04-24-17

Wednesday, April 24 - Tuesday, May 1, 2019 Weekly Print Edition

Vol. 105, Issue 31 www.thedailyaztec.com

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Black students, allies rally after BRC break-in

GREEKS SPEAK Event gives insight into topics like hazing, sexual assault and discrimination in Greek life.

by Bella Ross NEWS EDITOR

PAGE 3

REVIVE RECYCLING Opinion: California’s recyling system is broken and in need of expansive reform.

PAGE 4

Photo by Lauren J. Mapp

Cultural anthropology sophomore Tamiel McKee Bey speaks in front of activists during the Black Students Matter rally at San Diego State on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

GOLF WINS CHAMPIONSHIP Women’s golf captures second Mountain West championship in school history.

PAGE 5

JABOUKIE YOUNG-WHITE The writer and comedian made a visit to SDSU’s campus for a stand-up performance.

PAGE 10

FOLLOW US /dailyaztec @TheDailyAztec @thedailyaztec

by Lauren J. Mapp SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Black students, allies and faculty members marched down Campanile Drive to Hepner Hall during a rally on April 18 where supporters demonstrated their intolerance for racism at San Diego State.

The protest was in response to a vandalism incident at the Black Resource Center over the weekend, which resulted in more than $400 in damages, according to university spokeswoman LaMonica Everett-Haynes.

During the rally, Associated Students President-elect and business senior Christian Onwuka read a list of demands

News............................... 1-3 Opinion............................. 4 Sports.............................. 5-7 Mundo Azteca.................... 9 Arts & Culture............ 10-11 The Back Page.................. 12

from the students to the university.

The protestors want heightened security measures for the BRC, including an alarm system monitored by campus police and security cameras.

“We don’t have cameras at the Black Resource Center,” said Tamiel McKee Bey, cultural anthropology sophomore. “Can somebody tell me why every other center, building, frat and sorority house on this campus has cameras, but we don’t?”

Other demands included a sign in the front yard of the center, more police officers to be hired to work as safety escorts and funding to create a research symposium for faculty of color.

They also wanted protection

for faculty and staff who speak out in support students of color, “culturally competent” counselors, training for faculty to advocate against racism and student involvement in the hiring process of faculty.

Onwuka said he was demanding the requests to be fulfilled by Aug. 30.

“How the hell can I represent my campus when my campus doesn’t represent me?” Onwuka asked. “How the hell can I speak for my campus when my campus doesn’t speak for me? How can I love my campus when my campus does not love me?”

The protest was also in SEE RALLY, PAGE 2

A case of meningococcal meningitis has been reported at San Diego State, with possible ties to Greek life events that occurred over the weekend, the university announced in a tweet last week.

The events include the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity’s formal, which was held on the night of Friday, April 12, and a Delta Sigma Phi event that was held the night of Saturday, April 13, at the organization’s chapter facility.

This is the second time SDSU has experienced a meningitis scare this year, with the first cases reported at the start of the school year. An outbreak of the virus was declared

by San Diego County health officials at the end of September after three cases were reported.

One of those cases was also tied to Greek life as the girl contracted the illness after attending sorority rush events.

Additional testing was underway to determine if this case is connected to the outbreak from earlier this year, according to a campus-wide email sent by SDSU Medical Director Cynthia Cornelius.

The email said all SDSU undergraduates under 23 years of age are encouraged to get vaccinated. Those who have only received their second dose are not fully protected.

There will be standing MenB vaccination clinics held at Student Health Services on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m.

For more information about the virus, visit SDSU’s meningitis prevention webpage.

San Francisco-based Gensler firm chosen to design stadium for Mission Valley project

by Ronald Penh STAFF WRITER

/DailyAztecVideo

INDEX

Meningitis reported after Greek life events

The architectural firm Gensler has been selected to design San Diego State’s new stadium to be located on the university’s future satellite campus in Mission Valley.

The Gensler firm is based in San Francisco and has designed projects in the United States and internationally, according to their website. Some notable projects include the Etsy building in Brooklyn, New York, the

Shanghai Tower in China, and One Microsoft Place in Ireland.

The firm also designed the Chase Center in San Francisco, which will be the new home arena for the Golden State Warriors.

Construction is aimed to begin in 2020 and is planned to be finished by 2022, according to a university press release. The stadium will be designed to satisfy various venue settings such as collegiate and professional SEE GENSLER, PAGE 2

Courtesy of SDSU NewsCenter

Gensler has been selected to be the architectural firm behind the construction of the Mission Valley stadium, which will be a part of SDSU’s future satellite campus on the site.

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News

The Daily Aztec

April 24 - May 1, 2019 EDITOR: Bella Ross • news@thedailyaztec.com

Rally:

continued from page 1

Photos by Lauren J. Mapp

(Top) Associated Students President-elect Christian Onwuka, business senior, lists the demands from the protestors during the rally at San Diego State on Thursday, April 18, 2019. (Bottom) Student activists hold signs in front of Hepner Hall at San Diego State during the rally on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

Gensler:

continued from page 1 football games, championship NCAA games, collegiate soccer games, concerts and other events.

Steve Chung, Gensler’s design director, touched upon his vision for the future stadium and the prospect of working with SDSU and Clark Construction — the

contractor for the project.

“We are excited to be working alongside San Diego State University and Clark Construction to bring a unique game-day experience to the university community,” Chung said in a press release. “The venue will reflect the dynamic spirit of San Diego while offering flexibility for a variety of events beyond football.”

SDSU is still negotiating

with the city of San Diego to purchase the land and draft an Environmental Impact Report, which will analyze the likely environmental effects of the stadium as well as suggest ways to reduce potential environmental harm. The plan is expected to be considered for approval in 2020.

Clark Construction – which was selected in Febuary – and SDSU both selected Gensler in a joint process.

response to an incident in early March, where several passersby were recorded yelling a racial slur while driving by the Black Resource Center, McKee Bey said. Though there have been other incidents where racist remarks have been shouted at the building, she said it is the first time anything has been done about it. After the video was released, it went viral on social media.

“This isn’t the first time that this has happened, but SDSU is responding because this is the first time we got it on camera,” McKee Bey said.

Chief Diversity Officer J. Luke Wood said some of the demands listed during the April 18 protest have already been put in place and the university is currently working to address the students’ other concerns.

“What we do as an administration is to respond to what the student needs are,” Wood said. “What they’re doing is making sure that we’re aware of what those concerns are.

“Fortunately, many of the recommendations that they have are things that we have already either put into place or are putting into place.”

Wood wouldn’t further explain the new safety measures that have been put in place.

“We can’t go into detail about them except to say that we have absolutely enhanced security in and around the Black Resource Center,” Wood said.

During the rally, students and faculty gave speeches about their experiences with racism on campus.

Nursing junior Rayne Lopez said she and her friends were recently harassed by a faculty member and student in the parking lot. The faculty member threatened to call the police on them during the encounter.

“The incident that happened to me and my friends really got to me — and my dad telling me to stand down in that situation when my dad is one of the strongest black men that I know,” Lopez said.

Africana studies assistant professor Antwanisha AlameenShavers spoke out during the rally and called more faculty of all backgrounds, especially white faculty with tenure, to actively support students of color.

“I don’t know why they’re not here,” Alameen-Shavers said.

“They don’t see it as important.

They don’t see our students as their students.”

Alameen-Shavers cited the history of slavery, racism and Rudyard Kipling’s “The White Man’s Burden” — a poem justifying European American imperialism through religion — as some of the reasons why diversity issues occur at SDSU. “White people don’t see us as their as their family,” Alameen-Shavers said. “They lack empathy for us and they have always done so because they created this paradigm whereby they are God. We are individuals that need to be saved.”

