Weds. Oct. 27 - Tues., Nov. 2, 2021 Weekly Print Edition
Vol. 108, Issue 11 www.thedailyaztec.com
San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Filipinx heritage showcased at Saturday School Tagalog session WATCH OUR FIRST LIVE BROADCAST ON THURS. @ 12 PM INSIDE THIS ISSUE
ARTS & CULTURE Halloween movies are a must watch this October. PAGE 3
OPINION Look inside if you Horrorscopes are in!
dare,
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by Christian CONTRIBUTOR
Houser
The Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Resource Center held their fourth Tagalog Saturday School session on Oct. 23. As October is Filipinx American History Month, the APIDA Resource Center celebrated the language and culture of the Philippines by educating students and faculty on Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines. The event was held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the second floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union where students and faculty gathered inside and outside to learn Tagalog and play traditional Filipino games. Virginia Loh-Hagan Ph.D., director of the APIDA Resource Center, said she created these Saturday school events due to her experience of losing her ability to speak Chinese. Loh-
Estudiante celebran una tradición para celebrar las vidas de sus difuntos. PAGE 6
SPORTS Football improve to 7-0 for the first time since 1975. PAGE 8
INDEX News............................... 1-2 Arts.................................3-4 Opinion............................. 5 Mundo .............................. 6 The Back Page, Sports..... 7-8
Photo by Christian Houser
SEE SATURDAY SCHOOL, PAGE 2
Students participated in games at the APIDA Center for Tagalog Saturday School.
Living in the future: Pop Pay uses face ID by Adam Correa STAFF WRITER
MUNDO AZTECA
Hagan attended a Chinese Saturday School as a child but stopped attending after a couple of years. “I call myself a Chinese school dropout and, at the time, I thought it was a real win. After looking back, I regret not knowing my language,” Loh-Hagan said. “And I know that knowing Chinese would be so beneficial right now.” Loh-Hagan said the idea was inspired by her times at Saturday school and wants students and faculty to learn about their roots. “I wish I would’ve continued Saturday school,” Loh-Hagan said. The APIDA Resource Center tailors the Tagalog events to educate and inform students and faculty of their language, culture and history.
Pop ID has reached into the future with Pop Pay and Pop Entry. Pop Pay is a tablet to scan faces to pay at shops. The Pop ID website is where you go to sign up for Pop Pay. Pop Entry is a device planned to be used outside of buildings so people can use their face to access the building that they live in. Thomas Costello — senior project manager at Pop ID — said the company is putting these products around college campuses. “Right now we’re on five campuses, San Diego State, University of Santa Barbara, Chapman, Pasadena City College, and the fifth being USC (University of Southern California),” Costello said. “For our product to be truly adopted, we need to be in the place that students want to go, so location is a huge factor.” Costello said the way Pop Pay will benefit students is to make it safer for them to pay. “It happens all the time, credit card fraud is huge amongst phishing scams,” Costello said. Phishing is a scam that targets banking consumers through emails from a well-known source.
“I can simply just find your debit card on the ground and run up a tab, I can’t do that with face ID,” Costello said. The company said it wants students to easily and quickly pay for food and drinks without the hassle of going through your backpack to find your wallet. Costello said Pop ID has been doing very aggressive marketing strategies and doing extreme discounts this past week. At Coffee ‘N’ Talk near the SDSU campus, if a customer buys something for $7 or more, they get $7 off with Pop Pay. This discount ended on Monday, Oct. 25. Costello said the way the company makes money is by collecting a small transaction fee from each Pop Pay user. “We monetize by charging businesses 1.5 percent plus 11 cents for every transaction that goes to our ecosystem,” Costello said. Alex Shean — who started volunteer work at Pop ID in the summer — said Pop Pay is very convenient for students. “If it’s late at night, and you want to go get some food, you just scan your face and don’t need your wallet,” Shean said. Shean is also a sophomore business marketing major at SDSU and said he wants
Photo by Catlan Nguyen
Pop Pay makes it possible to pay using face-ID technology.
to convert to business management. Volunteering at Pop ID has influenced him to switch majors. “I’ve seen the way Tom (Tom Costello) manages stuff and I feel I was so suited to do that and I could always dive into that because I have a passion in marketing,” Shean said. The Pop Entry device is in several fraternity and sorority
buildings around the college area. Pop ID has been targeting Greek Life to promote their product. Shean is a part of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and they use Pop Entry to access their building. He said the fraternity would always have items stolen SEE POP PAY, PAGE 2
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The Daily Aztec
News
Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2021 EDITOR: Katelynn Robinson • news@thedailyaztec.com
Special election for La Mesa council
seat, voting commences on Nov. 2 by Eugènie Budnik STAFF WRITER
Now through Nov. 2 La Mesa residents will vote in a special election for a replacement for one vacant city council seat. The seat was previously held by Dr. Akilah Weber, who left the position in April 2021 after being elected as the representative of Assembly District 79. Six candidates have qualified to be on the Nov. 2 ballot. Mejgan Afshan, Kathleen Brand, Patricia Dillard, Laura Lothian, Michelle Louden and Jim Stieringer are all vying for La Mesa’s open city council seat. Mejgan Afshan is endorsed by the San Diego County Democratic Party. Afshan describes herself as “civil rights advocate, community organizer, and non-profit founder” on her campaign website. Afshan got her start in civil rights as the co-founder of “Borderlands for Equity,” a pro-bono nonprofit organization that advocates for and provides legal assistance to marginalized communities. Afshan is also the founder of the East County Justice Coalition, an organization which addresses inequality and racial justice. Afshan was unable for an interview due to scheduling conflicts. Kathleen Brand is a 21-year resident of La Mesa, and currently works for the City of San Diego as a planner and landscape architect. Brand has also served on the City of La Mesa Community Service Commission since 2018. Brand’s platform utilizes her experience in urban and city planning to address the issues of affordable housing and development in La Mesa. “This is supposed to be a nonpartisan election,” Brand said when asked about her lack of political experience in a Zoom interview. “It is not supposed to be about the Democrats or the Republicans. It’s about who is best
