09-18-2019

Wednesday, Sept. 18 - Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019 Weekly Print Edition

Vol. 106, Issue 6 www.thedailyaztec.com

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

Fire blazes near campus

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NASA COLLABORATION

by Kaitlyn Little NEWS EDITOR

Native American Student Alliance collaborated with the university.

PAGE 2

Photo by Jack Molmud

A brush fire on the east side of campus led to road closures and the evacuation of the Villa Alvarado apartment complex.

UTAH COMES TO STATE Aztecs welcome in Utah State and its high-powered offense to open Mountain West play.

PAGE 6

FILM FESTIVALS AT STATE Africa World Documentary Film Festival visits San Diego State PAGE 10

Aztec Markets go cashless

by Bella Ross EDITOR IN CHIEF

A brush fire near San Diego State led to the closure of the I-8 eastbound offramp onto College Avenue, according to Caltrans.

SDSU tweeted around 12:50 p.m. on Sept. 15 that university police was working with the San Diego Police Department to evacuate the Villa Alvarado apartments on the east end on campus.

The fire, which started on the west side of College Avenue,

jumped to the east side of the street along the I-8 freeway. Fire officials said they are currently focusing on putting out flames on the east side of College Avenue as the western side has been mostly contained.

San Diego Fire Rescue officials said the fire is now mostly contained. No structures were threatened.

A campus-wide email from university police around 5:30 p.m. said the fire is now fully contained.

The email did not identify

a cause for the fire, but it said the San Diego Fire Arson Strike Team is currently investigating the incident.

A palm tree in a brush area on the east side of campus set on fire on the afternoon of Sept. 15.

The evacuation order for Villa Alvarado was lifted at 2:45 p.m. and Alvarado Road was reopened as of 5 p.m., the email said. Residents of the apartment complex, which bordered the fire, may retrieve masks at the front desk to prevent inhalation of any lingering smoke.

The Aztec Market’s residential locations are no longer accepting cash payment starting this semester.

This includes the markets located at Cuicacalli, University Towers and the newest location near Huaxyacac Hall. However, these locations still take card payments including Visa, Mastercard, SDSUcard and meal plans.

The policy change also affects the Faculty Staff Club.

Aztec Markets located in areas accessible to the general public will still accept cash payments.

“We’re sensitive for the middle of campus, we’re sensitive to the societal reality that not everybody has a bank account, and not everybody has cash,” Director of Dining Services Paul Melchior said.

AZTEC MARKETS, PAGE 2

Prices rise, portion sizes decrease at So-Cal Chicken

by Jadyn Brandt CONTRIBUTOR

EGRESADO A SDSU Fundador de Mundo Azteca visita a estudiantes de SDSU. PAGE 9

FOLLOW US /dailyaztec @TheDailyAztec @thedailyaztec /DailyAztecVideo

INDEX News............................... 2-3 Opinion.......................... 4-5 Sports.............................. 6-8 Mundo............................... 9 Arts & Culture............ 10-11 The Back Page.................. 12

So-Cal Chicken has decreased their portion sizes and increased prices since the last semester.

After updating menus to show nutritional information, the focus of the restaurant’s higher-ups was directed to ensuring students were provided with healthier options.

“I wanted to focus a lot on nutritional value, which is why we reduced the portions of some of the items,” General Manager of So-Cal Chicken Jeanne DeSantis said.

There were also some price increases in various menu items.

“We based our prices on a percentage increase … it was based on our cost to make each item, so everything was increased a little bit differently and some things were not,” said DeSantis.

Price increases were based on multiple factors, according to Director of Dining Paul Melchoir. Things such as minimum wage increases and payroll costs are all contributors.

“We used to increase prices if needed every semester but Residential Life asked us to

Photo by Michael Cline

So-Cal Chicken unveiled new meal options, including vegan and vegetarian options, as it raised prices on certain items.

increase once a year so that the residents get used to their patterns of spending and budgeting and they don’t all of the sudden have to change that in January,” Melchoir said.

Along with the restaurant’s changes to price and portion size, So-Cal Chicken has added new menu items including multiple vegan and vegetarian options.

New options include the California Roll Chicken Stack, the California Roll Veggie Stack, carne asada fries, loaded baked potato fries and quinoa bowls and wraps.

Biology sophomore Sarahi Mera said she noticed what she considers an unfortunate change in price. However, Mera said she doesn’t see the change in portion size as something negative.

“It kind of sucks that you don’t get as much food for your money, but it’s probably for the best,” Mera said. “They used to give huge portion sizes so this may help people be a bit healthier.”

Management information systems senior Mitchell Meyer said the increase in price and decrease in portion size of his

regular order has caused him to look elsewhere for campus food options.

“I’ve only been to SoCal Chicken twice this year,” said Meyer. “And I don’t see that number getting any higher.”

So-Cal Chicken does not foresee any more pricing changes for at least the next year.

“Our commitment is not to increase (prices) unless something drastic happens, the rest of the year,” Melchoir said.

“So the prices students see now are the prices they’re going to see for the rest of the year.”

2

The Daily Aztec

News

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com

Native American students recognize Kumeyaay with new banners

by Aretha Matsushima STAFF WRITER

San Diego State’s Native American Student Alliance has collaborated with the university on initiatives to better recognize the native and indigenous population on campus.

NASA Chair Lane Yazzie said a proposal was initiated last semester to establish a native resource center with the help of faculty, staff, students and President Adela de la Torre.

The proposal was officially approved last spring, and NASA is now planning for the future opening of the resource center.

“Within the last semester, as the president was transitioning into the office, she wanted to do more to support the native community, so we submitted a proposal,” Yazzie said. “Through the resource center, we would have different opportunities to figure out what else we need to do for students on campus.”

Yazzie said NASA is a culturally-based organization that supports native and indigenous-identifing students.

“Overall, our mission is that we’re here to represent native students, invite and unify the native campus, as well as nonnative students to learn about our culture and history,” Yazzie said.

Yazzie added in another recent initiative, faculty, staff and native members created a resolution for the University Senate to adopt an official Kumeyaay land

Aztec Markets: continued from page 1

Dining services found that less than 2% of the transactions at Aztec Markets in residential areas were cash due to a large amount of students having meal plans.

“There’s a lot of payroll, there’s a lot of managing money, for a very little amount of transactions,” Melchior said.

“So the cashier may not have had any transactions in four shifts, but every shift they have to count in and count out.”

Political science graduate student and Aztec Market Associate Ryan Reynolds said not accepting cash payments makes his job a lot easier and allows employees to have more time to close.

“It’s inconvenient for a lot of people because some people do come in with cash, but at the same time, it makes our job closing a lot easier, and it’s the direction the world is heading now with ApplePay and Venmo,” Reynolds said.

Select Aztec Markets will no longer accept cash payments.

acknowledgement statement, officially declaring the location of campus as being on Kumeyaay land. The resolution unanimously passed by the University Senate on Sept. 3.

In recognition of this decision, banners were hung along Campanile walkway.

Written in both English and Kumeyaay, the banners read, “You are learning on Kumeyaay land.”

“We met with administration to establish these banners because they wanted to celebrate that the resolution would be passed and share with the student population that this is Kumeyaay land,” Yazzie said.

NASA Secretary Skylar Beasley said the Kumeyaay people make up most of the 19 native tribes in San Diego.

“The Kumeyaay people are indigenous to San Diego,” Beasley said. “There are many different classifications under Kumeyaay, but the Kumeyaay population is largely in San Diego and also goes into Mexico.”

Beasley also said she believes representation is really important, especially on Kumeyaay lands.

“I’m Kumeyaay, which is partially why I’ve been very involved in the Kumeyaay efforts because I’m one of the only Kumeyaay on campus,” Beasley said.

Yazzie said representing their people and community is necessary because it’s a very small community, making up less than one percent on campus.

“It’s honestly just a step in the direction that everyone’s already heading.”

Students on campus had varying opinions about the changes.

Sociology freshmen Yda Dugan said the change is more convenient because she lives on campus. However, she did voice concern for those who rely on cash payments.

“I do think it might affect some people who don’t have a meal plan or a card, a separate bank account,” Dugan said.

“But hopefully that will be helped by some of the other restaurants around this area.”

Management information systems junior Stephen Munoz said he works in the service industry and uses cash because of his tips.

“I think it’s kind of a bad idea, just cause I usually use cash,” Munoz said.

“It would be a little inconvenient.”

Melchior said there are currently no plans to expand going cashless at the Aztec Markets in the interior of the campus.

Photo by Michael Cline

Photo by Alexa Oslowski

The Native American Student Alliance organizaed new banners on Campanile Walkway.

“Because our demographics are very small, we’re very close and very familyoriented, and we know all the other natives on campus, even faculty, staff and administrators who are native,” Yazzie said. “In addition, we have a great opportunity to really advocate for our own selves.”

