Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Volume 154 No. 30 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
COVID-19
Pandemic raises abuse concerns By Gia Pham STAFF WRITER
Months-long shelter-in-place orders may flatten the curve for communities, but they leave a segment of the population vulnerable to other dangers. For those dealing with domestic abuse, staying home is not a safe option. “Research, including those from the World Health Organization, shows that during times of health emergencies and natural disasters there tends to be a spike in violence in communities, particularly in intimate partner violence,” said Esther Peralez-Dieckmann, executive director of Next Door Solutions, a domestic violence agency in Santa Clara County that helps victims and survivors leave violent situations.
Perpetrators are trying to sort of get on the good side of the victim to say, ‘This is a terrible time, we’re all at risk. I want to see my kids.’ Esther Peralez-Dieckmann executive director of Next Door Solutions
According to a 2011 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicated that one in five women and nearly one in seven men in the U.S. experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in their life.
Comparing Jan. 5 to March 21 of last year and the same time frame this year, domestic rape and domestic violence cases increased about 26% according to a 2019-20 yearly comparison chart from the San Jose Police Department. Peralez-Dieckmann said she had seen a higher-than-average call rate and more walk-in appointments around late February when concerns over the coronavirus crisis became more intense in the community. “The week before all this happened and the shelter-inplace order went into effect, we were already seeing quite a bit of people coming through,” PeralezDieckmann said. ABUSE | Page 2
ONE IN FIVE WOMEN AND
ONE IN SEVEN MEN
experienced physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. INFOGRAPHIC BY MARCI SUELA
COVID-19
Advocates, city to reduce contagion among unsheltered By Brian So STAFF WRITER
While the attempts to flatten the curve and minimize the spread of the coronavirus to vulnerable populations continue, the homeless community may be left out. “Our most vulnerable neighbors are living in fear with little to no information or support regarding the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Pastor Paul Bains, founder of Project WeHOPE, in a phone interview with the Spartan Daily. Project WeHOPE has partnered with the City of San Jose to accomplish its goals of preventing COVID-19 from reaching homeless encampments in San Jose. “WeHOPE, in partnership with the City of San Jose, has developed a plan to address the needs of the homeless living in encampments, while protecting the community as a whole from further spread of the virus,” Bains said.
Alongside city workers, Project WeHOPE volunteers provide installations of handwashing stations, laundry services and shower services near 14 homeless encampments in Santa Clara County. “We are grateful to partners like WeHOPE who continue to keep our most vulnerable residents’ health and safety as a top priority,” said Mayor Sam Liccardo in a March 15 news release. “This is a time for our community to stay strong . . . We are better together and WeHOPE is the perfect example of looking out for all our neighbors.” To assist homeless communities, Project WeHOPE also deploys the Hope Health Mobile Vehicle, which provides virtual doctor appointments to the encampment sites. Case managers will also provide hygiene education support, as well as distribute clean drinking water, hand sanitizer, gloves, masks, fresh HOMELESSNESS | Page 2
JOHN BRICKER | SPARTAN DAILY ARCHIVES
Homeless San Jose resident Richard Avila charges his phone at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library on Oct. 24, 2019.
GIA PHAM | SPARTAN DAILY
Jose Mancillas, Silently Loud Collective member and artist, squats in front of his “Protect the Sacred” mural on Sunset Avenue in San Jose. The mural focuses on the divine femininity of indigenous cultures.