Pop Pay:
continued from page 1 from the house and now with Pop Entry he feels less worried. “Pop Entry is a more safe and secure way to get into your house and you have to scan your face to get in,” Shean said. “I would never have people doing that (stealing) again and we have exactly the only people
for La Mesa. I think I have the most knowledge on how cities run than any of the other candidates, regardless of if they are backed by a major party or not.” Patricia Dillard is a business owner, who currently works for Western Capital Mortgage securing home loans for residents of La Mesa and elsewhere in San Diego County. Weber has endorsed Dillard as her successor. Dillard has also completed service to help advance women and minority businesses. Dillard was appointed to be the Vice Chair for the City of La Mesa Community Police Oversight Board in January of this year. Dillard was unavailable for comment. Laura Lothian is a real estate agent located in downtown La Mesa. Lothian has run for La Mesa City Council and Mayor multiple times, but has not seen success. Lothian has been endorsed by the San Diego County Republican Party in the past. Lothian runs on a pro-business platform, and serves on the Board of Directors for the La Mesa Village Association. Lothian’s main policies included stopping the mileage tax and stopping unfair regulations and mandates for small businesses. Lothian was unavailable for comment. Michelle Louden and Jim Stieringer do not have official campaign websites active. According to LinkedIn, Louden is a San Diego State alumni and now works as a behavior analyst. Stieringer is the former City of La Mesa treasurer, and also a member of the Grossmont Hospital Board of Directors and the governing board of the Grossmont Union High School District. Four of the six eligible candidates participated in a virtual candidate forum hosted by “East County Magazine” on Oct. 14. The event was held over Zoom, and was live-streamed on the news publication’s Facebook. Mejgan Afshan, Patricia Dillard, Kathleen Brand and Laura Lothian were the four candidates
we trust in there.” Costello said he hopes that 10 years in the future — with the Pop ID account — people will use it to access basically anything. “Hopefully, you can use that same account to pay at your house without any keys, to get into a Padres game, your medical records on your face, pharmaceutical products on your face,” Costello said. “It’s a single digital identity so that you never need anything else to prove that you’re you, other than your face.”
Photo by Catlan Nguyen
Pop Pay is currently offering $7 off all purchases at participating Pop Pay locations, including Coffee ‘N’ Talk.
Screenshot from Candidate Forum by East County Magazine
(From top to bottom, left to right): Kathleen Brand, Miriam Raftery (ECM), Patricia Dillard, Mejgan Afshan, Laura Lothian.
in attendance. The forum lasted just under two hours, and allowed the four candidates to advocate for their policies and to answer voter questions. The hot button issues of the forum proved to be homelessness and affordable housing, as well as criminal justice. “We have to reach out to non-profit organizations that already specialize in homelessness,” Dillard said, in response to a question about homelessness in La Mesa. “There are many different facets of homelessness, and the fact that we have the largest per capita trolley station stops exacerbates the situation. People can quickly get off of the trolley in La Mesa and go to other cities nearby. We need to work with people within and outside of La Mesa in order to help this issue.” In May 2020, La Mesa experienced huge protests in response to the police brutality against African-American man George Floyd in Minnesota, as well as the racial profiling of African-American
La Mesa resident Amaurie Johnson. Candidates were asked their thoughts on the city’s progress towards racial justice. “As a legal observer of what happened in La Mesa on May 30 last year, it is critical we turn a page on the ugly incidents of the past several years and I suggest as part of my equitable policy platform that we continue to fund the independent monitor for our police oversight board,” Afshan said. Lothian offered her view on criminal justice as well. “We don’t want police that are afraid to police,” Lothian said. “I’ve talked to police officers who feel isolated and demoralized. I am afraid our city is going to turn into one of those cities where spikes in crime are prevalent.” La Mesa residents should have received their ballots in the mail, and ballots need to be postmarked on or before Nov. 2 in order to be counted in this special election.
Saturday School:
culture altogether. Doyle said Ramos wasn’t only teaching phrases but “representing the culture and listing out restaurants to go to.” “He even opened up the Filipino side of YouTube to us,” Hall said. Loh-Hagan said she thinks unity is important to the APIDA Resource Center as there are a large number of languages and cultures that the APIDA Resource Center represents. “Having the opportunity to immerse yourself and learn new things reminds you that we are all similar in a lot of ways,” Hall said. Saturday School students and faculty learned Tagalog proverbs, idioms and curse words and took part in various traditional Filipino children’s games. The APIDA Resource Center continues to offer events surrounding Filipinx American History Month for the rest of October. “One Filipino scholar had a quote that I really like and it is ‘Know history, know self, no history no self,’” Ramos said. “If you know your history you know yourself, but if you don’t know your history you don’t know yourself.” To see what programs are coming up, visit the APIDA Center website.
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Paolo Ramos, Language Instructor at the APIDA Resource Center, said he thinks language and culture go hand-in-hand. “For me, language is such a big part of culture,” Ramos said. “You can learn about the culture, but if you can’t understand or communicate it in their language, you don’t have that connection.” Throughout the event, Ramos incorporated Tagalog into many games that were played, offering students the chance to immerse in Filipinx culture. First-year graduate, Cassie Doyle, and fourth-year Jonathan Hall were two attendees that had been to all four Tagalog Saturday school events. “A lot of Filipino-Americans struggle to find our identities when we were born here and our parents were born elsewhere,” Doyle said. “Coming here made me feel whole. Learning about things in my childhood and how I can still continue to embrace my identity and my culture has been really powerful for me.” The Saturday School not only aims to teach strictly Tagalog but attempts to encompass Filipinx
Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2021 EDITOR: Ryan Hardison • arts@thedailyaztec.com
Arts and Culture
‘Fangtastic’ Halloween Films
Graphic courtesy of Ryan Hardison
Eight Halloween film suggestions from eight writers.
