Latinx Heritage Month 2023 — Technician 09/21/23

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THE RADAR

Events to keep an eye on for the week of Sept. 21

DIX PARK FOREST BATHING

Sunday, Sept. 24, 9-10 a.m.

1030 RICHARDSON DRIVE Free with registration

QUICKSCRIPTS

Saturday, Sept. 23, 8 p.m.

FRANK THOMPSON HALL - KENNEDYMCILWEE STUDIO THEATRE

$5

FESTA ITALIANA

Saturday, Sept. 23, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

CITY PLAZA, FAYETTEVILLE ST Free

Join University Theater to view 10-minute plays that were written, cast, directed and performed all in 72 hours.

Connect with nature on a guided walk along the Pine Loop Trail where you’ll explore the history behind forest bathing and its benefits for human health.

Come celebrate Italian culture and heritage in downtown Raleigh with music, food, a Vespa raffle and more.

EXHIBITION: ROOTED. CULTURAL CENTRICITY IN BRAND MAKING

Friday, Sept. 29, 6-9 p.m.

WITHERSPOON STUDENT CENTER ART

GALLERY Free

Britt Davis, a 2009 College of Design alum and co-founder of the LCKR ROOM, will exhibit her work for the African American Cultural Center. Join Davis for an artist talk.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

GRIFFIN BRYANT/TECHNICIAN

Flor De Hidalgo dance group performs during La Fiesta del Pueblo in downtown Raleigh on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2023. La Fiesta del Pueblo is a festival of Latin American culture, featuring live music, dance performances, artisanal vendors and food trucks.

CORRECTION: In ‘“Abstractum” promotes multiculturalism through contemporary Iranian music’ (p. 11-12, Sept. 14, 2023), Technician used the incorrect first name for Olga Kleiankina. Technician regrets the error.

Editors-in-Chief Ethan Bakogiannis Jameson Wolf technician-editor@ncsu.edu Managing Editor/Brand Manager Emily Vespa technician-managingeditor@ncsu.edu technician-marketing@ncsu.edu

Copy Desk Chief Rachelle Hernandez technician-copydesk@ncsu.edu

Assistant Copy Desk Chief Elliot Johnson News Editor Kate Denning technician-news@ncsu.edu

NC State VOLAR: Bridging the gap for Spanish-speaking communities

Autumn Walser Correspondent

NC State students are putting their Spanish skills to use in professional settings thanks to VOLAR. VOLAR, or Voluntarios Ahora en Raleigh, is an NC State organization that helps Spanish-speaking communities overcome communication barriers by providing volunteer SpanishEnglish translators.

Emily Sands, the director of VOLAR, said the organization gives students valuable experience utilizing their Spanish and English skills.

“Our mission as an organization is to get students here on NC State’s campus that speak Spanish out into the Hispanic community volunteering,” Sands said. “Our hope is that the students are enriched by the experience, both through the act of volunteering and culturally and linguistically with their Spanish skills, while also seeing how their language is applicable outside of the classroom.”

The need for translation services is growing with increasing Hispanic populations in Raleigh. Approximately 11% of Raleigh’s total population is Hispanic or Latino, and that percentage continues to grow. Volunteers are constantly needed in the community, and VOLAR welcomes all students who are proficient in FLS 202 or higher.

“This program is an amazing opportunity for our students,” Sands said. “It helps them grow their language skills, but it also helps them become more rounded individuals. They work with the Hispanic community in the Raleigh area. They get to know what issues are important and really affecting that community. They are expanding their knowledge beyond just the classroom setting, and build[ing] those relationships. The experiences mold them into good citizens.”

VOLAR partners with the Mexican Consulate, the Guatemala Consulate, Urban Ministries and Alliance Medical Ministries to provide services for Spanish-speaking families in Raleigh. These services include translating parent-teacher conferences, reading to children in Spanish and helping parents acquire Christmas gifts for their children.

Joshua Wasserman, a fourth-year studying Spanish and international studies and the president of VOLAR, said the service aspect of the group is important.

“One purpose is to give our students here an opportunity to develop their Spanish language skills,” Wasserman said. “We give them an opportunity to flesh out that professionalism within their Spanish. Our second purpose, and probably more

important purpose, is that we serve our community.”

VOLAR is also concerned with helping Spanish-speaking kids take pride in their language and culture.

“At the Mexican consulate, we read to little kids in Spanish to make them proud of their Spanish,” Wasserman said. “We try to inspire them to make them want to be bilingual. I think it’s really cool to see a kid who was at first nervous to speak to us in Spanish, now reading to us in Spanish. It’s cool to see them excited about their

culture and heritage.”

In a city that primarily speaks English, VOLAR works to give children a positive portrayal of their language.

“We’re helping to engage young children with the language to make sure they see that there are people who want to learn their language and they see the benefit of speaking two languages,” Sands said. “We want to motivate them to continue to learn their family’s language.”

Communication barriers often cause disconnects between teachers and parents,

which VOLAR aims to address. VOLAR volunteers are regularly at parent-teacher conferences as translators, which allows Spanish-speaking parents to establish a relationship with their child’s teacher and have a more active role in their child’s education.

“It’s really wonderful to see the level of care and the level of involvement that these parents — despite not having that English language proficiency — really seeing how much they truly want to be involved with their kids’ education,” Wasserman said.

OIT imposes Google storage quotas after losing free unlimited academic storage

At the beginning of the semester, NC State’s Office of Information Technology limited Google Workspace storage for students and faculty from the former unlimited amount due to Google ending free unlimited storage for all academic institutions. Now, OIT is finding ways to accommodate the needs of University Google users while decreasing the use of storage on campus.

Mark Hoit, vice chancellor of information technology, said Google’s decision to end unlimited academic storage was a result of users abusing unlimited storage by uploading copious amounts of data and selling their storage to individuals outside of educational systems, although there is no evidence of this occurring at NC State.

While to users, the data was unlimited, Google still had to maintain this data, which proved to be more costly than the company could handle.

