12-12-2018

Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018 - Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 Weekly Print Edition Wednesday, March 14 - Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Weekly Print Edition

Vol. 105, Issue 18 www.thedailyaztec.com

Inside: Trespassing in dorms

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

Fall 2018: The semester in review

Photos by Abraham Jewett and David Santillan

(Left to right) Students dance at a Sept. 15 tailgate; SDSU’s newest president, Adela de la Torre, poses for a picture in August; Senior middle blocker Deja Harris celebrates a point at a Sept. 15 game.

by David Santillan, Abraham Jewett and Bella Ross

Here are some of the highlights from this semester.

SDSU’s New President History was made this year at San Diego State with the inauguration of the university’s first female, Latina president, Adela de la Torre. De la Torre arrived at SDSU in the midst of big changes at the university.

When the new president took office, outgoing interim president Sally Roush had just announced her decision to keep the Aztec mascot after years of controversy — though it would be referred

to as a “spirit leader.” The SDSU West campaign, run by outside group Friends of SDSU, was also ongoing at the time.

Robberies The beginning of the 2018 fall semester was marked by a string of robberies involving students within a three month span in the area surrounding SDSU. The first report happened Aug. 24, when multiple men reportedly confronted a group of three SDSU students and forcibly stole their cell phones and a set of keys near Mary Lane Drive, with similar cases having been reported throughout September.

The last two significant robberies reported happened within hours

of one another on Oct. 28.

Around 2 a.m. that morning, a group of people reported their cell phones were stolen by five or six men on Prosperity Lane near Faber Way. Two hours later, around 4:15 a.m., police were flagged down by someone who reported they had been robbed at gunpoint on Rockford Drive near Pontiac Street just south of campus. It wasn’t clear if the crimes were connected.

Meningitis Outbreak On Sept. 28, San Diego County health officials declared an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis at SDSU after there were two confirmed cases of students living on campus

Border Angels event tackles big issues surrounding migrant caravan

by Bella Ross NEWS EDITOR

When walking through a migrant shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, Border Angels Outreach Coordinator Leticia Guzman said those she spoke with would often approach her with a pile of papers.

“Do you think I have a chance at getting asylum?” The migrants would ask.

Guzman, who spoke at a Dec. 10 lecture at San Diego State with the border outreach organization Border Angels, said the question cannot be answered simply, as even those with strong legal claims for asylum are bound to face a tough battle once they line up at the border.

When it comes to the situation surrounding the caravan of Central American migrants, Guzman and Border Angels Tijuana Director Hugo Castro said nothing about the reality of the situation can be understood

clearly through the lens of the American media, which they claim perpetuates the image of migrants with weak claims for asylum. According to Guzman, the issue is more deeply rooted in their lack of understanding

of the American immigration system.

“A lot of them don’t know the rules of the game,” Guzman SEE BORDER ANGELS, PAGE 3

Photo by Bella Ross

Thousands of Central American migrants have arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, in recent weeks as part of the migrant caravan.

who had contracted the illness.

County officials also confirmed a student had contracted the illness while living off-campus over the summer. Following the announcement, the university organized with Walgreens pharmacy, Kaiser Permanente and the San Diego County Public Health Services to host a vaccination event, which students aged 24 and under were heavily encouraged to attend.

Party Ban Ends On Oct. 4, the Interfraternity Council lifted their social moratorium, or party ban, on member fraternities, which had been ongoing since March.

In the same meeting, the IFC

voted unanimously to impose a hard alcohol ban aimed at making it more difficult for people to experience alcoholrelated incidents in the Greek community. The moratorium, which was imposed in March 2018, was put in place after the IFC realized six out of 15 campus fraternities had been placed on either a suspension or probation.

In order for the moratorium to be lifted, fraternity chapters had to have a certain percentage of their memberships attend numerous events on topics like toxic masculinity, hazing, substance SEE SEMESTER RECAP, PAGE 3

‘Thirdhand smoke’ can be embedded in furniture, fabrics, SDSU research says

by Aretha Matsushima STAFF WRITER

A new San Diego State study shows tobacco smoke can embed traces of toxins into furniture and fabrics.

SDSU Department of Psychology Chairman Georg E. Matt led the study that investigated concentrations of residual nicotine in the air and in traces left on pillows. The results found, when new pillows are exposed to a home of former smokers, thirdhand smoke was present well into the interior of the pillow.

Matt said thirdhand smoke, defined as nicotine and other chemicals left on indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke, contains many of the same carcinogens and other toxicants found in secondhand smoke and mainstream smoke inhaled by the smoker, but is present at lower concentrations.

“There’s a common perception that when smoke disappears it’s gone, it’s out of sight, out of mind, but the important message is that smoking, especially smoking in indoor environments, leaves behind a reservoir of these toxic compounds,” Matt said.

Matt said it is important when moving into a new home or buying a used car to consider if people may have smoked in the environment. The period of time spent smoking or the amount smoked determines the extent thirdhand smoke may be present within a household or car.

“In a home of a smoker where people have smoked for months or years regularly, these toxicants become embedded inside the wall, wood furniture, deep into the upholstery, pillowcase or pillow filling,” Matt said.

Project Coordinator Lydia Greiner said thirdhand smoke SEE TOBACCO SMOKE, PAGE 2

2

News

The Daily Aztec

Dec. 12, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Bella Ross • news@thedailyaztec.com

RAs find themselves doubling as dorm security in recent trespassing incidents

by Kaitlyn Little STAFF WRITER

A man followed a group of girls into Zura Residence Halls earlier this month, marking the third trespassing incident into freshman housing at San Diego State this semester.

Around 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 1, after being asked for an ID by the front desk, the man begrudgingly left the building from one of the back exits that leads to a plaza inside the residence hall gates. He then continued to yell at staff from the plaza as the desk assistants called the university police.

Despite seeing the discourse between the man and the front desk, a group of residents let the man back into the building. The trespasser had been under watch earlier by university police for suspicious activity. Once the desk assistants called SDSUPD, the police were at the residence hall within two minutes. The trespasser was than taken to county jail for a parole violation.

This wouldn’t mark the first time an incident like this has occurred in campus residence halls. Earlier cases of unauthorized entries in the Tenochca and South Campus Plaza North residence halls led to the implementation of increased security measures in the buildings.

Director of Residential Education Kara Bauer said, despite the new measures in

File photo

Zura was the most recent residence hall on campus to experience an incident of trespassing.

place, there is still the potential that a single student could upset the chain of security in place.

“Safety and security is a shared commitment between our team, our staff and the students,” Bauer said.

In the case of a security breach, university rules limit residence hall desk assistants from engaging with trespassers beyond asking for an ID. Bauer said resident advisors, or RAs, are prepared through training on a variety of topics emphasizing safety and security along with closed doors simulations.

However, housing does put the worker as a priority even if they are considered the security in the freshmen housing.

“They will always be polite and try to confront but we also don’t want to them to put themselves in any kind of dangerous situation,” Bauer said.

“So, again, if that’s not working from a customer service stance, just call the police, or if you feel in any way this will not go well if you confronted the situation.”

Social work senior Chelsea Guevara, who worked as a desk assistant the night the trespassing

took place, said she feels limited in her ability to serve as an adequate force of security in the residence halls, despite the training she underwent. “(Training is) more just a general ‘Hey, if you see something, say something’ type of thing,” Guevara said. “But, there’s not really much we can do as DAs and security monitors in terms of actually keeping the building safe. We can check IDs, we call the RAs on duty, but we can’t really stop people from coming into the building if they want to, which is unfortunate.

Research reveals similar eating disorder rates in young boys, girls

Tobacco Smoke:

by Olivia Li STAFF WRITER

can easily make its way into the neighboring homes of nonsmokers.

“There a lot of external and internal pathways for smoke to travel in a apartment, like through and around the pipes and air vents,” Greiner said.

“You can be exposed to the smoke and e-cigarette vapors of your neighbors.”

Matt said, if exposed to smoke occasionally, a healthy individual may not be highly affected by thirdhand smoke traces, but children and others with existing health problems should be cautious.

“It may not be a big risk for healthy adults if it is incidental or occasional but small children are particularly sensitive to exposure due to (their) behaviors, not (having) fully developed immune systems and (their) ingestion habits,” Matt said. “Known toxicants and carcinogens can also aggravate conditions such as Asthma and a weakened immune system.”

Even after a long period of time, the thirdhand smoke may still be taken in through the skin, breathed in or consumed through house dust, according

San Diego State researchers recently discovered new information about eating disorders after being some of the first in the field to analyze them in children ages 9 and 10.

The team studied 4,500 boys and girls from a national database, reaching the conclusion that 1.4 percent of the group was diagnosed with an eating disorder. The rates in which the eating disorders developed were the same across genders, contradicting the popular belief that women and girls suffer from eating disorders more than men and boys at all stages of life.

The team of five, led by Katie Rozzell, a master’s student in SDSU’s Department of Psychology, began their study in June.

“There were no gender differences at all in any eating disorder that we assessed,” Rozzell said. “(There were) no significant differences at this age among boys and girls and how common any eating disorder is.”

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, at least 30 million people in the U.S. suffer from an eating disorder. The findings made

by SDSU’s research team mark one of the first studies on eating disorders among young children because, typically, studies on eating disorders are based off children in their pubescent years.

In addition, based on the researchers’ sample population, they were also able to conclude the pervasiveness of anorexia nervosa was 0.1 percent, bingeeating was 0.6 percent and any other eating disorder was 0.7 percent. Cases of bulimia were not found in the population studied.