Yazzie added there are some upcoming events in celebration for the native population on campus, more specifically, the Indigenous Peoples Day in October to raise awareness about abolishing Columbus day and establishing an official Indigenous Peoples Day here on campus.

“We want to really make our presence known, that we’re here and we’ve survived colonization with resiliency, and (we’re)

really figuring out how we can connect our communities who have been affected by colonization,” Yazzie said.

On top of Indigenous Peoples Day, November is the nationwide official celebration for natives, highlighting a series of important events that bring together the native community, Yazzie said.

“All throughout the month, in collaboration with the American Indian Studies Department, we collaborate by doing workshops and socials with the goal to center our native voices, students (and) community members,” Yazzie said.

NASA meets on Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Arts and Letters building in room 361.

Brazilian Student Association seeks to raise cultural awareness

by Jeanette CONTRIBUTOR

Giovanniello

The Brazilian Student Association at San Diego State is preparing for a semester of representation, connection and awareness.

The organization has been on campus since 2015, according to their chapter’s website, welcoming students of all nationalities to join them at their events and learn about Brazilian culture.

According to the organization’s website, BRASA was originally founded for study abroad students. However, the chapter at SDSU allows all students to attend meetings.

Commons points of discussion include Brazil’s current events, political issues and explore their culture, all while speaking Portuguese.

Julia Abegg, President of SDSU’s BRASA chapter, said the goal is to connect Brazilians on campus and show students the different aspects of their nationality.

“We all value our culture more when we are away from home,” Abegg said. ”Our job is to try to reach out to everyone on campus and help them see the beauty of it.”

Their first meeting of the semester had 21 people, and Abegg expects it to grow as the semester carries on. Beyond Brazilian students who are studying abroad, BRASA is meant to be a link for students who speak or want to learn Portuguese as well, according to the chapter’s website. The core value of

the organization is unification and using it to raise cultural awareness of Brazil throughout campus.

Sophomore member Rafaela Martins, who joined last spring, said the meetings are the “highlight of her week.” She said seeing her fellow members and being able to catch up lets her feel like she is at home.

Martins and other members consider their experience in the United States to be very different than their lifestyle in Brazil.

Julia Borges Bertassoli, another sophomore member of BRASA, believes the contrast lies within the attitudes of the students.

“Going to school here is very different from college at home,” said Bertassoli. “Here there is school spirit, people live so close to campus and everyone is more connected.”

Aside from meetings, the organization holds many public events throughout the year. These events include movie nights featuring classic Brazillian films, a coffee hour sampling some of their traditional dishes and even a demonstration for Capoeira, a Brazilian-born martial art that combines combat with dance and music.

BRASA has a worldwide presence, with more than 7000 members in 90 universities, according to the organization’ website.

Abegg said the goal for SDSU’s branch is to go beyond the efforts within campus and reach out across the city.

BRASA holds their meetings every Thursday at 7 p.m in the State Suite.

Photo courtesy of BRaSA at San Diego State on

Members of BRASA pose with SDSU President Adela de la Torre in April.

3 News Turning Point provides alternative voice on campus Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com

by Brenden Tuccinardi ENGAGEMENT EDITOR

Turning Point USA at San Diego State is one of over 1,300 college and high school chapters in the conservative activist network. However, that’s where the similarities end, according to TPUSA at SDSU President David Allen Pomeranz.

“TPUSA activists are the community organizers of the right,” according to the national organization’s website.

Yet Pomeranz offered his own characterization of the political group on campus.

“We’re nonprofit, nonpartisan and what we are trying to do is increase political awareness on campus,” Pomeranz said.

Pomeranz, as well as others in TPUSA at SDSU, can often be found tabling on Thursday at the farmers market. It is not uncommon to see members of the group participating in discussions with other

The Daily Aztec

students. It doesn’t matter if the people they talk to agree or disagree, Pomeranz said. The conversation is the ultimate goal.

“All of us have different viewpoints,” film production junior and the club’s Campus Coordinator Campbell Soutter said. “I was tabling today with another board member, and we were having a conversation with someone, and he and I had our own disagreement in the middle of talking to this person.”

Each TPUSA campus chapter is given a great deal of autonomy, Pomeranz said.

The only requirement is that campus chapters remain active and table every week to reach out to more students.

“We’re completely distinct from the national organization,” Pomeranz said.

However, it can be challenging to stand apart from a national organization that often associates itself with conservative causes and figures. TPUSA provides its campus chapters with marketing materials that say “Big government

sucks,” and “Fossil fuels save lives.”

The national organization also boasts conservative political commentator Tomi Lahren among its recommended campus speakers.

“We’re not remotely radical,” Soutter said. “We don’t really care what other people think. We do have signs that say specific things, but if you’re really looking at what they say, I don’t think any of them classifies us into any party.”

Pomeranz also said TPUSA at SDSU uses bold signs and merchandise, including signs and t-shirts with the slogan “Socialism sucks,” as a way to engage students in thoughtful discussions about controversial issues.

“The signage and most of the tabling materials are designed to start conversations,” Pomeranz said. “They don’t even necessarily completely reflect our personal beliefs at all.”

Another way TPUSA at SDSU encourages political discussion on

campus is through sponsoring speaking events.

Currently, Pomeranz and his fellow board members are in the early planning stages for a significant event in the spring. They expect 800 to 1,000 people to attend, though Pomeranz did not provide any indication of what or who the event will feature.

Until then, students can stop by the TPUSA at SDSU table at the farmers market on Thursday or email tpusaatsdsu@gmail.com to receive updates and more information regarding their weekly meetings.

Pomeranz emphasized all are welcome, regardless of their political beliefs.

“It’s not about whether you believe this or believe that, as long as you think about it more,” Pomeranz said. “What we hope from either people that join or maybe just attend one of the events is that they think about some of the issues presented in more depth.”

Aztec Racing hopes to push into top 20 at next competition

by Olivia Li STAFF WRITER

San Diego State’s Aztec Racing team is looking to improve this year after placing 28th out of 76 teams at the annual Formula Society of Automotive Engineers in June, the team’s best finish since the team was established in 1994.

Aztec Racing is a student-run organization where members apply their knowledge from the classroom and apply it to a real-life situation by building an openwheel race car.

According to the Aztec Racing website, due to limited resources, loose organization and low interest, the team was not initially popular on SDSU’s campus. However, the team gained strength in 2008 when it became a recognized student organization on SDSU’s campus as a collegiate branch of Society of Automotive Engineers International.

Despite the team’s initial setbacks, in its comeback year, Aztec Racing received the SAE Perseverance Award in 2008 and then placed 28th in 2019. This year, the team’s goal is to place in the top 20.

“With the 28th place finish, we figured out our competing formula,” said Gregory Essayan, former engine lead and chief engineer for the club. “Now, the goal is to optimize it. We want to optimize the design of the car, keep its reliability and improve on the winning formula.”

The season for Aztec Racing begins in the summer, where members collaborate and decide on the design for the open-wheel race car. During the school year, Aztec Racing team members are manufacturing and perfecting the car to compete at the Formula SAE, hosted by the Society of Automotive Engineers and held annually in Lincoln, Nebraska, in June.

“We use a motorcycle engine and then everything else is student designed and built on campus,” said President of Aztec Racing Dani Phan. “The purpose of the competition is to test our performance of the car and to see the feasibility of mass production.”

The competition in Nebraska is one of two Formula SAE competitions in the United States, with collegiate racing teams travelling from all over the country to participate and attend.

This past summer, the team was able to compete in all the events in the competition, a feat that has only happened twice since the reestablishment in 2008.

This year, the team is looking forward to building upon their 28th place standing, finding that the formula to success lies in not trying something new like the previous years, but building upon past success.

“Last year, we simplified our design down and that really helped with our success,” Phan said. “This year we really want to work on making our car more efficient.”

Aztec Racing heavily relies on the

Courtesy photo

Aztec Racing seeks to place in the top 20 at their next compeition.

Student Success Fee for funding. However, last year, when they did not receive SSF funding, the team had to fundraise and collect money from sponsors. The cost of building a car from scratch usually costs the team between $35,000 and $40,000.

Each member of the Aztec Racing Formula team gets hands-on experience, taking the knowledge learned in the classroom and applying it to building the car. For most members of the team, the real-life experience they receive is priceless.

“We like to pride ourselves on the experience that we give out to students,” Phan said. “You take the skills that you

would learn in class, but then you get to actually apply it to real-life.”

In addition, members from Aztec Racing are able to make countless connections, which can help them with further down the road.

“I think the biggest thing you can get from Aztec Racing is not just the hands-on experience but also the networking that you can do,” said Chief Engineer Austin Hoang.

“You can network with teams across the country and even from Germany, Brazil or Japan. It’s been such a good opportunity.”

Meetings for Aztec Racing are held in EIS-108.

