WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24 - TUESDAY, MARCH 2 WEEKLY DIGITAL EDITION
VOL. 107, ISSUE 16 WWW.THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
THE
DAILY AZTEC
Cover by Emily Burgess
SDSU alumnus showcases short film at Sundance by
Aleah Jarin
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
San Diego State alumnus Luis Lopez, who graduated with a film production degree in fall 2019, debuted his short film documentary, “Dear Philadelphia,” at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. The festival is notorious for featuring many independent films and filmmakers from around the world. Lopez served as director of photography while London-based Renee Osubu directed and produced the
film. For Lopez, the opportunity to work on this film was unexpected as Osubu initiated the partnership with him through mutual connections. “I’m part of this church which is international, and [Osubu] is from the church in London, and she had heard about me through friends that I did cinematography,” Lopez said. “She contacted me and was like ‘Hey, I’ve been going to Philadelphia the past couple summers and I really want to tell this story,’ and then we just started
collaborating and talking, and it all just kinda clicked.” “Dear Philadelphia,” tells the story of three individuals from North Philadelphia and documents what they have been through and their outlook on life. Lopez said Osubu’s visits to Philadelphia inspired the idea for the film. She was helping out with an inner-city kids program and “grew a heart for the community and the people in Philadelphia she was interacting with.” Lopez shared that the film looks to answer a
few overarching questions: How do people find hope in certain environments? Where is their outlet? How does a community come together when it seems like there is no hope? “It’s the idea of how people introduce love through pain and forgiveness...and how people are able to come as a community and help each other thrive and grow within their circumstances,” he said. As director of photography, Lopez captured the film’s visuals and controlled each scene’s lighting
DANCE MARATHON ONLINE Not without challenges, SDSU's largest and most successful student-led philanthropic organization is going virtual.
DE LA TORRE TO BE REVIEWED President de la Torre's three-year review is coming up. Here's how you can submit a letter about her performance.
See page 11
See page 2
and framing. Throughout filming, Lopez said his favorite moment to capture was when the film crew was at Philadelphia’s One Day At A Time organization, which provides drug and alcohol services for individuals in recovery. A man at the organization shared he was four days clean and how he was looking forward to continuing his road to recovery. Immediately after he shared this with the see
SUNDANCE page 8
COVID-19 CUSTODIANS Despite mostly online classes, campus clean up continues. SDSU custodial services has risen to the challenge. See page 10
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News
The Daily Aztec
Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Jadyn Brandt
Student employees, faculty to be eligible for vaccinations pending county approval by
Patrick Doyle
STAFF WRITER
San Diego State has announced that all faculty, staff and student employees will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once the County of San Diego moves into the next phase of Tier 1B, expected to be soon. Once eligible, employees will receive an email from SDSU with instructions on how to book a vaccination appointment. Eligible individuals may choose where to be vaccinated, be it through a healthcare provider, a pharmacy, or through SDSU at Calpulli
Center. Those who have made an appointment will be required to present either their RedID or a pay stub at their vaccination center, in addition to photo identification. Once the university receives more vaccines and San Diego County expands Tier 1B eligibility, on-campus employees will be given priority. “Any vaccine supply allocated to SHS (Student Health Services) will first be distributed to those members of the SDSU community who have been working on campus since March 2020. As additional vaccines become available,
ASST. NEWS EDITOR Katelynn Robinson OPINION EDITOR Trinity Bland MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Noé Sandoval
SHS will quickly expand eligibility to all other university faculty, staff, and students, who have not yet made appointments through the County or through their providers,” according to an email from SDSU Student Health Ser-
vices. Case numbers have been steadily increasing since the beginning of the spring semester. Since Jan. 20, 70 positive cases among students living in on-campus housing have been reportsee
ONLINE
Katelynn Robinson
ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Every three years the president of a California State University is required to have their triennial review. This year it is President of San Diego State, Adela de la Torre’s turn. Students, faculty and staff may submit their comments in letter form to the CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro about de la Torre’s performance. “After the Board of Trustees has received and discussed a triennial review, the chancellor will prepare a brief report to the campus community,” CSU spokesperson Hazel Kelly said in an email. “The report concludes the review process and informs the campus community
of major findings and any goals for the president and the campus.” Kelly said, students who wish to submit their comments must send in their signed letter to the Chancellor by March 22. Letters will be confidential and petitions will not be accepted. According to the CSU documented guidelines, “As is the policy of the board, a number of officers of the university and the chairs of its major constituencies, the Academic Senate, the Alumni Association, the Associated Students, and the University Advisory Board are being contacted for their comments with respect to specific criteria, which are cited below. A sampling of faculty, administrators/ managers, staff, and com-
File photo
munity is also being invited to submit individual comments.” Those who submit letter to the Chancellor can address concerns under the umbrella of general administrative effectiveness including management of human, fiscal and physical resources, working relations with the system and the campus, educational leadership and effectiveness, community relations, major achievements of the campus and the president, and personal characteristics. SDSU has not sent out any emails informing the students of this process so far. A popular SDSU meme account on Instagram shared screenshots from the CSU website outlining the review process to its more than 6,000 followers. Third year history major Shawn Stouffer said he found out of the review from a Reddit post. “Personally, I think they should have at least left it somewhere in kind of plain view, they kind of hid it away, because the students have the right to know these things,” Stouffer
said. “At the same time of course I do get why they did that considering the general consensus of feelings amongst students right now.” Stouffer said de la Torre seems disconnected from the student population. “She could have done worse but she sure as hell could have done better,” Stouffer said. “I think she is just kind of disconnected from the general feeling of the students. She may or may not mean well I don’t know what she thinks personally but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. She probably means well in her actions. But she doesn’t seem to really have an ear out for the feeling of the general student populations.” Interdisciplinary studies major and leadership minor second year Sophia Koch said she found out about the review through social media. She also said she would send in a letter. “I would end up sending a letter in just because I think the student voices need to be more heard on campus and it’s not right see
DE LA TORRE page 7
The Daily Aztec
Sara Rott
STAFF WRITER
NEWS EDITOR Jadyn Brandt
Adela de la Torre’s triennial review approaches by
by
EDITOR IN CHIEF Brenden Tuccinardi
Photo by Brenden Tuccinardi
3 News Gov. Newsom proposes new transfer pathway for UC/CSU Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Jadyn Brandt
ASST. MUNDO AZTECA Karina Bazarte ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Devin Whatley SPORTS EDITOR Kyle Betz ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Luis Lopez SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Catlan Nguyen PHOTO EDITOR Alexa Oslowski ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Amanda Orozco VIDEO EDITOR Angela Kurysh ASST. VIDEO EDITOR Mackenzie Stafford GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITOR Emily Burgess SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Breven Honda Ryan Hardison Aleah Jarin STAFF WRITERS Brandon Balayan Patrick Doyle Jayne Yutig Sarah Rott Grace Brady Andrew Finley Megan Oytas David Ahumada CONTRIBUTORS Jacob Sullivan Riley Martinez ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bryan Diamond EDITORIAL editor@thedailyaztec.com ADVERTISING advertising@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition every Wednesday thoughout the semester when we are not in a global pandemic. WEB Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com SOCIAL MEDIA @thedailyaztec
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/thedailyaztec The views and opinions expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec.