The team was able to conclude the gender differences for eating disorders occur at a later stage than the age group that they studied.

“Typically, the onset for eating disorders are between 14 to 15, or around adolescence,” Da Yeoun Moon, a researcher and co-author of the study, said.

As children get older, eating disorders tend to become

more common in girls, a trend that is commonly attributed to the media’s portrayal of appearances.

“The media has always played a role in appearance ideals, especially for women,” Rozzell said. “There has been more recent research out on social media and how that can possibly be a negative impact as well.”

The team’s findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics’ article, “Prevalence of Eating Disorders Among U.S. Children Aged 9 to 10 years: Data From the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.”

For one SDSU student, her personal struggle with an eating disorder follows the team’s conclusion that eating disorders tend to develop at later stages of a child’s life.

“My eating disorder did not manifest until high school and college,” said an SDSU student who spoke on condition of anonymity. “I think you already get a sense for things at a younger age, where I did think I was chubbier than the other kids. You start noticing things at a younger age and then it manifests as you get older.”

continued from page 1

But what’s nice is that (university police) is always doing rounds.”

Management junior Stephanie Schaffer, another desk assistant who worked during the trespassing, said she generally feels safe while working and that past improvements in security have increased her comfort in the buildings. Her main suggestion for increasing residence hall security would be enabling the front desk with a button for locking the entry doors.

Regarding the number of trespassings this semester, university police spokesperson Raquel Herriott said the issue is an inevitable symptom of living on an ever-growing campus.

“I think it’s one of those things that the more facilities we have on campus, the more likely that there could be a possible person not affiliated with SDSU wanting to get in and gain access and sometimes they’re not really sure what the buildings are,” Herriott said.

Overall, the Housing Department is trying to work alongside the students to promote a safe community.

Bauer said, in the previous housing incidents, students made the staff aware of their circumstances and the trespasses were quickly handled.

“Right now in our world, I don’t know if there is a safe place anywhere and so we are doing the absolute best that we believe we can do to help keep our students safe,” Bauer said.

to a press release.

Greiner said students living in apartments especially can be unaware of the presence of third hand smoke in their multi-unit complexes.

“As a student, you try to find lower-cost housing if you’re on a budget and more likely to be forced to rent an apartment in a complex that was (smokepermitting),” Greiner said.

“But, even in non-smoking complexes, we know that people still smoke.”

Matt said, if environments were exposed to large amounts of smoking, it may require the replacement of furniture, drywall, or carpets to be rid of residual nicotine.

Otherwise, if the smoking has just recently taken place or was rare, it may be removed much easier.

“If someone has just recently smoked or is a rare occurrence, chances are that the residue just sits on the surface of a wall or a table and this could be washed off or wiped off,” Matt said.

Greiner said regulations have made a big impact in reducing the amount of people that smoke and should further be developed to provide smokefree homes or environments.

“Ultimately, the goal would be for people to live in smoke-free housing that is truly smokefree,” Greiner said.

News

Dec. 12, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Bella Ross, news@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

3

File Photo

The Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity was fraternity was placed on interim suspension after an unspecified incident on Halloween.

Semester Recap: continued from page 1

abuse and being a good neighbor.

Walgreens Vaccine Recall On Oct. 18, weeks after Walgreens had administered its meningitis B vaccines to students, the pharmacy issued a statement saying it was made aware that the vaccine temperature at the time of administration was not optimal, forcing about 350 students to get re-vaccinated.

Later, the university issued its own statement, saying it was working with Walgreens and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency to ensure all students who were affected by the defective vaccinations distributed by Walgreens got re-vaccinated.

SDSU West Wins The SDSU West initiative sailed into victory on Nov. 6. The campaign for Measure G was led by the outside group Friends of SDSU against the opposing Measure E, or SoccerCity, campaign.

SDSU’s preliminary plans for the SDCCU Stadium site include a 35,000-seat joint-use stadium, a 50-acre river park, about 1.6 million sq. ft. of campus space, two hotels, 4,600 housing units, approximately 95,000 sq. ft. of retail space and transportation improvements.

Goodbye Ofo In early November, the university made the decision to cut their pilot partnership with the bike-sharing company Ofo short after the bikes failed to live up to their promises. The bikes began disappearing from campus about a month and a half earlier than expected, clearing the way for potential partnerships with other ridesharing companies in the future. While the bikes were popular among students when they first came to campus, Associated Students Sustainability Commissioner Cassie Weinberg said they proved to be

a nuisance, often blocking pathways or ending up in trees and ravines.

Deja Harris Sets School Record Senior middle blocker Deja Harris set a school record for block assists in the final game of the regular season for SDSU volleyball. Harris finished her career with 484 block assists to break the 26-yearold record of 480 block assists held by Jennifer Miller. Harris was the lone senior on the volleyball team, which finished the season 10-21 overall and 8-10 in Mountain West Conference play. Her 147 block assists this season were the fifth most in school history.

John Baron II Racks Up Awards Senior kicker John Baron II had a career year for SDSU football, racking up five Mountain West Special Team Player of the Week awards, which ties for the most in a season in league history. Baron was a perfect five-for-five from 50-plus yards, including a career-high 54-yarder in an Aztec victory over Arizona State, and finished the regular season with three game-winning field goals. Baron has converted 12-of-17 field goal chances going into the Aztecs bowl game against University of Ohio.

Greek Life Struggles Four Greek organizations on campus found themselves in hot water within a month of the end of the IFC’s social moratorium. On Oct. 17, the Kappa Alpha fraternity chapter was placed on an interim suspension after a student was found to have been seriously injured at the chapter’s house. The next day, on Oct. 18, SDSU’s Sigma Nu chapter was removed from campus by their national organization due to an unspecified alcohol violation. Then, a Halloween incident left the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity chapter and Alpha Phi sorority chapter with interim suspensions, though university officials wouldn’t describe the event in detail.

Photo by Raymond Gorospe

continued from page 1

Photo by Mirella Lopez

Students wait in line for meningitis vaccinations outside Viejas Arena.

SDSU plans to develop a satellite campus in Mission Valley after the SDSU West initiative won big in November.

Border Angels:

Photo by Bella Ross

Ofo bikes were removed from SDSU in November after officials said its pilot progam did not live up to its promises.

said. “They could’ve been in such dangerous circumstances but they don’t fit the story, so they’ll get deported back.�

When attempting to claim asylum in the United States, those seeking refuge must prove they would be persecuted on the basis of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.

Guzman said, while many migrants fit this profile, most of them don’t know how to articulate their experiences in a manner that would be of use when speaking with Border Patrol agents.

He said this is not the only area where migrants may feel they have been left in the dark.

Due to a lack of access to the internet, she said many migrants were not made aware of the animosity being felt toward them until they were left to experience it

in action.

For some, she said this rude awakening came in the form of rocks being thrown at them while they slept.

Castro said even spaces that are meant to be safe, such as shelters, have become problem areas. “Migrants are really vulnerable because many shelters don’t accept them or they fear they will face discrimination in shelters,� Castro said.

Dr. Richard Griswold del Castillo, a retired Chicano and Chicana studies professor, said this sense of vulnerability doesn’t end at the wall.

After the U.S. is able to complete an individual’s claim processing, he said migrants are thrown onto American soil with nothing to their names but a court date a few months down the line, he said. “That’s the crisis on this side,� Griswold del Castillo said. “We have these refugees that have been processed and now they’re on their own with no food or clothing.

That’s a real tragedy.�

Griswold del Castillo said hosting

organizations like Border Angels on campus is vital to stirring up student advocacy. “Who knows? Out of this whole group, there may be five or six that maybe go, get involved and continue,� Griswold del Castillo said.

For Guzman, advocacy in Tijuana has taken the form of giving migrants a voice by allowing them to make posters, as she said the media has largely neglected to hand the microphone their way.

Border Angels has also partaken in numerous efforts to provide legal consultation to those on both sides of the border and to bring donations to migrant shelters through events such as Caravan of Love. “We need to mobilize ourselves,�

Guzman said. “There have been bigger caravans of migrants in the history, but this is particular right now because our president is working (with) this and he is using these people as a political tool.�

4

Opinion

The Daily Aztec

Dec. 12, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Kemi Giwa • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

Societal issues lead to violence

by Sydney Karlos STAFF WRITER

The United States of America obviously has a gun problem.

With the continuous rise in mass shootings, we seem to be unaware of the mass amounts of violence that are not shown on the news in other communities.

The Stanford Libraries define a mass shooting as, “three or more shooting victims (not necessarily fatalities), not including the shooter.”

The shooting must not be identifiably gang, drug or organized crime related.” Now, Chicago violence probably can’t be labeled as mass shootings, but it can definitely be labeled as mass violence.

I am a Northwest Chicago native.

When I moved to San Diego, I was surprised to see how little everyone around me was educated on the violence in my city.

When I told them every weekend, at least a few people are shot, they were surprised. Some were appalled.

They couldn’t believe there was so much violence in one city. By July of this year, at least 1,433 people had been shot in the city, and there have been at least 246 homicides.

Most of the violence in Chicago happens in the South and West sides.

This is not saying violence does not happen in any other areas in

the city and suburbs, but this is where a majority of the violence comes from.

The South and West sides are some of the poorest areas of Chicago.

According to the American Psychological Association, “Community level risk factors for violence include increased levels of unemployment, poverty and transiency; decreased levels of economic opportunity and community participation; poor housing conditions; gang activity, emotional distress and a lack of access to services.”