Opinion Performance of both students and faculty worsens when class enrollment increases 4

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Catherine Van Weele • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

by Catherine OPINION EDITOR

Van Weele

As enrollment at San Diego State increases, so does the number of big lecture classes.

This is especially true for lower division and general education courses, many of which now sit upwards of 100 students.

A classroom setting where students are crammed into 100-seat lecture halls does not create effective or healthy learning environments.

It makes learning more challenging.

It feels like all you are doing is temporarily memorizing information for exams, and not retaining information long-term that will benefit you in the workplace.

This is most applicable to general education curriculum, which has the objective of deepening and broadening students’ knowledge.

Much of this information feels

uninteresting or unnecessary.

When the general education courses don’t have a correlation to the career path you intend to follow, it feels like you are just there to show up to pass the class and not to actively learn.

In big lecture halls, it can be more difficult to see the board and hear what the instructor is saying.

The high number of other students can be a distraction. On top of this, the focus on listening instead of collaboration makes it harder to learn the course material. Most of the learning entails looking at Powerpoints, jotting down some notes and listening to the professor lecture for an hour. This setting rarely provides students the chance to share their own comments and ideas.

Having to go over so much material to so many students, there is little room for individual-

based learning and discourse.

Unless students attend office hours, it is impossible to build a closer relationship with professors.

Getting to know your professors is important because they can share upcoming opportunities for research projects, internships and jobs.

There have been a number of studies nationwide that show the negative impacts of larger class sizes, including one conducted by San Diego State.

The study looked at enrollment in various class sizes comparing the data from the years 2001 to 2013. The report found that 2013 enrollment in classes with less than 50 students fell from 60% to 35% and enrollment in classes with over 100 students jumped from 17% to 40%.

The study also surveyed over 600 SDSU faculty members. 85%

said they noticed a negative impact on student learning due to larger class sizes, and a majority felt larger class sizes lead to poorer teaching as well.

Many of the surveyed faculty stated they gave out less researchoriented assignments, shifted more towards multiple-choice based testing and they felt like they were less able to help out students who were falling behind in class. Nearly three-quarters of faculty began giving students less feedback, and a majority cut back on time allocated for class discussion.

SDSU is well aware of the negative impacts larger class sizes have on students, and yet they continue to push for learning environments that fail to adequately foster student-based learning.

Rather, the school continues to increase class sizes, construct huge lecture hall buildings and promote online classes. All of these are impersonalized forms of learning.

Students need to be provided with an engaging classroom environment to create enriching educational experiences. Courses should be structured to be more researched-based and have handson assignments that enable students to draw connections from the classroom to the real world.

The classroom should be a place for meaningful learning where students are able to flourish as intellects and as humans.

Catherine Van Weele is a sophomore studying political science and economics. Follow her on Twitter @ catiemei_.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Bella Ross MANAGING EDITOR Dana Tsuri-Etzioni NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Little ASST. NEWS EDITOR Michael Cline OPINION EDITOR Catherine Van Weele MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Alejandra Luna ASST. MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Diane Lopez ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Ceighlee Fennel SPORTS EDITOR Aaron Tolentino ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Kyle Betz ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Brenden Tuccinardi PHOTO EDITOR Alexa Oslowski MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Amal Younis ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jack Molmud GRAPHIC DESIGNER Emily Burgess

STAFF WRITERS Daniel Guerrero Breven Honda Luis Lopez Antonio Mårquez Aretha Matsushima Juniper Perkins Miles Streicek Devin Whatley CONTRIBUTORS Jayden Brandt Stephanie Campos Patrick Doyle Jeanette Giovanniello Athena Jreij Natalie Wilson ________________________________

Graphic by Emily Burgess

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bryan Diamond

Free tampons are not a luxury, they are a human right

by Athena Jreij CONTRIBUTOR

From the time a young girl begins her journey of development, she will be hassled with the additional costs of being a woman, both social and material.

She must purchase bras, which she will have to repurchase as she continues to grow. Facial cleansers, makeup, deodorant, razors and so many other expenses begin to pile up as she approaches adulthood.

For a majority of a young girl’s life, feminine hygiene products will be a must for her shopping cart. The average woman will have her period from the ages of 13 to 51. According to a report by the Huffington Post, 70% of women use tampons.

Combining regular cycles with a 36-pack of tampons, the average woman will spend $1,773 on tampons in her lifetime.

Outside of that cost, a woman’s monthly purchases for her period may include Midol, pantiliners, birth control, sanitary pads and more.

Women are faced with the baggage of our gender everyday.

Pay gaps, reproductive injustice, discrimination in the workforce and a lack of representation in

media are just some of the social burdens of being a woman. With these in mind, an uncontrollable factor of female health should not be an additional cost to the already expensive subscription to womanhood.

Legislation in Ohio and Wisconsin has made sanitary products in public restrooms free. Nancy Kramer kickstarted the campaign, Free the Tampon, an organization that advocates for free female sanitary products in public restrooms. Kramer made the point, “Tampons and pads should be treated just

“Women are faced with the baggage of our gender everyday.” like toilet paper. They’re the equivalent.” Research conducted

by Kramer showed that it costs $4.67 annually to provide each female student or employee with free feminine hygiene products.

Ultimately, high tampon prices are a barrier to healthy lifestyles for women. According to Listen Money Matters, products for

females cost 7% more than male products. Personal care items for females retail 13% more than those catering to their male counterparts.

A recent survey came to the conclusion that two-thirds of low-income women in St. Louis, Missouri could not afford tampons or pads for the span of 2018. Without resources, women substituted tampons with rags, tissues, toilet paper and even diapers.

Hygiene is not a privilege and tampons are not a luxury.

Allowing women to suffer on a monthly basis simply due to a lack of funds highlights the worst parts of gender discrimination. If we take the scope outside of the U.S. and focus this proposition on developing countries, the case for free hygiene products becomes even more pressing.

In countries where women are the brunt of abuse, menstruation is often shamed. This leads to a lack of resources and knowledge for young girls about their periods. Globally, the needs of young girls are woefully underserved. In India, only 12% of females use sanitary products.

Menstruation is a leading reason for why young girls drop out of school. Not having the proper resources during the school day to care for their

periods is uncomfortable and an inconvenience for female students. The United Nations

“Menstruation is a leading reason for why young girls drop out of school.”

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization reported that one in 10 girls living in sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their time of menstruation.

Hygiene and education are not privileges, they are fundamental human rights.

Girls should not have to suffer through problems they didn’t create, especially in countries where they are deemed powerless. Tampons and pads should not be items of luxury or consumer motivated products, rather they should be viewed as a guaranteed necessity provided to all women.

Athena Jreij is a freshman studying journalism. Follow her on Twitter @goddsz.

________________________________ 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.

FOLLOW US /dailyaztec @TheDailyAztec @thedailyaztec /DailyAztecVideo

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Catherine Van Weele • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

Opinion

The Daily Aztec

5

Constant coverage of the president by the media is tiring the country out

by Patrick Doyle CONTRIBUTOR

The 2016 election was the first one I paid any attention to.

Starting the year prior, I began to involve myself in the news cycle as I learned to find information from multiple sources and carefully comb through the truth and exaggeration. I formed many good habits during this cycle, and would primarily find news through a conglomeration of media outlets in the Apple News app on my phone.

Quickly reading articles about election updates and other things going on around the world from many different sources was

their coverage towards one side without actually saying anything false. I found myself becoming a more experienced consumer of information.

Then Trump won, and coverage ramped up. I tried to keep up with the news at this point, but it became increasingly difficult. Every day there was another outrageous story or something bizarre and dangerous being tweeted. Even today, in the president’s eyes, everything is a big conspiracy against him.

Less than a month after the election, in a sore attempt to make himself feel better, Trump claimed with no evidence that 3 million people voted illegally,

“Everyday there was another outrageous story on something bizarre and dangerous being tweeted. Even today, in the president’s eye, everything is a conspiracy.” fascinating and changed my view on our political system.

For me, despite never watching cable, I could observe how particular news stations swayed

attributing this to his loss of the popular vote. This was later disproved by our own Department of Justice. Then, he claimed with no evidence that

Obama wiretapped his phones.

This was also disproved by the Department of Justice.

He claimed the death count of 3000 people in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria was inaccurate, and that only six to eighteen people died. He said the media tried to make him look bad by making up a false number.

He claimed Democrats who did not stand and clap for everything he said at the State of the Union were treasonous. He claimed, with no evidence, that the noise from windmills causes cancer. He claimed, again with no credible evidence, that violent video games often contribute to mass shootings.

To start off 2019, he held the government hostage by shutting it down for the longest period in history until he got funding for his border wall, then declared a national emergency after that was unsuccessful. And Throughout this process, he falsely cited an “invasion” at the southern border despite illegal immigration being at a 46-year low.

It’s all just an attempt to dominate the news cycle. As long as the American people are talking about him, he’s happy.