Several students who identify as allies spoke during the rally in support of the black community.

Alison Aiken, political science and women’s studies sophomore, said she tries to inspire other white students to speak out in support of students of color, but she isn’t always successful in her endeavors.

“When I try to start conversations about institutional racism and cultural issues regarding racism and how people of color are oppressed, oftentimes white people will not listen to me and won’t have the conversation,” Aiken said.

Mayra Pelcastre Rios, kinesiology senior, said she believes it is important for diverse communities on campus to support one another because there is strength in numbers.

“I feel as though it’s just a need for us to come together because one community cannot stand alone against all these (non-minority) communities,” Pelcastre Rios said. “It is seen in our history: if we all come together, we make a bigger impact, and if we come as a whole, we’re undefeated.”

April 24 - May 1, 2019 EDITOR: Bella Ross, news@thedailyaztec.com

News

The Daily Aztec

3

Event gives insight into Greek life at SDSU

by Brenden STAFF WRITER

Tuccinardi

Interfraternity Council President Jacob Mahony and College Panhellenic Association President Nicole Calise stuck to the script during a nearly two-hour panel discussion on April 22 aimed at providing students an insider’s perspective into Greek life.

Hazing, sexual violence and discriminatory practices were among the topics the moderator, women’s studies sophomore Alison Aiken, and the audience brought up to the panel, which included United Sorority and Fraternity Council Vice President Nathalou Mejorada.

Aiken organized and moderated the event after interviews with several Greek members for a intersectional feminism project revealed some serious problems within their community.

“After hearing all of these stories of people being raped, stories of people being hazed, stories of the worst of the worst happening here on campus, from people who didn’t feel comfortable addressing it within their community, I was like, ‘Okay, this is something that really needs to be talked about,’” Aiken said.

Mahony fielded questions

about known hazing practices in some of the IFC fraternities and Calise addressed the prevalence of discriminatory practices in the sorority recruitment process on the basis of physical appearance and race.

“This year we have full-on values-based recruitment,” Calise said. “We have established a very structured process.”

The panel comes at the close of a tumultuous school year for Greek life at SDSU. In November, two IFC fraternities, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Kappa Alpha, were placed on interim suspension along with CPA sorority Alpha Phi. The suspensions closely followed the October removal of IFC fraternity Sigma Nu, which occurred only two weeks after the council unanimously voted to lift the selfimposed social moratorium – or, alcohol ban – put in place March 2018.

“I don’t think enough people understand why we do the things that we do, they only know what we do, and sometimes that can get twisted,” Calise said.

Although many of the questions were directed more toward Mahony and Calise, Mejorada, the vice president of USFC – the council representing the 18 culturally-based fraternities

Photo by David Santillan

(Left to right) IFC President Jacob Mahony, CPA President Nicole Calise and women’s studies sophomore Alison Aiken discussed their perspectives on Greek life at an April 22 event.

and sororities – said the issues discussed by the panel are perpetuated by the entire Greek community, and that all councils are working hard to address them among their own chapters.

All three leaders used the panel as an opportunity to highlight philanthropy and community service completed by chapters in

their council.

“Community service and philanthropy are really big things for the Greek community,” Mahony said.

This fall IFC raised more than $35,000 and collectively completed over 7,000 hours of community service, Mahony said.

The panel occurred shortly after

several of the councils appointed new executive boards who will work in the coming months to implement their vision for the Greek community at SDSU. “I think that our community is moving in a great direction,” Mahony said. “I hope that we continue to do that.”

University researcher gains insight into the defense mechanisms used by kangaroo rats against snakes

by Michael Cline SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Research conducted by San Diego State doctoral students on the kangaroo rat, using highspeed cameras to demonstrate their ability to fight off predators, was recently featured in National Geographic.

Associate professor of ecology at SDSU Rulon Clark and associate professor of biology at UC Riverside Timothy Higham co-authored a pair of studies published in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society and Functional Ecology. The

professors advised a team led by doctoral candidates Malachi Whitford and Grace Freymiller, whose research explored the ability of kangaroo rats to evade rattlesnakes hunting in the desert near Yuma, Arizona.

Previous research into the kangaroo rat’s evasive maneuvers was conducted with lower frame rate cameras that captured their interaction with snakes.

Researchers, however could not initially conclude what enabled the kangaroo rat to evade the hunting snakes.

“You couldn’t really see what was going on,” Whitford said.

“You could see the kangaroo rat

was coming into contact with the snake, but you were always left wondering why the kangaroo rat was still alive.”

Whitford and Freymiller led 30 field researchers into the Barry M. Goldwater Range in Yuma, between May and August of last year. The team implanted radio transmitters in snakes to track their movement, and when they began to hunt, the team deployed hundreds of pounds of high tech equipment — complete with high speed cameras, a camcorder and tripods — to record the interactions.

These high speed cameras helped Whitford and Freymiller

Courtesy photo

SDSU ecology professor Rulon Clark’s research gave insight into the the defense mechanisms of kangaroo rats.

discover the kangaroo rat’s complex ability to leap and spin in midair to avoid venomous snake bites. The cameras also revealed the kangaroo rat’s capacity to kick an attacking snake, an evasive maneuver that spared the rodent’s life more than half the time.

“We really didn’t expect to see the kangaroo rats kicking these snakes so vigorously,” Whitford said.

Modern technology enabled the team to record the interactions, and the recordings came as a surprise to the researchers.

“It was essential to have a camera that could record at 500 frames per second,” Freymiller said.

The team’s findings were recently featured in an April 5 article in National Geographic, highlighting the biological and ecological research currently conducted by SDSU students.

Whitford said the findings pave the way for future inquiry into predatory relationships.

He said temperature plays a pivotal role in prey-predator interactions, since snakes are cold-blooded animals whose body temperature is affected by their surroundings. Because the warm-blooded kangaroo rat’s body temperature is not affected by the environment, Whitford said he plans to explore how climate change might affect this predatory relationship.

Clark’s research primarily

explores predator-prey interactions.

His other work currently focuses on “interactions between California ground squirrels and Northern Pacific rattlesnakes,” according to his website. He served as the project’s principal investigator and played a key role in guiding the team’s research. “(He) guided us as his students through the process of collecting data and analyzing it, while providing feedback on the manuscript,” Freymiller said.

Higham also served as a principal investigator and his research at UCR focuses on biomechanics. Whitford said the relationship between behavioral ecology and biomechanics was instrumental to the project.

“Merging those two fields was a really good way of actually understanding how animals behave in the wild and how that behavior influences their survivorship,” Whitford said. “It was a really cool collaboration.”

Clark’s website also highlights his work “collaborating with (his) graduate students” on their various research projects.

Freymiller said his passion for research helps students looking to acquire experience in the field.

“Dr. Clark has a really good track record of hiring undergraduates to help with research in his lab,” she said.

“He is really helpful in guiding and introducing them to field research.”

Opinion Vote for left-wing candidates in 2020 4

The Daily Aztec

by Chance Page STAFF WRITER

As the 2020 election nears, the United States enters a crossroads.

Since President Donald Trump took office, his administration has conducted itself in a way that harms all Americans, especially those from marginalized groups.

The U.S. government has rolled back environmental regulations, from overturning American involvement in the Paris Climate Agreement to supporting the return of asbestos use.

Trump ended efforts to keep tabs on white supremacist groups just as their rise became meteoric, with a shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue and the recent bevy of death threats directed at Ilhan Omar (likely sparked by Trump and other Republicans disingenuously taking her comments out of context and accusing her of downplaying 9/11) serving as two examples of white supremacy run amok.

