Access Magazine Fall 2024 Issue 1

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

T

he Oxford Dictionary describes culture as, “the customs, arts, social institutions and achievements of a particular nation, people or other social group.” The beauty of this definition leaves so much up to interpretation. When we decided to focus on international culture I knew it would be relatable.

Looking just at the history of San José State University, we are immersed in culture. From the Tommie Smith and John Carlos statues to the Cesar Chavez monument, it is everywhere we look.

Culture is really about self-expression and showing pride in what you love. It’s all about having a deep and genuine connection with the traditions and values that make up your cultural background.

Whether you have a deep relationship with your culture or not, this magazine is made for everyone. Even if it’s a small annual family tradition like eating a certain dish on the holidays or going on a summer road trip, that’s still a part of what makes you, you. My hope is that through reading our articles readers will be able to feel connected to a part of themselves and learn more about others!

This marks my very first issue of Access Magazine as editor-in-chief, and I’m thrilled to share it with all of you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everybody involved in this process. I’m incredibly excited for you to see the hard work, creativity and dedication that each of our contributors poured into this edition. Their passion and commitment is truly reflected on every page. I hope you enjoy exploring these pages as much as we enjoyed putting them together.

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MAYA PETTIFORD

(4 - 6)

WE THE RESILIENT

4

(14 - 17)

HOT TO GO!

7

(23 - 25)

INKED IN CULTURE

10

(32 - 33)

EMBRACING A DIVERSE AMERICA

2

(7 - 9)

3

(10 - 13)

BIG WORLD, SMALL

MORE THAN A

CAMPUS

DANCER

5

6

(18 - 19)

ALL(COHOL)

(20 - 22)

DISCOVERING

AROUND THE

BELONGING

WORLD

THROUGH FOOD

8

(26 - 28)

9

CHICANO

CROSSING

SOUL

BORDERS

FESTIVAL

ON THE COVER

Photo of Johanna Angeli Elloso, Dhwani Adhishesh, Vanessa Real, Mikayla Cowan and Kara Michelle Bench Photo by Maya Pettiford

(29 - 31)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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“ We

the

” Resilient Two-Spirit community celebrates in San José

Saturn Williams Staff Writer | @saturn.sjsu

W

hen Marissa Hemstreet first established a Two-Spirited people such as Angel “Tlahuiz” Fabian, Two-Spirit group at the Indian Health Center executive director of Bay Area American Indian Twoof Santa Clara Valley in 2019, she received Spirits (BAAITS), are fighting to restore this history. a budget of just $200 monthly for snacks and outreach.

“Colonization and certain beliefs that came from the After years of working with the community and West didn’t understand who we were and what our role pushing for more space and budget, she established the was in the community, but we have been granted the annual Chosen Family Gathering for the Two-Spirit opportunity to continue creating these beautiful spaces, community in San José. to reclaim those spaces,” Fabian said.

For Two-Spirit individuals, their identity is more than just a label but a reclamation of colonized history, an intertwining of heritage and self-expression.

“It’s not a term or title to take on lightly, being TwoSpirit means you’re doing something with your time and your energy; you’re being of service,” Hemstreet said. “It’s not, ‘oh, I identify this way,’ it’s ‘I’m going to do something with that and I need to make space for these people.’ I’m going to put in the work for these people, it’s not just a name.”

The term Two-Spirit was coined in 1990 at the third annual Inter-tribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference as an umbrella term encompassing the hundreds of distinct traditional classifications for sexual and gender-diverse individuals across tribal nations in North America.

“

”

I’m going to put in the work for these people, it’s not just a name.

Marissa Hemstreet Communications Coordinator, Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley

Hemstreet said colonization impacted the perception of Two-Spirited people in her own Navajo Nation, the Navajo being a tribe that traditionally recognized a spectrum of diverse gendered categories.

Despite the established history of queer and TwoSpirit citizens within Navajo Nation, the Diné These individuals were often revered as spiritual or Marriage Act banned same-sex marriages within the community leaders for their unique relationships with reservation in 2005. masculinity and femininity, a history erased in many Native communities because of forced assimilation.

“What’s funny is Navajo Nation has the biggest Two-

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Spirit pride powwow in all native nations but even on the Navajo reservation, it’s still illegal,” Hemstreet said.

The Arizona Two-Spirit Powwow, as with other powwows, is an intertribal celebration featuring traditional dance, song, food and artistry from the local Native population which takes place at South Mountain Community College annually.

“So, using that terminology of Two-Spirit instead of like, ‘Oh, I’m nonbinary,’ to me feels like I’m respecting my Indigenous roots and respecting that this way of thinking and believing about gender identity goes back further than what the English language could cover,” Hemstreet said.

In Navajo, asdzáán refers to a feminine female, hastíín a masculine male, dilbaa a masculine female and nádleehi a feminine male or other fluid individual.

Hemstreet was able to get in touch with her Indigenous roots and Two-Spirit identity through her work at the

Indian Health Center where she was able to expand the space for the Two-Spirit community through partnerships with organizations such as Silicon Valley Pride and BAAITS. This work has culminated in an afternoon full of cultural performances, LGBTQ+ talent and influential speakers every first Saturday of September with the Chosen Family Gathering.

The event kicked off with a land acknowledgment by Julie Dominguez, a member of the local Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, as well as a powwow performance before launching into a lineup of Two-Spirit speakers.