NC State users are currently using approximately 5.5 petabytes of data. One PB comprises 1,000 terabytes, which is 1 million gigabytes. Only 1.4PB of Google’s cloud storage infrastructure is reserved for the University’s use. Starting in November 2024, the University will be required to pay the difference.

“When Google starts charging us, our goal is to get down to a little over 2PB, which means we will be paying for one extra [petabyte],” Hoit said. “If our calculations hold true and everybody’s able to move things, we help them move it in places and store it or tell them where the right spots are, it will still cost us $144,000 per year. But we think that might be the sweet spot that doesn’t drive everybody crazy. It gives everybody enough storage.”

To combat this deficit, Sarah Noell, associate director of OIT, said the office chose to introduce quotas on

storage for students and faculty.

“For the last year to 18 months, we have looked at the data in our environment, we’ve looked at the accounts and we came up with suggestions by working with other universities across the United States and how they’re approaching this problem,” Noell said. “We came up with quotas that would work with 80 to 90% of our accounts.”

For students, the designated quota is set at 15GB, the same amount available to regular Google users. Matt Deal, NC State Google systems administrator, said OIT found around 90% of students operate comfortably under 15GB, with the majority using less than 5GB.

For professors, the quota is now set at 100GB. Hoit said professors are encouraged to utilize the University’s research storage to securely store research data and cut down on Google Workspace storage.

Deal said OIT created specialized quotas for those who are close to or have exceeded their quota to clean out their Google Workspace storage.

“We didn’t want to immediately put their accounts into a state where they’re over quota because that would break functionality for every Google service except for mail,” Hoit said. “We created several storage groups. … We put you in the one where you had at least 30% headroom.”

Kim Vassiliadis, assistant vice chancellor for outreach, communications and counseling, said OIT will be working with these users to help them reduce their storage usage.

“The quotas that were put in place and these extra exemptions were really just a first step to get quotas across campus, and now this is where the real work starts,” Vassiliadis said.

Deal said this effort is largely dependent on students’ cooperation. In just the first four days of limited storage, Deal said 10TB were manually cleaned from University accounts.

Deal said Google Drive, Google Photos and Gmail contribute to Google Workspace storage quotas. He said he advises users to check the biggest files in their Drive storage, make sure their personal photos are not synced with their accounts and clear out old emails in order to cut down on storage. Deal said personal data can be downloaded and moved to other Google accounts with the Google Takeout tool.

“We saw a lot of likely accidental personal use across campus with [Google Photos], — you’ll have folks with hundreds of gigabytes of photos — and we can only assume that those are them actually just snapping pictures with their phone, and it’s syncing to the wrong account,” Deal said. “You probably don’t want those in this account because they’re eating up your valuable space you could use for academics.”

Vassiliadis said keeping Google Workspace storage purely academic prepares students for graduating and no longer having access to their NC State account.

“You’re kind of helping your future self when you graduate [by] moving all of your personal stuff out of your NC State account, so that you can keep them separate so that you know that that stuff will go with you,” Vassiliadis said. “You want to keep your personal stuff for as long as you can and not have it be stuck here and then suspended when the account is suspended.”

Further questions can be directed to the NC State Help Desk. Subscribe to the OIT newsletter on the OIT website to receive IT news.

MIKHAIL VASQUEZ/TECHNICIAN

Matthew Burkhart Staff Writer

NC State responds to seasonal COVID-19

Riya Kannan Correspondent

More than three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new wave of coronavirus cases is once again rolling out across the country, including on campus.

Experts have been documenting COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, and a review of trends over time suggests a wave of cases at this time in the year is nothing new — rather, it’s expected.

Matthew Koci, professor of immunology, virology and host-pathogen interactions, said data indicates there have been two peaks in cases almost every year.

“There’s been a small peak around this time, and then a huge one around January,” Koci said. “So to some extent, the uptick in cases now is sort of consistent with what we’ve seen in the past.”

The data over the past few years show notable peaks in September and January, but this doesn’t necessarily indicate a major problem in terms of infection and hospitalization rates.

Tyler Pearce, assistant director of Campus Health, said peaks appear to decrease each year and this peak may not be as significant as past peaks.

“Cases are very much below what we saw at this time last year and the previous year,” Pearce said. “We’re pretty much following the same trend that we’re seeing every year in September.”

Megan Jacob, professor of veterinary microbiology, who operated as the laboratory director overseeing COVID-19 surveillance testing through Student Health Services during the height of the pandemic, said the coronavirus may eventually become a seasonal virus like the flu.

“I think most scientists would have expected that we would have variants of the virus that would persist over time, so waves and potential seasonality would not be surprising,” Jacob said.

much following in that trend.”

The scientific community has become well-versed in COVID-19 treatment and protocols thanks to data collected over the last three years.

“We probably know more about COVID-19 than most viruses we’ve studied for 100 years,” Koci said. “And a lot is because of all the diagnostics, all the testing, all the sequencing, all the stuff that everybody did. So now we’re in a place where we can respond as good or better to COVID than we can influenza.”

Though there may be less public concern about COVID-19 today than in past years, Jacob said safety measures are still important.

“I think we’ve moved from a time where we expect this governing structure to help keep us safe to personal assessments of risk and concern,” Jacob said. “A big role in protecting the public includes people being more self-aware of not feeling well and then having protection for themselves if they have risk factors, feel uncomfortable or have recently been ill.”

spread of other common illnesses and infections also.

“We tend to see waves of other diseases and infections during this season as well, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus,” Koci said. “Wash your hands; wear a mask if you feel it’s necessary. The measures we did to try and slow COVID down pretty much put the brakes on a lot of the other diseases.”

Experts agree that vaccinations are also a highly effective measure against the spread of COVID-19. Boosters and updated vaccines intended to address new variants and strains are still being rolled out.

Pearce emphasized the importance of these suggestions for those living in residence halls and other shared spaces.

“Anytime someone is sick or tests positive for COVID, we would encourage and recommend them to isolate off campus, somewhere away from their suitemates or roommates,” Pearce said.