Instead, the Trump administration has chosen to target marginalized groups, including interning immigrants from the southern border in concentration camps, initially defending the separation of children and allegedly seeking to restart the child separation policy in recent weeks.

The administration has also banned immigration from several Muslim-majority countries and

sought to target trans people by removing them from the military and setting up a policy to list birth gender on birth certificates.

There are numerous other harms the Trump administration has committed: sabotaging the deal that would prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons, boosting private schools at the expense of public schools, gutting the Affordable Care Act and providing massive tax cuts for the rich.

I list all of the above in order to say this: I am aware of the stakes of this election.

I am aware of how important the election is and that compromising my ideals might be necessary in order to support candidates that will defeat Trump and the Republican Party.

However, I believe left-wing candidates and a left-wing direction overall are the best course of action for both winning the election and improving the country, not the center-left that seems poised to yet again direct the party.

A frequent argument made by supporters of Hillary Clinton in the last Democratic primary or supporters of candidates such as Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke and Joe Biden in this primary is that while left-wing candidates and policies are nice in theory, they are incapable of winning elections, as centrist voters might recoil in horror at a leftist/socialist candidate and flip their vote

Republican.

Certainly, this is not without merit — Cold War propaganda and right-wing fearmongering has made any form of leftism or socialism difficult to gain traction, although recently, the number of people who hold this stigma has shrunk.

But in making this argument, it ignores the other side of the argument: by choosing center-left candidates with an inconsistent history of defending minority groups, many voters within the Democratic party (or the left-wing sphere in general) might not turn out at all.

This caused trouble for Clinton, as she faced reduced turnout, perhaps in part due to this history in her career as a First Lady and Senator: she coined the phrase “superpredators,” used to depict largely-black criminal youth, while advocating for the crime bill signed by her husband that led to skyrocketing imprisonment rates; she supported harsh immigration measures such as the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act, which greatly expanded deportation; and she was largely opposed to gay marriage until after it became politically convenient and popular to do so.

In the same vein, current candidates might face this conundrum. Kamala Harris might be haunted by her history as Attorney General of California;

April 24 - May 1, 2019 EDITOR: Kemi Giwa • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

while she hardly started mass incarceration that discriminated along class and ethnic lines, she nonetheless served as head of the department responsible for making sure thousands were put in jail for drug-related crimes.

Choosing leftist candidates comes with its share of problems electorally, but so does choosing centrists; attempting to choose solely, or primarily, by perceived chances in an election is a fool’s errand, and instead, we should choose based primarily on a candidate’s proposals for what to do for the country.

The center-left pushed for the environmentally and socially devastating Keystone XL pipeline, which would run through native land and put the surrounding area at risk from oil spills.

The center-left allowed the child separation policies to continue for decades until it was recently criticized, often fought against LGBTQ rights, furthered mass incarceration and generally stood on the sidelines, or even joined in on the attack against marginalized people, until it became politically convenient to fight to protect It is not enough to reject conservative policies and return to the Obama-era status quo, we must take the most significant steps, to improve our communities, our nation and our world.

Chance Page is a senior studying journalism.

California’s recycling system is broken

by Miles Streicek STAFF WRITER

The system of recycling in California is broken and in need of reform.

Growing up, my family always collected the bottles and cans we used and exchanged it for the CRV refund at our local recycling center.

Not too long ago, I went to drop off recyclables to the center in front of the El Cajon Boulevard Ralphs.

I realized how long it had been since I had helped take in the bottles because, to my surprise, the recycling center was gone.

Slightly confused, I went to another recycling center I knew of in City Heights, only to find out it made the odd business decision of becoming a tarot card shop.

Long story short, it took me some time to find an operational center, eventually finding one by the corner of University Avenue and 54th Street.

Needless to say, I was bewildered and slightly concerned. I knew something was up, and I was absolutely right.

There is no longer a significant demand for recycled plastic, metal or glass.

At least not nearly enough to sell all the material turned in for

recycling.

All that isn’t bought by various companies gets put in the landfill along with regular trash.

As much as I hate to say it, most of what you throw in the blue bin these days isn’t actually being recycled.

In order to understand why this is, we have to understand our recycling system.

When buying a bottle of soda at the store, along with the price you have a CRV tax.

This tax is then refunded back to you if you turn the said bottle into a recycling center.

I had previously been under the impression that the CRV payment at the center was the state of California actually buying the bottles off you, but this is not so.

The state of California is virtually completely uninvolved in the process except for taxing, and then, in turn, refunding part of that tax.

After all, is every single bottle used turned in, or even half?

Essentially our not-at-all money hungry state government has turned what is supposed to be a noble effort to reduce pollution and boost sustainability into yet another way of taxing us all into poverty.

This is Democratic Party governance at its finest.

Most of this recycled material,

be it put into a blue bin or turned into a recycling center, is crushed, put on palettes and shipped to China for them to use in manufacturing, to then sell those manufactured goods to the US and other consumer nations.

The trouble is, they decided last

“...state government has turned what is supposed to be a normal effort to reduce pollution and boost sustainability into yet another way of taxing us all into poverty .” year that they would stop buying our materials because it is cheaper for them to just make their own, non-recycled plastic.

So now, over half our recyclables are not recycled.

Economics have turned against this critical aspect in preventing the destruction of our planet’s environment.

If the market has dried up, it’s time to use market economics to create new demand.

As it stands right now, it’s no cheaper to make something in the U.S. out of the recycled materials than new plastic.

So a simple way to create more demand is to take the nonrefunded CRV revenue, and instead of squandering it in our wasteful state government, use it to subsidize the private sale of recycled plastic and other materials to American industrial companies, so long as it will be used in processes based in the US with US jobs.

It is critical to not extend this subsidy to any foreign organizations, as we do not want to subsidize foreign industry.

This is just one of many potential solutions to this issue.

But it is one that will ensure the material is actually recycled, strengthen American manufacturing and industry and do so without large government overreach.

Some would criticize such a plan as not being “free market.”

But it is vital that we recycle, and if it just isn't happening as it is right now, it isn’t good enough to say there is nothing we can do.

Because this is unacceptable, and there is absolutely something that can be done.

Miles Streicek is a sophomore studying finance and archaeology.

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 Alejandra Luna ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Julianna Ress ASST. ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Lexington Howe SPORTS EDITOR Abraham Jewett ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Aaron Tolentino ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Dana Tsuri-Etzioni PHOTO EDITOR Michael Abshear MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Amal Younis ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Mirella Lopez GRAPHIC DESIGNER Katherine Cooke

SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Kyle Betz Michael Cline Kaitlyn Little Lauren J. Mapp Jack Molmud Tristi Rodriguez STAFF WRITERS Sydney Faulkner Daniel Guerrero Breven Honda Kelly Kerrigan Olivia Li Diane López Antonio Márquez Johann Derek Oribello Spencer White _________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Josh Diaz SALES MANAGER Valerie Barrientos ACCOUNTING & CONTRACTS Samir Sandhu Meah Mapp SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Kaden Cowles ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Evan Baumbach Bryan Diamond Simon Tran _________________________________ 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.

April 24 - May 1, 2019 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Sports

The Daily Aztec

5

MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPS

Women’s golf holds off Nevada to win Mountain West Championship by one stroke

Courtesy of Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos

Women’s golf celebrates its second Mountain West title in school history on April 17 in Rancho Mirage, California.

by Kyle Betz SENIOR STAFF WRITER

San Diego State women’s golf captured its second Mountain West Championship on April 17 in Rancho Mirage, California.

