Wednesday, Nov. 20 - Sunday, Nov. 24 2019 Weekly Print Edition
Vol. 106, Issue 15 www.thedailyaztec.com
San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Graphic by Emily Burgess
Student strips ceramics naked by Roxana Becerril STAFF WRITER
The most recurring love stories often deal with a similar narrative: a connection between two people sparks, grows and they eventually fall in love. After years of self-deprecation, design and craft, senior Ansley Wilson has created a story based on a different kind of relationship — a love for oneself. Thanks to Wilson’s growing collection of ceramic artwork titled, “Naked Ceramics,” Wilson has been able to craft functional art vessels while finding self-love and inspiration along the way. “When I say I am my inspiration, I do not mean that in a comedic or cliche way,” Wilson said. “It has taken me years, since childhood when I realized I was not ‘normal,’ to look at myself in love.” Their “sculptural conceptual work,” as Wilson describes it, features the nude female body with characteristics the common eye might perceive as opposite to the ideal feminine figure. “Instead of making something ideal, I made something realistic
and that’s what I pride myself on: depicting who I am as a person and what I see everyday and what I value,” Wilson said. Uneven breasts, pubic hair, rolls and curves have all found a home in Wilson’s neutral-toned ceramics. Through a mixture of pottery and art, Wilson has taken ordinary objects such as cups and transformed them into versions of themself. “I am overwhelmed by the beauty that my body possesses as it is — fat, stretch-marked, acne ridden, hairy, scarred,” Wilson said. “The hope I put into my work is to normalize what has been made ugly or undesirable by molding myself into these ceramic objects.” Nonetheless, their collection of self-portraits aims to reflect the beauty of human anatomy and the myriad of bodies separate from the artist’s. “I find the body extremely beautiful and interesting, so my work simply pays homage to that,” Wilson said. “I also find it important to be inclusive, so I explore gender in my work as well, so you may find some penis-owners or vagina-owners or
(transgender) bodies.” SEE CERAMICS PAGE 6
Photo by Roxana Becerril
Some of their pieces include stretch marks.
Screen printing event supports creativity, animals by Catlan Nguyen STAFF WRITER
With finals season just around the corner, San Diego State students are approaching one of the most stressful times of the semester. To counter this, the SDSU student chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts hosted a Pups n’ Pizza event on Nov. 13 in the Art South building. “It’s essentially an event where students can actually get some screen printing lessons and also get to hang out with little pups,” graphic design senior Jordan Kaatz said. “This certain time of the year, everyone’s really stressed so just getting to hang out with the pups is really helpful and it’s going towards a good foundation.” The event offered screen printing on tote bags, t-shirts and bandanas along with slices of Costco pizza for those who made a $5 donation to AIGA San Diego and The Animal Pad, a nonprofit dog rescue organization located in San Diego. Screen printing uses a manual
or automatic press with design stencils. Pups n’ Pizza had multiple manual presses. Kaatz said these presses are stamped down onto whatever flat fabric you want to design. Then a special type of paint called plastisol is poured onto the press and a squeegee blade is used to wipe off excess paint. After stamping the design, the clothing items were placed onto a drying rack conveyor belt to seal the design. The Animal Pad brought five dogs of all sizes to the event to further relieve students’ stress while they mingled. All of the dogs were eligible for adoption. “I haven’t done screen printing before so it was a great opportunity to get that experience as well as (to be around) dogs,” graphic design junior Mikaela Hurst said while holding one of the puppies. “I’ve had a really bad two weeks and as you can see this is helping me out a lot.” SEE PUPS N’ PIZZA PAGE 8
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News
Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com
City council votes unanimously to move forward with SDSU Mission Valley plan by Michael Cline ASST. NEWS EDITOR
The negotiations between San Diego State and the City of San Diego over the university’s expansion plans in Mission Valley moved forward on Monday. In a San Diego City Council meeting on Nov. 18, members voted to unanimously approve a requested council action to proceed with the process of drafting a purchase sale agreement document. The requested council action now sends the PSA drafting process to the City Attorney’s office. The office will be responsible for drafting and formatting the PSA and submitting the document to city staff for analysis. At the meeting, SDSU also presented its revised offer of $86.2 million for 135 acres of land at the SDCCU Stadium site. The parcel also includes Murphy Canyon Creek, land the university agreed to purchase from the city at the request of city officials. At the meeting, SDSU President Adela de la Torre and JMI Realty’s John Kratzer, a member of the university’s negotiating team, discussed the details of its updated offer. “We believe we are close to the finish line,” Kratzer said. De la Torre touted the project’s $3 billion in local economic value. SDSU Mission Valley will also bring 15,000 new students to SDSU and create thousands of new jobs for the region, she said. The university aims to present the finalized PSA, financing plan and EIR to The California State University Board of Trustees on Jan. 28, 2020. The university
also hopes the city council will deliberate on a finalized agreement in February, with a closing date the following month. The timeline for approval is in line with the university’s goal to open its new 35,000 seat multi-use stadium in time for the 2022 NCAA football season. The opening matchup against the University of Arizona Wildcats also marks SDSU’s 125th anniversary. But the city still raised a number of concerns with the university’s current plans for the site. San Diego’s Independent Budget Analyst’s office said five main concerns remain over SDSU’s vision, as laid out in the university’s draft Environmental Impact Report. The IBA office cited the purchase price, taxes and fees from private development, the city’s potential liability for the parcel after the sale and transfer has been finalized, the target closing date and the city’s responsibility for improvement projects resulting from development in Mission Valley. San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott said her office viewed the university’s revised offer as a significant step forward, but not the final step. She said her office had not received concrete details from SDSU and thus sought clarification on key points of contention regarding the sale and transfer of the land. She also said the university’s timeline for approving the sale and transfer of the site was aggressive. “It’s not fair to represent to the public that we can complete all of this in a twomonth frame,” Elliott said. She also said her office would work to meet the university’s deadline while stressing the need for flexibility.
Photo courtesy of SDSU
Rendering of The Hub, a portion of the planned Mission Valley campus expansion.
San Diego city council members also spoke about ongoing negotiations between the city and university. Council members Barbra Bry and Jennifer Campbell said they supported the university’s timetable as laid out in the requested council action. Both council members stressed the need to uphold the will of the voters and San Diego city taxpayers. Councilmember Scott Sherman raised concerns over the university’s draft EIR and traffic mitigation plan. A memo released earlier on Monday urged the university to address “traffic mitigation flaws” he identified from the document. The unanimous city council vote means city officials will update members regarding the PSA draft in mid-December.
The vote also specified an outside closing date of December 2020, despite opposition from university officials. The meeting also featured public comments from members of the SDSU community, including SDSU Athletic Director J.D. Wicker, current Associated Students President Christian Onwuka and former SDSU men’s basketball coach Steve Fisher. “This project could benefit the entire city and county of San Diego,” Fisher said. Public comment in favor of the SDSU Mission Valley expansion plan urged the council to support the university’s vision. Speakers raised the issue of the need for university expansion, SDSU athletics, student success, sustainability and economic and academic growth.
Green Love commission explores an energy-efficient future by Catlan Nguyen STAFF WRITER
The Associated Students Green Love Commission hosted “Building a More Sustainable Future” on Nov. 13 in the Aztec Student Union theatre. The event was a part of the Green Lunch Bag series that features monthly speakers who present on sustainability. The event educated students on how to make existing buildings more sustainable and energy-efficient, in addition to how buildings can get Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified. “When I see people work together, that’s when I have the most hope (for the Earth’s future),” A.S. Green Love Sustainability Commissioner Courtney Ransom said. “When they work hard, they make hope exist. Without passionate people, there wouldn’t be hope.” LEED certification is granted based on buildings or neighborhoods’ construction and design and how energy efficient they are, San Diego Green Building Council Community Coordinator Bridget Rickman said. Buildings have surpassed cars in carbon dioxide emissions and the LEED standards continually evolves to hold buildings to a higher and higher standard, Rickman said. The speakers for this series are chosen based on environmental topics pitched by students. Through incentives such as free pizza and extra credit for classes, Green Love, which has one of the biggest commissions in A.S., has increased attendance significantly through the semester. “It’s super cool to see students so into it,” Ransom said. “Today we’re learning about green buildings, and it’s really cool because
health since most people spend about 90% of their time indoors and are substantially affected by their environment, Rickman said. Some features include allowing more natural light in buildings to foster more motivation, she said. “When I thought about buildings before, I never thought about how they affected us environmentally,” international business in Latin America transfer student Lino Ponce said. “So much waste is coming out of buildings.”
Photo by Catlan Nguyen
Multiple speakers were featured at “Building a More Sustainable Future.”
this semester, all our A.S. buildings got LEED certified of gold or better. Students set that goal in 2009 when they first instituted all the green A.S. programs … It’s super cool to see that finally happen.” Ackerstein Sustainability President Dan Ackerstein spoke about making existing buildings more green and energy efficient. “We don’t have time to design our way out of this problem,” Ackerstein said. “We must adapt existing buildings.” SDSU buildings that meet LEED standards include the Aztec Student Union, the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, the Aztec Recreation Center, the Children’s Center, the Viejas Arena and the Aztec Aquaplex. Despite the increased emphasis on sustainable development around campus, Ackerstein said environmental work will be met with protests in whatever field students go into. “Every step of the way, people will resist environmental changes,” Askerstein said.
