Spring 2020 Issue 5

A1 Tuesday, feb. 25, 2020

SF STATE’S STUDENT-RUN PUBLICATION SINCE 1927

VOLUME 110, ISSUE 5

Turn to page three for your gator voting guide

I’m very divided between - do I support a woman? Or do I support a man who’s been fighting this since the 60s? . . . Bloomberg, I’m not interested in him. I think he did come into the pri-

Alondra Esquivel Garcia / Double major political science and race and resistence (Shandana Qazi / Golden Gate Xpress)

. . . Not everyone can vote . . .

Being able to vote, you’re already representing the people around you who can’t vote. I have friends who can vote and ... I try to tell them my opinion . . . just listen . . . hear what other people are saying, even if they’re not able to vote because they still live here.

maries super late as a candidate and I think he’s been buying himself into the primaries . . .

OUT THE CAM PUS

Golden Gate Xpress)

BRUH establishes a comeback to provide a safe space and information for students./ Page 2

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(Jacquelyn Moreno / Golden Gate Xpress)

He’s (Biden) taking millions of dollars from various corporations and so the idea that he’s somehow going to represent the people is false because he’s not beholden to people. He’s beholden to those billionaires that have given him like, enormous amounts of money.

So originally, I was going go with my man Andrew Yang, but he dropped out. So it seems like I’m gonna go with Bernie by default.

A lot of his stance and perspectives I resonate with like really going after corporations who pay absolutely nothing in taxes.

”

CITY

Steven Lomeli / Senior / Kinesiology major (Shandana Qazi /

Kozue Palaco / Junior / Business marketing

Oakland celebrates 3rd Black Joy Parade / Page 4

Ian DeCaro / Junior / Philosophy of law (Shandana Qazi / Golden Gate Xpress)

GET

Emiliano Jimenez / Freshman / Latino studies (Shandana Qazi /

VOTE

SPO RTS

G ATO R S

REPORTING BY JACQUELYN MORENO

. . . I am interested by two candidates, most notably Buttigieg and partially Warren, but I’m still yet to make a final decision . . . I think Buttigieg is still a risk is because of his lack of experience.

But at the same time, there’s other candidates who have too much experience, that there’s already controversy . . .

Golden Gate Xpress)

NCAA championship right around the corner for SF State track athlete/ Page 8

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GOLDENGATEEXPRESS.ORG

Black Residents United in Housing holds first meeting of the spring semester.

SF State’s housing organization, which focuses on black residents and allies on campus, provides a safe space for students to receive housing information and services.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Karamel Nunez-Martinez knunezmartinez@mail.sfsu.edu PRINT MANAGER Andrew R. Leal aleal@mail.sfsu.edu ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Alondra Gallardo agallardo2@mail.sfsu.edu ART DIRECTORS Briana Battle bbattle@mail.sfsu.edu Alexis Joseph ajoseph3@mail.sfsu.edu CITY NEWS Catherine Stites, editor cstites@mail.sfsu.edu CAMPUS NEWS Juan Carlos Lara, editor jlara9@mail.sfsu.edu SOCIAL MEDIA Kameron Hall, editor khall6@mail.sfsu.edu SPORTS Grady Duggan, editor gduggan@mail.sfsu.edu

SFSU organization B.R.U.H. meets for the first time SFSU organization B.R.U.H. meets for the first time in the Cesar Chavez Student Center. (Saylor Nedelman / Golden Gate Xpress)

BY WHITNEY PAPALII with the organization and make organization’s logo on the front sure BRUH is providing the best and on the back read “To Be STAFF REPORTER

L

aughter and music filled room T160 in the Cesar Chavez Student Center, as Black Residents United in Housing kicked off their first event of the semester last week to welcome back students.

SF State provides a wide range of groups and organizations on campus including BRUH. The student-run organization advocates for black residents and offers a place to build stronger communities for students.

Ibory Moore, the new president of BRUH, was very happy to see the turn-out for their first meeting of the semester. Moore hopes to get more students involved

OPINION ktsokas@mail.sfsu.edu

Felicia Hyde, editor fhyde@mail.sfsu.edu PHOTO Shandana Qazi, editor sqazi@mail.sfsu.edu

PRINT ADVISER Laura Moorhead PHOTO ADVISOR Kim Komenich komenich@sfsu.edu

@ggxnews @ggxnews

Correction:

The Xpress previously published a story incorrectly referring to the Campus Academic Resource Program as a new on campus tutoring center. CARP recently closed, and the new tutoring center is called the Tutoring and Academic Support Center.

SIOBHANOfficialDESIGNPAGES2.24.indd 2

Young, Gifted and Black.” The meeting also offered food and drinks to students that attended the event. Board games and fun bonding exercises were played helping people to get to know one another.

“I love helping people,” Moore said. “I know there’s a big homeless and food inefficiency issue, and we have the money to make sure it’s going to the students who are paying all this money to go here.”

Erin Fischer, housing advisor for BRUH, has been working with the organization since the beginning of January.

“It’s an intangible space for students to be in a community,”

Letters to the editor

Kerasa Dimitrios Tsokas, editor

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

housing information for black student residents at SF State.

