Ex College Dropout Elected A.S. President
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Volume 146 • Issue 39 Serving San Jose State University since 1934 Th ursday, May 5, 2016 SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY VIDEOS AT YOUTUBE.COM/C/SPARTANDAILYSJSU Americans need to end the OPINION P5: murdering of innocent babies SPORTS P7: San Jose State holds on to even the season series against the Lopes CLIMBING TO THE TOP HEADS UP Ex college dropout elected A.S. president By Itzel Castro Contributing writer Th ere’s nothing like a working in blue-collar brush with death to get jobs, Perea decided to you back on track. Th at’s give college a second part of the journey that chance and returned to Hector Perea has taken. Fresno City College in Perea, the new A.S. Fall 2012 and ultimately President for Fall graduated, transferring 2016, was involved in a to San Jose State gruesome car accident University in Fall 2014. that nearly took his life Now, as a 28-year- in his early 20s. old SJSU student, the Kavin Mistry | Spartan Daily He was a community San Jose native son of Members of SJSU Cru, Rolan Jimenez (left), Gabe Senbetu (center left), Luke Bryant (center right) and college dropout Mexican immigrants Zack Burgess (right) play spike ball at Tower Lawn. working a 9-to-5 job as looks back, mostly with a construction worker pride, on his early days. CINCO DE MAYO in West Virginia, where “My setbacks in life he almost faced death are my biggest learning aft er an exhausting day experiences because of work. I was never the best Take a little trip in a lowrider “Af ter that car student and never By Rashaad Mubarak accident, I had a life- appreciated education, Copy editor changing epiphany, but experiencing all where I realized I had those low points in my to go back to school,” life made me want to Some Americans assume Th is subculture started Perea said. be a better person and Cinco de Mayo is Mexican during the 1940s and ’50s Perea said the reason that’s why I am here Independence Day. Th is is in the barrios of East Los he dropped out of today,” Perea said. incorrect since Mexican Angeles, gaining momentum Fresno City College During the course of Independence Day celebrates in the 1960s and ’70s. soon aft er he graduated his almost two years at Mexico’s resistance against Lowriders remain a from Buchanan High SJSU, Perea has taken Spanish rule on Sept. 16, staple in Mexican and School in 2006 was that on several leadership 1810, whereas Cinco de American culture for their he wasn’t ready to take roles, including Director Mayo commemorates the elaborate modifi cations, on college. of Intercultural Aff airs Mexican Army’s triumph aerodynamics and colorful, “In the beginning, I for Associated Students, against France (in the Chicano style. | wasn’t going to college Intern Coordinator for French-Mexican War) on “My lowrider is a 1959 Leticia Castro Spartan Daily for myself,” Perea said. the Chican@/Latin@ May 5, 1862. Chevy Impala that Rudy Castro gets his ʼ59 Chevrolette Impala ready “I was just going for Student Success Task Nonetheless, the latter is a originally belonged to my to take out for the Cinco de Mayo weekend. my parents and I was Force, Co-Chair of source of pride and joy for grandfather,” said Rudy never really motivated Movimiento Estudiantil Mexicans worldwide. Castro, a San Jose resident. culture. My parents were driving and enjoying his car. enough, so in my second Chicano de Aztlan One type of automobile “To me, lowriders are a part hardworking and didn’t own For many lowrider semester I failed all (MEChA) and his most has been a source of pride of my heritage and mean a a lowrider, but it’s something enthusiasts, San Diego’s my classes and I ended recent accomplishment and joy in the Mexican- lot to the Mexican culture. I’ve always liked and loved.” Chicano Park is a true giving up.” includes being elected as American community for Th ey’re an art statement Castro was also in a car Aft er six years of decades: the lowrider. because we’re proud of our club, but mostly preferred CINCO PAGE 2 PRESIDENT PAGE 2 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT New tattoo exhibit showcased at San Jose History Park By Samantha Verdugo II era to women today from tattoos Staff writer artists to those tattooed. Just walking distance from the women who fi rst made it fashionable The history of women in Spartan Stadium, a new exhibit, to the tattooed ladies in today’s tattooing goes back further than “Tattooed and Tenacious: Inked culture across the country. most people realize. Women in California History,” is on Amy Cohen, the exhibit’s keeper, In fact, tattoos on women were display at the San Jose History Park. told Metro that she got the idea from not accepted during these times. A