But no matter how you look at it, the president is either incredibly stupid, or he’s lying to and manipulating every single

American. I’m honestly not sure which is worse.

And these lies aren’t innocent, either. They’re more dangerous

which way on a daily basis. It was especially difficult to witness his own party failing to take the moral high ground and stand up

“I slowly became unable to keep up with everything that was breaking in the news and started to tune out for a bit.” than many realize.

They provoke conspiracy theorists and supremacists who’ve long remained dormant, as those long silent individuals are now hearing their views validated by the highest office in the country, as Trump and his administration lend a dog whistle to their absurd and unrealistic views of the world. Even if you believe your support of Trump is benign and a way to stick it to the establishment, you likely do not understand what he is trying to do behind the scenes. Trump is playing to a base that many of us don’t even know exists.

I slowly became unable to keep up with everything that was breaking in the news and started to tune out for a bit.

Despite my better judgement, I simply couldn’t mentally handle all of the lies being thrown every

to him.

There were a few months earlier this year where I just couldn’t take it anymore, and significantly limited my news consumption.

But then I realized that by doing this, I’m just playing into his hand. He wants us to tune out, that’s the whole reason he spends his days composing a plethora of offensive and false tweets. He is slowly desensitizing us to the incompetencies of his administration, and if we play his game and don’t hold him accountable, he wins So don’t let him win.

Pay attention. Vote.

Do it for the sake of our press and our country.

Patrick Doyle is a freshman studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickDoyle100.

The people of Hong Kong are completely justified in their protest against the Chinese government

by Miles Streicek STAFF WRITER

I am currently studying abroad in Taiwan and since coming to east Asia, the events that recently transpired here seem far less distant and much more tangible.

I have gotten to speak with several people from Hong Kong during the short amount of time I have already spent here.

Once we became comfortable speaking to one another, I was eager to ask them about the elephant in the room – which is of course the fact that their home is currently ablaze with massive protests against the government of their Cantonese City-State. I was already fairly aware of the situation as I typically follow world events like this more so than the average person. But it wasn’t until I got to east Asia that I realized the true gravity of the situation.

The goals and purpose of the Hong Kong protests can be summarized by their stated five demands. I will summarize each one starting with the withdrawal of the extradition bill. The Hong Kong government, under pressure from the Chinese Communist Party, passed a bill stating that, should a Hong Kong citizen be arrested, they

may be sent to mainland China for trial where they will then be subject to the draconian and dystopian Soviet-modeled legal system where the individual has absolutely no rights guaranteed to them under law.

The second is to declassify the protests as riots. The third being to release and exonerate all arrested protestors. The fourth is to establish an independent commission to investigate

is comprised of 70 members, 30 of which are unelected and required to be Beijing loyalists.

So it only requires six elected officials to be loyal to Chinese dictator Xi Jinping to form a Communist majority. Currently 43 are considered pro-Beijing.

That is not democracy in the slightest.

Supposedly Hong Kong operates under a doctrine of “one country two systems,”

government ruling over them that takes orders not from the people of Hong Kong, but instead from mainland China.

In actuality, the people of Hong Kong are protesting against the Chinese Communist Party’s government in Beijing who are attempting to fully integrate the region into the People’s Republic of China. This would mean nothing short of every freedom Hong Kongers

“But unfortunately, there is only so much they can do without outside help... That is why the protestors are waving the flag of the one nation that can save them, the United States of America.” widespread police brutality.

Finally, the fifth demand is for the implementation of full democracy in Hong Kong.

Currently, the Chief Executive – the country’s equivalent of a president – is elected by an unelected “election committee” comprised of Beijing loyalists and big business representatives.

While the legislative council

being simultaneously part of the People’s Republic of China but also under its own system of British influenced parliamentary democracy. However, everyone in Hong Kong, including those I have met in Asia whose identities I will never disclose for fear of their safety, realize that it is a sham. In reality, they have a “democratic” puppet

have will be stripped away from them. They will no longer be allowed to express themselves as they choose, assemble when and where they want to assemble, have free and non government controlled media or even use Google. Not to mention, it would result in the destruction of their free market system.

It’s absolutely justified for

these people to rise up in protest of their current situation. But unfortunately, there is only so much they can do without outside help. The Chinese “People’s Liberation Army” have moved thousands of soldiers into Hong Kong who are currently on standby. Ultimately the people can protest all they want, but in the end will be powerless to stand up to the second most powerful army in the world unarmed, and they know this.

That is why the protestors are waving the flag of the one nation that can save them, the United States of America.

We Americans support a massive portion of the Chinese economy through buying their goods, so we can use economic leverage against them to force them to back down and possibly even grant Hong Kong independence. If we stopped buying their goods, China would collapse into unrest and they will not let that happen, so they will capitulate. Hong Kong is trying to trying to tell us this by signalling with our flag.

I have just two questions. Will we listen, and are we willing to do what it takes?

Miles Streicek is a junior studying finance.

6

Sports

The Daily Aztec

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com

SDSU takes down New Mexico State 31-10

by Kyle Betz ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State football star running back Juwan Washington did not play a down on Sept. 14 versus New Mexico State.

The Aztecs, however, did not need him, as sophomore running backs Jordan Byrd and Chance Bell carried the load and led the Aztecs to a 31-10 victory over the Aggies (0-3).

The win marked the Aztecs’ third 3-0 start in the last four years.

Byrd started the game in the backfield and totaled 22 carries for 118 yards with two touchdowns.

He first contributed to the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown with 10 minutes left in the second quarter.

The Albuquerque, N.M. native also scampered in for a 7-yard rushing touchdown just six minutes into the second half.

Bell saw a majority of his carries following Byrd’s second score and saw similar success, carrying the ball 17 times for 116 yards.

He also powered his way for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, spinning off two potential tacklers and keeping his balance as he dove into the

end zone.

Both running backs had the best statistical games of their careers.

Head coach Rocky Long said he is pleased that other running backs can step in and perform well despite Washington’s absence.

“I thought, going into the season, one of our deepest positions on our team was running back,” Long said.

“Thank goodness for that …

We’ve still have three healthy (running backs) that are pretty good players. So hopefully they’ll continue to perform at that level.”

The Scarlet and Black haven’t scored 31 points in a game since Nov. 3, 2018, when they defeated New Mexico 31-23.

For the third straight week, SDSU had possession for most of the game as a result of its defense.

Throughout the offseason and fall camp, head coach Rocky Long has called the defensive line “inexperienced,” but the line showed progress against the Aggies.

New Mexico State sophomore quarterback Josh Adkins had pressure in his face throughout the game, with redshirt freshman defensive

lineman Cameron Thomas and sophomore defensive lineman Keshawn Banks totaling two sacks each.

SDSU finished the night with six sacks for a loss of 40 yards.

Senior defensive lineman Myles Cheatum said the defensive unit, who has only allowed eight points per game, has gained confidence throughout SDSU’s first three games.

“I think everyone’s playing real confident, especially in the back, those guys are gelling really well and putting a good product out there on the field,” Cheatum said.

The defensive line was helped by the secondary, with sophomore cornerback Darren Hall forcing two fumbles and senior cornerback Luq Barcoo adding an interception midway through the second quarter.

Senior linebacker Kyahva Tezino also increased the Aggies’ turnover total to four with his first career interception coming halfway through the third quarter.

The Aztecs scored 14 total points off two New Mexico State turnovers.

One of those touchdowns happened with 11:30 left in the first quarter, as sophomore tight

Courtesy of Ernie Anderson, SDSU Athletics

Sophomore running back Jordan Byrd carries the ball on the road at New Mexico State on Sept. 14.

end Daniel Bellinger caught his first career touchdown pass from two yards out.

Bellinger was one of seven receivers to get involved in the Aztecs’ offense, with sophomore Elijah Kothe leading the pack.

Kothe broke his single-game record for receptions (four) and receiving yards (34).

Junior running back Chase

Jasmin was also involved in the offense, carrying the ball five times for 29 yards. However, he did not play in the second half after he was spotted limping towards SDSU’s sideline late in the second quarter.

Kyle Betz is a junior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @KyleBBetz.

Aztecs face Utah State, high-powered offense in MWC opener

by Aaron Tolentino SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State football, for the second week in a row, will play the Aggies.

But this time it won’t be against New Mexico State, who the Aztecs handedly defeated 31-10 on the road last Saturday.

It won’t be against New Mexico State who came into its matchup against SDSU ranked as the 127th scoring offense (8.5 points per game), 130th and last among FBS teams in total defense (610.5 yards allowed per game) and scoring defense (60 points allowed per game).

Instead, this Aggies team, Utah State, come into SDCCU Stadium on Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against the Aztecs (3-0) as the second-ranked team in the nation in total offense (656.5 yards per game).

Utah State (1-1) lost to ACC opponent Wake Forest by a score of 38-35 but followed it up with a 62-7 drubbing of Stony Brook.