“We want to make them feel comfortable,” said Moore when discussing SF State housing and residency for black students. “So if they have any needs they can bring them to us and we can get it to the right people.”

Due to past issues with lack of advising and leadership, the organization has been on and off with being active on campus according to Moore. However, last night’s kickback event was to let students know that BRUH is back with a new board of members.

T-shirts were provided at the kickback event that showed the

Fischer said. “I think it’s a great way to get involved especially for students that are interested in residential life. It’s also a great way to get connected and make friends.”

Jennifer Taylor, a political science major, said it was a nice experience to be part of the event and come together as a collected community.

“It was pretty fun and I wasn’t expecting that,” said Taylor. “It was nice to get to know everyone and it’s a place for black people to come together.”

Last year, Moore organized and hosted Soulsgiving with the Resident Hall Association in partnership with the Associated Students at SF State in November.

The event provided food, group activities, and entertainment for students to enjoy for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Moore said she is hopeful that more students will take advantage of the services provided at BRUH this semester to ensure a distinct presence of the organization on campus. The president also noted that despite the organization’s efforts, it all comes down to student involvement.

“We’re just really trying to build that sense of community for black people on this campus to let them know that we are here and that there is something for us,” Moore said. “We’re trying, but if we do these things and people don’t come out, it makes it hard.”

The organization meets every Monday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. upstairs on the third floor of the Cesar Chavez building in room T160. ■

Dear Editor, Words have weight. Words have meaning. Words have power. If there’s one thing I will remember about my journalism education at SF State, it would be this.

That’s why when I saw the front page of the Golden Gate Xpress Feb. 18 issue, I was perturbed to say the least.

The article titled “Student journalists can not time travel - Journalism school is a scam” is a self-indulgent pity party showing the absolute worst side of student journalism.

Calling my education and the education of hundreds of journalism majors

and minors at SF State a scam without producing evidence aside from the writer’s personal issues and loose anecdotal accounts represents the irresponsible nature of journalism that is narrow-minded and hyper-self-focused, ignoring the independence we strive to achieve. These words attempt to invalidate the education of the graduates who have successfully come through this problem.

It is a slap in the face to the educators who have dedicated their time, energy and lives to ensuring our education includes the journalistic standards that would prepare us for our future careers. The journalistic standards the writer failed to consider

when painting our j-school as a scam in one wide stroke.

It is a slap in the face to alumni who are successful and innovating in the field of journalism despite the obstacles they faced. Alexis Terrazas, Poh Si Teng, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Emma Chiang, Carlos Avila Gonzalez, Aaron Williams to name a few, all alumni to be admired and celebrated for their individual accomplishments.

Why weren’t they interviewed about their thoughts or experiences?

Yes, San Francisco is expensive. Yes, school is expensive. But the writer fails to mention that the entire school population struggles with the same issues. The demands placed on jour-

nalism students are not unique. Just ask any student who is pre-med, prelaw, international relations or STEM. Life is what you make of it, and if you truly have passion, then stop complaining and dedicate your life to being a better journalist. I guarantee you if any student does not apply themselves, regardless of the difficulty and the struggles, no matter the major they will not succeed.

Chin up, Siobhan. We’re all in this together.

Sincerely, MJ Johnson Former Campus News Editor

Letter to the Editor: Expect journalism at journalism school “Journalism school is a scam and I bought into it.”

So began the op-ed “Student journalists can not time travel,” a telling of the hardships journalism students experience, printed in the Feb. 18 edition.

A lot is correct: Balancing school, a job and reporting is difficult.

Low-income students have it harder. San Francisco is expensive.

And, yes, students can’t time travel.

But these facts don’t add up to

the author’s thesis, which many students disagree with.

To publicly label j-school a scam because it’s difficult for low-income students is more than false. It decries the department’s credibility and attempts to delegitimize the investments of its students, teachers and alumni.

Students, especially those on the newspaper staff, struggle and sacrifice day in, day out to juggle jobs and j-school. Teachers, many of them parents, break their backs

for their students. Alumni, overcoming many obstacles the author described, graduated from the department to discover more fulfilling lives.

The author stated, “Mandatory attendance and graded attendance almost feel punitive to me sometimes.”

This is a college.

Accommodations are sometimes equitable, but too many compromise standards — standards

journalists need. Desperately.

It’s a shame the author was held to such a low bar.

Using the newspaper to insult a department because it doesn’t meet the author’s personal needs is self-indulgent. It’s potentially libelous. It’s not journalism. And journalism — with all the reporting and due diligence it entails — is what we sign up for.

David Mamaril Horowitz Former City Editor, Golden Gate Xpress

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Tuesday, feb. 25, 2020

SUPER TUESDAY

Designed by Siobhan Eagen

Gator election guide Are you registered to vote?

Check to see if you are registered to vote and for which party you are registered. Visit California’s secretary of state website at:

T he C a lifor n i a pr imar y el e c t i on is on Mar. 3 , 2 0 2 0 .

California will choose which democratic candidate will run against incumbent President D o n a l d Tr u m p i n t h e N o v e m b e r p r e s i d e n t i a l e l e c t i o n . N a v i g a t i n g e l e c t i o n s a n d p o l l s c a n be difficult. This guide will answer your need-to-know questions about voting this March.

https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov

Not registered to vote?