“It’s not glamorous work, but it is important work.” He also said not to forget their role in the move towards sustainability happening in many job fields. He urged them to continue modeling sustainable behavior, like using reusable water bottles, and to being advocates for the cause. Ackerstein said career opportunities in sustainability are increasing rapidly. Students who interned at sustainability companies also got jobs right after graduation, Ackerstein said. “There’s room in this field for all different skill sets you can offer,” he said. Many goals for sustainability include getting buildings to create net positive energy, Rickman said. Different rating systems also take into consideration how buildings can benefit people’s mental health and creativity. Architects and engineers are designing buildings to support better mental
During its regular meeting Mon. Dec. 2, 2019 the Associated Students Board of Directors will vote on some important
BYLAW AMENDMENTS. Copies of proposed changes are available to interested individuals upon request from the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union's Information Booth and the A.S. Office, located on the third floor of the student union. Comments regarding the proposed changes are welcomed in advance.
619-594-6555 as.sdsu.edu
Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com
News
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Student petition alleges horrid conditions in Aztec Corner by Brenden Tuccinardi ENGAGEMENT EDITOR
A petition outlining alleged maintenance deficiencies at Aztec Corner began circulating among residents last week and since has garnered over 800 signatures and widespread media attention. Termite infestations, plumbing problems and poor response times to maintenance requests are some of the grievances cited in the Change.org petition demanding action from San Diego State’s Housing Administration. “I am demanding that either the monthly rent is lowered or we are reimbursed for some of the rent we pay to live in these downright god awful conditions,” business administration sophomore and creator of the Change. org petition Joe Berniklau wrote. Birkenlau described a situation where the bar in his closet dislodged from the wall, forcing him and his roommate to move their clothes into the living room. He quickly submitted a service request but was left waiting. “We waited a week and a half for maintenance to come and fix it,” Beniklau said. Slow responses to maintenance requests is something that seems to afflict the entire complex. Sophomore Aztec Corner residents Hanna Bengard, Kalie Slivkoff and Deegan Roecker waited two days for maintenance workers to fix the power outlets in their kitchen when they stopped working. To keep their refrigerator running, they used extension cords to reach outlets located in their living room. Their air conditioning unit also leaks water, sometimes filling multiple buckets before maintenance responded to service requests. This is a recurring problem, finance sophomore Chase Julicher said.
Photo by Bella Ross
Residents have faced multiple issues in the apartment complex, Aztec Corner.
According to Julicher, several people have messaged and sent pictures in their floor GroupMe complaining about the leaks. “It’s very common for (maintenance) to give you a bucket to put under the A/C,” he said. “People on my floor have filled five to 10 gallons before maintenance got around to their room.” Many residents are frustrated that maintenance has not offered permanent solutions to the problems that keep coming back. “They fix it, but they don’t fix it,” Slivkoff said. “They cover up the issue.” Cynthia Cervantes, director of SDSU housing, said service requests are managed by housing but resolved by Aztec Corner maintenance staff. “We’re reviewing service requests as they come in,” Cervantes said. “(Aztec Corner) is seeing them, and we’re seeing them as well, so they keep us updated if
there are any long term concerns.” Cervantes said the standard response time for service requests is 24 hours. Repairs can take longer if parts need to be ordered or the work is split into different phases, but residents will always be notified, she said. This is the first year of SDSU’s master lease agreement with Aztec Corner. The university signed the agreement in February, which gives them the right to control the building for three years and control students’ leases on the property. The move was made in response to increased housing demand following the implementation of the Sophomore Success Program this fall. For an 11.5-month lease, Aztec Corner residents currently pay around $1,139 per person each month for a two-bedroom apartment housing up to four people. The same unit cost between $784 to $824 per person before SDSU
took over the leases at the apartment complex. Cervantes said the rent increase reflects a scheduled rate increase by Aztec Corner, as well as the cost of integrating the university’s residential education programs, which include paid community assistants, front desk attendants and funding for educational programs. Cervantes said the housing administration has already reached out to residents who signed and commented on the petition in an effort to address their concerns. “If students feel that their concern is not being addressed, whether it be timely or that it’s recurring, certainly to come speak with us,” Cervantes said. “We would certainly want to have that conversation. It’s always helpful for us when we have more information to better understand.”
Community Council proposes higher density redevelopment by Jeanette STAFF WRITER
Giovanniello
Local residents have ideas for major redevelopment within the College Area. Members of the College Area Community Council have developed a plan to increase density in neighborhoods surrounding San Diego State. Their vision is to create a typical college town, calling for more restaurants, housing and transportation options. The “College Area Community Plan Update Report” envisions coffee shops, bars and restaurants for students and the community at the intersection closest to campus, Montezuma Road and College Avenue. The report also calls for green areas, housing and commercial development at two additional intersections: El Cajon Boulevard. and College Avenue, and where El Cajon Boulevard and Montezuma Road meet. If the plan takes effect, council members expect for it to modernize the College Area, increase visitors, and build a connection between residents and the university. Committee member Christina Boyd said this relationship is a key element of the report. “It’s about developing an identity for this community,” Boyd said. “We have both students and residents at the same time, so how can we marry that to have a really unique community that’s together?” The report also highlights a lack of
Photo by Jeanette Giovanniello
The College Area Community Council discusses their latest report at a meeting on Nov. 13.
pedestrian amenities, a need for more transit facilities and a push for students to live in campus housing rather than residential homes. The committee has previously addressed their issues with the College Area’s “mini dorms,” or single-family houses that are rented out to students. Council chairman Jose Reynoso says that it’s easier to manage a housing complex over a house, which are susceptible to complaints regarding noise, garbage cans and parking.
“All these things are symptoms of the problem: an unmet demand for student housing immediately adjacent to campus,” Reynoso said. The report’s solution is to create more affordable apartment and condo options for students and convert mini dorms into senior housing. While the university has yet to weigh in on the community plan, some students have thoughts on the report’s push for more apartments and condos adjacent to campus.
Hospitality and tourism management junior Maria Crilly said upperclassmen seem to prefer to live in homes rather than apartments, especially in sight of SDSU’s Sophomore Success Initiative that keeps students in the dorms for their first two years. “We already got the feel of the dorms and apartments,” Crilly said. “Now we’re supposed to learn to live in a house and grow up a bit, under our own rules and not the school’s. It’s preparing us for real life.” Aside from university restrictions, Crilly also said she chose to live in a house because the rent is cheaper for her and her nine roommates. “The apartments around us hike up the prices a ton, and I wouldn’t even be able to afford to live on campus,” Crilly said. “A reason we live in a house is because its cheaper split between all of us.” The council voted to approve the draft and put it on their website for public review before sending it to the City of San Diego’s Planning Department, inviting the possibility for revisions. If their vision is approved by the city, the College Area would become a hub not just for the students, but the families surrounding it. “One of the key elements that we heard from just about every community group and every visioning session is that we need to bridge,” Reynoso said. “Bring the university out to the community, bring the community into the university. There’s a lot of concerts, games, events, so build it. Build a true community.”