The victory ended the Aztecs’ streak of three consecutive second-place finishes at the Mountain West Championship.

Following the first day of the championship, SDSU sat in second place, shooting 15-over-par 303.

After the second day of the competition, the Scarlet and Black led the field over eight other Mountain West teams at 22over 598.

Entering the final round, SDSU led by nine and ten strokes over San Jose State and Nevada, respectively.

Although Nevada shot 9-over 297, the Aztecs shot 18-over-par 306 — just enough to win the championship by one stroke over the Wolf Pack at 40-over 904.

Individually, sophomore Sara Kjellker finished tied for second overall, shooting 3-over 219. She sunk two bogeys and a double bogey but recovered by draining four birdies.

Kjellker finished the competition stroking three pars in the last three holes and said the championship win has a profound meaning for the Aztecs.

“We’ve been working really hard the past year and to see that paying off together is so much fun,” Kjellker said.

“It feels like a milestone for us.”

Kjellker ended the championship tied with San José State freshman Natasha Andrea Oon and two shots behind Fresno State sophomore Brigitte Thibault.

Besides Kjellker, the championship squad included junior Fernanda Escauriza, sophomore Gioia Carpinelli, senior Kitty Tam and senior Daniela Anastasi.

Escauriza, who was SDSU’s individual women’s golf champion at the Mountain West Championship in 2017, finished fourth overall. She shot 5-over 221, including two birdies on holes 11 and 13.

Like Kjellker, Escauriza drained two pars in the last two holes.

Carpinelli collected a host of bogeys and a double bogey on the 13th hole.

The Switzerland native tied for 15th, however, shooting 16-over 232.

Carpinelli was named First Team All-Mountain West, while Kjellker and Escauriza were given Second Team AllMountain West honors on April 23.

Tam recovered from a double bogey and bogey on holes 12 and 13 to shoot five-straight pars – finishing at 22nd place at 19-over 235.

Anastasi tied for 34th to round out the side, collecting four bogeys and a double bogey.

Kjellker said the team is continuing to improve as the season resumes.

“We work hard together every day. We do our drills together and we see each other getting better every day,” Kjellker said. “For us, it’s just a confidence boost going into regionals.”

Head coach Leslie Spalding has led SDSU to its seventh NCAA Regionals appearance in the last eight years.

For Kjeller, Spalding has had an enormous influence on the program and

attributed her guidance to its success.

“We’ve been working really hard the past year and to see that paying off together is so much fun.”

–Sara Kjellker, sophomore

“Coach Spalding (has had) the biggest impact on our team because she is very supportive no matter how you play,” Kjellker said.

SDSU’s conference championship win guaranteed a bid into the NCAA Regionals, which will take place from May 6 to May 8.

The bid announcements will be nationally televised on the Golf Channel on April 24.

The regional competitions will be hosted by Michigan State, Oklahoma, Washington and Auburn on sites near all four campuses.

Kjellker said she prefers to play in Washington for the NCAA Regionals.

“My hope is that we will stay on the West Coast,” Kjellker said. “It’s kind of a similar area that we are used to – the same grass, wind, etc. No matter where we go, regionals is still going to be a really cool experience, but I think that

would benefit us.”

The Aztecs were one shot away from reaching the NCAA Championship last season after tying for seventh at the NCAA Regionals in San Francisco last year.

Kjellker said she likes the Aztecs’ odds of making the NCAA Championship this time around.

“Regionals is probably the most exciting tournament of the year,” Kjellker said. “I think we have a really good chance this year, especially now coming in with a (conference championship) win. It’s going to be so much fun playing against the best schools.

MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM STANDINGS

1. San Diego State (+40) 2. Nevada (+41) 3. UNLV (+47) 4. San José State (+48) 5. Fresno State (+57) 6. Boise State (+67) 7. New Mexico (+81) 8. Colorado State (+85) 9. Wyoming (+94)

Sports Lacrosse’s six-game skid ends against Fresno State

6

April 24 - May 1, 2019 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

by Cristian STAFF WRITER

Alvarez

San Diego State women’s lacrosse ended a six-game losing streak by defeating Fresno State 16-15 on April 20 at the Aztec Lacrosse Field.

SDSU (9-7, 1-1) rallied for a comeback after Fresno State (7-6, 0-2) scored six of the first seven points in the opening half.

The Aztecs’ defense would hold the Bulldogs to two drawcontrols in the final 30 minutes, which helped propel the offense to end the game on a 12-3 run and earn their first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation conference win.

Head coach Kylee White said the team’s effort on both sides of the ball was the key to their success.

“We felt very good today doing things together,” White said.

“There was just more energy all over the field, from the sideline to the people on the field that made the difference.”

Prior to the game, San Diego State honored the 2019 senior class as family and friends of nine players gathered around the field to commemorate their four years of play for the program.

White said that it was extra special to get the victory for the seniors.

“I love this group. They have been incredible leaders and teammates,” she said. “I think that was our main focus for today. Play like our seniors. They give everything they have every time they step on the field.”

Senior midfielder Harlowe Steele scored a hat-trick along with a career-high 10 draw controls, which ranks second on the school’s single game record books. Steele leads the team in scoring this season with 44 goals in all competitions.

“There was just more energy all over the field, from the sideline to the people on the field.”

– Kylee White, SDSU head coach Steele said all the seniors were proud of the team’s mental toughness on the field.

“It means a lot to us,” she said.

“I think it’s just a tribute to how much our team cares about us and how much the seniors care about the team as a whole.”

Senior midfielder Jill Haight was involved all over the field

Photo by Abraham Jewett

Junior midfielder Marissa Macrae (10) shrugs off Fresno State junior midfielder Kayla Galet during the Aztecs’ 16-15 victory over the Bulldogs on April 20 at the SDSU Lacrosse Field.

for the Aztecs, as she finished with two goals and a personal best four assists while posting a season high seven draw controls.

Haight said at halftime that coach White re-energized the team by telling them to move past the first half and focus on playing their style of lacrosse.

“Our gameplan the whole time was just to play our game,” Haight said. “So she just reminded us

that if we play our game, we are going to come out on top.”

In just a few days the Scarlet and Black will meet the Bulldogs again, but this time for a chance to advance and compete in the conference championship game on the line.

White said the team had to regain some confidence after going through a second half slump this season.

“We needed a win. We weren’t thinking about next week at all,” White said. “We just needed to start playing our game again and get that energy back because we hadn’t had a good game in far too long.”

SDSU faces Fresno State on Friday, April 26 as the number two seed in the semi-finals of the MPSF championships in Davis, Calif.

Sports

April 24 - May 1, 2019 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett • sports@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

7

Water polo unable to take Harper Cup

by Breven Honda STAFF WRITER

San Diego State water polo was defeated

by UC San Diego, 9-5, during the Harper Cup on April 20 at the Aztec Aquaplex.

The Aztecs could not get their shots to fall despite taking 13 attempts in the first half, while the Tritons scored six times.

“We got into a couple of bad swings with calls that didn’t go our way, both offensively and defensively that resulted in a two-goal swing,” head coach Carin Crawford said. “Teams really thrive on

“Getting our offense clicking is going to be the goal, especially for the last two losses.”

–Carin Crawford, SDSU head coach

those kinds of runs and UCSD exploited those today. It was just too little, too late.”

The Tritons started the game on an 8-0 run before the Scarlet and Black finally scored late in the third period.

Junior utility Shelby Kraft scored three times in the final two periods to

Photo by Abraham Jewett

Junior utility player Shelby Kraft takes a shot during the Aztecs’ 9-5 loss to UCSD in the Harper Cup on April 20 at the Aztec Aquaplex.

spark a potential comeback.