Communities that have increased levels of poverty, as well as a list of other issues, are more likely to have more violence.

We can’t just blame these communities for the rampant violence when they are not given the resources to become better.

Lack of resources, such as things like mental health facilities, can lead to more violence in communities.

According to the American Journal of Managed Care, researchers have found that “over 4 in 10 communities in the highest income quartile had any type of special mental health treatment location, compared with less than a quarter of those in the lowest quartile.”

A lack of resources means a lack of opportunity to become better.

Another big problem facing these communities is that wealth is not

evenly distributed in big cities like Chicago.

The median income in majorityAfrican-American neighborhoods is $20,000 less than the median income for Chicago, and almost a third of the neighborhood’s residents live below the poverty line.

The city provides money for the downtown and higher income areas rather than the poor neighborhoods, which makes it harder for poor black families to gain access to economic activity As a result, African Americans live near lower-quality educational opportunities and have access to fewer job opportunities than other people in Chicago.

Chicago’s economic segregation practically built a wall around these poor neighborhoods.

In 2013, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel made the decision to close 54 public schools under the jurisdiction of Chicago Public Schools, the third-largest school district in the United States.

They did this saying that they were “helping” families in poverty.

Many union leaders, activists and parents argued closings can undermine neighborhoods and cause safety problems for students who may as a result have to cross gang lines.

Additionally, many of the schools that were closed were located in communities of poverty.

Many families can’t afford to have their children go to “nicer”

schools because of expenses and transportation.

With this, many children and teens decided not to continue their education, which will sometimes lead these kids to gangs that prey on vulnerable youth.

According to The New York Times, in the 100 schools that have closed since 2001, 88 percent of the students affected were black.

To make matters worse, these communities don’t even have the help of their local politicians to fix these issues.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel blamed “a lack of morals in predominantly black and Hispanic neighborhoods” for the influx of crime.

Not only is this extremely racist, but victim blaming at its finest.

It’s important to note that many murders in the city of Chicago go unsolved because of the lack of staffing in the police force.

In fact, according to Axios just 17 percent of murders in Chicago were solved in 2017.

Until the segregation of economic status ends and politicians start providing resources for poor communities, the violence will not stop.

We need to come together and do something.

No one should be losing their loved ones over senseless violence.

Sydney Karlos is a freshman studying journalism.

Time to support cruelty-free companies

by Kayla Henrikson STAFF WRITER

Cover Girl is the most recent company to proclaim themselves cruelty-free.

Being cruelty-free means that a company does not test on animals, but after that, it can get a little complicated.

This is an important change because if a brand that is this large makes a move like this, it sends a message that being cruelty-free is important, possible and still profitable for major brands.

If you look on the back of some of the products you use on a daily basis like makeup, face wash and even dish soap, you might spot a little bunny symbol on the back saying, “Cruelty-free.”

Being cruelty-free means that a company does not test on animals, but after that, it can get a little complicated.

The definition of cruelty-free can mean different things to different people and companies.

Some companies can say they are cruelty-free because they do not test their finished product on animals.

Other companies promise their final product and the products that went into it are not tested on animals.

As you can see, buying cruelty-

free can be complicated, but by simply making an effort to buy anything that is labeled “does not test on animals” or “cruelty-free” is important.

Animal testing is something that causes pain to so many animals.

While rabbits are often considered the most-testedon-animals, other animals like chimpanzees, mice, cats, dogs and

Not only is animal testing cruel, but it also isn’t even effective all the time.

PETA states on their website that according to the Food and Drug Administration, 92 out of 100 products that pass the tests on animals fail on humans.

If the tests on the animals end up failing on us anyway, why do we even need to run them at all?

so many more.

A couple of good blogs to look at are Logical Harmony and Cruelty-Free Kitty.

Both of these websites do their own research into the companies.

If you choose to give your money to brands that are crueltyfree, it will give other brands an incentive to switch over, too.

Not only can you choose to

“These animals get tortured every day just for the things we use every day, such as makeup, skin care and other unnecessary things we use to make ourselves look better. Things we dont even need to survive. ” so many more are too.

These animals get tortured every day just for the things we use every day, such as makeup, skin care and other unnecessary things we use to make ourselves look better.

Things we don’t even need to survive.

It’s disheartening.

Makeup companies aren’t the only brands that test on animals.

In fact, brands like Windex, condoms, Kleenex, Band-Aids and other everyday objects are tested on these innocent animals.

Why do we need to use these objects when there are other, more ethical options?

The idea that people are able to justify the torture of animals for things that aren’t even essential to survive is wrong.

Now, with Cover Girl finally being cruelty-free, I can only hope that more big companies start to move toward this.

There are things people just like you can me can do to help.

First, you can choose to buy brands that don’t test on animals, doing this isn’t hard.

There are so many popular brands in makeup, skincare, cleaning supplies and so on that are cruelty-free, including Tarte, NYX, Yes To, First Aid Beauty, Method, Seventh Generation and

support companies that don’t test on animals by giving them your money, but you can also do others things.

For example, when your friends ask you for recommendations, only recommend things that are cruelty-free, and when you buy gifts for your friends, make sure you’re buying cruelty free gifts.

Be the example.

This can be the start to a large movement of companies, both large and small moving toward a more ethical and kind way of living.

Kayla Henrikson is a freshman studying journalism.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Will Fritz MANAGING EDITOR Jocelyn Moran NEWS EDITOR Bella Ross ASST. NEWS EDITOR David Santillan OPINION EDITOR Kemi Giwa MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Vladimir Salazar ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Julianna Ress ASST. ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Lexington Howe SPORTS EDITOR Abraham Jewett ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Aaron Tolentino PHOTO EDITOR Michael Abshear MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Mirella Lopez ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Amal Younis ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Dana Tsuri-Etzioni GRAPHIC DESIGNER Katherine Cooke ________________________________ SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Sofia Bert Lauren J. Mapp STAFF WRITERS Kyle Betz Kayla Henrikson Sydney Karlos Alejandra Luna Lauren J. Mapp Shalika Oza Chance Page Kylie Renner Brenden Tuccinardi Spencer White STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Raymond Gorospe Hannah Grisham Justin Neeley ________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Josh Diaz SALES MANAGER Valerie Barrientos ACCOUNTING & CONTRACTS Samir Sandhu Meah Mapp SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Kaden Cowles Miguel Souza ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Sammy Attar Alexis Alexander Evan Baumbach Alex Barrientos Blake Catherine ________________________________ GENERAL MANAGER/ADVISER Jay Harn 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.

Dec. 11, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Kemi Giwa • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

Opinion

The Daily Aztec

5

Let’s consider reforming the Constitution

by Chance Page STAFF WRITER

In the midterm elections this past November, one party received 59 percent of the total vote for the US Senate. One party won two more Senate seats than the other.

Those are two different parties.

Despite a drastic advantage in total number of voters (in raw numbers, there was a gap of 17 million voters), the Democratic party ended up losing more seats than it gained, with Republican Senate candidates gaining this advantage while losing the popular vote by a whopping 20 percentage points.

This result is reminiscent of another election, specifically the 2016 presidential election, where despite a disadvantage in popular votes of more than 2 percent, or nearly 3 million voters, Donald Trump became president, thanks to the Electoral College system.

In both of these cases, voters in smaller, more inland states had votes that counted for more Senate seats or electoral college voters to their larger, coastal counterparts, which should lead us to conclude that in the United States, not all votes are created equal.

Efforts to reform our elections to ensure fairness are currently focused on ending gerrymandering and countering voter suppression measures like voter ID laws and expelling voters from electoral rolls without justification.

These are both necessary steps, but in order to truly create an electoral system where every registered voter has an equal say,

method of overruling the popular vote if they saw fit.

While electors are no longer allowed to vote against the state results, the effect of the Electoral College still works against representing the popular will.

This is because votes in smaller states count for more that votes in larger states, when comparing the amount of people per electoral college votes in

the more influential half of Congress is disproportionately represented by smaller states, once again devaluing the vote of people who live in larger states.

States deserve to have their interests represented, but not at the cost of some votes mattering more than others.

Perhaps a mixed-member proportional representation system like the one Germany

“Despite a drastic advantage in total number of voters (in raw numbers, there was a gap of 17 million voters), the Democratic party ended up losing more seats than it gained, with Republican Senate candidates gaining this advnatage while losing the popular vote by a whopping 20 percentage points.” we must go further.

In order for elections to truly represent the views of the majority of American people, we must reform or eliminate the Senate and the Electoral College, two institutions that were established by the Constitution but work against the popular will.

The Electoral College was explicitly designed as a method of resisting the popular vote, ensuring the elite had some

different states.

In order to ensure all votes are equal, the Electoral College must be abolished and replaced with a system that relies on the popular vote, or at the very least, one where the electors in the Electoral College are determined by a flat rate per number of people.

Similarly, the Senate was designed as a compromise to help convince smaller states to ratify the Constitution; however,

employs for the Bundestag, where part of the legislature is determined by direct election and the other part by voting for a party, would ensure both smaller and larger states receive adequate representation.

People in smaller states and rural voters may feel like their rights would be threatened by such a change, as they would no longer possess an advantage that allows them to wield a disproportionate influence on

policy.

However, state and local governments can still provide aid for their people and counter the federal government.

And besides, ignoring problems in rural areas would create problems in urban areas if food prices rise out of control or supplies run short because of mismanagement, therefore encouraging the government to aid rural voters.