Gov. Gavin Newsom released the details for a “stand-alone dual admission program” in his proposed budget, which if approved would provide California community college students another, more direct, path to admission to the state’s public universities. In the proposed measure, participating first-time community college students would be guaranteed a spot at a California State University or University of California campus of their starting in 2023. That is, if they obtain their associate’s degree for transfer in two years, according to the governor’s trailer bill outlining the policy. The other catch – CSUs and UCs have the ability to create supplementary requirements (like higher GPA thresholds) for admission into highly impacted majors or degree programs. The governor’s proposal is very similar to the Associate’s Degree for Transfer (ADT) program already in place which facilitates agreements between California’s community colleges and private and public universities in the state that also guarantee ad-
Photo by Alexa Oslowski
missions. The primary difference between the two, however, is that the ADT program does not guarantee admission to a specific CSU or UC, only to one of the systems’ 23 or 9 undergraduate campuses respectively. The stand-alone dual admissions program would also give participating community college students access to library, counseling and other services at the CSU or UC they agree to transfer to. The program would also require the CSU and UC to provide students a provisional financial aid letter outlining the potential aid they may receive, according to the language of the proposal. This is an effort to create a more seamless transition and ensure transfer students understand the unique course require-
ments at different campuses, hopefully, so that they avoid taking courses that do not transfer or overlap. Following the announcement, state legislators and higher education leaders from the CSU, UC California Community Colleges, and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities met to discuss policy options targeted at improving community college transfer rates. Among the topics addressed was Gov. Newsom’s proposal. All four leaders said they supported creating an additional transfer pathway for community college students, EdSource reported. CSU Chancellor Joseph Castro was one of the leaders at the forum. “Administrators are currently studying the governor’s proposal to see
how it would impact existing transfer pathways,” CSU Public Affairs Manager Kelly Hazel said. “As two-thirds of California students begin their higher education journey at a community college, the CSU is committed to easing the transfer pathway for students.” For students though, the real sticking point is the two-year timeline. “They’re giving students a deal, this is their mission to complete their degree in two years, but everyone has their own pace,” television and media studies junior Giann Ramirez said. “I thought I was gonna finish Grossmont in two years and I ended up there three years.” According to the Public Policy Institute of California, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank, 19% of
students who intend to transfer reach that goal in four years and 28% reach that goal in six years. What this means for SDSU With the governor’s proposal in place, San Diego State could see increased transfer enrollment, along with much of the other 23 CSU campuses. However, SDSU already ranks fourth in the CSU in terms of the number of transfer students accepted, according to CSU data. The top 3 CSU transfer schools are Fullerton, Long Beach, and Cal Poly. Finley Rafael Cazzola, a history senior, is one of many in his family to attend SDSU stretching back to the late 80s and early 90s. “Back then, if you were attending a community college in San Diego County you were usually automatically guaranteed to go in anyway,” he said. SDSU currently maintains Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) agreements with the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) and Grossmont, Cuyamaca, Imperial Valley and Southerwestern colleges. This program guarantees admission to see
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SDSU addresses adversities facing APIDA communities by Jayne
Yutig
STAFF WRITER
San Diego State is condemning the assault, murder and discrimination being directed towards members of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) communities. In a campus-wide email, Dr. Luke J. Wood acknowledged the hurt felt by the APIDA community and listed the recent assaults and murders that have occurred across the nation. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, APIDA com-
munities have been blamed for the virus,” Wood said. “SDSU stands in solidarity with APIDA communities in condemning any and all acts of hate, intolerance, and discrimination.” Throughout the pandemic, Asian Americans have been the victims of misdirected blame, racism and violence. SDSU resources are being provided to the campus to help combat racism, build a culture of inclusiveness and acknowledge the epidemic of violence. The rise in xenophobia
has led to the recent discrimination and hate-motivated violence against the APIDA communities. On Feb. 8, an elderly San Diego woman was attacked without reason while riding the Metropolitan Transit System trolley, according to the San Diego Police Department. Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan, APIDA Resource Center director said, “We will rise above the racist “zoombombing” of an AB Samahan meeting on Apr. 10. We will rise above the anti-Asian sentiment
caused by local, national, and global conversations concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.” The APIDA Resource Center is offering resources to the SDSU community in response to recent events that include: Let’s Talk! community discussion groups on Zoom and virtual workshops to combat anti-Asian discrimination. The resource center will also hold a conference from April 3 to April 10 to examine how COVID-19 has impacted the APIDA
communities. The conference will include leaders from STOP AAPI Hate and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Members of the SDSU community who have experienced or witnessed race-motivated discrimination can submit a report to Inclusive SDSU. Mental health resources can be accessed through SDSU counseling and psychological services. Follow @sdsuapidacenter on Instagram for event information and to learn how to become involved.
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Opinion
The Daily Aztec
Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Trinity Bland
The Harlem Renaissance era is worth remembering by
Trinity Bland
OPINION EDITOR
While most are well aware of the European Renaissance and some of its prominent participants such as DaVinci and Michelangelo, it is rare for many to be even somewhat familiar with the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was extraordinary in the way it displayed Black activists, writers, musicians and performers who developed innovative ways of identifying and celebrating Black traditions, Black voices and Black ways of life. While essentially a literary movement at its core, the Harlem Renaissance touched all of the African-American creative arts. It has no clearly defined beginning or end but emerged out of the social and intellectual upheaval
Graphic by Shalika Oza
in the African-American community after World War I, blossoming in the mid-to-late-1920s before fading away in the mid1930s. Embracing literary, musical, theatrical and visual arts, participants sought to reconceptualize ‘the Negro’ apart from the white stereotypes that had influenced Black peoples’ relationship to their heritage and to each other. The movement not only set
the foundation for all African-American literature but had an immense impact on Black consciousness worldwide. Harlem drew sensational intellect and talent, serving as the symbolic capital of this cultural awakening. Writers like James Welden Johnson, Claude McKay and Countee Cullen, poets like Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson, Sterling Brown and Virginia Huston, playwrights like Joseph Sea-
mon Cotton and artists like Aaron Douglas and Lois Mailou Jones were all prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance. They helped to implement and enhance the movement of Black pride among those who had been victims of white stereotypes and characterizations dehumanizing intelligence. While many may not know all of the aforementioned virtuosos, their contributions helped usher in the Civil Rights Movement and paved the way for future geniuses in entertainment to change the world. The term "Jazz Age" was used by many who saw African American music, especially the blues and jazz, as the defining features of the Renaissance. These genres were born from the African-American experience around the turn of the century in southern cities like New Orleans,
Memphis and St. Louis and spread across the country, north to Chicago before arriving in New York a few years before World War I. Duke “The Duke” Ellington, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, Marian Anderson, Earl “Fatha” Hines, Jelly Roll Marton, Roland Hayes and Bo Jangles amongst others, represented genres ranging from jazz to opera to the blues to tap. Jelly Roll Morton claimed to have invented jazz there in 1902 but it is unlikely just one person holds that honor. Jazz reportedly originated among the musicians who played in the bars and brothels of New Orleans’ Storyville district. Blues performers such as musician W. C. Handy and vocalist Ma Rainey were popular on the Vaudeville circuit in the late 19th century. Handy's “Memsee
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The history of Black women in poetry is brief and incomplete by
Riley Martinez
CONTRIBUTOR
It is well known that art forms the heart of America. Whether through movies, music or written media, art is often what binds us together during those times – like the present – when it would be so easy to fall apart. Last month’s Presidential Inauguration cast a light on artistic individuals from across the nation, but one of the most memorable performances came from Amanda Gorman, the Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of 2017, now Inaugural in more ways than one. Gorman captivated audiences with a breathtaking performance of her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” a profound dedication to hope amidst despair. Before Gorman, one of the biggest names in poetry was (and remains) Maya Angelou. She, too, recited at a Presidential Inauguration