Fabian spoke about the position of Two-Spirit individuals within the community, themself being a Two-Spirited Bën Za (also known as Zapotec) and indigenous to Oaxaca, Mexico.

“It highlights the essence of our spiritual path,” Fabian said.

“We’re both the masculine and the feminine and the somewhere in between and with that comes a lot of responsibility, a lot of joy and a lot of hope for our community to continue growing and flourishing.”

Fabian helms the support BAAITS provides to the Two-Spirit population in the Bay Area, including the organization’s annual Two-Spirit

Photos of Ivy Flores in and out of drag Photos by Analyn Do

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powwow in San Francisco and the grand opening of their first community center on Sept. 14 at 415 Valencia St., San Francisco.

BAAITS offers a $5,000 mini-grant to Two-Spirit artists curating art projects and community service related to Two-Spirit identity, cultural, gender and sexuality expression.

“

There’s males and there’s females and there’s people in between, but we are all connected through spirit.

”

Ivy Flores Two-Spirit Drag Performer

“Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) exists to restore and recover the role of Two-Spirit people within the American Indian and First Nations community by creating a forum for the spiritual, cultural and artistic expression of Two-Spirit people,” BAAITS said.

After wrapping up lunch and hearing from the community speakers, there was a vibrant showcase of local drag performers, including performances from Indigenous and Two-Spirit artists.

For Ivy Flores, who performs in drag as La Bombón Assesina, discovering her Two-

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Spirit identity and Indigenous Mexican heritage gave her a new sense of freedom both onstage and off.

“It kind of expanded my consciousness to the point where I guess there’s males and there’s females and there’s people in between, but we are all connected through spirit,” Flores said.

Existing as a transgender, Two-Spirited woman is deeper and more spiritual to Flores than simple labels.

“For me, it’s honoring Earth, honoring my nature, the nature of my physical body, my spiritual body, but also the elements that allow me to live my life today,” she said.

As the performances and festivities wound to a close, performers and speakers at the Annual Chosen Family Gathering reflected on what “chosen family” means to them.

Ash Frandsen, outreach specialist for The Q Corner in San José and member of the Karuk Tribe indigenous to Humboldt County, spoke about the importance of a chosen family when her original familial community wouldn’t recognize her Two-Spirit identity.

“Chosen family has been where I can be deeply held, I can be deeply seen,” Frandsen said.

Where Flores was pushed away by her given family for her trans and Two-Spirit identity, she found a network of support and love from the queer and Indigenous communities in Santa Clara County.

“I choose to separate myself and be connected with other people, and that’s who I call my chosen family because family is people that elevate you, that are going to be supportive, that want you to succeed and want to share this life journey with you,” Flores said.

When talking about the position of Two-Spirit individuals within Indigenous and LGBTQ+ spaces today, Hemstreet referred to a quote she recalled from Navajo Nation Pride.

“We were here since time immemorial,” Hemstreet said. “We are sacred, we the resilient.”

Powwow dancer Arianna Atone-Ramirez at the Chosen Family Gathering. Photos courtesy of the Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley.

Taylor Shepherd Content Editor | @taylor.shepherd

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ollege life for students at San José State University (SJSU) offers a glimpse into campus diversity. SJSU provides a platform for students to express themselves culturally with its own traditions taking place on campus.

Nutrition sophomore Alexander Tran, considers SJSU to be one of the more diverse California State Universities.

“We have a lot of different clubs and while all of the cultural clubs are super welcoming, it still feels SJSU isn’t a stranger to traditions. The university really weird just approaching a different culture,” hosts a slew of annual happenings like Spartan Tran said.

Pride Thursdays, Admitted Spartan Day, Weeks of Likewise, there are many other types of cultural Welcome, “Ask Me Tables” and Homecoming. student traditions like business administration More important than SJSU traditions, are the individual management sophomore Thao Nguyen, who moved experiences of the diverse students who attend. to San José from Vietnam.

Cultural traditions unify the student body as an “My country has many unique cultures such as environment where shared experiences among celebrating Tet, going to the temple to pray for peers are created. luck on the first day of the year according to the lunar calendar,” Nguyen said.

They also keep America’s melting pot alive as different values, beliefs and traditions continue to come from various areas of the world.

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Illustrations by Cia Castro

“

”

“We believe that tradition is the identity of the country, if the tradition remains, the country will remain.”

Thao Ngyuen Business Administration Sophomore

Tet 2024, a Vietnamese New Year celebration, falls on Feb. 10 and lasts seven to nine days.

The holiday resembles a parade in full-swing, whether you’re in the city or countryside.

The celebratory mood and pageantry are on display for many days leading up to the actual New Year.

“Besides that, children will receive lucky money from adults to be able to receive good luck in the new year,” Nguyen said.

The first day of Tet is reserved for intimate families when By connecting with his family’s culture, Tran said it children receive envelopes loaded with “lucky money.” made him feel closer to his ancestors since he doesn’t know most of them.

“In Vietnam, we always aim for traditional things and want to keep those beauties no matter how many years “Vietnamese traditions are all about family, respecting have passed,” Nguyen said. “We believe that tradition elders and respecting the community,” Tran said. “Every is the identity of the country, if the tradition remains, year there are traditional festivals, the most famous one known as Mid-Autumn Festival.” the country will remain.”