Furthermore, voters in these areas still number in the millions; if one party tries to ignore rural areas entirely in nationwide elections in favor of focusing on urban areas, that strategy would likely cost them the election.

These institutions may have existed since the Constitution, but it’s clear these institutions work to make the country less representative of the popular will, not more.

We should all consider what a constituonal reform should look like and encourage our representatives to do the same.

In order for elections to be fair once again, changes must be made, and we must look into reforming or eliminating the Electoral College and the Senate.

Chance Page is a senior studying journalism.

It’s time we start appreciating all cultures

by Shalika Oza STAFF WRITER

It’s time to celebrate our cultures, not spread hate.

Growing up, I was raised with two different cultures.

On one hand, I am Indian, something I am fiercely proud of, and on the other hand, I am also American.

But, growing up with both cultures in my life sometimes made things difficult.

My parents never forced one culture over the other, but peer pressure always made me feel like I had to choose.

If I talked about anything Indian at school, I felt no one ever understood what I was talking about, and so I chose to be much more “American” at school.

If I was more “American,” my peers understood me better, and what does a kid want more than to fit in?

But, even with choosing my Americaness at school, there was still a big influence of Indian culture at home.

And so around family, I decided I had to be Indian.

Though I didn’t want to compromise who I was, I was doing just that.

I never allowed myself to be both Indian and American at the same time, and it always made me wonder if one culture was better than the other.

As I grew older, kids became ruder, and I started to feel like I couldn’t really talk about my Indian side. This is so wrong.

There are so many people in this world who grow up with two

Illustration by Katherine Cooke

cultures.

We should be celebrating our differences and not belittling each other.

This standard of acceptance needs to be taught to kids as well.

It never made me feel good that I

Slowly, I became increasingly embarrassed of my Indian culture.

But, why did I have to be embarrassed of who I was when boys would run around school in MAGA hats? What made their

A president should aim to unite the country across cultural and racial lines, not divide us even further.

And though Americans may never be able to agree 100 percent on certain issues, we

“The answer is President Trump. His divisive language has encouraged people to act in ways that disparage groups of people that come from cultures like mine.” had to choose, but kids I went to school with simply did not understand, and maybe because of the adults in their life, they were never taught to understand.

Once I got to high school, the distinction felt more apparent.

culture more acceptable than mine?

The answer is President Trump.

His divisive language has encouraged people to act in ways that disparage groups of people that come from cultures like mine.

should be able to understand the other side. Just like we should be able to understand each other’s cultures.

While we have a new generation fighting against this spread of hatred, there is an older generation that still teaches these

ignorant values.

I understand many people are doing the right thing, but there are still so many adults who are not.

Instead of teaching their kids to be tolerant and accepting, they are teaching their children it is okay to hate someone simply because they are different than them.

We may be Americans, but this land was founded on the backs of migrants. All of us have rich cultural backgrounds, no matter where we come from.

And with that, we should be able to celebrate being in America.

But we should also be able to celebrate our other cultures, the cultures that make America a land of diversity.

There is not one person in this country who is better than anyone else because they are “more American.”

All of us are Americans in our own right.

Whether we have been here for 30 years of for generations, we are American.

But being American doesn’t mean we must give up any of our other cultures or identities.

It means we can choose to be both.

So whether you are American or Indian or Chinese or Chilean, our differences should be celebrated.

They make us who we are, and no one should be able to tell us otherwise.

Shalika Oza is a freshman studying journalism.

6

Sports

The Daily Aztec

Dec. 11, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Football ready to play in Frisco Bowl

by Kyle Betz STAFF WRITER

San Diego State football will play in a bowl game for the ninth consecutive season.

The Aztecs (7-5, 4-4) will face the University of Ohio in the DXL Frisco Bowl on Dec. 19 in Frisco, Texas.

There was no guarantee SDSU would play another game this season. The Aztecs were in the sixth position in the Mountain West Conference standings, but the bowl selection committee granted the team an at-large bid.

Junior tight end Parker Houston said the bowl game gives the Aztecs another opportunity.

“It’s nice for us as a team, it’s nice for the Mountain West conference to have so many teams represent in bowl games,” Houston said. “It’s another chance for us to prove ourselves to show that we are a really good team.”

SDSU lost four out of its last five games to end the regular season.

Although the team ended its regular season on a three-game losing streak, junior linebacker Kyahva Tezino said the Aztecs are energetic going into their final game.

“We’re just excited to have another game to play, to finish the season off right,” he said. “We’re

just going into it very excited, a lot of energy. Just can’t wait to play.”

The Bobcats (8-4, 6-2) ended their regular season winning five out of their last six games, including a 52-17 win over MidAmerican Conference winners University of Buffalo.

One of Ohio’s biggest weapons is dual-threat sophomore quarterback Nathan Rourke.

Rourke passed for 2,225 yards and 22 touchdowns and ran for 816 yards and 13 touchdowns in 12 games.

Rourke is third in rushing behind redshirt senior running backs Maleek Irons and A.J. Ouellette, who have rushed for 831 yards and 1,142 yards this season, respectively.

Long said the Bobcats are dangerous on offense because they have been able to throw and run the ball effectively this season. “(Rourke) is really, really accurate with the football,” Long said. “Earlier in the season, they weren’t running it quite as well, so he had to throw it more, and they still were able to win games because he threw it so well. Late in the season, they’re running the ball so well, they haven’t relied on the passing game as much.”

Two of the Bobcats’ offensive linemen were named to the all-

Photo by Raymond Gorospe

Junior running back Juwan Washington runs the ball during the Aztecs 31-30 loss to Hawaii on Nov. 24 at SDCCU Stadium.

MAC first-team offense: redshirt seniors Joe Anderson and Joe Lowery.

Both Anderson and and Lowery have led Ohio to eighth in the country with 262.2 rushing yards per game.

For Long, the winner of the Frisco Bowl will be determined by who dominates the line of scrimmage.

“The key is how well you play at the line of scrimmage,” Long said. “Whoever plays the best at the line of scrimmage is going to

win the game. That’s both sides of the ball.”

Senior quarterback Christian Chapman returned from a knee injury on Nov. 3 against New Mexico. SDSU has played both Chapman and junior quarterback Ryan Agnew in every game since.

In the Aztecs’ last four games, Chapman accumulated 549 passing yards, 28 rushing yards, four touchdowns and one interception.

Agnew, on the other hand, collected 366 passing yards, 35

rushing yards, three touchdowns and one interception over the four-game span.

Chapman started the last three regular-season games, while Agnew filled in for Chapman in a relief role.

Long confirmed Chapman will start against the Bobcats.

“Christian will start. Ryan will play somewhere along the way, and whichever quarterback we think gives us the best chance to win, that’s who will finish it out,” Long said.

ALL SDSU STUDENT GET SPECIAL OFFER WITH RED ID

Dec. 11, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Sports

The Daily Aztec

7

Texas natives return home for bowl game

by Aaron Tolentino ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State junior quarterback Ryan Agnew played in front of about 12,000 people during his regular-season games at Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas.

That number was even bigger when Agnew competed in the playoffs.

Carroll High School, about 30 miles away, had crowds that aren’t too far off in size from what Agnew could expect at Toyota Stadium next Wednesday against Ohio in the Frisco Bowl.

In other words, Agnew is no stranger to playing in front of a big crowd in a Texas stadium.

Agnew used Friday Night Lights, a movie about high school football in Texas, as a comparison to show how integral football is to the state’s lifestyle.

“Football is a religion down there,” Agnew said. “If you see the movie Friday Night Lights, they’re driving through the town, (shops) say ‘closed, going to the game.’ That’s what it kind of felt like growing up in my hometown.”

Agnew is one of 10 Aztec football players who are from Texas.

Junior defensive lineman Myles Cheatum, a native of Cedar Park, Texas, said the bowl game is a rare opportunity for his loved ones to see him play.

“Getting to go back home again is extra special for the Texas guys because it’s not like your family is here (and) get

Illustration by Abraham Jewett

to see you play all the time,” Cheatum said. “It gives you a little more juice and energy when you get a chance to play in front of your family.”

Each SDSU player is allowed to bring

four people, usually immediate family, to come watch the Frisco Bowl.

Junior running back Juwan Washington, who is from Kennedale, an hour drive from Toyota Stadium, is

going to need more than just four.

Washington said he is going to try to bring as many people as he can, even asking other players for their tickets.

“Family and a few friends coming out, just trying to get as many as I can,” Washington said. “I’ve been asking a couple of guys that live far away that may not have somebody come to the game.”

Offensive coordinator Jeff Horton warrants credit for bringing in players from Texas such as Agnew, Cheatum and Washington. He is SDSU’s main recruiter in that state.

The honesty from Horton and the other coaches are what brought Texasnatives like Cheatum to SDSU over many blue-blood football programs in Texas.

“When I’m going through my process, when I came out here, they didn’t try to sugar coat anything,” Cheatum said.

“If you come in and work hard, you get the opportunity to play, and I really respected that.”

However, the Texas cuisine is one thing that remains exclusive to the Lone Star State.

Agnew and Washington have already listed the places they want to hit up: Baker Brothers, Costa Vida, Chicken Express, Texas Roadhouse and Whataburger.

“The food is what I look forward to going home,” Agnew said. “Having my friends and family, past coaches, just being there, getting the support from them is going to be awesome.”

