Fall 2011
Hunger in the Horn
By Tamerra Griffin A brief scroll down any notable news outlet’s web page will yield the latest from the turbulent political arena, which seems incomplete without an alleged sex scandal or controversial leaked footage; recaps of big-name universities’ athletic events, and the NCAA infractions thereof; multi-million dollar celebrity weddings (and subsequent divorces); not to mention the occasional, but always well-received, human interest piece that spotlights a local hero. However, save for the now-quintessential photo of an enrobed East...
read moreThe Mission’s Day of the Dead tradition reminds the crowd to cherish the best of times.
By Victor Rodriguez Photos by Cindy Waters Amid the penetrating smells of the burning incense, the parade is underway with dancers in their positions, percussionists at the ready, and participants each holding one figure of the Aztec calendar. People line up on the sidewalks and curbs to watch the neighborhood pilgrimage. A morbid view is not uncommon, and many people, both adults and children, wear the traditional black-and-white face paint of a human skull to recall the better days they had with their dead. The black lines on her face...
read moreSan Francisco’s Central Subway
By Chris Torres Photos by Hang Chen It’s twenty after eleven on Tuesday morning in Chinatown. People browse storefronts, trudge up the hill, hang laundry out to dry from lines strung from a neighbor’s side window. Folks exchanging information, glances, loose change. A pair of tourists from somewhere in Europe armed with a map and cameras pass into a hole-in-the-wall shop selling produce and postcards. A man hoses down the sidewalk. San Francisco’s most densely populated neighborhood woke up hours ago. It’s standing room only...
read moreHelping Youth Reach Their Full Potential
By Victor Rodreguez Photos by Eric Verduzco She sits cross-legged, runs her hands through her black hair and smiles between each sentence, describing a scene into a life that is now just a memory. Her parents had a hard time trying to fund her educational endeavors. By the time college rolled around, she was on her own. Yet, now as she leans in to her desk of the SMART program’s new location, she recalls the track she’s on from new career opportunities that arose finding her way through the educational system. For Nonoko Sato, the matter...
read moreThe Dangers of Smart Pills
By Ivanna Quiroz Cartoon by Gregory Moreno Twenty one year old Suzanne* is your average SF State student. She goes to class, goes to work, studies, and finds time to go out with her friends on the weekends. Suzanne is a business major, and, like many students, she struggles with a busy schedule. Sometimes, she feels like she needs a little help and more time. Three years ago, Suzanne was a freshman and all she needed to do was ask her roommate for some Adderall. Her roommate, diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, would frequently sell...
read moreCalifornia’s Green Medicine
By Ashley Aires Photographs by Gil Riego (Special to Xpress) With the return of the school year at SF State, students are trying to find ways to cope with the endless homework that they’re now faced with. Megan, a senior who declined to give her last name, has already figured out how she wants to spend some of her free time: smoking marijuana. As she sits on the cold, metal bench across the street from State’s massive parking garage, she lights up what could look like an innocent cigarette if it wasn’t giving off a different odor....
read moreMaking the cover of Xpress
Xpress has often taken a single photo approach to create the cover for the magazine. This semester, Julio Cortez helped design a cover that was a little more daring. Here is a behind-the-scenes video on how the cover of Xpress Magazine came about. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWau6UiM7rY[/youtube] Special thanks to makeup artist, Sarah Coy, SuiGENERIS, and all the models.
read moreA car free Market Street?
By Ivanna Quiroz Photos by Nick Moone It is where the Giants celebrated their World Series win. It spreads from Twin Peaks to the Embarcadero. Trolleys, streetcars, and Muni buses journey above it while the Muni Metro and BART travel below it. It’s consistently home to pedestrians, protestors, vendors, tourists, commuters, and cyclists, and it’s definitely no stranger to bumper-to-bumper traffic. All San Francisco locals know Market Street. Some flock to it, others avoid it. Today there is talk of new developments to revitalize Market...
read moreThe gaming life
By Erin Bates While Facebook continues to be the most popular Internet pastime among college students—newsfeeds aren’t always compelling for everyone. San Francisco State University student Jeremy Hedman prefers spending his free time submerged for hours in a war-torn portion of the Milky Way galaxy of the future. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty is a real-time outer space strategy game for PC. The 2010 game, similar to its 1998 predecessor, Starcraft: Brood Wars, features three military races that the player can command. The Zerg, an alien...
read moreA Vegan Thanksgiving
By Jessica Belluomini [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLeVOgkxFe0[/youtube] Another Thanksgiving with the family and the house is filled with grumbling bellies and the overwhelming smell of food boiling, frying and simmering. The table is set with all the traditional warm autumn colors and empty plates perfectly placed. The anticipated “ding” finally sounds from the kitchen timer, and food begins to fill the empty places on the hungry table. The bird, the glazed ham, the stuffing, cranberry sauce and beloved candied...
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