– President Bill Clinton’s in 1993. Years and years before Maya Angelou, young African-American poet Phillis Wheatley was turning heads, rising to prominence during the American Revolution. It is important to reflect upon the deep roots of Black female poets in American history because, historically, much of the criticism they have received has been predicated on their race rather than their artistic prowess. However, each of these women (and many more beyond them) have had radical impacts on the world through their art and their philosophies: Phillis Wheatley may not have recited at an Inauguration, having lived between 1753 and 1784 as an enslaved woman in New England, but she is still deservingly heralded as one of the greatest American poets to grace the nation. Born in Africa, Wheatley was brought to America
and forced into slavery in 1761. She began publishing poetry at the age of 13. In 1773, she became the first African-American and second woman to publish a book of poetry – at which point she was released from slavery. Wheatley wrote on various topics, espousing both praise for the American fight for independence – she once had personal correspondence with George Washington, gifting him a poem she had written lauding his military accomplishments – and careful criticism for the continuance of slavery. During her lifetime, and in the years since, Phillis Wheatley’s poetry has had a global impact on racial attitudes, helping to detract from popular perceptions of white supremacy and the narrative that Black individuals were somehow of lesser intelligence than white individuals. Maya Angelou, one of the
leading literary figures of the 20th century, a woman internationally renowned for her writing, activism and artistic talent, was revolutionary in her own right. Her famed autobiography “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” published in 1969,
was the first non-fiction bestseller written by an African-American woman and has long-been considered a global literary classic. Angelou’s intensely personal writings, unique posee
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Photo by Riley Martinez
Opinion
Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Trinity Bland
The Daily Aztec
5
Margot Robbie’s new production company has a new message for Hollywood by
Grace Brady
STAFF WRITER
LuckyChap Entertainment is a production company coined as ‘the most exciting company’ in Hollywood. LuckyChap was founded in 2014 by Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, Josey McNamara and Sophia Kerr. Out of all the production companies out there, Lucky Chap stands out because of its fresh approach to making movies with their mission statement being to create unique and female focused movies. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Robbie said she was inspired to start the company when she kept reading scripts and only wanting to play the male character, she felt that there are many other actresses that aren’t getting amazing roles either. “Beyond that, you look at the statistics of male versus female directors, male versus female writers,
etc., and there's so much to be done,” Robbie says. “You can't just sit there and do nothing when you hear those stats.” LuckyChap has shown Hollywood that they can reach their goal and succeed to create unique and female focused movies. Movies they have produced such as “I Tonya,” “Birds of Prey,” “Promising Young Women,” “Dreamland” and more have all followed a female lead with an interesting plot. “I Tonya” being based on former competitive figure skater Tonya Harding was nominated for two Academy Awards with Margot Robbie being nominated for Actress in a leading role and Allison Janney winning Actress in a supporting role. “Dreamland” features Robbie who has an alluring yet manipulative, tough female lead with her co-star Finn Cole who plays Eugene, an innocent young man who falls victim to her charm.
Graphic by Grace Brady
With massive success in their productions, LuckyChap still isn’t done pushing barriers to create opportunities for young females. LuckyChap started a female writers program called the Lucky Exports Pitch Program. This program allowed for the company to select female writers to spend weeks writing action-movie scripts. After about a month of developing these scripts alongside the help of LuckyChap
Entertainment and Hodson Exports, these scripts were taken on pitch tours to major buyers. Companies such as Universal, Warner Brothers and Sony are now developing these features for distribution in the future. They have not stopped their goal of making these movies female-led and interesting either, for example writer Sue Chung’s feature is a “...gritty action thriller with an immigration story at the center”
according to Deadline. LuckyChap is already wildly successful and it is a company to watch with unreleased productions in the works such as “Barbie” starring Margot Robbie and an upcoming netflix series “Maid.” With the company's important message, LuckyChap deserves all of us success. They will continue to break barriers and shake up Hollywood for the better through their films.
Lumet's 'The Wiz' is still a trailblazing film in Black culture Trinity Bland & Ryan Hardison
by
Decades after its original release on Oct. 24, 1978, no film has distinctly defined Black culture and shaped the structure of a musical genre quite like The Wiz. Being the most accessible and magical entry into the all-Black retelling of L. Frank Baum’s classic 1900 children’s fantasy “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” – more often associated with the 1939 film starring Judy Garland – The Wiz is a Sidney Lumet-directed film with a rapturous soundtrack produced by the legendary Quincy Jones, a cast that included Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Lena Horne, Nipsey Russell, Mabel King and Richard Pryor and an aesthetic deeply
rooted in Black culture. Originating as a dynamic 1975 Broadway production, this was the first time a generation of Black Americans saw people who spoke, sung and moved the same way they did in this medium. The art was further amplified by Jones’ work on the splashy film version with its songbook. Grease had been released only months earlier as well as Thank God It’s Friday – which was a Motown production like The Wiz – but those musicals pulled heavily from the world of disco and were tailored toward white audiences. However, The Wiz weaved together gospel, blues, soul and R&B – genres that are undeniably Black creations and to this day, are narratives of the Black experience. This was
Graphic by Shalika Oza
a strikingly bold move given Hollywood’s monochromatic palette. Upon its release in 1978, it “cost more than it earned and critics dismissed it as a saccharine, poor imitation of its Broadway predecessor,” but that bit was irrelevant to audience members, who were seeing themselves represented on screen in ways they hadn’t
before. The film is foremost a story of racial liberation paired with Afrofuturism elements and perfectly blends with the combination of science fiction, fantasy, magical realism and ancient African tradition that dares to criticize historical events or envisions a Black future. Its impact is evident in current cinema and has
prompted recent groundbreaking films as Get Out and Black Panther. However, what has cemented the film’s revolutionary status is the music and motion seen throughout its entire duration. The dance numbers incorporated traditional movement from the African diaspora with ballet, jazz and modern movement – all of which have defined Black dance – the “Emerald City Sequence” alone has informed everything from the Black queer ballroom scene to Beyoncé, and the music has prominently shaped R&B for decades. The original production launched the career of the formidable Stephanie Mills– the original Dorothy– but see
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The Daily Aztec
Mundo Azteca
Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Noé Sandoval
La comunidad de San Diego pide para la reapertura de El Parque Estatal de California "Border Field" por
Karina Bazarte
ASST. DE MUNDO AZTECA
La organización Friends of Friendship Park creó una petición para abrir el Parque Estatal de California "Border Field" a la comunidad. El parque también es llamado “Friendship Park” por el vecindario , o el Parque de La Amistad en español. La organización pide ayuda a la comunidad para que el parque vuelva abrir para el público. El Parque de La Amistada es usado por las familias y amigos que son separadas por la frontera y ha sido la única conexión física. También, el parque es el hogar del Estuario de Tijuana, una reserva ecológica donde el agua del río Tijuana se encuentra con
el agua salada del Pacífico para crear un hábitat único de más de 270 especies celebrado por observadores de aves y entusiastas de la naturaleza. El parque fue cerrado en el 2019 por el hundimiento provocado por las lluvias. El parque se mantiene cerrado por la pandemia causada por COVID-19. Finalmente el parque sigue cerrado causado por los planes de la administración Trump. En la petición la Organización Friends of Friendship Park pide que abran el Parque Estatal “Border Field'' al público de inmediato. Segundo, la organización hace un llamado al estado de California para garantizar acceso fácil y sobre todo seguro para todo el año. Daniel Watman, uno
de los organizadores de este movimiento, recibió su maestría en San Diego State University. Watman tiene 25 años siendo Profesor universitario de Español. Él imparte clases en la ciudad de San Diego y Tijuana. La pasión de Watman era que sus estudiantes conocieran culturas a través de la frontera. Así que decidió llevarlos a Tijuana. “Lo que me gusta de enseñar lenguajes es la oportunidad de que la gente pueda conocer y puedan conocer diferentes culturas'', dijo Watman. En el año 2005, Watman ya no podía llevar a sus estudiantes a Tijuana así que decidió llevarlos al Parque De La Amistada donde conocieron a mucha gente con diferentes culturas.