“She’s a lethal shooter, and speaking to Denny Harper after the game, he said, ‘I think (Kraft) needs to take more shots,’” Crawford said.

Kraft had eight shot attempts throughout the game.

The junior utility said that taking over did not take one person, but the whole team. “(The goals helped) because everyone stepped up this game and we didn’t rely

on one or two people,” Kraft said.

In addition to Kraft scoring thrice, senior driver Mary Myers scored on a powerplay goal with 2:51 left in the final period.

Myers, who is one of three seniors on this season’s squad, wanted to go out having a game that the team will remember.

“Just coming out our last game at home, obviously a big game against UC San Diego, there was a lot of emotion

and a lot of excitement,” Myers said. “(The seniors and I) want to go out and perform the best we can so we can remember our last game at home positively.”

With this being the final game of the regular season, it was also Senior Day. The team recognized Myers, Hannah Carrillo and Maura Cantoni before the match for all of their hard work they have put in to this program.

“It’s hard to see them play their last (home) game and especially we would like to be celebrating a win to send them out,” Crawford said.

With the win for UC San Diego, this is the Tritons’ fourth straight Harper Cup and their fifth in the last six meetings.

The MVP for this game, picked by Denny Harper, the namesake for the trophy, was Tritons’ goalkeeper Bennett Bugelli, who had 14 saves.

The Aztecs have locked up the two seed in the Golden Coast Conference Tournament at Fresno State and will face the No. 7 seed, Santa Clara at 3:15 p.m. to start the tournament on April 26.

Crawford said getting out to a good start will be key during the tournament.

“Getting our offense clicking is going to be the goal, especially for the last two losses that we’ve suffered here,” Crawford said. “I think the team will be in the mentality of putting the ball in the back of the net and we’ll be in a situation where we’ve got to keep winning to get to the championship game on Sunday.”

Softball escapes with 2-1 victory over California Baptist

by Karissa Duran STAFF WRITER

San Diego State softball escaped with a 2-1 victory over California Baptist in its final non-conference game on Tuesday evening at the SDSU Softball Field.

The Aztecs took the lead in the bottom of the first inning after a throwing error by the Lancers allowed senior Katie Byrd to score after a successful one-out triple down the right field line.

A few batters later, senior Molly Sturdivant hit a deep solo homerun over the left-center-field fence to put the Aztecs on top 2-0 in the first inning.

“We came into this game knowing (sophomore pitcher Giana Lopez) throws a lot of changeups so I went in looking for something fast,” Sturdivant said. “Today my main focus was staying loose and I made sure my teammates did the same.”

Junior pitcher Marissa Moreno allowed only one run in the circle for the Aztecs, after the ball got away from third basemen Kelsey Munoz in the top of the fourth inning.

Moreno said it is games like these that help the team get mentally and physically prepared for conference.

“Going into today’s game I was relaxed more than anything,” Moreno said. “I took this game as a practice game going into this weekend against Colorado State.”

Moreno has been struggling with injuries for most of the season and has been working to make her way back.

SDSU head coach Kathy Van Wyk said she feels Moreno is finally back to where she was before her ups and downs with her injuries.

“Tonight was one of the most consistent performances I have seen Marissa have and it is exactly what we need going into the rest of the conference season,” Van Wyk said.

The Aztecs were unable to score

additional runs after the two-run first inning.

The Lancers did not quit and continued to threaten SDSU by putting bat on ball, finding the holes and getting runners on base.

Van Wyk said there were things the team could have done better in tonight’s game.

“I do not believe the team took this game seriously enough and we did not come out and make adjustments,” Van Wyk said. “We let opportunities get away from us and I do not like getting away with sloppiness or laziness.”

Van Wyk said the team has really been trying to focus in on playing with pride and playing hard every time they step out onto the field.

“We have nine games left and we are going to go in with everything we got from here on out,” she said.

The Aztecs will now be going into their next three game conference series against Colorado State starting April 26 in Fort Collins.

Photo by Aaron Tolentino

Junior pitcher Marissa Moreno throws from the circle during the Aztecs’ 2-1 victory over Cal Baptist on April 23 at the SDSU Softball Stadium.

2019 NFL Draft could include several Aztecs

by Aaron Tolentino ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Offensive linemen Ryan Pope and Tyler Roemer, along with tight end Kahale Warring have all been mentioned as players who could get a phone call from one of the 32 general managers on April 25-27 in the NFL Draft.

The three are projected to be the players drafted coming out of San Diego State because they were the ones that were invited to the NFL Combine back in February.

Warring is the Aztec with the highest prospect grade of 5.81, according to NFL.

com.

The 6-foot-5, 252-pound tight end is a projected second or third round pick, according to NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein.

Pope did not test well at the combine due to the fact he only participated in the bench press where he had 25 reps – which ranked 20th of the 47 total offensive linemen in Indianapolis.

At 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, it’s hard for NFL teams to keep their eyes away from Pope.

The Long Beach native has the prototypical size to be an NFL tackle, but

scouts are saying he still has to improve upon his strength and technique.

Roemer may be the most polarizing prospect of the three. He was dismissed from the team with three games remaining in the season.

The reason for Roemer’s dismissal has yet to be made clear to the public.

“Internal differences” was a reason for Roemer’s dismissal, a source told The Daily Aztec.

Zierlein wrote despite “eye-catching” athleticism, Roemer’s maturity can be as much of a problem that can potentially turn NFL team the other way on Roemer.

8 / The Daily Aztec

April 24 - May 1, 2019

Mundo Azteca

April 24 - May 1, 2019 EDITOR: Alejandra Luna • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

9

Foro en SDSU explora los recursos para los estudiantes indocumentado por Daniel ESCRITOR

Guerrero

El 18 de abril, se llevó a cabo un foro de recursos disponibles para estudiantes indocumentados en donde la asociación de estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego habló sobre los problemas que los estudiantes de esta institución han enfrentado en el pasado.

Egresados ​​ de SDSU y Educación sin Fronteras, Susana Davis, Gabriella Flores, Ana Hernández y Eduardo Mogollan compartieron sus experiencias sobre ser estudiantes indocumentados.

Una gran parte de la plática fueron las preocupaciones de finanzas que los estudiantes tienen.

Mogollan comentó que las historias que compartieron traen conciencia sobre los problemas para los estudiantes indocumentados, quienes también pueden ser capacitados para encontrar los recursos que necesitan.

“Creo que compartir mi historia es una herramienta importante que puede empoderar y mover a otros”, dijo Mogollan, graduado de SDSU. “Aquellos estudiantes que están indocumentados y no se sienten cómodos al presentarse puedan aprender que no están solos”.

Antes de graduarse en el 2014, Mogollan enfrentó finanzas inciertas, debido a que asistió a la escuela antes que comenzará DACA y sus opciones para pagar su primer semestre en SDSU eran limitados.

Mogollan recibió asistencia por parte de sus amigos y familiares en su primer semestre , pero finalmente obtuvo ayuda del Acto de Sueño después de haber comenzado sus estudios universitarios.

Mogollan señaló que al aumentar los recursos para los estudiantes indocumentados puede crear un ambiente de aprendizaje más acogedor en comparación con la falta de recursos que tenía en SDSU. “Los estudiantes indocumentados tendrán voz y podrán alcanzar una educación universitaria normal”, dijo Mogollan. “Un campus universitario debe ser un lugar donde todos los estudiantes se sientan seguros y creo que esa es mi esperanza para los estudiantes indocumentados del futuro”.