All three experts agreed NC State’s current COVID-19 situation isn’t alarming or irregular in comparison to the rest of the community.

“We are seeing very similar trends to what the surrounding areas are seeing,” Pearce said. “Raleigh and the greater Wake County have been seeing slight increases over the past couple of weeks, and State is pretty

Expert suggestions regarding personal safety measures include many practices similar to those encouraged during the peak of the pandemic, as they have been proven to be effective in slowing the spread of this virus.

“If you are out in public, wearing a mask is going to be great protection if you or other people are sick,” Pearce said. “Washing or sanitizing your hands frequently and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, things like that.”

Continuing to be mindful about personal safety measures can slow not only the spread of COVID-19 but the

Pearce said isolation is not always possible, and he recommends taking personal precautions when in close proximity to infected people.

Pearce also acknowledged the on-campus resources available to NC State students and faculty. At-home tests are available at the campus pharmacy, as is a rapid testing program at Campus Health for those who have appointments.

The FDA has recently approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine, which the CDC recommends for everyone aged 6 months and older. The vaccine will soon be available at Campus Health.

CAIDE WOOTEN/ARCHIVE

A Student Health Center employee prepares to administer a flu vaccine at Campus Health Center on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014.

Wash your hands; wear a mask if you feel it’s necessary. The measures we did to try and slow COVID down pretty much put the brakes on a lot of the other diseases.

Why don’t we care about Raleigh news?

Editor’s Note: This article contains reference to sexual assault.

Corinne Kokenes Correspondent

When reading the news, we usually pick out the most interesting headline. Many times, these headlines are from all corners of the world — China, Ukraine, Russia, Brazil. These places are important in the grand scheme of international affairs, but to students, there usually isn’t any immediate impact.

We may skim articles that have the “wow factor” of newsworthiness then go back to our day and put that information to the side. However, news or current events that would really affect our day-to-day lives is relatively unknown.

It can be difficult to attempt to stay in the loop of Raleigh news due to the hustle of our growing campus and city, but those less dazzling headlines are what will truly impact our daily lives. While local news may not be the most gripping, it’s what affects us as students at NC State.

Personally, I can’t keep up with everything happening from local, state, national and international news — it would be a full time job. But when taking the time to look through decisions being made by our local officials, I tend to see how I fit into the story.

For example, local officials have made decisions about downtown policing and have found that there are rapid changes happening in our physical environment.

Recently, the Raleigh Police Department made the decision to hire extra, private help when patrolling downtown, particularly on weekend nights. As a person who goes downtown on the weekends from time to time, it worries me to think about the reasons behind this decision.

Many NC State students enjoy the University’s proximity to Raleigh’s nightlife and the false sense of security we feel being so close to the University. It’s easy to forget that Raleigh is a city just like any other, where safety issues can affect city residents as well as students.

Why isn’t this something more students are concerned about? From carjackings to sexual assaults, our campus isn’t a safe haven and neither is Raleigh.

Another example of local affairs impacting us is an environmental one. The City of

Oaks, is rapidly losing trees. Other cities in Wake County, including Morrisville, Apex, Garner and Wake Forest, have all reported a significant decrease in the amount of tree canopy.

This could be due to a number of factors, but the most obvious is the rapid suburbanization of the area. Loss of tree canopy leads to an increase in the temperature of Raleigh’s microclimate, a decrease in air quality and a decrease in the amount of wildlife that can be supported.

As students, this dramatic annual change in the number of trees leads to hotter days, longer warm seasons and more ozone in our air.

Being outside is a big part of our lives as students. From tailgating to walking to class, we are affected by the weather, and these local changes in our environment are becoming more and more apparent.

As our seasons get hotter and we continue to lose trees, we will also be losing space.

The Carolina Hurricanes’ owner Tom Dundon has been given the green light to expand PNC arena. The expansion will include hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail, offices and entertainment facilities. The reasoning behind this decision is to update PNC’s facilities and the surrounding

area to better meet the National Hockey League’s standards for stadiums.

For students, the ongoing construction on campus and around Raleigh can get exhausting. Having to reroute yourself when driving or going to class is a hassle. And, as an upperclassman, I will never be able to use the new facilities being built, as they will not open until after I graduate.

I’m sure the new buildings will bring business and be the top of the line when it comes to design and construction, but at what cost? Will students have to navigate construction when traveling to football games? Are students who live at The Station going to be burdened with noise and traffic?

So while we may be more interested in what is happening in Ukraine or what a big-name politician or celebrity did, these events do not impact our daily actions.

Our world is becoming more interconnected, for better or worse. However, the result is we all focus too much on large scale topics. Global events can be more intriguing, and even may become relevant to us as issues intensify. But as students, we have no control over them.

Local issues, though smaller, affect our lives, and we have an opportunity to change them.

Being white does not mean you should ignore Latinx Heritage Month

Will LaMarche Staff Writer

When was the last time you practiced Spanish outside of FLS 101? When was the last time you watched a movie without a white protagonist or without any white characters? When was the last time you learned about the history of people of color just because you were interested?

We live in a big world, but a lot of the content we see over-represents white people. Because of this, we should practice learning about other cultures.

Given that it is Latinx Heritage Month, let’s address the elephant in the room first: More of us should speak Spanish fluently, and I’m guilty of not being in the group of fluent speakers. Spanish is a global language; in the United States alone, 42 million people speak it as their first language.

Compared to European countries, we fall

dead last in foreign language proficiency. Speaking a second language is standard in other parts of the world, and in America, we already have a massive Spanish-speaking population.

This isn’t to say that by the time we all reach college we should be fluently bilingual, especially given that this seems to be a wide-scale issue. But knowing some basic vocabulary and making an effort is a productive start.

With discretion, look into attending some of the events around campus during Latinx Heritage Month. Make sure to research the event prior to attending to ensure you aren’t intruding, and if need be, speak to one of the organizers. Some of these events are intended to share culture with the wider campus and educate, and we should take advantage of that when appropriate.