Sexual assault survivors group breaks the silence By Gia Pham STAFF WRITER
Faded green sage, blueish-violet flowers, pebbles of dried tree resin, fresh palo santo sticks are tossed together and strewn across the floor. The aromatics set the ambiance for a healing space hosted by the Silently Loud Collective, sexual assault survivors support group. The group aims to offer spiritual spaces where indigenous people of color can share their experiences while still celebrating their culture and remaining true to their roots. Silently Loud Collective was founded in 2018 when Mireya Montalvo, a youth program leader and community activist, shared her sexual assault story during her first benefit show at
Local Color in Downtown San Jose. The show aimed to raise money for local sexual assault survivors. “We chose Silently Loud because often everybody has stories worth telling, but are more than likely silenced by either ourselves or others and families,” Montalvo said. “So, it was the name where we could hope to encourage others to either talk about their stories or even just seek the help and the healing that they need.” Montalvo added that sexual assault is most likely to be committed by a family member. From January to September 2019, the San Jose Police Department found that 45% of rape victims and 64% of child molestation victims were of Latino or Mexican descent. About 70% of the adults arrested or cited for the crimes were also of Latino or Mexican descent, according to a Nov. 12,
2019 Sexual Assault Response and Strategy Report from SJPD. “This battle of removing violence against women is very much a battle of regaining our indigenous culture,” said Jose Mancillas, one of member of the group. “We are very proud of our indigenous identities and we make sure to keep those cultures and those traditions alive.” Mancillas explained that sage and other remedial emblems of Latino and Mexican culture as decorations for healing spaces are meant to bring a sense of purity and therapy while also reclaiming culture. “It’s very difficult because once you break out of that silence, some people no longer see you as you. Some people see you as what happened to you,” Mancillas said. “But surely, you know, as a SURVIVORS | Page 2
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020
ABUSE Continued from page 1 She said violence in communities is exacerbated when people lose hours, get laid off, feel powerless or are unable to attain resources – all of which are happening during the shelter-in-place order. Next Door Solutions has received many phone call reports detailing instances of abusers withholding money, sanitizer and other necessities during this health crisis. Peralez-Dieckmann added that abusive, former partners could use the pandemic as an excuse to see their children, despite standing custody orders. “Perpetrators are trying to sort of get on the good side of the victim to say, ‘This is a
HOMELESSNESS Continued from page 1 fruit and healthy snacks on a biweekly basis. Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, Project WeHOPE and the City of San Jose have both advocated for supporting the homeless. “When you have people who already know what needs to be addressed around homelessness, you know, that’s half the battle right there,” Bains said. “A lot of times, cities will put up blockers or they just don’t have the interest to serve the homeless.” But Project WeHOPE is not the only organization that is serving homeless people in San Jose. The Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System, a program that provides temporary financial assistance to low-income families or individuals who struggle to maintain their housing, launched a Financial Assistance Program for lowincome residents affected by COVID-19.
terrible time, we’re all at risk. I want to see my kids,’ ” she said. “There’s that kind of emotional manipulation happening, too.” Peralez-Dieckmann said some clients have a hard time calling Next Door Solutions because their former partners are always in the house visiting children while in quarantine. Although Next Door Solutions decided to close its main office where people usually come for support, its hotline is still active and legal services are provided over the phone. It is also still sending out supplies like pantry items to clients who are running low on food, diapers or other necessities and is anticipating a surge in demand. “They’re running out of things or they need help,” said Peralez-Dieckmann. “So we’re just sort of bracing ourselves for what we think will be an increase in the
The emergency assistance program received significant private funding of $1 million from Destination: Home, $2 million from Cisco and other public and private organization donations according to the official news release. Various public companies and private organizations have pledged $11 million in combined funds, according to the Santa Clara Homelessness Prevention System news release. Other organizations like Destination: Home, an organization that helps create permanent housing and sustainable support systems, and companies like Cisco have committed to help provide services such as housing, hygiene education and reducing transmission of COVID-19 and funding to make all these possible to San Jose. David Low, the director of policy and communications of Destination: Home, said that the organization is also setting up quarantine and isolation locations for homeless people. “Concurrently, we have
number of calls over the next few weeks.” Social distancing protocols have strained the emotional rapport Next Door Solutions staff members have built up with clients, which often serves as a lifeline for people in domestic violence situations. “They were very concerned because a lot of their clients are already in these situations that were very troubling and potentially dangerous,” Peralez-Dieckmann said. “For us the warm handoff [is] being able to sit with people and hear their story [and] offer our support.” Using methods such as Zoom and phone calls, staff members are increasing the frequency with which they conduct client check-ins so clients feel connected. Other facilities that offer help to domestic
worked with our public and private partners to stand up a financial assistance program to help low-income residents who’ve lost income due to COVID-19 pay for rent and thus avoid falling into homelessness,” Low said. Before committing to the financial assistance program, Cisco and Destination: Home had already partnered to help the homeless population in Santa Clara County, Erin Connor, Cisco’s critical human needs portfolio manager, stated in an email. “This partnership began in March 2018, when Cisco made a $50 million donation to Destination: Home to help create housing for people experiencing homelessness and to prevent at-risk people from becoming homeless,” Connor said. All $11 million of the relief funds were used to serve as many households as possible according to the homeless prevention system news release.