Opinion Making new friends as an adult takes time 4
Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Catherine Van Weele • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
The Daily Aztec
by Anna Fiorino STAFF WRITER
Making new friends is a little trickier when you’re an adult. In my experience, it usually looks something like this. Stage One: A friend of a friend piques my interest. Overlapping friend groups are prime hunting grounds for new friends. We meet at my friend’s Halloween work party. Stage Two: Online friending. Have they requested to follow me back yet? Stage Three: “Let’s get drinks!” After obtaining Potential Friend’s number from Mutual Friend, I reach out with a carefully crafted text (one emoji, two emojis, no emojis?) suggesting the two of us grab drinks after work one night. I find I tend to do this sort of thing during times of heightened social stamina, and when the day finally arrives, I won’t really feel up to it anymore. Stage Four: Rescheduling
drinks. We maybe even reschedule two or three times. Someone will inevitably back out, and there’s a 90% chance it’s me, so we reschedule. But the act of rescheduling is a commitment in itself – we want to get to know each other. Eventually, we both make it. Stage Five: Getting drive-thru In-N-Out, then immediately pulling into the parking lot to watch Tana Mongeau’s latest storytime on YouTube. (Oh my god, how did we get here?) Sometimes, there’s no turning point or pivotal moment. It’ll be a random Thursday night when you realize: this is it. Of course, there are a multitude of small, defining, yet imperceptible moments that precede this, including shared experiences, private confessions and expressions of gratitude. Cultivating intimacy takes many forms. Sometimes, it is being vulnerable and accepting help. Other times, it is as simple as
indulging in guilty pleasures together. Friendship is not a binary concept; it doesn’t either exist or cease to exist. It’s a moving point on a spectrum – a special distinction that honors how we feel about a person and the way that person makes us feel about ourselves. Without mutual maintenance and upkeep, these relationships are unlikely to survive. There’s accommodating for work schedules, scheduling around exams and appointments and keeping the rain checks to a minimum. It’s an intentional and ongoing process. According to the New York Post, the average American hasn’t made a new friend in five years. As I get older, I realize the key to forging meaningful relationships is simple in theory, although somewhat difficult in practice. Be open-minded about who could be a friend. With age comes more developed
identities, and maybe we become a little more particular about the people we enjoy or the people who interest us. It’s not intuitive to pursue a relationship with someone we don’t immediately “click” with, but it can certainly be fulfilling. Friendship is less about shared interests and more about a shared commitment to get to know each other. And the first step is putting yourself ourselves out there – to risk feeling awkward and uncomfortable for the possibility of great reward. In the midst of what might have originated as a selfish pursuit of friendship, we learn how to appreciate a person, not for how they are in relation to us – things we have in common and perspectives we have that differ – but how we validate each other’s identity and sense of self. Anna Fiorino is a senior studying journalism. Follow her on Twitter @annafi0.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Bella Ross MANAGING EDITOR Dana Tsuri-Etzioni NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Little ASST. NEWS EDITOR Michael Cline OPINION EDITOR Catherine Van Weele MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Alejandra Luna ASST. MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Diane Lopez ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Ceighlee Fennel SPORTS EDITOR Aaron Tolentino ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Kyle Betz ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Brenden Tuccinardi PHOTO EDITOR Alexa Oslowski MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Amal Younis ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jack Molmud GRAPHIC DESIGNER Emily Burgess
Balancing work and school obligations is challenging by Karlene STAFF WRITER
Sanchez
To all the college students with debt, bills to pay, a family to support or a general lack of financial stability, I know the struggle. By the struggle, I mean the juggle between school and work. The late nights serve as cruel reminders that there are not enough hours in the day. The thoughts of “I just need to get by” and “I need sleep” constantly run through the minds of working students. A study conducted by Georgetown University’s Center on Education estimates 70% of college students work while attending school, and the number of working students is rising as college enrollment and tuition increases on the national level. If you are, or know of, a working student, you know the struggle from the moment one wakes up to the time they sleep (if one is even lucky enough to sleep) to repeat it again the next day. It’s crucial that while we are in college, we find a job that can understand and respect the fact
ethics lecturer Wendy Patrick said working while in school still enhances the abilities to meet deadlines, work under pressure and effectively structure time blocks. In addition, Patrick says working as a student helps to instill a sense of discipline, responsibility, structure and all elements that contribute to a successful life. I used to be driven by working because it filled my life with those elements. I enjoyed the act of always doing. This included responsibilities at work and school and having to plan my days in advance to make sure everything that needed to get completed, got done. Yet, some days felt like there was no time to even breathe, and my well-being took a toll because it became too much to handle at once. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict an overload of assignments given the differences in workflow each week. SIGNS THAT SUGGEST YOU ARE OVERWORKING YOURSELF As a college student, a full-time job should not be your priority. Working a nine-to-five and
“It’s crucial that while we are in college, we find a job that can understand and respect the fact that we are students.” that we are students. As students, we can not be overworked and sometimes we’ll need to step back from major work duties to maintain our focus on our education. But that does not mean working while in school is always a bad thing. THE BENEFITS TO BEING A WORKING STUDENT Behavioral expert and business
being in college is outrageous because employers give little flexibility. These positions normally come with more responsibilities and will leave less time to focus on school assignments. Procrastinating on assignments, struggling with completing school work or worsening grades due to a job are all red flags. If your well-being is at risk,
VOLUNTEER COPYEDITOR Noah Goldbloom
STAFF WRITERS Cristian Alvarez Payton Antil Roxana Becerril Anna Fiorino Jeanette Giovanniello Breven Honda Lucelis Martinez Catlan Nguyen Megan Oytas Karlene Sanchez Noe Sandoval Devin Whatley CONTRIBUTORS Gracie Elizabeth Sofia Longo ________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bryan Diamond ________________________________ GENERAL MANAGER/ADVISER Jay Harn GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST Luis Valenzuela ________________________________ EDITORIAL 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com
Photo by Karlene Sanchez
Students often struggle to balance work and school obligations.
you won’t be able to think or perform to the best of your ability, and if your grades are suffering, you need to align what’s most important for you now. If you find yourself struggling to juggle school and work, consider speaking to someone you are close to or seeking guidance from a counselor. You should not have to feel obliged to stay in a place you aren’t happy or passionate about. FINDING THE RIGHT JOB FOR YOU Student workers have the power to schedule out their days and responsibilities for the better, and they should take advantage of this. Surely things can be much different when you choose a job that aligns with your core values and gives you a balance between school and work. Luckily, the holiday hiring
hustle is approaching. Therefore, if you need work, consider looking for a seasonal job that will bring you a balance between school and work. This will allow you to increase your working hours during your time off from school. There are a vast amount of jobs hiring this holiday season for positions that many students most certainly are eligible for. There’s a job for almost anything out there, so consider a job that matches your personality, supports your ideas, is flexible and respects your time. Treat yourself to an environment that will not only pay you, but will bring you balance and peace while you are in college. Karlene Sanchez is a senior studying public relations. Follow her on Twitter @SanchezKarlene.
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Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Catherine Van Weele • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
Opinion
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Imposter syndrome can hold people back by Catherine OPINION EDITOR
Van Weele
It is not uncommon, especially among college students, to feel like they are unworthy or subpar – like they are an imposter. This type of mindset can be isolating, but the reality is there are many students experiencing this same exact feeling. It is known as the imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is when people doubt their intelligence and competency, and they fear they will be exposed as a fraud. People attribute their success to luck instead of their own capabilities and merits. First-year, first-generation, graduate and minority students are particularly prone to this given the new or heightened pressures placed on them to succeed. But anyone can feel this way at any point in time. Imposter syndrome can negatively impact a student’s academic performance, social life and overall well-being. Feelings of inadequacy may get in the way of a student reaching their full potential. The lack of confidence and self-assurance can hold a student back from pursuing opportunities presented to them and pursuing them to the best of their abilities. When a student believes they
are not smart enough to be in a class or at the university they are enrolled in, it can lead to indifference towards their studies. Students may begin to procrastinate on assignments and not put forth their best work. They believe it would not be satisfactory anyways, even if they did try their hardest. There is a mindset to achieve not failing, instead of achieving success. Even when someone with imposter syndrome recognizes their success, they often will attribute it to having outside support or the task being simple to complete. They will shy away from compliments because they do not accept them as true. People with imposter syndrome overlook any sort of positive feedback and usually fixate on the negative. They view bad grades or constructive criticism as something that defines them. And, that these are signs that indicate they aren’t good enough and don’t belong. Most students with imposter syndrome will downplay their self-doubt to others and won’t express how they are truly feeling. They fear opening up will lead to confirmation of their negative thoughts. This silence furthers feelings of isolation and loneliness. While it may seem like a good idea, seeking support from
fellow classmates of the same major can actually increase feelings of inadequacy. This is because it enables students to continue comparing themselves to others. It can make them feel like they are lagging behind their peers. Whereas, students who turned to friends and family felt an alleviation as they were able to better grasp a holistic image of themselves — rather than focusing on a certain area where they only saw flaws in themselves. It is likely they too are feeling or have felt the same way. Confiding in each other than help one realize their selfperception is misguided. To cope with imposter syndrome, there has to be a major switch in mindset. In times of change or transition, people are especially susceptible to imposter syndrome. If you notice you are having thoughts of self-doubt, think about why that may be. Identifying the cause of these thoughts can help you address them. Most people will experience imposter syndrome at some point in their life. Recognize that you are not alone in this mental struggle. Talking openly with others can create self-assurance and help remind you of your self-worth. When mistakes are made,
Graphic by Emily Burgess
they should be taken as learning opportunities that can be used to make ourselves better. The same goes for constructive feedback. They are not indicators of inadequacy. We must remember that everyone is on their own journey and their own timeline. Comparing ourselves to others and scrutinizing every little thing we do is not helping us get better — it only makes us feel worse. We all have flaws and we
all make mistakes. And that’s okay because it means we can only get better. Meeting goals and getting rewarded for our achievements should be celebrated. Don’t undermine yourself — chose to appreciate your talents and efforts. Catherine Van Weele is a sophomore studying political science. Follow her on Twitter @ catievanweele.