Cynthia Torres, directora asociada del Programa de la Oficina de Educación y Oportunidades y Asuntos, también habló sobre los recursos actuales y futuros para estudiantes indocumentados y estudiantes que viajan diariamente.

Un recurso que ya está disponible es el entrenamiento de UndocuAlly.

La capacitación ‘UndocuAlly’ es organizada por el Centro de Recursos para Indocumentados quienes buscan educar a los estudiantes, el personal, los profesores y los administradores sobre los problemas que enfrentan los universitarios indocumentados. A su vez el departamento proporciona información acerca de cómo

Foto de archivo.

El Departamento de Recursos para Indocumentados ofrece capacitaciones para ayudar a universitarios.

ellos también pueden brindar apoyo.

Torres dijo que la capacitación explica los problemas que los estudiantes indocumentados y los estudiantes de familias de estatus mixto pueden enfrentar.

“La capacitación está abierta al personal docente y a los compañeros que quieren saber cómo apoyar a nuestra población indocumentada”, dijo Torres. “Aborda los problemas y desafíos de nuestros estudiantes indocumentados, así como los estudiantes que podrían ser de un estado mixto”.

Actualmente, hay más de 130 “aliados” en SDSU que superan la meta original del programa para alcanzar los 70.

Davis, quien se graduó en

el 2017, comentó que los estudiantes que se graduaron antes que ella sentaron las bases para que los programas lleguen a buen término.

“Los graduados anteriores del 2014, no tenían nada, pero comenzaron algo. Los admiro”, dijo Davis.

Otro recurso que Torres mencionó y que esperan ofrecer es la asistencia financiera a través del uso de donantes. Las donaciones buscarán compensar el costo de la escuela para los estudiantes y se utilizarán para ayudarlos en un momento de necesidad.

“Lo que también buscamos son los donantes porque eso puede ayudar a compensar los costos que la ayuda financiera

no puede, o en particular, cuando los estudiantes, lo que hemos tenido, sus padres han deportado y necesitan un fondo de emergencia para ingresar”, dijo Torres. “Eso es algo que no tenemos en este campus que necesitamos para nuestros estudiantes”.

Davis espera que los estudiantes indocumentados en el campus puedan obtener apoyo a través de los recursos como lo hizo durante su tiempo en SDSU. “Solo queremos poder proporcionar recursos a los estudiantes que no creen que tengan recursos en el campus”, dijo Davis. “Cuando estaba en la escuela tenía todo el apoyo que necesitaba y lo quiero para otros estudiantes”.

Chicano Park conmemora su 49 aniversario por Diane ESCRITORA

López

El 20 de abril, Chicano Park festejó sus 49 años con la temática de Danzantes, Protectores de Nuestras Tradiciones y Chicano Park, 500 años de lucha Anticolonial. Como cada año el Comité Directivo de Chicano Park y cientos de voluntarios organizan un festival para celebrar la historia del parque.

El evento familiar comenzó a las 10 a.m. donde la comunidad llenó las calles del Barrio Logan para disfrutar de música, comida, arte, lowriders, recuerdos, bailes tradicionales y cultura.

Durante siete horas consecutivas se presentaron grupos musicales para tocar en vivo, como también oradores y bailarines. Además, se contó con las presentaciones de Ballet Folklórico Aztlán de CSUN, Almas Fronterizas, Mujeres en Resistencia, Chocolate Revolution y entre otros más.

“La comunidad de Logan Heights siempre quiso un parque y la ciudad siempre se los prometía pero nunca se cumplió”,

dijo Marco Reyes, miembro de Aztlán. “La comunidad se unió y decidió hacer el parque ellos mismos, por eso vinimos cada año”.

Chicano Park fue establecido por activistas chicanos y el 22 de abril de 1970 fue reconocido internacionalmente como un

“La comunidad de Logan Heights siempre quiso un parque y la ciudad siempre se los prometía pero nunca se cumplió”.

– Marco Reyes, Miembro de Aztlán.

sitio público por sus imponentes pinturas de la historia.

Elizabeth Rodríguez, copropietario de Chicanista

Boutique dijo que la celebración es importante para ella porque es una forma de conectar con su comunidad y las raíces hispanas.

Es por eso que decidió venir junto con Daniela Cisneros para vender accesorios de inspiración artesanal chicana.

“Es una conexión con nuestra cultura y de dónde venimos, es recordar a aquellos que han luchado antes de nosotros”, dijo Rodríguez. “Es recargar nuestras baterías de latinx para avanzar, especialmente en este ambiente político”.

Los miembros de MECHA de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego también participaron en el festival. Omar Sánchez, presidente de MECHA mencionó que simplemente estando en la celebración es grande.

“A lo largo del año, el término chicano se ha diluido donde no hay que politizarlo, por eso creemos en MECHA”.

Dijo Sánchez. “Mantener una presencia es importante porque si no te ven, no saben que existes”.

El próximo año se espera que llegue el doble de gente y participantes para festejar los 50

años del Parque Chicano.

“Van a venir de todas partes del estado, incluso vienen de otros países como Japón,” dijo Reyes. “Va hacer algo grande y emocionante porque es parte de nuestra cultura”.

El día de Chicano Park, terminó alrededor de las 5 p.m

en donde los últimos intérpretes fueron Chocolate Revolution y Santana para ti.

“Es apreciación de dos culturas, la cultura americana y nuestra cultura latina”, dijo Rodríguez.

“Se aprecia tanto el bien malo como el feo de ambas culturas”.

Foto por D iane López.

Familia se reunió para celebrar el aniversario de Chicano Park.

10

Arts & Culture

The Daily Aztec

April 24 - May 1, 2019 EDITOR: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Writer, comedian Jaboukie Young-White performs stand-up set in Montezuma Hall

Photo by Stephan Early

Comedian Jaboukie Young-White performed in Montezuma Hall on Friday, April 19.

by Stephan STAFF WRITER

Early

The Daily Show comedian Jaboukie Young-White brought his subtle and nuanced style of comedy to an intimate yet enthusiastic crowd at San Diego State on Friday, April 19.

“The crowd was just the right size for him to share his very personal stories and for him to really perceive how the crowd was reacting,” journalism and media studies sophomore Poh Tai said. “He was so candid in

the way he shared and was very relatable.”

Students in Montezuma Hall at the Conrad Prebys Student Union gave the comedian a warm welcome as he began his show. As a Daily Show correspondent, standup comedian, social media personality and writer for shows like “American Vandal” and “Big Mouth,” Young-White has garnered a significant fanbase, and he opened the show with big laughs.

His explanation on modern feminism was accompanied by

slides of the Knowles sisters.

He joked that singer Beyoncé Knowles was the mother of modern feminism, while her sister Solange was the point of reference for modern black feminism. This set the tone for Young-White’s non-conformist and unique brand of joketelling.

The crowd resonated with stories of how he tired of hearing comedians tell unoriginal stories about their girlfriends, and offered his take on what it’s was like being a young gay comedian in Hollywood.

“I had tried doing standup so many times at open mic nights where a 38-year-old alcoholic white guy would just get on stage and be like, ‘My f--ing girlfriend is always on her period!’” White said. “It was so bad. I could not engage with that.”

He recalled auditions and castings where the characters he was reading for were written as either stereotypical “gay besties” with oversexed and creepy personalities, or “bro’d up” but with the exact same dialogue.

Young-White’s promotion of inclusion and intersectionality were messages students said they found both funny and refreshing.

“He likes to highlight on community-centered issues.” political science junior Carla Celis-Arellano said. “Right now that’s very important because things are so divided especially with what happened here recently with the vandalizing of the Black Resource Center.”