FROM THE ARTS & CULTURE STAFF “The Innocents” (1961) I mean … talk about a film that aged like fine wine. Co-written by the legendary Truman Capote, “The Innocents” is a paranoid and hallucinatory take on Henry James’ short story “The Turn of the Screw.” Complete with an unreliable protagonist, creepy kids, stunning cinematography from Freddie Francis and THE “roaming the halls with a candelabra” scene, it’s the things you sense rather than see in “The Innocents” that will haunt you. Prepare to question your sanity. Available on: YouTube and Hulu. (Additional recs: Remi Weekes’ “His House”, Peter Medak’s “The Changeling” and Brad Anderson’s “Session 9”) Morgan Ray, Staff Writer “Beetlejuice” (1988) As someone who can’t sleep for days after witnessing gruesome horror movies, my go-to when awakening the Halloween spirit each year is the comedy-horror genre. Played by Michael Keaton (aka Batman), “Beetlejuice” is a brilliantly bizarre, creepy and visually inventive classic. Remarkable as always, director Tim Burton dares to be weird with surreal supernaturalism, peeling back layers that exhibit his famous blueprint for exploring darker aspects of humanity. Arguably Burton’s finest creation, Beetlejuice himself is eccentric and ghastly, descending from the grave upon request. This peculiar movie offers insight into a wickedly imagined afterlife filled with cartoonishly fun scenes that nostalgically quench my not-too-scary horror movie thirst. If you’re like me and prefer spooky movies that only include a gentle “boo!” and not a bloody loud “aaaaahhhh!!!” — this one is an absolute
must-watch. Katarina Josifov, Contributor “The Collector” (1965) Before Joe from “You” was stalking girls on Netflix, there was Freddie from “The Collector.” Freddie is a shy and awkward young man, and collector of butterflies who becomes enamored with a young art student named Miranda. As one can guess, Freddie decides to add Miranda to his collection in this psychological thriller based upon the 1963 novel “The Collector” by John Fowles. Terence Stamp’s portrayal of Freddie is cold, dark, and calculating while also strangely tender, kind, and understanding. The movie also provides interesting commentary on the class divide, with Freddie and Miranda coming from very different social classes. Those looking to be terrified by the horrors of human nature will be inclined to rent “The Collector” on Amazon Prime. Eugènie Budnik, Staff Writer “Misery” (1990) There is a certain fear that a slasher film can’t always emulate. The fear that hits home a little deeper because it resembles situations that can happen in real life. “Misery,” based on the book by seasoned horror author Stephen King, is a chilling sequence of events that are unimaginable, but not impossible. When the main character Paul Sheldon, played by James Caan, gets into a car crash, Annie Wilkes is there to save him and nurse him back to health. Only there’s one catch… he’s not allowed to leave. Kathy Bates’ performance in this film as Annie — the demented and twisted superfan — is one that paved the role for her cut throat characters in works like “American Horror Story.” “Misery” is an underrated, overlooked horror film that easily fleshes out King’s written work of art and it’s available to stream on HBO Max. Kennedy Humphrey, Staff Writer “Sam and Colby” Hell Week Series If you’re looking for some non-fiction thrillers, look no further than Sam and Colby’s hell week series. These two best friends have created a movement of exploring and have done overnight videos for years, staying at random locations and documenting them for our enjoyment. This October however, they’ve stayed overnight at Dracula’s castle with cursed pond water and done a paranormal investigation at the world’s largest catacombs in Ukraine. They’ve even revisited room B340 on the Queen Mary ship which is what made them want to investigate paranormal stuff in the first place. Their hour-long documentaries include historical contexts from the places they visit, interviews with experts in the area, and a real paranormal investigation that’s easy to follow. I recommend zooming a friend, and screen-sharing with earbuds for the optimal experience.
Lucelis Martinez, Senior Staff Writer “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975) The days leading up to Halloween should be filled with classic horror movies to get your head in the mindset. Between the midst of gore and thrillers, I recommend watching nothing more than “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Tim Curry (Frank n Furter), who you might know from other horror movies such as “IT,” is the star of this show. It also features other known stars like Susan Sarandon (Janet), Barry Boswick (Brad) and Meatloaf (Eddie). Now be aware that the movie was redone in 2016 but it’s nothing compared to the 1975 classic. Grab yourself some popcorn and be ready to dive into a killer soundtrack, fabulous outfits and cast of characters that will leave you shook. The movie is available for streaming on Amazon Prime and Hulu. Sara Rott, Senior Staff Writer “Scream” (1996) The first “Scream” movie came out at a time when the slasher genre was nearly gone and brought it back from the dead (no pun intended). This film was directed by the late Wes Craven and released in late 1996. It follows the character of Sidney Prescott, a high school student in the fictional town of Woodsboro, California, who becomes the target of a mysterious masked killer by the name of Ghostface. The race is on to find out who this killer is as more citizens fall victim. While the film is scary enough to make you jump out of your seat, it’s tongue-in-cheek humor makes it more light-hearted. This film became a popular franchise with four sequels including another coming out early 2022. Isabel Smith, Staff Writer “It Comes At Night” (2017) Written and directed by Trey Edward Shults, “It Comes At Night” is a film that oozes paranoia, authenticity and fear. Set in an apocalyptic future decimated by a contagious disease, two families must learn to trust each other in order to survive. The characters in this film are well-acted and likeable. All of the decisions made by the characters are incredibly grounded and rational. The film is set in a house in the middle of the woods, and its location adds an amazing sense of claustrophobia and tension. The script is very well written, abiding by the “show don’t tell” rule. The movie does a great job at not oversharing, opting to leave some plot details to your imagination. And the best part: there is only one jumpscare in the full movie! “It Comes At Night’’ is proof that good horror movies can still be made. Check it out on Netflix! Owen Pratt, Contributor
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Keep calm and get your pumpkin on By Sara Rott SENIOR STAFF WRITER
San Diego State’s Conrad Prebys Courtyard was brought to life as Associated Students put on the spooktacular event “Pumpkin Palooza” on Oct. 19. In the spirit of Halloween, students lined up to get a slice of pumpkin pie and a cake pop to enjoy the many activities laid out across the square. Students were required to wear masks in the crowded space. Union Nights Chair Junior Lars Ecklund spoke about putting on events after a pandemic. “I definitely do understand the worry and concern, so we do have precautions in place,” Lars said. “But it’s so good to see everybody again and the energy just really can’t be matched by zoom, so I’m really glad we can create the unity we once had.” Small pumpkins were laid out across tables for students to pick up and decorate with markers. Students were creative as they drew faces or fun designs, and a contest for the best design was announced at the end of the night. “I really liked the cake pops and decorating a pumpkin like a kindergartner,” business graduate student Jennifer Mendez said, sharing her experience at the event. There were lots of other activities to enjoy throughout the night, such as the movie “Monster House” playing on a TV, basketball and mechanical bull riding. Laughter could be heard across the courtyard as students tried to desperately hang onto the bull. There was even a photobooth set up for students to take pictures with different hats. Patrick Moreno from MidCity Photobooths shared how busy he’s been with all the events the student union has put on this year. “We wanted to get the students engaged and excited and they’re having lots of events, so it works out for me,” Moreno said. He said he’s been working at SDSU for four years and talks about how there’s always been a long line for the photobooth. The students have been very respectable,” he said. Whether chilling or taking part in any of the fun activities, students were laughing behind their masks. The colorful purple and orange lights and throwback spooky tunes even got a few students dancing in the middle of the courtyard. “Every year, they are upping their game, so it seems really intuitive with what the students want,” Mendez said.