The Aggies have a highpowered offense and score a lot of points – ranking 13th in points per game (48.5) and third in passing yards per game (404.0).

SDSU head coach Rocky Long offered his initial thoughts on Utah State.

“They’re averaging 48 points a game, and they’re averaging over 650 yards of total offense a game,” Long said. “I’d say they’re pretty good.”

Utah State’s offense is powered by its ability to score points through the air (93 pass attempts

Photo by Kareem Jones

The San Diego State football team prepares to take the field in its season opener against Weber State on Aug. 31 at SDCCU Stadium.

versus 73 rush attempts), and junior quarterback Jordan Love has a lot to do with that.

The Aztec defense will look to stop the 2018 All-Mountain West Second Team selection, who has thrown for 710 yards and four touchdowns on 70% completion – along with three interceptions.

Long said the key is to keep the ball away from Love and the offense.

“The best thing we can do is keep the ball on offense,” Long said. “The more he’s not out there, the less chance he has to hurt you.”

Long added what makes Love such an offensive threat.

“He throws the ball very accurately with very little motion,” Long said. “It looks like he’s not even throwing it at all, but he can throw 50 yards right on the money. He’s a great, big, strong, tall guy that can run with the ball when he has to.”

The SDSU secondary will have its work cut out this Saturday having to defend a dynamic, pass-heavy offense, but the defensive line will also have to make Love uncomfortable. “(Defensive backs) got to be on tight coverage,” Long said.

“But we also got to get pressure on the quarterback. DBs can’t cover them forever.”

The good thing about going

up against a pass-first offense is the Aztec secondary will have its opportunity to make plays on the ball.

SDSU sophomore cornerback Darren Hall said he is ready to have passes thrown in his direction.

“It gives plenty of opportunities to make plays this week,” Hall said. “The ball will be in the air a lot, so if the ball comes my way, I’ll try to make a play on it. If not, we’ll try to break it up, intercept it, force a fumble – just make a play on the ball.”

Hall and Love go back as both natives from Southern California: Love is from

Bakersfield and Hall is from Rancho Cucamonga, which are about two hours away from each other.

Hall remembers going up against Love in 7-on-7 competition during their high school days and knows what kind of threat Love can be.

“I’ve seen him play before,” Hall said. “I know he has game.

We just got to go out there and play our game and try to disguise our defense – make him have some bad reads.”

Offensively, the Aztecs are coming off a signature performance from their running game. Sophomore running backs Chance Bell and Jordan Byrd had career days last Saturday in which Bell had 116 yards and a touchdown while Byrd totaled 128 yards and two touchdowns.

With junior Chase Jasmin and senior Juwan Washington battling injuries, young players such as Byrd and Bell were forced to step up in the running game, and they did.

Byrd is now just getting used to the defensive attention.

“It’s kind of weird hearing the defense scream ‘15! 15!’ and everybody starts shifting,” Byrd said. “It’s a little different, but I’m liking it.”

Whether it’s the running game or the passing game, the Aztecs look to keep the chains moving and keep Utah State’s highscoring offense off the field.

Aaron Tolentino is a senior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @atolent2.

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Sports

The Daily Aztec

7

Baseball’s schedule features storied programs

by Daniel Guerrero STAFF WRITER

include a three-game series at home versus MWC opponent Nevada and then a road series against defending conference champion Fresno State for the Aztecs’ only conference games against the Bulldogs. SDSU will also host a non-conference tournament at Tony Gwynn Stadium against MWC foes that include: Fresno State, San Jose State and UNLV from March 27-29. The tournament games, however, will not count towards the MWC standings.

San Diego State baseball’s schedule has been announced for the 2020 season. The schedule features games versus multiple Power 5 schools, Big West opponents and dates for the 2020 Mountain West tournament that will be hosted by the Aztecs.

Power 5 opponents: The Aztecs (32-25, 16-13 MWC in 2019) are set to face off against eight teams from four different Power 5 schools which include teams from the Pac-12, ACC, Big Ten and Big 12. 2018 NCAA National Champions Oregon State comes to Tony Gwynn Stadium for a fourgame series starting on Feb. 27.

Last season, the Aztecs split a two-game road series versus the then-No. 6/7 Beavers.

SDSU will also make a road trip for a three-game series against Oklahoma before they host TCU for a home game at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

SDSU dropped a home game to Oklahoma 1-0 during last season’s Tony Gwynn Classic in the only 2019 matchup between the Aztecs and the Sooners.

File photo

Then-freshman pitcher Aaron Eden throws a pitch during the Aztecs’ 4-2 loss to the University of San Diego on Feb. 26 at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

Coastal Carolina Tournament: SDSU will begin its 2020 season in South Carolina against Virginia Tech during the Coastal Carolina tournament that begins on Feb. 14. SDSU will also square off against defending Sun Belt tournament champions and 2016 NCAA National Champions Coastal Carolina. The Aztecs are scheduled to wrap up the tournament with a game against UNC Greensboro before

they return home to play their season home opener versus Cal State Fullerton.

2020 Tony Gwynn Classic: The Aztecs will host the 2020 Tony Gwynn Classic from Feb. 21 to 23, and their opponents include Iowa, Nebraska and Southern California – all of which hail from Power 5 conferences. SDSU went 2-1 in the 2019 Tony Gwynn Classic with wins against Kansas State and Utah.

Mountain West schedule: Mountain West Conference play begins for the Aztecs at Tony Gwynn Stadium in a threegame series versus New Mexico starting on April 3. SDSU’s first conference road test will come against the newly joined conference foe, Boise State (The Broncos baseball program was discontinued in 1980, and 2020 will be the program’s first year back). The last two series of the season for the Aztecs will

MWC tournament: Having already claimed five MWC tournaments in the last seven years, the Aztecs could have the chance to claim another title on their home field. Tony Gwynn Stadium was announced as the site for the 2020 MWC tournament from May 21-24. The last time SDSU hosted the conference tournament, the championship game ended with the Aztecs celebrating on their home field after defeating UNLV 145. The 2019 season ended for the Aztecs after losing in a double-elimination road game to Nevada.

Daniel Guerrero is a senior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @TheDanGuerrero.

8

Sports

The Daily Aztec

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Volleyball takes two of three in GCU invite

by Breven Honda STAFF WRITER

San Diego State women’s volleyball went 2-1 at the Grand Canyon University Invitational on Sept. 13 and 14 and are coming home to face two opponents before Mountain West Conference play begins.

Head coach Deitre CollinsParker said she was pleased with the two wins out of Phoenix.

“Anytime we come out with more wins, it’s a good weekend,” she said.

The two wins both came in four sets against UC Riverside on Friday afternoon and Eastern Washington on Saturday morning.

During the non-conference schedule, Collins-Parker said junior defensive specialist Loren Teter grew into a more consistent player.

“Last season, we changed liberos in and out and this year, we decided to go with one and see how she does in that position,” Collins-Parker said.

“As long as she stays ready, she keeps it at (that level). The other two defensive specialists have done good job complimenting her.”

Teter, who leads the team in digs (130), said playing back

row is all about mentality when reading the ball to determine if it stays in or goes out.

“I do my best and I’m always being told to stop on defense,” she said. “It’s an attitude back there.”

On the flip side, sophomore outside hitter Victoria O’Sullivan leads the team with 125 kills. Teter said it takes a player like herself to be able to give O’Sullivan those kills.

“She’s doing everything she can to be the best and do whatever she can and whenever she can,” Teter said. “My job for her is to put up the best ball I can so she can put the balls down.”

O’Sullivan said it took time to develop her skills leading up to the beginning of the season.

“I’ve been working all spring and summer to build on techniques for the season,” O’Sullivan said. “Just being prepared really has helped me so far.”

The Scarlet and Black (6-3) gained depth this past weekend with junior setter Gabi Peoples and junior outside hitter Erin Gilchrist returning to action.

“It was nice to have Gabi back in there,” she said. “She’s been a leader and somebody that has always been important to who we are. The more things we can

do, the more opportunities we have to adjust to what’s going on on the other side of the net.”

As depth continues to develop, non-conference play rolls on and Collins-Parker said she likes the team’s level of trust.

“We’re playing tough teams that are preparing us for conference and we’re competing well against all of these teams,” she said. “That’s what the goal is every season: To get some wins, to feel good about who you are and to raise the level of competition every time you go out.”

The Aztecs will face Long Beach State on Sept. 19 at Peterson Gym and will take a 10mile trip to visit the University of San Diego on Sept. 20.

Collins-Parker said the team needs to stay confident as they take on the 49ers (3-6) and the Toreros (4-4).

“We’re always competitive with (USD),” Collins-Parker said. “They’re the gold standard for us in San Diego and where we want to be. Long Beach State is a team that is up and down.

We know we have to play good to be in those matches.”

Breven Honda is a junior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @BrevenHonda.