Students face voter suppression in conservative states by Peyton Antil STAFF WRITER
As the 2020 presidential election draws nearer and the primaries beginning next March, it has never been more important to get registered and ready to vote. Unfortunately, many college students in Republican stronghold states have found it more difficult to exercise this fundamental right due to voter suppression. Contrary to the popular belief that young people are disinterested in voting, there has been an unprecedented surge in voter turnout among college students across the country. According to a 2019 report conducted by Tufts University’s Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, 40.3% of the 10 million eligible college student voters turned out at the 2018 midterm elections, doubling their turnout rate from the 2014 midterms. This increase in student turnout has swiftly prompted Republican lawmakers to implement barriers to halt young, energized voters from exercising their civic duty. Among these barriers include closing polling places on or near college campuses and strict voter ID laws. In Texas, for example, you may present a gun permit at a polling place and be able to vote, but student IDs are invalid. This really makes you think about the
Graphic by Emily Burgess
demographic Texas lawmakers want to show up on election day. In Wisconsin, poll workers must check student IDs for signatures. However, similar to San Diego State’s Red IDs, most do not have signatures on them. They also only allow IDs that expire within two years, while
most college IDs expire in four. On top of all of those restrictions, Wisconsin students must still show proof of enrollment prior to voting. It is highly likely that voter turnout in Wisconsin in 2016 significantly decreased due to such extensive and unnecessary voting rules, in
a year when the national turnout increased, according to Tufts. In addition, Tennessee, the state with the lowest voter turnout, does not accept school IDs or out-of-state drivers licenses at polling places. Although there is the option to provide a government ID to vote, the ACLU reports that approximately one in 10 Americans does not have a government-issued photo ID. Since the landmark Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder (2013), that struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, there have been nearly 1,000 polling place closures in the United States. In Texas, a plethora of university polling places will be closing due to new legislation on early voting periods. In 2014, Florida’s Secretary of State attempted to ban early-voting sites on college campuses, but was rejected. In turn, 60,000 college voters casted on campus ballots during the 2018 midterm election. The law has since been reinstated. College campuses are very densely populated. They do not only deserve polling places of their own, but they should be required to have ballot boxes so every student has the opportunity to engage in the democratic process. Director of the Tufts institute, Nancy Thomas said, “Efforts to deprive any American of a convenient way to vote will have a chilling effect on voting, and
efforts to chill college students’ voting are despicable — and very frustrating.” Why are Republicans doing this? Because they are scared. College-aged students 18-24 strongly lean Democratic rather than Republican, according to a Spring 2019 poll by the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. The GOP knows that if they made it easy and convenient for young people to vote, they would all be voted out of office. Therefore, they use shameful, yet somehow legal, methods in an attempt to disenfranchise their opposition, all in the name of democracy and freedom. At SDSU, we fortunately have great resources for voting and voter registration. Rock the Vote is very present on campus through hosting voter registration drives, as well as by distributing information about upcoming elections. For the students across the country who do not have the same opportunities to exercise their civic duty as we do, it is very important to vote in the upcoming election. Make sure to register and make sure your friends and family register as well. The stakes are too high to let voter suppression get in the way of making a difference. Peyton Antil is a freshman studying journalism and political science.
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Arts & Culture
The Daily Aztec
Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com
Student artists excel on campus with Graphic design student prints artwork onto t-shirts
Ceramics:
continued from page 1 Wilson’s incorporation of real, raw features generally receives one of two responses from their viewers. Some spectators voice discomfort with Wilson’s work, calling it “too graphic” or “pornographic.” Others have expressed their appreciation for “Naked Ceramics,” as they too, share similar curves and folds as the figures created by Wilson. Despite varied critiques, Wilson says their hope is to desexualize the human body while simultaneously creating connections with their audience. “My art is a way of communicating myself, but more so, I want the viewer to connect with themselves, their bodies and the inner workings of their hearts and minds,” Wilson said. “I want people to see the ‘imperfections,’ like uneven breasts, moles, scars, body hair, fatness and so on, and I want them to appreciate that this is artwork.” Wilson’s artwork can be viewed on their Instagram page @nakedceramics.
Photo by Roxana Becerril
Liepert makes mugs, cups, vases, sculptures and more.
by Gracie Elizabeth CONTRIBUTOR
Photo by Roxana Becerril
Liepert makes pieces with true human bodies in mind.
Graphic design sophomore Ava Liepert is grateful for San Diego State for the artistic outlets it has provided her. Liepert said growing up watching shows like “Project Runway” and “America’s Next Top Model” sparked her interest in fashion design. After she took an introductory graphic design class in high school, she realized digital art allowed her to create her own graphics and fashion designs, but she wasn’t able to materialize them yet. “Graphic design allows me to express myself because I feel like I can show my own personal interests and likes or dislikes through my art,” Liepert said. “Especially on the edits I’ve made of myself where I get to tie in fashion and photography.” Once she came to SDSU, Liepert was able to delve more into her passion for linking digital art with fashion. She originally chose SDSU because of its reputable graphic design program. In college, Liepert has also had the chance to materialize her fashion designs. She joined the sorority Gamma Phi Beta during her freshman year, and a year later, she ran for the position of T-shirt chair. The position lets her print her designs onto shirts and utilize the skills she’s learned in her classes. “I was so excited to take this opportunity to make original designs for
Gamma Phi Beta,” Liepert said. “It’s not a requirement of the position to create your own work … but I really wanted to push myself and do them. It’s super rewarding to see the finished T-shirts in person.” Liepert hopes that the experience this position is giving her will help with her career aspirations. She hopes to find work either creating fashion catalogues, doing billboard branding or advertising for a fashion company. This year, she said her classes have developed her skills in typography, Adobe Indesign and Illustrator and have furthered her digital media knowledge. “Graphic design (in both digital and print) usually is comprised of a typographic element, so it is crucial for our design students to have a strong type understanding and skill base,” Beth Weeks, Liepert’s professor in Art 242, said. “Ava is doing well in the class. Her work has been creative and strong aesthetically.” YouTube is another creative outlet Liepert uses for her designs. She incorporates them into the thumbnails, the channel cover and the opening and closing title cards to make her college vlogs more unique. Her channel’s name is “Ava Hanna.”
Photography gives student an escape from reality by Kelly Kerrigan SENIOR STAFF WRITER
When marketing senior Steven Tyson seeks to find comfort in life, escape reality and find serenity in the natural world, he takes a look through his camera lens. Over the past four years at San Diego State, Tyson has shot dreamlike stills and videos of nature in its most unique form. “Photography was just something I did because it was comforting and helped me forget about things I thought I should be worrying about,” Tyson said. “It’s an escape into a world I understand and have the ability to remember for the rest of my life.” Tyson said since his freshman year of college, his art has become simpler, but he has added flares. Between balancing school and work, Tyson makes sure to utilize any free time he gets behind his camera in a valuable way. His photos feature natural beauties such as rainbows, flowers, mountains, the ocean
and sunsets. “Knowing that I can’t be going out to the mountains every day of the week anymore gave me the inspiration to try harder, wake up earlier and really plan out where and when I wanted to go shoot,” Tyson said. “It has been more of a challenge balancing my social life, school and work with just getting out of town and exploring. Having more obstacles in the way has allowed me to really focus on what I want to achieve and not just waste my time as much.” His psychedelic photographs are eccentric and pull viewers into the natural world he captures. Often bright, colorful and chromatic, Tysons photos look how a Tame Impala song sounds. He attributes a large amount of his inspiration to music and likes to recreate what a song would look like or how a song made his feel. His proudest project throughout college is a video he created to the song “Apocolypse Dreams” by Tame Impala.
Photo by Steven Tyson
Tyson takes photos that feature natural landscapes, like these poppies, and pulls his audience into his colored world.
“I try going out to places I think looks were frozen in time, somewhere that looks like it has looked like that practically forever,” Tyson said. “I try my hardest not to incorporate aspects of modern human life into my photography.” Now a senior in college, Tyson said if there is anything he’s learned it’s that it’s best to avoid popularity games. “It is best to stick to people who care about you and don’t waste your time trying to be like someone else or a group of people so you can fit in or gain popularity,” Tyson said. “Do what makes
y o u h a p p y, and whoever wants to come along, that’s awesome. Enjoy your youth, and d o n ’t get caught up in stuff that isn’t fun and enjoy the little things. Don’t stop what you’re doing if someone says something else is cooler, it probably isn’t.” Find more of Tyson’s photographs on Instagram @steventyson.
Photo by Steven Tyson
This landscape photo features a rainbow Tyson caught. He makes bright, saturated images that are frozen in time.
Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com
Arts & Culture
The Daily Aztec
7
art, theater, design and photography Graphic designer turns his album art into his career by Kelly Kerrigan SENIOR STAFF WRITER
For graphic design senior Chandler Brunelli, what started off as a hobby of recreating his favorite album art has now turned into a career. Brunelli has spent countless hours over the past four years learning everything he could about various design programs and using social media to reach out to artists. Throughout his college career, Brunelli’s art has evolved and he has taken on more creative projects. He said he is inspired by the world around him to create all forms of art, from album covers to drawings to posters. For him, his inspirations range from fashion, movies, food and, most importantly, music. “I came into SDSU with talent and ambition, but I lacked direction. The professors and curriculum, along with hours upon
hours of practice, have molded my talent into professional skills,” Brunelli said when discussing his time at state. “My early graphic design work was interesting, but it lacked sophistication and thought. The classes here have developed my eye for design and established a foundation upon which I can create within the boundaries of good design.” Brunelli has created album art for well-known artists like Diplo, Migos, Rich the Kid and more. He said when designing a new project he likes to create something with his hands and then pulls them into design programs where he has the ability to manipulate them as he pleases. Brunelli spent this summer working for Verizon Media where he designed busses and other materials for Young Hollywood. In January, Brunelli will be working on a project with the
art students of East Village High School in San Diego where he will be assisting the students in recreating cover art for their favorite artists. He hopes to teach young artists to create freely and make art without boundaries. “I’m super excited about this because this is exactly how I started my professional career so it feels very full circle,” Brunelli said. Brunelli focuses on precision and patience in his pieces, which makes his style distinct and unique. He pays attention to line accuracy when recreating real people and commands different computer programs. The graphic designer said the most important thing any artist can do is to stay true to themselves. “I would advise anyone pursuing art to be patient with your craft and don’t be quick to follow trends. Create what feels right to you,” Brunelli said “You shouldn’t copy other people’s
work - a smart artist takes their inspirations and uses them to craft original work. Also, you shouldn’t strictly rely on things like Pinterest and Tumblr for inspiration - look
outside in nature and around you for creativity in the real world.” See more of Chandler’s art on Instagram @lerdraws or at ChandlerBrunelli.com.