Esto motivó a mucha gente de Tijuana y San Diego para poder usar el parque como una conexión física. El es organizador principal de una organización llamado Border Encuentro Watman y los miembros organizan eventos y crearon bi-nacional jardín hecho de plantas nativas, en el Parque de La Amistad. La administración Trump empezó los planes de construir un nuevo muro de tan solo 30 pies de altura. La noticia de que la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección de Fronteras de EE.UU estaba construyendo el muro atravesando el parque, Watman y los miembros de Friends of Friendship Park estaban devastados. La organización planeó
protestas virtuales y crearon una petición para salvar el parque para que las familias vuelvan a tener una conexión física. Con el nuevo Presidente Joe Biden, la construcción del muro fue suspendida para luego ser cancelada. Watman y los miembros tienen una campaña llamada Built that park que significa construir ese parque. La campaña fue dirigida por el miembro de Friends of Friendship Park y arquitecto, Jim Brown. “Familias que están separadas por el estatus migratorio puedan estar juntas'', dijo Watman. “Familias podrán abrazarse y la gente pueda tener nuevos amigos, hacer eventos como clases de yoga y lectura de poesía puede seguir pasando si tuviéramos un espacio acogedor”.
SDSU continua los medidas contra la pandemia mientras espera otra aprobación de vacunas adicionales por
Noé Sandoval
EDITOR DE MUNDO AZTECA
El 19 de febrero, la Universidad Estatal de San Diego dio en su aviso semanal una actualización del estatus de la vacuna contra el COVID-19. Junto con el condado de San Diego, la universidad pronto avanzará al próximo nivel de distribución dentro del mismo nivel. La universidad recibió las primeras vacunas aprobadas al comienzo de este mes, que fueron un total de 300 vacunas. SDSU continúa solicitando aprobación para recibir más vacunas. La universidad ha distribuido la vacuna a través del departamento de Servicios de Salud Estudiantil, y está esperando la próxima aprobación para va-
cunar a más estudiantes, profesores, y personal universitario. “Cuando el condado pase a la elegibilidad ampliada de 1B, cualquier suministro de vacuna asignado a SHS se distribuirá primero a aquellos miembros de la comunidad de SDSU que han estado trabajando en el campus desde marzo de 2020.” dijo la universidad. “A medida que haya más vacunas disponibles, SHS expandirá rápidamente la elegibilidad a todos los demás profesores, personal y estudiantes universitarios, que aún no han concertado citas a través del Condado o de sus proveedores.” Actualmente, los que son elegibles a recibir la vacuna son personas de 65 años o más, y personas empleadas en el sector de
cuidado de la salud. SDSU ha creado una página web, en inglés y español, con toda la información sobre la vacuna. La página tiene información sobre cómo funciona la vacuna y cómo está siendo administrada. La vacuna es administrada por dos dosis en lo cual los pacientes deben de esperar por lo menos 14 días para recibir la segunda dosis después de recibir la primera dosis. Aunque la universidad ha sido un lugar para recibir la vacuna, aún se puede encontrar varios sitios alternativos para vacunarse. “Recomendamos fuertemente a los miembros de nuestra comunidad a que se vacunen a través de cualquier manera o alternativa disponible.” dijo la página web. “Esto puede
incluir vacunarse en el campus, en un sitio de vacunación operado por el Condado, con su proveedor médico, en una farmacia local, o con cualquier otro proveedor de la vacuna conforme la vacuna se haga disponible alrededor del país.” También, la vacuna actualmente está disponible gratuitamente para todos los que califican. Sin ningún costo, la universidad advierte que ningún proveedor médico administrando la vacuna debería solicitarle pagar de su bolsillo. Es probable que pidan la información de seguro médico para que el proveedor médico administrando la vacuna sea reembolsado, pero un paciente no debería pagar de su bolsillo. Además de la distribu-
ción de vacunas, SDSU continúa monitoreando los casos de COVID-19 en el campus. Aún es requerido que los estudiantes, profesores, y personal universitario hagan la prueba de COVID-19 regularmente, incluso los que han sido vacunados. “Por el momento, las personas que reciban la vacuna deben de continuar realizando pruebas de detección de COVID-19 a través del programa de vigilancia epidemiológica de la universidad.”, dijo SDSU “Estamos trabajando en equipo con la Agencia de Salud y Servicios Humanos del Condado de San Diego y con nuestros expertos en epidemiología para determinar cuándo sería apropiado descontinuar o modificar el programa de vigilancia.”
Mundo Azteca Presidente Biden pone pagamentos de préstamos estudiantiles en pausa Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Noé Sandoval
por
Noé Sandoval
EDITOR DE MUNDO AZTEC
El Presidente Biden extendió la pausa en los pagos de préstamos estudiantiles sin intereses hasta el 30 de septiembre de 2021, a través de su orden ejecutiva, en el mes de enero. Esta directiva fue administrada para aliviar los desafíos financieros que muchos americanos podrían enfrentar por causa de la pandemia. El Departamento de Educación de Los Estados Unidos anunció que los prestatarios no tendrían que pagar las facturas de sus préstamos estudiantiles ni preocuparse por la acumulación de intereses durante 60 días. Ese alivio se ha extendido repetidamente, pero estaba previsto que expirará a finales de este mes. La pausa en los pagos y la acumulación de intereses sobre la deuda de préstamos estudiantiles federales proporciona un alivio adicional a 42 millones de prestatarios de préstamos estudiantiles.
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now,” Koch said. “So just having the opportunity to have our voices go to a higher up and be reviewed by them is something that is very important and we should be taking advantage of.”
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the Aztecs’ MWC regular-season title hopes are still alive. Boise State currently sits atop the MWC with a 14-3 conference record. The Broncos will make up one game against Fresno State on March 2 after taking on the Aztecs in two games this weekend. Right behind them, how-
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La Universidad Estatal de San Diego tiene datos sobre la ayuda financiera que los estudiantes solicitan cada año escolar. En 2021, aproximadamente el 20,4% del cuerpo estudiantil general de SDSU pidió préstamos estudiantiles, según la Oficina de Ayuda Financiera y Becas. “La cantidad total de estudiantes que piden préstamos y la cantidad que se toma prestada ha disminuido constantemente durante los últimos cinco años en SDSU, lo que parece ser parte de una tendencia completamente diferente de estudiantes en general que dependen menos de los préstamos”, dijo la Oficina de Ayuda Financiera y Becas. en un correo electrónico. Durante el año académico 2016 a 2017, 11,333 estudiantes tomaron préstamos. Para este año escolar, 7.460 estudiantes tomaron préstamos. La cantidad de subvenciones y becas que reciben los estudiantes de SDSU también ha aumentado de
manera constante en los últimos cinco años. La mayoría de los préstamos para estudiantes deben ser pagados después de la graduación después de un período de gracia de seis meses, por lo que esta pausa puede afectar más a los graduados universitarios. Para algunos graduados recientes de SDSU, esta pausa extendida con cero por ciento de interés les dio más incentivos para pagar sus préstamos. Biden también propuso un plan para perdonar $10,000 en deuda de préstamos estudiantiles para cada individuo, pero no está claro si será aprobado en el Senado o la Cámara. La extensión de la pausa de pago se produjo sólo debido a la pandemia y las altas cifras de desempleo. Sin embargo, muchos legisladores demócratas quieren subir esa cantidad a $50,000. Legisladores como Senador Chuck Shcumer y Senadora Elizabeth Warren son propagantes de esa propuesta.
El presidente rechaza esa propuesta al pensar que él no tiene la autoridad para eliminar una cantidad grande. La razón por la cual muchos legisladores apoyan la cantidad de $50,000 es porque la deuda estudiantil ha afectado a muchos prestatarios latinos y afroamericanos. Muchas personas de estas comunidades tienen dificuldad a construir un capital, eliminando cualquier deuda ayudaría a estas comuni-
dades. Por mientras, el Presidente Biden reitera su apoyo para hacer que la universidad comunitaria sea gratuita y para permitir que las familias que ganan menos de $125,000 envien a sus hijos a las escuelas estatales de forma gratuita. Biden dijo que también apoyó la expansión de los programas de condonación de deudas para quienes ingresan a trabajos de servicio público, como el sector de la educación.
