “I feel like members are constantly doing such amazing things with their creative abilities, it’s hard to catch up sometimes! I never feel out of place, I can pitch any ideas/concepts I have and someone will be there to listen or even help execute my plans.” If you’re interested in joining Kolorhouse, you can do so by reaching out to their Instagram @kolorhouse.sdsu, or heading to their website.
Courtesy of Kolorhouse SDSU Kolorhouse SDSU President Charlie Seith.
Song.” “We’re having to go through a lot of challenges, a lot of hoops to jump through in order to be here but we’re happy to do it. The kids are so passionate about it, I wanna be there, it’s good to be back,” Ransom said. Between the two-hour bus ride each way, loading busses and performing, gameday for the team ends up totaling 14 hours. “It’s definitely brought all of us together,” Ransom said.“We know that better times are ahead when the stadium gets finished. But we’re happy to be up there to support the team this year.”
Bill Yeager Jazz Orchestra premieres By Marian Cuevas CONTRIBUTOR
Bill Yeager Jazz Orchestra (BYJO) had a successful debut at San Diego State in Smith Recital Hall this past October 16. Yeager is a professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at SDSU. The program consisted of challenging charts taken from Louie Bellson’s personal library, which was inherited by Yeager upon Bellson’s passing. Yeager has had a notorious trajectory in the world of jazz music, having shared the stage with big names such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn. He held the lead trombonist position in Louie Bellson’s band for 17 years. The Bill Yeager Jazz Orchestra is lucky to have some of the best jazz talent in Southern California, composed by colleagues and alumni of Yeager. The event started with a fast-paced improvisation from Don Kuhli on the drums, immediately silencing the audience and captivating their attention. This concert was a double-debut, as BYJO premiered “Stars in a Lonely Sky,” the only programmed piece not from Bellson’s library. Yeager commented on this, saying the premiere was being recorded for the publisher as part of a deal with BYJO. Yeager said conducting this debut was a “pretty exciting” experience. Pertaining the future plans for the BYGO, Yeager laid out a promising future. “We are looking at touring… the first tour, maybe, to Japan [because] we are sharing this publisher with the Tokyo Jazz Orchestra… This is the maiden voyage of this band,” Yeager said. SEE ONLINE