Outside of events over the next month, consider looking into more diverse movies, shows, books and other media. At NC State, we have plenty of organizations devoted to

providing diverse media like Nubian Message.

One recent example of diverse media that might interest you is “Blue Beetle,” a Latino superhero film that was helmed by Latinx people in the cast and crew. It faced a lot of racist backlash and hasn’t been able to perform as well due to actors joining the writers’ strike. Personally, I loved it and think it’s definitely worth a watch.

The act of diversifying your watch catalog is arguably more powerful than one might realize. A recent study said that out of the top 100 films of 2022, 46 of them did not have a speaking Latino character.

This becomes an especially pertinent issue when it comes to recent content bans like those in Florida. When diverse content — both academic and that intended to entertain — faces racist pushback, the onus falls on us to learn more and seek out that content ourselves.

Another avenue is to look for books and documentaries about Latinx history if you

aren’t that educated on the subject. If you’re struggling to find those resources, you can reach out to professors — both those here and at other institutions.

I know being asked to take up historical readings in lieu of scrolling through TikTok after a long day isn’t the most appealing, but it’s part of why we have heritage months. Unfortunately, we do not live in a world where Latinx history is regarded the way it should be.

Latinx Heritage Month is not just about several student organization events; it is about learning more about Latinx culture, contributions and history.

Even if Latinx Heritage Month isn’t directly important to you or someone close to you, that doesn’t give you reason not to engage with it. We live in a big world, in a diverse country, with so many different people, and you’re only limiting yourself if you choose to not pursue the resources and events available to you.

Dejar tu país no es abandonar tu cultura

Emilia Rivadeneira Editora de Cultura

Latina.

Siendo sincera, nunca había hecho uso de la palabra hasta hace dos años, cuando decidí mudarme a los Estados Unidos para continuar con mis estudios universitarios.

Hasta ese momento no había la necesidad, puesto a que vivía en un lugar donde la mayoría de la población compartía una misma característica, ser Latino. Sin embargo, aquello cambió el día en que salí de Ecuador, mi hogar.

No me malinterpreten, el hecho de utilizar esta palabra para describirme no es algo malo. Más bien, cada vez que hago uso de la misma, siento orgullo corriendo por mis venas porque estoy haciendo referencia a mi país, a mi cultura y a una parte importante de mi identidad.

Esto no hubiera sucedido si no me encontrara en un país distinto al mío.

Por ende, vivir en otro país ha hecho que descubra lo orgullosa que estoy de mi origen étnico, cultura y herencia ecuatoriana. Incluso, me atrevo a decir, que el hecho de vivir en Estados Unidos me ha permitido conectar con mi cultura de una manera que no hubiera imaginado de lo contrario.

Desde que me mude, he podido compartir aspectos y tradiciones de mi cultura que son importantes para mi. Por ejemplo, en mi primer año universitario, invité a algunos amigos a comer un plato tradicional ecuatoriano: patacones con queso. El hecho de cocinar y compartir este plato típico de mi país con mi nueva comunidad me hizo sentir orgullosa de donde vengo, de ser ecuatoriana, de ser latina.

bido momentos en los que he sentido que voy perdiendo esta parte especifica de mi herencia hispana y latina. Escribir esta columna en español, por ejemplo, me ha hecho darme cuenta que hay ciertas palabras que no recuerdo — por lo que ya no se me hace tan fácil escribir en mi idioma nativo.

Sin embargo, a pesar que no ha sido fácil preservar mi cultura en un lugar donde no se celebran las mismas tradiciones, no se come lo mismo y no se habla el mismo idioma; he encontrado una manera para conservar y celebrar mi herencia día a día.

trición. “Creo que la parte más importante es el idioma, en mi casa siempre se habla en español, … nunca se anda con inglés y creo que es una parte muy importante para mi porque mis abuelas, mis tías, y todos ellos digamos hablan español y así es más fácil comunicarme con ellos.”

Otro aspecto importante que me ayuda a preservar mi herencia cultural es compartiéndola con otros. La mejor manera de mantener mi cultura viva es transmitiendo aspectos que la hacen única con miembros de otras comunidades.

de Herencia Latine/Hispana, por lo tanto, tiene un valor muy importante en nuestra comunidad universitaria puesto a que no solo nos permite celebrar los logros, las historias, las tradiciones y la diversidad cultural de nuestros países, sino que nos permite recordar.

Para mi gente, recordar a nuestros ancestros, recordar de dónde venimos y recordar nuestra cultura vive dentro de nosotros todos los días — en la música que escuchamos, la comida que preparamos, la forma de comunicarnos y mucho más.

No voy a negar que en el transcurso de estos dos años ha sido difícil conservar aspectos de mi cultura, especialmente porque el lenguaje y tradiciones son diferentes y me he tenido que adaptar a este nuevo ambiente. Incluso, con respecto al lenguaje, han ha-

Primeramente, mantener el contacto con mis familiares y amigos que viven en mi país ha sido una de las cosas que me ha ayudado a conservar una conexión cultural con mi país. Hablar con mi mamá, mis abuelos y mi tía en mi lengua natal, me hace sentir que no he perdido ese nexo con mi comunidad. Pese a estar lejos de mi familia geográficamente, son ellos los que me ayudan a mantener mi cultura viva.

No soy la única que piensa lo mismo.

“Mis padres se han encargado de preservar la cultura …,” dijo Cindy Argueta, estudiante de cuarto año en la carrera de nu-

Jennifer De Leon, estudiante de tercer año en la carrera de historia y actual presidente de Mi Familia en NC State dijo que la cultura se mantiene al poderla compartir con otros.

“A mi me encanta compartir,” De Leon dijo. “Creanlo o no, parte del orgullo hispano es reconocer que hay otros hispanos que tienen las mismas costumbres que compartir. Siempre estamos en familia y pues yo trato, [con] los que me dejan, compartir [en] familia.”

La herencia cultural de cada país es única, por ende compartirla es importante. El Mes

“Necesariamente no creo que este mes solo debería de ser entre mes de Septiembre y mes de Octubre,” De Leon dijo. “Preservar la cultura para uno es [de] todos los días.”