Same-day voter regristration is available at your county elections office, polling location or vote center. This is avilable up to and on election day. You can still vote with a provisional ballot at one of your city voting locations.

Can I vote anywhere?

If you need to, you can vote any location in your county. If you are registered it is best and advised to vote at the location you are assigned to. Otherwise you will need to fill out a provisional ballot.

The benefit of going to your assigned location is that your vote is guaranteed to be counted in a speedy manner.

Find your polling location here: https://www.sfelections.org/tools/pollsite/

From federal elections committe

SANDERS

BUTTIGIEG

KLOBUCHER

♣ 45 delegates ● Senator from Vermont 2007- present

♣ 25 delegates ● Mayor of South Bend, Indiana 2012-2020 ♪ Low support among racial minorities ♦ “Make our society a net-zero emissions one no

♣ 7 delegates ● Senator from Minnesota 2007- present

Mayor of Burlington, Vermont 1982-1989 ♪ Recently praised aspects of Cuba’s Castro regime ♦ “Institute a moratorium on deportations until a thorough audit of past practices and policies is complete” ♠ University of California ($298,000)

later than 2050” ♠Alphabet ($249,000)

YOU CAN ALWAYS VOTE ON CAMPUS AT SF STATE EARLY VOTING OPENS FEB. 29, 2020

Minnesota county attorney 1999-2007 ♪ Allegations of abuse toward staff ♦ “A public option that expands Medicare or Medicaid” ♠ Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Law Firm ($76,000)

What is a provisional ballot?

A provisional ballot is like an “"I owe you"” vote. Once the county verifies your personal information and confirms your eligibility, your vote will be counted.

Does party affiliation matter?

California primaries are "closed."

This means you can only vote by mail for a democratic candidate if you are registered to vote as the democratic party.

If you are registered as “independent” you can still vote for a democratic candidate if you request the democratic

ballot

BLOOMBERG

WARREN

BIDEN

♣ 0 delegates ● Mayor of New York City 2002 to 2013 ♪ Supported stop and frisk ♦ “Invest in local communities to create jobs of

♣ 8 delegates ● 2nd term senator from Massachusetts ♪ Listed herself as native in the Association of

♣ 15 delegates ● Vice President under Barack Obama

the future” ♠Bloomberg is self-funding his campaign

American Law Schools directory ♦ Ending Washington Corruption

♠ Alphabet ($305,000)

at

your

polling

location.

Independent voters cannot vote democratic by mail if you have not requested it from the county office ahead of time.

If you have not done so and wish to vote for a democratic candidate you must

vote in person at a polling location and request a democratic party ballot.

Senator from Delaware 1972 to 2009 ♪Accused by 4 women of impropriety ♦ “Investing in our communities through housing”

You cannot vote for the republican party if you are registered as independent.

♠ Marcus and Millichap real estate ($1 million)

If you are voting republican you must be a member of the republican party.

Key:

♣ - Current delegates ● - Experience ♪ - Criticisms ♦ - First policy listed on campaign website ♠ - Funding

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CITY

Tuesday, feb. 25, 2020

GOLDENGATEEXPRESS.ORG

BLACK JOY PARADE

Co-founder of the breaking group Oakland Originalz, Gideon Chiwinke Mekwunye II, hands a $20 bill to J.R., an audience participant who proved he can keep up with the breaker’s moves during the Black Joy Parade. (Photo by shaylyn martos / Golden Gate Xpress)

BY shaylyn martos STAFF REPORTER

“

Black joy means to me resistance, reclaiming. It means unity; it means heartfelt connections. And it means home.”

In Oakland’s third annual Black Joy Parade, more than 20,000 people gathered in celebration of Black history, culture and future.

Oakland native, business owner, artist

and stylist Toshia Christal came to the parade to promote her first curated show “Unbound Roots” which opens at Soma Arts in San Francisco on March 12.

“The curation has been a nice experience where I’ve learned all the inner workings and all the things that it takes to put on the actual show,” she said. “The importance of having events like this, to me, is really just making space and taking time for folks to get together and network.”

Founded by Alisha Greenwell and

Mascot for the Hundreds Unit Rochelle Westbrook led the women’s dance group in a beautiful home-made peacock costume, which took a full 10 hours to create. (Photo by shaylyn martos / Golden Gate Xpress)

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Amber Lester, the parade grew exponentially these past few years. Black families and businesses, fraternities and sororities, religious groups and community organizations, drill teams and breakers all participated in their own ways.

Rosemary Towns, a member of the Xi Gamma Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first black sorority founded at Howard University, graduated from SF State in 1955. Since her school did not have a chapter, Towns would head

Alicia Gold, owner of Nubian Queen Natural Beauty, came to the Black Joy Parade to sell her home made products, specializing in shea butters. (Photo by shaylyn martos / Golden Gate Xpress)

across the bay to UC Berkeley.

“Because there were so few of us at that time, we would have to travel to get the community all together,” she said. “So we knew people all over the Bay Area.”

What tied these different groups together was a profound appreciation for Black experience and excellence, as well as the great music bumping and the delicious food all around.

Co-founder of the breaking group Oakland Originalz, Gideon Chiwinke Mekwunye II, was born and raised in Oakland. He and his breaking crew represent Oakland culture around the world.