Tran always identified with his family’s culture and During this time, Tran wears clothing like the áo dài, gets together with family, receives red envelopes ethnic background growing up as an Asian American. and gambles. Áo dài, a traditional Vietnamese dress, embodies cultural values and beliefs such as modesty and elegance.

Tran said he would take part in more of the culture by studying Vietnamese in high school as a way of understanding the dances in his culture.

Illustrations by Cia Castro

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“These dances include lion dance, which are performed at every big festival, ribbon dance, áo dài and others,” Tran said.

Sociology and race and ethnicities senior Nathalie Villa, views the diversity on campus as a great thing.

“I am always happy to see people having the opportunity to express their identity,” Villa said. “I personally believe that cultural traditions on university campuses can help create a more welcoming environment, bring cultural awareness and can serve as learning experiences for others.”

As a Mexican American, Villa identifies with and participates in a mixture of both Mexican and American holidays.

“A Mexican holiday I celebrate is Dia De Muertos,” Villa said. “Aside from honoring deceased relatives, my family has passed down ways in which their families have honored specific relatives.”

This has helped Villa set up her own agenda and honor her family members properly.

For American holidays, Villa said she celebrates Halloween and Thanksgiving which includes preparing certain traditional meals like turkey and mashed potatoes.

“I am able to express myself through these various cultural traditions by giving myself the opportunity to truly embrace and submerge myself into both of my cultures on the days they are celebrated,” Villa said. “It gives one time to reflect and connect with the roots that one has toward these cultural traditions.”

Villa is able to express herself through the way she chooses to honor her ancestors, the art she is able to create and the stories she listens to that will be passed down to her children.

“These traditions influence who I am as a person, what I choose to value and how I choose to view the world or current society,” Villa said.

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More Than A Dancer Kennedy Mayo Staff Writer | @kennedymayo_

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an José State University (SJSU) Club Dancesport brings people from various backgrounds together to create a group that expresses different cultures and discovers new ways to express themselves.

The DanceSport team at SJSU is a competitive ballroom dancing team that is nontraditional in its own way. The club, established in 1990, grows in stature with each passing year, a testament to the team’s dedication and success in the competitive arena.

SJSU is home to a diverse range of dance clubs catering to several cultures. The DanceSport team offers to teach its members nontraditional styles that don’t adhere to common dance forms.

“One thing I love about dance is that I’ve made many good friends and the people here just feel like family,” SJSU Club Dancesport Marketing Officer and child adolescent senior, Natalie Moua said. “I love coming into practice all the time.”

Natalie Moua has been dancing for about two years and learned many different styles, which she now loves.

“I am Hmong, so I know a lot of Hmong dance which is really different from ballroom dancing,” she said.

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It’s like you’re a part of history, in a sense, because then you get to see all these different people doing all these different styles, and some of these people just may go on to being trendsetters in their communities.

”

Areeb Yaqub Computer Science Senior

According to Dao Moua Fang, program manager of Kashia Health and Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training (AANCART) at the Hmong Women’s Heritage Association, the Hmong culture heavily respects its elders and strong families, remembers its ancestors’ accomplishments and preserves its traditional ways.

Infusing her culture into dance has positively influenced her perspective on it.

“I love samba because I felt like the music of samba was just really cool and the beat was nice,” Natalie Moua said. “I love teaching people who just come and ask me how to do it, because sometimes it’s really hard.”

Natalie Moua said the value of learning different cultural dances and how it can enhance one’s overall dancing experience. She also appreciates the opportunity for SJSU

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students to share their cultural dances and contribute to the diverse dance club.

“I think it’s great always, even to have people from different cultures just come in and bring what they can and just share what they’re like as a team,” Natalie Moua said.

Many dancers who have been part of DanceSport for years found ways to express themselves through the power of dance.

Computer science senior, Areeb Yaqub shared his expertise in various dance styles, including Latin dances, the foxtrot and the Paso Doble.

Yaqub said he has admiration for the diversity in the dance classes and appreciates students for valuing the cultural exchange while learning new dance forms.

“It’s like you’re a part of history, in a sense, because then you get to see all these different people doing all these different styles, and some of these people just may go on to being trendsetters in their communities,” Yaqub said.

Dance has not only been an outlet for these dancers but also a solace to run to — a place where they can truly be themselves.

“When I’m in a dance scene, I feel like I’m able to let loose, dance how I want and you just feel this sudden urge of confidence and just wanting to go out there,” Yaqub said.

After dancing, Yaqub found himself a changed man. From introverted and reserved, to confident and outgoing.

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“It’s just something that you know when that song hits you, and you just feel that little swing in your legs, the bounce in your step, just it feels so cool to be able to dance your way out of that and just be able to express it even more, and I think even more so with someone else,” Yaqub said.

Graphic design senior, and the president of SJSU Club Dancesport Kelsey Wu, has been part of the team for four years.

She joined her freshman year during COVID-19 when the club had a few members, but in recent years, it has grown to 30-plus members.

Wu’s deep interest in dance started in high school with a private lesson from her coach, who is now the instructor for the club. The joy her coach fostered within herself drove her to come to SJSU. Dancing allowed her to find joy within herself, helped her overcome her introverted nature, improved her communication skills and confidence in school.

“I felt embarrassed before my performances every time I went on stage to perform, but now, I love competing,” Wu said. “I love performing. It’s like a different me that’s shining on the floor.”