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violence survivors are also noticing changes in the online transition. Jennifer Nguyen, education programmer of the San Jose State Gender Equity Center, said that she and her team are working on gathering and distributing resource-specific messaging that does not equate “shelter in place” with “home,” but rather somewhere safe and with resources easily accessible. “My concerns are moreover whether students know what resources are available to them . . . They are still welcome to reach out to our center for support, assistance and guidance,” Nguyen said.
SURVIVORS Continued from page 1 collective together, as a community, we’re breaking that silence. And we’re gonna be loud as hell about it.” Mancillas has been involved in the collective since late 2018, initially in support of his significant other. But throughout his time there, he said he became more active in the community and passionate about bringing other men into the healing process. “It was difficult to sit there and to recount these stories of abuse,” Mancillas said. “We account the stories of abuse, but not necessarily go after what is creating the abuse, and that is males, mainly in most cases.” Mancillas said that in order to improve, it’s important to acknowledge the environment feeding into toxic masculinity and machismo. Machismo is an exaggerated or strong sense of masculinity, according to Merriam-Webster. “I do think that I’ve been a victim of the actions that machismo breeds,” said Ruby Rodriguez, a current corporate social responsibility intern and member of the collective since it started. “And I also think that when you grow up in a culture where machismo is normalized, you unconsciously adopt those ways.”
Follow Gia on Instagram @phamtasticxxy
Another exercise the collective encourages during meetings is writing down anything that comes to mind on a piece of paper and burning it as a form of catharsis. Montalvo said these practices allow members to safely and openly express their thoughts and feelings on topics that may be uncomfortable in a typical setting. “I hear the topic of rape being spoken about now more than ever before, which I think is what’s opening doors for individuals to feel that they can actually speak out,” Rodriguez said. Normally, the group meets every first and third Wednesday of every month at the Mexican Heritage Plaza on Alum Rock Avenue. However, the collective is struggling to stay active in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic since Santa Clara County enforced self-isolation and the banned gatherings of more than 10 people on March 16. Montalvo said she is trying her best to stay connected with her members as frequently as possible, but in-person group sessions have been postponed until further notice. On its Instagram, the collective recently posted where to find resources for families affected by COVID-19. Follow Gia on Instagram @phamtasticxxy
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020
3
Handmade hoops honor heritage By Gia Pham STAFF WRITER
Silver hoop earrings wired with a gradient violet amethyst softly dangle against nutritional science and dietetics alumna Bree Estrada’s pitch-black hair. The stone catches a glow from the afternoon sun as she makes her way to a small Latin American cafe in Downtown San Jose to sell a few of her original, handmade scented candles. Late 2017, Estrada learned how to craft jewelry and candles for her friends as gifts from Youtube. Through word-ofmouth praise, Estrada’s giftgiving ritual to her friends became an ecofriendly jewelr y a n d candle business called
Opal Mind, that embraces her Latina roots, while reclaiming styles and utilizing spaces that minorities have typically been ousted from throughout history. “Just holding space for local coffee shops or yoga studios and markets like that, where it seems predominantly white, just being there seems like I’m reclaiming my heritage,” Estrada said. Her business later progressed when she attended art crawls and shows such as South First Fridays and San Jose Come Up. At the Garden at the Flea, a vendor and market event, Estrada sold her authentic jewelry, dazzling with rock and p u n k influences, w h i l e acoustic m u s i c played under the summer’s day glow. A hub of Latinx artists, performers and vegan food businesses joined her in the market. “I just