Aztecs look to halt losing streak with game against Cal State Dominguez Hills

by Abraham Jewett SPORTS EDITOR

BOXES & MOVING SUPPLIES

Reserve online for a special rate at www.storem.com

• Access 365 Days a Year • Month to Month Leasing • Convenient Ways to Pay • Drive Up Access Units Available

• Digital Video Recording • Computerized Access Codes • Military, Senior & Student Discounts

Also located in Escondido, Carlsbad, Vista & San Marcos.

San Diego State men’s basketball is currently in the midst of a mini-slump, having lost two in a row following defeats to University of San Diego and Cal Berkeley.

The Aztecs (5-4) will attempt to get back on track on Dec. 12, when the team returns home to Viejas Arena to face off against Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The game against the Division II Toros (3-4) will be the first of four remaining non-conference games for the Aztecs, and head coach Brian Dutcher said his team must grow with the regular season approaching.

“We have to continue to improve our team. We know we have to get better at things,” Dutcher said. “The kids know that and we continue to work hard everyday in practice to improve ourselves daily.”

The non-conference losses may make it difficult for the Aztecs to build an impressive resume for NCAA Tournament selection committees, but Dutcher said his team will click when it is ready.

“I’d like to start playing well tomorrow and go on a nice long win streak into the conference season, but every team has it’s different rhythm and way of going about maturing,” he said. “We’ll see how this team responds to adversity.”

Despite having a nearly .500 record so far this season, Dutcher said the team’s heart is one area that should remain unquestioned.

“I don’t think anyone ever says that

we’re not playing hard,” he said. “I don’t think it’s ever been an issue of attitude and desire and wanting to win and putting everything into it.”

SDSU has been led on offense this year by senior guard Devin Watson, who paces the team in points scored with 16 a game, and sophomore forward Jalen McDaniels, who averages nearly 15 points a game and just under eight rebounds.

Dominguez Hills, meanwhile, is coming off an 86-84 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay, and has three players averaging double figures in points, including senior forward Michael Chavers (10.6 ppg), senior guard Jayvon Brown (10.5 ppg) and sophomore guard Gabriel Hicks (10.4 ppg).

Dutcher said the Aztecs will have to work to guard against some of the Toros’ offensive schemes.

“We want to defend at a higher level, and they are going to present issues,” Dutcher said. “They do a good job. They weave the ball and they drive it and they spread it out.”

The game will be the last chance the Aztecs have to play for nearly two weeks, with their next chance to hit the court coming on Dec. 22 against Brigham Young University.

Dutcher said the 10-day layoff will be good for a team not necessarily in the best rhythm and can use the extra practice days.

“Where we’re at as a team right now we need the practice time,” he said. “I welcome the chance to, after tomorrow’s game, have 10 days to try to get the team better in a lot of areas.”

8

The Daily Aztec

Mundo Azteca

Dec. 11, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Vladimir Salazar • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com

Border Angels brinda apoyo a migrantes de centroamerica con Caravana del Amor por Alejandra ESCRITORA

Luna

El 10 de diciembre, se llevó a cabo la tercera Caravana del Amor en apoyo a los migrantes centroamericanos dirigida por la organización Ángeles de la Frontera.

Alrededor de las 10 a.m., 43 automóviles se dieron cita en las oficinas de la organización para llevar las donaciones de San Diego a los albergues en Tijuana.

“El día de hoy, tenemos como 60 personas que vinieron, 43 de ellos van en carro que son los que van a manejar para Tijuana”, dijo Dulce Aguirre, la directora general de Ángeles de la Frontera.

Aguirre ha llevado la contabilidad de donadores y personas que deciden viajar hacia los albergues en Tijuana. Dijo que comparándola con las anteriores en la tercera semana que se está llevando a cabo, se han recaudado más donaciones, y más familias han viajado a la frontera a donar.

“No habíamos tenido tantos carros como hoy”, dijo Aguirre.

Enrique Morones, director ejecutivo y fundador de Ángeles de la Frontera, dijo que siempre ha estado al pendiente de las caravanas migrantes para brindarles el apoyo que necesiten las familias.

“En esta última caravana, hemos estado yendo casi todos los días”, dijo Morones.

Foto de Alejandra Luna

La comunidad de San Diego preparan las donaciones para que los voluntarios se los lleven a los migrantes centroamericanos.

Hubo muchas familias con sus hijos llevando lo necesario para los migrantes, como comidas enlatadas, ropa para todas las edades, juguetes, casas de acampar, cobijas y artículos personales. Todos tenían el mismo objetivo de ayudar a los migrantes centroamericanos quienes están en los albergues en Tijuana.

“Traje cobijas para bebés, y los padres de mis estudiantes también donaron cobijas”, dijo Cari-

na Sandoval, estudiante del Colegio Comunitario San Diego Mesa.

Sandoval también ayudó a Ángeles de la Frontera con organizar los productos donados por la comunidad de San Diego. Asimismo, dijo que quiso enseñarle a sus estudiantes de primaria que en estas fechas decembrinas, no solo es pensar en sus regalos sino también en ser generoso y ayudar a los demás.

“Solo quiero enseñarles a los

estudiantes de mi programa escolar que durante las fiestas decembrinas, es importante dar y ayudar a otros”, dijo Sandoval.

Después de la llegada de los migrantes a Tijuana, el gobierno de la ciudad ha acondicionado tres diferentes espacios en Tijuana que fueron convertidos en albergues para los miles de centroamericanos quienes están tratando de llegar a EEUU por distintas razones.

Entre esas razones esta la falta de trabajo en los países centroamericanos, la inflación de alimentos básicos y la violencia que continua escalando en los países del triangulo norte de centro america.

La ayuda que el gobierno mexicano les ha brindado no ha sido suficiente, es por eso que la comunidad se ha unido a brindarles el apoyo que necesitan.

Leticia Guzmán, la coordinadora de la Caravana del Amor, fue la encargada de dividir la gente en tres grupos, uno iba ir para el albergue Benito Juárez, otro al Barretal y el último a Playas de Tijuana. También les explicó lo que se haría después de llegar a los puntos asignados.

“Ayudaremos a cocinar y distribuiremos las donaciones”, dijo Guzmán. “También habrá doctores, y tenemos algunas enfermeras que son voluntarias”.

Minutos antes de emprender el viaje a la frontera, Morones agradeció a todos los asistentes, donadores y a quienes se registraron para llevar todo lo necesario a las familias necesitadas.

Para más información de eventos, donaciones o consultas gratuitas de inmigración, Ángeles de la Frontera tiene una página en Facebook donde se mantinene activos y publican los eventos que tendrán.

También tendrán otra Caravana del Amor el sábado, 15 de diciembre.

Fotógrafo presenta #UNDOCUQUEER: Historias de Bordertown que representan a la comunidad LGBTQ por Alejandra ESCRITORA

Luna

El 27 de noviembre, el fotógrafo Beto Soto, quien es residente de San Diego, presentó una serie de fotografías dedicada a la comunidad LGBTQ y recipientes de DACA que radican en la ciudad de San Diego. #UNDOCUQUEER: Historias de Bordertown relata las experiencias vividas desde su llegada a EEUU y como su vida ha cambiado. Este evento fue mostrado en el Museo de Arte Fotográfico en el Parque Balboa durante siete días.

El propósito de Beto Soto fue que el público pudiera ver y conocer las luchas y triunfos de su comunidad Sandieguina.

“Espero que se conviertan en una comprensión de estos problemas y lo que significa ser un recipiente de DACA”, dijo Soto.

“Somos como cualquier otra persona que es un ciudadano”.

Esta serie de historias describe lo difícil que es y el rechazo de ser indocumentado, así como ser parte de la comunidad LGBT donde para muchos sigue sin ser aceptado.

“Me inspiré de esta manera porque solía ser parte de un programa que hacía historias como estas”, dijo Soto. “Principalmente

en el área de City Heights, donde hablamos sobre los problemas que enfrentaba la comunidad”.

La exhibición consistió en fotos de cinco recipientes de DACA y miembros de la comunidad LGBTQ, quienes compartieron sus historias de cómo su familia emigró a EEUU en busca de mejores oportunidades.

Jesús Méndez nació en Guerrero, México y llegó junto con su familia a EEUU a la edad de 6 años. Méndez actualmente es estudiante de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego y ha estado activo en la comunidad al abogar para varios grupos como M.E.Ch.A y DACA. Cada uno de los participantes tienen las mismas cualidades de cómo su vida cambió a tan corta edad sin saber lo difícil que sería para ellos el encontrar su propia identidad y ser aceptados ante la sociedad.

Daniel Uribe, un aspirante a director de cine quien fue traído a EEUU a la edad de 3 años, dijo que creció sintiéndose no lo suficientemente mexicano, ni estadounidense.

“Se me hizo muy difícil crecer adaptándome a mi estado bisexual e indocumentado”, dijo Uribe.

En la serie fotográfica, el autor quiere causar un impacto en los espectadores para demostrarles

Foto de Alejandra Luna

Exhibicion de fotos que tomo a cabo por el fotografo Beto Soto en donde retrato a individuos sobre el ser indocumentados y LGBT.

que el ser indocumentado o LGBTG es un gran obstáculo para ellos porque no encuentran su lugar de identidad.

María García, una de las participantes quien también llegó a EEUU a los 3 años dijo que pensó que era una “niña normal” como sus compañeros de clase porque no fue hasta el octavo grado que supo que no era ciudadana estadounidense.

“Me dijeron que ser indocu-

mentado era el mayor secreto que tendré”, dijo García. “Recuerdo que cuando me preguntaron de dónde era, diría San Diego porque es mi hogar”.