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with

HoT To Go! Hands on Thailand

Photo by Quint Hubbard

Jennifer Yin Copy Editor | @misslovetohaight

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Hands on Thailand

an José State University (SJSU) students fill classrooms around campus, surrounded by the same white fluorescent-lit cement walls and subjugated by the same monotonous coursework throughout the weeks.

However, SJSU students have the opportunity to escape the realms of the U.S. education system by studying abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand with Hands on Thailand (HoT), a sociology class offered as a part of SJSU’s Study Abroad and Away Program. In Thailand, students can learn among elephants, walk on verdant hills and coexist with Thai monks.

“As a sociology class, we evaluate the culture, we compare and contrast, we look for the nuances and see what it reveals about us as individuals within that culture,”

Senior Lecturer Emeritus Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences and the Director of HoT, Dan Brook said. “It is about making connections and expanding awareness so students feel connected, not only to their homes, but to a global society, so they become better global citizens.”

HoT is a three-week course offered during SJSU’s summer and winter sessions covering service learning and cultural immersion. Participating students help local Thai people and in return, they learn about their culture.

Photo by Caroline Ma

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Ashley Ornelas, SJSU English alum, recounts a moment when she experienced culture shock while volunteering at a novice monk school.

“The monks could only hand something directly to a man, they couldn’t hand it to me directly, or they would have to put it down on a table and then I would pick it up,” Ornelas said.

Volunteer Work and New Opportunities

Walsh’s way of navigating through these internalized feelings was to incorporate them into her educational journey in the pursuits of her master’s thesis project which highlighted how communications played a role in her experiences at HoT.

She gathered an assortment of Thailand photographs and collected fabrics to use as inspiration for her oil The foreign experience made Ornelas question a woman’s paintings. Currently, one of her paintings hangs in her role, but later she came to terms with the differences living room, serving as an HoT reminder. between eastern and western culture.

HoT facilitates symbiotic relationships between its students and Thai people where they can learn from one another through volunteer work like teaching at Thai orphanages or at Chiang Mai University.

“Thailand is relatively homogenous and San José is diverse so we bring all sorts of different perspectives, languages, religious beliefs, political beliefs and skills,” Brook said.

“

”

Brook helped me realize that one hug is better than no hugs.

Lindsay Walsh SJSU Alumni & Communications Adjunct Instructor

However, Lindsay Walsh, an SJSU communications adjunct instructor and alum, expressed concerns about In addition, Walsh mentioned that Brook helped her volunteering at an orphanage during her three-week stay. come to terms with her volunteer position in HoT.

“Brook helped me realize that one hug is better than no hugs,” she said. “So even if you’re not necessarily able to stay or make the impact as strongly as you may have wanted, you’re still making an impact in a positive way.”

Photo by Caylee Cole

“The first day, a lot of us created a bond with the kids and I wanted to go back and see Tato and Mo,” Walsh said. “We were starting to build that bond with the kids and I didn’t want to leave.”

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Oppositely, students can also volunteer at Chiang Mai University where SJSU philosophy alumnus Quint Hubbard stayed. He mentioned how he also experienced a bit of a cultural shock when he discovered that the students spoke fluently in English.

Caroline Ma, a SJSU sociology alum and coordinator for the student union’s events program department, said that HoT familiarized herself with her Thai background.

“I’m Chinese, Thai and Lao and that’s another reason why I wanted to go to Thailand was to get in touch with “We all spoke English here and to that extent we could those roots,” she said. use colloquial wisdom in saying, ‘bro,’ and that was “So a lot of the Thai influence that I have is mostly wild,” Hubbard said. through my family and my parents leaned more (into) Hubbard teamed with one of the university’s professors my Chinese side, it’s similar to colorism, so I didn’t get to teach post phenomenology which incorporates to learn Thai or Lao only English,” Ma said. philosophy and technology.

As she sifted through her black diary where she keeps “It was incredibly transformative not just for myself but all her HoT memorabilia, Ma remembers how she never also on my curriculum vitae (CV) that I could put what spoke Thai out loud until she arrived in Chiang Mai. HoT offered to me,” Hubbard said.

There she practiced her mother’s language by bartering with local vendors at the night market.

HoT continued to transform Hubbard’s life. He was accepted into a PhD program at the University of Hawai’i “It’s a helpful skill to negotiate prices, not too low, but at Mānoa based on his CV experiences with HoT which just enough that you are practicing those numbers ultimately set him apart from other student applicants. and conversations,” she said. “Also practice at the restaurants, I would try to say, ‘Can I order this’ or greet them by practicing ‘hello’ and ‘thank you,’ that’s Life Changing Experiences & really important.”

Healing Cultural Identities

Similar to Ma’s experience in finding her roots, SJSU In addition to transforming the lives of former students, sociology senior, Kelly Ngo, said how HoT brought her HoT also facilitates students’ reconnection with their closer to her Cambodian roots. cultural background and roots.

Photo by Lindsay Walsh

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Cambodia is a neighboring country located next to Thailand and from 1975 to 1979, the country was held under the control of The Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), otherwise known as the Khmer Rouge. During those four years of communist control between 1.5 to 3 million Cambodian people were murdered in the Khmer Rouge by the CPK.

Photo by Caroline Ma

Years later, Ma still feels the ramifications of the genocide.