Celis-Arellano continued to say that having a person of color with a platform like this helps diffuse tension and gives people someone to look up to.

His appearance also seemed to serve as a stress reliever for students experiencing the crunch of upcoming finals.

“Puppies are cool, but I need reality and jokes,” hospitality senior Zoe Gonzales said. “It really recharged me because we got to laugh it out and now I can get back to work.”

Young-White told jokes about sexual orientation as well, referring to how one of his brothers identifies as bisexual and his other brother identifies

as heterosexual.

“It was really nice to have a queer person of color here in the theater because I like to see representation in the shows that I go to,” sociology Senior Bianca Herrera said. “I felt like it was not only an affirming space, but he’s hilarious too.”

Stories of Twitter trolls, gunpoint robberies and which insects he believed were definitely gay were all punchlines and were equally met with laughter. He even made jokes when the cordless mics he was using stopped working three times during his set.

“I wonder how many of these I can get up here,” YoungWhite said, as he gestured to the numerous microphones laid out at his feet.

While his set was wellreceived, students also appreciated when he took time to hold a Q&A session after the show. He fielded questions about working with other comedians and how his career started, keeping all of his answers both entertaining and informational.

He answered one question about how he knew comedy was his calling with an anecdote detailing a performance he gave during a school production of “The Miracle Worker,” the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. He had a line in which he had to throw a chair and say “Not my favorite chair!” YoungWhite said he reveled in the laughs he got from that, and he has been chasing the high of getting big laughs ever since then.

“I knew I was going to do this forever.” Young-White said.

Aztec Adventures hosts breathtaking outdoor treks

by Lexington Howe ASST. ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

The top of the summit is 10,804 feet in thin air, at a brisk 45 degrees.

For psychology senior Carly Kyle, the trip offers more than that.

“We’re trekking up, and at first it’s kind of easy, but as you get steeper and steeper it gets into switchbacks, and it gets really cold because you’re so far up,” Kyle said. “The views are breathtaking.”

The trip begins at the base of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and mounts its climb by tram, traveling upwards until it stops at 8,516 feet.

Here people step off the tram, and while visitors may sightsee, the summit trip attendees will begin a two-and-a-half-mile hike to their base camp.

“People can trek from the bottom, but it takes three or four days and we don’t have that much time on an adventure,” Kyle said. “Still, just seeing the changes, feeling the pressure,

needing to pop your ears, and then finally getting to the summit—this past trip was cloudy, but I can imagine on a clear day it would be stunning.”

After reaching base camp, they set up camp there and then trek up the next day without their packs as a day trip, and the following morning they attempt to ascend to the top.

Kyle joined Aztec Adventures when she was a junior. Anyone can sign up for the trips, including people from the San Diego area around San Diego State. As long as they’re 18 or older, they’ll be taught the basics of the different activities that are offered: rock climbing, backpacking, hiking, camping, or paddling.

Each semester, the program hosts training for new employees along with classes designed to teach anyone the basics. Gear and supplies are also provided on each trip.

“If it’s a camping trip, we provide all of the sleeping bags, tents, rain gear, tarps, ground pads and cooking supplies,”

Kyle said.

They also provide large 15-seater vans to transport back and forth.

“We just ask that you bring your personal supplies and yourself,” Kyle said. “We’ll provide everything else.”

The summit trip requires bringing dehydrated and premade bags for food.

“You tear off the seal, take out the little pack and then pour hot water in it and let it sit,” Kyle said. “It has to sit for about 45 minutes depending on the elevation, but we have mac and cheese, curry, pasta and pretty much anything you could possibly want.”

Everything is mostly plantand vegetable-based. Sometimes for breakfast, sausage will be served, but everything is still in those dehydrated packs, Kyle said.

Antonio Mejia, mechanical engineering junior with a minor in recreational tourism SEE AZTEC ADVENTURES, PAGE 12

Courtesy of Carly Kyle

Aztec Adventures members hike during a summit trip led by senior Carly Kyle in fall 2018.

April 24 - May 1, 2019 EDITOR: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Arts & Culture

The Daily Aztec

11

SDSU journalism introduces class on Selena, Latin identity for spring 2020

by Lauren J. Mapp SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Tejano pop culture idol Selena Quintanilla-Pérez will be the subject of a course on Latin identity and representation in the media at San Diego State during the spring 2020 semester.

The announcement from the School of Journalism and Media Studies came on April 16, what would have been the singer’s 48th birthday. Though she was shot and killed at age 23, her stage presence and story continue to live on in today’s pop culture.

“Her music, her fashion, her personality, everything about her was just so contagious and influenced so many people,” Nathian Shae Rodriguez, assistant professor of digital media studies, said.. “After a tragic death in 1995, a lot of individuals still kept on listening to her, paying homage to her — her memory stayed alive.”

Known by her eponymous stage name Selena, the singer, songwriter, fashion designer and more who rose to fame by performing Tejano or Tex-Mex music fused with pop, R&B, mariachi and cumbia.

Often referred to as the Queen of Tejano music and the Tejano Madonna, she inspired

generations of musicians, artists and fashion designers.

Cardi B has said her music video is inspired by Selena, MAC Cosmetics released a Selena line of makeup in 2016 and Forever 21 has the White Rose Collection of clothing dedicated to her. The Q Austin in Austin, Texas celebrates her legacy with a Selena Drag Brunch and Centro Cultural de la Raza in San Diego holds an annual music and art tribute to her.

“People are still making music that pays homage to her, people are still covering her songs, people were still dressing like her,” Rodriguez said. “We have people that aren’t just Latinx performing and paying homage to her.”

Selena’s story will be used in the course as a platform to cover the intersectionality of the Latin community, marketing, pop culture, music, television, film, social media and representation in the media.

Students will listen to her music, attend art events and dissect the upcoming Netflix series about Selena’s life, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez, who designed and will teach this new course, said he has worked for years to make this class possible. He hopes that it will become a full course offered each spring semester,

when local events are held to celebrate Selena’s life.

“Right now it’s a special topics course, but we are looking to develop it into a full fledged standalone course that is interdisciplinary,” Rodriguez said.

Following the April 16 announcement, alumni and current students quickly turned to social media platforms to express their excitement for the upcoming course.

Though she was born a year after Selena’s death, Emely Navarro, an SDSU School of Journalism and Media Studies alumna, said she felt inspired

by Selena’s music when she was growing up.

As a Salvadoran woman who grew up in the United States, Navarro said Selena’s story helped her to connect with her culture.

“I can just relate to her so much because Spanish is my first language, but I grew up in the U.S., so I always felt like I wasn’t super connected with my culture all the way as much as I wanted to be,” she said.

SDSU is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution because at least 25% of its population is Hispanic. When Navarro attended the university, she said she didn’t feel like there were many opportunities to learn about Latin journalism

Photo by Alejandra Luna-Gallegos

Professor Nathian Rodriguez will teach a class on Selena and Latin identity next semester.

and media.

“I think when I went into SDSU, I think there was a lack of classes that Latinos could take,” Navarro said. “I think it’s awesome that now there are more opportunities for people to learn about the Latino community in journalism and kind of weave those two together.”

Navarro wished she could come back to take the course, but hopes that students who take it will learn about how inclusive Selena was and what her impact has been on pop

culture.

“She influenced people of all colors and all ethnicities and all backgrounds, so I hope (students) take away that she was super inclusive in everything she did,” Navarro said.

Students interested in taking the class can begin registering for the course on November 1.

The course will be offered as an elective for upper division students in the School of Journalism and Media Studies, Rodriguez said.