Es por eso que yo siempre, no solo durante este mes, estoy orgullosa de decir que soy latina y resaltar la cultura de donde vengo.

Todos los días mediante pequeñas acciones como hablar en español con mis amigos, o escuchar salsa, merengue y reggaeton me hace darme cuenta que de alguna forma, a pesar de haberme ido de Ecuador, mi cultura sigue y seguirá presente en mi.

AVERY SZAKACS/TECHNICIAN

Es por eso que yo siempre, no solo durante este mes, estoy orgullosa de decir que soy latina y resaltar la cultura de donde vengo.

Sube Ritmo shares Latinx culture through dance

Olivia Winston Staff Writer

Latin music flows through the dance studio, inviting NC State students to the welcoming, electric environment of Sube Ritmo, the only Latin dance team on campus.

Sube Ritmo is a student-led organization that aims to create an accepting, upbeat studio for students to learn Latino-style dance.

“We are mostly a team made by students for students,” said Daniela Deleon, a third-year studying computer science engineering and co-director of Sube Ritmo. “We teach, we come up with choreos, we do everything. … We just learn as we go and try to help each other.”

No dance experience is required to attend the workshops or join the team.

“I think all of us kind of started without any experience,” Cruz said. “And then we just kind of learned throughout the years, throughout the semesters.”

Sube Ritmo started by mainly dancing Salsa and Bachata, but as it grew, the team incorporated more styles of dance, including Festejo, Tango, Reggaeton and Cumbia.

“Whatever people want to do, we are like, ‘OK, let’s try it,’” Deleon said. “We like to diversify in order to learn and do more things and to be representative of the whole Latin community.”

The team aims to get members out of their comfort zones, meet new people, establish lifelong friendships and try new things, but most importantly, members aim to share their cultures through dance.

“The goal of our team is to create a safe space for everyone,” Deleon said. “We focus on the Latino community, but we aren’t exclusive to that, so anyone who is interested in learning more about the culture can join our team.”

Through dance, Sube Ritmo’s intention and purpose is to

share love for members’ cultures with others.

“Also, [we want to] develop that love we have for our culture,” Deleon said. “We want to celebrate and transmit that love we have for our countries and diversify our campus and communities.”

For those unable to join but interested in learning traditional Latinx dances, Sube Ritmo holds workshops through-

out the semester.

“We are trying to implement more workshops this year,” said Veronica Cruz, a fourth-year studying environmental science and co-director of Sube Ritmo. “[With] workshops, we bring in the community. We invite people to come to one of our practice dates so they can learn a choreo that we’re coming up with. That could either be Salsa, Bachata, Reggaeton.”

This semester, Sube Ritmo performed Sept. 15 at the Latinx Cookout and has future performances scheduled at an elementary school, a government office and a wedding. Its spring showcase is tentatively scheduled for the end of March.

“It’s been so cool to see the community recognize the work we’ve put in as students … and decide that they want to help us outreach,” said Makayla Destafino, a second-year studying biological science and secretary of Sube Ritmo. “It’s been cool to kind of bring it together, outside of NC State and inside of NC State as well.”

In the future, the team wants to see Sube Ritmo get bigger and more established on campus while maintaining its family-like atmosphere.

“[Sube Ritmo] connects me to my family, and I miss them a lot,” said Britney Arbelaez, a fourth-year studying psychology and criminology and outreach director of Sube Ritmo. “I grew up going to dance, Bachata, Salsa and all that, and so it reminds me of home. And [Sube Ritmo] is like my family here.”

Auditions to join Sube Ritmo will be held Thursday, Sept. 21 at 8:45 p.m. in Carmichael Gym. For more information, visit their Instagram @suberitmo

Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff highlights Latinx presence on campus

Reese Wilson Correspondent

Tables from several Latinx organizations filled Talley Student Union during the annual kickoff event celebrating the beginning of Latinx Heritage Month. The event allows students to learn about the diverse Latinx cultures on campus through activities, music and dance.

“This event allows students to meet other Latinx students and shows how a lot of different cultures can come together and create a tight community,” said Rosa Marroquin, a fourth-year studying psychology. “We are establishing a Latinx presence on campus for people to come and see familiar places and flags.”

Andrea Zamudio, a fourth-year studying industrial engineering and president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and Thomas Bernabe-Bacilio, a fourth-year studying computer engineering, said the Kickoff is an opportunity to build a sense of community through sharing their cultures.

“An event like this is about putting the culture out and showing new students the Latinx representation at NC State,” Zamudio said.

The event highlighted many of NC State’s Latinx organizations, like Mi Familia, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Students for Immigrant Rights and Equality and others. Sube Ritmo, the only Latinx dance team on campus, danced along with other clubs to Latinx music and encouraged students to join in on the fun.

“What’s cool about this event is that sometimes when you’re new to a school, you don’t really know what’s happening,” said Roma Bustillos, graduate assistant for Multicultural Student Affairs. “I think tabling just always gives students the opportunity to kind of check around to see what’s going on and what they might be interested in.”

ALEKSANDRA SENYUKOVA/TECHNICIAN

Sophia Jurado, a second-year studying mechanical engineering, spins during the Sube Ritmo Workshop at Carmichael Gymnasium on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. Sube Ritmo, the only Latin dance team at NC State taught salsa choreography during its first workshop of the semester.

ALEKSANDRA SENYUKOVA/TECHNICIAN Eduardo Sanchez, a second-year studying mechanical engineering, holds up the Mexican flag at the Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff in Talley Student Union on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff was an event that allowed students to connect with the different Latinx organizations on campus.

KICKOFF continued page 11

Raleigh’s annual Bugfest returns to educate and inspire insect conservation

Campbell Depken Correspondent

From cockroach races and bug-infused foods to live arthropod specimens, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosted its annual Bugfest on Saturday, which featured a variety of bug-themed activities for approximately 30,000 attendees.