“So when you break, you emulate your environment,” he said. “I feel like when you’re Black you can be really bitter. So there’s one thing to let it go but there’s also another thing to let it grow.”

Oakland Originalz focuses on creating very positive performances that challenge the common culture of breaking.

As they spun through the air and contorted their bodies, they called for the audience to stay in school and appreciate the people around them.

Rochelle Westbrook led the Hundreds Unit women’s dance group as their mascot and choreographer. The group won the “Best in Flow” award at last year’s parade and showed up in force with an “African Jungle” theme for this year.

As their mascot, Westbrooks literally shone under the warm Oakland sun with a sequined peacock costume, complete with a huge feather tail. She said the whole ensemble took a full 10 hours.

“Representation matters. So our children get to see business owners in the community,” she said. “We expose and expand and grow as a community of people but also leaders, as we’ve been throughout history.” ■

Oakland Originalz breaker and SF State student Tadhg Rush performs a handstand from his fingertips during the group’s street show at the Black Joy Parade in Oakland. (Photo by shaylyn martos / Golden Gate Xpress)

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

GOLDENGATEEXPRESS.ORG

SF State alumni moderates Poetry Jam

BY JAZZMENE LIZARDO STAFF REPORTER

A

s the talking quiets down, a line of poets begin to introduce themselves through their spoken word, filling the room with their excerpts and explanations of their books, “Tiny” Gray-Garcia takes the lead.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Laureate poet, Kim Shucks, moderates monthly poem jams at the SF Main Library while allowing different poets every month to come in and share their pieces for a crowd of people.

Hosted it in the Latino/ Hispanic room on the lower level of the library, seven poets from Po’Poet’s recited their poetry and talked about the books that each has published.

This month’s event was dedicated to the Poor Press book release.

Lisa “Tiny” Gray Garcia reciting a poem from her book “When Mama and Me Lived Outside.”

(Jazzmene Lizardo / Golden Gate Xpress)

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Shucks, who is a former SF State alumna and former professor, started her poetry career when she became the poet warrior of San Francisco. She started to perform when her mentor forced her on stage. “She said, ‘Alright do you have any of your poetry on you?’ and I was like yeah, and she said, ‘Alright get onto stage,” explained Shucks on how she started to recite her poetry on stage.

Created for poets to originally improvise poetry, and then try to get poets to read each other’s poem’s Shuck decided for poets to recite their own poetry after two failed plans.

The seven poets gathered on stage, as they recited each an excerpt before individually taking the stage to perform their original pieces.

Vallejo’s Angel Heart took the stage as she did not bring any poetry, she talked about the synopsis from her book HorSE Tuuxi, My name is Kai. Grandmother of four, she started her writing professionally recently, but originally started to write three to four years ago. Heart went on about the background of her book, “My inspiration comes from the Ohlone people from being on their land and not realizing they were occupying their space,” Heart said. “The Ohlone people were my inspiration, also the fact that the educators were really scrambling to find some supplemental education also inspired me.”

After Heart, six more poets took the stage. Next was grieving mother Audrey Candycorn, who published a book based on poems she wrote when she lost her son who passed away at the age of 17. In an allwhite outfit and grey heels, she revealed the inspiration behind her book, and proceeded to read a piece

called “A Black Mother’s Cry,” which she wrote when her son first passed to express her grieving emotions. SF state student Alexis Castro, attended the poem jam to help further herself more into the poet world, so she can gain more confidence to eventually perform herself. As for her favorite performance, touched by Candycorn’s performance.

“When I come to the poem jams, I am always inspired by the words that these poets put together. “Tonight, especially with the poem about the grieving mother. It makes me focus on how I should put more expression into my writing too,” said Castro.

Before the main poet of the night went on, two more poets took stage. Diallo McLinn, who is from Berkeley, performed from his book Post Modernism and the New Frontier. Next was Leroy F. Moore, a black disabled poet who has worked with Shucks for four decades, read an excerpt from his book Black Disabled Ancestors.

Wearing a bright orange jumpsuit, with a hat tilted sideways, co-editor of POOR Magazine and poet, Lisa “Tiny” Gray Garcia went on to stage to be the last poet of the night. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Tiny dedicated her book When Mama and Me lived Outside, One Family’s Journey Through Homelessness, and her spoken word to the struggles her and her mother had through proverty as indigenous women.

“I realized that that story needed to be told for those children for those mommas and daddies who are dealing with houselessness, for parents and educators who teach houselessness children,” said Tiny, “I wrote the poem in honor of my mom and me and all that we went through and the ways which poor women often times seek dangerous situations to just stay safe and not be home.”

Poem jams are hosted monthly at the SF Main Library, for further info check the Main Library website on scheduled poem jam events ■

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CITY

GOLDENGATEEXPRESS.ORG

From trash bins to art displays

BY SMIT PAREKH STAFF REPORTER

A

rtist in Residence, a program directed by an SF State alumna, allows artists to create pieces with collected landfill and recyclable trash from the city, with a purpose of reusing waste materials.

The program was founded in 1990 by Jo Hanson, who was an activist and an artist herself. She pitched the idea of the program to Recology while making scrapbook art from the trash she found in front of her house.