How to have a spooktacular Halloween experience By Isabel Smith STAFF WRITER
It’s that time of year again! A time full of pumpkin carving, spooky decorations, and scares. Halloween is just around the corner and it’s time to figure out how to celebrate. Out of ideas? We’re here to help you. From parties to haunted trails and everything in between, we’ve compiled a list of the best Halloween events around San Diego. Here are a few fun options that are sure to make Halloween a night to remember: Don’t feel like leaving campus? Here at San Diego State, we have some upcoming Halloween-themed Aztec Nights. Aztec Nights: Scream, Qweenz!: Starting on Oct. 30, our annual drag show is getting a spooky makeover. This
Halloween eve show is full of tricks and treats with performances by your favorite queens, a costume ball, and special guests. Immerse yourself in the night’s festivities and join the audience as you walk among the tombstones. Aztec Nights: Halloween Monster Mash: Show up in your costume for this Halloween bash. Get ready to be spooked by Spidey the mentalist, Chris Moon the Paranormal Investigator, and a haunted maze. Enjoy a DJ dance party, pizza, candy, games, pumpkins, and more! Halloween is all about the spooks and scares and here in San Diego there are a ton of places to get your scream on: The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park: There’s a reason CNN named this one of the top 10 best haunted attractions in America! This mile long terrifying trail through twisted pines and gnarled oaks will have you dodging Pennywise, nuns,
clowns and more. Before you step foot on the trail, you will be sent through the horrifying eXperiment Maze. The Haunted Hotel’s Disturbance: Featured on the Travel Channel, this event now features three haunts in one location: 3D Freak Fest, Killbilly Chaos, and The Haunted Hotel full of scares from zombies, clowns, chainsaws and more. Not to mention the extra entertainment with light shows, axe-throwing, DJ’s, themed cocktails, and more. Not into scares? Celebrate this Halloween by visiting a local pumpkin patch. Bates Nut Farm: For those of the faint of heart, a pumpkin patch is the perfect way to celebrate the season. Open for more than 50 years, Bates Nut Farm has carried out fall traditions and created many memories. You and your friends can enjoy live entertainment, tractor hayrides, and, of course, picking the perfect pumpkin!
Photo by Sara Rott
Student desperatley fighting for their life to hang on to the erratic mechanical bull at Pumpkin Patch Palooza.
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The Daily Aztec
Arts & Culture
Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2021 EDITOR: Ryan Hardison • arts@thedailyaztec.com
Concert Roundup: selections from ‘Soulfly’ and the soul star
EDITOR IN CHIEF Catlan Nguyen MANAGING EDITOR Trinity Bland
By Ryan Hardison & Katarina Josifov
NEWS EDITOR Katelynn Robinson
CONTRIBUTOR, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
OPINION EDITOR Aaliyah Alexander MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Noé Sandoval
Oct. 20 - Rod Wave Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theater Who says Wednesday evenings can’t be for sulking AND partying? Rod Wave says so. Known for his piano-laden beat selection which resembles a church ensemble and an eyeopening lyrical focus on mental health, Wave’s painful tales of heartbreak and being down on his luck resonate with a large audience. As a stop on the last leg of his “Soulfly” to support his March 26 album of the same name, Wave performed nearly a nation away from his West Florida origins on Oct. 20. Before the main event, a number of his affiliates drifted on and off stage like pestering flies, dropping a couple verses before dipping stage left, including fellow Florida rapper OMN Twee and Houston emcee DJ X.O. New Orleans rapper NoCap then emerged as the show’s primary opener. On nearly every track he rapped the final verses acapella, providing intimate moments with the audience. He performed his biggest hit “Ghetto Angels” twice (despite only performing seven songs), and led a spirited round of “Free YB”
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 Photo by Noelani Sapla
Rod Wave performing the song “Green Light” from his 2019 project “Ghetto Gospel.”
chants, referring to his friend, incarcerated rapper Youngboy Never Broke Again. After NoCap departed, there were a few moments when the crowd leapt to their feet because of movement on the stage, only to be massively disappointed when a stagehand descended from behind the curtains. The house DJ bided the time between sets by exclusively playing mid2000s Young Jeezy hits like “Soul Survivor.” (Something which this humble arts & culture editor
deeply appreciated.) This was all a setup to time Wave’s emergence through the makeshift “Soulfly” pyramid center stage with the intro to Jeezy’s regional hit “Trap Star,” aligned with an elaborate timer counting down on a large screen. Wave covered a lot of ground in his show, beginning with selections from his hit-heavy 2019 project “Ghetto Gospel” and ending with songs from the deluxe version of “Soulfly.” Throughout the set, there was
ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jayne Yutig
a massive momentum shift in the crowd from elation to revelation. It felt like many people in the crowd had been holding in intense pain and emotion, which was suddenly conjured up by two seconds of the tune from “Heart on Ice” and a passionate scream of the chorus. With the chance to fully sing with their chest while dancing away their struggles who needs therapy when you have Rod Wave to help overcome your deepest sorrows?