Soto dijo que es un obstáculo para las personas que se identifican de esa manera.

Asimismo, esta exposición es dedicada a las personas que se sienten igual que ellos, dándoles entender que no son los únicos que están pasando por esta situ-

ación.

“Es necesario que haya más recursos porque me sentí así cuando era indocumentado, sin DACA y sin protección”, dijo Soto. “No tenía muchos recursos para llegar a donde pudiera expresar mis dos identidades, así que espero que esté creando este espacio”.

Para más información o más fotos sobre el proyecto de Soto lo pueden contactar en su Instragram @Betosotophoto.

Dec. 12, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Vladimir Salazar • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com

Mundo Azteca

The Daily Aztec

9

Una despedida al periódico estudiantil y a la facultad de periodismo de SDSU por Vladimir Salazar EDITOR DE MUNDO AZTECA

Estando en lo que puede que sea mi último semestre como estudiante de periodismo en la Universidad Estatal de San Diego, siento un gran alivio de que, al estar casi seis años en una universidad, ya esté por graduarme.

Siendo el primero en mi familia en asistir y graduarme de la universidad, es el logro más grande que le puedo dar a mi familia.

El escoger periodismo como una carrera no es algo fácil. Para comenzar, es una carrera en la cual dependes de otra gente completamente para llevar a cabo tu trabajo.

El estar constantemente buscando historias para tratar de informar a la gente es algo complicado. Como un amigo me dijo, “somos los

bomberos de la información, siempre tenemos que estar presentes en caso de que ocurra algo”. En este último mes, me di cuenta completamente de esto cuando comencé a cubrir la caravana migrante que vino desde Centro Emérica. Por casi un mes, me sumergí a la caravana a diario por más de 12 horas al día. Comencé a trabajar como medio independiente grabando, editando y produciendo para varias organizaciones de noticias a nivel mundial.

En parte, lo que me preparó para poder saber trabajar en este ámbito y aguantar un mes estando ahí, comenzó con mi experiencia en el Daily Aztec, sobre todo Mundo Azteca. Fue gracias a Mundo Azteca que conseguí la mayoría de mi experiencia escribiendo, editando y donde aprendí a entrevistar a gente y cubrir eventos.

Miro mi primer artículo, el que trató de la disminución de menores migrantes en albergues en Tijuana, y veo lo mucho que he llegado a progresar dentro de este ámbito.

Lo escribí en marzo del 2017 y ahora a punto de finalizar el 2018, he visto que el progreso y la experiencia solo se gana si te involucras.

Terminé mi último semestre siendo el editor de Mundo Azteca, y ahora,

me dedico a producir videos para agencias internacionales y nacionales. Pero nada de esto hubiera sido posible si no me hubiera involucrado. Fue en el periódico estudiantil donde aprendí a cubrir protestas, como la que ocurrió en Chicano Park a principios del 2018, en donde un grupo de nacionalistas protestaron en contra del parque.

También aprendí a cubrir eventos internacionales, como la llegada del presidente Trump cuando vino a ver los prototipos del muro .

Honestamente, quiero agradecer a esta plataforma estudiantil que me permitió escribir historias sobre situaciones y eventos que ocurrían en Tijuana. El hecho de ser una universidad cerca de la frontera siento que es algo que nos hace más privilegiados, y siempre traté de demostrar eso con las historias que producía sobre Tijuana.

Y solo espero que los próximos escritores de esta sección continúen ese camino que siempre quise establecer. Es por esta plataforma, que también me gané una beca por parte de NAHJ, la cual otorgó Maria Elena Salinas. Si nunca me hubiera puesto a escribir, nunca me hubiera ganado esa beca debido a que los artículos que entregue fueron publicados en Mundo Azteca.

CALPULLI SUNDOWN SERIES:

Una de las clases vitales que me ayudó en lo que estoy trabajando en este momento fue la clase de televisión que otorgó Louis Weiner.

Es aquí donde aprendí a como usar el equipo de video, editar y el hacer tomas que sean apropiadas para la televisión. Sugiero a todos los estudiantes de periodismo en esta universidad que tomen esta clase, y que exijan que abran más espacios debido a que solo 20 estudiantes pueden tomarla.

Algo que sí me hubiera gustado por parte de la facultad de periodismo es que hubiera clases que se concentren más en visuales. Siento que mucho enfoque se le da a la escritura, y entiendo que es algo vital para cualquier periodista, pero en base a cómo el periodismo está evolucionando, lo visual se ha convertido en algo mucho más importante. Si no hubiera sido por esa clase que tomé con el profesor Weiner de televisión, no hubiera podido ejercer como freelancer.

La clase donde se enfocan en redes sociales fácilmente se puede aprender en un día, y debido a que las nuevas generaciones saben manejar fácilmente estas plataformas, no hay necesidad de que exista una clase completamente a esto.

El saber cómo desarrollar una

historia en video es algo que siento que desde el primer semestre, se debería de aprender en vez de hacerlo todo hacia el final en el último semestre de la universidad. Si las cosas fueran así, muchos estudiantes que egresan de SDSU estarían mejor preparados y estarían trabajando como periodistas en todo el mundo. También opino que las clases deberían de tener proyectos y asignaciones más difíciles. En el periodismo, puede que comiences a trabajar en una historia a las 8 a.m. y no regreses a tu casa hasta las 10 p.m. Como periodistas, estamos documentando interacciones humanas, y uno nunca sabe cómo un grupo de personas reaccione en dichomomento.

Lo mejor que cualquier estudiante de periodismo puede hacer es unirse a su periódico estudiantil y comenzar a ir a eventos donde haya periodistas. De un día al otro, puede que te requieran para trabajar en algo, y los trabajos comenzarán a llegar solos.

Más que nada, quiero agradecer a espacios y plataformas estudiantiles como lo es el Daily Aztec, donde te dan la oportunidad de darte cuenta y de demostrarle al mundo el tipo de periodista que eres.

FREE AFTER-HOURS

MenB

CLINIC FIRST AND FOLLOW-UP DOSES ARE FREE AT THE AFTER-HOURS CLINICS

4:30 P.M. – 6 P.M. MONDAY – THURSDAY THROUGH NOV. 29

TO MAKE AN IMMUNIZATION APPOINTMENT DURING REGULAR HOURS CALL 619-594-4325 OR GO ONLINE AT

HEALTHECONNECT.SDSU.EDU

(EXCEPT THANKSGIVING BREAK)

CHECK IN ON 2ND FLOOR, CALPULLI CENTER

10-18-313 HealthServices-MenB Afterhours DailyAztec AD-F-revised.indd 1

11/15/18 10:32 AM

10

The Daily Aztec

Arts & Culture

Dec. 12, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Student selected for Mazda-sponsored race

by Lauren J. Mapp SENIOR STAFF WRITER

San Diego State business administration freshman Hannah Grisham was selected as one of the top four candidates in the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout.

“It’s the next step on a ladder to sports car (racing’s) premier event, and that’s the Daytona 24-Hour Race,” Grisham’s coach, James Brown, said. “It’s a super important step, not the first step, but certainly the first step into pro racing.”

Since the 18-year-old was selected as one of the four finalists, Grisham competed in a race on Dec. 7 at the Wild Horse Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona.

She participated in the

competition against Loni Unser, Matthew Dirks and Michael Carter, driving Global MX-5 Cup cars.

Carter won the race and received a $100,000 scholarship and will compete in the 2019 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup, according to a Mazda USA press release.

“Mazda considers themselves to be a grassroots type of company, so they do a lot of giving back to younger drivers and give you more opportunities to work your way up to being a professional driver,” Grisham said.

Following in the steps of her father, who raced motorcycles, Grisham has been racing since she was 6 years old.

“My dad used to race

Courtesy of Hannah Grisham

Grisham said she’s been driving for over 12 years, and plans to continue in the future.

motorcycles when he was younger, so he had decided that he wanted to get me into racing,” Grisham said. “I liked it a lot — it was kind of a thing my dad and I did for fun for a lot of years before it started getting really competitive. I like it — I like going fast and the competitiveness.”

She started with go-kart racing and has progressed as she aged, now racing in a 1999 Mazda Miata MX5 that has been slightly modified.

“Mazda Miatas are not the fastest cars — they’re kind of slower than most — but what they’re known for is that they handle really well,” Grisham said. “Even if they’re up against some really fast, super car, we’re usually able to keep up with them in the turns.”

Describing her as “an awesome driver,” Brown said as a car owner, Grisham is the “dream” driver to have racing for him.

“She’s a car owner’s dream — there’s something about her driving when you’re watching her,” Brown said. “I always know the car that Hannah is driving — there’s something about it, it’s aggressive, but it’s calm and cool and methodical and calculated, all at the same time.”

Brown added that as her coach and the owner of the car she competes in, he is confident his car is safe in Grisham’s hands.

“You can send her out with confidence and you know that your car is coming back in

Courtesy of Hannah Grisham

Business administration freshman Hannah Grisham was selected as one of four finalists in the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout.

one piece — and you know it’s coming back at the front of the pack,” Brown said.

If she doesn’t pursue a professional career in racing, Grisham said she will put her imminent business degree to use.

After driving for more than 12 years, however, she said she

hopes it will always continue to be a part of her life.

“Racing is in my family, and I have been doing it since I was so young that it is pretty much a part of my life,” Grisham said.

“I can’t even remember a time in my life when I haven’t been racing, and it brings a lot of people together.”