Graphic by Chandler Brunelli
Brunelli created this graphic for well known artists Rich the Kid, Young Thug and others.
Theater student juggles campus debut with Broadway audition Graphic by Emily Burgess
by
Sydney Faulkoner SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Musical theater freshman Mary Rose Vadeboncoeur is a veteran at dazzling the San Diego theatre scene. Even though Vadeboncoeur grew up singing in her church choir and dreamed of being a country singer, her life changed after discovering theater. “I caught the theatre bug when I performed in my first production
in 3rd grade,” Vadeboncoeur said. “It was an elementary school production of ‘Seussical Jr.’ and I was cast as Gertrude. From that point forward, if I was not involved in a show in some way, I frankly didn’t know what to do with myself.” She continued to perform in productions both at school and in productions at local youth and community theaters. Vadeboncoeur said there are many special people who have encouraged her to pursue theatre at a higher level. She now attends San Diego State for musical theatre and auditions for major roles. Her high school theatre teacher and musical director showed her a career in theatre was possible. “They convinced me to audition for ‘Les Mis,’ a musical I was not very fond of at the time,” she
said. “I am so thankful they did, because that musical changed my life.” Vadeboncoeur played the role of Eponine, which soon became one of her all time favorite roles. Because of her portrayal of the character, she was awarded first place at the Broadway San Diego Awards, a local award show for high school theatre students. Her performance in “Les Miserables” also brought her the incredible connection with West End Actor Dean Chisnall who played Jean Valjean in the London production of the play. “Chisnall has become the best mentor I could have ever asked for and has inspired me in more ways than I could ever explain,” Vadeboncoeur said. As co-winner of the Broadway San Diego Awards, Vadeboncouer
had the opportunity to travel to New York City to compete in the Jimmy Awards. “Getting to stay in New York with 85 other passionate performers, work with Broadway professionals and perform on a Broadway stage was nothing short of amazing,” Vadeboncouer said. “I can easily say that was the most inspirational, humbling and career affirming experience of my life.” Vadeboncoeur is making her SDSU debut in the mainstage musical “She Loves Me” in December. She said being cast in the mainstage musical during a student’s first semester is a big accomplishment. “At first I was intimidated to be in a show with all these incredibly talented and well trained upperclassmen and graduate
students, but everyone has been so loving and supportive that I feel right at home,” Vadeboncoeur said. Soon, Vadeboncoeur will have her first professional Broadway theatre audition for the national tour of “Dear Evan Hansen.” While she is unsure if she will be cast, or even receive a call back, Vadeboncoeur is confident being seen by actual casting directors is an incomparable experience that will benefit her greatly. Vadeboncoeur believes due to her experiences thus far, she can offer some valuable advice to those starting out or thinking of pursuing theatre. “The best advice I can give is to be kind to every person you meet, don’t take rejection too personally and to never stop learning,” Vadeboncoeur said.
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The Daily Aztec
Arts & Culture
Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com
‘Lying with Badgers’ stresses family
Photo by Sofia Longo
Badgers help the main character fufill his destiny and find peace. They also add comedy too.
by Roxana Becerril STAFF WRITER
Students tackled an emotional story of healing within one’s self, family and culture in the play “Lying with Badgers.” San Diego State’s school of Theatre, Television and Film opened the play in the Experimental Theatre on Friday, Nov. 1. The play is focused on the lives of Native Blackfeet tribe members. “Lying with Badgers” is written by Blackfeet playwright Jason Grasl and directed by Randy Reinholz.
Pups n’ pizza:
continued from page 1 Pups n’ Pizza had a good turnout with around 40 students filling the room. “I’m glad they’re using this type of environment and holding it in this room because a lot of people don’t know about it and a lot of people are coming out (here) now,” Hurst said. “Screen printing is cool. It’s like a dying process.” Events such as Pups n’ Pizza make more students want to become involved with AIGA and the work they do on campus. “I think it was a lot of fun and
“It is my first opportunity to work on a show by a Native American in my 22-year history at SDSU, and I’m excited to learn more about people in our country that are often left out of the narrative in popular culture,” Reinholz told Arts Alive. “Lying with Badgers” featured two wisecracking and sassy puppet badgers, operated by theater arts senior Kate Coughlin and theatre art senior Sarah Enos. Coughlin said the puppet badgers fulfill the role of spirit guides for the main character, Russell. “When they aren’t too busy
I think it’s a good way for art students or any other students to see what screen printing is all about,” graphic design sophomore Jada Lomibao said. “It goes towards a good cause. It’s for the puppies and we get to take home a shirt and tote bag. I definitely want to become more involved.” Students used the bandanas to decorate their dogs or bring them home to their pets. “It was a chill event,” music audio junior Barry Lomibao said. “I enjoyed printing … (on) bandanas for my dog.” To learn more about future AIGA events and studio tours visit their Instagram @ AIGASDSU.
Photo by Catlan Nguyen
Students work on bandanas with the screen printing machines, photographed on the left.
Photo by Catlan Nguyen
This is one of tbe steps in screen printing.
Photo by Catlan Nguyen
Dogs helped students destress at the event.
teasing him like the little gremlins they are, they are assisting The Creator in leading Russell to fulfill his destiny and find his inner peace,” Coughlin said. “We help provide background information, but we also function as comedic relief for the audience.” Couglin said the badgers have become caricatures of both her and Enos’ personalities, and they will definitely miss them after the show concludes. “I was set on wanting to do puppetry for this show,” Coughlin said. “It’s been an entirely new avenue of creative expression, and especially with this being a brand new show, we got to mold the characters from scratch. Being able to use my quirky, crazy energy and utilize it to help tell a critical story like this has been an immense honor.” “Lying with Badgers” features a well rounded group of characters to shape the story. Russell, played by theatre arts senior Robert Delpino, and Russell’s brother Asher, played by theatre arts junior Kaivan Ameen, are the sons of the Blackfeet Medicine Man who has recently passed away. Asher’s girlfriend, Maggie, is played by theatre performance junior Auva Abedini. Abedini, takes on the role of a
strong willed Blackfeet woman. In the play, she is studying to work with animals. Many times we see her stand up for what she believes in and uphold her sense of independence. “Family is so important to Maggie, and she’s looking forward to starting her own with Asher,” Abedini said. “It is important to her that they keep their culture alive and strong while also following her dreams. The very meaning of the title of the show, ‘Lying with Badgers,’ is that no matter how far you go or how much you change, where you came from and who you are will always lie within you and your identity.” In the play, the characters Asher and Maggie attempt to educate the public and protect their land from interference from big oil companies. They invite Tara, a movie star played by theatre arts junior Isabella Mangione, and Crystal, a monetary investor played by theatre performance senior Annie Klups, to their lodge to show them the current way of life of the Blackfeet people. The scenes from the play come alive on set. Klups said explained that her character is a typical “white savior” that is guilty of having erased Native culture for years.
“I think my character holds up a mirror to many people in the audience, and makes them examine how they may act towards indigenous cultures,” said Klups. “For years, indigenous people have been told what’s good for them. My character of Crystal represents this exact issue, and I think she teaches a very important lesson through her story in the show.” This production is a collaboration with the Los Angeles theatre company, Native Voices at the Autry. Director Reinholz is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and is the Director and Co-Founder of Native Voices. Native Voices is devoted to producing new Native American, Alaska Native and First Nations playwrights, and to championing Native theatre artists nationally. “Lying with Badgers” brings a great opportunity to students. Native Voices will be producing “Lying with Badgers” in March of 2020. Some students and faculty involved in SDSU’s production will be credited in the LA version, and some will get to travel with the show. “Lying with Badgers” will run through Nov. 10. Tickets are $20 general admission, and $17 for seniors, military and students.
