Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021
Volume 157 No. 15 SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NICK YBARRA; SOURCE: TUESDAY US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE STATEMENT
US finds SJSU’s blame substantiated
Athletics department retaliation & Title IX neglect verified It was determined in the 2019-20 reinvestigation the sexual misconduct allegations were substantiated, according to the same summary. The Justice Department findings furthers the university’s “need for The U.S. Department of Justice released a statement Tuesday reaching a answers” about the original 2009-10 investigation and the university’s $1.6 million agreement with San Jose State to remedy Title IX violations in response to the findings, according to the SJSU FYI webpage. which more than 23 female swimming and diving student-athletes reported The Justice Department also found SJSU retaliated against two incidents of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, by former sports university athletics employees, one of whom “repeatedly alerted” university medicine director Scott Shaw. administrators of Shaw and a second employee who pointed out alleged The agreement requires SJSU to financially compensate those who retaliation against the first employee and was terminated by SJSU, according were sexually harassed and/or assaulted by Shaw, and those who came to its statement. forward to participate in the Justice Department’s Title IX investigation or Mashinchi said allegations of retaliation are part of ongoing litigation and SJSU’s internal investigations. related investigations. In the past 12 years, SJSU swimming and diving student-athletes “The university does not typically comment on details of pending reported Shaw subjected them to repeated inappropriate touching and litigation or other complaints by or against employees (including complaints sexual harassment during physical therapy sessions, according to the same of retaliation),” Mashinchi said in an email. Tuesday statement. Sage Hopkins, women’s swimming and diving head coach, filed a lawsuit The Justice Department offered $125,000 to the 23 individuals, which in March against the California State University and SJSU administrators will be paid by the university, according to the SJSU For Your Information claiming he faced retaliation. (FYI) webpage. The lawsuit alleges that administrators, including former athletics director The FYI webpage details the university’s statements regarding Marie Tuite, ignored reports regarding Shaw’s sexual assault cases, according Shaw’s reinvestigation. to the 93-page court documents obtained by the Spartan Daily. Out of the 23 individuals, 13 have accepted the offer so far, according to Former deputy athletic director Steve O’ Brien also filed a lawsuit in the same FYI page. Aug. 2020 against the university after he was fired on March 2 of that Kenneth Mashinchi, SJSU director same year by Tuite after resisting orders of media relations, said payments under to discipline the whistleblower in the resolution agreement won’t come Shaw’s case, according to Sept. 17, 2020 from student fees or affect funding USA Today article. for employment. President Papazian said in a Tuesday Assistant Attorney General Kristen campuswide email the university is taking Clarke said in the same Justice Department steps to build a “stronger Title IX program,” statement the agreement will also require including expanding its Title IX office and SJSU to “transform its Title IX process adding new experts. to ensure accountability in its athletics “The team, among others, will include program and create a safer campus for an experienced Title IX and Gender all students.” Equity Officer (“Title IX coordinator”), The agreement’s requirements include responsible for overseeing compliance with, Hannah Dettmann improving Title IX policies and procedures and implementation of, all Title IX-related freshman swimming and diving athlete and SJSU’s process for responding to policies, grievance procedures and training at complaints of sexual harassment. SJSU,” Papazian stated. Hannah Dettmann, freshman swimming and diving athlete, said while The university Title IX department will also receive an increase in she agrees with the proposed improvement of the Title IX office, she has funding to recruit and hire a new Title IX coordinator and other qualified hesitation about the current resolution. investigators, according to the same campuswide email. “If they’re just trying to pay [victims] off then I think that might be the SJSU implemented a new Wellbeing Attendant (chaperone) policy to wrong way to go about it,” Dettmann said. “I think getting everyone out who ensure student-athletes and staff have the right to request the presence of a had power in that situation is the top priority.” supervisor for any type of sports-medicine treatment. The Justice Department found that “SJSU failed for more than a decade” Papazian said SJSU is launching programs focused on sexual assault to respond adequately to the sexual misconduct allegations against Shaw, prevention and resources for survivors, witnesses and bystanders. according to the same Tuesday statement. According to the Justice Department statement, the department will After reports of sexual misconduct by Shaw began in 2009, SJSU’s monitor implementation of the agreement through the 2024-25 academic Human Resources department and the University Police Department year, including the financial relief requirement totaling $1.6 million. conducted initial investigations in 2009-10, which determined “there was no Hannah Dettmann said while the new programs and policies are “a step wrongdoing” by Shaw and the sexual assault claims were unsubstantiated, in the right direction” for the university, she still would like to see [the Title according to the university’s summary of the investigation. IX process] move faster. The initial investigation determined Shaw’s method of treatment “If the [Title IX] claim is not handled immediately then [the university] is was a “bona fide means of treating muscle injury,” according to the not doing what they said they would do,” Dettmann said. “I’m going to need same summary. to see [cases] handled right then and there rather than [the Title IX process] In December 2019, SJSU President Mary Papazian launched an external taking 12 years.” Title IX investigation into Shaw’s conduct because of concerns that the Follow the Spartan Daily on Twitter findings from the 2009-10 investigation were inadequate, according to the @SpartanDaily same summary. By Madilynne Medina & Christine Stevens NEWS EDITOR & STAFF WRITER
If they’re just trying to pay [victims] off then I think that might be the wrong way to go about it. I think getting everyone out who had power in that situation is the top priority.