Rapper J.I.D brings Q&A session, performance to campus

by Brenden STAFF WRITER

Tuccinardi

Audiences were treated to an impromptu concert by rapper J.I.D the night of Friday, Nov. 30, in the Conrad Prebys Student Union Theater.

The Music Appreciation event, hosted by the Aztec Student Union Board and Aztec Music Group, was intended to be a Q&A followed by J.I.D performing his two most popular songs “151 Rum” and “NEVER,” flyers advertising the event stated.

However, two songs eventually turned into six as the rapper performed several songs off his most recent album “DiCaprio 2,” released Nov. 26.

To start off the event, J.I.D answered questions from ASUB Music & Entertainment Committee chair Kudzai Kachingwe, as well as the audience.

The questions covered a wide range of topics from the rapper’s rise to fame to finding success in the music industry and J.I.D held nothing back, giving advice and sharing wisdom with fans and aspiring artists in the audience.

“The internet is making it so you can be anywhere you want to be in the world on your phone,” the rapper said. “You can be a star overnight, you can become a viral sensation, and I

think that is a good and a bad thing.”

J.I.D, whose name comes from a nickname his grandmother gave him because he was a jittery child, began his music career in May 2010, releasing his first mixtape, “Cakewalk.”

Leading up to that, the rapper joined the musical collective Spillage Village.

He financed his music by working in call centers and delivering pizza in East Atlanta before playing local shows.

Several tours, mixtapes and an EP later, J.I.D signed with J. Cole’s Dreamville label in Feb. 2017.

In March of the same year, he released his first full-length album, “The Never Story,” further establishing his fanbase in the world of hip-hop.

In Nov. 2017, J.I.D embarked on the “Never Had S--t Tour.” He co-headlined with Earthgang, also a part of Spillage Village, performing over 34 shows across North America and Europe.

In June of this year, J.I.D was featured in XXL Magazine’s 2018 Freshman Class, honoring the best among the new wave of hip-hop artists, marking the rapper’s entrance into the mainstream rap scene.

When asked by a member in the audience how it felt releasing “DiCaprio 2” compared to “The Never Story,” J.I.D said the two feelings were very different.

He explained how when “The Never Story” was released, people did not know what they could expect, but with “DiCaprio 2,” fans had a precedent.

“Everyone likes the new kid,” J.I.D said. “But when you’re known, you have expectations to live up to.”

After J.I.D was finished answering questions, he decided to let the audience decide which songs he would perform, and this was when the crowd went wild.

The audience members jumped out of their seats and rushed toward the stage to get a better view of the rapper.

J.I.D performed some of his biggest hits off “DiCaprio 2,” including “Off Deez” and “151 Rum,” as well as “Slick Talk” and “Workin Out.” The vibe was electric, yet intimate, as J.I.D played off the crowd’s energy.

During the majority of the performance, the crowd rapped along with J.I.D. At one point, the theater was completely silent as the audience was entranced by the rapper’s verses.

Kevin Johnson, a sophomore finance major, has been a fan of J.I.D for quite a while.

“It was cool hearing (J.I.D) talk about his experiences and his music-making process,” Johnson said. “I was able to listen to his performance with

Photo by Justin Neeley

Rapper J.I.D performed on campus shortly after releasing his album “DiCaprio 2.”

a new appreciation for some of my favorite songs.”

J.I.D ended the show with his most popular song “NEVER,” which served as a bittersweet

end to a night full of surprises.

The spontaneity of the performance only proved J.I.D’s authenticity as an artist, and he clearly resonated with students.

Dec. 12, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 EDITOR: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Arts & Culture

The Daily Aztec

11

Student musician seeks connection with outcasts through international hip-hop

by Kylie Renner CONTRIBUTOR

Media studies freshman Russell Ho, known artistically as Rush Martinez, recently decided to dedicate his life to music-making, sending him into a year overwhelmingly filled with change.

Growing up in Singapore, Ho didn’t listen to much hip-hop. He was into punk bands like Simple Plan, Linkin Park, Sum 41 and My Chemical Romance.

He started drumming when he was 11, learning songs by ear and posting drum covers online.

After moving to the UK at 17 to study for two years, Ho’s music taste transformed drastically as he got into reggaeton.

By 18, he relied on stripping to pay rent, but quit after three months due to the constant feeling of degradation he dealt with on the job.

However, his experience as a stripper made him realize he loved to dance and decided to explore dancehall, a Jamaicanborn energetic dance genre.

“I went through so many phases,” Ho said, alluding to the evolution of his music taste and the time he spent drumming and dancing. “It all came together nicely. I still incorporate drumming into my own beats.

I put my rock influences into my songs too.”

It wasn’t until this year that Ho really started to take music seriously. Starting out as a DJ and drummer for a small group of friends from his hometown in Singapore, he never thought he could be a rapper.

“It was one of those things that I was always talking myself out of,” Ho said.

Ho finally gave rapping a try in January, when he freestyled on an empty verse of his group’s track. He and his three friends continued as a group they called Yeti Pack.

Yeti Pack was given many opportunities to perform at nightclubs and beach clubs, since it is one of the few hip-hop groups

around.

“Singapore is small, so hip-hop culture isn’t that big,” Ho said.

Despite the group’s success in Singapore, he wanted to see how well he would do in the American scene.

“This might sound cheesy, but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and learn more about myself,” he said about his decision to move to the U.S. and attend San Diego State.

He had a late start due to serving in Singapore’s army for two years.

“It was scary as hell to come here, but at the same time, I knew it would challenge me to do better,” he said.

Ho describes his music style as subtle.

“It’s basically stripper music,” he said. “I love dirty bass, Nicki Minaj kind of stuff.

I don’t want to brag, but I’ve never really seen anyone do it like how I do it.”

He said Big Sean, Logic and Jaden Smith heavily influence his sound today.

While Ho has produced a lot of his music himself, he has recently decided to focus more on rapping.

He now works with his friend Diego Hernandez, a junior music composition and business student at SDSU, who mixes and masters Ho’s tracks for him.

“He knows exactly what kind of sound he wants,” Hernandez said of Ho. “Every single time I do a mix, he’s ready to listen, taking detailed notes of everything that needs to be tweaked to make the perfect song.”

Hernandez said he sees success in Ho’s future.

“Normally I wouldn’t do mixing projects like this,” he said, “but if you ask me, Rush is going straight to the top, and it’s worth being a part of that. It’s not often you find talent and vision in one package.”

As far as writing goes, Ho is excited to see his thoughts come to life.

“Writing my jumbled-up thoughts down and putting them into a song is a feeling

Courtesy of Russell Ho

Media studies freshman Russell Ho records under the moniker “Rush Martinez.”

I’ve never felt before in my life,” he said.

“My thoughts are so messy but so clear on paper, and singing or rapping all of it makes it so much better.”

His lyrics mostly reflect his relationships and other relatable aspects of life he goes through.

Ho released his first solo single, “Lock” Dec. 7.

Though he had to complete the audio and video components of the track in less than a week, he is more than satisfied with the end result.

“It’s the first time that I actually feel like my song has fully come to life compared to the vision in my head,” he said.

While Ho plans to make a SoundCloud account in the near future, he currently shares his music through Spotify and Apple Music.

Constantly moving around as an international student has inevitably caused him to feel out of place, even in a place as diverse and self-expressive as San Diego.

Ho used the Japanese word “gaijin,” meaning “outsider,” to describe his situation and approach to music.

“I want to send a message to people like that,” he said. “My target audience is the people who aren’t necessarily popular, they’re just kind of weird and feel that they can’t fit in with anyone.”

As for the future, Ho hopes his music career will make the Asian community proud.

“I’ve never seen an Asian Justin Timberlake,” he pondered. “I’ve never seen an Asian guy that does dancehall or stripper music, and I want to be the first one.”

Indie group Boygenius delivers intimate show in San Diego

by Spencer White STAFF WRITER

On a rare rainy day in San Diego, concertgoers were especially eager to get inside the North Park Observatory for Boygenius on Nov. 29.

Boygenius is a supergroup composed of three singer-songwriters: Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, who have all developed their own following.

Baker and Bridgers released albums last year, and Dacus’s latest effort came out earlier this year.

The women together formed Boygenius and put out a self-titled EP in October, and have been on tour supporting since with appearances on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series, and various late night TV programs.

Dacus started off the evening, at first coming out solo with an electric guitar to perform a new song with nothing behind her but a neon sign resembling the artwork from her album this year, “Historian.”

Soon after, Dacus was joined by her band and began a stunning performance with distortion-heavy guitars, playing songs about life in her home of Richmond, Va.,

Photo by Spencer White

Indie songwriters Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus formed Boygenius earlier this year.

and forgetting about previous connections with lost lovers.

On the penultimate song of her set, “Timefighter,” Dacus played an electrifying rendition of the song with her soft voice in stark contrast to the belting guitar singing, “And I fight time / It won in a landslide / I’m just as good as anybody / I’m just as bad as anybody.”

Shortly after Dacus’s set, Phoebe Bridgers and her backing band came on stage to perform with string lights adorning each instrument and a backdrop of the same dog from her appraised album from last year, “Stranger in the Alps.”

The songs “Funeral” and “Would You Rather” were big highlights of Bridgers’ set, and Bridgers even made a joke about the recurring themes of her music to the audience: “Just to mix it up, this next one is a love song and it’s super sad,” she said.

On the last song of her set, “Appointments,” Baker’s vocals and guitar nearly burst out of the speaker as she sang about the struggle of losing someone she loves.