Koch said de la Torre had a good start at SDSU but is struggling now. “Personally, I believe she came out of the gates pretty strong and was delivering on what she had promised to do and then as COVID hit and a bunch of different problems continued to surface on cam-
pus I believe she has been struggling,” Koch said. “I believe that any person in this position would be struggling.” “This entire situation (COVID-19) has been draining on everyone and it is showing in our government in the school,” Koch said. “And I feel like they
(SDSU Senate) should be the role models for all of us but we are kind of lacking on that front.” Stouffer said he does not plan to send in a letter himself. “I would rather leave the people who actually have something to say more room like not flood the
system with things that would kind of defeat the purpose of students voicing their opinion,” Stouffer said. SDSU community members wishing to send a letter can submit it via email to presidentreview@ calstate.edu by March 22.
ever, are the Aztecs and Colorado State at 11-3 in conference play. The Rams have four games left, taking on Air Force in a two-game series this weekend before hosting New Mexico on March 3 and traveling to play Nevada on March 5. Utah State trails all three teams with just one more loss at 11-4 against MWC opponents. With the recently-announced changes,
Utah State will make up games Wyoming and Fresno State on March 4 and 6, respectively. After the Aztecs’ win against Fresno State on Feb. 18, head coach Brian Dutcher said the team’s job is clear: win out and get a piece of the pie. “The best thing about where we are is we control our own fate,” Dutcher said. “We’re tied in the loss column, so if we can
somehow manage to win out, we’re going to have a piece of the conference title. So that’s immeasurably important and that’s what we’re playing for.” The conference-leading Broncos still stand in SDSU’s way, but senior guard Jordan Schakel said he was looking forward to this kind of regular-season finish. “They just came off two really good wins at home
(against Utah State),” Schakel said of Boise State. “We know how good they are, tied for first with us. It’s gonna be exactly what we wanted down the stretch.” Once the regular season concludes, all teams in the conference will compete in the Mountain West tournament, which will be held March 10-14 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Graphic by Emily Burgess
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Sports
Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Kyle Betz
Column: Aztecs gaining depth at right time by
Breven Honda
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Since last Monday, San Diego State women’s basketball played four games at Viejas Arena. The team played two against UNLV and two against Fresno State. Even though they went 1-3, the Aztecs (6-15, 4-11 Mountain West Conference) were not as focused on the wins and losses. That’s because SDSU got its leading scorer and All-MWC player back in junior guard Sophia Ramos, who did not play for 10 weeks recovering from a hand injury. Also last Monday against the Running Rebels, senior guard Téa Adams returned after a leave of absence due to personal issues. In the last three seasons, those two have put in the Photo by Kyle Betz most production. San Diego State women’s basketball junior guard Sophia Ramos attempts a layup while sophomore forward Mallory Adams looks on from the corner Since the 2018-19 sea- during the Aztecs’ 80-65 loss to UNLV on Feb. 15, 2021 at Viejas Arena. son, Ramos and Téa AdMallory Adams scored a “Our bench is really good. forget about out there. Even though SDSU is ams have combined to team-high 15 points on I like the team we’re comShe does the little things, out of the picture to have play in 152 games, average Sunday, a sign that she ing into. So for us to be she does the dirty work. a first-round bye in the 31.7 minutes, shoot 41% continues to get her tim- able to do this on the way She’s our best on-ball conference tournament overall and 33.6% from ing back. to the other side is really defender and now she’s in a few weeks, Terry-Hut3-point range, 74.5% from Head coach Stacie Terspecial.” scoring. She’s been very son said the team, herself the free throw line and ry-Hutson said she is getBesides SDSU’s lon- efficient, went 3-for-5 (on and others still believe scored a combined 1,819 ting back to full strength gest-tenured guards in Téa Saturday), huge 3 in the they can finish the season points for 24.1 points per after going 6-of-10 overall Adams and Ramos, junior corner. So she is trying to on a high note and have a game. and 3-of-7 from 3-point transfers Alex Crain and find herself, and she is dostrong tournament showFurthermore, in the 12 distance. Mercedes Staples have ing a great job for us.” ing. games Ramos was out, the “This is what Mallory played significant minutes The team is so deep that “We were picked to finteam averaged 49 points the program’s all-time ish fourth in this league per game. In the last four, does,” Terry-Hutson said. this season. “Mallory is getting more Staples has started all three-pointer percentage (at the beginning of the SDSU’s average is up to comfortable in her own 21 games and is averaging shooter — sophomore season),” Terry-Hutson 69 points per game — a guard Isabela Hernandez said after Saturday’s win. whopping 20 points higher. skin and getting her con- 12.5 points, 6.6 rebounds ditioning back to where and shooting 39.2% from — is on the bench. “There was a lot of people, But that’s not all. it was. With each passing 3-point range in 33.5 minTerry-Hutson said the including our team that In January, the team got utes. 6-foot-2 sophomore, who believed that we were one sophomore forward Mal- game, you’re going to see In addition, Staples shoots around 40% from of the top teams in the lory Adams back after go- more and more of the Mallory we saw a couple ranks fifth in the confer- deep, has become a viable league. COVID has put a ing through multiple knee years ago. She’s playing in ence with 6.0 defensive asset off the bench along damper on things and I surgeries and being siderhythm, she’s shooting the rebounds per game. with freshman forward think we’re playing really lined for 14 months. ball well.” Crain, who shot 60% Kimberly Villalobos. good basketball right now At the conclusion of the At the beginning of the from the floor and scored “It’s really fun, it’s re- and we’re going to focus 2018-19 season, both Malseason, Terry-Hutson said seven points in Saturday’s ally fun,” Terry-Hutson on that. lory Adams and Ramos this was her deepest team victory, goes unnoticed said. “There’s been a lot “At this point, we put were named to the MWC yet and it showed over as a result of the team’s of years where we didn’t ourselves in a situation All-Freshman team — the the last week. guard depth. have that many scoring that we’re preparing for same season when SDSU With a handful of guards, Terry-Hutson said Crain threats. And (now) I have the conference tournapulled off a miraculous SDSU can play with fresh- is finding herself in the scoring threats on the ment. Every opportunity upset in the conference er legs and Terry-Hutson middle of a deep guard bench. Isabela Hernandez, we have to play a game or tournament to get to the can move them like chess rotation. Kimberly Villalobos have practice, it’s a blessing so semifinals. pieces. “Alex is doing a good both done great things for we’re going to take advanAbout 23 months after “We’re really deep right job,” Terry-Hutson said. us and they’re coming off tage of that.” that conference tournathe bench.” ment and a year of rehab, now,” Terry-Hutson said. “She’s kind of the one we
Sports Men’s basketball to make up game against UNLV, New Mexico forfeits series Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Kyle Betz
by
Kyle Betz & Andrew
Finley
No. 22 San Diego State men’s basketball’s final home series against Boise State this weekend will not be the last of the team’s regular-season action. The Mountain West Conference announced a revised schedule Tuesday to conduct games between teams who were unable to play due to COVID-19-related postponements. March 2-6 was left open by the conference to reschedule games in the event of postponements during the regular season. With the change, the Aztecs (17-4, 11-3 MWC) will play UNLV on March 3 in Las Vegas, according to a Mountain West Conference press release on Feb. 23. The Scarlet and Black’s other scheduled game
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against the Rebels (10-11, 7-7 MWC) has been declared a “no contest.” The Aztecs’ game versus the Rebels replaces one of two initial games both teams were supposed to play on Jan. 2-4. The series was postponed due to COVID-19 cases within the UNLV men’s basketball program. SDSU was also granted two wins after the MWC declared its games against New Mexico on Feb. 3-5 forfeits due to the “circumstances involved.” The Aztecs were set to board a plane for Lubbock, Texas to take on New Mexico last month before the Lobos (6-13, 2-13 MWC) canceled the series due to a lack of student-athletes available to play, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The results from the forfeit will count toward reg-
ular season standings and be used for conference tournament seeding purposes only. These forfeits
will not affect either team’s overall win-loss record, according to the NCAA. Despite the changes, the
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Aztecs’ MWC regular-season title hopes are still see
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File photo San Diego State men’s basketball then-junior forward Matt Mitchell completes a dunk over a New Mexico defender during the Aztecs’ 82-59 win over the Lobos on Feb. 11, 2020 at Viejas Arena. With the win, the Aztecs became the 2020 Mountain West regular-season champions.