1 2 0 2
WEL COME BACK
TO THE
GARDEN
EVENTS
SJSU.EDU/GARDEN
2
NEWS
sjsunews.com/spartan_daily
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 2021
ILLUSTRATION BY DAISHA SHERMAN
SJSU influencers talk social media By Saumya Monga STAFF WRITER
Verified and aspiring social media influencers who attend San Jose State say they face an array of experiences in the digital content creation space. Many influencers said while they appreciate the opportunity to work with certain brands and their community, some larger brands take advantage of their work. An influencer is someone who creates content on social media and occasionally collaborates with brands, according to an Aug. 17 Influencer Marketing Hub article. Influencer Marketing Hub is a private media company that provides resources to individuals in the social media and influencer marketing industry, according to its website.
[Social media is] really hard on my mental health and self esteem. You get addicted to the highs of social media, it’s how you get a certain amount of likes on IG but on steroids. Megan Takamatsu human relations sophomore, TikTok content creator
Aspiring YouTube influencer with more than 2,500 subscribers and advertising sophomore, Jacqueline “Jackie” Toscano, said influencers need to prioritize themselves in the social media industry. “You have to be aware of what you’re worth and not let these brands walk all over you,” Toscano said. Many influencers say well-known
companies such as beauty company Garnier and clothing brand Revolve will pay influencers for sponsored posts. Social media influencers say they’re often required to post photos online with a caption including why they love the product. Toscano said although the work seems easy, she wishes brands understood how much work goes into producing the content they ask for. Human relations sophomore and TikTok content creator Megan Takamatsu said instead of monetary payments, companies will sometimes compensate individuals by giving them free products. Takamatsu has 109,000 followers on Instagram. “It’s so flattering to have cool brands email you and then pay for you to promote the stuff you already love,” Takamatsu said. In October 2019, Takamatsu began posting videos on TikTok where she gained 223,400 followers and 7 million total likes. While Takamatsu said she enjoys growing her platform and working with brands, there’s a lot that’s “toxic” about the industry. “The entire industry is all about appearance, who you know and how you appear to people,” Takamatsu said. She said the industry can be difficult for young girls because of the pressure to maintain current beauty standards. Because of TikTok’s algorithm, sometimes one’s fame on social media can occur overnight and can make anyone go viral, according to a June 23 Later.com article. Later.com is a marketing tool for Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, according to its website. TikTok’s algorithm tracks a user’s activity on the app and then recommends similar content on its “For You” homepage, according to the same Later.com article.