felt very safe there,” Estrada said. Estrada’s stone jewelry pieces are each accompanied by a description detailing the significance of the stone and its symbolic nature. Hoop earrings have always been an emblem of Latina culture, Estrada said. “So I’m Mexican and you tend to wear, like, hoop earrings and things like that. So, I wanted to add that stuff and kind of have a cultural significance to it . . . and just, you know, reclaiming styles,” Estrada said. By adding her own touches such as rose and smokey quartz, Estrada is bringing the peace and tranquility associated with the gems to the earrings. “It’s healing for me to create something like an art outlet. And then I guess other people see crystals as healing,” said Estrada. “So for both parties, it can be healing.” Before a customer purchases a crystal, Estrada said she washes it with salt to purify it of any bad spirits. Customers are not only drawn to the aesthetics and value of the crystals, but also Estrada’s care of the jewelry pieces. “I was raised to believe in the power of crystals and their significance as a healing practice so I can only really purchase crystal jewelry from people I trust,” Chicanx studies senior Ilseh Busarelo said over text. “I trust the products that [Estrada] makes because there is a sense of love and patience embedded in the pieces that she makes.”
GIA PHAM | SPARTAN DAILY
Bree Estrada continues to create original crystal jewelry such as the rose quartz pendant necklace (left) and the octagonal hoop earrings (right) pictured above.
Busarelo finds spirituality and meaning in the presentation of crystals as well. “The crystals are wrapped in coil, it makes it feel like it is
sticks to imbue a rich flavor. The hand-poured soy candle “Prosperity and Protection” is an adaptation of “Café de Olla” and the comfort of Mexican identity, burning a
So I’m Mexican and you tend to wear, like, hoop earrings and things like that. So, I wanted to add that stuff and kind of have a cultural significance to it . . . and just, you know, reclaiming styles. Bree Estrada nutritional science and dietetics alumna
being protected and therefore, protecting me,” Busarelo said. Estrada draws a lot of her inspiration for her candle scents from her childhood memories and family. Her grandma always made “Café de Olla,” a traditional Mexican coffee beverage made in an earthen clay pot and spice with cinnamon
bright orange, sunset gradient hue with cinnamon cloves, coffee grounds and citrulline stone aromatics. “It just reminds me of how my grandma would put cinnamon sticks in her coffee growing up,” Estrada said. The cinnamon and coffee scents are thought to bring career success,
vitality and good fortune, according to the “Prosperity and Protection” label on the candle. California State University, Monterey Bay alumna Ruby Morales also finds comfort in these aromatics. “Having it in my bathroom reminds me to practice selflove,” Morales said. “The ‘Love Spell’ candle is delicately poured and sprinkled with bits of dried flowers which is really elegant looking.” Estrada said that the business helps connect women of color as they tend to be the ones supporting her business by buying jewelry and attending local art events. “A lot of Mexican women tend to be the ones supporting me and it’s really nice just being local in San Jose,” she said. “I think it just really cultivates, you know, an art scene for people that aren’t predominantly white.” Follow Gia on Instagram @phamtasticxx
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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNDER ARMOUR
Guard Sophia Jones averaged 25 points per game in her senior year at Cypress Bay High School, helping lead her team to the Florida high school playoffs.
New talent commits to SJSU Sophia Jones brings confidence to women’s basketball team
By Austin Turner SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Mark Jones anxiously paced back-and-forth in his Indianapolis hotel room on Feb. 6. The NBA commentator for ESPN was watching a high school basketball game with far higher personal stakes than the professional games he calls on television. He was watching Florida’s division 7A District 13 girls’ basketball champi onsh ip via FaceTime on his iPhone. His wife videocalled him from Weston, Florida, where their daughter and San Jose State commit, Sophia Jones, held the ball with under 20 seconds left in a tied game. With 10 seconds remaining, she called the play “horns” from near midcourt. It was her go-to play in high school, where two teammates set screens on both sides of her defender.