“My mom immigrated during the war and she went to Thailand and stayed in the northern area which is where I stayed,” she said. “I have a very distant relationship with her because of her post traumatic stress disorder but I feel like a part of me being in Thailand let me forgive my mom. I felt very healed when I came back.”

Ma continued to have life changing perspectives not only regarding her cultural roots and her relationship with her mother, but also in terms of career goals.

“After coming back, I realized that there’s a different way for me to be in a school setting and it’s with guidance counseling so I shifted my career path after that,” Ma said. “I don’t think I would have done that without HoT.”

New Beginnings in Bangkok Fourteen hours ahead, SJSU behavioral science senior Caylee Cole, has lived in Bangkok for over a month to finalize her last SJSU semester at Chulalongkorn University. She accredits HoT to her current life in Thailand where she hopes to reside permanently.

“I would not be in Bangkok right now if it wasn’t for Dan Brook and the program,” Cole said. “It really encouraged me to come out to Thailand, go outside my comfort zone and live in a different country.”

Cole said that the cost of living in Thailand was one of Photo by Quint Hubbard the main reasons why she wanted to continue her stay.

She currently rents her own apartment in Bangkok expensive, San José specifically,” she said. “I tell myself that and pays $400 a month compared to San José’s average this is the way that the currency is in the United States.” $3,022 apartment rent payment.

HoT is not accepting student applications for SJSU “Whenever I get back from Thailand it’s definitely a big winter session but the program is still accepting adjustment coming back and having everything be so applications for the college’s summer session in 2025.

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ALL(COHOL) AROUND THE WORLD

Sophia Sipe Managing Editor | @sophiasipe

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M

Kor

OREA: SOJU AND YAKULT Originating in Seoul, this clear spirit traditionally comes from fermented rice and grains. Often described as sweet and light, soju is a popular additive to a variety of cocktails, like yogurt mixed drinks.

N

ICARAGUA: El MACUÁ Following a 2006 Flor de Caña national cocktail contest, Nicaraguans found themselves a front-runner for their staple drink. Named after an elusive bird, the Macuá encompasses the many flavors of the tropics. A mix of white rum, guava and citrus fruits give this cocktail its wings.

Poland

“I would describe it as the drink perfect for boosting your mood. I absolutely love the combined taste of guava, lemon, orange and rum. It gives me a feeling of ease and comfort.”

-Stephen Stewart, Creative Arts Senior

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P

Nicaragua M

Mexico P

EXICO: TAMARINDO MARGARITA Regarded as sweet and sour, the tamarind fruit promises a tangy punch to an otherwise boring refreshment. Combine tamarind juice and Tajín with Mexico’s finest tequila for one memorable margarita.

“Tamarindo tequila is my favorite because of the sweet tart flavor of tamarind which cancels out the bitterness of the tequila, making it more enjoyable.

No chaser needed.”

-Esmeralda Rodriguez, Finance Senior

OLAND: VODKA TONIC Known for its array of vodkas, Poland’s pure alcohol carries the nation’s beverages on its back. Both simple and timeless, the vodka tonic captures the mature and crisp tones of the spirit.

rea

Brazil

“I like that sour kick that it has at the end. It’s just a simple drink that doesn’t have that much sugar and that’s why I like it.”

-Zachary Spence, Nutrition and Food Science Junior

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RAZIL: CAIPIRINHA Coined the country’s national drink, this cocktail features a blend of lime juice, sugar and cachaça. Cachaça, a fermented sugarcane spirit, differentiates the drink from its molasses rum counterparts, giving it an air of originality.

Philippines P

HILIPPINES: RED HORSE Fused with barley and hops, the beer’s derivative company, San Miguel Beer, is an 100-year old extra brewed liquor that is the frontrunner of the Manila bar scene. The amber lager is one of the countries’ strongest malt liquors.

“Red Horse is a popular light beer that is usually consumed during parties in the Philippines. ” --Raven Madriaga, Corporate Accounting and Finance Junior

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Photos by Analyn Do Model Maya Pettiford

g n i g n o l e B

Discovering

Norah Sheppard Staff Writer | @notahwhyyy

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Through Food

ood is more than just something to eat, it is a form of expression and a tool to unify people and discover a sense of belonging. Many dishes are passed down through generations with diverse flavors and cultural origins.

Photography senior Stevie Salcido said one of his favorite foods, tamales, takes him back to Christmas celebrations with his family.

“Now that food gives me a warm feeling,” Salcido said.

“That’s one of the only days when my family puts all their troubles aside and focuses on each other, providing a comforting feeling.”

Another important holiday in Salcido’s culture is Dia De Muertos, or Day of the Dead, in which they commemorate loved ones who have passed.

“For the Day of the Dead, we celebrate by eating the favorite foods of those who have passed away,” he said.

“We also commonly have pan de muertos, ‘bread of the dead,’ a type of sweet bread.”

Photos by Analyn Do

Like many, Salcido associates his childhood food with cultural influence, saying that they’ve helped his mother from Mexico stay connected to her roots after moving to America.

“We keep our culture here, do all these celebrations and eat these traditional foods to help make her feel comfortable,” Salcido said. “She’s very proud of her culture, and I am too. She worked hard to get where she was, I’m so grateful for her.”

Although there are many differences between cultures, there is a common trait.

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Food makes people feel like they belong.

Business senior Lucia Tomas grew up surrounded by Croatian culture and holds a deep appreciation for their cuisine.