stay connected FACEBOOK: spartandaily
INSTAGRAM: @spartandaily
TWITTER: @spartandaily
YOUTUBE: spartandailyYT
According to a 2019 CBS News article, 86% of young Americans want to be influencers on social media. The influencing industry has become such a large industry it’s now worth billions of dollars, according to the same CBS News article. Toscano said brands will send influencers free products but expect too much content in return. “I have had some emails where [brands are] asking for a lot more than they’re giving. They’d send you a free product but they’re asking for all these different deliverables like an Instagram post, Instagram story or YouTube video,” Toscano said. Takamatsu said it can be hard to turn down a free product, service or even compensation for the promotion of a product, especially when it’s from a brand they love. Clubs such as Campus Trendsetters give college students the opportunity to work with different brands such as Neutrogena, according to its website. Toscano is a Campus Trendsetter and said being involved with the club has made it easier for her to become an influencer and branch out in social media careers. Some of the brands that have worked with Campus Trendsetters include Neutrogena and RxBar according to its website. Campus Trendsetters get a variety of free products that they have to promote on social media. “I honestly just am really happy that they [programs such as Campus Trendsetter] exist and make it really accessible for us,” Takamatsu said. Kinesiology junior Nikki Vahabi works as a Victoria’s Secret “PINK” campus representative, where she promotes different clothing products on social media. Vahabi said she got her start in content creation from the skills she gained on the PINK team. Influencers say although it takes
It’s exciting to be able to have so many connections with people, you definitely learn a lot. Without realizing it, you get a lot of mentors, like I have people that I go to for specific things. Nikki Vahabi kinesiology junior, Victoria’s Secret “PINK” campus representative
time to gain followers, it can be easy to start building a platform because they’re able to collaborate with brands and organizations early in their social media careers. “It’s exciting to be able to have so many connections with people, you definitely learn a lot,” Vahabi said. “Without realizing it, you get a lot of mentors, like I have people that I go to for specific things.” However, Takamatsu said it can be difficult to stop social media collaborations with brands even when the work negatively affects one’s mental health once individuals are in the industry. “[Social media is] really hard on my mental health and self esteem,” Takamatsu said. “You get addicted to the highs of social media, it’s how you get a certain amount of likes on IG but on steroids.”
Follow Saumya on Twitter @MongaSaumya
Correction On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the Spartan Daily published a story titled, “Chicanx/Latinx center welcomes community” in which Marcos Pizarro was misidentified. The Spartan Daily regrets this error.
sjsunews.com/spartan_daily
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 2021
3
PHOTOS BY TRAVIS WYNN | SPARTAN DAILY
The San Jose State Dragon Boat team paddles in coordination at its third practice of the semester at Bair Island Aquatic Center located in Redwood City Sunday.
SJSU Dragon Boat team returns to water By Saumya Monga STAFF WRITER
As the San Jose State Dragon Boat team returns this fall after not racing for more than a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, some members say they wish the university would give the team more recognition. Team captain Ryan Ngo said SJSU should highlight the team for the culture it’s created on campus as it’s composed of 45 close-knit members who meet almost every weekend. “I definitely do wish the university [gave] a little bit more attention [toward] our team,” Ngo said. “We’ve been very culturally responsible for a lot of stuff that happens on campus like we’re a really big community of students.” He said the team found ways to cultivate it’s community with those who were interested in the dragon boating sport, even during the height of the pandemic last year. “When the pandemic hit, our team [and the] community was very heavily hindered by the fact that we couldn’t paddle anymore,” Ngo said. “We were stuck indoors [so] we had to find different things to do.” Ngo said team members have done remote workout sessions and social gatherings just to keep the group together and keep the mindset that they’re “still family.” SJSU’s Dragon Boat team was founded in 2016 and Ngo said it carries the thousand-year-old tradition of dragon boating that’s
rooted in Chinese culture. “It was based on one Chinese politician and poet,” Ngo said. “He was sentenced to drown in the ocean but people in his village really treasured this poet so they decided to start a tradition every year to throw some food right into this river in hopes that he would someday come back and visit the living.” He said dragon boating is a little different in 2021 but the sport still carries that same rich history. Ngo explained dragon boating is almost entirely a team-based sport. There are 20 seats inside the boat with one person in the front and back. The person in the back steers the boat while the person in the front drums to create the rhythm for the rest of the team to follow so they can keep time with each other. Ngo said dragon boating requires near-perfect coordination between team members which creates a sense of camaraderie rarely found in other sports. “[We always do stuff] outside of practice like going to a movie or getting food off the boat too,” said team member Kevin Pham. “There’s this closeness we have with each other.” Even though the sport requires incredible core strength as the participants use their arms and shoulders, Ngo said the mental-pressure component is much more significant. “It’s more of a mental sport than anything because it requires a lot of teamwork
Team members paddle back to shore at the end of practice after performing strength-conditioning drills on the water.