Student uses a darker outlook when creating diverse artworks by Sofia Longo CONTRIBUTOR
Film fifth-year Nick Mora is an artist with many talents. Deeply invested in painting, drawing, and photography, Mora shows a darker take on life in his variety of artwork. Painting is one of Mora’s biggest passions, and he draws inspiration from his own personal life and friends. Mora likes to focus on himself in his paintings and his own life journey being a young person in California. “I make a lot of pretty personal pieces, they’re all about me transitioning out of San Diego and where I’m at in my life,” Mora said. He said his pieces describe the inner turmoil and angst in his life. Mora got his artistic start early in life, beginning to take art classes and drawing at about 2 years old. However, he stopped drawing for a while and it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that he learned to love art again. “It’s something that I kind of lost for awhile … I forgot that I loved to draw and paint and then recently in the past couple years, I picked up a pencil again, I picked up a brush again and I was like why did I ever stop? I love this,” Mora said.“I got back into art and declared an art minor.” One of Mora’s biggest inspirations is George Condo, an American contemporary visual artist who created the album work for Kanye West’s album,
“My Dark Beautiful Twisted Fantasy.” “He does a lot of really dark and twisted portraits … he’ll do things like half portrait and half animal faces,” Mora said. “It’s crazy.” Besides painting and drawing, Mora was initially drawn to SDSU by his passion for film. He started making skateboarding videos in high school and later moved into film photography, finding that the art he had been creating as a kid tied directly into his videos and photos. This interest in photography has prompted Mora to pursue camera work after college. Painting will always remain a personal passion for him, but he said it is not as feasible as a career. Through photos and videos, Mora is able to capture a moment that would otherwise be gone forever. He believes film photography is done in a way that an iPhone simply cannot contest. “There’s a beauty in the process that it takes to take a film photo, develop it and wait for it, and the outcome that you see in a week or two after you’ve taken it,” Mora said. “With that being said, with painting, it’s even more of a process. It takes even longer and seeing this image that you had in your head come to life in two weeks to a month later, all the work that you put into it pays off, and I think it’s a beautiful thing.” Follow Nick Mora on Instagram @micknora.
Photo by Sofia Longo
Mora puts himself into some of his pieces.
Photo by Sofia Longo
Mora stands in front of his photographic art.
Mundo Azteca
Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Alejandra Luna • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com
The Daily Aztec
9
Tributo a Selena en barbacoa LGBTQ+ por Lucelis ESCRITORA
Martínez
La organización oSTEM de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego brindó una bienvenida especial a sus miembros y sus asistentes. Esta gran barbacoa anual fue dedicada para las personas que se identifican como queer. OSTEM, por sus siglas en inglés, significa Organización Fuera de Ciencia, Tecnología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas. La noche estaba repleta de comida, sonrisas e interpretaciones musicales presentadas por diferentes drag queens. Lady Blanca fue una de las que se presentó con una participación independiente. Lady Blanca imitó a Selena Quintanilla, una de las figuras chicanas más famosas y reconocidas a nivel mundial. “Hay modelos a seguir femeninos como mi mamá y Lady Gaga, quienes me inspiran”, dijo Blanca. “Para mí, esta es una celebración del empoderamiento femenino”. Es por eso que Blanca decidió vestirse como Selena, ya que para ella ha sido una de las más grandes inspiraciones por ser latina y una estrella internacional. La barbacoa queer fue una oportunidad para que muchas personas se expresaran, ya que el tema de interseccionalidad una vez más tuvo precedencia entre los asistentes. La idea de que una persona puede ser muchas cosas
Foto por Lucelis Martínez
Presentadores drag queens se presentaron en el evento de oSTEM.
al mismo tiempo, fue una idea resaltada por Sydney O’Brien,estudiante de quinto año de ecología marina. “Nos gusta tener un día donde nos reunimos para comer y para hablar con algunas de las personas en nuestra comunidad, y así construir una comunidad”, comentó O’Brien. “Como estudiante de primer año, este evento fue uno de los primeros eventos al que asistí, aunque
yo vivía en el piso de orgullo LGBTQ, la gran barbacoa queer [Big Queer BBQ] fue uno de los únicos eventos, en donde no hay pre-requisitos”. O’brien dice que a estos eventos cualquiera puede asistir para divertirse y disfrutar. Además de proveer entretenimiento y diversión, el grupo oSTEM de SDSU, trata de promover la aceptación. Erin Mar es la tesorera de
oSTEM y estudiante de tercer año, en ingeniería mecánica con una especialidad en ciencias computacionales, recuerda como fue que formó parte de la organización. “Cuando yo empecé a solicitar a universidades,estaba pensando en venir a SDSU, fui a su página de internet y vi que oSTEM estaba ahí”, dijo Mar. “Me emocioné porque esa intersección entre tener interés
en oSTEM y ser queer es muy raro, pero muy pertinente en mi vida”. Cuando Mar se unió a la organización, encontró un grupo de personas que tenían experiencias muy similares a ella. “La idea detrás de oSTEM es que puedes ser queer y científico, puedes estar en contacto con tu identidad”, comentó Mar. “Este evento ayuda a exponer nuevos aspectos de la comunidad queer”. Además de presentadores independientes y oSTEM, también asistieron miembros del grupo QSU, (Unión de Estudiantes Queer). Amber St. James, fue una de las drag queens en la reunión. Cuando St. James no está presentando o preparándose para su próxima presentación , St.James es vicepresidente de QSU. “QSU es la organización queer de nuestro campus, pero nos enfocamos primordialmente en eventos sociales para promover el crecimiento de una comunidad para que la gente se sienta como que pueden ser quienes son”, aseguró St. James. “Tendremos otro evento el sábado 25 de enero en el Pasillo de Moctezuma, desde las 10 p.m. hasta las 2 a.m.”. Lady Blanca dio unas palabras de partida al finalizar el homenaje a Selena, la Reina del Tex-mex. “Ama quien eres”, dijo Blanca. “Esto es una manera de celebrar el amor que tengo para mí y para los que me rodean. Yo me amo”.
Introducción a la pupusa: Plato nacional de El Salvador
Cortesía de Ramona Pérez
Pupusas caseras con curtido y salsa de tomate hechas por la familia de Noé.
por Noé ESCRITOR
Sandoval
El 10 de noviembre marcó la 14.va celebración del Día Nacional de la Pupusa, un platillo salvadoreño típico que
se vende por todas partes del mundo, especialmente donde se encuentra un comunidad de inmigrantes salvadoreños.
La pupusa es una tortilla gruesa hecha a mano de base de masa de maíz o arroz que está rellena de uno o más ingredientes. Los rellenos típicos de una pupusa son queso, frijol y chicharrón; el chicharrón que se usa es más como carne de puerco molido y no como la piel del cerdo como en México. Otros rellenos incluyen el ayote y el loroco, un planta cuya flor se come y tiene una aroma muy fuerte. Algo que me he dado cuenta es que la pupusa puede ser vegetariana y sin gluten, ya que la mayoría de los rellenos son verduras. Además, las pupusas hechas de harina de arroz no contienen gluten. Estas se acompañan con una salsa de tomate cocido y el curtido que es repollo junto con zanahoria, chiles y orégano en vinagre. Algo no tradicional, pero también es delicioso comer pupusas con crema. La forma tradicional de comer una pupusa es con las manos y sin usar cubiertos, pero si es aceptable usarlos si la persona lo desea. La pupusa se puede comparar con la gordita mexicana o la arepa rellena venezolana, pero
los rellenos y la cocción son diferentes. La pupusa se rellena antes de cocinarla y usualmente no lleva ingredientes como lechuga ni carnes como pollo o res. Muchos dicen que la palabra, pupusa, viene de popotlax que significa grande o relleno en Náhuatl, lengua indígena de partes de Latinoamérica incluyendo a El Salvador. El origen de esta comida es desconocida pero sí se sabe que se comía en tiempos precolombinos antes de la colonización española. Desde el primero de abril de 2005, la Asamblea Legislativa de El Salvador decretó el segundo domingo de cada noviembre como “El Día Nacional de la Pupusa”. Ahora se celebra con fiesta y festivales en todas partes del mundo en ese día. Restaurantes donde venden pupusas o pupuserias se encuentran por todas partes de EEUU. Aquí en San Diego hay pocas pupuserias, pero todavía se puede encontrar este plato típico. Yo como hijo de padres salvadoreños crecí comiendo pupusas y otros platillos tradicionales de El Salvador.
Hasta creo que había comido pupusas antes de comer tacos mexicanos. La mayoría de mis reuniones y fiestas familiares siempre sirven pupusas. Para mi las pupusas caseras no se comparan con las de una pupuseria. Yo crecí en Los Ángeles, donde se encuentra una gran cantidad de pupuserias, pero las pupusas que yo más he comido son las de mi familia, hechas por mi mamá, mi abuela o mis tías. Afortunadamente, la mayoría de las pupuserias que se encuentran en el país son negocios pequeños manejados por inmigrantes salvadoreños y han mantenido la tradición de las pupusas. La única cosa que cambian aquí en las pupuserias de EEUU es tener otros tipos de rellenos como jalapeño, pescado y hasta pepperoni. Estos nuevos rellenos quizás son para atraer y presentar la pupusa a más gente. Yo me siento orgulloso de ver muchas pupuserias en todas partes de EEUU, porque muestra que inmigrantes salvadoreños han querido perseverar su cultura, y también compartirlas con los demás.