Recology, a 100-year-old resource recovering company that collects trash from most of the residents in San Francisco, celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Artists in Residence program that pays students and professional artists to scavenge through the dump and create pieces that have gotten live viewers of more than 3 million people.

Director Deborah Munk, describes the AIR program as the education arm of Recology, where they support local artists by accepting two professional artists and a

student artist from over 150 applicants.

Munk says any kind of making creates waste, including the art created at Recology.

“The materials that the artists use here, all come from the trash anyway, like 99 percent of those materials,” said Munk.

Materials that don’t end up used by the artists ends up back in trash or gets picked up by the public at the end of the program.

“We have a giveaway pile at the openings, so artists will pull things out like furniture, books or clothing and those get distributed to the public,” adds Munk.

This year’s exhibition will take place on May 22, the day after and one last time on May 26.

In their last exhibition, a recent SF State graduate, Charlotte Beck, served as the student artist of the program while continuing with classes during her last semester.

Recology provides student artists with a shipping container as their studio space, and a shopping cart to load up with materials, while each professional artists get a

fully equipped studio space and advanced tool set.

“I also was able to use the facilities on campus because I am [was] a student here, so with both of those resources I was able to create a pretty comprehensive bodywork,” said Beck.

Beck’s artwork is based on her interest related to witchcraft, also occult themes.

That drives her to create 2D prints and collage. She found materials like notebooks and catalogs, from which she created twelve pieces in the end, two of which are showcased at AIR’s main office at 401 Tunnel Ave., San Francisco.

“They make you feel like your ideas are heard, which is very important for an artist, and you’re basically given free reign to make whatever you want to make,” said Beck.

Student artists at Recology are given a monthly stipend of $450 and professional artists get $1450 each month during the four month program.

Current professional San Francisco based artists, Rachel Marino and Malcolm

Kenter are creating a mini golf course, and Iranian artist Minoosh Zomorodinia is working on a walk-in installation with an audio-visual experience, all from using the trash they pick up into their shopping cart from a large warehouse full of waste materials.

During their AIR program tour, which is organized every week for the public, Education Specialist, Ailsa Harju, said textile is one of the things that is difficult to process at Recology’s recycling center in Pier 96.

Student artist at the program and fashion design teacher at UC Berkeley, Leilah Talukder, found a small closet worth of clothes from the dump and is looking forward to working on wearable instrumental art, made from discarded things such as wooden blinds, metal and hard plastic.

“Going into the art world from being a student is kind of a rough and sticky transition, so to have something like during your career as a student that allows you to sort of experience as a professional artist,” said Talukder. ■

Illiterate Light performs at Café du Nord

BY MATTHEW MACGUGAN STAFF REPORTER

A

small line formed outside Café Du Nord as IDs were checked to enter the venue. The patrons quietly clamored at the bottom of the steps leading into the café, located under the Swedish American Hall on Market St. Shane T, the opener for Illiterate Light, began to strum on his electric guitar as the sound operators fixed issues with the speaker system. The crowd sat at the tables lining the rear of the one-room bar, with the stage offset to the left. Sound boards sat on illuminated stands and acted as a divider between the stage and bar space.

As the opener began his set, people sitting in the back moved to fill in the space in front of the stage, drinks in hand.

People remaining in the back, filling the rear of the bar with a warm buzz, complemented by dim lights and a performance that is increasing in volume.

Jake Cochran and Jeff Gorman created the two-person band following their departure from a previous band the two were in together, called Money Can’t Be Eaten.

Gorman, the lead singer, was no stranger to the rock-and-roll lifestyle. His uncle, Steve Gorman, is a member of the Black Crowes, which formed in 1984. Steve is still a member of the band, with his neph-

ew now following in his footsteps.

The duo originated in Virginia, where the two met while working on an organic farm in the Shenandoah Valley. In their early days, they carried their instruments on their backs as they traveled on bicycles to each performance. Now signed by Atlantic records, the duo is touring North America to perform songs from their debut self-titled album Illiterate Light.

Their first time in San Francisco, Cochran and Gorman began the delayed set with an energetic opening number. The lights faded away as colored LED lights illuminated the stage behind the duo. The set continued, with some of the crowd headbanging, while others stand still with a drink in-hand and observe the passionate and melodious movements of the duo on stage.

After four songs, the lights came back up as Cochran and Gorman moved closer to each other. The duo switched out their electric guitars for acoustic and began to speak to the crowd.

“What we’re trying to figure out right now,” Jack began, “is how to have all you beautiful people actually provide the electricity to power our rock show.” The singer then describes a technology service called Rock the Bike, an Oakland-based startup that is beginning development of bike-powered generators. Illiterate Light

Illiterate Light, a Virginian duo of guitarist/vocalist Jeff Gorman and drummer/ back-up vocalist Jake Cochran, play at Café Du Nord ( Photo by James Wyatt / Golden Gate Xpress)

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Jeff Gorman of Illiterate Light plays his guitar at Café Du Nord ( Photo by James Wyatt / Golden Gate Xpress)

will begin to work with the company in the near future to provide bikes at their performances, where a few fans will be able to sit and pedal in order to generate power for the stage and lighting.