and synergy, so you’d have to know your team members as well as how you guys work together as a team in order to perform well,” Ngo said. Ngo said it can be easy to blame someone when they make a mistake on the water but as the captain, he just tells them to take a deep breath and come back when they’re ready. He said despite his openness to mistakes, the pressure of dragon boating can get to everyone because the stress levels are extremely high. The 500-meter race can
last two minutes for teams that move quickly, according to a May 10, 2019 LA Times article. Competitive races have been on hold since the pandemic began in March 2020 but they do have a “for fun” race planned in November. “Every time we’re on a boat, odds are [that lineup] won’t really happen again so when [you’re] on the water, you have to put everything [out there] because this is what we came for, this [is] what we practice for, all the pain was for this exact moment,” Pham
The Dragon Boat team executes synchronization as it crosses the Redwood Creek during practice.
said. “I think in my head, he started in high school. I don’t want to disappoint “I thought I was joining these people and that just the Dragon Ball Club, like keeps me going.” Dragon Ball Z and [then they said it was] dragon boat club,” Ngo said. Because dragon boating is a lesser-known sport at SJSU, team members said they’re accustomed to only seeing friends and families at practices and races. “I feel like in other sports you have stadiums [and] everyone’s cheering,” Pham said. “[Dragon boating] is a spectator sport. It’s pretty fun but people don’t really come out to watch unless they [are] friends and family of people on the team.” Internationally, dragon boating is run as a nonprofit organization known as the International Dragon Boat Federation. “This sport is very heavily based on volunteering,” Ngo said. “There is very little funding when it comes Ryan Ngo to international races or team captain international recognition. The team requires Despite their passion annual payments to keep for dragon boating, team the club funded. members say they rarely get The SJSU Dragon Boat noticed for their hard work. team opens practices every “It’d be pretty cool to have weekend at the Bair Island more people come out to Aquatic Center in Redwood the practices,” said Gavin del City, which members carpool Rosario, social chair of the to in order to participate. dragon boat team. “Whenever I tell someone or a family member I dragon boat, [they ask], ‘what’s that’ and I [have to explain it].” Ngo said he had no idea Follow Saumya on Twitter @MongaSaumya what dragon boating was until
I definitely do wish the university [gave] a little bit more attention [toward] our team. We’ve been very culturally responsible for a lot of stuff that happens on campus like we’re a really big community of students.
4
sjsunews.com/spartan_daily
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 2021
ALBUM REVIEW
‘Montero’ strips social norms By Royvi Hernandez OPINION EDITOR
Rapper Lil Nas X gave birth to his baby “Montero” and the delivery was successful. Montero, Lil Nas X’s album debut, manifests a different side to the popular, unconventional artist as he was able to strip himself bare to the world through colorful pop and rap beats. Lil Nas X posted on his Youtube channel on Thursday night, counting down to his album release. Throughout his 14 tracks and one interlude, he takes us on a vulnerable ride where we witness his relationship with his family, his lover, the music industry, haters and, most importantly, with himself. In “The Montero Show” Youtube video, he comedically mocks interviewers who’ve both laughed at and disrespected him as well as his music in the past. In the skit he acts as an interviewer who, at one point, asks if Satan is the father of his child, referring to his album Montero. After receiving backlash in March for his “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” music video, many believed his music was Satanic because it included sexually explicit imagery. In the March 25 music video, Lil Nas X slides down a pole to hell and sexually greets Satan by giving him a lap dance, then snapping his neck and taking over his throne
and control of the underworld. Clearly the hate doesn’t phase Lil Nas X as he rightfully calls out all the hatred and social biases toward him and refuses to let it hinder his musical identity. “You’s a meme, you’s a joke, been a gimmick from the go,” raps Lil Nas X in “One of Me” featuring British singer Elton John. With the slow beat and disappointment in his voice, he expresses his resentment toward the critics who only want to see him as a one-hit wonder from his 2019 hit song “Old Town Road,” which started his career. With John’s piano ballad, the track lyrics include “Do this here, don’t you do that, say you one of me, say you one of me yeah, yeah.” As he sings in mezzo piano and the piano keys hit simultaneously, you can hear the pain in his voice as he conveys the trialing emotions of being true to himself. Lil Nas X is very open and hides nothing about his personal life. “Tales of Dominica” accompanied by acoustic guitars adds another layer of vulnerability from Lil Nas X. It describes his dysfunctional family relationships, his depressive moments in life and the hopelessness one feels during darker times. “Sometimes you’re hurting, sometimes you’re all alone, sometimes I’m anxious, sometimes it makes me feel like there’s only now,” he says.