Photo by Sam Mayo

Senior outside hitter Hannah Turnlund tips the ball during the Aztecs’ 3-0 loss against Arizona on Sept. 7 at Peterson Gym.

Women’s soccer falls 1-0 to USD in crosstown clash

by Luis Lopez STAFF WRITER

San Diego State women’s soccer lost to the University of San Diego by a score of 1-0 on Friday night at the SDSU Sports Deck.

The Aztecs appeared to have outplayed the Toreros Friday but lost because of a shot from USD midfielder and former Aztec Milan Moses, who managed to get a shot in that curled just inside the right post during the 77th minute.

Overall, SDSU did have plenty of opportunities. The team had 12 shots and six shots on goal – including two each from junior midfielder Malia Kaleiohi and senior defender Ariana Robles – while USD had seven shots, two of those were shots on goal.

Whether you decide to call this game the San Diego derby or a clasico, the Aztecs certainly came out with the intensity of a rivalry game, taking seven shots in the first half, three on goal, and holding the Toreros to three.

Kaleiohi believed that since her team was playing their crosstown rivals, there was a preparation for a close game.

“We always want to bring as much intensity as we can,” Kaleiohi said. “But since we’re both San Diego teams, they have shirts that say ‘beat state’ so we definitely went in prepared for a good battle.’’

The game was played just as aggressively as a rivalry match.

The first half alone saw six fouls called between both teams, including five for USD – which featured a yellow card for USD

Photo by Luis Lopez

Junior forward Veronica Avalos (23) attempts to keep possession away from the USD defenders during the Aztecs’ 1-0 loss on Sept. 13 at the SDSU Sports Deck.

freshman midfielder Eden Quiroz.

There were 14 fouls in the first half, and the second half having another eight.

The second half matched the first half’s intensity, with junior midfielder Chloe Frisch taking a shot that went just high, bounced off the top crossbar in the 54th minute, which was essentially the Aztecs’ closest chance to get on the scoreboard.

Head coach Mike Friesen felt that the Aztecs dealt with

an issue that has faced them all season – struggling to convert the opportunities his team creates.

“It’s kind of the same story,” Friesen said. “We’ve had a lot of possession of the ball, we’ve created a ton of chances, we’re just struggling to score goals.

“We have to find a way to pass the ball in the goal, it’s that simple, I’d be a lot more concerned if we weren’t creating any chances, but on a night like tonight where we had the ball, we had a lot of opportunities.”

SDSU sophomore forward Laura Fuentes said once her team converts their shots, results will begin to look much different.

“We did good on the attack,” she said. “We got (12) shots off, we just need to finish them off and we’ll start finding success after that.”

The Aztec offense had plenty of opportunities while the defense held the USD offense in check for most of the night.

Aside from the late goal the team allowed, Friesen said he was

pleased with the Aztecs’ defense.

“I thought they were stellar minus the one moment,” Friesen said. “Unfortunately in a year where you’re struggling to score goals, it’s like you have to be perfect, and we weren’t.”

Editor’s note: The Aztecs lost a road match, 2-0, against Pepperdine on Sept. 15.

Luis Lopez is a junior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @Lopez509Luis.

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Alejandra Luna • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com

Mundo Azteca

The Daily Aztec

9

Fundador de Mundo Azteca comparte su trayectoria laboral a universitarios por Diane López ASIST. DE EDITORA

Egresado de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego visitó la universidad para hablar sobre su experiencia como estudiante universitario latino de primera generación.

Estudiantes y facultad de la universidad se reunieron en el centro comunitario Tula de SDSU a las 7pm con el propósito de escuchar la historia de Arturo García en las series de aventuras organizada por Nathian Shae Rodríguez, profesor del departamento de periodismo.

En el año 2013, García, editor de Mundo Azteca, hizo posible que el Daily Aztec, periódico de la universidad, tuviera una sección en español para representar a la comunidad latina de SDSU con temas sobre inmigración, la educación y las historias de estudiantes indocumentados.

Mientras García trabajaba como escritor para el Daily Aztec, notó que estaba perdiendo su español, lo cual lo motivó a hacer una sección en español.

“Quería seguir practicando español por razones personales”, expresó García. “Creo que hablo más allá de mí porque probablemente otros estaban sintiendo lo mismo, donde quieres mantener esta parte de ti mismo vivo y con dignidad”.

Para García fue importante

Arturo García platicando sobre su experencia como estudainte de primera generación.

que la comunidad latina fuera representada en la universidad porque en ese entonces tres de cada 10 estudiantes en SDSU eran latinos.

A pesar de que en ese tiempo Mundo Azteca sólo contaba con cinco escritores, los pocos que habían eran apasionados para contar historias y representar a la comunidad latina.

“Es impresionante para mi porque yo honestamente no pensé que iba a durar más allá de mi graduación porque la gente me decía que mi proyecto

moriría”, dijo Garcia.

A lo largo de su trayecto,

Foto por Antonio Marquez

lo tanto, justo después de la universidad comenzó a trabajar

“Encuéntrate a ti mismo y a una causa que te apasione, entonces comenzarás a notar que perteneces a una comunidad”.

– Arturo García, Fundador de Mundo Azteca García empezó a buscar justicia en la comunidad, dándose cuenta que estaba pasando de ser periodista a abogado. Por

para publicaciones públicos y luego a la comercialización.

Después de graduarse de SDSU, uno de sus mayores

desafíos fue ser despedido de su primer trabajo en una agencia de compra de medios porque estaba muy comprometido en ese lugar.

Es importante para García encontrar “a su gente” porque cuando iba a entrevistas o aprendía más sobre organizaciones se sentía desconectado.

García encontró esto con la compañía actual en la que trabaja, MOPA, Museo de Artes Fotográficas.

“Lo que yo sentía más cerca de Mundo Azteca era mi tiempo en Mixte, una agencia de relaciones públicas que trabaja con organizaciones sin fines de lucro y organizaciones de justicia social, lo cual tenían un montón de problemas con los que les estabamos ayudando a comunidades bajo representadas”, mencionó García.

Además, García añadió que el trabajo como voluntario y las prácticas profesionales fueron lo que le ayudaron a expandir su red y lograr trabajar con compañías que le apasionan.

“Encuéntrate a ti mismo y a una causa que te apasione, entonces comenzarás a notar que perteneces a una comunidad”, aconsejó García. “ No tengas miedo de expresarlo”.

Diane López es estudiante de último año de comunicación.

Síguela en Twitter @dianelopezolea.

DACA sigue en la cuerda floja pero los sueños continúan por Antonio ESCRITOR

Mårquez

Despierto y es como si fuera 2008 al ver que de nuevo se tomará una decisión sobre la Acción Diferida, DACA, por sus siglas en inglés.

La única diferencia es que ahora se busca resolver si el programa se queda o se va. Esto es algo que es frustrante y a la vez no tan nuevo para mi.

El 12 de noviembre de este año, la suprema corte estará escuchando algunos argumentos para tomar la decisión final sobre el programa de DACA. Este es el segundo año consecutivo que nadie ha podido solicitar y tambíen que no se sabe el futuro de los estudiantes que todavía necesitan una oportunidad para sobresalir en EEUU. Cada día me enfrento a una cuenta regresiva que me recuerda que en cualquier momento todo se repetirá y seguiremos sin alguna solución.

En el 2008, me gradué del colegio comunitario de San Diego, llegué a pensar que tenía la llave hacia el éxito después de haber realizado mis prácticas profesionales en Univision San Diego.

Tenía la mentalidad que mis sueños se harían realidad, sin embargo, no se lograron por falta de los nueve números mágicos, el seguro social.

Ahora a meses de mi graduación, temo que se repita la misma historia donde tenga que volver a dormir mis sueños una

muchos de ellos no han tenido la oportunidad ni de saber lo que es tener un permiso de trabajo.

Los estudiantes que siguen mis pasos son los que me dan animos de seguir buscando historias para contar a la comunidad y no darme por vencido a las metas que hemos construido.

olvidarme de todo lo político y me concentré en mi sueño de ser reportero en la conferencia de Excelencia en Periodismo en San Antonio.

Al regresar tuve miedo al pensar que a lo mejor todo lo que viví en esa conferencia no llegue a dar frutos.

DACA puede terminar, pero esta conferencia me enseñó a no darme por vencido tan fácilmente.

Antonio Márquez es estudiante de último año de periodismo. Síguelo en Twitter @ antoniotmarquez.

“Me da miedo graduarme y perder todo lo que he construido por no tener la oportunidad de renovar mi permiso de trabajo. Permiso que me dejará hacer lo que más me apasiona, ser periodista”.

– Antonio Márquez, Escritor de Mundo Azteca vez más.

Me da miedo graduarme y perder todo lo que he construido por no tener la oportunidad de renovar mi permiso de trabajo.

Permiso que me dejará hacer lo que más me apasiona, ser periodista.

A pesar de ello, sigo de pie y trabajando duro junto con otros estudiantes.