With the museum’s close proximity to NC State, it’s no surprise that the Wolfpack also had a presence among the crowds. At least four NC State groups had exhibits at the event, and many more students volunteered and attended.

Bugfest started in 1993 as an offshoot of a Native American festival hosted by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Kari Wouk, the head of public science events for the museum and one of the three coordinators for Bugfest, said the festival started with trail mix.

“Somebody made a buggy trail mix because, of course, bugs would have been an important source of food, and the line for that was massive,” Wouk said. “And so my predecessor here at the museum … was like we should do an event just on this. And then Bugfest was born.”

One of Bugfest’s main attractions is its Cafe Insecta, which features samples from local food trucks and restaurants of bug-filled foods. This year’s cafe showcased eight Raleigh businesses, with offerings such as Bugnana Pudding, Kickin’ Cricket Chicken Salad and Mealworm Cake Pops.

Multiple NC State entomology groups tabled for the event. Regan Daniels, a second-year graduate student studying entomology, exhibited with the Reiskind Lab, which focuses on studying mosquitoes and ticks and their impact as disease vectors on public health. The lab’s booth, “The Vampires in Our Backyard: Ticks, Mosquitoes and Other Blood Suckers,” educated attendees with live mosquito specimens.

“I love getting the chance to explain and help people understand and respect the creepy crawlies and the nasties and the things that people typically don’t like,” Daniels said. “I study ticks, so I’m very adamant about … helping dispel a lot of myths on ticks and teaching people the proper way to care about ticks and getting rid of them and their diseases.”

Courtney Johnson, a first-year doctoral student in forestry and entomology, exhibited with the Forest Health Lab.

“We study forest insects that eat trees, basically, so most of what we do is on invasive pests that kind of ended up in the United States accidentally through trade,” Johnson said. “They can spread really quickly and decimate your trees.”

While Bugfest succeeds in making bugs fun with crafts and live demonstrations, it also works to educate the public

KICKOFF

continued from page 10

Several organizations sold food and drinks to fundraise, encouraging students to get to know them and join clubs that piqued their interest with fun prizes and treats.

“It’s bringing so much visibility,” Bustillos said. “Right now, I think we have around fif-

about insects and the role they play in our larger ecosystem. Conservation is a major part of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences’ mission in hosting Bugfest year after year.

“The museum’s mission is to illuminate the natural world and inspire its conservation,” Wouk said. “What I like is for people to come and learn about spiders or learn about other bugs and do something, take an action to help bugs in their life. … That’s my favorite part: feeling that we really are making an impact, that people actually are coming in and learning about arthropods and caring about them.”

Bugfest has something for everyone, but the event specifically draws children and families. Daniels and Johnson both said they enjoyed getting to interact with kids and educate them on arthropods and their impact on the environment.

teen organizations that are targeted towards the Latinx community here on campus.”

The Kickoff was also a space for members of the Latinx community to share their cultures with everyone on campus.

“It’s about finding a place with people who look like you and share your culture,” said Kevin Manzanarez, a third-year studying agricultural education.

The events also allowed Latinx clubs to

“My favorite part is definitely just teaching about what I’m passionate about because I love talking about this stuff,” Johnson said. “I can talk about it all day. So I love talking to the kids and teaching them.”

Daniels said it was particularly uplifting to see families interested in bugs.

“I think my favorite part has been all of the parents that are super willing to let their children learn about these certain things and … supporting them in these weird sciences,” Daniels said. “I think seeing that … makes me really hopeful for the future generation of scientists.”

With over 100 exhibits, 1,000 volunteers and tens of thousands of attendees, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences certainly succeeded this year in its mission to educate on and encourage conservation of creepy crawlies.

showcase what they have been doing this year and what they plan to do in the future.

“All the students within the organization put in so much effort, and they have such a passion for it,” Bustillos said. “It’s just so nice to be able to showcase the work that they’re already doing, even though it’s still … the beginning of the semester.”

The event brought an energetic and lively atmosphere to Talley Student Union, allow-

ing both Latinx and non-Latinx students to explore and learn more about the diverse Latinx cultures at NC State.

Alejandra Betancourt, treasurer of the Latin American Student Association, said the event gave students a place to be who they are.

“We need space to feel like we belong,” Betancourt said. “[We are] loud and fun and happy.”

RACHEL LAMINACK/TECHNICIAN

Veronica D’amelio, a volunteer, holds a Chinese Praying Mantis during Bugfest at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Saurday, Sept. 16, 2023. Bugfest is an annual festival that has historically attracted over 30,000 guests.

NC State football should stick to one lead running back: Michael Allen

Staff Writer

NC State football’s running game has been underwhelming through the first three games of 2023, and it’s time to decide how the Pack should move forward with its backs.

NC State inconsistently produced in the running game through the first three games of the season because there’s a revolving door at the position. While senior running back Jordan Houston is technically the lead back, he hasn’t received more than 13 carries in a game this season. It’s hard for a running back to find rhythm within an offense when he isn’t on the field for an extended period of time.

The solution to this problem is to stick with one running back and let him get most of the touches.

Sophomore running back Michael Allen is the most versatile running back on the roster and should take the lead role. Allen is a shifty runner who makes defenders miss while also being the best receiver amongst the running back group. His combination of elusiveness and catching ability makes him the perfect workhorse back.

Allen has proved his worth in limited action so far for the Wolfpack and has made a case for being the number one option at the position. Against VMI, Allen averaged 7.8 yards per carry, which was the highest among all the backs. He also caught three passes for 14 yards which was the most amongst the group. With Allen in the game, the defense will never know if he’s in to run the ball or make a play as a receiver.

While some argue it’s better to rotate running backs to keep the defense on its heels, it hurts the offense when there’s a constant change at running back. Each running back has their own style of running — some are more patient and let the offensive line set up blocks, and others run straight downhill as soon as they touch the ball.

The offensive line would greatly benefit if there was one main back so they knew how to block for him. The continuity between the offensive line and running back can’t be overlooked when trying to build a consistent run game.