bouquet of roses, a ship her own body art and also from an People believed that both men bursting, American fl ags, full faces un-inked colleague, Diane Curry. and women with tattoos were and exotic animals are just a few Aft er Curry’s recommendation, inherently immoral. So much so of the many artworks that visitors Cohen did some research and that women had to completely will see in the McKay Gallery. discovered that it was a huge deal cover their bodies with clothing so Th e exhibit traces the history of and should be shared. that their tattoos were not shown. Samantha Verdugo | Spartan Daily women with tattoos in California, “Tattoos and Tenacious” is According to the San Jose San Jose resident reads the untold stories of Californiaʼs from Native American tattooing focused around California women earliest women with tattoos at the Mckay Gallery. traditions to the upper-class white living during the pre-World War TATTOOS PAGE 4 2 Thursday, January 28, 2016 22 NEWS Thursday, May 5, 2016 from page 1 empowering them we can tackle any “I feel that he is one of the only PRESIDENT issues,” Perea said. members of Associated Students Perea was one of the main student that is actually trying to challenge the new A.S. President for Fall 2016. leaders that draft ed the resolutions in some things within it and not just One of his close friends, senior support of Student Resource Centers trying to go along with it because RTVF major Ivan Abrego, for underrepresented minority it is going to be benefi cial for his recounts when he first met Perea groups on campus which includes resume,” Woodward said. “But he almost two years ago. According African-American, Chicano(a)/ is actually trying to make things to Abrego, he seemed like a quiet Latino(a) and undocumented/AB better for all of us in the school.” and reserved person. 540 students. Aft er completing his term as A.S. “He seemed like a person that He presented these resolutions to president and graduating from SJSU keeps it to himself, but over the the A.S. Student Government in in Spring 2017, Perea plans to attend course of time, he developed into a Fall 2015 and they supported his grad school to pursue a master’s in natural leader,” Abrego said. initiatives. Th is semester, campus Higher Education Administration. The newly elected A.S. leader said administrators approved the plan he promises to empower students, which would allow these centers expand on the initiatives that have to be part of SJSU in Fall 2016 or Follow Itzel on Twitter been passed for underrepresented Spring 2017. @itzelcastronews students, make the campus more Co-Chair of Student Advocates Itzel Castro Contributing Photographer accessible, improve campus for Higher Education (SAHE), Lana Hector Perea leads a demonstration for better climate and increase student Woodward, has worked with Perea representation of African-American, Chicano/ hunger awareness. in many initiatives throughout SJSU Latino and undocumented students at San Jose “Without a doubt, my main goal and describes him as a passionate State University last semester in front of the Student is to empower students because by and dedicated leader. Union. from page 1 Magazine explicitly focuses on the CINCO lowrider culture, including fashion and music prominent in Chicano culture. lowrider space. The 7.9 acre park resides Madrid died in 2015, but his life and Cinco de Mayo beneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge legacy is celebrated across the United States and is currently listed on the National in publications like the New York Times. Register of Historic Places. Th e SJSU community hopes to continue Fun Facts Chicano Park contains the largest his legacy as advertising professor John collection of murals in tribute to the Delacruz and graduate student Charlotte Chicano Movement, or El Movimiento, in Orr of the SJSU journalism and mass the 1960s. Each year, on “Chicano Park communications program are forming a Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s independence Day,” a large number of spectators gather committee to create the fi rst in a potential day. It’s actually a celebration of an unlikely vic- at Chicano Park to enjoy traditional series of “lowrider-space themed” murals Mexican food, music, dancing and at Hellyer County Park. tory against French invaders on May 5th, 1862. customized lowriders. Orr researched Hellyer County Park and Lowriders also have a signifi cant learned that car shows frequented the park presence in San Jose, particularly Hellyer during the 1970s. Mexico hardly celebrates Cinco de Mayo com- County Park in Santa Clara County. “Th e lowrider car shows attracted so pared to the United States. In fact, the world’s Th ree SJSU alumni — Mario “Sonny” many people to the park,” Orr said.