Me he identificado con personas que se encuentran en la misma posición, ya que

Hoy más que nunca las historias y experiencias de los estudiantes que cuentan con DACA o no tienen se deben de difundir en todas las comunidades.

Yo vivo con la fe de que si sigo trabajando con personas que ayudan a estudiantes o si sigo haciendo presentaciones de mi experiencia. Esto puede que motiv tan siquiera a un estudiante a no darse por vencido y seguir adelante con sus sueños.

Por una semana pude

Foto por Alejandra Luna

Antonio viajó a San Antonio, Texas para la conferencia de Excelencia en Periodismo

10

The Daily Aztec

Arts & Culture

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

African World Documentary Film Festival illuminates African heritage and history

by Alexandra CONTRIBUTOR

Gex

On Sept. 10 and 11, the Africa World Documentary Film Festival came to San Diego State’s Don Powell Theatre to share African culture and the art of documentary filmmaking with students.

The goal of the traveling festival is to spread the knowledge, life and culture of people from African descent around the globe. This year, the festival traveled to Nigeria, Ghana, Thailand, South Africa, Trinidad and the U.S. The festival receives submissions annually, totaling over 300 documentary films from over 35 countries. The documentary selections for the festival’s 2019 tour contained powerful films from around the world.

These films contained stories about Ghana’s contemporary dance, suppression of the black female voice, a journey of pain and glory for a men’s basketball team, black hair, the emergence of female talking drummers in Nigeria, migration, human rights for women in Kenya, activism and The Tivoli Incursion.

The Department of Africana Studies along with the School of Theatre, Television and Film sponsored the festival. Dr. ‘Niyi Coker, Jr., the director of the School of Theatre, Television and Film, is the organizer of this film festival.

Dr. ‘Niyi Coker, Jr. said he

is very proud of the festival’s great successes as it will now be entering its 15th season.

“The cosmology and world view of Africa and Africans across the globe remains an enigma,” Coker said. “This is difficult to digest given the knowledge that the African heritage is on virtually every continent.

The African culture has influenced every stratification of contemporary lives from its music, language, diet and aesthetics.”

David Huft, a junior theatre design and technology major, attended the festival on Sept.

10.

“The festival was a fun experience,” said Huft. “The featured films told creative and relevant stories that stuck with me for days after the event.”

Director Mark Freeman presented his documentary “Atena/Nets” on the night of Sept. 10.

His film depicted a contemporary dance that was specific to its traditional fishing community in Jamestown, a community in Accra, Ghana.

The dancers in his film used colorful nets during their dance.

“Once we saw that the spot overlooked the fishing pier, if you look in the distance along the pier there’s all these blue nets,” said Freeman. “The nets can be used to symbolize and encapsulate so many different feelings.”

“Mis(s) Interpreted,” the second of the three films shown in the Don Powell Theatre on Sept. 10. It is about the

Photos by Alexandra Gex

David Pradel, on left, shakes hands with the co-creator of the documentary in the film festival called “Mis(s) Interpreted” during the credits.

suppression of the black female voice. The director of the film, Ayesha Kosaka, spoke on a panel about the meaning of her story.

“We reached out to the entire community for this project,” Kosaka said. “This is an effect that a lot of black women

face, and we felt that it was important to see it on all levels whether it was a professional level, between friends or our peers and community. There are a lot of battles that we have to go through.”

The final show of the tour was located in the SDSU School

of Art Downtown Gallery on Sept. 12.

For more information about the Africa World Documentary Film Festival, visit the festival’s website at africaworldfilmfestival.com.

Alexandra Gex is a junior studying journalism.

‘Just Like Us’ shows teenagers struggling with immigration

by Sydney Faulkner SENIOR STAFF WRITER

San Diego State’s theatre program is closing out the

month of September with its latest show, “Just Like Us,” a documentary-style program that brings light to the issues immigrants face in America.

The show--which debuts on

Photo by Ken Jacques

Left to right: Kennedy Garcia, Paloma Carillo, Laura Sandoval-Rivas, Maya Stokes practicing.

Sept. 27 and will close on Oct. 6. It is based on Helen Thorpe’s best selling book, Just Like Us: The Story of Four Mexican Girls.

The show is written by Karen Zacarías and directed by SDSU Associate Professor, Peter Cirino.

“Just Like Us” follows the lives of four Latina teenage girls in Denver, Colorado, through their senior year of high school and into college.

While two of the young women are not undocumented, the other two are. The show brings light to the challenges and issues of being undocumented while questioning the system of immigration laws we have in America today.

Theatre performance junior Devin Robbins, who plays Ramiro and Julio characters alternatively, said “Just Like Us” is about the struggle to maintain identity in a world that doesn’t accept who you are. It’s about the hardships and hopes of four Latina girls finding their way to a better future, one that can be taken away from them at any moment due to their immigration status.

“This is a story of unalienable rights against prejudice ruling and how the lives of people just like us are hurt and ended because of the laws surrounding immigration and documentation in the U.S.,” Robbins said.

As imagined, “Just Like Us” carries a load of importance and relevance in our society’s current political climate.

The students involved in the show are very passionate about the story being told in “Just Like Us.” Lexi Vierra, theatre performance junior and the show’s assistant director, said “‘Just Like Us” is an important story to tell because it is a true story.

“It is grounded in the roots of reality and I think that makes it a very realistic combination of beautiful and heart wrenching,” she said. “The one thing I value in the show most is that I truly believe, no matter what your political leaning, is that it will give you something to think about. At least that’s what I’m trying to strive for in my directing.”

While the four girls play a large role in the show, the

author of the original book is featured in the show as well.

Mikaylah Hinds, theatre performance sophomore, takes on the role of Helen Thorpe.

“She is important because she is the narrator of the whole show,” said Hinds. “She is the one who captures the girls’ story. She is a compassionate, caring character, who wants to open the worlds eyes to what is going on behind the scenes of politics with immigration and what actually happens to those affected by it, and how real it actually is.”

Whether you’re educated on the current immigration laws and issues surrounding it or not, attending “Just Like Us” could only expand perspectives and shed light on a topic that is so relevant today.

“Just Like Us” will run from Friday, Sept. 27 through Sunday, Oct. 6 in SDSU’s Experimental Theatre.

General admission tickets are $20 and tickets for seniors, military and students are $17.

For tickets, directions and parking information, visit ttf. sdsu.edu.

Sydney Faulkner is a senior studying journalism.

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Arts & Culture

The Daily Aztec

11

Musician Club gives an outlet for music lovers

Photo by Candy Agetep

SDSU Musician Club members set up in a parking structure to practice for their Flashback performance last spring.

by Natalie Wilson CONTRIBUTOR

Whether you’re the next David Bowie or you can barely play “Chopsticks” on the piano, the Musician’s Club at SDSU welcomes everyone.

The club had its official debut on

campus in 2018. However, the club has its roots at Rancho Bernardo High School, where it started in 2012. It was founded by the Afetep family in an effort to provide a club where people could play rock music. Senior nursing major Audrey Nonaka, secretary and vice president of communications of the club, joined it in

Mutual love for mocha frappuccinos inspires students to start new club

by Stephanie CONTRIBUTOR

Campos

From participating in communal coffee outings to combating stereotypes, the Mocha Frap Club does it all – at least in the realm of coffee, that is.

The Mocha Frap Club was founded by sophomore business majors Gavin Lombardi and Erik Moore at the start of the semester.

The club was founded upon the students’ love for mocha frappuccinos as well as a desire to combat the idea that women are the only ones who can enjoy one on a cool autumn day.

They promote an open environment for frappuccino lovers and the club is open for anyone to join.

The only prerequisite is the love for mocha frappuccinos.

One member even went as far to say he spends about $100 a month solely on this comforting drink.

Sophomore business major Jake Ramos, a member of the club, said the club is a fun, low-commitment way to meet others on campus.

“I wanted to find a new way to meet people on campus,” Ramos said. “Since it is a light hearted organization, I know meetings and get togethers will not add stress to my already full plate, but instead only add positive things and people into my life.”

Since the club is fairly new, the executive board said they are open to suggestions.

Aside from the casual hangouts and conversing with one another, the club has thought about having a “Do It Yourself” mocha frap day.

The event would consist of each person making their own frappuccinos with an array of choices of toppings including items like whipped cream,

caramel drizzle, sprinkles and mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Once everyone has made their own unique frappuccino, they will be able to share their special mixes and try everyone else’s.

The first mocha frappuccino was introduced to Starbucks more than 20 years ago and has been giving energy to people worldwide ever since, according to Starbucks Stories.

Members of the club’s executive board said their favorite parts of the drink are at the end when you mix the whipped cream with the rest of the drink.

This experience is second to the first taste of the drizzle on the whipped cream.

Moore, the club’s co-founder, said he has a special system drinking frappuccinos.