‘Halloweentown’ escape room blast from past By Lucelis Martínez SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Center for Commuter Life hosted a “Halloweentown” virtual escape room event on Oct. 20. “Halloweentown” came out in 1998 on the Disney Channel, and was part of many childhoods since then. The success of the movie led to three sequels which were played during Halloween, year after year, as part of Disney’s Monstober lineup. “Halloweentown” was often the opener to the movie lineup, setting the tone for many spooky season lovers. The Center for Commuter Life has done a few virtual escape rooms since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, so they said they decided to host another one for Halloween. Helen Ma, the Commuter Center success coach, has participated in the construction of several escape rooms including a winter games one done last year and another about “Pirates of the Caribbean.” A flyer for the event encouraged students to join a thrilling experience with familiar characters from the movie like the protagonist, Marni and the main villain, Kalabar. Ma encouraged Nicholas Perias, recent SDSU film graduate and graduate assistant at the Commuter Center, to build the virtual escape room. “He is the one who usually
Photo by Lucelis Martinez
A screenshot from the “Halloweentown” vitual escape room event.
does a lot of our flyers and our tech items,” Ma said. “He really enjoys directing, filming, editing, all of the works so I shared with him kind of my idea about having a Halloweentown theme escape room.” Ma said she suggested “Halloweentown” because she is a fan of the movies. Ma said Perias was shown past examples of other escape rooms they’d done and was encouraged to watch the movie in order to build the escape room. The event had a nice turnout, according to Ma. Attendees were separated into groups as the riddles appeared on the screen and were encouraged to work together to solve the puzzles. Within the first few minutes of the event, 19 people had already joined the Zoom meeting. Ma said not too many students had been showing up to events,
understandably, due to the transition from online to inperson classes. “We try to offer virtual and inperson events,” Ma said. “So, that was one of our most successful virtual events this semester.” She said she feels this theme drew people in. Attendees were asked to pay careful attention to each riddle. They didn’t have to be fans of the movies to participate, as the game explained each element as it went on. The interactive virtual escape room included hints disguised in morse code, roman numerals and riddles that alluded to the movie. One team figured out a step in the escape room in under two minutes. A water bottle from the Commuter Resource Center served as a prize for solving one of the riddles, while a T-shirt was awarded at the end with a
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Mackenzie Stafford
fortune wheel. Ma said she thinks it’s important for students to get involved with the Commuter Resource Center, which is located on the second floor of the Aztec Student Union in the office of Student Life and Leadership (Room 210). “I think it’s just a great way to get to know the Commuter Life staff first of all cause we try to include all of our staff in the events, just so students know that we’re humans as well,” Ma said. Ma said she doesn’t want students to be intimidated or afraid to reach out. “Kind of like in the escape room, even though that was a virtual event we tried to incorporate it so that students could see other students,” Ma said. Putting the students in different breakout rooms was a deliberate move by the center to encourage people to talk to one another, in a way they may not regularly do. “Even if it’s just a small connection, like maybe they’ll click and they could start a friendship right there,” Ma said. The center provides some amenities for commuter students such as individual and group study tables, microwaves, comfortable arm chairs and free printing, according to the official website. Students are permitted to print five free pages per commuter life event they attend.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hemen Mesfin
STAFF WRITERS Lindsey Anderson Eugènie Budnik Adam Correa Brenna Martinez Morgan Ray Isabel Smith SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Juan Daniel Avila Lucelis Martinez Sara Rott Jessica Octavio CONTRIBUTORS Lindsey Anderson Meghan Ellis Joshua Frojelin Taylor Harris Christian Houser Kennedy Humphrey Katarina Josifov Owen Pratt Willem Quigley Gabriel Schneider Sierra Stallworth Sumaia Wegner ________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Brian Arnold GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST Luis Valenzuela EDITORIAL 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition every Wednesday throughout the semester WEB Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com QUESTIONS/COMMENTS letters@thedailyaztec.com The views and opinions expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec.
FOLLOW US /dailyaztec @TheDailyAztec @thedailyaztec /DailyAztecVideo
Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2021 EDITOR: Aaliyah Alexander • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
Eugenie Budnik is a freshman studying journalism and public relations. Brenna Martinez is a junior studying linguistics and English. Willem Quigley is a junior studying journalism.
Opinion
Sierra Stallworth is a junior studying journalism. Taylor Harris is a junior studying journalism. Sumaia Wegner is a junior studying journalism and communication. Jessica Octavio is a senior studying microbiology. Lindsey Anderson is a senior studying rhetoric and writing. Cristina Lombardo is a senior studying journalism.