“Croatians often start with an appetizer before the main meal, especially for parties or gatherings,” Tomas said. “This appetizer is usually homemade soup or a platter or charcuterie board of dried meats including prosciutto, or prsut in Croatian, buđola, pancetta, cheese and olives.”

Tomas said Ćevapčići is a Croatian sausage with half beef and half pork meat. It is grilled and commonly served with chopped onions and flatbread.

Also known for their sweet dishes, Croatians make desserts like the orahnjača, a walnut roll.

Aside from the culture’s interest in their delicacies, Tomas believes it is important to continue passing down recipes and traditions to future generations.

“I have grown up eating these foods and making some of them,” Tomas said. “Eating these meals at family gettogethers and Croatian extravaganzas, learning to make the foods on my own and sharing them with family and friends is an unforgettable memory.”

“

Continuing tradition and the recipes I grew up on is important because I want to see my kids someday experiencing our culture.

”

Joann Ha Pre-nursing Junior

Aside from the culture’s interest in their delicacies, “My mom would always make porridge when I’m Tomas believes it is important to continue passing down sick and when I was a kid I often got the stomach recipes and traditions to future generations. flu, so I remember always eating porridge,” Ha said.

“Century egg congee, a popular dish to eat when sick, “I have grown up eating these foods and making some is especially delicious.” of them,” Tomas said. “Eating these meals at family get-togethers and Croatian extravaganzas, learning to She reflected on the prospect of raising her future chilmake the foods on my own and sharing them with fam- dren — how much that would mean to her, and how ily and friends is an unforgettable memory.” important those meals would be to them.

Pre-nursing junior Joann Ha grew up with a fusion of “Continuing tradition and the recipes I grew up on Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine. She especially loves is important because I want to see my kids someday experiencing our culture,” Ha said. “Speaking Chinese, Vietnamese food, as she finds herself eating it often. eating our food, celebrating the traditional holidays, I “One of my favorite Vietnamese foods is bánh xèo, a want them to have that.” savory pancake that is very thin and crispy on the outside and inside there is typically shrimp, mung beans The foods we grow up with help us stay connected with and bean sprouts,” Ha said. “We eat that with lettuce ourselves and others. Whether it’s family dinners where and soy sauce.” everyone sits down and enjoys each other’s company, or cooking for ourselves, the foods that are an intrinsic Other dishes, like rice porridge, always bring Ha back part of culture can make great memories. to her adolescence.

Photos by Analyn Do

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Inked in Culture Erika Vinculado Staff Writer | @ikavinc

The next class of young, inked adults are here to stay.

Proceeding decades of tattoo stigma, Generation Z aims to deconstruct and push boundaries, serving as a potential turning point for the art community.

Before millennials and Generation Z, people preferred tattoos that were more detailed and had symbolic meanings according to The Guardian.

Ricardo Lopez, a Mexican tattoo artist based in Sacramento, has worked in the tattoo industry for two years and has found that the most common tattoos represent birthdays or deaths.

According to Psychology Today, people may get tattoos to form a closer bond with another person by permanently inking their body with the date of birth or death of that person.

Many tattoo enthusiasts and artists worked to break down this ideology, maintaining that art can be anything one makes of it.

From impulsive decisions, to symbolism and cultural expression, tattoos come in all categories.

Caralie Wegeng, a Sacramento based Filipino tattoo enthusiast said that her tattoo is inspired by Los Angeles based rapper and tattoo artist, Graciela Moreno.

While the tattoo can simply be a tribute piece, it’s a way to loudly express her own interest in hip-hop culture, unifying her to an entire community.

“I love her music and she happens to be a tattoo artist and I was like this would be a great gift to myself because I’m such a big fan of hers,” Wegeng said.

Photos by Erika Vinculado

Fall 2024 | ACCESS MAGAZINE | 23

“

Tattoos are a

way to express

”

yourself.

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Erica Fernandez Tattoo Apprentice at InkDripped Tattoo Studio

Aside from showcasing personal interest, receiving “My next addition will be Kalinga style of tattooing a tattoo from a Filipino American artist like that goes from the back of my neck all the way down Moreno helped Wegeng connect to a cultural to my tailbone and on my spine,” Luz said. community.

According to the British Broadcasting Corporation Within each culture, there’s an endless pool News, receiving a tattoo that relates to one’s culture of sub-communities to be represented. can help diaspora and a way to connect to one’s Tattoos are expansive, touching even cultural history. religious communities.

For Luz, this is no different. His Kalinga tattoos are Tattooing religious iconography can also roots to his Filipino family and lineage. be a way to express cultural identity.

“After my grandmother’s passing, I have been Lopez argues that in Mexican culture, grasping onto threads and trying to get in Catholicism plays an important role. Tattoos touch with my culture,” Luz said. “She was associated with Catholicism like crucifixes and sacred the line for me to keep in touch and so I hearts are a commonality that Catholic Mexicans have been looking into more Filipinobond over. centric communities.”

“Catholicism is really integrated into the culture,” Lopez said “It’s kind of like its own particular version of Catholicism especially in like Mexican Americans.”

In Lopez’ experiences, Catholic tattoos are common requests. “It’s a very unique thing to Chicano culture, especially when tattoos were developing here in California,” Lopez said.

Tattoos can be the missing link in lieu of memorials and tributes. They can help individuals discover parts of themselves they didn’t realize they were missing.