The most anticipated set of the evening was when the three finally joined together as Boygenius. The women took turns singing lead vocals and were clearly having fun.

They performed every song off of the self-titled EP that came out this year, and a cover of the Killers’ “Read My Mind.” For the last song of the evening, “Ketchum, ID,” the trio decided to perform

without microphones, singing “I am never anywhere / anywhere I go / When I’m home I’m never there / long enough to know.”

Choosing to sing without the microphones made for an incredibly intimate moment to end an emotional, unforgettable evening of music.

ALWAYS BE FANTASTIC

$59.99

HIGHLIGHTS & HAIRCUT with student ID

Additional charges for long/thick hair.

Valid for full or partial highlights only.

$9.99 HAIRCUT with student ID

6165 El Cajon Blvd.,Suite K • San Diego, CA

619-583-5500

(In Von’s Center) Hours: • M-F 9am–8pm • Sat & Sun 9am–6pm Valid at El Cajon blvd location only.

Not valid with other offers.

Expires 3/15/19.

12

The Daily Aztec

The Back Page

Dec. 12, 2018 - Jan. 22, 2019 Editor: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

The year’s 10 greatest songs, ranked British trio Kero Kero Bonito only got weirder. Lead single “Only Acting” begins as a straightforward, catchy indie pop song about feeling performative and blurring reality.

“I thought I was only acting / But I felt exactly like it was all for real,” frontwoman Sarah Midori Perry sings on the chorus.

“I sure didn’t know it hurt so bad / That no rehearsal could show you how to feel inside.”

Halfway through the song, flashes of screams and glitches show the faultiness of the simulation the song is emulating. By the end, the track is in complete disassembly, terrifyingly distorted beyond recognition, the lyrics and production interacting with each other in a captivating way. This is “Don’t Hug Me, I’m Scared”-core surrealism.

Illustration by Michael Abshear

The best songs of the year ranged from country, to hip-hop, to electropop as genre boundaries continue to be pushed.

by Julianna Ress ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Perhaps it’s the turbulence and unrest in the world at large that made 2018 a particularly strange year in music. Releasing full-length, heavily promoted albums has become a less cyclical or required process, with singles, or even just throwaway tracks uploaded to SoundCloud, having more power than ever.

Among genre amalgamation and redefinition, hasty mixtapes and unexpected collaborations, 2018 often offered subversive, visceral and excellent music.

Here are the year’s 10 greatest songs.

10. Pistol Annies, “Best Years of My Life” “I picked a good day for a recreational Percocet,” Ashley Monroe sings the stunning opening line of the third track on country supergroup Pistol Annies’ latest album “Interstate Gospel.” “I’ve got an itch to just get high.”

“Best Years of My Life” captures Pistol Annies’ members, Monroe, Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley, in a state of excruciating domesticity, evaluating motherhood and wifehood through lived experience removed from romanticism.

“I’ve got the hankering for intellectual emptiness,” Presley sings in her verse. “I’ve got the need to ease my mind / I’ll watch some reruns on the TV set / These are the best years of my life.”

The song is a masterful display of succinct, evocative songwriting, depicting women realizing the lives they worked for — in the roles they were assigned — weren’t everything they hoped.

9. Charlie Puth (ft. Kehlani), “Done for Me” The old Charlie can’t come to the phone right now. Drawing upon ‘80s and ‘90s R&B, his second album “Voicenotes” is lush with rich, calculated sounds and carefully crafted hooks.

The best song on the record is “Done for Me,” on which Puth enlists pop star in the making Kehlani, and they trade verses of accusations and defensiveness. It’s deliciously fun, with all its parts working in their engineered harmony.

The warm synths and reverb draw us in, the back-up voices perfectly echo “no oh, oh baby, no” and Puth and Kehlani offer enough soul in their performances to make us forget the song is just hitting all the sensory notes it’s programmed to. “Done for Me” is as indebted to pop craftsmanship as it is to science.

8. Kali Uchis, “In My Dreams” Because all news is offered in equal representation — at any given time a Twitter feed can display a celebrity breakup, the ravaging effects of global warming and

a football score side by side — escapism is increasingly difficult.

On “In My Dreams,” R&B vocalist Kali Uchis has created her own world to remove herself from the drudgery and disappointments of life. “Why would anyone stay awake after being so sound asleep?” she asks on the track. “Everything is just wonderful in my dreams.”

It’s a gorgeous, ethereal song, but there’s a lingering somberness as the cracks in her dream world grow and real life seeps in.

“My mama’s never on coke / This isn’t my way to cope / Washin’ my mind out with soap,” Uchis sings of her alternate reality.

Dreams don’t last forever, and neither will we.

7. Lil Tracy and Lil Uzi Vert, “Like a Farmer (Remix)” “I don’t think I really had a point,” Lil Tracy told Genius of writing “Like a Farmer.”

“I was just trolling.”

Is that not a point? On the track, Tracy parodies white Southerners with a fake accent and auto-tuned yeehaws, and with Lil Uzi Vert hopping on the remix, every lyric becomes more meme-able than the last.

Some choice bars: “I’m sippin’ lean like a Coors Lite,” “I swear these people need God,” “Yes, I have a tractor, you don’t like to fly / Took her on a trip to Texas, treat it like Dubai” and “I’m in Colorado Springs like I’m in Bora Bora.”

The humor of “Like a Farmer” is in its absurdist combination of stereotypes of the American South and SoundCloud rappers, like if the cowboy emoji had pink dreadlocks. It’s a song that could only exist in post-weird Twitter 2018.

6. Cardi B, “Thru Your Phone” Among the many styles Cardi B toys with on her debut LP “Invasion of Privacy,” “Thru Your Phone” is the true original. The song features Cardi with a thirst for vengeance as she stands over her sleeping lover, having just discovered his infidelity by reading through his texts.

The chorus is even more scathing juxtaposed to the verses. Sung with songwriter Ali Tamposi, who is not credited as a performer, the hook is delivered with a sinister calm.

“Everyone was right about you now,” Cardi and Tamposi declare. “I looked through your phone last night / Saw some things I didn’t like.”

Not only does “Thru Your Phone” deliver the horrors of catching a partner cheating, but also the worst case scenario anxiety of having the contents of your phone shared with the world. If “Be Careful” is a warning, then “Thru Your Phone” is a threat.

5. Kero Kero Bonito, “Only Acting” On its second album, “Time ‘n’ Place,”

4. Sophie, “Faceshopping” Artificiality and authenticity are recurring themes in Scottish electronic producer Sophie’s oeuvre, likely because her work as an artist is so devoid of definition. Genre, as applied to Sophie, is a completely irrelevant, and even outdated, term.

On “Faceshopping,” this search for meaning beyond superficial labels and categories is applied to the human form.

“My face is the front of shop,” vocalist Cecile Believe deadpans over Sophie’s industrial glitches and abrasive synths. “I’m real when I shop my face.”

Moreover, “Faceshopping” showcases Sophie’s production past its provocative nature — it’s narrative as well. Her shifted and warped sounds present a binary of beauty and terror, and question what exists not in between, but unshackled from those constraints.

“Among genre redefinition, hasty mixtapes and unexpected collaborations, 2018 often offered subversive, visceral and excellent music. ” 3. The 1975, “Love It if We Made It” The titular theme of the British band’s third album “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” is often analyzed by the way the internet affects personal, everyday interactions, but “Love It if We Made It” captures the individual’s relationship to the online world.

Delivering a career-best vocal performance, frontman Matty Healy shouts the tweets we would normally scroll right by, like he hopes we won’t ignore the information if

presented this way. The chorus bursts like a beam of positivity through the muck.

The song is less of a meditation on the specific events described lyric by lyric, but rather the means by which it is delivered.

Healy opens the track with the line, “We’re f--king in a car, shooting heroin / Saying controversial things just for the hell of it.”

What will it take to maintain attention in a time of mass desensitization? The 1975 doesn’t know the answer, but would love if if there is one.

2. Boygenius, “Me & My Dog” The entirety of indie rock supergroup Boygenius’s fantastic debut EP shows its members, recent breakthroughs Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, playing off each others’ strengths, and it’s most exemplified by “Me & My Dog.” Primary singer Bridgers brings her wry humor and affinity for using details to construct a sprawling emotional landscape, Dacus provides a meticulous backdrop and Baker leads the charge to the song’s explosive finale.

The lyrics find the glow of new love with a tinge of anxiety. “I had a fever until I met you,” Bridgers croons. “Now you make me cool / But sometimes I still do something embarrassing.”

The way the women lift each other up between whispered confessions of uncertainty, leading to a celebrated desire to run away, is an expression of the kind of bond that means so much more than the one with whoever is triggering that selfdoubt in the first place.

1. Let’s Eat Grandma, “It’s Not Just Me” The fact that the members of electropop duo Let’s Eat Grandma, Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth, are childhood friends makes their expression of miscommunication and the struggles to come to mutual understanding on “It’s Not Just Me” all the more moving.

Produced by Sophie, marking her second appearance on this list, sweeping synths soundtrack the singers as they run through missed opportunities for connection in realizing feelings were mutual all along.

“And just when we discover that we need each other / Here our lives keep pulling us away,” the song opens, questioning if it’s too late for a relationship.

The song never specifies if the relationship in question is romantic or not, because it’s beside the point. It’s about the clarity of finally seeing eye-to-eye, shed from reservations, no longer dancing around real feelings. It might be an increasingly rare phenomenon, but it’s more joyous than ever.

Group Fitness Winter Schedule arc.sdsu.edu/groupfitness

Experience It.