album review “Montero” Rating:
Artist: Lil Nas X Release Date: Sept.17, 2021 Genre: [ pop rap ]
ILLUSTRATION BY BIANCA RADER
The violin accompaniment in Tales of Dominica with vibrato in the end, sets the listener with a deeper feel of his sadness like an empty vase waiting to be filled. He hits a falsetto in “Void” and lyrically writes a letter to his younger self. Over the electric guitar he admits to weeping through the nights, running away from home and trying to find love. “Hello, old friend from the road. I wanted to write a note to let you know that all in all, it ain’t all what it seems.” He’s giving his younger self a warning in preparation of what’s to come and through his grief you go back in time to your own life and picture all the depressive moments. In “That’s What I Want,” Lil Nas X unapologetically projects his desire to find a special someone in his life where the love is reciprocated. “Look it’s harder to find in these times but I got nothin but love on my mind. I need a baby while I’m on my prime, need an adversary to my down and weary,” Lil Nas X says. “Cause it don’t feel right when it’s late at night and it’s just me in my
CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE
dreams. So I want someone to love, that’s what I fuckin want.” Although lyrically and vocally he expresses his sorrow, the track is upbeat and energetic with synth instrumentals that ignites feelings of both discouragement and hope. The track makes you want to dance, throw something at the wall and cry all at the same time, which is a more than accurate account of what it means to find love in your twenties right now. On the brighter side of things, his album isn’t all sadness as it includes tracks including “Dolla Sign Slime’’ featuring rapper and songwriter Megan Thee Stallion. Lil Nas X brushes off all the haters: “Y’all take a rumor then y’all go and wear it out, fuck all that talkin’ ‘bout who’s in the whearabouts.” The staccato brass in Dolla Sign Slime adds to his cockiness and how far he’s come in reaching his throne. Despite many not believing in him, he is at the top and isn’t coming down. “Scoop,” featuring rapper and singer-songwriter Doja Cat, gives the listener a close feel of their successes as artists, how they work
SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
hard for their bodies and what got them to the levels they’re at now. Lil Nas X and Doja Cat told the world in this song that they will always stick to their authentic selves while also being at the top of the music industry. Other collaborators include rapper Jack Harlow in “Industry Baby” and singer-songwriter Miley Cyrus in “Am I Dreaming.” He expresses the pain of being gay in a world that still isn’t as accepting as one would hope, but also the happiness he has found in openly embracing his sexuality. Throughout the album, Lil Nas X showcases his journey to fame and reveals an honest portrait of himself at 22. As a 22-year-old myself, his music connected with me every step of the way including the struggle of pleasing others. Lil Nas X has created a musical progression and proves to the world nothing can stop him.
Follow Royvi on Twitter @lesroyvs
JOKIN’ AROUND “Why are piggy banks so wise?”
“They’re filled with common cents.”
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Render unconscious 5. Polite 10. Part of an ear 14. Whip mark 15. Stadium 16. Marsh plant 17. Thoughtless 19. Hemorrhaged 20. Neither ___ 21. Display 22. Stops 23. Twisted into deformity 25. Rhinoceros 27. Snake-like fish 28. Beaten eggs 31. Oodles 34. Athletics 35. Carpet 36. Mentally irregular (slang) 37. Accumulate 38. Chime 39. An uncle 40. Gave out 41. Ridges of sand 42. Fighters 44. Effeminate 45. Charred 46. Spouse 50. Vacuum bottle 52. African virus
54. Caviar 55. In baseball, 3 per inning 56. Showy bloom 58. Away from the wind 59. Feel 60. Back talk 61. Be compelled 62. Nosed (out) 63. Stake DOWN 1. Moved in a curve 2. Mortise and _____ 3. Extreme 4. Greatest possible 5. Declare null and void 6. Annoyed 7. Blood vessel 8. Farthest within 9. Delay 10. Sophisticated 11. An electronic keyboard instrument 12. Red vegetable 13. Probabilities 18. Small islands 22. Sword handle 24. Start over 26. Not his 28. Opaque gems
29. Melody 30. Hens make them 31. Killed 32. Unwakable state 33. Annoys 34. Anagram of “Tradesmen” 37. Many millennia 38. Not gals 40. Dagger 41. Macedonian monetary unit 43. A reddish brown 44. Pleated 46. Thicket 47. Keyboard instrument 48. Perch 49. Anxious 50. Froth 51. Humdinger 53. Pow! 56. South southeast 57. An Old Testament king
Sept. 16
PLACE YOUR AD HERE Place your Classified Ads Online at Spartandaily. CampusAve.com
Contact us at 408.924.3270 or email us at
SpartanDailyAdvertising @gmail.com
Our office at DBH 213 is closed because of the pandemic.