Jacob Ramirez, a Mexican American tattoo enthusiast said that his family was very strict about tattoos.

However, he decided on getting tattoos that could be easily hidden.

For her, it doesn’t matter if it is as meaningful as cultural heritage or as quirky as a childhood memory about a fermented duck egg, she encourages people to get tattoos.

This is the case for Erica Fernandez, a Redwood City based Filipino In spite of great meanings, some still choose to get American tattoo apprentice at concealable pieces, meant for their eyes only.

InkDripped Tattoo Studio.

“I have a crucifix on the center of my chest, I just had the artist copy my rosary (crucifix) onto my chest, so “Tattoos are a way to express I’m never without it,” Ramirez said. yourself, whether that’s something like a memorial piece or just something Apart from religious and interest-oriented tattoos, funny that you thought would be there is a large demographic who wear their tattoos as hilarious to get,” Fernandez said. “My a permanent reminder of their heritage. only advice for people is to not follow trends and make sure you know exactly Mar Luz, a Filipino tattoo enthusiast, proudly displays what you want.”

Fall 2024 | ACCESS MAGAZINE | 25

Illustrations by Moe M

She enjoys getting tattoos that are very intentional his Kalinga tattoos, originating from the indigenous and prefers traditional and old-school tattoos. group of the Northern Philippine mountains.

Chicano

Soul Festival Israel Archie Staff Writer San José’s History Park flourished with classic lowriders, food trucks and vendors selling various items including fine art, t-shirts and even flower pots. Hundreds of people came to enjoy delicious food and traditional music to embrace their heritage at the Chicano Soul Festival on Sept. 7th.

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“

It’s amazing to see everyone coming together for the culture and lifestyle.

Photos by Israel Archie

”

Fernando Perez Local Artist

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Photo by Israel Archie

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“

I wanted to bring my business out here so everybody could see a bit of my culture

”

Christine Caballero Owner of Casa de Artesano y Mas

Crossing

Borders Navigating Life as International Students at SJSU Ankita Modak Staff Writer | @ankita__modak

I

nternational students pack their whole lives into two large suitcases and fly thousands of miles away from their hometowns, chasing the dream of making something of themselves. For them, the journey to the United States is more than seeking an education — it’s about embracing a new culture and finding a home away from home.

“

I think the biggest cultural difference would be how social and welcoming the people are in the U.S. I really like that.

”

Teja Vijjagari Computer Engineering Graduate

Fall 2024 | ACCESS MAGAZINE | 29 Illustrations by Simon Haupt Bridge, cowboy and screen texture from Adobe Stock

“In Indonesia, if one of us was going to build a house, the whole village is going to build the house together,” Sutjipto said. “We even have a word for that which doesn’t exist in the U.S., gotong royong, it means teamwork but with a sense of belonging, togetherness and family.”

Sutjipto pointed out that the language barrier goes beyond fluency in English and reaches towards understanding cultural demands.

According to Loehrer, non-native English speakers, or students who come from cultures where questioning authority is discouraged, struggle to adjust to the classrooms here, where participation and asking questions are keys to success.

“

As Zartoshty recounts, trying to meet the expectations of Asian parents while juggling financial issues can be difficult.

“I see in the movies, from Hollywood, people would go around at night time, hanging out, getting some drinks and going to a lot of games,” Vietnamese science graduate Tin Pho said.

Students quickly realized that reality doesn’t always match idealization.

“I think the biggest cultural difference would be how social and welcoming the people are in the U.S. I really like that,” Indian computer engineering graduate and International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) Global Leader Suhaas Teja Vijjagari said.

According to ISSS – Director Parinaz Zartoshty and International Programs Manager and Communication Specialist Keri Toma Loehrer students largely come from India and China.

“When our students are struggling with coursework, a lot of times it is because they’re homesick, facing culture shock and anxiety,” Zartoshty said. “It is also (about) trying to meet the expectations of their parents and their cultural background of excelling and doing really well.”

When our students are struggling with coursework, a lot of times it is because they’re homesick, facing culture shock and anxiety.

”

Parinaz Zartoshty Director of ISSS

“You don’t want to waste your family’s money,” Sutjipto said.

Empty pockets may compel students to work illegally off-campus, a fear known all too well by Zartoshty.

“My worst nightmare is when a student is caught in unauthorized employment, which leads to the Indonesian psychology junior Sebastian Sutjipto faced termination of their Student and Exchange Visitor a big shift from a community-centered Asian lifestyle Information System (SEVIS) record, forcing them to to one that values independence. leave the U.S. immediately,” Zartoshty said.

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SEVIS keeps track of all students coming to the U.S. on a visa.

events wearing a traditional kurta, or a loose shirt garment and visiting temples for spiritual connection.

ISSS provides resources like the Global Spartan ISSS plays a friendly role in supporting students, as Scholarship, which has awarded over half a million its experts have vast study abroad experience. Loehrer dollars to students since 2021, along with a small calls the ISSS Global Leaders, “the heart of it.” emergency fund.

“ISSS is like family,” Zartoshty said.

“

”

You don’t want to waste your family’s money.

Sebastian Sutjipto Psychology Junior

Kollepara said that back home, he had family to help with household chores, as did the other Asian students.

In Asian cultures, it’s common to live with family well into adulthood, proliferating generations of students arriving in America without basic skills.