Not only does the offense benefit from a one-back system, but the running back does as well. Just like any other position, the running back needs consistent reps to feel comfortable and in a rhythm. It’s impossible to do that when they get subbed out and have to watch from the sidelines. Keeping the same back on the field for consecutive drives will give him confidence and lead to more decisive cuts and better vision in run lanes.

For example, Notre Dame gives running back Audric Estime a bulk of its carries. Estime leads the country in rush yards and Notre Dame is considered one of the best running teams in the nation. I’m not saying NC State has a player like Estime, but giving the carries to one back has proven to work for the Fighting Irish and the Pack saw it up close and personal.

In order for the Wolfpack to stay competitive in the ACC, it has to improve its running game. The Pack is ninth in the ACC in rush yards per game, so something has to change. Going to a lead back approach at running back will benefit everyone on the offense.

dodges

dium on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. The Wolfpack beat the Keydets 45-7.

DUELING COLUMN

NC State football should run the ball by committee to maximize talents

NC State football can’t afford to only use one running back on offense.

In today’s game, you must be able to catch the ball and run downhill to be an effective running back. There are very few players in the NFL — and even fewer in college — who are elite at both, which often leads to a twoback system with players splitting carries across most teams.

The Wolfpack has yet to have a star running back — no back has surpassed 100 yards in the last three games, and the Wolfpack offense is on track to not have a single running back get over 400 yards individually. What’s worse is graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong has been NC State’s leading rusher through three games.

Until NC State has an exceptional running back to rely on, it only makes sense to split carries and catches among the backs in a committee-style backfield.

NC State is going to find success on offense if it uses multiple backs in different ways. It makes it harder on the opponent if you’re shaking things up because giving the defense different looks keeps the opponent guessing. The last thing you want to do in an already-struggling offensive system is become predictable. If the defense can’t predict your plays, it opens up more space on the field for everyone.

NC State’s offense has also shifted to a higher frequency of short and intermediate throws and screens rather than traditional running plays. Every year since 2018, NC State’s rushing attempts and yards have steadily decreased — until last year, when former quarterback Devin Leary suffered a season-ending injury that forced the Pack to run the ball rather than trust multiple unproven quarterbacks. As the Wolfpack continues to use more unique short-yardage plays like screens, it should be open to using all of its backs rather than just one.

If the Wolfpack won’t commit to the run game as a whole, why should it commit a majority of touches to one running back?

The Wolfpack has the second-worst passing efficiency in the ACC at the moment and it doesn’t look like that’s changing anytime soon. The offense has good pass-catching backs in senior running back Jordan Houston and sophomore running back Michael Allen, so getting them more involved in different ways greatly enhances the Pack’s offensive proficiency.

The main issue right now is not who is running the ball, but the way NC State is using its backs. Inside runs on first down every time create a very one-dimensional offense. Ultimately, the last thing NC State should be doing is limiting the number of players who touch the ball.

Running by committee is the next evolution in football, and the Wolfpack shouldn’t be shy to embrace this trend. The red-and-white has talent in every corner of its running back room, so why not use it to its advantage and give a lackluster offense a jolt of energy.

JEREMY BYRNE/TECHNICIAN

Redshirt junior running back Delbert Mimms reaches for the end zone to score against VMI during the game at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. Mimms scored two touchdowns and had 35 rushing yards during the game. NC State beat VMI 45-7.

Aidan Carlson Staff Writer

Armstrong returns to Virginia for revenge game against the Cavaliers

Wolfpack football hits the road on Friday, Sept. 22, to take on the Virginia Cavaliers in Scott Stadium.

This will mark the 60th meeting between the two programs, with NC State holding a 36-22-1 record against the Cavaliers. The last time these two faced off was in 2020, when the Pack pulled off a 36-21 win in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Last season was a tumultuous one for the Cavaliers. Under then first-year head coach Tony Elliott, the team largely struggled. The offense was unable to replicate the success it had in 2021, as it saw its average yards per game drop from 515.9 to 344.1. It also saw a decrease in points per game — the Cavs dropped from 34.6 points per game to only 17. The defense — which was a weak spot for the Cavaliers in 2021 — did make strides last season, only allowing 24 points per contest compared to 31.8 the year prior.

The Wolfpack will face a hungry Virginia team that is looking for its first win of the season. After suffering a blowout loss to Tennessee, the Cavaliers dropped a heart-

breaker to James Madison the following week. This past week, Virginia hung with Maryland; however, their success against the Terrapins didn’t last long — Maryland scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to win the game.

This week should be one of high emotions for graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong. Prior to this season, he spent five seasons with the Cavaliers, which included the aforementioned 2021 season in which Virginia’s offense found lots of success.

Armstrong looks to build off of a strong performance against VMI in which he completed 84% of his throws for 264 yards and a touchdown. This week he faces a Virginia team that is currently allowing an average of 260.7 passing yards per game.

The Wolfpack’s ground game will also look to capitalize off a strong, 234-yard performance last week, which was in large part due to the contributions of freshman running back Kendrick Raphael as he ran for an impressive 85 yards.

Currently, NC State’s backs are averaging 175.7 yards per game and they’ll face a defense that currently allows 191 yards per

contest. This unit brought back the entire defensive line from last season, which includes names such as defensive end Kam Butler who currently has 19 total tackles on the season along with four tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks.

On the other side of the ball, the Pack’s defense will look to limit the production of Cavaliers quarterback Anthony Colandrea. After seeing few snaps in the season opener, Colandrea filled in against JMU and Maryland where he threw for 377 and 263 yards, respectively. He has also thrown for three scores during this time.

The Virginia air attack is aided by the presence of wide receivers Malachi Fields and Malik Washington. Both have totaled over 200 receiving yards on the season thus far. Washington has especially found immense success over the past two weeks as he has exceeded 100 yards twice.

This should prove to be a solid measuring block for the NC State defense which has found success defending against the pass so far. Currently, the unit is allowing 191.7 yards through the air.