“For anyone out there who has not tried a mocha frappuccino before I definitely recommend pairing it with a warm croissant and always going for the grande because it is just the right amount,” he said.

When it comes to planning Starbucls runs, Lombardi, the club’s co-founder, said being in Mocha Frap Club makes waiting in line a little less lonely.

“I can always count on my fellow members to grab a drink at Starbucks with me, or have a conversation with me,” Lombardi said. “It is really nice to be able to bond over something so simple with a group of people I might not even know. It just shows how easily such different people can come together and stand as an example of openness on this campus.”

For more information, email TheMochaFrapClub@gmail.com.

Stephanie Campos is a sophomore studying journalism.

2012 at Rancho Bernardo High School.

She is now a senior at SDSU and decided it was time to get more involved with the organization.

“I became an executive because I am currently the only active member that has been in the Musicians Club the longest,” she said. “I just want the club to achieve as much of its goals as possible.”

The group’s main goal is to create an outlet for musicians to perform, practice and grow with like-minded people.

Construction engineering junior and the club’s Co-President of External Relations Ryan Freedman said he joined when he was a sophomore at SDSU. At an early age, he fell in love with the classical music his parents would play on the radio. Since then, he has picked up a wide array of instruments from the guitar to the saxophone.

“I wanted to join because of my passion for music,” Freedman said. “I’m not a music major so it was a good way for me to do what I love with people who have the same passion.”

There are currently about 50 members in the club who play a variety of instruments. As a member there are many events to participate in. For those who just want to play music in a safe space with other musicians, the club holds a jam session every other Wednesday for all members. Many of the members say this is one of the best aspects of the group because it is a safe, no-pressure zone to do what they love.

“This is definitely my favorite part of the club because everyone can just come

and bring whatever they want,” Freedman said. “They get to show off what they have been practicing and all jam together with no pressure.”

Sophomore and the club’s Co-President of internal relations Davis Porath started playing music when he was nine years old.

Some previous events include “The Musician Club Reunion,” which was a concert on Shelter Island for all past and present members. Another event was the “Concert Under the Stars,” which was an evening concert located in the Aztec Student Union on campus.

Many members have noted the unique relationship the members have with one another. Not only do they play music but they hold socials for the members to bond and hang out. Socials in the past have included bowling, open mics and ice cream runs.

“The best part of this group is how close we are,” Freedman said. “You instantly walk in and feel like you have a bond with these people.”

Whether people want to meet fellow students who love music or want to get practice performing, the members encourage students to consider joining.

“Anyone can be in the club, that is the misconception of the name,” said Nonaka.

“If you are a lover of music but don’t perform, you can still be involved and support the club.”

To learn more about the club you can go to sdsu.musiciansclub.com Natalie Wilson is a junior studying journalism.

12

The Daily Aztec

The Back Page

Sept. 18 - 24, 2019 Editor: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Campus Curlz embraces the natural look

Curtesy Photo of Associated Students

Members of the SDSU chapter of Campus Curlz sat on the grass by the turtle pond on campus with their matching shirts with the slogan, “Hard Work, Soft Curlz.” These members promote love for natural hair, but also do community service.

by Devin Whatley STAFF WRITER

No two people on campus have the same hair, but one club is looking to unite them all under one roof. That club, Campus Curlz, looks to bring San Diego State students together through the appreciation and appearance of natural hair, and by providing community service throughout San Diego. Campus Curlz President and speech, language and hearing sciences senior Lauryn Merriweather said the club is a local chapter of a national organization.

“The mission of Campus Curlz is a natural hair and community service based organization that seeks to enhance, educate and uplift SDSU and the surrounding local community,” she said.

Although Campus Curlz seeks to enhance the entire SDSU community, a large part of the club’s intention was to support the black community on campus specifically.

“This organization fulfilled a missing piece of SDSU,” Merriweather said. “We

are the first registered student organization with a focus on natural hair in the black community. People may question why there needs to be a club about hair, but our hair has a story to tell and our hair has a history.”

Merriweather also wants students to know there are many benefits to joining Campus Curlz this semester.

“Students will be able to gain a community, leadership experience and service involvement opportunities,” she said. “Official members will be in close collaboration with the executive board in the form of committees to help plan programs focused on natural hair, identity, entrepreneurship and personal branding.”

Campus Curlz Event Co-Coordinator and theater sophomore Dominique Payne has many different events and meetings planned for this coming year.

“This semester we are planning events that will educate students on how to care for their natural hair, as well as provide a platform for students and local businesses dedicated to styling natural hair,” she said.

Campus Curlz has created many

opportunities for students to try something new, make new friends and create lasting memories.

Interdisciplinary studies senior and Internal Relations Co-Chair Kaylah Abdullah said being in Campus Curlz has not only opened up opportunities to make memories, but also to branch out and experience new things.

“I have gained so much confidence in myself and have created lasting relationships with other Campus Curlz members,” she said. “Just being in a space where being yourself is celebrated and being able to help others pull that confidence out themselves has been such an amazing experience.”

One particular memory Abdullah recalls was their first interest meeting back in Fall 2017.

“We had around 50 people come out to learn about Campus Curlz and our goals for the school year,” Abdullah said.

“It was extremely validating to know that we had so many people interested in an organization that has never existed here at SDSU.”

The club has created memories for many students in its short time of existence, and they are also looking to get more students to join the club every year.

Merriweather hopes to reach towards a larger male audience and create an atmosphere where all students feel like they belong in the club.

“Our numbers are growing, but we still want to reach a larger male audience,” she said. “It’s important for everyone to feel like they have a place in (Campus Curlz).”

To encourage students to join the club, Internal Relations Co-Chair and political science senior Tiana Loving summed up the club in one sentence.

“Campus Curlz will transform the way you think about natural hair by enhancing, educating and uplifting those on our campus through our love of hair, educational support and service,” she said.

For more information about Campus Curlz, reach out to their social media via Twitter @sdsucampuscurlz or Instagram @ campuscurlz.sdsu.

Devin Whatley is a sophomore studying journalism.

M.E.Ch.A. brings community, culture and education to Latinx students

by Juniper Perkins STAFF WRITER

The Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán (M.E.Ch.A.) supports Chicanx and Latinx students in achieving their educational goals by teaching cultural backgrounds, traditions and heritage.

M.E.Ch.A. was originally founded in 1969 during a conference at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

They called for inclusion of ethnic studies in higher education with Chicanx faculty.

Participants also agreed to consolidate several Mexican student organizations, including the Mexican American Student Conference and United Mexican American Students.

At San Diego State, M.E.Ch.A. is one of many student organizations dedicated to supporting Chicanx and Latinx students.

Its website details its goals, history, current directive and Raza graduation. M.E.Ch.A. de SDSU is currently headed by business administration senior Bryana N. Pérez, who was elected chair in April. “(The organization has) three main focuses: higher education, cultural awareness and political consciousness,” Pérez said.

She also said the organization is going to begin focusing more on serving the local community.

“We’ve kinda disassociated from the national chain,” Pérez said. “We’re focusing on the San Diego area and being more involved here. The founding documents say each student should feel like they have a home on campus.”

The organization celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 27. Several founding

members and activists attended, and Pérez shared her fascination with meeting people from previous movements.

“I feel like M.E.Ch.A. in the ‘90s had a big impact on campus because a lot of people in (the organization) were also in Associated Students, and having our voices heard during that time period helped a lot,” she said.

This year, the organization is focusing on its 49th Annual High School Conference which will be held on Nov. 10 in Hepner Hall. According to the event’s website, the purpose of the high school conference is to “promote higher education to underprivileged youth through cultural consciousness, political awareness and community involvement.”

M.E.Ch.A. reaches out to students as well as parents to share information about financial aid, life as a college student and how to get involved with the community.

“It’s important to keep that constant intergenerational contact between people that are elders and the young people as well,” Pérez said, emphasizing the importance of high school outreach and mentoring.

Journalism sophomore and external representative Al Ayala is one of the members organizing the event and networking with local high schools.

“We actually do all of it through students,” Ayala said. “It’s all student funded by our organization. We bring in different groups to resemble the culture and to educate the students we’re inviting to campus. We always get very good feedback and (the students) feel more educated about issues. During the event we have some speakers and include

workshops from other groups.”

Ayala said the high school conferences usually attract around 600 students.

“A lot of the times kids will start their own M.E.Ch.A. which is really cool,” Ayala said. “Our primary goals are to give this knowledge to younger generations, to have radical knowledge be dispersed throughout and make it well known that our presence is a beneficial thing to society. With the political climate right now, it’s necessary to have people of color

speaking out.”

Pérez said she’s excited that M.E.Ch.A. is celebrating 50 years on campus.

“But there’s still more to be done,” she said.“There’s constant growth within the organization itself and within people in the organization.”

M.E.Ch.A. meets every Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Pride Suite of the Aztec Student Union.

Juniper Perkins (they/them/their) is a sophomore studying journalism.