After cheering from the crowd, the band begins to play a new acoustic song from the album, called “Sometimes Love Takes So Long”, dedicated to Neil Young, an inspiration of the duo.

Spectating the entire event from the back of the crowd is Jolo Merilleno, an SF State student majoring in business marketing. Jolo works as a campus representative for In2une Music, a music label that offers positions for marketing smaller bands and artists.

“I’m just the biggest music fan,” he shares. “I get to discover new artists every day and this [position] has really helped me share my love of music.”

Jolo got his position with In2une in 2017 after his friend who attended USF

graduated and recommended he apply for the position at SF State.

“I love getting to think critically and being introduced to the business aspect of music,” he says.

Jolo attends events like Illiterate Light to observe the audience interactions and attention to the artists. Then he creates reports of where the band or performer may need marketing assistance to create a better turnout.

He shares that he would love to be the artist that his team markets one day. But for now, he hopes to just get his foot in the door.

As Illuminate Light closes their set, the audience starts to walk back up the stairs to Market St. The bartender collects empty cups and beer pitchers using the light on his iPhone, and the band makes their way off stage.■

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Tuesday, feb. 25, 2020

OPINION

GOLDENGATEEXPRESS.ORG

Diversity should move from the classroom to workspace

BY PAMELA ESTRADA STAFF REPORTER

E

very year around the summer, universities across the country congratulate students for having success completed their needed requirements by awarding them with a degree that will set them up for success.

According to the Office of Institutional Research, 57% of first-time full-time freshmen students who began their education at SF State in 2013 graduated the year of 2019.

The last day to file graduation applications was Feb. 21 and as graduation is slowly approaching, I wonder how much of the diversity concept we learn in the classroom really follows us into the real world.

In the classroom the diversity concept pertains to gender, race, and social and economic background. Our education has allowed us to understand how every identity intersects and is important since it creates a variety of different backgrounds to people’s lives and identities.

One of the basic social constructs within the diversity struggle in the workplace is gender. Many workspaces are not gender inclusive and at times lack the knowledge to be inclusive. The hiring process alone can be challenging when someone is

asked to identify their gender. Even more progressive times personal bias can influence the hiring process.

Simarjit Singh, a senior at SF State majoring in business with a concentration in accounting, does not think the Bay Area faces diversity challenges in the workplace. His interviews for potential jobs/ internships have been with just as many females as males.

“At that same time I would also say there have been times where I have seen some bias on the part of professional towards one gender over the other. I guess more than a few times I would say it’s been more favorable towards being a male than being a female. But that has been on an individual level not an organization.”

As a social construct, gender has been the selection on job applications between two boxes labeled female or male. Now some locations provide an additional box reading “other” which undermines the existence of everyone else by bunching them up in one category.

Gender is complex because not everyone identifies as either male or female and the word “other” disregards the person’s identity. From someone who is still learning and dismantling the social construct that has been outlined over the years, I find

it crucial that we open the conversation in the workplace. Something brought to my attention in the matter is, “why bother asking?” personal identity is irrelevant to the job.

Taking the time to understand someone’s personal identity is inclusive and promotes diversity. To better grasp gender, Trans Student Educational Resources provides proper language and education on gender.

Some may wonder how gender alone can create any change in business. Having a more diverse working environment will allow for more connections with those who interact with said diverse businesses.

For example, if a therapist can better understand the struggles and cultural norms of gender, race, culture and social economic background then there will be more success behind the therapy session. Hiring diverse employees would also allow for the therapist who doesn’t connect with you immediately to learn how to connect with your struggles and cultural backgrounds from their colleagues who do.

“Taking my own personal experience. I had Asian, specifically Chinese students along with me in this one class, along with African Americans, and some of my Indian friends. So when it would come to an activity or problem solving assignment

sometimes you think in a certain way and then a different group will think in a different way,” said Siddhi Rote a junior at SF State majoring in computer science.

“The approach of Chinese students was different and was very unique I would say.

So that’s how I came to know because they have been taught in different ways the mathematical expressions. So we get to learn and explore other solutions. So that is how it helped me to educate myself in other ways. That’s how I feel like its good to have diversity around you- you get to grow.”

As we move into the world with degrees in hand, we should really open up that conversation within the workplace about how we should be much more inclusive and diverse.

“Diversity is something that is so important but its so rarely mentioned. I feel like at my previous work place, PF Chang, which I worked there for so long and saw so many people go through I wish that would have been something we should have talked about,” said Alexandria Lalama a senior at SF State majoring in philosophy.“I feel like its underlined in everything we do but in a job setting it is not always talked about because it is assumed.”■

The alienation of plus-size bodies

BY KERASA DIMITRIOS TSOKAS OPINION EDITOR

A

s summer approaches, companies — specifically fashion ones — will begin rolling out their summer items for consumers. What was once an anxiety-inducing season for many became less menacing after companies slowly accepted and integrated plus-size clothing into their stores.

Now, “stores” would imply that plussize bodies would be able to walk into a physical store and try on clothes which, of course, isn’t the case everywhere. In 2016, H&M removed the plus-size section in 11 of their New York stores, making the section available only online. After an 11year removal of the plus-size section from stores, Old Navy restored the section in 75 of its stores.