sjsunews.com/spartan_daily
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 2021
5
OPINION
Time to stop flaunting wealth
ILLUSTRATION BY BIANCA RADER
By Saumya Monga STAFF WRITER
As the pandemic continues to loom over our heads and the effects of climate change in the U.S. become more extreme, the richest and most famous Americans gathered for an extravagant event to show off their thousand dollar designer outfits. Welcome to the Met Gala, an annual fundraising event hosted by The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute to promote fashion, according to a Sept. 13 article from The Cut. However, most people like myself see it as an event where the U.S.’s wealthiest get the night of their lives and the rest of us are reminded of our peasant statuses. After a four-month delay because of the coronavirus pandemic, this year the Met Gala occurred on a modest Monday in New York City and it’s theme was “In America: a Lexicon of Fashion,” according to a Sept. 13 British Vogue article. While some celebrities made political statements surrounded by expensive jewelry in a grand hall, protesters right outside the Met Gala were demanding police accountability.
“Black and brown people are on the brink of houselessness. We cannot go back to normal. Where was your rage last year?,” yelled Ella, a protester outside the event, according to a Sept. 17 Teen Vogue article. What can be more American than protests and an obscene show of wealth happening within just feet of one another? Every year when the Met Gala comes around, social media ignites with conversations about which dress was the best and which was the worst. Celebrities are aware they could get made fun of so they spend big bucks to try and get on the best dressed list. But do celebrities honestly need another reason to show off their excessive wealth? I don’t think so. They have more than ample opportunities to wear designer clothes, especially since New York Fashion Week occurred the week before. And, there are many other ways to fundraise including a donation drive or even a benefit concert, which I am sure the public will enjoy even more. I guess in their mind they feel as if this one night allows them to dress up and boast about their
ABOUT The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose State community’s top news source. New issues are published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the academic year and online content updated daily. The Spartan Daily is written and published by San Jose State students as an expression of their First Amendment rights. Reader feedback may be submitted as letters to the editor or online comments.
lavish lifestyles without feeling guilty because everyone else is doing it too. This year’s co-chairs were none other than actor Timothée Chalamet, pop sensation Billie Eilish, poet laureate Amanda Gorman, Japanese tennis athlete Naomi Osaka and
top 1% can enjoy a night of fine dining, expensive outfits and socialization. Aside from the public uniting to discuss and make fun of celebrities, there doesn’t seem to be many other positives to having the Met Gala. Perhaps the most talked about outfits were the ones that were political statements. New York Democratic R e p. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a white dress with “tax the The entire event felt like a scene rich” written in red on out of the Hunger Games. While the back. Meanwhile, model and the 150,000 homeless people in actress Cara Delevingne California struggle to find their called for the end of the next meals, the top 1% can enjoy patriarchy by wearing a white bulletproof vest a night of fine dining, expensive with the words “peg the patriarchy.” outfits and socialization. It was ironic for Delevingne to wear a top that said “peg the patriarchy” considering that she stole the phrase Vogue’s Editor in Chief money to elevate fashion. from a woman of color Anna Wintour, according It feels as though the who had trademarked to a Sept. 14 British Vogue money just circulates back the phrase in Canada article. to the rich. in 2017, according to Individual tickets to Would all that money Sept. 15 Refinery 29 the Met Gala cost about raised be better paying article. $35,000 and a table can off the $96 billion Therefore, the statement cost up to $275,000. cost of damages from felt performative and Attendance has to be Hurricane Ida? incredibly tone-deaf. exclusively approved Who can say? Statements including by Wintour herself, The entire event felt D e l e v i n g n e’s feel according to the same like a scene out of the inauthentic, especially article from The Cut. Hunger Games. While the when they don’t take The only people exempt 150,000 homeless people the time to uplift from the outrageous in California struggle to other women. prices are those who find their next meals, the While these statements
EDITORIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR BRYANNA BARTLETT MANAGING EDITOR SAMANTHA HERRERA EXECUTIVE PRODUCER MADISON FAGUNDES NEWS EDITOR CHRISTINA CASILLAS NEWS EDITOR MADILYNNE MEDINA A&E EDITOR JOVANNA OLIVARES OPINION EDITOR ROYVI HERNANDEZ SPORTS EDITOR ISALIA GALLO SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR SARA WILER
are invited. For argument purposes, let’s say from the 600 attendees, only half are invited. For 300 people, that’s $9 million raised for a fashion institute. While I am all for promoting art, it seems a bit ridiculous that a costume institute would need that much
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS YANN LAPNET JAIME CABRERA TRAVIS WYNN COPY EDITORS SAVANNAH NATIVIDAD KAH MUN CHIA ALAN BAEZ REBECCA LEE HAILEY FARGO SPORTS COPY EDITOR JESUS TELLITUD GRAPHICS EDITORS NICK YBARRA HANZ PACHECO LINDSAY VILLAMOR AUDREY TSENG DAISHA SHERMAN AARON CHEUNG SENIOR STAFF WRITERS JAMIE BENNETT SARAH DWYER
STAFF WRITERS AMANI HAMED EVAN REINHARDT CHRISTOPHER NGUYEN SAUMYA MONGA DON LE CHRISTINE STEVENS ALLISON KRUSE ESTEVAN LOPEZ SANDRA SANTOS-CRUZ PRODUCTION CHIEF MIKE CORPOS NEWS ADVISER RICHARD CRAIG
were admirable, it does beg the question of whether it was the right time and place to make them. Aside from Ocasio-Cortez who has been very visibly serving her community, it seemed hypocritical for some celebrities to attend the event and don the “activist” look. Ocasio-Cortez said in a Sept. 16 Instagram post her decision about the dress came from asking herself, “How do we inject urgent conversations of race, class, climate and justice into an event that is both one of the largest spectacles of excess in the world, yet takes place in and benefits an institution that serves the public.” I’m not saying these celebrities don’t care about social issues, I’m sure they do but the medium in which they decide to spread awareness feels inauthentic. The Met Gala should be abolished. Instead, celebrities should make donations directly to a proposed cause rather than attending an event that also allows them to flaunt their wealth. We already see enough celebrity wealth as is. Follow Saumya on Twitter @MongaSaumya
ADVERTISING STAFF
SEVERIANO MENDEZ YULIAN FRANKIV
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR MIA WICKS
ADVERTISING ADVISER TIM HENDRICK
CREATIVE DIRECTOR KALEB FARNETTI
BUSINESS MANAGER CINDY LUU
ADVERTISING REPS ABAS ALTUWARISH ASHLEY BARCELON BRANDON VU DONOVAN FRANCIS ENSIYAH SYED ISABELLA VICTORIA HAGGERTY JOHAN ROMANI-CACERES JOSHUA TORRES JUAN TAPIA ZAVALA KENNETH TRIEU LINH LAM LINH THIEU MOISES CARATACHEA SAM LEE SEAN MARTIN
CONTACT US EDITORIAL – MAIN TELEPHONE: (408) 924-3821 EMAIL: spartandaily@gmail.com
ADVERTISING – TELEPHONE: 408-924-3240
EMAIL: spartandailyadvertising @gmail.com CORRECTIONS POLICY The Spartan Daily corrects all significant errors that are brought to our attention. If you suspect we have made such an error, please send an email to spartandaily@gmail.com.
EDITORIAL POLICY Columns are the opinion of individual writers and not that of the Spartan Daily. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.
6
sjsunews.com/spartan_daily
ADVERTISEMENT
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 2021
Celebrate
NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY WITH THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA REGISTRAR OF VOTERS OFFICE
TUES, SEP 28 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM SANTA CLARA COUNTY GOV’T CENTER 1555 BERGER DRIVE, BLDG 2 PARKING LOT (OAKLAND RD/BERGER DR)
Join us in celebrating National Voter Registration Day! INFORMATIONAL BOOTHS FOOD TRUCKS PHOTO BOOTH MUSIC BRING THE FAMILY, JOIN THE CELEBRATION If you need additional information please contact us via e-mail at rov.media@rov.sccgov.org or via phone at (408) 282-3008.