WINNER OF 2023 ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS PACEMAKER AWARD, NEWSPAPER/NEWSMAGAZINE NAMED BEST CAMPUS NEWSPAPER IN CALIFORNIA FOR 2022 BY THE CALIFORNIA COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION AND CALIFORNIA NEWS PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Volume 162 No. 39 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
SERVING SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
Doctor shares Gaza experiences By Ethan Li STAFF WRITER
More than 100 San José State students congregated in the Science building on Tuesday to hear Dr. Mohammad Subeh speak about his experience working on the field in Gaza for five weeks. The event was hosted in collaboration with SJSU Students for Justice in Palestine, Students for a Democratic Society SJSU, SJSU Afghan Student Association and the SJSU Human Rights Institute. Subeh said he worked in Gaza as a medical doctor, helping treat people affected by the conflict. “Although I am not the best public speaker, the moment I came back from Gaza I realized that I had a need to communicate my story to the wider world,” Subeh said. He said people in Gaza had a hard time accessing health care and went to Israel to seek medical help. “There are systematic restrictions upon the people of Gaza that impede their lives and make their lives harder on purpose,” Subeh said. He said in one circumstance he encountered, parents in Gaza had a difficult time getting proper health care for their child who needed a life-saving surgery because they were under 55 years old. Subeh said one of the restrictions in Gaza was that people under 55 years old were prohibited from crossing the border. He said the child’s aunt, who was of qualified age to cross the border,
accompanied the child instead. Subeh said after watching the conflict in Gaza unfold in the media that he felt he needed to help out. “My wife and family were supportive – in fact my wife was the one that first sent me a text informing me about the program that would send me to Gaza,” he said. Global studies senior Ariana Shah said she hosted the event. Shah said she was initially nervous about hosting because she wanted students to come and for Subeh to feel comfortable. She said her nervousness melted away as the event went on as it was a clear success as the auditorium was completely full of people. Shah said campus administration has tried to pushback against these events. “We did face some interesting messages from campus administration,” she said. “In general, we face a lot of pushback from administration because I also wrote the boycott resolution for student government.” Shah said thinking about what is happening in Palestine emboldens her to keep hosting these events. She said although she was threatened and told to silence her opinions, she thinks the university ultimately backed down from shutting down student protest events and further intimidation. “I am not really scared of what administration might try to say to me,” she said. “I know that students want to hear this and they want
ETHAN LI | SPARTAN DAILY
Dr. Mohammad Subeh shows the audience a photo of the field hospital he worked at while in Gaza.
events like this to happen.” She said although the situation in Palestine is horrifying, it gives her hope when she sees the resilience of Palestinians to keep smiling, and remaining generous and hospitable. San José resident Nancy Tsou said this was her third time listening to Subeh speak. “I wish more people can know about what he (Subeh) saw,” Tsou said. “He’s an extraordinary person and very humble, very determined, fearless, courageous and devoted.” She said Subeh’s testimony as to what happened in Palestine is revealing. Tsou said although Subeh does
not tell people what to do in his speech, it is clear that he urges people to get involved and protest. “(He is) asking us to do something about it,” she said. “To have a ceasefire, and to have no killing anymore. Especially (to) withdraw our tax dollars from sending arms to Israel.” Tsou said all around the world students are asking for relatively simple things. She said they wanted to boycott, divest away from funds and practices that support the conflict in Israel. She said the nature of the conflict in Gaza is horrible and inhumane. Tsou said the inhumane nature
of the conflict is why so many American students care, even though it is happening so far away. “Young people are the future, they are the ones that stand up for principle,” she said. “The older generations are more embedded in the power structure and more resistant to change . . . You guys are the hope, we are looking to you.”
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Wellness Center workshops health By Melissa Alejandres STAFF WRITER
The San José State Student Wellness Center hosted a Managing and Honoring Powerful Emotions mental health workshop by David Emmert, a licensed clinical psychologist and a counselor at SJSU. The Wellness Center
provides students with access to care for their mental and physical well-being by promoting counseling and wellness services, according to its website. “I’ve been providing many different workshops throughout the years and I partially focus on students managing anxiety,” Emmert said.
SPOT NEWS: Man hospitalized after collision
KAYA HENKES-POWER | SPARTAN DAILY
The San José Police Department closed off 10th Street and Elizabeth Street, next to North Garage, following a collision between two vehicles and an adult male riding a scooter on Tuesday afternoon. Police responded to the collision around 1:38 p.m. where the adult male was transported to the hospital with lifethreatening injuries, according to an email from SJPD Media Relations. The closure of 10th Street and Elizabeth Street did not affect the access to North Garage. As of publication, the victim remains in critical condition.
Emmert said it can be life-changing for students to have both a safe space to learn more about mental health. A survey conducted by Best Colleges revealed that 36% of college students in the last 12 months have been diagnosed with anxiety, according to its website. Emmert said it is so important to provide education and skills to come together to learn more about mental health. “I’m inspired by our students and grateful to have chances to both share and learn from them,” he said. Emmert said a workshop is a powerful way to reach out to students especially for those who have never gone to counseling before. He said one of the most common difficulties is taking that first step of asking for help. “I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with so many students who have said it's one of the best steps they have taken,” Emmert said. He said activities such as journaling, speaking to a supportive friend or being able to talk to a counselor can go a long way. Psychology junior Felicia Zamora said discussions like these
SOURCE: BEST COLLEGES | GRAPHIC BY MELANY GUTIERREZ
promote awareness. “I came here because I wanted to learn more about how to manage powerful emotions,” Zamora said. “And I got what I expected and even more information.” Zamora said mental health is just as important as physical health and that it is very underrated. She said openly discussing mental health and the benefits of healthy coping mechanisms is a great way to promote mental health awareness. “It has to do with our history,” Zamora said.
“A lot of people in our generation grew up with families who discouraged getting help with our mental health.” She said people can practice doing mindfulness when they are struggling mentally. Zamora said one easy method to practice is taking two minutes to breathe in and out. “As students, we can spread the word, talk with our peers and be emotionally supportive,” Zamora said. Brenda Feldman, an English graduate student,
said students all have emotions and it’s helpful to have someone to talk to about them. She said her favorite part of the workshop was the meditation because it was relaxing to just close her eyes and be aware of her surroundings. “Going to a psychologist doesn't mean there’s anything wrong with you,” Feldman said. “I feel like I have more knowledge about my emotions now.” Follow the Spartan Daily on Instagram @SpartanDaily