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Mundo Azteca
Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2021 EDITOR: Noé Sandoval • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com
Estudiantes aprenden la tradición de honrar las vidas de sus seres queridos por Gabriel Schneider CONTRIBUYENTE
Estudiantes de La Universidad Estatal de San Diego se reunieron en el edificio de Adam Humanities para aprender y celebrar El Dia De Los Muertos con La Unión Estudiantil Latinx, o LSU por sus siglas en inglés, en 20 de octubre. Jose Julian Renteria, estudiante de primera generación y en su tercero año de kinesiología en SDSU, dijo que es una tradición que es muy significante para su familia. “Es una manera de conectarme con (mi abuelo) y otro familia miembros que fallecieron… es definitivamente tiene trajo más cerca a mi cultura”, dijo Renteria El Dia De Los Muertos se celebra desde en 31 de octubre hasta el 2 novembre en varias regiones diferentes con sus propias tradiciones y rituales. La parte favorita de la celebración para Renteria es haciendo una ofrenda, cuál es un altar para honrar a un ser querido fallecido. “Nosotros celebramos a nuestro ser querido quién falleció mientras estamos juntos, traendo el aspecto de familia juntos”, Renteria dijo. Renteria celebró El Día de los Muertos en México su primer año de la universidad y recordó el camino de cempasúchil forrando la entrada y la salida del cementerio en el pequeño pueblo. Fue una reunión grande llena de mucha gente y comida. “Si alguna vez tienes la oportunidad de experimentarlo, definitivamente hazlo porque es maravilloso”, Renteria dijo. Anaiee Aguilar ha estado con el LSU desde otoño 2019 y es estudiante de psicología en SDSU. La parte favorita de celebrar para Aguilar es honrando a un ser querido pavimentando el camino para su
Foto por Gabriel Schneider
El LSU organiza un evento explicando a estudiantes de La Universidad Estatal de San Diego cómo celebran el Dia De Los Muertos que se celebra en México y en otros paises.
familia. “Mi abuelo, quien falleció, fue uno de los primeros en cruzar a los Estado Unidos y estableció una nueva vida para nuestra familia’’, dijo Aguilar en el correo electrónico. “Sin él, mi familia y yo no habríamos tenido las oportunidades que ahorita tenemos”. El escenario a un lado celebra lo que Aguilar guarda del espiritu de su abuelo, dando el impacto de cómo ella debe perseverar y lograr sus metas.
El LSU proporciona un espacio para la comunidad a los que identifican como latinx o simplemente los que quieren más información sobre la cultura. “El LSU y otro latinx organizaciones me ayudó tener ese sentido de comunidad y me ayudó encontrar quien realmente soy”, Renteria dijo, “Puedo comunicarme con gente que tienen experiencias similares y diferentes, tengo la oportunidad de conocer tantas culturas diferentes”. Según el sitio web de la organización,
la misión de LSU es “unir, educar y empoderar estudiantes latinx a través celebrando la cultura y la promoción de la positividad, tutoría, propósito y conciencia en todo lo que hacemos. Además, informar e involucrar a todos los miembros en los asunto que pueden afectar sus vidas o bienestar de la comunidad”. Siga @sdsulsu en Instagram para próximos eventos y información.
Equipo de fútbol masculino pierde 4-0 contra Stanford por Juan ESCRITOR
Foto por SDSU Athletics
El equipo de fútbol masculino de SDSU, Los Aztecas, perdieron 4-0 contra los Cardenales de Stanford, en Palo Alto.
Daniel Avila
El equipo de fútbol masculino de La Universidad Estatal de San Diego (7-4-2, 2-4-0 Conferencia Pac-12) se sorprendió en Stanford (5-5-3, 2-3-1 Conferencia Pac-12) durante el partido del jueves por la noche después de perder 4 -0 en el Estadio de Cagan en Palo Alto. Los Aztecas no pudieron contener la ofensiva de los Cardinals, lo que llevó a Scarlet y Black a su peor derrota por déficit de goles de la temporada. “Fue difícil una noche, pero Stanford iba a sufrir una explosión, y simplemente sucedió en la noche equivocada por nuestro bien”, dijo el entrenador en jefe Ryan Hopkins. Al comenzar el partido, los Aztecas solo permitieron seis goles en sus 12 juegos de la temporada. Este partido marcó la segunda vez que SDSU ha permitido más de un gol en un partido y la primera vez que ha perdido por cuatro goles esta temporada, lo que lo convierte en su peor juego en el acta. El jugador del equipo contrario superó en tiros a los Aztecas 14-8 con nueve de sus tiros a puerta. Stanford anotó dos goles en cada mitad y solo tuvo problemas con tres tiros de los Aztecas. Stanford subió en el marcador en los primeros tres minutos del juego con un gol del senior Zach Ryan de una asistencia cruzada desde el lado derecho del campo del mediocampista de segundo año Carlo Agostinelli para comenzar 1-0. Los Aztecas serían tomados con la
guardia baja nuevamente en el minuto 42 con un centro desde el lado derecho del campo del mediocampista novato de Cardinal Will Reilly, quien encontró al delantero junior Gabe Segal para poner el 2-0. Stanford volvería a sorprender a SDSU en los primeros 85 segundos de la segunda mitad después de que el junior Blake Bowen fuera pitado por una falta dentro del área para que el Cardinal recibiera un penalti. Ryan sería el que lanzaría la patada que pasó de las manos del portero de segundo año Jacob Castro, que pondría a Stanford 3-0. La principal oportunidad de SDSU para convertir un gol llegó en el minuto 62 con un disparo del senior Laukoa Santos que obligó al portero junior de los Cardinals, Matt Frank, a lanzarse en picado y desviar el tiro, pero Bowen disparaba un balón raso directo a la portería haciendo que Frank reaccionara dos veces para mantener el balón. portería a cero para Stanford. El último gol del partido llegó en el minuto 85, luego de que los Aztecas no lograron despejar un balón peligroso en el área, lo que abrió una oportunidad para que el Cardenal encontrara un centro desde el lado izquierdo del campo que aterrizó sobre el segundo defensor Ryann Dunn. quien golpeó el balón con el pie derecho para pasar por última vez a Castro y terminar la pesadilla de los Aztecas con una blanqueada de 4-0. VER EN LINEA
Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2021 EDITOR: Jason Freund • sports@thedailyaztec.com
Sports
Men’s soccer shut out against Stanford By Juan Daniel Avila SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The San Diego State men’s soccer (7-42, 2-4-0 Pac-12 Conference) team was shocked at Stanford (5-5-3, 2-3-1 Pac-12 Conference) on Thursday night after losing 4-0 at the Cagan Stadium in Palo Alto, CA. The Aztecs weren’t able to contain the Cardinal offense, leading the Scarlet and Black to their worst goal deficit loss of the season. “Tough one tonight but Stanford was due for an explosion, and it just happened on the wrong night for our sake,” head coach Ryan Hopkins said. Entering the match, the Aztecs only allowed six goals through their 12 games of the season. This match marked the second time SDSU has allowed more than one goal in a match and the first time they have lost by four goals this season, making it their worst game on the scoresheet. The Cardinal outshot the Aztecs 14-8 with nine of their shots on target. Stanford scored two goals in each half and only struggled on three shots from the Aztecs. Stanford would go up on the scoreboard in the first three minutes of the game with a goal by senior Zach Ryan off a cross assist from the right side of the pitch from sophomore midfielder Carlo Agostinelli to start off 1-0. The Aztecs would get caught off guard again in the 42nd minute with a cross from the right side of the field from Cardinal freshman midfielder Will Reilly who found junior forward Gabe Segal to make it 2-0. Stanford would shock SDSU again in the first 85 seconds of the second half after junior Blake Bowen was whistled for a