Volleyball defeats New Mexico in both games of series by
Megan Oytas
STAFF WRITER
San Diego State volleyball won both games of its two-game series against New Mexico at Peterson Gym. The Aztecs (3-3) won the first match on Friday by sweeping the Lobos in three sets 25-13, 25-17, 25-21. The following day, SDSU came back and won in four sets 25-20, 2520, 25-23, 25-19 to get the team its third-straight win. The series was initially scheduled to be played in New Mexico but was later announced that they were moved to Peterson Gym in San Diego. Head coach Brent Hilliard said the move to home helped the weekend go in the team’s favor. “Anytime someone tells you you’re moving an away match to a home match, you’re pretty excited,” Hilliard said. “So the fact that we didn’t have to travel probably helped our girls
Courtesy of Derrick Tuskan, SDSU Athletics San Diego State volleyball sophomore outside hitter Nya Blair celebrates after a play during the Aztecs’ 3-1 loss to Fresno State on Feb. 12, 2021 at Peterson Gym.
feel more comfortable as well.” Match 1: Aztecs take all three sets In the first set, the Aztecs started by trailing the Lobos 7-4. However, SDSU jumped ahead with a 12-point run to put them at a 16-7 lead. The run caused New Mex-
ico to use two timeouts, but the Aztecs went ahead to win the set 25-13. Junior defensive specialist and libero Brooklynn Hill contributed to the 12-point run with three service aces. Hilliard said Hill started the momentum for the run. “I can tell you (the run)
started with Brooklynn Hill, who is our (defense specialist) transfer from Penn State,” Hilliard said. “She served extremely tough to start and then anything they were able to get back onto our side, we were very organized. I remember that specifically.” Freshman outside hitter
Heipua Tautua’a had three kills in the run. Tautua’a was joined with contributions by senior opposite hitter Erin Gillcrist with two kills and sophomore outside hitter Nya Blair with one kill. The second set saw a closer battle, with the score tying five times. But the Aztecs were able to take the lead late in the set 17-21. They eventually won the match with four straight points off of errors by New Mexico. The third set was also close and saw SDSU and New Mexico trading points until 21-23. The Aztecs won the match with two back-toback kills by O’Sullivan and Tautua’a, which were both set up by sophomore setter Ashley Vanderpan. Vanderpan played all three sets and recorded 38 assists. Match 2: SDSU see
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Arts & Culture
Daily Aztec
Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Devin Whatley
Despite COVID-19, custodians continue to clean up by
Ryan Hardison
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
As a student who lived on San Diego State’s campus for the bulk of two years, and attended class in a majority of buildings on campus, I’ll admit that we are pretty filthy – and inconsiderate. This makes the thankless job of anyone who has to clean up our mess a difficult and often repetitive one. Even with the majority of students attending classes online, the work of keeping campus clean must go on and has even become more difficult in the wake of enhanced cleaning protocols. The campus’s custodians are entrusted to maintain facilities to their expected standard of beauty, even when most places are filled with more spirits than students. This job has become
even more taxing since the department’s staff shrank from 101 to 80 employees after the pandemic began. With a long list of daily assignments already entrusted to SDSU’s Custodial Services department, the pandemic has not only heightened their responsibilities but changed how its employees carry out their tasks. Eugenia Gogue, a custodian in the A.M. Shift is going on two years at SDSU and has daily tasks that include preparing her cart with cleaning supplies, sweeping and mopping various areas in the buildings and emptying trash. The pandemic has given her and her co-workers more time to work on their specific sectors but also prevents them from doing any team cleaning due to COVID-19. Rusty Hamilton, the Cus-
todial Supervisor for the P.M. Shift has been working at SDSU for 27 years, and he enjoys working with and getting to know people from different backgrounds and cultures. He takes pride in making sure things run smoothly on campus. “My job is different every day but basically, I do whatever it takes to ensure that the campus is clean and safe for the campus community,” Hamilton said. “It can range from paperwork and station checks to pitching in as needed.” Despite the budgetary problems brought on by the pandemic, such as CSU’s Early Exit Program and needing to cover the same amount of infrastructure with noticeably fewer custodians, Hamilton is happy with how Custodial Services has managed to persevere.
“The entire department has really stepped up and is working hard to keep everyone that does come onto campus safe,” he said. Jiovonnie Robinson, the Lead Custodian for the A.M. Shift has been at SDSU for eight years. Robinson’s favorite aspect of the job is the beautification of the building hallways, classrooms and offices as well as the lasting interaction she’s made with the faculty,
staff and students. “We are the first and last impression that everyone experiences while at the university,” Robinson said. “I have seen kids from freshman year to graduation and to see them smile and say thanks for all we do makes the difference.” As Lead Custodian, she oversees various buildings including Hardy Towsee
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Graphic by Emily Burgess
Aztec Music Group, SDSU San Diego center stage in local artists’ Rotoract team up for ‘More music video ‘Mission’ Than Music’ fest J S by acob
by
Catlan Nguyen
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
The lights. The feeling of excitement and anticipation in the air. Being connected to your community. These are all aspects regular concert-goers haven’t felt since the pandemic hit the world and cancelled all in-person events. To help recreate this concert atmosphere, San Diego State’s Aztec Music Group (AMG) hosted a
virtual music festival called “More Than Music” on Feb. 18 at 5 p.m. in partnership with SDSU Rotaract. The festival was a compilation of pre-recorded musical performances, art showings, dances and more and was live streamed on YouTube for about two hours. “It was really cool to see (how) that livestream could give me the same feeling that live events give see
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Screenshot courtesy of More Than Music Yna Pineda performing an original song accompanied with graphic design illustrations from Kenzie Barnickle.