According to Statista, the estimated market value in the U.S. for plus-size women’s apparel in 2018 was $22.8 billion. If the market for plus-size bodies is so big, why are companies missing the mark?

Where are they losing the consumers?

Most of it has to do with the retailers themselves and their own outlook on plussize bodies. Not all plus-size bodies are the same so solutions that retailers come up with cannot be a one-size-fits-all either.

“Especially when talking about the fashion industry ... there’s kind of a range of what plus-size is, but it’s not concrete,” said Andy Dal Canto, a curvy BECA major at SF State. “Nothing within fashion sizing is concrete. I see brands that call an 8 or a 10 plus-size and I’m like ‘that’s not plus-size.’”

According to a 2016 study published in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, the average American woman’s size is between a 16-18 which translates to a woman’s plus-size, 20W. Even when retailers add in massive amounts of plus-size clothing to their stores, it shows that straight or sizes

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are preferred.

While Target admittedly got better at including plus-size clothes and mannequins in its stores, there is still some disconnect between plus-size bodies, companies and actual representation for those with bigger bodies. Target’s fashion Instagram, Target Style, posts photos of not only real people wearing their clothes but also any new releases Target has that pertains to fashion, accessories and beauty.

On Feb. 12, the Instagram account posted a plus-size woman wearing a two-piece bikini. It was beautiful and as a plus-size woman who still has body issues, I felt seen. It wasn’t until I began scrolling under the photo’s comments that I saw a disconnect between the company and those it’s trying to sell this bikini to.

“Since this is a plus size woman wearing a plus sized suit can you please link it to the plus sized suit on the website? This is a really crappy thing that you do,” said one Instagram user. “Every single time you use a fat or a plus sized body for marketing, I click on the link and it takes me to the non plus sized version of the clothing. And then I have to do a seperate search on the website to find it in my size.

Completely unacceptable!”

One of the biggest problems with the fashion industry is that they add in plussize clothes, not even for money anymore, but to quiet bigger bodies. Even when Target has a plus-size model, wearing plus-size clothing, they link it to a straight size.

Lea Williams, a plus-size Bay Area woman, said it is difficult to find clothes for herself in stores that aren’t Forever21 or specifically made for plus-size women.

“I’m thankful for online stores that have wide varieties because I love bold everything and over the last few years, clothing companies have really reinvented their plus size sections,” said Williams. “I will say that shopping for jeans has been

An illustration of Rose Gelfand, Herman Kila and Andy Dal Canto. by Siobhan Eagen/ Golden Gate Xpress

the worst. Because I have the height and the curves it’s hard finding curvy jeans that go to my ankles ... sometimes even curvy jeans in general. Sometimes I have really great shopping days and other days, nothing fits.”

While the fashion industry is to blame for many people’s self-confidence issues and eating disorders (seriously, Google search “eating disorders fashion industry”), it can’t be blamed for everything.

This idea of ignoring larger bodies depends on culture and the identities behind those bodies.

Rose Gelfand, a queer, white Jewish fat femme from the Bay Area, attends Scripps College in Claremont, CA. She is currently studying abroad in Spain and admits that she has confronted more fatphobic comments out there than back at her college.

“I’ve had multiple times where people have been like ‘isn’t it so great that obesity isn’t a problem in Spain, like isn’t that amazing?’,” said Gelfand. “It’s mind blowing to me that people can just say that

and think it’s okay.”

Many people see bigger bodies and think of the countless stereotypes that society has allowed them to believe—some may see a lazy person, others may see someone who is unhealthy and glorifying obesity. However, it hasn’t always been like this.

“Back in the old days, if you were a plus-size person, you were considered rich because you had access to food and body size back then represented wealth, it represented power and royalty,” said Herman Kila, a Polynesian plus-size cosplayer who lives in Hawaii. There is still an identity that Kila possesses which prevents him from truly feeling accepted for his size.

“The thing is, whenever men talk about this—whether we talk about mental health or body image issues, either one of two things will happen; we are ignored or we are laughed at. It’s just sad that all the way around, men can’t talk about this,” said Kila.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

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Tuesday, feb. 25, 2020

SPORTS

GOLDENGATEEXPRESS.ORG

Gators break five game losing streak against Humbolt State

BY ALONSO FRIAS STAFF REPORTER

T

he SF State Men’s basketball team broke its five game losing streak last Thursday, Feb. 13, in its 77-69 win over Humboldt State in a home game. This was only the Gators third win at home out of 11 and they deemed it Spirit Day by giving away free T-shirts to the first 500 students that entered the Swamp. The Gators then traveled to Turlock, CA to take on Stanislaus State on Saturday and were dealt their 13th loss in the conference losing 81-79. The Gators then lost again, against Chico State on Feb. 20 in an away game by 80-69. The men’s basketball team is known for having strong seasons in the past and the Gators head coach Vince Inglima knows this.

“This season has obviously been disappointing for us in the win column,” Inglima told Xpress. “Following several seasons in a row where we were competing near the top of the league, this is definitely new territory for us.” Last year under Inglima, the Gators made it to the California Collegiate Athletic Association

Basketball Championship playoffs.

When a group is going through a win drought, what proves how stable they are is the locker room. Inglima noted that the locker room is as good as ever from what he has seen this season.