foul inside the box for the Cardinal to be awarded a penalty kick. Ryan would be the one to take the kick which got past the hands of sophomore goalkeeper Jacob Castro which would put up Stanford 3-0. SDSU’s main opportunity to convert a goal came in the 62nd minute with a shot from senior Laukoa Santos who forced the Cardinal junior goalkeeper Matt Frank to dive and deflect the shot but Bowen would fire a low ball straight to goal making Frank react twice to keep the clean sheet for Stanford. The last goal of the game came in the 85th minute after the Aztecs failed to clear a dangerous ball in the box, which opened up an opportunity for the Cardinal to find a cross from the left side of the pitch which landed on sophomore defender Ryan Dunn who stroke the ball with his right foot to put it past Castro one last time to finish the Aztecs’ nightmare with a 4-0 shutout. The only stat the Aztecs led over the Cardinal was in fouls (12-8). Castro collected five saves but struggled throughout the night against an aggressive Stanford offense. “We need to dust ourselves off and get ready for the biggest game of our season Sunday against Cal,” Hopkins said. “I expect a big-time response from our young and growing team.” SDSU had one more away game in northern California against the University of California, Berkeley on Sunday at 3 p.m but the game was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. Instead, SDSU will return home and take on San Diego Christian on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Photo courtesy of SDSU Athletics
Men’s soccer has been shut out in four of their last five games, including their latest game against Stanford after falling 4-0 to the Cardinal.
Men’s tennis well represented during ITA Southwest Regional By Jason Freund SPORTS EDITOR
Eight players and four doubles teams participated in the ITA Southwest Regional Championship at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center at Pepperdine University for San Diego State men’s tennis. The duo’s team of senior Joe Tyler and junior Victor Castro represented the Scarlet and Black well by advancing to the doubles quarterfinals while sophomore Johannes Seeman advanced the furthest in singles play for SDSU by making it to the Round of 32. Tyler and Castro began the competition by ousting University of Santa Barbara redshirt freshman Diego Castillo and
sophomore Josh Williams 8-2 before upsetting the No. 10 seeded Pepperdine team of senior Daniel De Jonge and freshman Linus Carrlson Halldin 8-5. However, Tyler and Castro were bounced from the tournament 8-6 by the thirdseeded USC duo of juniors Stefan Dostanic and Samuel Rubell, the eventual winners of the doubles draw. Despite a first-round bye, Seeman wouldn’t advance further than the Round of 32. Against the aforementioned Rubbell, the no. 11 seeded sophomore was eliminated in straight sets 6-2, 6-1. SDSU will wrap up their fall season on Nov. 5-7 as they make the short drive to the University of San Diego to partake in the San Diego Veterans Tennis Classic.
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Aztec hockey gets the dub against Long Beach State
Photo by Josh Frojelin
The Aztec hockey team celebrated after one of their 17 goals scored over the weekend against Long Beach State. SDSU owned the 49ers, outscoring them 17-5 over the weekend, en route to getting their first two wins of the season.
By Josh Frojelin CONTRIBUTOR
On the heels of a 12-4 victory over the Long Beach State 49ers (2-3 Independent) on Friday the 22nd, the San Diego State Aztecs (2-2, 0-2 Pac-8) welcomed back fans for the first time since the 2019-20 season on Saturday for the team’s homeopener, a 5-0 victory. Unfortunately, the fans were starved of scoring in the first period, as both clubs felt each other out with low-risk chances early. The fans still had something to cheer about with constant scrums and shoving-matches happening after every whistle creating a fun, yet intense, mood throughout the Salvation Army Kroc Center. Senior captain Derian Theberge noted a fast and physical game “Is nothing we’re not used to — we handled it.” In the second period, the Aztecs were finally able to light the lamp. Theberge gave his team the lead, finishing a puck bouncing around the crease to put the Aztecs up early in the period. Freshman Michael Eng joined on the scoresheet later in the frame. Fellow freshman Cole Kosowski had primary assists on both second period goals as the Scarlet and Black began dominating play. Head coach Phillip Bateman knew his team could dominate. “We always preach hard work through all zones... we were just sustaining all the puck pressure in their own zone… we knew that after the first (period) that we had the legs tonight,” Bateman said. That momentum continued into the
third period. Eng, along with freshmen Ian Stentz and Isaiah Tano overwhelmed the 49ers at the end of the period, as SDSU closed the game with two goals in the last few minutes. The Aztecs also maintained a 16-save shutout for senior goalie Nick Ilvento. On the team’s shutout performance, the goalie said “Our defense was huge today. We did a really good job of controlling the puck in our own zone.. Just forcing it (the puck) out when it needed to be out.” After two tough losses to back-to-back Pac-8 champion Oregon Ducks, Bateman’s team was able to respond with two emphatic wins. He said “Coming out of the gate (at Oregon), there are little timing issues. Those two games got us right.” After those opening weekend losses and more practices, “you gain your timing. You gain your hockey legs.” Next, the Aztecs will face the University of California San Diego Tritons, with a more healthy roster. The head coach felt important to mention the team is “still missing three very highly skilled top-end guys on our roster.” Even without those key talents, Bateman touted his current team “is already one of the best teams I’ve coached here at (San Diego) State in six years.” There’s no telling the offensive force Bateman’s club could have when fully healthy. Looking to improve above their .500 record, the Aztecs will need to continue imposing their offensive firepower over another southern California rival. Friday, Oct 29, fans will be welcomed back to Kroc Center for hopefully another highenergy and lively atmosphere.