the trigger on a pull-up 3-pointer. There was zero hesitation and no thoughts of passing. She was going to win that game for Cypress Bay High School. “I was going to take that shot myself,” Sophia Jones said. Her father watched her take the potential championship-winning buzzer-beating shot, but suddenly the ball froze in midair. “She lets [the ball] go, and the damn screen buffers,” Mark Jones said. Over 1,000 miles away, in the biggest game of his daughter’s life, his phone stopped working. Those few seconds felt like an eternity for him. “It’s like ‘one Mississippi, two Mississippi,’ and I’m cursing and I’m getting mad,” he said. “And it finally comes back to liveaction, and I see everybody mobbing Sophia and the game’s over.”
I really enjoy being able to just play off of my teammates. I love being able to set them up for shots . . . Just to play fast and get a lot of steals and fastbreaks. Just exciting basketball. Sophia Jones SJSU commit
She faked left and went right. Her defender managed to break through the screen and cut her off on her way to the wing, so she went back to the middle of the court with just five seconds to play. The four-year varsity starter was at the top of the key. With a pair of defenders in her face, she pulled
She had nailed the shot. It wrapped up a 43 - 40 championship game that the SJSU commit took over with 28 points and 4 assists. Even with the high tension and stakes, Mark Jones knew that ball was going in. “It was something that I’ve seen her work on a
million times,” he said. “That’s one thing she’s really gotten much better at this year, is making sure she’s got a final say in the final shot at the end of the game or end of the quarter.” She led the Lightning to the Regional Semifinals of the Florida Class 7A State Tournament. According to MaxPreps, she averaged 25 points per game on her way to becoming the state’s 7A Player of the Year. In the two games after her buzzerbeater, she put together performances of 39 and 30 points. “I really enjoy being able to just play off of my teammates,” Sophia Jones said. “I love being able to set them up for shots . . . Just to play fast and get a lot of steals and fastbreaks. Just exciting basketball.” Regarding her basketball influences, she lists three players: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in the NBA and Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi in the WNBA. Paul for his technical greatness and passing ability, Curry for his “loose” and fun style of play, and Taurasi for her “ferocity.” Before starting his 20-plus year NBA broadcasting career, her dad played some college hoops at York University in Toronto. Sophia Jones has two siblings involved in college basketball. Her brother formerly playing at Jacksonville University and her sister is currently at Loyola Marymount University. Growing up, she and her siblings had a unique opportunity. With their father so entrenched in the NBA, they’ve recieved advice from people most young basketball players
When the lights shined brightest San Jose State women’s basketball commit Sophia Jones put on a show in the Florida high school playoffs as a senior guard for Cypress Bay High School. In four games, she scored 54% of her team’s points.
vs. Western (District tournament) vs. Gulf Coast (District tournament)
26 77 28 43 39
vs. Western (State Tournament)
61
vs. Dr. Krop (State Tournament)
LEGEND
30 45 Points scored by Cypress Bay
Points scored by Sophia Jones
SOURCE: MAX PREPS, INFOGRAPHIC BY AUSTIN TURNER, JESUS TELLITUD AND MARCI SUELA
never get the chance to meet. A couple of years ago, Sophia Jones was in the midst of a shooting slump. Her father was in Houston to call a game between the Warriors and Houston Rockets. During his morning workout in at the hotel gym, he ran into when he ran into Curry. “I told him, ‘My daughter’s your biggest fan in Miami, maybe South Florida, maybe even the entire country,’ ” Mark Jones said. “He said ‘Well, roll the camera.’ ” “He did a nice 20-second ‘Hey Sophia this is Steph. When you take the court tomorrow, I just want you to play confident. Walk out there like you’re the best player on the floor. Make sure you shoot it and never stop.’ ” “I think that made an impact,” Mark Jones said. She still has the video on her phone and now,
she’s joining her idol in the Bay Area. She verbally committed to SJSU women’s basketball in July 2019, where she will major in radiotelevision-film in hopes of broadcasting basketball games like her father. The Spartans improved this season, but at the time, the women’s basketball team had just come off of a 6-24 season. But Jones saw the potential in the squad despite the poor record. Spartans head coach Jamie Craighead made sure she knew that the Spartans were about to get a game-changing player. Then-freshman guard Ayzhiana Basallo was sitting out because of transfer rules. She was going to make a “big difference” and Sophia Jones would benefit from learning from her. Basallo, the 2019 Mountain West Newcomer of the Year, and Sophia Jones have a similar skill set.