“I am proud of how committed this group is to each other, and how much energy they bring to practice every day,” Inglima said. “These young men have continued to work hard and support each other throughout the season. It is tough to keep things positive when you are not getting the results that you would like on the court. There is no way around that.”

The basketball team at SFSU is notorious for its achievements and economic investment compared to other sports programs on campus. The program is structured around winning and that serves a basis for success under Inglima.

“We try to keep things focused on the things we can control: the areas in which we need to improve, preparation for the next opponent, etc. Even when you are winning, the goal is to stay committed to

the process of improving from day to day rather than get caught up in the outcomes on gameday. That is a constant for us as a program” Inglima said.

Out of the 16 man roster, only four are seniors with many players fighting for a spot next season. Linton Acliese, a Junior, leads the team in points and rebounds and will be on the team next season. He is averaging 18 points per game thus far.

“I feel like the season hasn’t been what we all anticipated coming into the season,” Acliese said. “We know we have a great group of guys who are talented and can do a bunch of different things. We just haven’t been able to figure it out.”

In terms of being the leader of the team, Acliese believes his success is built around trust. “I would say the leadership role develops as my teammates start to believe and trust in me more. Trust that I’ll make the right plays and play for them.”

Inglima has high hopes for next season and noted, “Our future is very bright. We return our leading scorer and rebounder

from this year. We have some great young players who are getting a lot of experience this season which we hope they will be able to build upon going forward. Also, we have some great commitments already and are continuing to recruit now. We plan to be back competing for a CCAA title next year.”

Acliese also believes next year will be a great turnaround compared to the current season.

“Fans can expect a totally different year than this year,” Acliese noted. “We’re losing a great senior group but we’ll still have a great group returning. Fans should expect us to win out the rest of the year and provide fun and exciting games.”

The Gators have two games left with the last game and senior night coming against the team they lost to last year in playoffs, Cal State Los Angeles. “We have two home games left. It is senior weekend, and we will be trying to send off this senior class on a high note,” Inglima said.■

SF State student breaks school track record Star sprinter, Alexis Henry, finishes at 24.16 seconds running the 200m

BY GRADY DUGGAN SPORTS EDITOR

S

F State track and field athlete, Alexis Henry, etched her name into the record books earlier this month. The track and field team traveled to Michigan to compete in Grand Valley State’s Big Meet on Feb. 14-15 and Henry set a new SF State record by running the 200m in 24.16 seconds, beating all other 76 participants. She also placed second in the 400m with a time of 54.25 seconds. These times put her at the top of the competition, but the star sprinter has her eyes set on much higher aspirations.

Both of those times are qualifying marks for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championship in Birmingham, Alabama the weekend of March 13. Henry is familiar with the event after running at it in previous years and her experience is something that will provide her the ability to remain fftranquil.

“You would think it’s more nerve racking, and it was my first time, but once you really establish yourself and understand who you are, it’s more lively,” Henry said. “I will use my experience in a way that brings me a sense of calming.

These are people who wake up everyday like me, we’re all human, we’re the same.

Nobody is much better than everybody else, it’s just like who is going to show up today?”

While Henry has picked up some momentum as the NCAA championship meet approaches, she noted that it took her a bit to get to where she wanted to be.

Not racing as well as she liked to start the season, Henry said she had to find a way to break out of her slump.

“This season started off a little rocky.

It was a little more me being in my head and thinking too much about what I

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wanted to do rather than just doing what I am capable of. So, the mental aspect of track took over. It really is 90% mental and 10% physical. If you’re not mentally sound, not ready, it’s not going to show on the track.”

Persistence can be key for an athlete when trying to get back to performing up to their standards. Her coaches took notice of her approach to getting back to

where she wanted to be.

“She really understood what it would take to be ready to run at this time,” Tom Lyons, San Francisco State’s head track and field coach said. “She showed great patience and confidence throughout the fall and winter . . . Alexis is a very talented athlete. She has put consistent work in to improve. It’s her focus and determi-

nation and clear goals that has led to her impressive results.”

She said breaking the schools 200m record was refreshing, allowing her to break out of her slump and bring her confidence back into her running. She coined it as her “reawakening.”

It can be hard for athletes to break out of their slumps and each one often has their own methods in trying to do so. A baseball player may change up his swing, a basketball player may try new sneakers and a football player could try working to a new trainer, but Henry had a different tactic that helped take her performance to the next level.

“I had to get myself out of that little stagnated period of time . . . I started to meditate a lot again. It really cleared my mind of the thoughts that weren’t real.”

Henry’s impressive resurgence as of late has given her the opportunity to continue running after her final season at SFSU concludes this March. Her times that she has posted over the past month qualified her for the Olympic trials.

“The Olympic trials are this summer and that is what I am working towards.

I will be going back home to train, continue to work, run in meets - hit that time and I’m eligible to go to the Olympic trials. It doesn’t mean I’m necessarily going to the Olympics, but I ran fast enough to try out.”

Henry will travel to Boston University and Stanislaus State for two more meets before heading to Alabama for the NCAA Division II NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship, where she said she has one thing on her mind.

“To win.”■

Alexis Henry sprints to the lead at practice in Cox Stadium. (Photo by Sandy Scarpa/ Golden Gate Xpress)

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