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Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2021 Editor: Jason Freund • sports@thedailyaztec.com
Football whips cadets into shape as No. 22 Aztecs take down Falcons 20-14 By Andrew Finley ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
The No. 22 San Diego State football team (7-0, 3-0 Mountain West Conference) are now 7-0 for the first time since 1975 after travelling to Colorado Springs and defeating the Air Force Falcons (6-2, 3-2 MWC) in what turned out to be a smashmouth game between two of the top dogs in the Mountain West Conference, resulting in a 20-14 win for SDSU. The Aztecs got off to a hot start after junior defensive back Dallas Branch received his first career interception on the first drive of the game, and returned it to the Falcon 10-yard line. The ensuing drive for the Aztecs resulted in a field goal from junior kicker/punter Matt Araiza, giving the Aztecs an early 3-0 lead. The next score wouldn’t occur for another 19 minutes and 44 seconds. A turnover on downs gave the Aztecs the football back at the Falcons 42-yard line. The Aztecs methodically worked their way down the field for senior running back Keagun Williams to punch his way into the endzone for the first touchdown of the game, and increase the Aztecs’ lead to 10-0.
A force-fumble from Branch would be scooped up by freshman cornerback Noah Avenger, and eventually set Araiza up for a 51-yard field goal that increased SDSU’s lead to 13 as the two teams went into the locker room. The Scarlet and Black came out of halftime swinging with a seven play, 75yard drive capped off by a three-yard rushing touchdown for senior running back Chance Bell. This would bump the Aztecs lead to 20 points, and it seemed as if SDSU would cruise to the finish line. Air Force wasn’t going to let that happen too easily. After trading punts in back to back drives, the Falcons would come screeching back with a methodical drive of their own, as they pushed their way to paydirt after an 11 play, 57-yard drive, capped off by a controversial 13-yard passing touchdown from senior quarterback Warren Bryan. The play was originally called a touchdown, then incomplete, and then a touchdown again upon further review. Hoke said he wants that play to get looked at again. “Oh yeah, there’s no doubt about it; in my opinion, I didn’t think it was a catch,” Hoke said. “We’ll sort it out, and the good thing is that we won the football game.”
Photo by Andrew Finley
Air Force scored a touchdown on a controversial call in the third quarter to get their first points of the game. The play was ruled a touchdown, then an incompletion, and then a touchdown again after a booth review.
Photos by Andrew Finley
(Left) Senior runningback Jordan Byrd juked out several Air Force defenders for a 20-yard catch-and-run. (Right) Senior runningback Chance Bell celebrates with senior lineman Chris Martinez after pounding his way into the endzone in the third quarter. Bell finished the day with eight carries for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Photo by Andrew Finley
(Top) Both Aztec and Falcon football players stand with Air Force cadets for the traditional “Third Verse” honoring airmen who’ve served. (Bottom) Junior reciever Tyrell Shavers and sophomore quarterback Jaylen Mayden are all smiles after the Aztecs’ 20-14 victory kept them undefeated. The Aztecs are 7-0 for the first time since 1975.
Air Force wasn’t done after their first score. After forcing the Aztecs to punt, the Falcons went on a 15 play, 89-yard drive that took six minutes, 33 seconds and ended with a three-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal from sophomore running back Dane Kinamon. That cut the Aztecs’ lead to 20-14 with four minutes left in the fourth quarter. With momentum on Air Force’s side and a six-point lead, it was up to the Aztecs to keep the Falcons out of the endzone, and secure their seventh straight win of 2021. The Scarlet and Black couldn’t have started that plan in a worse way, going three-and-out and punting the ball back to Air Force immediately following their touchdown drive. This gave the Falcons the ball back with over two minutes left in the game, and two timeouts at their disposal in order to make a potential game-winning drive. The Air Force offense came out firing, but failed to make any ground on their first two plays. The very run-heavy Falcons attempted two passes, and overthrew two wide open receivers to start the drive. A three-yard rush made it fourth down and the most important seven yards either team would have to gain for the entire game.
The Falcons ended up converting on fourth down with a 14-yard pass completed to senior receiver Brandon Lewis, but, hold the phone, there’s a flag on the play — a clipping called against Air Force made it fourth and 15. The Falcons opted to punt, and hoped the Aztecs would turn the ball back over to them with time to spare. The Scarlet and Black would call upon Williams to seal the game. After rushing twice for 11 total yards on the drive, all the Aztecs had to do was kneel the ball down and watch the clock tick down to zero, giving SDSU the 20-14 victory and the team’s first 7-0 start since Jaws was released into theaters. Hoke reflected on the significance of the rare feat the team made at Falcon Stadium and gave a lot of the credit to his players. “I was watching Jaws in ‘75 that’s for sure,” Hoke said. “These kids have done a great job. I like the leadership from those guys who have been in the program, and I think, as a group, they care.” The Aztecs take on Fresno State (6-2, 3-1 MWC) for the highly contested Battle for the Old Oil Can on Saturday, Oct. 30 in Carson, California, and look to stay undefeated as well as remain at the top of the conference.