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Sports
The Daily Aztec
Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com
Aztecs top Fresno State to reclaim Old Oil Can by Aaron Tolentino SPORTS EDITOR
A sea of San Diego State football players rushed to the southwest corner of the field at SDCCU Stadium to hoist the Old Oil Can trophy after they clinched a 17-7 victory over Fresno State on Friday night. “Absolute chaos,” senior quarterback Ryan Agnew said of the postgame celebration. “I remember the last time they won it (in 2017), they ran to our sideline and grabbed it.” The Aztecs, who had to wait three years for that moment, might’ve felt a sense of revenge while putting their hands on the trophy. “It’s not the prettiest trophy,” Agnew added. “But it means a lot to us, and we’re excited to have it back.” It also wasn’t the prettiest game to watch as both teams combined to commit five turnovers. Aztecs head coach Rocky Long said Tuesday turnovers will decide the outcome of the game. Well, Long was right. The Aztecs (8-2, 5-2 Mountain West Conference) forced three turnovers, compared to Fresno State’s two and held on to first place of the West Division in the
MWC standings. Two of those three turnovers committed by the Bulldogs (46, 2-4 MWC) came from the hands of senior cornerback Luq Barcoo, who snatched two interceptions and jumped up to second in the nation with seven interceptions. Barcoo had his second multi-interception game this season (three interceptions at Colorado State on Oct. 5). “It is great knowing that I’m making plays to help the team win,” Barcoo said. “I look forward to getting more and helping the team win a championship.” Offensively, two Aztecs had career-highs: senior quarterback Ryan Agnew and redshirt freshman wide receiver Jesse Matthews. Agnew notched career highs in completions (33), attempts (47), yards (323) and added a touchdown pass. He is the first Aztec quarterback to throw for over 300 yards since Quinn Kaehler in 2014 against Air Force. The Aztecs had 32 pass attempts by halftime. Thirty-two pass attempts. This isn’t what Aztec fans are used to seeing, including former tailback Donnel Pumphrey Jr. who tweeted at halftime how times have changed within the SDSU offense. Aztecs fans also aren’t used to
Photo by Sam Mayo The Aztecs reclaim the Old Oil Can trophy for the first time since 2016. The team rushed to hoist the trophy after its 17-7 win over Fresno State on Nov. 15 at SDCCU Stadium.
seeing – except maybe in the last season or so – 37 carries for 102 yards (2.8 yards per carry). Those days of running backs such as Pumphrey and Rashaad Penny carrying the ball 30 to 40 times a game seem to be over. Offensive coordinator Jeff Horton said Friday morning on XTRA 1360 the play calling needs to be more aggressive. More aggressive apparently meant throwing the ball more. SDSU recorded 47 pass attempts, which was the most since 2013 against Eastern Illinois. “I think that we threw it more on normal down and distance,”
Long said. “Rather than waiting for third down, I think we threw it more on normal down and distance. I think that’s a little more aggressive. In this day and age of football, it’s really not, because a lot of people do that.” Passing the ball that many times may seem more aggressive, considering the run-heavy offense SDSU has utilized in the past few years. Still, SDSU’s offense scored enough points to win – thanks to a defense that only allowed seven points to a Fresno State team that has averaged 34.4 points per game this season.
“I don’t know if y’all realize (Fresno State) averaged 34 points a game and we gave them seven,” Long said before bolting out of the news conference. “Thanks.” With the win, SDSU controls its destiny to reach the Mountain West championship game. At 5-2 and first place in the West Division, the Aztecs can clinch the division with a win over Hawaii next Saturday. Aaron Tolentino is a senior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @atolent2.
Aztecs rebound their way to victory over Fullerton
Photo by Kareem Jones
Sophomore forward Mallory Adams drives left during the Aztecs’ 55-45 win over the Titans on Nov. 17 at Viejas Arena.
by Breven Honda STAFF WRITER
San Diego State women’s basketball pulled down 51 rebounds and defeated Cal State Fullerton, 55-45 on Sunday, Nov. 17 at Viejas Arena. SDSU outrebounded the Titans 51-41. “The emphasis today was rebounding,” sophomore
forward Mallory Adams said, who recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds. It was Adams’ first doubledouble of the season. SDSU is coming a home loss to Alabama A&M, which also included losing the rebound advantage, 46-37. Adams said their mentality was to bounce back after the loss. “Alabama A&M outdid us on
the rebounding, so we wanted to come in and make sure we can control it,” Adams said. “Finding a body every time is something we can do and we really tried to fix it today.” Aztecs head coach Stacie Terry said Adams’ being unafraid is key for her to get over 10 rebounds. “She’s always going to rebound,” Terry said. “Doubledoubles are not new to Mallory
and she is going to continue to get those. She works so hard to get in there she’s not afraid to sacrifice her body.” Terry also said the team focused on rebounding and defense after the loss to Alabama A&M. “(Rebounding) has been the focus on the defensive end, so we went back to the drawing board and made sure that we were going to defend this game,” Terry said. “I am really proud of their effort.” SDSU is coming home to a loss to Alabama A&M, which also included losing the rebound advantage, 46-37. In addition to Adams’ 12 rebounds, senior forward Baylee Vanderdoes and sophomore guard Sophia Ramos each had seven rebounds. Offensively, the Scarlet and Black (3-2) were paced by senior Taylor Kalmer, who scored a team-high 15 points and shot three-for-four from 3-point range. Terry said Kalmer, who have scored in double figures all five games for SDSU, has not reached the top of her game in an Aztec uniform yet. “I don’t even think (Kalmer) has reached her potential,” Terry said. “She is really affecting the game defensively. She’s been the difference maker in our defense, being able to defend guards at a high level.” Kalmer knew the Titans (32) had some good players on offense, so the Aztec defense
had to be in full force. “We were trying to focus on containing the ball and (Fullerton) plays fast,” Kalmer said. “They have have some good guards, and we tried to focus on the rebounds a little bit more.” In addition to the defense, Kalmer and Adams combined for five-for-seven from 3-point range. Kalmer’s second 3-pointer came with four minutes left in the second quarter when sophomore guard Sophia Ramos found her in the corner in transition to give SDSU a 23-17 lead. The Oregon State transfer said the 3-pointers come from teammates such as Ramos, who finished with a team-high five assists “That was huge for us,” Kalmer said of the 3-pointers. “ All credit (goes) to our players for creating and getting the open looks.” SDSU finishes the five-game homestand against California at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 21 at Viejas Arena. Adams said the team cannot wait to face a Power Five conference team in the Golden Bears. “We’ve been waiting for this one for awhile,” Adams said. “I think we’re motivated. We’re ready to play and really excited.” Breven Honda is a junior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @BrevenHonda.
Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com
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Aztecs honor seniors, lose to UCLA in final home game by Cristian STAFF WRITER
Alvarez
In college soccer, it’s a rare occurrence when the starting 11 consists of all seniors, but that’s exactly what San Diego State men’s soccer had against UCLA. It was just the second time in head coach Lev Kirshner’s 20 seasons that he’s had enough seniority on the team to fill in every position for a match. Kirshner said it was only fitting to grant his seniors one last start to play together. “So proud of my seniors tonight,” Kirshner said. “The effort was phenomenal and the energy was outstanding. That starting 11 came out playing with everything they had and it was special.” The Aztecs (4-12-2, 1-9 Pac12) were battling it out until the 88th minute when UCLA midfielder Cody Sundquist scored off a cross inside the box, stealing a road win for the Bruins (6-9-3, 2-6-2 Pac-12) on Nov. 16 at the SDSU Sports Deck. The Scarlet and Black had previously beaten the Bruins in back-to-back season finales. Despite the loss for the Aztecs, Kirshner said honoring the seniors is what mattered most. “There’s been a lot of history
Photo by Luis Lopez
Freshman midfielder Blake Bowen pushes the ball up the field during the Aztecs’ 1-0 loss to UCLA on Nov. 16 at the SDSU Sports Deck.
between us,” Kirshner said. “We’ve cried together, we’ve smiled together and pulled off some of the biggest victories in program history. I had a lot of tears knowing this was the final game with them.” It’s a unique thing in collegiate sports when coaches have the opportunity to develop players. While smirking a grin and holding back tears, Kirshner said having the privilege to coach young players is something he wouldn’t give up for the world. “I get to watch these kids
come in with runny noses and come out with hair on their upper lip. They enter college thinking they’re adults and learn to walk out of here as men,” Kirshner said. “I prepare them to face this world and handle anything because they had to play for me the past four years, and that’s not easy.” Kirshner wears a band on his wrist that reads “one team, one family,” symbolizing the culture instilled in the program. It serves as an homage to the iconic “Aztec for Life” saying at SDSU.