SDSU School of Music hosts first on-campus music festival

by Nakia Richardson STAFF WRITER

San Diego State’s School of Music and Dance held its first campus music festival from April 17 to April 20.

Pei-Chun Tsai, a violin lecturer at SDSU and a violinist in the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, put on the festival.

She said her main goal was to get students to interact more with instrumentalists.

“I’ve been here for eight

years, and I used to invite artists to come. Usually they’d come for one hour or two hour and then teach the class and leave,” said Tsai. “And then I thought to myself, ‘what a waste’ you know, to just come and spend two hours with our students.”

Photo by William Zauscher

Brooklyn Rider were among the performers at the music festival on campus, which was held from April 17 to April 20.

Tsai said she hopes this becomes a recurring event for students. She said it is also beneficial for students who are pursuing higher education and are in need of letters of recommendation.

Instead of the regular hourly visits, the music festival offered several master classes throughout the week for both undergraduate and graduate students. Brooklyn Rider, a wellknown musical quartet based in Brooklyn, New York, and clarinet player Kinan Azmeh were among the lecturers.

Azmeh, also known to be the first Arab musician to obtain a first prize award in Moscow’s Nicolay Rubinstein International Youth competition, said it’s more than just coming to the school to play and perform.

He said it’s about giving back and seeing the impact it has on others.

“It’s about becoming part of a community, sharing your most intimate feelings with the world basically,” he said.

“So especially when you come in a university context, it’s important because you don’t only do the performance, you interact with the students. You try to teach them and help them to get things out. But also in the meantime, you get inspired by the students.”

The final concert, which

was hosted on Friday, April 19, included individual and collective pieces played by the quartet and Azmeh.

Many students and other members of the San Diego community came to witness the performance.

The first part of the performance featured the quartet performing a piece on healing, derived from inspiration from the story of David and Saul found in the Abrahamic religions.

The quartet said they focused on the story of healing and the good and the bad that a person can go through before reaching the end.

The second half of the concert were solos performed by Azmeh and two other members of the quartet.

One of the students in attendance was Jasmin Rikard, a third-year music performance major. Rikard said she believes the decision to bring Brooklyn Rider to campus was a worthwhile and smart decision.

“San Diego’s becoming known for its classical music and to have such a large ensemble here in San Diego once a year… it would be really influential,” she said. “To have a group like Brooklyn Rider that plays contemporary pieces and classical pieces with a lot of soul — it’s important.”

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The Daily Aztec

The Back Page

April 24 - May 1, 2019 Editor: Julianna Ress • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Upcoming summer movies to get excited for

by Lauren J. Mapp SENIOR STAFF WRITER

After finals are turned in and the temperature starts to rise, cinephiles will start to make their annual summer pilgrimage to the movie theaters to escape the heat.

This summer, there are plenty of films across all genres worth paying the increasingly hefty cost of a movie ticket, popcorn and a soda.

“Poms” Have you ever thought of joining a cheerleading squad once you’re retired?

Apparently screenwriters Zara Hayes and Shane Atkinson have, and their film “Poms” will be released this May to show what the team dynamics might be like.

Directed by British filmmaker Hayes, “Poms” is based on true events and stars Pam Grier, Diane Keaton and Jacki Weaver as three retired women who start cheerleading in their retirement community.

Comedy films can sometimes feel like duplicates of the same, tired storylines, but this actually looks like an original concept.

“Toy Story 4” For 24 years, moviegoers have been entertained by a wiley group of animated toys in the “Toy Story” Disney-Pixar universe.

After a nine-year hiatus, Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and Bo Peep (Annie Potts) will grace the silver screen once again.

The film preview features a new character — Forky (played by Tony Hale) — who is a toy made from a spork.

After being made as an arts and craft project by Bonnie, Forky joins the gang on a road trip as he comes to terms with his life purpose — is he a toy or a utensil?

“Booksmart” In the same vein as the 2007 hit film

Aztec Adventures: continued from page 10

management, has been with Aztec Adventures since this past summer. Kyle led this past semester’s trip up to the summit, and Mejia will be co-leading this trip alongside another team member.

“It’s honestly been the best experience for me in college,” Mejia said. “Being a part of Aztec Adventures has opened up my world to so many new people and new experiences.”

For Mejia, his favorite trip was backpacking in Sequoia National Park. It was his first trip with Aztec Adventures.

“I’m sharing all of my experience in the outdoors with all of these people on these trips, some who have never camped before,” Mejia said. “Even though I have experience backpacking, I didn’t know what to expect on that trip, and interacting with the group.”

Mejia has been backpacking all his life.

“Main thing with backpacking is leave-notrace principles, which means when you go out in nature and camp somewhere, you need to leave it in a better condition than when you showed up,” he said. “This means camping in spots that have already been camped on. You can tell when you’re in a grassy field and you know where past tents have been set up.”

Anyone can attend. “We’ve had a 40-year-old navy veteran join our trips before, to football players from Grossmont college. You really just never know who you’re going to meet, and the connections

“Superbad,” the soon-to-be released “Booksmart” takes a classic coming-of-age movie trope and flips it on its head.

Two friends — Amy (played by Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (played by Beanie Feldstein) — spent their high school days studying and preparing for life at elite colleges, but they suddenly realize they didn’t take time to have fun.

Directed by Olivia Wilde, the film follows Molly and Amy through a series of shenanigans as they try to make up for lost time on their last night before graduating.

“Aladdin” Disney seems to be all about rehashing old films, and this summer’s “Aladdin” set to be released this May is no exception.

The film is a live-action version of the animated classic released in 1992, which was essentially an elaborate catfishing effort where Aladdin tries to “win” Jasmine by pretending to be rich and famous.

The story will likely follow some of the original plot with Aladdin (played

by Mena Massoud) and Jasmine (played

by Naomi Scott) connecting with one another, but Scott has said her character is more multidimensional and progressive than the original.

While issues regarding cultural appropriation and racism may come into question — and Will Smith painted blue for his role as Genie seems ridiculous — this film is sure to bring back some 90s kid nostalgia vibes.

“Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” Following the release of the Netflix docuseries “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes,” the moviestreaming platform will release an original biopic film of Bundy’s life, as told by his longtime girlfriend.

Based on “The Phantom Prince; My Life with Ted Bundy” — a memoir written by Elizabeth Kloepfer — the film is directed

by Joe Berlinger and stars Zac Efron as Ted and Lily Collins as Elizabeth.

It follows a portion of Bundy’s life as

an infamous serial killer and Kloepfer’s relationship with him and her daughter.

Her disbelief that he was guilty of the

crimes he was accused lasted for years, leading her to stand by his side during his trial.

you’ll make,” Mejia said.

The trip leaves Friday, May 3 and will return May 5.

The cost is $359. Information about different adventures, and register for Aztec Adventure trips on the Aztec Recreation website.

Aztec Adventures also offers classes that teach the basics of camping, backpacking and hiking, and wilderness first aid.

“We teach about where you can and can’t have fires, picking up any trash you see on the trail, how to travel off trail, and to leave what you find,” Mejia said.

“With backpacking, you want to be as lightweight as possible, so we teach how to pack in a way that it sits well on your back, how to use trekking poles, and we also teach some navigation.”

The trips vary depending on what

you’re into. After a trip is over, most people want to know when the next one is, Kyle said.

“It’s crazy what leaving SDSU for a weekend can do for your mental health,” Mejia said. “Having a weekend out in nature without your phone, without technology and the stress of being a student, it really clears your mind and feels good coming back.”

Illustration by Michael Abshear

Movies set to hit theaters this summer include “Toy Story 4” and “Aladdin.”