11 Arts & Culture Dance Marathon goes virtual FTK School of Art and Design Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Devin Whatley
by
Ryan Hardison
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Last February, hundreds of San Diego State students danced the night away at the SDSU Dance Marathon with the goal of raising money for patients and families at Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego. By the end of the night, the organization had surpassed its donation goal and raised over $365,000, giving Dance Marathon the distinction of being the largest and most successful student-led philanthropic organization on campus. Throughout the year, the Dance Marathon leadership team holds multiple events on and around campus to spread the word and raise money for the event. All of these fundraising efforts lead up to a 15-hour event where students stay awake and “dance all night for the kids who can’t.” However, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's Dance Marathon will be completely virtual and divided into a two-day event. Although students will
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not be gathering in Montezuma Hall, the leadership team has worked tirelessly to create a virtual event just as meaningful and engaging as an in-person one. Hannah Geeser, the executive director of the event, claims that making the transition to a virtual event wasn’t easy but necessary. “Making the adjustment to a virtual setting has its challenges but those challenges truly don't compare to what kids and families treated at Rady Children's Hospital have to go through,” Geeser said. “By moving our event to a virtual setting, it ensures that everyone can participate and be included, no matter where they are in the country.We are so excited to see everyone join together for the kids.” Public health junior Jenna Huerta first participated in the Dance Marathon last year and says for the first time, she really felt like she had the power to make a difference. “At the time of the event, my aunt was in the hospital with a complication
from a rare type of cancer,’’ she said. “I know the terrible feeling of having a family member in the hospital and feeling like you’re helpless. This was an event that changed everything for me. “It showed me that there was something that I could do to help.” Huerta is participating once again this year and has already exceeded her donation goal. “Being a participant with Dance Marathon, I try to do everything that I can to raise as much money for the kids,” she said. “I have a Facebook fundraiser page that has been very successful and I do a lot of Instagram templates to try to raise money.” DM at SDSU was created in 2014 by SDSU alumna Emily Carper who was inspired by another dance marathon program and wanted to bring it to campus. Since then, the Dance Marathon has continued to grow every year and has raised a total of almost $1.2 million. see
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ullivan
CONTRIBUTOR
Mission Beach, San Diego, a neighborhood famed for its bustling tourist sector, picturesque beaches and vibrant eatery options is synonymous with San Diego culture. Go there on a summer day and there is no guarantee of what you may see. The color and life that comes from the small strip of land sandwiched between Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean continue to inspire San Diegans. San Diego-based artists Eyceman and Tre Aces reflect on the famed neighborhood in their new music video “Mission,” directed by videographer Eric Stephenson. The video showcases several locations along Mission Blvd. from the Giant Dipper, classic beach houses and the jetty. Starting it off on the
Graphic by Em Burgess
rocks by Mission beach, Tre Aces lets us know he too wants one of those famed beaches: “Said I need a beach house right there off of Mission.” Once the beat kicks, Aces raps how he is “Getting to it till I get into it.” Aces slides over his own sunny beat which features punchy drums paired with a laid-back piano. He immediately begins to pay tribute to his city: “Homeside, couldn’t leave the mainland… Yeah, my city made me who I am and I’m the same man.” Eventually, the two rappers find themselves in one
of the beach houses. The visuals take a psychedelic turn at this point. We see pictures coming to life and Eyceman and two of his clones rap scattered throughout the beach house. His voice is impassioned, spitting about how his work ethic keeps him alive. He also carries a message for the naysayers, letting them know “I don’t care if they think that my dreams is out of sight, this don’t happen overnight so won’t you ride with me.” As the beat wraps up, Eysee
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File photo
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group, he began to sing “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke. Lopez said this moment made him realize how important his role was in telling this story. “I remember while I was filming and when he started singing that, I felt every
word, every pain, every trial, every time he fell but then got back up,” Lopez said. “It was so human for me....and I realized that I get to provide a voice for them and be used as a tool or resource so people can know who these individuals are.” Although Sundance was held virtually this year, Lopez said participating in this
festival through its virtual space was inspiring and motivating as he enjoyed engaging with the next generation of filmmakers. Having this film make it to Sundance reassured Lopez that his decision to go into filmmaking was the right choice. “For me, my faith is important and so when I found out (“Dear Phila-
hosts guest lecture series about amplifying solidarity by
Brandon Balayan
STAFF WRITER
As a child, jewelry artist Lorena Lazard enjoyed playing in the mud and found great pleasure in manipulating the pliable earth to create whatever she desired. At 15 years old, Lazard’s father would suffer a fatal heart attack, and years later after she obtained a degree in agriculture, she’d be manipulating the soil from her father’s grave to create a piece dedicated to him, and a new way to express herself. Along with the piece about her father, Lazard presented many works of art at the Amplify: Practicing Solidarity Guest Artist Series event on Feb. 18. Lazard’s jewelry is heavily influenced by her past. Her Jewish grandparents immigrated from Europe to Mexico, and Lazard was born in Mexico City. As a result, she has always felt apart yet connected to Mexican culture. One of her pieces called “Mexico City Survival Vest,” is a vest made out of chainmail – a recognition of her European heritage. On the upper-right corner of the vest, there is a Mexican heart with rays extending from underneath it. She emphasized the importance of constantly trying to search for equilibrium in her work. “I think it's the only way that we can grow when we are able to connect the opposites and find the middle term,” Lazard said. Besides displaying and de-
delphia” was going to Sundance) I was like ‘Oh wow, this is God reassuring me that I’m on the right path.’’’ This recognition also enlightened Lopez of his purpose and drive. “This(recognition) just revealed more about myself and made me realize I want to be at the service of people and tell stories,” Lopez said. “What drives
scribing her personal work, she presented an exhibition she curated called La Frontera, or The Border. The exhibition premiered in the Franz Mayer Museum of Mexico City in 2013 and is currently at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. It features various artists around the world whose pieces symbolize the space of the U.S.-Mexico border. For Lazard, the contentious relationship with the U.S. is not a novel one for Mexicans. Therefore, the exhibition hopes to expose the current realities of the border whether they are in geographic, political, economic, social, cultural, or ideological contexts, according to the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. The first piece she presented was by the Mexican artist Aline Berdichevsky, and it was two filled-up cloth bags attached by a rope. Lazard explains how there is a train which many migrants get on in order to arrive in the United States. While on the train, migrants pass through the town of La Patrona, where the women of the town fill cloth bags with food, attach two bags by rope, and throw them onto the train; helping the migrants along their journey. One of Lazard’s most favorite pieces of the exhibition is Kerianne Quick’s piece about Mexican drug lords. In her work, Quick displays keychains of notaSee LECTURE page 13 me is humans and their stories.” For Lopez, “Dear Philadelphia” was just a sneak peek at what’s to come in his filmmaking future. “This was just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of me growing as a creative,” Lopez said. “I’m excited to see what type of projects will go on after this.”
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Daily Aztec
Arts & Culture
Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Devin Whatley
Club Corner: National Pan Hellenic Council A glimpse into the virtual Greek life of the Divine Nine by
David Ahumada
STAFF WRITER
Greek life is one of the many reasons that students choose to attend San Diego State. However, with current pandemic restrictions and no return to campus in sight, some of these Greek organizations have no choice but to continue via Zoom. The National Pan-Hellenic Council is a collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. It was formed as a permanent organization on May 10, 1930 at Howard University in Washington D.C., the NPHC was incorporated under the state laws of Illinois in 1937. SDSU has seven of the “Divine Nine” organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho, Kappa Alpha Phi, Alpha Phi Alpha and Phi Beta Sigma. “Our main purpose is just to promote interaction through forums, meetings and other mediums to engage in activities like functions that better our community so we put on a lot of community service events,” NPHC President Finnisha Eastman, a business marketing senior, said. “Everything we do, all year long, is in service of our community. We are the Black Greeks who serve our community.” The organization, pre-pandemic, would host donation drives for the homeless, hygiene drives to create kits for people in need, back to school drives for school supplies, voter registration parties, study nights and a
Photo by Julian Deguzman Members of Phi Beta Sigma practice for their Yardshow performance in 2019. (Photo taken prior to 2020).