Loehrer said that students from tight-knit, multi-generational households miss the constant support.

San Jose State University’s Tower Hall Photo by Simon Haupt

“I don’t have to try a lot to be in touch with my cultural traditions, because I’m just surrounded by similar people,” Vijjagari said.

Kollepara stays connected to his culture by attending the Indian Student Organization’s cultural

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Embracing a Diverse America Commentary

Melissa Alejandres Staff Writer | @mel_72a

Melissa Alejandres, a communications senior minoring in journalism, dissects how discrimination can come in various ways. This commentary explores her perspective and conveys to readers that it’s important not to let prejudice take over individuality.

I

t was a scorching July day outside the DMV walls.

The off-white building peeled chipped paint in the heat. Its doors looked like they were hanging on by a thread. The line outside was full of restless people sighing, sweaty people fanning themselves and impatient foot-tapping.

”

Embracing my culture felt like a discouragement both outside of school and at home.

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”

Inside, I noticed a woman getting screamed at. The desperation in her voice spread through the crowd as she spoke broken English. I walked over there and asked the fuming employee if I could help.

After immediately translating for the helpless woman who looked around frantically. The woman then proceeded to tell me what the DMV worker had told her — “We speak English in this country.” I’m no stranger to these kinds of interactions, of not being understood because of a language barrier and then immediately judged.

Embracing my culture felt like a discouragement both outside of school and at home.

I remember it like it was yesterday. My elementary school teacher told my mother, “She needs to drop the Spanish to catch up with the other students.” From chatty to reserved, so much of my social life changed.

In class, I constantly looked down at the rusty blue ABC carpet, curling its corners anxiously.

My parents pushed Spanish because many of my younger cousins couldn’t communicate with my grandparents, who frequently visited from Mexico. It felt like a privilege to communicate with my elders. “Learning the language is the root of knowing where you come from,” my dad often said in Spanish.

In America, displaying one’s native culture can mean trouble: the fear of deportation, racism and discrimination. Most individuals want nothing more than to fit in. They want to feel included and never outcasted.

Multicultural children face the biggest challenges when they are urged to adopt their native culture and an alien culture. They should be taught how to adopt and adapt Unfortunately, the price paid for only knowing Span- to their environments in a healthy manner. ish as a child affected me early. I was ridiculed and mocked because I was speaking Spanish while the In the words of my grandma, “Vive por ti y no los deother kids were talking to me in English. A part of me mas,” or “Live for yourself, not others.” felt shattered and forced to become someone new. The circumstances made me feel different at home and forced me to act more Americanized.

This pressure manifests itself at school, work and other shared spaces. Those who immigrate to new lands fall victim to assimilation and subconsciously begin to swap their homemade meals, change the way they dress and even alter their appearance to fit in.

Living with my Mexican culture felt like a discouragement outside of home. Inherently, when people can’t be proud of their backgrounds, they lose a sense of self and identity. They lose originality and individuality.

Moreover, the pressure to adopt social norms waters down different heritages.

Illustrations by Adora Vu

”

Children who grow up embracing two cultures have stronger feelings of being an outcast as they don’t fully fit into one culture. Despite America’s multiculturalism, many children are ashamed of embracing their native culture: food, language, clothing or cultural expressions.

Inherently, when people can’t be proud of their backgrounds, they lose a sense of self and identity.

They lose originality and individuality.

”

International Insights Crossword Puzzle

1

2

3

4

5

6 7 8 9

10

7 | ACCESS MAGAZINE | Fall 2024 Illustration by Adora Vu

Across 2. A Southeast Asian country. It’s known for tropical beaches, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins and ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha.

7. A mark, figure, design or word intentionally fixed or placed on the skin.

9. Existing, occurring or carried on between two or more nations.

10. The customs, arts, social institutions and achievements of a particular nation, people or other social group.

Word Bank

5. The fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

International

Culture Tattoo Tradition

Identity Down 1. A long-established custom or belief that has been passed on from one generation to another.

Soul

Thailand Language

3. A day of festivity or recreation when no work is done.

Holiday

4. A system of communication used by a particular country or community.

Dance

6. The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.

8. Move rhythmically to music, typically following a set sequence of steps.

Fall 2024 | ACCESS MAGAZINE | 8

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Photo by Analyn Do Photo of Dhwani Adhishesh and Vanessa Real

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ACCESS TEAM ABOUT Access Magazine is a student-run publication produced by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at San José State University.

It is conceptualized, edited, designed, published and distributed by students at the end of the semester.

Our goal is to write stories for students and our community on topics that are important, informative, educational and entertaining.

Our team comprises creative thinkers and passionate writers who strive to produce an unforgettable issue every semester.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Maya Pettiford MANAGING EDITOR Sophia Sipe CREATIVE DIRECTOR Simon Haupt CONTENT EDITOR Taylor Shepherd COPY EDITORS Jennifer Yin Tracy Escobedo SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Tracy Escobedo GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Tony Hoang, Adora Vu, Doan (Iris) Nguyen, Jose Pelaez, Cia Castro WRITERS Saturn Williams, Melissa Alejandres, Kennedy Mayo, Erika Vinculado, Ankita Modak, Norah Sheppard PHOTOGRAPHER Analyn Do ADVISER Nisha Garud Patkar Fall 2024 | ACCESS MAGAZINE | 35