Both play fast and are dynamic scorers. They can shoot from range, score from the paint and create shots for others. Craighead thinks that Basallo, who will be a junior next season, will be a great influence on Jones. “I love watching [Basallo],” Sophia Jones said. “Whenever we try to pull [the games] up on the computer, my dad’s just like ‘See how she does that? That’s what you need to do.’ ” SJSU is positioned for another big season in 2020-21, Sophia Jones’ freshman year. It lost just one starter after its 19-12 campaign. Jones took a chance on the program and now she is ready to contribute to it herself. “I had faith and I’m glad I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. Follow Austin on Twitter @AustinTurner_
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020
5
COVID-19
Universal memes keep society sane Austin Turner SENIOR STAFF WRITER
A lot of us are seriously missing normal social interaction right now. We’re all locked away in our houses, going crazy talking about the coronavirus with the same few people over and over again. It seems like all the things that bring people together are out of commission. You can’t go see your favorite band in concert, sports aren’t coming back anytime soon and you can’t even go out to eat. Comedy is the one thing still around to scratch that social itch for humans. No, you can’t head a few blocks over from campus to catch a show at The San Jose Improv Comedy Club, but that’s OK. How many COVID-19 memes have you sent and received in the last month? Probably too many to count. Memes are the new observational stand-up comedy and group texts are the new comedy clubs. For the first time in our lifetime, we all have something in common. ILLUSTRATION BY NATHAN DOYLE
So while you practice social distancing, practice some social courtesy too. Don’t send your memes to people who have sick loved ones. Show some respect instead. Whether you’re Black, white, gay, straight, rich or poor, young or old, you’re in the same situation as everybody else. If you scroll through meme pages on social media, most entries are something that’s relatable to everybody. For example, r/Coronavirusmemes on Reddit, which had over 80,000 members as of Tuesday, is full of jokes and memes that are poking fun at the current situation.
The current top all-time post is a tweet from @danifellan reading “when I am watching ‘Covid-19’ movie in ten years, I hope I will see Matt Damon panic buying toilet papers.” Another top post reads “Buying a planner for 2020 has been the most financially wasteful thing I’ve done this year.” These dumb jokes are funny because we all get it. Many of us have been victims of mass toilet paper shortages. If you’re like me, you bought a planner that hasn’t been updated in about three weeks. In a time where there’s such panic and pessimism in the world, it’s still important to take a step back and laugh with others about the ridiculous situation we’re all in right now. It’s just a natural human response, according to psychologist April Foreman, an executive board member of the American Association of Suicidology. “Using humor is just how people cope in grim circumstances, and it’s a very healthy response,”
Corrections On Monday, April 7, the Spartan Daily published a story titled, “A.S. election debate moved to online format” in business management information systems senior Flor Sario was mistitled. On Tuesday, Feb. 11, the Spartan Daily published a letter to the editor titled, “Students voice concerns about SJSU refunds” in which Paola Santos was misidentified. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019, the Spartan Daily published a story titled, “Homeless find temporary haven around campus,” in which Richard Avila was misidentified. The Spartan Daily regrets these errors.
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Foreman said to cnet.com. “Human beings are wired to cope, and we’re wired to be funny – even darkly humorous.” And who doesn’t love some dark humor? Of course, being funny doesn’t mean you have to be a jerk. There are lots, and I mean lots, of people being negatively affected by this global tragedy. So while you practice social distancing, practice some social courtesy too. Don’t send your memes to people who have sick loved ones. Show some respect instead. But if you’re just itching to show someone that stupid toilet paper joke, send it my way. I, like most people, could really use a laugh right now.
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