beach cleanup at the beginning of each semester. Eastman said this was the first time in six years that the NPHC hasn’t hosted its beach cleanup. Other functions included back to school bonfires, parties, and barbecues, gospel nights and forums with speakers about topics relevant to college students. The biggest event of the year that the organization had was its Homecoming Yardshow. “All of the Divine Nine comes out and you put on a 10 to 15 minute performance and you're really just repping your organization,” Eastman said. “It's so fun being on campus and being Greek, especially the NPHC, because it's a community, it's competitive, it's fun. I'm sad that in my last year I don’t get to experience that.” During the pandemic, the organization has hosted study groups, informational seminars and meet and greets, but Eastman said that the organization is
kind of struggling. “We put on events, and we have the community come to our events. We meet, we mingle and get to know these people and we find like minded individuals who would benefit our organization and our organizations would benefit them,” Eastman said. “It's been hard on the recruitment aspect just because we're not able to meet people and get a feel for everyone and make those connections.” “The students are already on Zoom all day for classes. It's hard to convince them to join another call later in the evening, for enjoyment nonetheless, but it's on Zoom and you're kind of zoomed out by 5 p.m.,” Eastman said, “The attendance is lower and so the morale of putting on events and really failing on purpose is, just because it's like, ‘why do it when no one's gonna come?’” Eastman and the organization are still keeping up by
hosting new events and by sharing information on Instagram. Although recruitment has been hard, Eastman said that the organization gained a larger number of new members. However, Eastman is predicting a drop in members due to the amount of members who are seniors. This doesn’t mean that the organization is going to change structurally, it is sticking to its core mission by providing community services, even during the pandemic. Stepping and strolling videos are shared by members on Instagram. NPHC week is quickly approaching in March, and it’ll be holding two events: a safe sex workshop and a study night. More information about these events is going to be on the NPHC’s Instagram. “From my understanding, senior organizations continue to put on those events that they do on campus, Eastman said. “I'd like to see
that continue to happen just because it's giving the students, who never had the on campus experience. it's giving them the opportunity to connect with us and see people who were once in their shoes. Really like serving their community, and just giving people the sense of community and that there's still a space where you can come together and spend time with other people on campus.” For new members, Eastman wants to build a sense of community and wants people who want to join to do their research. “When you join an organization you are not only joining that organization, but that chapter which you're going to be tied to for life,” Eastman said. “A second point: it's a four line commitment, it's not something where you know you get into in college and that's it. It's a lifetime commitment, it's a lifetime of service and there's more to come after you graduate.” Eastman suggests for those who are interested in joining one of the organizations in the NPHC to attend the events that they’re holding, meet the people, make connections and to stand out. “You just want to be a personable person, and people will know your face, know your name, we'll see that you're interested in and we'll reach out,” Eastman said. If students are interested in joining one of these Greek life organizations, you can find more information about the club on Instagram @sdsu.nphc or on the website: https://sdsunphc. weebly.com/.
Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 Editor: Devin Whatley
LECTURE:
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ble Mexican drug lords on a souvenir retail rack; making each of the drug lords' faces visible. Lazard said it unveils the complex dynamic between drug lords and society. “The cartels can also be visualized as demons … and on the other hand, the cartels give a lot of economic opportunities where they are,” Lazard said. “It’s a very complex situation.” Whether it be religious
MISSION:
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ceman expresses his confidence, comparing his feelings to those of San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado, permitting all who are watching to blow him a congratulatory kiss or tell him “Bravo” for a job well done. The track’s distinctive San Diego vibe came from when Tre Aces laid down the first verse in a studio session back in 2019, Eyceman said. “One of my main goals is to
FEST:
Arts & Culture and secular, passion and despair, or life and death, once observed, these juxtapositions are apparent in the art of the La Frontera exhibition, and also common within Lazard’s jewelry. The event, and Lazard’s art, presented the audience with Lazard’s constant pursuit of equilibrium, and the solidarity between artists in the La Frontera exhibition. “I have to remember through the everyday … I need to search (for) the equilibrium,” Lazard said. “It’s everyday work.”
get San Diego on the map,” the rapper said. “We have so many dope creatives in the city and I feel like we just don’t get enough shine because there’s LA.” That is something Eyceman plans to change. He plans to release a live version of the song in March and hopes to begin performing locally when that is possible. Also, he wants to keep San Diego as an area of focus for him musically.Those plans include “continuing to collaborate with creatives from the city that I think
started. Another performer and continued from page 10 senior Simran Budhwani said she loved the feeling me which was really, really of sharing art and being a crazy,” President of AMG part of such an encouragand senior Denise Zorer ing, supportive community said. “When we went live event. and I saw everyone in the “We can’t do this live so chat, I felt euphoric.” I’m so happy that we were Many viewers could able to do it,” Budhwani comment and interact said. “Even through this within the live chat. A total platform, it still felt like we of about 940 users came in were at a live concert.” and out of the livestream She performed covers of and the festival averaged about 120 viewers at one “Titanium” by Sia, “Everything I Wanted” by Billie time. Some of the musicians, Eilish along with other Bolillustrators and other view- lywood songs. The genres of music feaers felt the same feeling as tured included acoustic folk, Zorer’s. “The countdown espe- indie pop, alternative pop, bedroom pop, progressive cially gave me that feeling rock, hip-hop, indietronica, and everybody in the chat engaging with each other,” R&B and much more, according to Zorer. AMG Director of New “We chose art because Media and junior Yna Pinewe feel like art brings peoda said. ple together,” Rotaract Kenize Barnickle, a graphic designer and danc- Vice President. of Judicial Affairs Darren Wilson said. er, agreed saying she got “butterflies” right before it “Why not bring people to-
Here is one of Lorena Lazard’s art pieces called “La Patrona”
are like-minded.” Tre Aces had echoed a similar sentiment. “Can never forget where I came from … My music is the San Diego sound and I’ll forever say it,” he said. Both Eyceman and Tre Aces view this track as a step up for both of them. “I have way more confidence in this video and song… We’ve been holding onto it for almost three years to get it right,” Eyceman said. Aces has a similar view on it. “This is a homecoming
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Photo courtesy of Lorena Lazard
track,” he said. “Later down the line, this song will be one that we always know our city is gonna rock to whether we perform in town.” The director of the video, Eric Stephenson, also sees the need to boost his hometown’s standing. He spent a few years in Los Angeles working with artists like Snoop Dogg and Dababy, but he always had that itch to come back home. “I couldn’t stay away!” he said. “The people, the culture, and the scenery all
add to what makes San Diego so great.” The city feeds into his inspiration as a visual artist as well. The beaches, downtown, every neighborhood from City Heights to Alpine offer a way to showcase San Diego’s natural beauty. The possibilities for these San Diego-based creatives are just starting to form. “The world needs to see what’s shaking down in SoCal,” Aces said. “Mission” will be featured on an upcoming project titled “Dope 3” by Eyceman coming out March 27.
gether for a good cause songs at this virtual festival. you know?” She sang covers of “To Be The More Than Music fes- So Lonely” by Harry Styles tival raised money for the and “Song to You” by Leon San Diego Black LGBTQ Thomas to appeal to viewCoalition and raised about ers’ nostalgia surrounding $2,507, exceeding its goal popular Nickelodeon show of $2,015. “Victorious.” “There are many Black, Pineda also performed trans lives that just aren’t her original songs “If I was being talked about enough,” an Artist”, “Unalign” and Wilson said. “Historically, “Someday by You.” The first they are one of the most two original songs listed oppressed groups in Amer- above incorporated Barica.” nickle’s designs into the The festival had 17 per- performance video. formers in total. It started The collaborative prooff with rappers and sing- cess incorporated searchers accompanied by either ing Pinterest together and their instruments, LED Barnickle said she also lislights/staging or graphic de- tened to Pineda’s original sign elements edited into songs individually on repeat their performances. Near while reading the lyrics and the middle and end, danc- just started sketching. ers such as the SDSU Dia“Once she did the Pintermonds performed. est stuff and she asked me Graphic designers and which ones popped out to painters also presented me, I feel like our minds their artwork using virtual just went together so well,” slideshows. Pineda said. “For illustraPineda performed a tions, it was like beyond mix of covers and original what I could ever expect.”
The event also held two raffles with one prize consisting of a painting of FKA Twigs and a Michaels gift card and the other prize included a BluTooth record player, a vinyl of Tame Impala’s “The Slow Rush” and a $50 gift card to local vinyl store, Beat Box Records. Donations for the event could be given directly on the SD Black LGBTQ Coalition’s website by any viewer and much of the money raised also came from outreach by Rotaract. “My least favorite part was not being able to be in-person, I feel like that was everybody’s least favorite part,” Budhwani said. “We weren’t able to connect and look into somebody’s eyes and see them singing the lyrics (with you) and really feeling that concert vibe, but it was as close as it could possibly get.” To watch the full livestream, click here.