Last week, the team held VMI to only 176

passing yards. This included a pick-six from graduate nickel back Robert Kennedy. NC State will also look to have star junior cornerback Aydan White back in the lineup along with redshirt junior Shyheim Battle.

Finally, the Pack’s run defense had a very encouraging performance against VMI, allowing only 15 total yards on the ground.

This was a strong response after the Notre Dame game, where the red-and-white was purely overmatched.

On the season, it has allowed 115 rushing yards per game, and the unit lines up against a Virginia running game that has largely struggled this season. Their leading rusher, running back Perris Jones, only has 87 yards so far. This should prove to be a very favorable matchup for the Pack.

All eyes will be on Brennan Armstrong as he looks to capture a win against his former squad. Despite some struggles this season for UVA, the Pack would be unwise to write them off as an easy win.

Kickoff against the Cavaliers is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22 in Charlottesville. The game

ESPN.

will be televised on

JEREMY BYRNE/TECHNICIAN

Graduate linebacker Payton Wilson (left) and graduate student defensive lineman Noah Potter (right) pull down the ball carrier during the game against VMI in Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. NC State beat VMI 45-7.

Gavin Gallimore Staff Writer

Sports

NC State football takes care of business, romps VMI 45-7 at home

“This game was kind of our bounce-back game after coming off a hard loss against Notre Dame and not playing well, especially offensively,” Armstrong said. “This is a great game for us just to get back on track and play efficiently.”

Following last week’s game that featured a nearly two-hour weather delay and a fourthquarter meltdown, this was a nice change of pace for NC State football.

The sun was out, the weather was nice the whole time and NC State was in control from beginning to end, making quick work of VMI 45-7.

The Wolfpack (2-1) scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams and dominated the Keydets (1-2) in nearly every aspect of a game that was all but over by halftime.

“It was great to get a win and play so many guys — things we really wanted to focus on,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “I felt like we improved in those areas. No turnovers on offense, score in all three phases. … To get a touchdown in all three phases is really good for the guys.”

After quickly shutting the Keydets down on their first drive, the NC State offense wasted no time in reaching the endzone. Graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong captained a methodical and ruthless 12-play drive while redshirt running back Delbert Mimms III capped it off with a two-yard rushing touchdown, his first of two on the day.

Things didn’t get much better for the Keydets on their next drive. Graduate nickel back Robert Kennedy executed a tip drill on 3rd and long to perfection. After intercepting VMI quarterback Collin Shannon, Kennedy bobbed and weaved his way to the endzone for six points to double NC State’s lead.

“It was really amazing because that was my first pick-6 in Division I college ball — I’m still feeling it, to be honest,” Kennedy said. “They weren’t really going to try to go deep on us, so I kind of anticipated the slant. Whenever he dropped it, once I got the ball in my hands, it’s just trying to score. It’s not anything else.”

The Pack quickly moved the ball down the field again on its next offensive drive when Armstrong connected with redshirt sophomore receiver Julian Gray on a 64-yard pass play, then threw a 16-yard dime to the back of the endzone for graduate receiver Bradley Rozner, his second of the season. That made the score 21-0 and essentially put the game

out of reach.

After a game last week in which he threw three interceptions and received much criticism from the fanbase, Armstrong had a nice bounce-back performance against a

lesser opponent with 264 yards through the air on 27-32 passing, a touchdown and 39 yards rushing. Despite the outside noise, the sixth-year college veteran showed that he is the man for the Pack, for now.

A field goal and another touchdown by Mimms padded the lead to 31-0 in the second quarter. By the halftime break, most of the fans in the stands had left.

The Keydets avoided the shutout with a touchdown in the third quarter, but the Pack responded right back with a special teams score. On the ensuing kickoff, redshirt sophomore receiver Julian Gray took a slow dribbler up the right sideline, bounced off a couple of defenders and took it all the way for six.

Earlier in the game, another touchdown return by Gray was negated because of a penalty, but when he was given another chance, he would not be denied a second time.

“I hope to take every return to the house,” Gray said. “With this one, I don’t really think it was anything too different. After I got to the second level, I turned on the jets, and it was over with after that.”

The Pack added one more touchdown by the end of the game on a goal-line rush by redshirt junior running back Demarcus Jones to make it 45-7, which wasn’t quite enough to cover the pregame spread of 43.5.

While Armstrong passed his way to 264 yards through the air, the Wolfpack’s ground game allowed the home side to control the contest through and through. NC State churned out a whopping 234 yards on the ground with several of its backs. While Mimms found the endzone twice, freshman running back Kendrick Raphael took over in the second half and finished the game with 16 carries for 85 yards.

Meanwhile, his fellow freshman, wide receiver Kevin Concepcion, led the Wolfpack in receiving yards with seven catches for 72 yards.

After clobbering the Keydets at home, NC State is set to begin its ACC campaign at Armstrong’s old stomping grounds of Virginia. With the graduate slated to return home for an emotional matchup, he’s treating it just like any other game.

“It’s gonna be awesome,” Armstrong said. “I’m gonna treat this week just like every other week — prepare, get ready for them. And then just take it all in when I get there, right? Whatever happens, happens. I’m just here to play a ball game and just enjoy the moment.”

Kickoff against the Cavaliers is set for 7 p.m. in Charlottesville, Virginia.

JEREMY BYRNE/TECHNICIAN

Redshirt junior running back Delbert Mimms III celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the game against VMI in Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. Mimms scored two touchdowns and had 35 rushing yards during the game. NC State beat VMI 45-7.

Ethan Bakogiannis Editor-in-Chief & Ben Ellis Senior Sports Writer

JERMAINE HUDSON/TECHNICIAN

Mr. Wuf waves to the crowd during the football game against VMI in Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. The Wolfpack beat the Keydets 45-7.

Jorge Alvarez, a fourth-year studying Spanish, and Mack Miles, a fourth-year studying business administration, watch their ball fall into a cup while playing beer pong during the tailgate at the Fairgrounds Lot outside of Carter-Finley Stadium Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. Students were tailgating for the football game against VMI.