Players recognize their bonds go beyond their Aztec playing days. “I’m here for them for the rest of their lives,” Kirshner said.“This was a hard loss, but at the end of the day, watching players hug each other is what matters. They’ll forget about how this game ended, but they’ll never forget each other.” Senior goalkeeper Max Watkin, who recorded four saves in the match including a penalty stop in the 30th minute, said it was an honor playing alongside his senior
teammates. “I’m grateful getting to play with such an amazing group of guys,” Watkin said. “(Kirshner) says that all games matter but some games matter more. This game was about putting on a performance to make ourselves proud.” During his five years in the program, Watkin said he took away many valuable lessons – especially from losses. “The negatives teach you the most,” Watkin said. “When things don’t go the way you don’t want them to is when you learn. You’ll carry those things for the rest of your life.” Senior midfielder Adam Vargas said it was hard to describe what it meant to go out on the pitch one last time. “It’s just a feeling you can’t put into words of having all the seniors together,” Vargas said. With the season coming to a close, Vargas added he appreciated the support from the San Diego community. “We’d like to thank everyone for coming out to every game,” Vargas said. “It’s nice knowing you have people who are rooting for you. A couple years from now, I’ll look back and realize how special this was.” Cristian Alvarez is a senior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @AlvarezTheViper.
Aztecs take down Air Force in four sets on Senior Night by Megan Oytas STAFF WRITER
San Diego State volleyball won in four sets (25-18, 23-25, 2523, 25-22) against Air Force on Nov. 14 at Peterson Gym. The game was packed with emotion, as it was the last home game of the season and senior night. Senior middle blocker Tamia Reeves said the feeling was sentimental as she played her last game on her home court. “(The feeling) was a little bittersweet,” Reeves said. “It was one of our bigger games for the rest of the conference at home, so to finish really well is really nostalgic.” Despite the sentiment in the game, the players did their best not to let their focus slip. Senior outside hitter Hannah Turnlund said the team’s focus came from trying to get one last win at home. “I told the girls that it’s the last time I’m going to play here,” Turnlund said. “I want to have fun and get the win.” On top of the high emotion in the final home game of the season, every set was a battle. Turnlund led the team with 13 kills, as sophomore middle blocker Andrea Walker and junior middle blocker Erin Gillcrist tied for second with ten kills each. Although these numbers are substantial, head coach Deitre Collins-Parker said the team has the potential to do better.
“Percentage-wise, this was one of our lower hitting games,” Collins-Parker said. “I think we made more errors than we have in a while, but offensively we have the power. We had a few missteps today.” The teamwork of the players in the backline helped the offense with a total of 52 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Victoria O’Sullivan said it was satisfying to be able to get points from the work by the backline. “Putting the ball down from everybody whoever got us up for that play —(junior libero) Loren Teter, (junior defensive specialist) Lauren Lee or (junior defensive specialist) Sam (McGrath)—whoever dug the ball, just putting it down for them really feels great,” O’Sullivan said. Throughout the game, there were several lengthy rallies between the teams. Reeves said the team was prepared for those. “Those (rallies) are rough ones, running all over the place trying to catch a breath,” Reeves said. “But that’s what we work for in practice. We work on long rallies, we learn how to catch our breath and get back up quick, so I think we’ve done a really good job on mastering that part.” Another bright spot for the team was freshman outside hitter Nya Blair’s home debut. She got the final kill in the fourth set to win the game. Collins-Parker said it was
good for the future of the team with new players like Blair stepping up. “(Blair’s) a freshman who only played four matches this year and she had the confidence to go in and play really well,” Collins-Parker said. “She plays like she does in practice everyday, and she lights up the starting team.” Sophomore setter Camryn Machado also stood out, earning a double-double with 47 assists and ten digs. Turnlund said Machado has greatly improved since joining the program. “(Machado’s) always been great,” Turnlund said. “She came in being awesome, came from a good school, and she’s such a hard worker. She’s only gotten better with time.” The Aztecs (14-13, 7-9 MWC) still have two games left in the season on the road against Utah State and Boise State. Collins-Parker said the team will still fight until the end of the season. “We’ve got to battle right now,” Collins-Parker said. “Our goal is to continue to play and set a new standard that we want to be at. We have a three-day weekend so we have a chance to regroup, and come back and battle for the next two (games).” Megan Oytas is a freshman studying journalism and political science. Follow her on Twitter @megoytas.
Photo by Sam Mayo
Senior outside hitter Hannah Turnlund spikes the ball during the Aztecs’ 3-1 win over Air Force on Nov. 14 at Peterson Gym.
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Nov. 20 - 24, 2019 Editor: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com
Must-see artworks on campus Students may not always pay attention to the art on campus, but they should
Photo by Devin Whatley
Photo by Devin Whatley
“San DIego Industry” is split into two parts, this being one, in the Love Library. It depicts the tuna industry which was a staple in San Diego in the 30s. The second part is next to it.
These hanging disks are suspended in the Love Library.
by Devin Whatley STAFF WRITER
San Diego State’s campus is home to many different types of arts. They are seen by students everyday, but can often go unnoticed. Here are some notable artworks on campus. 100 YEARS, 100 STONES The black rock display in the center of Campanile Mall near Big City Bagels is not a place to sit, it is actually a piece of art.. “100 years, 100 stones” was created by Eve Laramee to commemorate the 100th anniversary of SDSU in 1997, according to University History Curator and anthropology professor Seth Mallios. The installation was built with 100 stones from 100 different sites, all of them within a 100 mile radius of campus. One intriguing thing about this art piece is how it reacts to sound when a subject stands inside of it. “When you stand in the center, the sound reflects back to you, regardless of whether or not you are facing rocks or not,” Mallios said. “It just goes to show how perfectly designed the sculpture is. It forms the perfect echo.” PICASSO’S EYES On the outer walls of the Art North building lies a mural featuring a mosaic of colors, shapes and two large, distinct eyes. The mural used to be “Ojos de Picasso,” or “Picasso’s Eyes,” but it has been painted over by students over the years. The original mural was made by Mario Torero in 2016 with the help of 10 SDSU students, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune article. Torero intended for the mural to be temporary. The eyes remain under countless layers of paint. According to the article, Torero said the eyes serve as a symbol of diversity, free speech and revolution. For interior architecture sophomore Sophia Ramirez, the mural reminded her about being creative in her artwork and designs. “I’ve been seeing it since my first semester here and it’s always reminded me to not take art too seriously,” Ramirez said. “It’s more expressive and you really have to look at it to see what it is instead of knowing right away.” LOVE LIBRARY MURALS Within the Malcolm A. Love Library, there are two notable murals with significant ties to the university’s history. The first one, titled “NRA Packages,” was made in the 1930s by a student named Jenevieve Burgeson-Brado. It displays colorful scenes of a woman and child watching workers unload packages into a store. The packages are titled “NRA” because of the National
Recovery Act, a New Deal program which provided relief for people from The Great Depression of the 1930s. The second one is titled “San Diego Industry.” It was made in the 1930s by a student named George Sorenson, who eventually became chair of the art department at SDSU. In a fresco-inspired design, the mural displays a variety of characters in different phases of the tuna industry process, which was a staple industry in San Diego when the painting was done. The composition stands over 30 feet high in the air. Both murals were originally located in Hardy Tower, which was home to the art department in the 1930s, but were thought to be destroyed. Mallios found both murals in 2004 in the building’s basement, hidden and partially destroyed because of a lowered ceiling. Both murals display the impact of the Works Progress Administration in the city of San Diego and here on campus. Both murals have now been restored and sit in the main floor of Love Library, just to the left of the dome. HANGING DISK Also found in Love library is an unorthodox sculpture hanging around the staircases. This sculpture is called “Hanging Disk,” and was created by a student named George Baker in 1970 for an art contest. Featuring large grey disks suspended within the air, the sculpture is quite heavy and elaborate in its display. “In its entirety, the sculpture weighs about three tons,” Mallios pointed out. “It originally had lights and could rotate, but now it does not. I still see it move from time to time though.” ALICE IN WONDERLAND Lastly, painted on a wall above the staircase in Hardy Tower is a mural titled “Alice in Wonderland.” Mallios said it was made in the 1940s by Albert J. Lewis, who was an art student at SDSU. The mural is small, yet it features a vivid composition of many different characters from the book “Alice in Wonderland.” It is colorful, bright, bold and crowded, featuring a dragon, the white rabbit and playing card soldiers. One interesting note about the piece is it was painted over and thought to be lost forever. Mallios said he went to find it in Hardy Tower in 2013, and he was able to find the mural in the exact same location, just painted over. His team was able to restore it, and it now sits in Hardy Tower in all of its former glory. Every art piece mentioned share one thing in common: they often go unnoticed by students. Criminal Justice sophomore Ashley Sevilla said she believes it is important for students to notice the art on campus
Photo by Devin Whatley
Picasso’s Eyes is a piece on the outer walls of the Art North building. Students continue to add to it over the years.
because it tells so many stories. “Showcasing art is important because it can shine light on important issues occurring in today’s society,” Sevilla said. “Each piece of art tells a story about the creator and their perspective of the world. Sometimes an art piece’s message can teach us important lessons too.” Mallios encourages students to go and
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see these artworks around campus to learn about their stories and importance to SDSU. “All of these artworks tell stories, but there are no labels on it,” Mallios said. “So many of them tie to the history of SDSU. All of them were done by SDSU students.”